Twist of Fate

Chapter 5

One good thing about Ron not talking to him anymore was that it made it easier to meet with Cedric and Malfoy without raising any suspicions. "I'm going to study somewhere else" he said after fifteen minutes of sitting in the library with Ron sitting stone-faced across from Hermione and Harry.
"You don't have to go, Harry." Hermione gave him a tight-lipped smile. "Don't go..."
"It's okay, I'll see you later." He glared at Ron who had refused to look up from his book and turned and left.
He quickly exited through the courtyard entrance. The warm October days had given way to November and the sudden drop in temperature meant that no students were out walking on the grounds. Harry realized with dread that the first Triwizard task was now less than two weeks away. He followed the path that would lead him to the West Tower. Malfoy and Cedric were already there, standing next to the tower. "That's it?" Harry asked "How does it open?"
"It works just like the Leaky Cauldron's gateway... you tap here, here and here and the password is "Aperiens." Malfoy explained. The solid stone wall of the tower swung open and the three students ducked in and entered through the passageway.
Cedric and Harry looked around in astonishment. The room was large. Lockers and benches filled the space. The walls were covered with tapestries of Quidditch matches woven in intricate detail. Harry could see that there were showers and wash area off to one side. Farther back they could see a weight room and some type of office. Harry walked over to a locker and opened it. There were old fashioned leather Quidditch gear still hanging inside.
"This place is amazing, Draco!" Cedric said excitedly, his voice echoing in the chamber. Malfoy looked around and Harry realized that Malfoy looked proud. He saw this as his place, Harry thought. There was no place else like this in Hogwarts and for over three years it had been Malfoy's own secret. A place that he could come to and have all on his own. That he was willing to share the secret said a lot about how desperately he wanted to learn how to throw the Imperius Curse.
"When was it last used?"
"Sometime in the 50s. Back then the teams changed together, that is why it is so big. When they moved the pitch, they created the two sets of locker rooms."
Malfoy took off his robes and hung them on one of the hooks that was ran along the wall. Cedric and Harry did the same and Malfoy walked them through the main area to the back room. It was clear that this is where he spent his time. Rolls of parchment, bottles of ink and his text books were stacked on the desk. Harry looked over at in astonishment - there was a table pushed up against a wall that appeared to hold a full potions laboratory. No wonder Malfoy did so well in Potions, he could practice all the potions before even going to class.
"It doesn't look like it hasn't been used in forty years, there isn't dirt or dust or anything."
Malfoy looked around, "Well, it turns out that those housecleaning charms that Flitwik forced us to learn actually are useful. The house elves don't come to this part of the castle. Enough small talk, lets get this started."
Cedric nodded, "First, we need... We forgot, we need something for Harry to test the Imperius Curse."
Malfoy's mouth grimaced "Screw that..."
"No, it is important." Cedric said, "I would much rather Harry practice on a rodent than you, Draco." Harry chuckled but resisted making the obvious ferret comparison. By the glare on Draco's face it was clear that he knew why Harry had laughed.
"What do we do then?" Harry said, "Could you transfigure something into a mouse, Cedric?"
"I could, but I don't know if it would be the same as practicing on a real one."
"How about a spider? Moody used a spider in class."
"Not the same nerve structure as a mammal." Cedric objected, "We'll need to reschedule."
Harry looked around the room and then with a shrug he pulled out his wand, "Worth a try...Accio mouse."
"Don't be stupid..." Malfoy started to say when suddenly a gray form flew through the air into Harry's outstretched hand. Harry quickly put his other hand on top of it, and all that could be seen is the wormlike tail sticking out between his fingers. For a split second the other two boys looked at him with open mouthed amazement and then both laughed. Harry looked at Malfoy with wonder, he had never seen him laugh a genuine laugh, one that wasn't malicious.
"Harry, whatever possessed you to..." Cedric asked.
Harry gave a sheepish grin "Mouse droppings." and pointed with his finger to the corner of the room. He looked around for something to set the mouse in, he spotted a waste bin near the desk. "We are just learning summoning charms, I'm surprised it actually worked, couldn't get anything to come to me in class."
Malfoy gave a groan, "A little less talk about how little you know about magic would be helpful, Potter. I'm trying not to imagine spending the rest of my life on the fifth floor of St. Mungo's because you screwed up..."
