Disclaimer: Nope.
Author's Note: Thank you so, so much for the reviews! I'm really glad you enjoyed the last chapter.
You're right. Harry wasn't afraid of spiders in Philosopher's Stone, but as you said, I think he got used to them. I can see a little kid being afraid of the darkness and the spiders in the cupboard, but then getting used to it because he lived that way for so many years. That is completely heartbreaking to me. I'm glad you thought that Harry's feelings about his parents pre-Hogwarts were real. The Dursleys were the only reference point he had at that time, so why shouldn't he have believed them?
I'm glad you liked the comparison between Moody and Vernon as well, and I'm happy you enjoyed the scene between Harry and Moody. Old Mad-Eye is such an interesting character to write, and yes, he does have a heart, no matter what he himself thinks.
Yes, Harry does deserve all the happiness in the world, and I wanted to convey that he's coming to accept that he didn't deserve the treatment he received from the Dursleys. I'm glad i'm succeeding in portraying that.
I'm so looking forward to Harry returning to Hogwarts too. Those scenes are going to be so wonderful to describe. I've always loved Hogwarts and have always compared it to the school I attended for seven years, Overbrook School for the Blind in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. I've always laughed at the fact that I attended it for seven years, and that students attend Hogwarts for seven years. I became who I am today because of Overbrook - in my opinion, it's the best school in the entire world. The experiences and memories of that place sustain me through the worst of times.
Yes, I have been receiving spam messages about people wanting to create artwork for my story. I'm ignoring all of them. I'm sorry you're going through that as well.
Anyway, I really hope you enjoy this next chapter.
xxxxxxxxxx
Eileen Diggory took a deep breath as she walked into her office. The building she worked in was located in London, and to Muggles, it looked long abandoned. This building housed anything and everything to do with the protection of children.
Eileen had been working at this office for a long time - it was only about a year after Cedric was born that she had started working there. Over the years, there had been so many experiences she had had. She'd seen children who had been neglected, and who had been abused.
As she sat in her chair, she glanced at the photograph of Cedric that was hanging on her wall. Taken the summer before the Triwizard Tournament, he was as handsome as ever, the smile on his face making Eileen's breath catch in her throat - it always did. He had been such a gentle, kind, loving person, and she had always been so proud of him.
The last few months had been exceedingly hard. It would have been so easy for her to convince herself that Cedric was currently at Hogwarts, enjoying his last year as he was surrounded by so many people that he loved. She had no doubt that he would have been Head Boy this year. He had always achieved top marks, and had had so much compassion and empathy in him. He was always lending a helping hand to whoever needed it, assisting other students both with their homework and with emotional struggles that they went through. Professor Sprout had made it a point to write to her and tell her that Cedric was essential in helping homesick first-years, and he helped tutor those who were having trouble with their subjects.
But no. Cedric wasn't at Hogwarts. Eileen knew she had to face the truth. Her Cedric was buried in a coffin, in the beautiful graveyard of Ottery St. Catchpole. Eileen spent a lot of time at his grave, quietly talking to him and hoping he could hear her. She could swear she felt his presence sometimes, and, always being a spiritual person, believed it to really be true.
She and Cedric's girlfriend, Cho Chang, had been keeping up a correspondence. Even after the owl dilemma, they still kept writing to each other, and the Hogwarts house-elves delivered each letter. Eileen had found out through Cho that Roger Davies was Head Boy this year. She and Amos knew who he was, having attended plenty of Cedric's Quidditch matches over the years. She knew Roger would do the job well, but she desperately wished that Cedric could have done it. And she knew that Cho wished the very same thing.
It was honestly a real comfort to Eileen to be able to correspond with Cho. Both were still in mourning, but both found incredible strength in one another. Eileen realized more and more how deep Cho and Cedric's relationship had gone, and how much in love they had been. Eileen could tell what a hard time Cho was having with his death, but the letters they exchanged always spoke of the good times and precious memories they had. Eileen could tell that Cho was doing everything she could to take her words at the funeral to heart: "He would have wanted you to move on, sweetie. Remember him, but move on."
Cho had been the one to reach out first, and it had touched Eileen beyond belief. I hope you think I did the right thing, she had written in the days immediately after she, Matthew Banner, and Rebecca Hardman had convinced the governors to allow Harry Potter back at Hogwarts. I wasn't doing well this summer, and I'm ashamed at the fact that I blamed Harry for Cedric's death. I'm so sorry for my behavior, and I know better now.
