Harry Potter and Death's Mystery

Chapter 5

Harry dusted off the ashes from his clothes, before turning to Kingsley and the others, having been the last to floo into the Minister's office. 

Kingsley led them through the Ministry, and stopped at a door that said Gawain Robards: Head Auror. Kingsley knocked, and waited for the brief, "Come in," before entering the room, the group of teenagers following.

Gawain Robards looked up from his desk, examining the group behind the Minister. "I thought the Auror trainees were coming in September," he said, his eyes trailing over Harry and Ron, who were already set to start training in two months' time. 

Kingsley explained the peculiar situation, and had the four present returnees give their alibis. 

Myrtle seemed to have trouble walking, and had to hold onto Robards desk to stand upright. It was understandable, the fourteen year old girl hadn't walked in fifty-five years. 

Robards looked up from the notes he had been taking, "Is there any other people you think could've came back with this group?" 

Kingsley frowned, but Harry's eyes widened to that of saucers. 

"Cedric!" 

The room exploded, besides Regulus who had no idea who this Cedric was. 

"Where do you think he'd return? By his grave?"

Colin shook his head, fiddling with the strap on his camera. "I woke up where I took my last breath. Not by my grave."

"I did too!" said Lavender.

Myrtle gave an unsteady wobble, "I'm always by my cubicle."

"I didn't have a body in the casket," responded Regulus. 

Hermione looked uncertainly at Harry, who had gone pale. "So, he's at the graveyard where he died?"

Kingsley and Robards nodded. 

"We'll have to split," said Robards, "I don't think she can walk," he gestured towards Myrtle.

"You try walking after fifty years!" she spat. 

With a wave of his wand, a muggle walker appeared next to Myrtle, and she grabbed it. 

"We'll split up. I'll take the Returnees to that large warehouse type room, that's where we'll settle everything, give them clean clothes, and get them started on paperwork and such. I'll take Miss Weasley with me, because I'm pretty sure you're not seventeen yet?"

Ginny nodded, "I turn seventeen next month."

Robards nodded, "I'll take the Golden Trio with me."

"Golden Trio?" Harry asked, causing the rest of the room, bar Regulus, who really was starting to feel left out.

"That's us, mate," answered Ron.

"Oh —"

"You're just oblivious," Ginny went on her tiptoes and kissed Harry briefly. "Way too oblivious."

Ginny made her way and helped Myrtle with her walker. Kingsley walked adjacent to Regulus, who was wobbly, but not enough to need help. Colin and Lavender were walking as if nothing had happened. 

After they left, a frown tugged at Harry's lips. "So, the longer they've been dead, the harder it is for them to walk?"

"Harry, they're probably stiff!" exclaimed Hermione.

"Alright, you three," began Robards, "Potter, can you Apparate?"

Harry nodded. "Am I going to take us there?"

"You're the only one who's been there." Ron reminded him.

Harry bit his lip.

"Let me turn off my Apparition wards," said Robards, before flipping a small switch in the corner of the room. He went to his desk and quickly scrawled a note, which he sent flying down the halls. "Let's go get Diggory."

Harry apparated them all to the graveyards, and his heart seemed to be pumping out of his chest. His throat felt like it was glued together, and he couldn't talk.

"Cedric?" called Ron, being the first one to step forward.

Hermione gave him a quick smack on the arm. "What if there are Death Eaters, Ron." 

They heard the crack of footsteps, before a raspy voice, but familiar nonetheless, responded, "Ron? Ron Weasley? Where's Harry? Is he okay?"

"I'm here," Harry shouted, surprising himself. 

Cedric followed the voice, but halted once they came into view. "You look older," he whispered.

Before he knew what he was doing, Harry ran forward and pulled him into a hug. 

"I am older," Harry said as he let go, "Cedric, it's been three years. It's 1998."

"What?" Cedric shook his limbs, as if trying to get feeling into them. 

"You've been dead," Ron said bluntly. "But you've come back. You're not the only one."

"People have been coming back from the dead?" inquired Cedric.

Robards nodded, "I'm Robards, Head Auror. We're going to be Apparating to my office." He looked at Harry, Ron, and Hermione. "You three go ahead." 

Robards held out his arm for Cedric to take, and apparated.

■■■

Regulus dried his hair with a towel, and felt relieved to be out of his damp clothes. 

The first thing he noticed about the nineties, however, was their fashion sense, especially the people wearing muggle clothes.

Ginny had placed a form in front of him, and he was working to fill it out. He had to take frequent breaks with his hand cramping often. Myrtle couldn't even pick up her quill, so Ginny was writing stuff down for her.

This was all so odd, how 1979 felt like yesterday to him. He turned back to his form.

What is your full name?

Regulus Arcturus Black

What is your date of birth?

2 August, 1961

What is your date of death?

30 November, 1979

The rest of the list was filled with the same mundane questions. 

"Regulus?"

Kingsley was standing next to him, before sitting on the table. Regulus mumbled, "Hmm?"

"How did you die, exactly? No one ever really knew."

"Harry knows," Regulus replied, "He asked me a question about it when I first returned."

"Really?" Kingsley frowned, "Still, I'd like to hear the story."

So Regulus went into detail about his death.