"We don't have to do this..."
"Forget I said anything. We are going to do it. At this point it would be safer to be in St. Mungo's" Malfoy nodded at the squirming mouse in the waste bin. "Do it."
Cedric looked around, "Let's sit down and talk before you do anything." There was only one chair in the room but Harry and Cedric carried in a bench from the locker room to sit on. "I did some research on the curse. It seems that the biggest risk is when someone is under the curse for a very long time, hours and days. So to be safe we are going to do it for a maximum of 15 minutes. The other risk is the frequency of how often it is done. That is why you got so sick, Harry. You had it what, four times in an hour?" Harry nodded.
"We are just going to do it once each session." Malfoy opened his mouth to object, but Cedric shook his head. "There is no reason to take a risk, and if you haven't gotten it after the first 15 minutes you will need a break anyway."
"I've been under the curse for over two days, without a problem." Malfoy protested. "There is no reason to just..."
Cedric held up his hand, "Your father is an adult wizard who is fully trained in the Dark Arts, Harry isn't. I'm not going to budge on the 15 minute time limit..."
Cedric looked at Harry, "When you are ready to try, clear your mind of any doubts. You need to think the Imperius curse first before you cast. Then put all the force of your magic behind the incantation when you speak it. If you say it without meaning or do it half-hearted it won't work...or worse." Harry nodded.
"Are you ready to try it on the mouse?"
Harry swallowed but nodded. He didn't look over at Malfoy. Closing his eyes, he remembered Moody's wand movements. Opening his eyes, he stared down at the mouse and with a deep breath he waved his wand at the mouse and shouted "Imperio!" The mouse stopped its frantic movements in the bin. At the same time, Harry became aware of another feeling, he could feel the mouse's heartbeat pulsing, he could feel the mouse's fear. Harry looked over at Malfoy and Cedric, they were both staring down at the mouse.
Cedric reached down and picked up the mouse and put it on the floor, the mouse lay there waiting. "Good sign, it isn't running away. Now, think what you want it to do. A command."
Harry looked at the mouse and thought, "Wave your tail." The mouse's tail flicked madly about. "Stop." The tail stopped. "Rollover" the mouse rolled over. It lay on the bottom of the bin, waiting for the next command.
Malfoy's face was flushed as he watched the mouse, "What does it feel like?"
"It feels different, I can feel what the mouse is thinking, it is frantic It doesn't know what is happening. It is the opposite of what you feel when you are under the curse, I think. When you feel that calm trance feeling that you described. I think, I think the fear that your body has actually goes to the castor.
The color drained out of Malfoy's face. "You can tell what the mouse is thinking?"
"No. I just feel the fear. Of course, it is a mouse. I don't know if that makes a difference. It could be speaking in mouse and I don't understand it."
Cedric looked at Malfoy who was staring transfixed at the mouse. "I think that is enough, let's just make sure you can release it from the curse and that it is okay." He bent down and picked up the mouse and held it out for Harry.
"Finite."
The mouse immediately started pawing in Cedric's cupped hands, trying to get away. "Is he okay?" Harry asked coming over to stroke the mouse's head to try and calm it down.
"It's a mouse. Its brain could be completely addled and it would be impossible to tell." Malfoy drawled.
Harry rolled his eyes. "I imagine it will be equally hard to tell with you, Ferret Face."
"Very funny, Potter."
Cedric held up the mouse, peering into the mouse's face. "Seems okay." He knelt down and released the mouse and they all watched as it quickly scurried from the room. Harry was reminded bitterly of the last glimpse he had seen of Peter Pettigrew disappearing through the grass as Wormtail.
"So, we know Harry can successfully cast the curse. And the mouse," Cedric shrugged, "Appears to have survived the ordeal." Harry and Cedric looked at Malfoy. He was watching where the mouse had disappeared through a crack in the stones. The tall blond Slytherin straightened up and looked over at Harry.
"Enough delaying, let's do this." Malfoy's voice was cool, but Harry couldn't help wonder what he was thinking inside.
"We'll get there, Draco." Cedric motioned for them all to sit down again. "Harry, tell Draco what the sensation is like when you were fighting off the curse the first time."
Harry closed his eyes, "I felt the trance start, then, something inside of me just blinked and I heard Moody's voice telling me to jump on the desk. Part of me wanted to do it, but then a voice inside me told me that it was a stupid idea and I shouldn't do it...and I ended up just kind of running into the desk, not jumping."