Cho's honesty about her own feelings had immensely moved Eileen. There had been no need for her to tell Cedric's mother such a thing, but it showed how strong she was, and what kind of person she wanted to be. The fact that she had been one of those who convinced the governors about Harry's attendance at the castle had truly been a redeeming moment for her. Ced, you did well finding her, Eileen thought sadly but proudly. Eileen couldn't hold Cho's thoughts about Harry over the summer against her - there had been so many of Cedric's loved ones who had done much worse. Some of them still couldn't accept that they had been wrong about Harry. The murder accusations against him, and the fact that he had had to go into hiding, still made her furious.
Attending both Cornelius Fudge and Sirius Black's trials had been experiences she would never forget. She had been told by many that she was normally a gentle, nonconfrontational person, and she displayed the perfect character traits to work with children who were neglected or abused. But as she faced down Dolores Umbridge, the sudden urge to punch her was incredibly tempting. The way she'd pretended to show empathy for her and Amos was repulsive. Her sickeningly sweet voice would never leave her mind.
She and Amos felt incredibly vindicated as they left the courtroom. The false memory Healers Pollander and Shaddock had attempted to implant into Dumbledore had literally made her nauseous. Seeing Harry point his wand at Cedric, after forcing him onto his knees ... it was a complete mockery of who Harry was. A vicious sense of satisfaction stole over her and Amos as it was proven not to be true, and all murder accusations against Harry were dropped. Eileen would always remember the feral smile that graced Amos's face as Cornelius Fudge, gibbering and terrified, was led away by the Dementors. Eileen reckoned that her face looked exactly the same.
The trial of Sirius Black was full of such raw emotion that it felt surreal. After what had happened to Harry, Eileen wasn't surprised at all that the justice system could mess up so royally. Sirius Black had rotted in a cell for almost twelve bloody years for something he didn't do. As he stood at the stand and spoke of his love for Harry, of the mistakes he'd made when seeking revenge on Peter, Eileen felt tears streaming down her face. Peter had also been the one who had murdered her son in cold blood. That man had done so much damage - it was devastating.
But there was another thing that had never left her mind after that day - the hunger in John Dawlish's eyes when he had questioned Ron Weasley as to why Harry should be allowed to stay with Sirius. The shifty look in his eyes, the honest influx of guilt when he responded ... it was obvious that he didn't want to betray Harry's confidences.
And when Harry had given his own testimony and been questioned, he had outright admitted that he didn't get along with his relatives. Eileen had worked with too many abuse cases over the years to not spot the signs. Cold shock swept over her as she gazed at Harry, who was being so brave on the stand.
Why hadn't she realized it before? When she'd comforted him after Cedric's death, it hadn't clicked. Obviously, she had been in the grip of pure, unadulterated grief at that moment, so maybe that was why. But in the time that followed, Harry had been on her mind a lot. She and Amos had been touched beyond belief when they'd received that letter from him the day of Cedric's funeral - neither of them would ever forget that moment. He had been so sweet and compassionate, and the guilt he obviously felt broke their hearts.
But, at Sirius's trial, Eileen had finally seen it. When he'd delivered his heartbreaking testimony about Sirius, she had seen something in his emerald eyes, something that people who worked with abused children often saw. There was almost this look of ... disbelief ... on his face when he stared at Sirius, like he was shocked that anyone could love him. It was then that she recalled how Harry had gazed at her after the Third Task, like he was expecting her and Amos to scream at him, to blame him, to punish him for their son's death. She couldn't believe it had taken her so long to realize the truth.
Dumbledore. Everything always came back to him. She couldn't help the resentment she still felt towards him - it was him and the Hogwarts staff that she held responsible for her child's death, not sweet, gentle Harry Potter who had almost sacrificed his own life just to bring Ced's body home to them. She battled with those feelings, especially after learning what the Mind Healers had put him through, but it was a battle she lost more often than not. And when she saw Harry up there on the stand and learned that it had been Dumbledore who had placed him with the Dursleys, it only renewed her cold feelings towards him.
She could only be thankful that he was going back to stay with Sirius. He would be safe there - she knew that for sure, after seeing Sirius's face when he spoke of their relationship. As the days had passed after the trial, she thought about him a lot, and hoped desperately that he never had to go back to his relatives.
Then, Alastor Moody had come to see her. He hadn't told her how he'd come upon the information, and Eileen didn't ask - the details were none of her business. He also didn't tell her exactly how bad Harry's situation truly was, but the look on his face spoke volumes. "There will come a time when you will need to help Sirius gain full custody of Harry, ensuring that he will never have to go back to his family." The last word was spat out, like he was expelling poison. Eileen didn't think she'd ever heard that word spoken with such venom.
