To Bedlam and Partway Back

Rating: M

Disclaimer: I own none of these characters

NOTE: WARNINGS FOR SLASH, INCEST, AND CHAN

And the winner for my 300th review challenge is…an unsigned reviewer. That leaves me at somewhat of a dilemma, really. On the one hand, you did win the challenge, but on the other- I can't contact you at all. Reviewer 'Ccccccccccc', hopefully you do have an account on and will contact me after having seen this. I'll wait for a week before reneging my offer. Still, congratulations!

And now an extra-long last chapter to make up for the briefness of the previous one, the still pending Marcus/Oliver oneshot, and the super-sized A/N (o: I'm a bit behind in my posts this week, I'm afraid.

Chapter Eighteen

Harry looked small and vulnerable seated alone in that chair, a single spotlight shining down from above. Cedric had wanted to go up with him, but Herbie had caught his wrist, and shook his head. Instead he'd had to grit his teeth and settle back down for the wait. He wasn't particularly worried about Lady Fleet's questioning, but rather Dumbledore's. He knew Harry was stronger than he looked, but at the moment, Harry didn't look strong at all.

"Mr. Potter, what do you have to say about Lord Diggory's claims that you lived with a caring family?"

"That they're a load of codswallop," the boy declared baldly. A few of the Wizengamot members had to hide smiles at his brazenness.

Even Lady Fleet was smiling. "Would you care to elaborate, Mr. Potter?"

Harry took a deep breath, and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, their green was blank and shuttered. "They had me cooking for the family by the time I was four. I had to handle a full stove on my own and make breakfast in time, else I wouldn't get any of my own. If I broke a plate, or ever burnt anything, which I did an awful lot when I was young, I was locked in my cupboard without food or water for at least the rest of the week."

"Surely he's exag-" Dumbledore protested, when Amelia shot him down, her blue eyes blazing.

"Be quiet, Professor Dumbledore! The witness has not finished. You may question him at your own leisure after the Lady Fleet has concluded her investigation."

"I'm not exaggerating!" Harry snapped. "And how would you know, anyways? My aunt had plenty satisfaction telling me how wanted and loved I was, dropped off in a basket in the middle of the night on the front stair, where she found me beside the milk and the papers in the morning! Besides, my Hogwarts letters were addressed to places like 'The Cupboard Under the Stairs', or 'The Floor'! Didn't that give you just the slightest hint that something was wrong, ten years after you left me there!"

Alright, maybe Harry was a lot stronger than he looked.

"Mr. Potter."

Harry stared unwaveringly back. "Headmaster."

"How would you describe the relationship between you and Mr. Diggory?"

"The father or the son?" Harry asked archly. "Because if you mean the father, I can tell you it's utter bollocks!"

"Mr. Potter," Amelia began gently, "when Headmaster Dumbledore referred to Mr. Diggory, he meant the son. The father is addressed in this courtroom as Lord Diggory."

Harry pouted and crossed his arms mutinously. "Not if I have anything to do with it," he muttered under his breath.

A titter of laughter escaped the court before they could help it.

"Mr. Potter," Dumbledore said again, "what is the relationship between you and Mr. Diggory?"

His young face abruptly softened. "It's everything I'd ever wanted from a relationship."

"Can you tell us the circumstances that brought about your Bonding?"

Harry sighed, sagging in his seat. "It was a Quidditch match. We'd been playing, Hufflepuff vs. Gryffindor. It was supposed to be Slytherin, but their Seeker defaulted because of his injury." He rolled his eyes, clearly giving his opinion on that excuse. "Cedric was the Hufflepuff Seeker. The weather was dreadful. It was raining so hard, and- you could barely see a metre in front of you. About halfway through the match, when we were both- Cedric and I, I mean- were chasing after the Snitch, Dementors suddenly charged onto the pitch."

Lady Fleet widened her eyes theatrically, although she surely must have heard the story a good dozen times prior to this. "Dementors?"

Harry didn't seem to notice how she was playing him, merely nodding absently. "Dementors. Minister Fudge had them stationed around the school in the beginning of the year because of Sirius Black's escape."

"And what ever came out of that?" Lady Fleet asked impishly.

"Objection!" Fudge thundered. All heads turned to look at him.