"And the last time? What was the difference the last time he cursed you when you were able to resist it?"
"I think the big difference was I knew what to expect. I felt the trance start and I didn't even focus on what the command was, I didn't need a voice telling me anything. I just envisioned a tidal wave forcing the trance away from me. The wave just pushed and pushed and forced it out."
"Voices and a tidal wave. In your head." Malfoy shook his head. "That isn't a lot of help, Potter."
"I did warn you that I wasn't sure how come what I did works. The second time I imagined a brick wall being built, but it was too slow. Then I thought what I needed was something fast moving and large." he shrugged, "Tidal wave is what I came up with, but I imagine it could be anything."
"Let's try the tidal wave imagery and see where that gets you, Draco." Cedric said, "First just practice, visualize what it would feel like to be behind the wave and seeing it forcing the trance away."
Malfoy grimaced but closed his eyes. Harry realized that Malfoy's willingness to try without a sneer or sarcastic comment was very telling on how serious he was about fighting the curse. Harry was fascinated to see Malfoy's face relax. The signs of strain around his eyes eased and Harry realized that he would love to see what Malfoy looked like when he was asleep. Without the outward mask that he projected to the world he was a completely different person, one with beautiful eyelashes he thought with a flush. Eyes that were open, Harry realized with a start.
"See something you like, Potter?" Malfoy drawled. Harry flushed and looked away.
"Do you think you that visual image will work for you, Draco?" Cedric asked.
"Yes, let's do this."
"Do you have the list of commands?" Malfoy nodded and went over to where he had hung up his robes and pulled a roll of parchment from the pocket.
"It is just really basic commands. I'm still not sure if it is a good idea to use a list that I made," Malfoy said, "It might make it easier to resist."
Cedric looked over the list, "This is fine, I wanted you to make the list so that you would trust that nothing that you don't want to happen would happen to you. We can start with this and if you are able to resist them then we can throw other commands at you that you don't expect and see what happens. How does that sound?" Cedric said.
Draco nodded, "Fine. But no singing," he glared at Potter.
"Right, no singing." Harry agreed quietly.
"Do you think you're ready, Harry?" Cedric asked.
Harry stayed seated, staring at his wand. It was one thing to talk about doing an Unforgivable Curse on someone or doing it on a mouse. It was completely another thing to realize that you were about to do it on another human being. Even if the human was Malfoy. Cedric went over and sat down next to him, "Are you sure you want to do it? It isn't too late to back out."
Harry looked over at Malfoy who was standing in the middle of the room watching them. His shoulders were tense and cool gray eyes stared at Harry.
"I'll do it." Malfoy seemed to sag with relief for just a moment.
"Do it just like you did with the mouse, clear your mind, think the incantation, and don't hesitate." Cedric said, "Remember that since all the commands you give are thought driven, you are going to have to resist the temptation to think any encouraging thoughts towards Draco. If you think 'Come on you can do it, fight it.' that is going to cause confusion and might cause problems. Just think the command and nothing else."
"Are you ready, Malfoy?" Harry asked.
Malfoy nodded, closed his eyes and waited.
Harry stood up and walked towards the blond boy. Stopping right in front of him, he closed his own eyes and drew in a deep breath, opened his eyes and without warning lifted his wand and shouted. "Imperio"
Harry looked at Malfoy, his eyes were still closed. He could feel Malfoy's pulse beating inside his own head, he could feel the deep breaths that the other boy was taking in and exhaling. He could feel the emotions running through his own head - anxiety, fear, hunger. Cedric came over to stand next to Harry. "Do you feel it?" Harry nodded.
With shaking fingers Cedric held open the parchment for Harry. Harry looked down and thought the first thing on the list. "Touch the floor." Cedric and Harry both held their breath and then with a flash of disappointment watched as Malfoy bent at his waist and touched the floor.
Cedric moved towards Malfoy, "Draco, feel the tidal wave push against the calm, make the wave force it away from you." He gave a nod to Harry, to give the next command.
"Sit down in the chair." There was a few seconds delay and Malfoy, his feet dragging against the floor took the three steps to the chair and started to sit. He missed the chair and fell on the floor. Malfoy's face was flushed and beads of sweat were dripping down his forehead.
