CHAPTER: saving your friend

Cedric's pov

Today was a pretty eventful day. I woke early to revise with my classmates, I wrote my last exam well, I got ignored by all my housemates, and I was included into a party of juniors. The last part was the one of the happiest moments of my life. Being an only son, I was always praised and encouraged to do well by my parents, but I lacked the skill of mingling with others. Maybe it was due to lack of siblings, a small family, or even people stepping back because of I was better than them. I don't know. But watching and being included in jokes and laughter was eye-opener. I realized what I was missing till now.

It was near curfew when we finally walked back to the castle. We were just about to separate in the great hall when a clatter of suits fell down with a loud noise. We saw professor Quirrell running sending spells into the air while running. One of them seemed to have connected something, and we saw Ronald Weasley suddenly appear as he fell on the ground. Another hand appeared suspended in thin air and the professor cast some spell at the person it belonged to. Hermione Granger, the booksmart kid who was caught by the troll during Halloween, appeared out of some cloth.

"They STOLE my cloak!" Harry whispered to himself and immediately ushered us to move out of the castle immediately. Susan whimpered, and the stuttering professor's notice shifted to us. Only, he wasn't stuttering in fear anymore.

"Ahh, so you got some help too. Smart of you two. But really, as bright you all are for uncovering my identity, you don't seem to have an inch of common sense to keep yourself away." He said cruelly. He cast a spell at us, but luckily the teachers arrived in time and blocked it. Strangely, Headmaster Dumbledore was not with them. Professor noticed them and started dueling with all of them at once. Skillfully too, I might add, for no one was able to even get even a step closer to him, nor could they land a spell at him. I was busy staring at the fight when I felt a tap on my shoulder.

Harry spoke urgently, "Cedric, we need to leave now. They'll take care of him. Come on."

All the other exits were blocked by the duelers, so we had to exit the castle. I noticed Weasley and Granger getting up and edging towards the duel slowly. I ran to them cautiously and spoke to them in whisper, "Where are you going? Come on, we need to leave."

Weasley shook his head, "No we need to save the stone. We are going to the third floor. The stone is there and we need to prevent it from Voldemort."

"What do you…?" Before I could finish my question, we all saw someone knock the turban off the professor's head. Instead of a bald head we expected, there was a face etched on it, looking straight at us. It spoke in a hissy voice, but everyone could hear it.

"This will not do, Quirrell. You failed your task. You better retreat now. We will find another way. Take a refuge and leave. We will need to sacrifice another life."

"Yes my lord." Quirrell replied and rushed towards us. Harry must have noticed that for a powerful force from him pushed us all away to an edge. He then stood in front of Quirrell/Voldemort and started to duel him. For being just a first year, he sent pretty powerful first year spells and was too quick on his feet to be caught in any incoming spells. Quirrell seemed to have built some shield behind him, because the professors seemed stuck there and unable to see anything beyond the shield, though we could see them. Before we can think of doing something to help Harry, the Granger girl took a broken piece of rock from the floor and hurled it towards Voldemort. I held her hand as she bent to take another.

"What are you doing? Are you crazy?"

"I am trying to help, unlike you. We can distract the professor from Harry."

I shook my head, "And then what? Use your head Granger. Harry is at least able to stand against him; we will not be able to if even the professors can't. And Harry will be hurt trying to save us. Think!"

I don't know if my message got across to her, but it certainly did not get to the red-haired boy's head. He too started throwing things at Voldemort, "Hermione is right, if we can distract him, Harry can take him down. He is the boy who lived, he is the one supposed to do it."

That was nonsense. But the damage was done. As Quirrell's spells were not reaching Harry, he seemed to have remembered our presence with the disturbance. He immediately cast a summoning spell at us, and it hit me. I screamed in fright as I zoomed through the air towards the dark lord attached to his servant, my hands and feet binding in ropes in the process. He immediately pointed his wand towards my suspended body and spoke with laughter,

"HAHA! Not bad Potter. You are quick on your feet. I'll see you again after I have gained my body. Let's see if you can jump out of the powerful dark Lord's spell. I'll take this pretty meat for myself in the meanwhile."

I saw him send a stunning spell towards our friends and the two first years, making them all stumble on the floor. He also sent some spell at Harry, who again jumped out of the way. Seeing his chance, Quirrell quickly ran past the castle doors along with me as a shield at his back. I saw Harry run after us.

Quirrell must have noticed him too for he laughed and ran towards the forbidden forest and hid among the trees. As soon as Harry entered, he sent another spell at him, which Harry blocked. Then he did what I was scared of.

"Stand still Potter, or your pretty boy here will die." He rasped out loud. Harry froze in his tracks. Quirrell laughed, "Ah, the same 'save your loved ones' thing again I see. This is the bane of all so-called heroes you know. Just hold one he loves, and you can make him do whatever, right? Let's see what you will do now."

He pointed his wand at me and sent a silent purple spell towards me. It cut my body in various places; and it hurt very much. I could see the enraged expression on Harry's face. Quirrell laughed and sent the unforgivable pain curse, the crutiatus curse at me. I prepared myself for the pain, but could not feel anything. Instead I fell on the ground. I opened my eyes to see a blue film in between me and Quirrell. I was summoned once again, this time gently, to Harry and he settled me on the ground. All this time, Quirrell was sending spell after spell at us, but it was being blocked by the film.