"Minister, sit back down!" Amelia brusquely ordered. "You are a spectator at the court's sufferance, not a member of the court herself!" Once she had made sure the portly man had quailed sufficiently under her stare, she turned back to Lady Fleet. "The prosecution will keep the line of questioning to the pertinent topics. This court will be taking into account the misuse of Dementors in a later trial. Till then, all Quidditch matches at the Hogwarts Castle will be suspended by the Hogwarts Board of Governors, given the lack of security precautions." Given Fudge's milk-white face, he didn't like the sound of that one bit.

Lady Fleet inclined her head to Amelia, before gesturing at Harry to continue from where he had left off.

"Dementors came onto the field. Every time they come near me, I hear Voldemort killing my mum and dad."

There was a moment of stunned silence in the courtroom. Some of the spectators even forgot to flinch at the mention of the Dark Lord's name. Harry had told no one this.

"I fainted, and don't remember what happened after that. When I awoke I was in the hospital wing. The Gryffindor Quidditch team came in a little later to assure me that it was okay I'd lost them the match." His voice, which had been ringing hollow up to this point, twisted bitterly. As much as Harry had cared for the sport, it would have been much more appreciated had someone cared for his person right then.

"When they left, Cedric came in." His tone seemed to signal a change in mood. A soft smile crossed his face. "He came up to apologise, since he'd caught the Snitch instead of catching me. I don't blame him; I couldn't even see him in those last few moment. The visibility was- horrible. I laughed, because I thought it was funny that the Boy-Who-Lived needed saving.

"We talked a little while longer, and he asked me why I was still wearing spectacles when there were so many potions that would have restored my eyesight. Madam Pomfrey- that's the school matron- she must have been aware of them. But Cedric thought perhaps that someone was stopping her from doing so. That's when he decided to, eh, offer to Bond with me."

"Did he fully explain the circumstances of the oath the two of you would enter into?"

"No."

"Nothing at all?"

"That's what 'no' means, right?"

"Ah, yes." Dumbledore shuffled around a bit. "Surely you can see, yes, that Mr. Diggory had an ulterior motive in propositioning you like this?"

"Of course," Harry deadpanned, "because I'd so prefer wearing eyepieces with an outdated prescription that were held together by Muggle tape, being sent back every summer to Muggles who'd forced me to live in a cupboard beneath the stairs for ten years, not to mention took every opportunity to show and tell me just what a waste of air I was. Merlin, I must have been an idiot to choose Cedric over them."

The headmaster coughed to cover his embarrassment.

"After you and Mr. Diggory were Bonded, how did circumstances change for you?"

Harry gave Lady Fleet a beatific smile. "It was lovely, for the most part. Cedric was wonderful. Herbie- Herbert Fleet- and the rest of the Hufflepuffs took great care of us. And Professor Sprout made sure we were most welcome in her house. Oh- and by 'we', I mean Hermione Granger and I. She was also a Gryffindor who helped me get to the Hufflepuff dorm."

"For the most part?" Lady Fleet asked. "Would you care to elaborate on that?"

He sighed. "Not really, no." He stared at nothing at all before he decided to speak again. "Cedric and I swore the oath in the infirmary, and Madam Pomfrey and the Headmaster caught us in the middle of it. We'd finished the oath, and I think we both blacked out after that. When I woke up, I was alone."

An outraged gasp went through the gallery. To have separated two newly Bonded partners on the night of their oath, especially when they were this young- Cedric might have been irresponsible for involving a thirteen-year-old in such a binding oath at their ages, but Dumbledore had definitely proved himself the more irresponsible by tearing them apart.

"Hermione Granger snuck up to the infirmary and found me, practically catatonic." He turned a grin to his best friend, who was beaming anxiously at him from the bench, next to Lady Fleet's assistant. "She was the one who got me down to the Hufflepuff dorms, where we were made more than welcome."

"That wasn't the only time, was it," Lady Fleet began, "where the two of you suffered abuse because of your Bond?"

Harry sighed, and shook his head. "Headmaster Dumbledore didn't stop trying to separate us. And at the beginning, the Gryffindor Quidditch team was also pretty against our Bonding, although they were mostly supportive of us by the end of the second week. And of course there was Lord Diggory's attempt at Hogsmeade. He'd been sending Cedric owls up to the point saying I'd been brainwashed, but we never really thought he'd be foolish enough to make a move like the one he did. Obviously we thought wrong," he sneered.

"Given how numerous the attempts were to separate the two of you, just what do you think you were expected to do if a separation was achieved? The Bond is, after all, permanent and unbreakable."