Harry immediately felt the surge of pain come through the link from Malfoy, and something else he realized. He felt hope. Cedric looked over at Harry and said "Just one more."
"Lift your arms up." The delay was even longer this time but Malfoy's arms reluctantly started going up in the air, but Cedric and Harry could see the battle as he fought to lower them. Harry felt rage mix with the fear, and then suddenly Malfoy's arms both lifted above his head.
"Finite."
Malfoy collapsed back down to the floor. Cedric and Harry rushed over to him and helped him into the chair. After a moment, Malfoy straightened up and then pushed away their arms. "Fucking hell, it didn't work!"
"It was only the first time, Draco!" Cedric said, "You can't expect for it to have worked the first time. You were clearly fighting it. You didn't react to the commands immediately and we could see that you were making an effort to resist it."
Harry stepped back. Feeling the the connection to Malfoy's emotions had shaken him. He felt like he had violated Malfoy. To know what the other boy was feeling was just wrong. Turning away, Harry walked through to the locker room area and found a glass sitting on a shelf next to the row of sinks. He filled it with water and brought it back to Malfoy. The color had come back into the boy's face and he seemed to have composed himself. He looked at the water glass with surprise when Harry held it out to him. "Thanks."
"What did you feel, Harry? What did it feel like for you?" Cedric asked, he was still squatting on the floor next to Malfoy. Harry hesitated and Malfoy narrowed his eyes at him.
Harry flushed and knew that Malfoy would hate what he was going to say, but if he was going to learn how to fight the curse he would need to know what Harry felt through the connection. "Yes, the curse gives you the ability to feel the person's emotions. I could feel a lot of anxiety at first and fear and erm,"
Harry gave a half smile and reached into his pocket and took out an apple and threw it to Malfoy who caught it with Seeker instincts, "and I could feel hunger." Malfoy who had already taken a bite, choked and glared at him. "When you missed the chair there was a surge of something, hope, I think. But with the last command I could feel the rage just take over you and that is when you responded to the command immediately and couldn't fight it anymore."
Malfoy had gone still as Harry had described what he had felt. He looked down at the apple and suddenly stood up and threw it across the room. The apple hit the wall and bounced off, leaving a circle of juice and pulp on the stone. Malfoy looked over at Harry and started advancing towards him, "So you are telling me that my ever-loving father could feel everything that I feel when he puts me under the curse."
He stood toe to toe with Harry, his gray eyes flashing in anger. Harry stood his ground, knowing that the other boy had the right to be furious. "Fear. Hunger. For two days I didn't eat this summer and you are telling me that he could feel my hunger that entire time... Or is it worse knowing that you, you great ignorant git," he eyed Harry up and down disdainfully, "Are going to be able to see it all too. I hate you, Potter." he turned and stalked away to the far side of the locker room.
Harry stood there stunned for a moment and then he started to follow Malfoy. Cedric grabbed his arm and stopped him. "I'll go, why don't you study for a bit."
Harry went over to desk and sat in the chair but didn't reach for his bookbag. He ran a restless hand through his hair and rested his head down on the desk. He couldn't imagine what it would be like if it was reversed and Malfoy was the one who knew what Harry was feeling. He knew that he would hate it if anyone could sense his every emotion. It had been disturbing sensing Malfoy's emotions but what had been far worse was the knowledge that he had the ability to control every movement that the other boy had made. It was just wrong, no one should take control of someone else's body like that.
He looked up and saw Cedric and Malfoy standing in the middle of the locker room. Malfoy was clearly shouting, his face was filled with rage and he was waving his arms, gesturing at Harry, but Harry couldn't hear anything. Cedric must have put up a shield he realized to prevent Harry from hearing the conversation. He saw Cedric motion to one of the benches and Malfoy reluctantly walking over to it, kicking a locker as he went. With a sigh, Harry reached down and pulled his Potions book out of his bag. He still had 12 inches to write for Snape and his Transfiguration homework to do.
He was half way through his essay when he heard Cedric re-enter the office. "How are you feeling, Harry?" The Hufflepuff looked tired, he wondered if Cedric was regretting getting involved.
"Me? I'm fine. How is Malfoy?"
"Better. He is going to take a shower, cool off, and then come back and talk. But before then, I need to how you are feeling about this. I wasn't just being polite. Do you want to quit?"