And now, the day had come, and she closed her eyes for a moment as she gathered her composure. She was moments away from helping a boy whom she owed so much to. Once again, she gazed lovingly at the picture of her strong, handsome, smiling son, and she drew strength from it. She only hoped that once it was her time and she reached the other side, Cedric would be just as proud of her as she was of him.
At that very moment, her receptionist, Tina, poked her head into Eileen's office. "Harry Potter and Sirius Black have just arrived, ma'am," she said quietly.
"And I am ready to see them," Eileen responded, Cedric's face still implanted firmly in her mind. "You can send them in."
Seconds later, Sirius walked in with his arm around Harry. Eileen could tell instantly that Harry was nervous, and her heart ached for him. She would make sure that this would go as smoothly as possible, and she would also ensure that the greedy vultures at the Daily Prophet and other wizarding newspapers would never, ever hear of this. She remembered the disgusting, speculative rubbish that posed as articles that had been written after Fudge's trial, and she vowed that no more of them would see the light of day.
"Good morning, Harry." Eileen smiled at him. "Good morning, Sirius."
"Good morning, Eileen." Sirius walked over to her and shook her hand. There was so much warmth in his gray eyes when he looked back at Harry, and Eileen once again felt anger bubbling within her at the cruelty of the wizarding justice system. They'd locked this man away in prison and practically thrown away the key, and if he hadn't had the strength to escape, he would have withered away without anyone knowing the truth. It was sickening.
"Good morning, Mrs. Diggory." Harry's voice was soft. "How are you?" he asked hesitantly, and she could see the pain and memories in his emerald eyes as his gaze landed on the picture of a happy and vibrant Cedric.
Eileen suddenly felt guilt flood over her. Should she have put that picture somewhere else while Harry was here? Doubtless it was causing him pain. His face was transparent and open, showing every bit of the sadness he was feeling. "I'm doing well, Harry," she answered quietly. "Do you want me to ..."
"No." Harry shook his head, straightening his spine and showing the bravery that Eileen had seen him display as he faced Voldemort and the Death Eaters in the graveyard. "It's all right. He looks so ... happy in that picture. That's how I want to remember him, too."
Eileen felt her heart bursting with emotion. Trusting her instincts, she did something that she normally didn't do in a professional setting. She held her arms open to embrace him. Harry stepped forward and hugged her tightly, and both of them seemed to soak in the warmth of the gesture, appreciating every moment of it. Sirius looked on with a soft expression, his gray eyes full of love.
"Please, sit down," Eileen said gently once she had released Harry. Godfather and godson made themselves comfortable on the sofa that was located in the room.
Eileen offered them refreshments - a cold drink and some biscuits - which they both accepted. Eileen had always felt that at least some of the stress could be alleviated in these kinds of situations by enjoying some delicious treats. Eileen had done that with Cedric sometimes, especially after Amos had been particularly hard on him.
"Thank you," Harry said, and Sirius nodded. "I really appreciate it."
"You're welcome," Eileen said as she sat down in a chair across from them. After a few moments of silence, she said, "Now, Harry, I'm not going to ask you any uncomfortable questions, so you don't need to worry about that. From what I understand, you would like this situation resolved as soon as possible."
Harry nodded, the expression on his face renewing Eileen's convictions that all had not been well with Harry's relatives. "Thank you for doing this, Mrs. Diggory," he said. "Sirius and I are so happy, and it's what my parents would have wanted."
Eileen smiled softly as Sirius nodded, and retrieved some papers from the pocket of his robes. "I was able to procure Lily and James's wills from Gringotts," he stated, and there was no mistaking the pain in his voice when he spoke their names. Eileen couldn't even begin to imagine what it must have been like for him in Azkaban, knowing that two of his best friends were gone and that everyone believed, including herself, that he had been responsible for their deaths. It was horrifying.
"I also have a note from Albus here as well," Sirius continued. "And ... several Order members went to Harry's Aunt Petunia to ask for her signature." His expression twisted as he spoke these words, showing a mixture of raw emotions. "She signed them with no fanfare," he said quietly.
Eileen stared at the note from Dumbledore first, and was truly flabbergasted by what she read. She felt her heart soften very, very fractionally for the old man.
Dear Eileen,
I have made an enormous mistake. I misjudged the situation entirely; I should not have placed Harry with his Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon after the First War's conclusion. It was a grave error that I cannot go back and rectify. I can only ask that you ensure that Harry is allowed to stay where he rightfully belongs - with Sirius Black.