"Objection!" Dumbledore was immediately on his feet. "Once again, that is merely conjecture and has no basis to the case."

"Oh?" Lady Fleet asked with mock-politeness. The old wizard looked wounded by her tone. "But is is a valid question, Professor Dumbledore. I'm sure Mr. Potter and Mr. Diggory must have been confused as to why their Bond was objected to so strongly, and they were pursued so relentlessly, given the fact that they could hardly do a thing about it. Perhaps we should direct that question to you, Professor Dumbledore, as the strongest opposition towards their Bonding."

The man looked incensed, and Amelia hammered her gavel. "Enough!" she snapped. "I will not have this petty bickering in my court. Lady Fleet, you already have a witness! Stick with him! And Professor Dumbledore, objection denied! The record will stand that the witness's answer will be opinion, but that it is clearly relevant to the case!"

Harry paused to regroup his thoughts before replying.

"I didn't learn the fine print to the Bond until much later," Harry said slowly, "so I didn't know it was unbreakable till afterward. I was still terrified that I could be sent back to the Dursleys- my relatives. They'd made it their life's mission for me to constantly wonder how anyone would want me. There were times when we were first together where I didn't understand why Cedric would want me." He stared blankly across the courtroom at the grey-eyed boy, who was looking right back at him with equal amounts of concern and longing. "But now I do. And it's a feeling that can't ever be replaced.

"As for why they'd want us to be separated? I-I can't think of a logical reason, honestly. Th-the only thing that's changed in my life was- was that I was happy, now. Surely, th-they couldn't have wanted t-to destroy that? Su-surely?"

"I would like to call Albus Dumbledore up for questioning, please."

Painstakingly slowly, the man dragged himself forward and seated himself heavily on the chair in the middle of the floor.

"Headmaster, I really only have one question for you." There was no mockery left in Lady Fleet's face,no jaunty, flashy tricks left, just one very serious inquiry. The stands began to lean forward almost imperceptibly.

"Why. Why did you try so hard to break apart Mr. Potter and Mr. Diggory? For someone as well-versed as you in our lore, you would have known it was impossible to break their bond once pledged. Instead, you deliberately went into the face of thousands of years of tradition. Why?"

Dumbledore drew himself up sagely.

"It was for the greater good."

"It's highly improbable," Herbie muttered to Cedric. "After that last answer- it's like saying he knows better than the collected being of the Wizengamot, and centuries of tradition written by Merlin and sanctioned by the four founders themselves. They won't take too well to that."

"Are you sure?" Cedric asked worriedly. "I didn't like the looks they were shooting him."

"Shooting who?"

"Harry, of course," Cedric fretted.

Herbie rolled his eyes. "Stop being such a bloody mother hen. Tell him, will you, Hermi-" He stared around him blankly. "Hermione?"

This time it was Cedric that rolled his eyes. "You dolt, she's been down there the entire time. You see, right beside your mother, and her assistant?"

He squinted at them. "Oh, right. I hadn't noticed she'd been there." Then he frowned at the fourteen-year-old's back. "Is it just me, or is she looking a little too chummy over there?"

Cedric glanced over at him. "Who, with the assistant or your mum?"

"Does anyone have anything else to add to this case before the Wizengamot goes into recess for deliberation?" Amelia asked.

Herbie shot him a disgusted look. "Hermione isn't going to sleep with my mum!"

"Hermione's fourteen," Cedric stressed, "she isn't going to be sleeping with anyone. Besides, your mind has worked in odder ways. And I honestly wouldn't put it past you."

"One last thing, Your Honour."

Cedric's eyes widened. "What is he doing? Has he even discussed this with your mum? What if he lets something slip-"

"Oh please," Herbie scoffed. "Looking at the way you're behaving now, you're more likely to slip up than Harry is."

Amelia turned a bland expression to him. "Yes, Mr. Potter?"

"I would like to appeal to the Wizengamot for financial emancipation."

All of the words sounded bizarre coming from the thirteen-year-old's mouth. Cedric didn't even know how Harry knew the term 'financial emancipation' was- he caught sight of Herbie, watching the scene progress a little too eagerly, and sighed.

"Objection, Your Honour!" Dumbledore immediately thundered.

"Under what circumstance?" Amelia asked. "And I was speaking to Mr. Potter. I will hear the grounds for your objection in a minute, Headmaster."

