"I hope the others make it in time," says Mrs. Weasley anxiously, staring behind her at the wrought-iron arch spanning the platform, through which new arrivals would come.
"Nice dog, Harry!" calls a tall boy with dreadlocks.
"Not mine but thanks, Lee," says Harry with a small smile.
"Oh good," says Mrs. Weasley, sounding relieved, "here's Alastor with the luggage, look..."
A porter's cap pulled low over his mismatched eyes, Moody comes limping through the archway pushing a trolley loaded with their trunks. Harry looks away and his eyes land on a certain brunette, who oddly enough, is followed by another brunette and a girl. And a few ways behind them is a black haired man. What is Cedric doing with Theo? Something must've happened that neither of them have told him through their letters. Harry can't help but frown slightly. They will surely tell him in time...and if not then Harry will make sure to find out on his own.
When Harry looks back at the archway of the platform, Mr. Weasley emerges on to the platform with Ron and Hermione. They have almost unloaded Moody's luggage trolley when Fred, George, and Ginny turn up with Remus.
"No trouble?" growls Moody.
"Nothing," says Remus.
"I'll still be reporting Sturgis to Dumbledore," says Moody, "that's the second time he's not turned up in a week. Getting as unreliable as Mundungus."
"Well, look after yourselves," says Remus, shaking hands all round. He reaches Harry last and gives him a tight hug. "You too, cub. Be careful and listen to Sev." He whispers. Harry smiles and hugs his pa just as tightly.
"Yeah, keep your head down and your eyes peeled," says Moody, shaking Harry's hand. "And don't forget, all of you-careful what you put in writing. If in doubt, don't put it in a letter at all."
Harry nods as that piercing blue gaze remains on him. He stiffens ever so slightly and forces himself to relax. Easier said than done. And then his entire body turns rigid as a hand wraps around his shoulders. "Careful with what you do." The voice whispers. Harry turns slightly and is met by brown eyes. They are like Natalie's.
He relaxes and smirks at his brother's father. "Of course, but the same applies to you."
"Who are you?" Mrs. Weasley's voice is tight and Sirius is growling lowly. Tom looks up at the assembled adults and teenagers. He lifts his hands with a smirk.
"He's Theodore Nott's biological father. I met him during the World Cup while I was wandering around on my own. I've also been in correspondence over the year and summer."
Moody glares at them and Harry eyes him sternly, daring the man to speak up. But to their fortune the retired Auror remains silent. Tom laughs and bids his farewell before turning in the direction of the floo network.
"I don't trust him! He's a death eater if he's a Nott." Mr. Weasley mutters.
Harry holds back a smirk and a laugh. If only they knew that they just encountered the dark lord in the flesh.
Tonks, being the first to regain her composure, turns her attention to the students, "It's been great meeting all of you," She hugs Hermione and Ginny. Then she turns to Harry with an offered fist. Harry bumps it with a bright smile. "We'll see you soon, I expect."
A warning whistle sounds; the students still on the platform start hurrying on to the train.
"Quick, quick," says Mrs. Weasley distractedly, hugging them at random and catching Harry twice, much to his disgust and chagrin, "Write... Be good... If you've forgotten anything we'll send it on... Onto the train, now, hurry..."
"See you!" Harry calls out of the open window as the train begins to move, while Ron, Hermione, the twins, and Ginny wave beside him. The figures of Tonks, Remus, Moody, and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley shrink rapidly but the black dog bounds alongside the window, wagging its tail; blurred people on the platform are laughing to see it chasing the train, then they round a bend, and Sirius is gone.
Harry breaks free from the group without another word and moves down the train towards the prefect carriage. The sooner he gets away from Ron and Ginevra the better. He can't exactly avoid Hermione but definitely the youngest Weasleys. As he moves past a few compartments he is met by the same behaviour over and over again, a lot of people stare back at him with great interest and several of them nudge their neighbours and point him out. He gives them all the same look. A look of disgust and one that clearly said what immature pricks they are. Pleased with himself he opens the door to the prefects' compartment.
He's met by strange looks and an anxiously pacing Cedric. Harry grins.
"Is it truly such a big surprise that the-boy-who-lived is a prefect?" His cold green eyes stare each person down. Then he smiles softly, "My, but of course, how could I forget the daily prophet. How could I forget how shallow our world is. You have my humblest apologies. Now, if you wouldn't mind." He sits down beside Draco, who stares at him with an unreadable expression.