Sirius has done a masterful job caring for Harry, and even after spending so long behind Azkaban's walls, his abilities have not faltered. Harry's parents wished for him to receive the love and care they knew Sirius would provide him with.
I have made so many mistakes, Eileen, and I know I played an enormous part in the tragedy your family faced in June. I know there is nothing I can truly say or do to receive your forgiveness, but please know that I am, and always will be, incredibly sorry.
Warm regards,
Albus Dumbledore
He was right. Eileen could not currently forgive the man. Her emotions were too raw, and she did not have the strength to do it.
Her eyes landed on Cedric's picture again, and he was still smiling at her from the frame, his warm gray eyes vibrant and alive. He would want her to forgive Albus, wouldn't he? If he was to stand before her now, she knew what he'd say. She'd raised Cedric to be compassionate and forgiving, so shouldn't she be the same?
Did Albus really mean everything he had said? It was easy to grab a piece of parchment and write a bunch of words on it. He wasn't looking her in the eye and speaking them, after all. You could write something and be insincere when doing so.
But she wanted to believe the best of him, and she had definitely not expected him to write her such a letter. And she hated walking around with resentment and anger in her body - it was no way to live. Glancing at Cedric's smiling picture again, she smiled back at it, vowing to herself that she would do what he would have wanted.
She then turned her attention to the other papers Sirius had given her. The Potters' wills were very well-written, with everything Lily and James wanted if something was to happen to them. Eileen's heart hurt - they had been so young when they were killed. They should have had the chance to take care of the special young man across from her.
There is no possible situation where Petunia and Vernon Dursley should gain custody of Harry Potter.
That sentence was written very boldly, and Eileen realized that Albus had blatantly gone against their wishes. Or ... had he not seen the wills at all? Eileen didn't know, but she couldn't think more on that right now. If she was to have any hope of doing what Cedric would have wanted, she currently couldn't ponder that any further.
The will went on to say that Harry should absolutely go to Sirius if anything was to happen to them. If, somehow, Sirius couldn't, there were others that Lily and James had wanted to take up the responsibility. Eileen's heart broke as she read the names Alice and Frank Longbottom. Just when everyone thought they were safe, the brutal, vicious attack on the couple had shaken the wizarding world to its core. Merlin ... what if they actually HAD taken Harry? The attack had taken place a few days after the war, and Harry had doubtless already been at the Dursleys when that had occurred. Eileen's heart twisted again - she hadn't known the Longbottoms personally, but hearing about what had happened to them literally made her feel ill.
Then, Eileen looked at the papers that Petunia Dursley had signed. Her scrawl was untidy, like she'd done it in a hurry, as if she couldn't get rid of Harry fast enough. Eileen once again felt anger envelop her, but it was mixed with relief. Obviously, she had no idea what Harry had faced with his relatives, but at least it was over now. He would never have to go back to them.
Usually, with cases like this, she would conduct an interview with the child and whoever was gaining custody of them, so that she could make sure that everything was as it should be. It was customary, and part of her job description. But as she looked at Harry and Sirius, she realized that this was a very different situation.
She couldn't do it. Eileen Diggory had seen Harry and Sirius in the courtroom. She had heard the testimony from both of them, and she had spoken to Alastor Moody. She didn't need to ask any questions to know that she would be doing the right thing for both Harry and Sirius. And the last thing she wanted was to make this go on any longer.
Everything was legitimate - the wills, the signature, and Dumbledore's blessing. Eileen saw no reason to delay any further. Sirius and Harry were gazing at each other, their bond unmistakable. There was only one way forward, and Eileen felt incredibly honored to be the one to ensure their journey continued.
She smiled at godfather and godson. "Sirius Black," she said quietly. "I have gone over the required paperwork, and I am very happy to inform you that you now have full custody of Harry Potter." She gazed at Harry, a boy who had done everything that was possible for him to do for her son. His green eyes were shining with unshed tears. "Congratulations, Harry," she said warmly.
Neither Harry nor Sirius said anything, simply taking the news in. Both of them were too overwhelmed to speak as Sirius pulled Harry in for an embrace.
Truthfully, Eileen thought she could never repay Harry enough for everything he had done for her. She and Amos had been desperate to help him when he was in hiding, wanting nothing more than for the murder accusations to be dropped. They'd even gone to the Ministry to plead Harry's case, only to receive looks of condescending pity from many of the people. They simply thought the Diggorys didn't want to accept that a fourteen-year-old boy had bested their son, and taken him from them. They thought that Cedric's parents were too grief-stricken to accept the truth of the situation, and it enraged them.
