TimeTurners: Saving Cedric Diggory

Training

"You have to be prepared for more than a regular wizard duel." Jeremy said as he tugged a struggling Judi towards the dungeons. She was annoyed to the point where she wanted to attack her brother right there. But he was strong!

"Dammit Jeremy!" she struggled again. "Why do we have to do this?"

"Because I said so," he laughed at the lame joke. Saying this only because he was her older brother and it annoyed her.

"Yeah right," Judi grumbled. "Did you mention this to Fred?"

"No," Jeremy admitted with zero remorse. "I didn’t."

Judi growled at him and he finally stopped in his tracks, turning to look at her incredulously. "What was that?" he demanded. "Did you just-?"

The growl was a snarl this time. "Why didn’t you tell Fred about this? Are you nuts! Even if you are my brother there is no way he would agree with this."

"Actually he would," Jeremy replied, looking slightly abashed and a bit apologetic. "He’s been saying how much he wished you had more than one way of defending yourself if you go against Voldemort. So I thought about it on my own. In a way this was his idea."

Judi rolled her eyes. "His idea, right. His idea for me to learn to use a sword."

"Why are you complaining?" He jerked her again, but she complied more this time. "I thoughts you always wanted to learn how to do so."

"Doesn’t mean you have to teach me," she mumbled.

Jeremy smirked. He’d won and they both knew it.

Judi knew when he had found what they were looking for because she was suddenly flying through a door. She squealed with surprise and anger as her hand was released from Jeremy’s and she flew across the room, hitting what was thankfully a soft floor.

"What. The. HELL?!"

Jeremy, who was standing in front of the now closed door shrugged his shoulders and smiled at her in mock shame. "Whoops. Guess that was too much."

Judi got to her feet grumbling and glaring as she swiped her hands over her robes. She felt the dirt particles dislodge from her robes. "Do not ever throw me again Jeremy," she growled.

His only reaction was a laugh, which he quickly coughed away when Judi glared at him and whipped out her wand.

"Easy little sister," he said, palms raised in front of him. "I’m only kidding."

She lowered her wand. "What is with you wizards?!" she demanded.

Jeremy shrugged. "We’re wizards. What else is there?"

Judi rolled her eyes and stowed her wand back into her robe. "Whatever. Let’s just get this over with."

Jeremy walked to the window and bent over in a box. A moment later he rose. Two swords were in his hands. The were beautifully shined and well taken care of. Judi unconsciously took a half step towards them. Jeremy looked up at her and she saw the gleam in his eye. Even though he would not do it out loud, Jeremy was obviously laughing internally.

Jeremy maneuvered until a sword was in each hand. He held out his right arm. "You’ll need this," he said.

Judi stepped forward, her arm raising cautiously. When her fingers were inches away from the golden hilt, she hesitated. The sword was so beautiful but she was not sure she would be able to touch it. She met Jeremy’s gaze questioningly. He nodded encouragingly.

"You joined and fought with the Dark Lord and you’re afraid of a sword?" Jeremy asked when she hesitated still. "It’s not that bad. Take it."

Another moment of hesitation passed and finally, Judi reached out and closed her fingers around the hilt. Jeremy released the blade and all the weight of the sword was in her palm. Even the surprise did not make her grip falter. Holding the sword was something like a second nature to her. She felt absolutely no need to learn how to handle one. Maybe it was just a spell on the sword, but she felt as if she could use this sword easily.

"You ready?" Jeremy asked as he walked past her. Judi refused to let herself be unguarded. She turned in the opposite direction and walked to the spot she had landed in. She turned and faced Jeremy, who was already watching her. A smirk lit up his face.

"Let’s do this," Judi said with a smile.

She lunged.

So did he.

The swords collided with a loud clank.

2 hours later

"You are fairly good at this," Jeremy complimented as he barely dodged yet another swipe from Judi’s sword. "Far better than I expected."

Judi smiled, keeping her guard up. Jeremy swiped and she blocked the sword from slicing her shoulder. "We’re brother and sister. We’re bound to have more in common than we thought."

He laughed as well and attempted to dodge her next attack. She hit his leg. "More like better," he chuckled.

"Damn straight!" Judi exclaimed, swiping again. The blade cut his shoulder.

Jeremy held his hands up, the sword falling from his hand and to the floor with a loud clatter. "OK. OK. Time. That’s enough." He was breathing hard, but a smile lit his features. "I had nothing to teach you. You’re a natural."

Judi laid her sword on a desk and placed her hands on her hips. "Are you jealous Big Brother?"

He shook his head. "Intrigued. Impressed. You’ll have a strong hand at defeating the Dark Lord."

"Can I go now?" Judi asked. She was sweaty from the excess training and she wanted to be alone with her thoughts long enough before she had to meet up with Fred.

He motioned toward the door. "Be my guest. Just remember your sword."

"Right." Judi picked up the sword and walked across the room, past Jeremy, and to the door. Her hand stopped just inches from the knob. She turned back to Jeremy. "How did you know about me?"

The question startled him. "Did I not answer that before," he wondered out loud for both of them.

"You just said, you remembered me somehow." She told him. "How did you know I was here?"

He laughed. "That is easily answered, don’t you remember the first night back, at the feast?"

"Oh," she said. "So why didn’t you find me before?"

"Dumbledore told me not to say anything until the time came."

Judi rolled her eyes and turned back to the door. Of course DUMBLEDORE would do so. She stalked from the room into the deserted hallway.

Once she was just outside the door to the Hufflepuff common room, Judi sighed. She had absolutely no intention of using the sword when the time for the final battle came. She would only carry it to humor Jeremy. Would never use it. A mere sword would not be good enough.

Judi had just opened her mouth to give the password when she heard hurried footfalls behind her. "Judi. Judi!"

She turned around to see Harry running toward her. Surprised, she rushed over to him. "Harry? You’re already back?!"

"Yes," Harry gasped. "All the other horcruxes have been destroyed. It was pretty easy to find them. Hermione is getting everything ready."

"When are we leaving?"

"Tomorrow night. Fred already knows. He told me to tell you to meet him in the Room of Requirement."

Judi was already off and running before Harry was finished talking. The sword swung at her side. Harry called after her, she ignored him. Filch sneered after her when she passed him, but she ignored him also.

She didn’t stop running until she reached the seventh floor. The door was already there for her. She slipped through it and it closed behind her, disappearing into the wall.