A few of the older prefects sneer at him and others just stare. And then stare some more. And shortly thereafter, Granger opens the compartment door and enters. She puts her trunk away and sits opposite from Harry.
Cedric looks around the compartment and then at the assembled prefects. This is it. He now has the responsibility of head boy, no more relying on someone else to give this speech. He then looks at Jones, the head girl. She looks just as anxious as he does. He takes a calming breath and almost yelps at the intensity of his mate's green gaze. He can do this. He's finally away from home and Amos. Bryne-Nicor is safely tucked away with Natalie. He knows that dragons are illegal pets, but he can't just get rid of the small thing! Their magic is already bonded over the time the small red dragon was inside the egg.
He can do this and then he can leave the compartment and go back to Natalie and Theo. Or maybe he can talk privately with Jones. Either works. And then not to forget Harry, even if it has just been two months it feels like ages since they last saw each other.
"Now that we are all here we can start briefing you in. To some of you the speech is nothing new, so I'm addressing the new prefects." He looks expectantly at Jones, who nods.
"Indeed, we will brief you in over your duties during the course of our journey north. How you should go around patrolling and what you should do in case some complications arise." She looks at Cedric for help and he continues on for her.
"As Prefects you are allowed to pass out punishments, but be warned, under no circumstances are you allowed to misuse your new authority. You may believe it or not, but you run the risk of losing your badges. Seen it happen once. You will patrol the corridors every so often. Best if it's intervals of one to two hours. We'll be arriving at Hogsmead station in the evening.
Now then, your duties over the following years will be explained to you by your fellow prefects and heads of house. If you have any other questions you may ask me or Jones." He looks at the strawberry blond with a small smile. She nods and straightens her back even more.
He stifles a grin. She's so much more awkward than he is and it's oddly endearing.
"If you have any questions, I suppose you ask them now." Her grey eyes scan the compartment. Cedric nods and crosses his legs.
He needs to be stronger, he can't let that man's memory hold him back.
Subconsciously, Cedric shelters his vital areas with his arms. He doesn't shrink per say, but everyone can feel the shift. The temperature seemingly drops and his eyes turn steely and cold.
The brunette knows he shouldn't let himself be that vulnerable and he knows that what happened isn't his fault, but he could have stopped it. Should have stopped it! He never thought in his life that he would lose his virginity to the man who was supposed to be his father. He still feels disgusting and Cedric doubts he will ever stop feeling said way.
His steely grey eyes focus back on the prefects around him. He used to be in their place but now he has new responsibilities. He will make sure to prove himself that Hufflepuffs are not unremarkable.
"What types of punishment are we allowed to hand out?" Granger asks, Cedric nods in her direction, then motions for Samantha to answer.
"As a prefect, you are allowed to dock points from any student except other prefects and the head boy and girl. Furthermore you are allowed to give students detention, you are not allowed to do so until sixth year. And if you have any problems with students, such as bullying or blatant disrespect tell either an older prefect, Diggory, me or a professor. We won't tolerate any bullying this year around."
Cedric decides to interject there. "We have seen over the past year just how much division house rivalries have caused. I am not proud of what some of you, including myself have done in the past or not done for that matter. A few examples I can think of is how everyone disregards Huffkepuffs, views Gryffindors as stupid, Slytherins as evil and stuck up and Ravenclaws as douches.
Jones and I want to work on bettering house relations. Inter house friendships and unity amongst adversity. It's at times like these, that unity is key to survive. Wether you like it or not, wether you believe it or not, it's only a matter of time until the war recommences. If we stick to our divisions we, as the future generation, will fall."
He leaves no room for argument and the air turns thick. Cedric doesn't realise, the gravity of his speech and the impact his words have on his peers. Perhaps he's too oblivious or maybe too self conscious, the brunette simply does what he deems is right in that moment. He isn't going to hold back, but he's changed. He doesn't want to be vulnerable, he can't be.
He exhales deeply, his empathy is stronger and only growing, but he's also more in control now. He can tune the noise out if he wants to, but right now all he wants is to feel his mate's emotions. He seeks out those green eyes, that seemingly blaze. There is love, so much of it for so little people, the more prevalent emotion is a deep loathe and hatred. Burning and all consuming. It gives him comfort and he's reminded just how much he missed the younger teenager.
"I believe that to be all then, unless you have any other questions." Samantha tries for a smile, but it comes more out as a grimace. Then there is silence. Constricting and heavy.
Seeing as there won't anything else said, Harry stands up and bows his head in respect before leaving the compartment. Others soon following his example, until only Cedric and Samantha are left.