Harry stepped forward, looking up at his adopted housemate's aunt very solemnly. "Whatever the outcome of this case, Cedric is still my Bonded, and his father has made it perfectly clear that he isn't willing to support him, let alone us. I know my parents left me some money to see me through the seven years at Hogwarts, but they obviously didn't anticipate something like this. They didn't anticipate a lot of other things, either," he added bitterly. "But I want Cedric to at least be able to get through his last two years at Hogwarts, and I don't trust his father to do that for him."

Amelia nodded thoughtfully. "A valid point, Mr. Potter. The court will consider your case under special circumstances." Then she turned her head to Dumbledore. "And your objection, Headmaster?"

"Mr. Diggory's financial instability is obviously proof of his unsuitability as Mr. Potter's Bonded. He has put Mr. Potter in the path of reckless endangerment-"

"We've been over this already, Headmaster." Amelia cut the headmaster off, ignoring his titles and positions. "This trial concerns Lord Diggory's mishandling of both Mr. Potter and his son. Mr. Diggory's suitability or lack thereof as Mr. Potter's Bonded has no bearing on this case, because there is nothing anyone can do about it! Understand that, Dumbledore. Even if this court were to address the matter of his suitability, I believe that I can firmly say on behalf of all others that Mr. Diggory has proven himself well able to handle himself and care for his Bonded under duress! However Mr. Potter's concern is valid, and this court finds itself unable to deprive the pair of financial stability. He will be awarded full access to the Potter vaults under special circumstance, by order of the Wizengamot." She slammed her gavel down to seal her ruling.

"Dumbledore," an old fogey sitting in front of them croaked, "we have long respected your opinions and advice in many matters, which is why we find it strange that you would spit in the face of one of our oldest traditions, a duty you, as not only member, but leader, of this austere body, were sworn to uphold. If your actions had not backed Mr. Diggory and Mr. Potter into a corner like this, they would never have had to suffer as needlessly as they have up to this point. I move for a vote of no confidence toward Albus Dumbledore."

"That's Averic Wood- Oliver's father," Cedric mumbled, frowning his confusion. "He never involves himself in cases as clean-cut as this- prides himself on his ambivalence-"

"Seconded," came the swift call, before Dumbledore could even say a single word in his defence.

"Marcus Flint?" Herbie exclaimed quietly in surprise. "That's impossible! What the- I don't believe it. The bastard offed his father. There's no way Lyall Flint would have abdicated otherwise; he was Malfoy's right hand man- what the hell does he think he's doing- Flint can't play the game-"

More voices rallied to the cry. Cedric didn't miss that the majority of the cries had come from those seated around one strangely silent Lucius Malfoy, and the oddly stoic Marcus Flint beside him. For that reason alone, Flint should have never seconded Wood's pronouncement, and the Slytherin Quidditch captain was staring unwaveringly in their direction, causing Cedric to shudder. The Malfoy Lord himself was watching the proceedings with a sharp eye, but said nothing either for or against them.

Amelia nodded solemnly, and tapped her gavel lightly on the desk. It was clear, that despite her personal feelings toward the old man, she had not expected this move to come quite this quick. It was hard to predict what that would mean for the rest of the wizarding world. Albus Dumbledore still was, after all, the one person a large majority of the public respected above all others.

"The Wizengamot has taken a motion of 'no confidence' against Albus Dumbledore, and you are hereby suspended pending removal from your position on the Wizengamot chair. This matter will also be raised at the International Confederation of Wizards at a later date, and that august body will make the decision if they would like to retain you as their head.

"We declare a twenty minute recess for the deliberation of Lord Diggory's verdict."

Cedric was seated with his thighs spread apart, elbows on his knees, and his head in his hands. He was trying not to show it, but his shoulders were shaking. Herbie laid a calming hand on him.

"It'll be okay," he coaxed. "You'll see. They've already decided to sentence him. You've won the case already."

"I-it hasn't quite sunk in yet," he whispered. "I-I can't quite-"

Herbie smiled, relaxing back on his seat. "Pull yourself together, mate. You aren't a one-man show anymore, you know. You've got him over there depending on you. You can't let him see your head hang like this."

Cedric pulled his head up blearily, and stared across the courtroom. Harry was sitting beside Hermione, and the Lady Fleet's assistant. The girl was nattering on to her friend, her bushy hair bobbing vibrantly up and down, untameable even in the bun she had worn for court today. Harry looked drawn, and a little stressed, but he had a smile on his face for his friend's sake.

