Twist of Fate

Chapter 2

1994, Quidditch World Cup

"Harry, I was going out for a walk to look around, want to come with?" Cedric Diggory, the 6th year Hufflepuff, stood before Harry in the tent that they were staying at for the Quidditch World Cup. Surprised, Harry looked around. Ron and Hermione were playing wizard chess, Mr Weasley and Cedric's father were discussing politics.

"Um, sure." Harry set down the latest issue of Quidditch Today he'd been reading. Although he knew Cedric from school, he and the other boy had never spent any time together. Cedric was the Hufflepuff Team Captain that had beaten him last year. Cedric held open the tent flap and they both stepped outside. Cedric turned to the left and started walking down the lane between all of the tents. Now that night had fallen many of the tents had campfires burning near their tents. Harry had never been Muggle camping, but he was pretty sure that campfires usually weren't purple, green, blue and the other colors that were sending rainbow colored sparks brightly into the night sky.

Harry looked curiously over at the tall figure walking quietly beside him. Harry had often watched the Hufflepuffs practice and knew he was an excellent Seeker. The boy's curly hair fell over his eyes and he restlessly pushed it back with his fingers.

"So, where are we going?" Harry asked at last. He was glad for the chance to wander through the campground and see all of the wizards gathered from around the world, but Cedric didn't appear to be looking around at all. He seemed lost in his own thoughts as they slowly made their way through the campground.

Cedric looked up and noticed for the first time they had left the tents behind and were on a small path. "Oh, nowhere I guess." He stopped walking and Harry stopped to, puzzled. "I wanted to ask you a question or tell you something, I think is more the thing."

Harry felt the first flicker of alarm, "A question about me?" He looked over at Cedric. Although he still didn't like it, he had grown reluctantly used to people asking him for autographs, which he always refused. Why would anyone need his autograph? Or for favors, or questions about Voldemort. Cedric hadn't seemed the type but Harry guessed he'd been wrong about him.

Cedric nodded back towards the camp and looked at Harry, "I imagine it is hard, always living your life in the full view of everyone. Every move you make, people notice." Harry nodded, slowly, this was nothing new. He somehow didn't think he was going to like the question that the Hufflepuff was going to ask him.

Cedric looked straight at Harry. "I noticed that when you were looking at Quidditch Today you weren't exactly reading the articles, like most blokes do."

Harry took a step back, that definitely was not what he had anticipated. "I read the articles!"

Cedric gave a half smile "You look at it the same way I do, more for the pictures than the articles." Before Harry could think of a response, two wizards came down the path towards, them. "Evening, boys, nice night for a walk, 'eh?"

Cedric looked and saw more people were following the path. "Look, Harry, it isn't a big deal, maybe I'm wrong. I just thought that maybe if I was right that you might want to have someone to talk to about it. If you want to go back to camp that is fine. But if you want to talk, we can find someplace quiet."

Harry looked down at a tuft of grass and kicked it with the heel of his foot, stalling while he decided what to do. The noise from the camp, excited chatter and laughter seemed far removed now from where they were standing. He looked back at the path to the camp and then finally over at Cedric. The tall Hufflepuff stood there, waiting for Harry's answer. Harry was tempted to say that they should just go back but he had needed someone to talk to about this for too long. There were so many questions in his head and nowhere to go to find the answers.