"You were amazing, but was the mention of war really necessary?"
Cedric nods, "They need to know what could happen. We can't always be sheltered, one day we'll be out there on our own. It's best if we aren't too hopeful but rather positive. If we are to face a war it's best if we are unified from the start, people will die, unfortunately, that's inevitable." He looks at Samantha, his expression softening. She is his childhood friend after all, so, should he tell her now? He shakes his head, she isn't ready yet. Her emotions tell him that much. She's conflicted.
"We should probably go. Are you coming with me or are you going somewhere else?"
Her eyes widen. "Are you telling me to come with you to your friends? Won't I be a hindrance?"
Cedric shakes his head with a bright smile. "Don't be ridiculous! My friends aren't going to tear you to shreds, just come on!"
She smiles and nods before following Cedric towards the back of the train. Cedric simply follows his bond with Harry, there's so much they need to discuss, especially about what happens now at Hogwarts. About Dumbledore and the inevitable war. About Umbridge as well, and also about the hearing.
They come to a stop in front of the last compartment. Cedric knocks on the door before entering. He's met by Harry leaning on Theo, Neville sitting across from them, Natalie is by the window playing with Bryne-Nicor and Lovegood close by. Neither pair of twins in sight, they're probably in another compartment together.
"Mind if we join?"
"Not at all, just come on right in." Harry smiles at him and pats the empty space next to him. Cedric nods and sits down, taking Harry in his arms and nodding towards Theo. Samantha meanwhile shifts awkwardly in front of the door.
"What are you waiting for? Sit down." Harry motions to Lovegood. Samantha complies without another word.
"How have you been?" Harry asks with genuine concern. Cedric gulps, his grey eyes darting around, he can feel his mate's disappointment, but also the understanding. Cedric sighs gratefully. "Mostly alright, I just don't want to go into detail just yet. I hope you understand."
Harry nods and kisses the brunette's cheek, "Of course, take your time."
Cedric grins with a light blush, how he missed this. He missed Harry so much. Harry loves him so much more than he ever realised before, now that his Empathy has grown so much he has become a lot more perceptive. "I've missed you." He whispers into Harry's ear. And to his amusement the teen shivers. He could definitely get used to this. He grins, but somehow it isn't reaching his face and then his expression falters altogether. He takes his arm away and closer towards him. Images of Amos fill his mind, he doesn't want to be reminded!
...
"It's all you'll ever be useful for!"
He's still slumped against the wall, still pinned and his mother is still crying and screeching. He shuts his eyes, he wants to get away! He finally wants to be free.
"Get up!"
He doesn't.
"Get up!"
He can't move! He's shaking like a leaf. His eyes are blown wide, what is Amos going to do now?!
"I said get up, boy!"
Anger, hatred and so much more that Cedric just can't comprehend. What is happening now? He wants to hide away the shame, the guilt and himself. He's disgusting for even letting this happen.
A sharp pain jolts him back to reality, whatever his reality is at this point. Is there even a point to struggle? Amos looks at him with loathe filled brown eyes, Cedric is merely propped up by strands of his hair. Yanked up like a puppet. Isn't that what he has become?
His eyes sting and his vision blurs, then he's dropped again and he slumps over, powerless. His mother screams and cries but Cedric can't hear. His fathers voice merely a droning in his ears, in the far corner of his mind.
It's still, eerily so. Quiet and Cedric hates the lack of noise. He sits up on his knees, just sitting there unresponsive and alone. Overwhelming loneliness covers him like a dark blanket. He can't escape it's constricting hold, like a straight-jacket.
"Get on your knees! Just listen to your old man and be a good boy."
Cedric shivers, he doesn't want this! Terror holds him in its iron grip. He will forever regret having done something like that. He can't even think of it, couldn't understand at the time. It was the first time he had ever done something like that. He wishes he'd never done it!
Why is this happening? Is it his fault?
It must be.
"Don't even dare spit it out! The only thing you will ever be good at is being a good little bitch! Now swallow!"
He wants to scream. His head hurts and feels like splitting. Nothing makes sense, he can't...what is he even doing here? Why is his body not responding to him?
Fear!
Disgust and regret. His mother
Lust, hate and twisted glee with satisfaction. Amos.
The man pulls his pants up again and lands a harsh blow on Cedric's eye. The blow sending the boy tumbling on the ground, unresponsive and shaken. Not a single resemblance of who he was. There is nothing left of the progress from last year.
...
He clutches his head and shuts his eyes. He isn't there. Amos isn't there! You are fine, Cedric. Quit being so weak!