At some unknown sign, he lifted his head up and turned, meeting Cedric's eye. He offered the older boy a slightly larger smile, and without even thinking, the blond felt it reflecting on his own face.

Herbie ribbed him, a grin in his voice. "There, you see?" he whispered, as Amelia Bones began calling the court back into session. "Not so difficult now, was it?"

Amelia slowly turned her head to the Wizengamot sitting behind her. "Has the Wizengamot come to a decision concerning Lord Diggory?" she asked.

The first member that had spoken earlier, Averic Wood, now stood again, a leaf of parchment in his hand.

"The Wizengamot hereby finds Lord Diggory guilty on charges of unmitigated assault on a minor, and participating as an accessory to the defamation of one of our oldest traditions. All of his titles and positions are hereby stripped and returned to their former owners, unless they have already been designated an heir, in which case they will immediately inherit.

"Headmaster Dumbledore, the Wizengamot lawyers will contact you by owl later this week with information on your forthcoming trial for charges of planned assault on a minor and defamation, as well as your removal as the head of the Wizengamot. If there is nothing else to be said, this session of the Wizengamot will now close-"

"Excuse me, Your Honour. " Lauraine Diggory made her way up to the front of the court between both benches. Her appearance startled Cedric, who hadn't expected her to make quite such a public move. While she had always been slim, she looked willowy and painfully vulnerable, ripe to sway at any moment. There was some colour to her cheeks, but it had clearly been spelled on.

"Your Honour, Lauraine Elspeth-Diggory is addressing the court to plea for immediate separation from Amos Diggory. Given his behaviour towards my son an- and a thirteen-year-old boy, I-I can't hope to think-"

It was a masterful performance, if even that. Cedric couldn't tell if his mother was faking it, or if she was genuinely fearful of his father now. He wouldn't be surprised if the latter was the case, though. Amos had always had a temper, and while he had never struck her, they used to morbidly joke that it was only a matter of time, even if his doing so would award her the freedom they both sorely desired. Given the black look on the man's face as he looked at his wife, it seemed like if she returned home, now would be the time.

Fortunately, Amelia didn't seem to miss the look Amos was shooting his wife. "Do you have anything to add to that, Diggory?"

Amos stood, still bound in chains. "Only that that bitch is-" A sharp gasp from the surrounding court cut off what the man said, although going by the ashen pallor of his mother's face, it had been a threat, and an effective one at that.

Amelia didn't need anymore proof.

"This separation is to be filed under forced annulment, by order of the Wizengamot." She looked down her nose at Lauraine. "Do you have the contract with you?"

"Yes, Your Honour," Lauraine whispered meekly, trudging forward to place the sheet of parchment on Amelia's desk. If this was an act, Cedric decided, his mother was beyond brilliant. His father had been the showy one in the relationship, his mother having rarely left the manor. There was nothing for her out there, and she only kept in correspondence with her side of the family, all of whom had always preferred to remain discreet in their dealings. When Amos did choose to have guests over, most would be astonished by her presence, since Amos rarely had cause to mention her; Cedric never did, at her request though, not his. Most just immediately assumed that Amos was a widower.

"Do you have a lawyer?" Amelia demanded.

The Lady Fleet stood immediately. "My husband will take this case, seeing as how my hands are quite tied at the moment." She couldn't help but throw in a little smirk at the end of her sentence.

Amelia nodded, appearing not to have seen it, but there was a light in her eye that she couldn't quite hide. "I want copies of every single legally binding document concerning this marriage from the Ministry's archives on my desk by morning," she ordered.

"And I expect to see you in my office first thing Monday morning, Lady Elspeth, to finalise the last details of this arrangement," she added, with a sympathetic eye Lauraine's way. The slim blond woman pinked rather attractively, and murmured something in acquiescence.

Herbie was gaping.

"She's protecting her," he whispered urgently into Cedric's ear, "in case your father tries to skimp on her. Everything has to go through Ministerial approval– or more like Madam Bones's approval. It's over, now."

And it was. Amelia glanced around the room, daring anyone to contradict her ruling. Then she slammed her gavel harshly on the desk. "The sentencing will be delivered in this same courtroom, tomorrow morning at ten o' clock sharp. Only the defendant and his litigator are required to be present. This session of the Wizengamot is hereby adjourned!"

