The Last Goodbye

Aberforth and Amos

More students and teachers came and went, Harry kept himself busy as they talks in hushed voices, sending a letter to a Mr Diggory. A pang of pain ripped through his heart as he almost called out for Hedgwig, but instead borrowed a school owl.

"Harry." Harry almost fell out of the chair he was sitting in when he looked up to see who had called him, having to remind himself that it wasn't Dumbledore. Well technically Dumbledore, but not Albus Dumbledore.

"Hello Mr Dumbl- Aberforth sir." Harry faltered on his words, wincing in embarrassment. He held out the Stone quickly, letting Aberforth take it with his callused hand.

"Abe!" A girl appeared behind them in a sky blue dress, blonde hair running down in curls over it. She was holding the hands of a young man not much older than herself, who was, most unmistakably, Albus Dumbledore.

"Arianna!" Aberforth's face lit up as he spun around. His voice dropped, almost unnoticeably, "Albus."

He smiled warmly, "I can see it in your eyes brother."

"See what?" Aberforth frowned, his brother had picked up on the coldness of his time when he had said Albus' name.

Arianna's eyes were suddenly filled with sadness, "pity."

"I don't-"

"You do Abe." She walked closer to him, a sad smile on her lips, "it's fine, honestly. But just remember, don't pity the dead, pity the living. And above all..."

Albus put a hand on Arianna's shoulder, "pity those who cannot love."

A sense of nostalgia swept over Harry from where he watched, remembering the day the professor had uttered those words to him. As if he could read minds, Dumbledore turned to the boy, "you'd do well to remember my dear boy. Everyone is so very proud of you."

*
Amos frowned, "what? Harry don't joke."

Amos had arrived by the hastily set up portkey McGonagall had committed for relatives and doctors. He must've run as he looked rather red and out of breath. Harry smiled, "no, you get to speak to Cedric one last time."

The man struggled to keep back tears, "Merlin..."

Harry pressed the stone into the mans hand.

"Hey dad." Cedric was in front of the two of them, still in the clothes he- even though Harry didn't want to remember- died in.

"Sweet Morgana above..." Amos' mouth had fallen wide open, not something Harry would've expected.

"No my name's Cedric Diggory," the boy grinned, "or have you forgotten?"

"I- yes- I mean no! No of course not!" Amos stuttered, "I've just... we miss you."

"I know, I missed you too." Cedric began walking towards his father, but Harry shook his head quickly.

"Something wrong?" Amos frowned.

"No dad, everything's fine." Cedric forced a smile, "I'm fine."

"It shouldn't have happened," Amos shook his head, tears falling freely, "you're so young. You could've got married, had a job, lived your life!"

"Dad stop! I know!" Cedric clenched his fists in an attempt to keep the flood of emotions back. His voice lowered, "but life isn't about what ifs and what could've been. What happens happens, if it wasn't me it would've been Harry. That's not what I would've wanted to happen."

But Amos was silent, his eyes blank, "my lovely boy, my brave boy."

"I love you dad."

"Wait! don't go!" Amos' knees gave way beneath him.

"Look after him won't you Harry?"

Harry nodded, suddenly realising the tears that had clouded his vision, "sure thing mate."

Cedric faded away, his father screaming his name over and over, slamming his fists into the ground.

"Mr Diggory...sir, come-" Harry tried to console the man.

"GIVE ME BACK MY SON!" Amos screamed, his face red with the anger he'd bottled up for so long, "GIVE BACK WHAT YOU TOOK! YOU LEAD HIM THERE YOU GOT HIM MURDERED!"

"I know!" Harry gripped his shoulders, the weight that had subsided in his heart since that day feeling even worse than ever, "God you have no idea! No idea what it's like to live every day with the knowledge that you lead people to their deaths!"

Mr Diggory's expression softened to one of sadness as he began to sob, leaning forward into Harry's shoulder. The boy faltered for a moment, before putting an arm around the man he'd promised to look after.