"What does Malfoy want to do?" Harry hedged.
Cedric tugged the bench closer to Harry so that he could sit looking straight at him. "I need to know if you do, regardless of what he wants to do." Harry looked over Cedric's shoulder and saw Malfoy in the other room. The boy had his back to him and had stripped off his shirt and was pulling off his trousers. Harry was struck by the unexpected realization that Malfoy had a really nice-
"Harry." Cedric's voice cut off the thought, Harry dropped his gaze back to Cedric's face, a deep blush staining his cheeks. "I need to know what your feelings are about using the Imperius curse on Draco."
Harry forced himself to concentrate "It felt wrong. Me, able to control him, is just wrong. No one should be able to do that. And then, being able to know what he was feeling, I felt like I was violating his privacy."
"So wrong that you don't want to do it again?"
Harry hesitated, "I don't want to do it again...but I do want Malfoy to be able to learn how to throw the curse. And there is no other way for him to learn, is there?" Cedric shook his head. "He was obviously fighting it, I could tell. I want him to have the chance learn to do it. So, I guess I'm willing to do it again. But I don't know about Malfoy. He hates me already-"
"Don't make assumptions. Let's just wait until he comes back. Why don't you finish your essay, and we'll see what Draco has to say." Cedric pulled out his own homework and opened his textbook. Harry stared down at the Potions essay with a grimace, he hated Potions. With a sigh, he picked up his quill and continued writing about the use of elderberries in restorative potions.
After a few minutes he looked over at Cedric who was frowning as he read Transfiguration book. "Cedric?" the Hufflepuff looked up.
"You seem really used to doing this kind of thing." Harry asked hesitantly.
"Helping fourth years use illegal curses on each other?" Cedric responded with a smile.
"No, I mean-"
"I know what you meant," Cedric said, "For the last two summers I've volunteered as a peer counselor at the local Muggle youth services board." he shrugged, "The first year it was an Independent Study for my Muggles Studies class but I enjoyed it so much I decided to do it again last summer. They give you training to learn how to work with other teens."
"You're good at it." Harry said, "Malfoy and I have never gotten along. That we have been able to be in the same room for this long without hexing each other is pretty major."
Cedric smiled, "Well, the night is still young...but seriously, I miss the counseling when I'm here. And, I'm hoping if I get enough "O"s on my N.E.W.T.s to get in the training program at St. Mungo's." He looked down at his text again and Harry figured he didn't want to talk about it anymore, then Cedric looked up again. "One thing I learned while counseling - the blokes who are most aggressive often are using it as a shield. Defensive, you know, you can't hurt me if I hurt you first." with that he looked down at his book.
Twenty minutes later, Malfoy walked back in to the room. His hair was damp, hanging down with a slight wave to it, Harry realized. He had never seen when it hadn't been slick backed. It changed the whole look of his face. Malfoy walked over to the desk, "Out of my chair, Potter." Harry opened his mouth to object, but shrugged and moved over to the bench. Malfoy sat down in the chair and looked at Cedric.
Cedric shook his head at the exchange and closed up his book. "We don't have a lot of time, it is going to be curfew soon. I'll make this quick. You both said you would be willing to continue."
Harry looked at Malfoy, the Slytherin stared back at him defiantly. "I was surprised too," Cedric said with a smile, "I think you both found something that you hate more than each other which is saying a lot. No small task trying to fight dark magic."
Cedric paused and looked at Malfoy, "Draco, do you think you can talk about it now? Tell Harry what it felt like from your perspective."
Malfoy scowled but nodded, "I kept trying to imagine Potter's tidal wave, I could see it pushing against the...Potter's command. But each time it came back at me." He picked up a quill and twirled it in his hand, Harry could tell he was looking back trying to remember the feeling, "I could hear his voice and try to fight it and then finally I just got so mad, and then it was just over. I'd lost." he threw the quill back down at the desk.
Cedric turned to Harry, "You described what it felt like before, anything more Draco needs to know?"
"Like I said before, I could tell Malfoy was fighting it. Could feel the resistance right until the end then I felt him get angry and I knew I had complete control." Harry finished, staring down at his hands.
Cedric looked from Malfoy to Harry and then wearily wiped his hands over his face, pinching the bridge of his nose like trying to clear a headache. "Okay, new rule: you need to use each other's given names." when both boys looked like they were going to object he added, "At least while you are in this room. Refusing to use a person's given name just encourages hostility. Harry, tell Draco if you have any ideas on what he should be thinking about, working on for next week."