There was a sort of stunned silence echoing around the courtroom, which was suddenly broken by joyful whoops as a group of 'Puffs dashed down the aisle and smothered Harry in well wishes and congratulations. Cedric couldn't stop the smile spreading across his face. Herbie nudged him with his elbow, wearing a little wicked grin of his own.

"Well?" he demanded. "What the hell are you waiting for, an invitation? Get your arse on down there!"

Cedric slowly started into hysterical laughter as he leapt the seats in front of him, and charged his way down to the floor. The badgers parted seamlessly for him. When Harry turned and caught sight of him, a look of relief crossed his face, and he dashed over to him, burying his face into the older boy's chest.

"You did amazing!" Cedric exclaimed, nuzzling the messy black strands. "You held up much better than I ever could. Just sitting there in the galleries made me a wreck."

Harry smiled shyly at him, his hands having not yet released their grip on his robes. "I was thinking of you the entire time. I wouldn't have been able to get through it all otherwise."

His words made Cedric blush. "Herbie's been coaching you, hasn't he?" he asked ruefully. Harry just grinned up at him, not willing to admit to anything.

A hand smacked the back of his head. "Is that any way to treat the poor kid?" Herbie demanded tartly. "Merlin, is that any way to treat me?" The surrounding 'Puffs laughed at their antics, as always.

"Harry, my boy-"

The younger boy stiffened, and Cedric's arms immediately tightened around him in a protective circle.

"What do you want, Professor?" Cedric asked coldly, since Harry didn't seem like he wanted to speak to the man anytime soon.

"Harry, my boy," Dumbledore urged, "please reconsider. I know it feels like you've won, for now, but I've only ever tried to do best by you-"

"Best?" Harry echoed, still frozen stiff in Cedric's arms. "How could it be 'best' if it was a miracle I ever survived to even enter Hogwarts! If it weren't for magic, I think the ones you left me with would have starved me to death by the end of my first year in her house!"

Some of the 'Puffs, and some bystanders who had just happened to overhear, all stiffened in shock. They had all known Harry's life with the Muggles hadn't been pleasant, but to hear it spoken of in such plain terms-

"You were safe in your aunt's house," Dumbledore tried again, but Cedric wasn't having anymore of it. He could feel how Harry seemed to curl in on himself more with ever passing moment, and decided to take out a restriction order on Dumbledore for the both of them as soon as possible.

"If you were really trying to help him," he snapped, "you would have left us alone. Don't you think you've caused Harry enough grief already? And even if you'd thought he needed protected, you should have first looked to curb yourself before any others! You should have worked with us, and not against us!"

At those words, Dumbledore seemed to visibly age before their very eyes. "I have only, always, ever tried my best," he maintained, with as much dignity as he could muster. He sighed, looking tired and weary.

"I have tried, as much as I can. If you choose to follow this path…this move of yours will cause unseen ripples, among those that do not see the light of day. Now I can only caution you to ware, the next year."

It was with those cryptic words that the old man departed the courtroom, lighter one client, who had already been escorted from the premises by Aurors to a Ministry holding cell.

"Do you think it's a threat?" Harry asked.

"It didn't even sound like a warning," Herbie murmured. "It was almost as if he were…just plain tired." He was still gazing off in the direction Dumbledore had left in, a pensive look on his face. "Here, I'm off to have a chat with my mum. I'll see you'll back in a bit."

In the wake of his leaving, Hermione flew up to him, followed by the Lady Fleet's assistant, at a more sedate pace.

"Oh," Hermione cried, flinging her arms about his neck, "who cares about him! You're free, Harry!" She beamed at her best friend. "Finally, you're actually free! From the Dursleys, and even from Dumbledore-!"

"Congratulations!" Hannah squealed, hugging the small boy with almost as much, if not more fervour. Harry barely managed to stammer out his thanks as he staggered back into Cedric's waiting arms. Of course, Hermione would hardly miss that, and smiled at the almost thoughtless act.

"Careful, Abbott," Ernie admonished. "Harry would have fallen if Cedric hadn't been there."

"Why're you calling her 'Abbott' again?" Justin asked impishly. "Thought we'd cured you of that weeks ago." The usually stalwart blond blushed hard, but the other girl didn't seem to notice.

"Oh!" Susan exclaimed, having come up with the other Third-Year 'Puffs. "If Cedric hadn't been there. But of course he'd be there, he always is! It's so terribly romantic." She pretended to swoon, and Cedric hurriedly pried her arms off his Bonded's neck before Harry was taken down– again.