But this was not without any cost. For every powerful spell that the shield blocked, I could see Harry shivering in pain or shock. Soon, small tears appeared on his skin too and his nose started bleeding. He could not hold the shield any longer and dropped it.

"HAHA! The famous Harry Potter does seem to have some powers, but what use are they if they cannot hold." Saying this he cast curse after curse at Harry, making him scream in pain and twitch on the ground. He also cast some spells at me, but Harry, though still in pain, jumped in front of most of curses, taking them himself. After a while he fell down to his knees.

"Tired already, boy?"

It was a shock when Harry snickered, "Why are you so proud of yourself Voldy?"

"How dare you…"

"Oh shut up!" Harry staggered to his feet, "Why would you assume I would take all your torture silently? Of course, your ego and pride. That is the downfall of every villain, you know?"

My eyes widened in astonishment when a bright beam of light, power, emerged from Harry and hit an unsuspecting Quirrell right in the chest. He screamed in pain and when the spell stopped, he fell face first on the ground. I could see a cloud of smoke or something scream its way out of his body.

"Go to hell Voldy!" Harry spoke in a low voice and the smoke sped away from us. Harry swayed as he turned to me, blood gushing out of him everywhere. He gave me a gentle smile, "Are you okay?" I nodded in surprise. "Good!" He nodded and then promptly fainted and fell down.

I was pretty sure that this encounter was witnessed only by me. I was also confident that this should not be let out without Harry's permission. Who knows what power this boy holds, or what secrets he keeps? So I shielded my mind as my father taught me and slowly got off the ground. I was aching all over badly, but if Harry could stand in thousand times more pain and still fight, I should be at least able to take him back.

So I stumbled to my feet and levitated him before me. He looked so bloody all over and yet beautiful in his own right. If anything happened to him now, I don't think I would be able to live in peace. As I slowly came out of the forest, I found all Harry's friends, no wait…, our friends waiting for us, even though they were being scolded by the teachers. They immediately rushed to us.

"Well done Cedric. Let us take care of you both." Susan said in a gentle voice and I nodded. As soon as Harry was lifted off my spell, exhaustion caught up to me and I fainted.

When I woke up next, it was past midnight and I was in the hospital wing. I got up from my bed looked around for any company. I found Harry behind curtains in the bed next to me. He was sleeping bare-chested in his boxers, probably for healing cuts on his body. They all seemed to have healed anyway. I blushed as I saw his well built chest rise and fall in even breathing. For just being an 11 year old, it was like he had matured early. I blushed even more when an unprecedented thought flashed in my mind imagining how he would look like when he actually grows into an adult.

Footsteps behind me immediately snapped me out of my blush inducing thoughts. I turned around to find the Headmaster standing there. I greeted him and walked to my bed.

"Ah Mister Diggory, my boy, you seemed to have gone through some serious pain. How are you feeling?"

I immediately understood what was happening here. The headmaster would come at so late night only if he wants information for himself. And I was prepared to reveal nothing.

"I am all healed now Headmaster."

"Very well, just so you know, you both were injured badly and have missed the farewell feast today. I have awarded points to Gryffindor and Hufflepuff for your bravery and the attempts of two Gryffindors to save a precious item from being taken away."

I inwardly frowned at those two being awarded points for their fool headedness, but kept my mask still, "Thank you sir." I smiled at him.

"Well you have to take plenty of rest; else madam Pomfrey will not leave me in peace. I would just like to know what happened after you went out of the castle."

"I was levitated and taken with him headmaster. Harry followed me. He managed to free me from him and then professor cast some pretty dangerous spells at us before leaving, sir. By leaving, I mean some smoke left out of him. Is he still alive sir?"

"Who? Your professor? I regret to say that he signed his death warrant the moment he let the dark lord into his body. Are you leaving out anything, my boy?"

When he asked the last part, he tried to probe my mind for my memories. I strengthened my shield and spoke back in a firm voice, "Sir, I told you the truth. Please refrain from reading my memories. They are mine, they are private."

"My boy, privacy is a matter of circumstance. If you would just let me look into your memory, I could maybe deduce something that you may not find necessary to notice."

Harry's strong voice spoke behind me, "If he wished not to share his memories, you will leave him alone, Headmaster. This is not so dire a situation. If you were so concerned, you would not have put the philosopher's stone in the castle, nor have left the castle when you were in need."

"Ah Harry, good to see you again. You seem to have recovered just in time. And it is good to hear that your sharp skills are not just limited to books but to research too. I would like to know…"

"Stop it Headmaster!" Harry spoke in a strong voice, "you missed the fight, your loss. If you could not have guessed when Voldemort would attack, then your skills need improvement. You do not get to sit back and look through other's memories and act as a great leader moving his pawns. Leave, please."

"My boy…"

"I said leave, sir. NOW!"

"I see that we are still not I agreement with each other. Very well, happy holidays my boys. I will see you next year."

I watched all this in wonder. Harry Potter was indeed of strong character, and stuck to his principals bravely. I admired that. As soon as the old man left, his demeanor changed as he turned and smiled at me.

"Okay now, Cedric?"

"Yeah, but could you do me one favor?" I blushed. Harry nodded in confusion.

"Please put on a robe on your beautiful body, or I'll turn gay."

He let out a loud laugh as he disappeared behind the curtains, and my cheeks colored in blush once more.