But then, Fudge had been arrested and the truth had come out. Eileen had still been desperate to find a way to help Harry. She knew that screaming herself hoarse at Dolores Umbridge would never be enough.
But now, she had finally been able to do something. As she watched Harry and Sirius embrace, she glanced again at the framed photograph of her son. Was it her imagination, or had Cedric's smile gotten a little wider?
She thought back to the night of the Third Task, and the memory of the last conversation she had ever had with her boy. He had just hugged and kissed Cho goodbye, and she had gone to sit in the stands. It was only minutes before he was to enter the maze, only moments before it was time to face his third, and final, challenge of the Triwizard Tournament.
Amos and Cedric had just shared an embrace as well, and Eileen could tell that her husband was worried, even though he was keeping his composure. He had gone to sit in the stands as well, telling Eileen he'd save her a seat. He had realized that his wife wanted a private word with their son before he was to face the Third Task.
"It will all be all right, Mum. You'll see." Cedric's warm gray eyes met Eileen's own. "I love you," he whispered.
Eileen could see in Cedric's face that he, too, was scared. It wasn't something that he showed often, especially not in front of Amos, but he always felt he could show more of his feelings in front of his mother. He was trying to convince himself it would be all right, as well as her.
"Yes, it will," Eileen said soothingly, hugging Cedric tightly. "I love you, too, and I am so very, very proud of you, as is your father."
Cedric smiled softly. "I know."
Eileen kissed Cedric's forehead. "Be careful in there," she whispered, trying to beat back her own fears.
"I will." Cedric's expression grew very serious then. "I hope nothing happens to Harry tonight," he said, his voice full of wariness and concern. "I was so ... so stupid. I can't believe I ever thought he'd put his own name in the Goblet. It's obvious he doesn't want to be involved in this thing at all."
Eileen held onto her son tightly - it was obvious how much he had come to care about the younger boy. "You know better now," she whispered softly, knowing that Cedric's old thoughts about Harry had stemmed from his own insecurity concerning his father. She had been so embarrassed when Amos harped on about Cedric's Quidditch win right in front of Harry at the World Cup, when Cedric had explicitly told his parents that Harry had fallen off his broom and he had outright asked Madam Hooch for a rematch. She had refused, and so Hufflepuff had won.
Still, it hadn't felt like a victory to Cedric in the least. He hadn't even known Harry had fallen off his broom until he'd grabbed the Snitch. It would forever be a sore subject, because he would always feel guilt over it. And to have Amos embarrass Harry like that - Eileen had been livid with him over that incident.
And then, Amos made it a point to always compare Cedric to Harry. Harry was famous and was a hero, and Cedric felt as though he had to prove himself. Therefore, when Harry's name had come out of the Goblet, Cedric had at first been resentful, knowing how his father would react, and knowing he would have to work exceedingly hard to make him proud.
But as time had passed, Cedric had seen Harry's struggles, and had understood that the younger boy didn't want fame or fortune. Harry was human - he was worried and frightened, and Cedric's resentment abruptly ended. He had confessed all this to Eileen over the Easter holidays.
"It isn't fair," Cedric said quietly. "The way he's been treated throughout the tournament. So many people in the school turned against him when he didn't do anything wrong."
"I know, sweetheart." Eileen sighed heavily, knowing how cruel the world could be. "I'm sure everything will be fine," she said, hoping desperately that it was true. "I'm sure Harry will be okay."
Cedric released Eileen, a look of determination taking over his handsome features. "I'll make sure of it," he vowed. "I need to make it up to him."
Eileen smiled, once again looking into Cedric's honest gray eyes. "I know you will," she whispered. "You're a good boy, Cedric." She tenderly touched his cheeks. "Look after yourself. Good luck."
As she came out of the memory, she saw that the photograph of Cedric was still smiling - and no, it hadn't been her imagination. His smile was definitely bigger.
Eileen knew about the portraits of previous Headmasters that were in Dumbledore's office. Those portraits contained some of the essence of the actual people, and they could communicate with those still alive. Although Cedric's picture was only a moving photograph, Eileen couldn't help but think that somehow, some way, her son was attempting to communicate with her from the other side.
She felt a huge wave of emotion crash over her as she smiled back at her son. In the end, he had helped Harry tremendously. She would never forget his ghostly form, the way his voice had echoed as Harry had held onto his wand tightly - "Hold on, Harry." He had helped to make sure Harry returned safely to Hogwarts.
And now, he was smiling at Eileen, and she had a very strong feeling that wherever he was, he was perfectly aware that she had now helped Harry, too.