Bernard was standing stoically behind him and Cedric, but he shuffled closer to mutter, "Luckily the aunt isn't anything like that, else there wasn't any way in hell she could have been even marginally objective." Both Harry and Cedric nearly choked on their laughter as they imagined Amelia Bones adopting her niece's sardonic, if rather outrageous theatrics.

Hermione had stood near enough to have overhead, and her smile widened. "It might have been better for us, though, honestly."

Harry let out an off-pitch whistle. "What's this, Hermione Jean Granger, turn rebel and rule-breaker?" He grinned as she swatted at him, cheeks pinking. "I never thought I'd see the day. What would McGonagall do if she could see you now!"

Cedric was laughing, but he lightly nudged Harry anyways. "Stop that, you twat; you're embarrassing her."

"But it's all in good fu- oof! 'Mione!"

Herbie had sidled up beside his mother, and began to help her arrange sheafs of parchments back in their proper order. Despite the fact that it had been a few years since he'd last helped her in this, his eyes and hands still worked together in perfect coordination to put them all in the correct order.

"So?" he murmured. "What do you think?"

She glanced across the table at him. "Do you mean Miss Granger, or Dumbledore's parting words?"

"Hermione first," Herbie said. "We can get to Dumbledore in good time." He continued to tag the right papers, and began shrinking them to and replacing them in her valise. Almost unbidden, his eye trailed over to where the slim form of his twin was making his way through the throng of Wizengamot members from where he'd been standing beside Cedric and Harry.

His parents might have resented Bernard for losing them their second heir, but they had nevertheless trained him well. Herbie hadn't had much occasion to have seen Bernard in action, and felt a fierce pride blossom in his chest, and was hard-pressed to hide the grin from breaking out across his face.

"Even Fitzpatrick seems to like her," he remarked casually, inclining his head to where his mother's eighteen-year-old, black-haired blue-eyed assistant stood a little off to the side from the 'Puffs, almost exclusively engaging Hermione's attention.

William Fitzpatrick had been a Ravenclaw just a year older than him and Bernard. He and the twins hadn't been able to stand each other, although after the incident he and Bernard had made up, the boring sod. Herbie, on the other hand, thought that had only made the older boy an even larger git than before, and the Ravenclaw hadn't helped it by lording over him.

"Oh, well, he seemed to like her a little too much," he continued. "I think I'm going to go over there in a bit and remind him that she's just fourteen, what with breaking hips and all…I might start off breaking his hip, though, just to make my point clear."

His mother shot him a wry smile. "Try not to be too…helpful, alright?Remember, Herbert, he's still my assistant."

He rolled his eyes. "Yes, Mother."

"But apart from that," his mother said, easily picking up their thread of conversation from where he'd left of, "with a little bit of elbow grease, Miss Granger would make a good political heir of some sort. I do hold more than one position, after all. The traditionalists will scoff at her bloodline, so Fitzpatrick can run the front. I think she's cowed him sufficiently with her intellect at this age alone to earn his respect, and his regard."

Herbie grinned. "There you go. You've never needed me in the first place."

The pleasant smile on his mother's face faltered, and she reached out to touch her younger son's elbow. "Herbert- you and Bernard. You'll are- genuinely alright?"

He abruptly felt sorry for both her and his father. The two of them had both been juggling full-time jobs, and as a result his parents and he were all largely strangers to each other. Despite that, or perhaps in spite of it, she and his father had wanted to do right by them, or him, at least, even going so far as to punish Bernard just because they assumed it was what he wanted. For expert lawyers and consummate politicians, they could be extremely dense sometimes. Still, it wasn't like he had made it much easier for them, by sitting on the fence and allowing the cold war between them to stew for years.

"We're fine, Mother," he assured her gently.

"You haven't been for such a long time," she insisted, a little anxiously.

Herbie stared straight ahead, willing his answer not to be cavalier. "Well, these things come and go, you know. After all, he is my twin brother, and no ritual he can botch will ever change that." He didn't have to turn his head to know the expression on his mother's face was softening.

He cleared his throat.

"And Dumbledore?" he asked, effectively derailing her train of thought.