"Hey, you are fine. Cedric, whatever happened, it's over."
Cedric looks down into earnest green eyes and a hand on his cheek, when did that happen? He's shaking.
He dares a look around the compartment and sure enough, he lost control over his empathy. Theo looks absolutely livid, Natalie is crying with Bryne-Nicor growling, Lovegood looks appalled and her eyes are wider than usual, poor Neville looks like he has just experienced an overwhelming amount of different situations. His eyes finally land on Samantha. The girl looks like she wants to say something, she's concerned and apprehensive.
This is his fault! He may have just blown his cover as an Empath. He's such an idiot!
"Sor-ry." He stares down at his clenched fists on his lap. He feels awful for what he did. His knuckles are turning white. And then a hand wraps around his.
"This isn't your fault and don't even think of it as yours! You know that you aren't alone. Even if you don't want to tell us what happened, just know that you can always decide to say what you need! I'm always here for you!"
The brunette smiles slightly while tearing up. He takes Harry in his arms and just stays that way. Relishing in what he has now. "You always know what to say."
The other residents of the compartment let out a collective sigh of relief and return to their previous activities. Theo goes back to reading his book, Natalie continues to play with Bryne-Nicor, Lovegood continues reading the Quibbler and Samantha and Neville resume their previous discussion.
He is safe now, there is no reason to be so uptight. But then there is always that nagging feeling that he is not as safe as he wants to be. Cedric knows that Harry is also keeping something from him. He will let the younger teen decide his moment. Cedric trusts Harry enough to let him tell him about important details when the other deems it necessary.
...
The weather remains undecided as they travel farther and farther north. Rain spatters the windows in a half-hearted way, then the sun puts in a feeble appearance before clouds drift over it once more.
Harry sighs and rests his head on Theo, gently stroking through Cedric's hair, the head boy fell asleep just a few hours earlier. His green eyes land on the book in Theo's hand. "Don't tell my it's David Copperfield again." The brunette doesn't look up but his lips quirk into a smile.
"No, it's Bleak house this time."
Harry groans. "That story makes no sense! There is way too much happening at once and there are too many characters!"
Theo scoffs and rolls his eyes, "You don't know what you are talking about and now get to sleep! I can tell you are tired as fuck."
Harry chuckles before yawning and settling down on Theo's shoulder. Hands stroking through soft brown waves. He smiles down at Cedric, he's so much calmer now. But what happened earlier just won't leave his mind. What happened to his Cedric? There was almost no indication of a serious problem in his letters. And the fact that they got caught off...what is going on? What should he do? And is his dad going to be fine?
His smile Fades as he's overtaken by worry.
A small sound of discomfort penetrates his ears as he looks down again. A small frown is comforting the brunette's face. His empathy is astounding. Harry shakes his worries away for now and let's himself drift off.
...
Harry is woken up with a start as the compartment door is rammed open. "Fucking hell! What's the big idea?"
He can hear Theo next to him stifling a chuckle. He rolls his currently green eyes and stares at a disheveled Draco. His eyebrow rises in suspicion. What could be the meaning of this?
"Hide me from those devils!" He closes the door behind him leaving the compartment in baffles confusion. At least those who are awake are confused, who, admittedly, isn't many. Just Harry Theo and Neville. The rest are all fast asleep.
"Explain."
Draco sits down next to Jones and slumps in relief. "Granger is a menace! She's terrorising the twins too. The youngest Weasley is right behind her, they're going to come here too."
Harry nods and any amount of drowsiness is wiped away immediately. So, they are making a move.
Is Weasley going to mention anything? Harry hopes not, considering that Granger doesn't know.
"On a different note, are you alright? You look quite disheveled to say the least. We're you with both twins or just the Weasley twins?"
"Both. They're all devils!" His cheeks flush and Harry chuckles.
Something must have happened at some point in time... Something worth of noting.
"I see."
Draco's blush deepens and Theo grins into his book. Neville on the other hand just observes silently.
And then, to no one's surprise, the compartment door slides open once more.
"What do you want?" Harry says with growing exasperation. He does not want to deal with the lot right now.
"Is this where Malfoy crawled away to? Honestly what were you even doing with the twins?" Hermione chides with a slight tut, ignoring Harry entirely. Unlike her, Ron's attention is solely on him and it makes his skin crawl. He has to share a form with this git! Harry just hopes that he can ask Neville for help. He does not want to be kissed or touched like that ever again.