Harry took a deep breath and looked over at Malfoy who raised an eyebrow at him, an amused look on his face. "Erm, Draco, think about another visualization for you to use, if the tidal wave doesn't work then think of something else that you could use as an image. When I was learning to conjure a Patronus I had-"
"A Patronus! There is no way you can do a Patronus."
"When did you learn how to conjure a Patronus!"
Malfoy and Cedric had spoken at once, both of them sitting up and looking at Harry. Harry smiled and shrugged, "Professor Lupin taught me how because of all of the dementors. They were, erm, a problem for me last year."
"Is it a corporeal or non-corporeal Patronus, Harry?" Cedric asked.
"Corporeal - a stag." Harry said.
"I don't believe you, Pot-Harry."
Harry rolled his eyes and pulled his wand out of his pocket, "Expecto Patronum!" The familiar silver-blue light raced from the tip of his wand. The stag form emerged in front of Malfoy and reared up on its back legs before dashing away through the open door to the locker room. With a leap it disappeared through the far wall.
Cedric watched the Patronus race away. "That is just incredible. And you are only 14! That is N.E.W.T. level work, you can earn an "O" for just creating a noncorporeal Patronus. A corporeal one, that is beyond most wizards' ability.
Malfoy had sat back down and put his feet up on the desk. "Well, what else could we expect from the "Chosen One."
Harry rolled his eyes. "Anyway, the only reason I mentioned it is because to summon a Patronus you need a very powerful happy memory in your mind. The first few lessons I wasn't using the right images, and all I got was a little silver vapor coming out. Once I found the right memory I was able to conjure it. I think that Malfoy, erm, I think that Draco," He looked over at Malfoy, "needs to find an image that will work for him."
"Excellent advice. And now we really have to get going, it is almost curfew." Cedric went over to the hooks where their robes were hung. He tossed Harry and Malfoy their robes. "We aren't going to try the Imperius again until next week. Will you two be able to meet and work on Potions this week?"
Harry hesitated and looked over at Malfoy who shrugged, "Sure, I guess."
"Good. Draco, do you have the ingredients for brewing restorative potions?" Malfoy nodded, "I marked one in your potions book. I think it would be a good idea if we have one ready for you to take immediately after our next Imperius session."
"I don't need to take..."
"Yes, you do. And to be honest, Harry could probably use one after too."
Cedric looked around the room, "Okay, I think we are set. Harry and I will have to hurry to get back before curfew."
Malfoy hesitated, "If you want to take a risk... there are tunnels that go back to each of the Houses. Only a member of that House can open the door to the tunnel, so I've only used the one to Slytherin. No way of knowing the if the tunnel is clear the whole way or where it comes out in your House."
"Where are the entrances?" Harry asked curiously. Malfoy walked over to an ante-room that they hadn't noticed in the main locker room. There were six doorways. Four of them were decorated with elaborate carvings showing the emblems of the Houses, snakes, badgers, lions and ravens. "Where do the other two doorways go?" Harry asked looking over at the two that didn't have the house markings.
Malfoy shook his head, "I don't know. I haven't followed them just in case they lead to the Great Hall or somewhere like Filch's office. I didn't want anyone finding out that I was down here."
Harry walked to the Gryffindor doorway. "How does it open?"
Malfoy shrugged, "The Slytherin one opens by tapping with my wand on the center stone. Try your wand here," he pointed to the stone in the center of the doorway that had a lion on it. Harry hesitated for a second and then tapped the stone with his wand. There was a pause and then the wall swung towards him, a horrible screeching noise of stone on stone filled the room. The open doorway showed a set of stairs disappearing into the blackness of the tunnel.
"Where does it come out in Slytherin?" Harry asked.
Draco scowled, "None of your business, Harry."
Harry held up his hands, "Just curious, it might give me a clue where this one would come out in Gryffindor." with a twinkle in his eye, he added, "I imagine it comes out in one of those archways on the right side of your common room, because the lake is on the other..."
Draco grabbed him and slammed him up to the wall, "Who have you been talking to?"
"No one has been talking, Mal- Draco, I'm just naturally observant."