She immediately returned to her solicitor-mode. "I have to agree with your earlier assessment. His parting words didn't sound like a threat, and yet, it's almost like he knows something is going to happen in the following year that the rest of us don't." She frowned. "I don't like it. I have your father and Bernard keeping an ear to the ground in the Wizengamot. You know what they say; there isn't a secret in the Ministry that someone else doesn't know about."

Herbie chuckled humourlessly. "Well, you know what that diced-up Auror always liked to yell in the DMLE halls: constant vigilance! The badgers will have their backs in this."

She sighed, not entirely confident. "It's the best we can hope for at this point, honestly. We'll just have to watch and wait, and hope we catch whoever it is Dumbledore's afraid of before they catch us."

"Have you told him yet?" Hannah asked, bouncing excitedly, despite how Ernie had his hand on her shoulders in a vain attempt to keep her feet planted to the ground. "You have to tell him now, if you haven't yet! Next year will be absolutely brilliant!"

Harry glanced at the 'Puffs curiously, all of whom looked just as eager. "What is it?"

Justin gave him a rakish grin. "It's meant to be a secret, like, so you can't tell anyone back at the sett that we were the ones who let it out of the bag-"

"Oh hush it you," Zacharias exclaimed, shoving the Muggleborn aside, "you're taking too bloody long! What the ponce is trying to tell you, is that-"

"-starting next year, you'll be the new Hufflepuff Seeker!" Hannah cried, laughing delightedly. "Won't that be splendid? Professor Sprout's already planning a welcome party back at Hogwarts-"

Rather than the grateful excitement they were expecting, Harry just turned pale. "Cedric, I thought we'd already talked this over. I won't take your spot-"

"You won't be, Harry," the blond coaxed, "it isn't anything like that. Remember Cadwallader? That's Joseph, he was one of our Chasers, and he'll be graduating at the end of this year. When he does, I'll take his spot as Chaser, although I'll stay on as Quidditch Captain and all, but this way you'll be in the spot where you're best at. And you know it, Harry, that you're a much better Seeker than I'll ever make; Gryffindor would have won that match if it hadn't been for the Dementors. But then again," he said, humming thoughtfully, "with your luck-"

Harry hissed and swatted at him, causing the rest to break out in laughter.

"Till then," the blond concluded, "I'm afraid you'll just have to attend practices as reserve Seeker."

"Cedric," Harry whined, although he wasn't really protesting anymore. The 'Puffs laughed again, happily content.

"Eric!" called a faint voice, and Cedric turned, a smile on his face.

"Mother!" he exclaimed, releasing Harry briefly to take the slight blond woman in his arms. "Mother, thank Merlin you're alright. And thank Merlin that Madam Bones is taking a personal interest in your case. I'd hate to think how things would turn out otherwise."

A faint flush coloured her pale cheeks. "Yes, Madam Bones certainly is." She paused briefly, as though searching for words to say. "I'm sorry I didn't come sooner," she concluded. "I would have, but I couldn't, not until Amos had been brought in this morning."

Harry glanced up at the woman he barely knew, yet was aware of Cedric's strong affection for, and was, for all purposes, his mother-in-law. "I'm glad you're okay," he said shyly.

Lauraine's troubled grey eyes cleared. "As am I," she declared warmly, resting a hand on his head. "I heard what happened at Hogsmeade, and the ensuing complications. I can only thank Merlin that my son got you back, safe and whole."

"Mother!" Cedric fussed, his cheeks pinking. Harry only laughed, turning into his Bonded's embrace. Cedric smiled tenderly down at him, cupping his cheek gently.

"It's been a long day for you, hasn't it?" he whispered. The younger boy just tilted his chin up for a chaste kiss, which Cedric was more than willing to indulge in. "But it's fine now, Harry," he murmured. "We've gotten through the worst of this bedlam. Now all we have to do is go home, pick up where we left off, and go on with the rest of our lives."

And so they did.

That's it, guys.

I know, alot of you are probably wondering, but this doesn't end up at the same point as Between Two Lungs! Well, first and foremost, I didn't want this piece to spin out of control into Harry's Fourth Year and forty chapters, and secondly, I know alot of you guys were rooting for Cedric to live. This way he does, somewhat. It's a bit of an open end, and you could imagine the events of the next year following through to the events to Between Two Lungs, or you could imagine a happier ending for them. I leave it all up to your ever-creative imaginations (o:

Thanks for making this such an extraordinary journey with all of your reviews and feedback. Till next time- which will hopefully be the posting of the Marcus/Oliver oneshot. Cheers.