"Can you please leave? Most of us are either prefects or head boy and girl. If this is supposed to be some intimidatory display, you can drop it!" His voice is iron hard and sharp like a blade.
Hermione tenses and her brown eyes land on Harry. They're pained. Why? Why is she in pain? It makes no sense. That sorrow shouldn't be there either.
"I believe I was asking Malfoy a question and not you," she turns to the blond with an expectant look, "Well?"
The blush returns to Draco's face. "I-it's none of your business!" His voice cracks mid sentence and his eyes dart from side to side. Sweat pearls down his face, he's embarrassed for some reason.
"Well, they are my brothers. I have a right to know what business you had with them."
The door slides further open as Ron makes his way inside.
Harry turns away and leans closer to Theo, the Slytherin tensing and stopping his reading. His head turns to Harry and there is an unspoken question in the air. Harry just shakes his head. His hand twitches, desperate to hold onto something.
"You have no such right, Ronald! And you got it all wrong, we, that is saying George and I, went to him first. The Espoir twins came later."
All eyes turn to Fred in question. Harry knows it's Fred but it's unusual to see him without George. The other twin must still be in their previous compartment.
"But he's a git! Even you used to agree with that!"
Fred glares at his younger brother. "Get out! Both of you!"
Ron looks like he wants to protest but then looks at Harry with a smirk, "Don't think we are done. I'll continue right where we left off." With that the youngest Weasley boy drags Hermione out of the compartment with him.
Harry shivers and gazes at the ground with clenched fists. Fred slams the compartment door behind them and turns to look at Harry, who knows at once that he, like him, registered what Ronald said and was just as unnerved by it.
It's the first time in a while that Harry has felt a certain amount of fear. Harry doesn't often admit when he is scared but now...he can't deny it.
A hand makes him look down into grey eyes.
"Fear..."
Harry nods and runs his hands across Cedric's face. He can't hide his emotions from Cedric and he knows but he can't risk telling Cedric about what happened. Harry needs to deal with this on his own first.
An uncomfortable silence fills the compartment. And Fred and Draco soon bid their farewell.
They travel further north and the day drags on, slowly all the residents in their compartment start waking up, Luna takes the Quibbler back in her hands and starts reading it upside down. When darkness falls and lamps come on inside the carriages, Luna rolls up The Quibbler, puts it carefully away in her bag and takes to staring at everyone in the compartment instead.
Harry is sitting with his forehead pressed against the table, a large hand rests comfortingly on his lower back.
"We'd better change," says Jones at last, and all of them open their trunks and pull on their school robes. She and Cedric pin their head boy and girl badges carefully to their chests, meanwhile Harry does the same with his prefect badge.
At last, the train begins to slow down and they hear the usual racket up and down it as everybody scrambles to get their luggage and pets assembled, ready for departure. Cedric, Samantha and Harry are supposed to supervise all this; they disappear from the carriage, leaving the others to look after Hedwig.
They shuffle out of the compartment feeling the first sting of the night air on their faces as they join the other prefects in the corridor. Slowly, they move towards the doors. Harry can smell the pine trees that line the path down to the lake. He steps down on to the platform and looks around.
They need to keep everyone in order and make sure that the first years aren't separated. Some older students could use a thorough education on how to handle children and to not push them around. He sighs. It's cold out, he worries that Theo might catch a cold. And if he does, Harry just hopes that it's a normal muggle disease. Those can be treated easier than magical ones. Does he have enough potions in his small inventory? He doesn't think so, he hasn't been able to restock in Diagon alley, considering he was unable to brew anything during the holidays.
He takes a deep breath and helps out a few second years to get to the carriages, then tells some first years to wait to be called, he listens for the familiar call of 'firs' years over 'ere ... firs' years...'
But it does not come and his memory won't help him out either. Instead, a quite different voice, a gentle spoken male one, is calling out, "First years line up over here, please! All first years to me!"
A lantern comes swinging towards Harry and by its light he sees the prominent cheek bones and long brown hair, it's even longer than last year, of Professor Reyes, the wizard who took over Hagrid's Care of Magical Creatures lessons for a while the previous year.
Where could Hagrid be? Harry takes his memories for an answer but he ends up blank again. What's going on?
He looks back towards the doors and sees Ronald getting out with Ginevra. Their eyes meet for a couple of seconds, a dark promise lays in those blue eyes. Harry shivers and averts his gaze. There is nothing that bastard can do to him now that they are both capable of using magic.
Once the last student exits the train the prefects and head boy and girl make their separate ways to the carriages pulled by Thestrals.
This is his second year in the past and so far so good.