"Stop it, you two." Cedric looked fed up. "We only have 10 minutes before they lock the castle doors. Since we don't know if we can get through, I'm going to go the outside way. Harry, are you coming?"
"Erm, no. I'm going to try this way... you know Gryffindor, act first, think later..." with a nod to them both he said "Lumos." and started up the stairs.
"I'll send out a search team in a day or two if you don't show up." Draco called after him. Harry continued up the steps, after only a few steps he heard the door screech shut. He immediately had misgivings as the little bit of light that had come from the old Quidditch locker room was cut off . He held up his wand higher and muttered the Lumos incantation again to make it brighter. The stairs stretched up as far as he could see. Shifting his bookbag to a more comfortable position on his shoulder he continued up the steps.
He was also beginning to wonder what creatures could live within these walls, if a basilisk could survive for a thousand years in the Chamber of Secrets. Harry lost count of the number of stairs he had climbed when all the sudden the stairs flattened into a small landing. Harry had a sudden vision of being forever lost in an endless maze of inner passages inside the walls of Hogwarts. It was relief when the tunnel finally ended, but there was no indication on how to open the doorway. Cursing Malfoy for being so unhelpful, he held up his wand and looked for a clue as to how to reveal the doorway.
Carefully scouring the stones for any type of carving and finding none he started randomly tapping stones to see if he could happen across the right pattern. A quick Tempus revealed that it was past curfew, even if he went back and exited through the locker room to the outside, Filch would have locked the outer doors. Harry held up his wand and said the password Malfoy had used to open the outer door to the locker room, "Aperiens". To his amazement the wall started swinging silently towards him.
Light started flooding the passageway, but it was blocked by a large tapestry that covered the doorway. Harry could hear voices and laughter coming from just on the other side of the tapestry. He stepped up to the tapestry and put his eye to the crack between the doorway and the fabric.
He could see straight into the common room, he realized immediately that the tapestry was the the one on the right side of the room, that showed the Gryffindor crest and was decorated with images of Quidditch. With dread he realized that Hermione and Ron were standing in the middle of the room, arguing. How was he going to get into the room without them seeing him? He was too far away from the portrait hole to make it look like he had just climbed through, or was he? He opened his bookbag and pulled out his Invisibility Cloak. Putting it on, he carefully stepped forward, the door swung shut behind him.
Holding his breath he sidestepped along the tapestry, careful not to make it move. Finally at the edge he stepped into the room and walked over to the portrait hole. Crossing his fingers that this would work he swept off his cloak at the same time as he opened the portrait hole. He hoped it would look like he had just stepped through from the outside rather than just standing in front of it.
Hermione saw him first and rushed forward "Where have you been? I looked in the library and everywhere and I couldn't find you." Harry looked over at Ron. He had been anxiously talking to Hermione just a moment ago, but as he saw Harry his face hardened and he turned away. Harry watched him walk away and the familiar tight feeling in his stomach came back.
"Oh, erm, I was studying with, erm, Cedric."
"Where!"
"Oh, erm, a study room..."
Ron laughed from across the room, "You can always tell when Harry is lying. Studying my foot. You were studying Ced-"
"Ron!" Hermione hissed, pointing her head towards the tables of Gryffindors who were watching the interaction with great interest. Harry's flushed face went pale. Was Ron mad enough at him to out him in front of everyone in the room?
Ron glared at them both, "You know what you were doing. You should be more considerate of Hermione, she was worried sick." he turned and went up the stairs to the boy's dormitory.
Hermione and Harry watched him stomp up the staircase, Hermione heaved a sigh, "He is just jealous, Harry. It will pass. But where were you really? I can't imagine Cedric, would be out in the castle studying after curfew, he's a prefect!"
"Oh, well, erm. We were studying until right before curfew. He told me to get back in time, but I, erm, decided to wander around in my cloak. You know, think things out."
Hermione gave him a doubtful look, "And you and Cedric, he has no hard feelings about the whole Triwizard champion thing? And, you spend over three hours studying with him and you are still just friends? "
Harry shifted his bookbag on his shoulder, he was exhausted, "Look, Hermione. He is a friend, and that's it. Good night." Harry didn't wait for her response but turned and headed up the stairs. By the time he got to the boy's dormitory Ron was already in his bed with the curtains shut. "Good" thought Harry. He flung himself on his bed and stared up at the canopy.