'Chapter 11: Ratted Out'
Over the next few days, Harry saw less of Cedric than he would have liked, which was understandable given their varied schedules. He also didn't want to come across as needy when it came to Cedric's attention, if he was honest. He was perfectly capable of being independent of anyone's affections. Right?
When they did cross paths, Cedric would greet him brightly and he would return in kind but not forcefully and he kept it straight and to the point. It had been a while since their kiss, and Harry was unsure what Cedric's thoughts were because they had yet to discuss it. He blushed to himself at breakfast one morning after looking back from the Hufflepuff table. Harry was sure of one thing, however, and that was that he liked it.
He had decided to write to Sirius and inquire as to how he was doing. He glossed over his nightmares and didn't divulge all of the details. Sirius was still able to read between the lines and could tell that Cedric meant more to Harry than he was letting on.
Hermione and Ron went to a meeting one Friday night for an inter-house prefect meeting, leaving Harry without the close-knit threesome. He was alright with it, at fifteen, he needed his alone time as well and utilized the time to get ahead of his homework for a change. While writing an essay for DADA, he also had the Marauder's Map out and glanced at it from time to time whenever his mind needed a break from the work. He noted where Ron and Hermione were both in the library with the other prefects, and noticed Cedric was with a couple of Hufflepuffs near the kitchens. Probably hanging out and having a great time. Harry felt a fleeting pang at how popular Cedric was, but at the same time, it was one of the things that Harry loved about him.
...Loved?
Before Harry could really take a deep dive into that train of thought, he did a double take at the name that appeared on the map. There, at the edge of the castle grounds, between the bridge and the forbidden forest, the name Peter Pettigrew displayed standing completely still at the bridge before retreating into the woods.
Snatching his wand, Harry put on his robes and ran down the stairs of the dorms, bursting through the portrait startling the fat lady. He ran down the flights of the castle stairs, vision becoming blurry, his scar burning with warning. Harry slowed down when he came across his peers and professors but not by much.
Cedric caught sight of him and smiled, but then seeing his state, he began to worry. Excusing himself from his group, he hurried to catch up with Harry.
"Hey, hey. Slow down. Harry, what's wrong?" Cedric asked, pulling Harry's arm.
Harry turned and met Cedric's gaze, his eyes searching his before answering. "It's nothing for you to worry about. It's just something I have to do quickly, alright?"
Cedric was not convinced, but Harry put his hand, unselfish and caring, on Cedric's hand that was still on his arm. "I'll be back, and we'll talk ok?"
Reluctantly, as if he knew he should protest, Cedric let Harry go, and watched him as he ran outside the castle and into the darkness.
"Lumos." Harry said raising his wand as he exited the bridge and firelight became further behind him.
Harry turned frantically in all directions looking for his target. He ran in all directions and even yelled for Pettigrew to show himself. Remembering the sniveling coward that was revealed in the shrieking shack by Sirius and Remus in the presence of his friends. The man who had betrayed his parents. The man who attempted to kill Cedric.
"Lumos Maxima!" Harry said point his wand towards the sky, illuminating the far corners of the dark forest with white light.
Harry looked about him turning in all directions, and, in his periphery, saw awkward movement approaching him. Pettigrew was again carrying a troubled bundle with his wand pointed at Harry. "Incarcerus."
Harry found himself strapped in ropes bound to a large tree. Pettigrew approached him and sneered with the satisfied smile that only a rat in human form could produce. He stabbed Harry, extracting his blood. "Get off me!"
"Quiet boy!" Pettigrew said, laying his treacherous load down and hurriedly bumbling through the ritual to restore Voldemort. "Flesh of the servant willingly sacrificed, bone of the father unknowingly given, blood of the enemy forcibly taken. The Dark Lord shall rise again!"
The pitiful bundle in the cauldron began to writhe and shine with evil might. Harry watched in horror as it took on the form of arguably THE darkest wizard of all time. "Well, well, what have we here?"
Harry struggled in vain as Voldemort slowly walked toward Pettigrew. He wordlessly procured a replacement arm for Pettigrew's sacrifice, mostly as a demonstration of his ability rather than out of kindness or generosity.
"The famous Harry Potter, who was foolish enough to oppose me. Just like your pathetic parents." Voldemort said with his sickly reptilian smile.
At that moment, a voice cried out of the darkness, Harry's magical light long extinguished. "Expelliarmus!"
A flash of light struck at Voldemort, who deflected it without much exertion and without casting eyes in the direction of the attack.
He reached out with his hand that wasn't carrying his wand and twisted his fingers as if clutching at something, twisting, controlling. Cedric fell from his place on a small hill that was otherwise a decent vantage point for a surprise attack. As he fell, he hit his head on a large boulder that was at the base of the hill. At that moment, "wormtail" made to move toward him, but Voldemort shooed him away.
"The faithful spare to the rescue, again. Intriguing. This cannot be just a coincidence. You must mean something to this boy, Harry. Take comfort now in the fact you will both die together." Voldemort said, raising his wand, first toward Cedric.
Before he could cast a spell, a lone, grey figure caught his eye walking in their direction. Voldemort looked in disgust as Dumbledore continued approaching, the elder wand held at his side, casually. When he was within close range, he gestured his wand in Harry's direction and the ropes fell to the ground effortlessly. "It was foolish of you to come here tonight, Tom. The aurors are on their way."
"By which time, I shall be gone. And you...shall be dead." Voldemort boasted.
While the two old and powerful wizards engaged in a magical duel, Harry was free to look after Cedric while "Wormtail" fled the scene. As the fight wore on, Aurors began to arrive and Voldemort looked at them all with disdain. He straightened his posture and disappeared in a whirlwind of leaves and dirt that was flung in all directions in front of them.
They helped Dumbledore take both boys back to the castle and straight to the infirmary under Madame Pomfrey's care. Dumbledore delegated to Professor McGonagall to inform Cedric's parents of what transpired in an urgent owl. He himself was preparing for the onslaught of attention that would be cast upon the school with the resurrection of "He who must not be named."
Late that night, and in the early hours of Saturday morning, Harry, barely conscious, heard the sounds of Cedric's parents entering the infirmary. They made their way to Cedric's bed followed by Dumbledore and Madame Pomfrey. While standing over him, Cedric's mother placed hands gently on Cedric's face as only a mother can, while Amos proceeded to slam Harry. "I thought I made it clear to him that he needs to keep distance between himself and that boy."
"Hush, Dear They are sleeping. They've had quite enough excitement for tonight. Let them be." Cedric's mother said, quietly.
Harry smiled, relieved. He also smiled thinking how much more like her Cedric was when compared to his father. When they left, Harry rose from his bed and walked over to Cedric's. He knelt down next to the bed and slowly, hesitantly his right hand made its way to Cedric's face. He brushed the stray hair that fell out of place across his forehead but he didn't remove his hand after doing so. He softly stroked Cedric's hairline, and under these tender touches, Cedric awoke. He sleepily open his eyes, and smiled when he saw who it was looking at him with such unashamed warmth.
"Hello there." Cedric whispered.
"Shhhhh. You need to rest. I'm sorry to wake you." Harry whispered softly.
"It's ok. I'm glad you did." Cedric said, closing his eyes and resting into Harry's touch that did not stop.
"Sleep well." Harry whispered, slowly rising again to head back to his bed, almost against his will.
