The Man…
"How did you…what are you…" Harry looked at the man and then to Hermione who shrugged her shoulders and shook her head. "Why are you here?" he finally managed to ask. His hand was on his wand and he was ready for whatever may come but he was reeling from the shock of seeing Amos Diggory standing before them.
"I could ask you the same thing," Mr. Diggory answered smugly. "In fact, I believe I already have. So tell me, what are you doing here?"
"We were looking for Mr. Weasley, have you seen him?" Harry asked uneasily. He was finding it difficult to think clearly after the shock of seeing the one man they were actually looking for.
"Why are you looking for Arthur when I was told you were looking for me?" he asked with a note of impatience. "You are looking for me, are you not?"
Harry nodded. "But how could you know that?" he asked suspiciously as he tried to remember who else knew they were looking for him.
"Um…Tonks told me," he said a little too quickly. "I had to go to see one of the other aurors and I met her along the way. She told me you were looking for me and that you'd come this way to see Arthur first."
Harry nodded his head slowly as if he understood but the expression on his face said something completely different.
Hermione was watching the exchange and at hearing Tonks' name she started. Did we tell Tonks we were looking for him? She wondered. She looked at Harry and could tell he was thinking the same thing.
"I don't remember telling Tonks, do you Hermione?" Harry asked her, trusting her memory far more than his own.
"No," she replied. "I don't remember talking to anyone about Mr. Diggory since we found out he was the one we needed to talk to. Although," she said, looking down at her badge, "oh…never mind. I was going to say that we said his name in the phone booth but the badges only say our name and `personal business', so we haven't been advertising it."
"That's what I thought," he said. He looked at Mr. Diggory who was suddenly looking decidedly uncomfortable. "Do you want to try that again?" he asked.
"Not really, no," Mr. Diggory answered indifferently. "What does it matter? You need to see me and I'm here. State your business Mr. Potter, I'm a busy man."
Harry eyed him suspiciously. "Tonks?" he asked as he examined him closely.
"No, Mr. Potter, I am not Nymphadora Tonks," he answered exasperatedly. "Your time is running short. Is there something you need from me or should I prepare to walk away now?" His patience was beginning to run low and Harry didn't want to risk his apparating or disappearing some other way.
"There is something we need to talk to you about," Harry said with noted reluctance.
Mr. Diggory looked at him expectantly. "Well?"
"Something's not right, Harry," Hermione interrupted. "I know we didn't tell Tonks we were looking for him. How would he know we were here and how did he know there were two of us."
Mr. Diggory began to laugh; it was a hollow emotionless sound that sent chills up her spine. "Miss Granger, how could I not know there were two of you there, what with all that whispering and carrying on?" he asked.
Harry looked at her and nodded. "True," he said softly to her. He looked at Mr. Diggory. "But it doesn't explain how you knew we were here or how you knew that we were actually looking for you. It seems quite convenient that you're the one to find us when this area appears to have been abandoned."
"I imagine you've discovered a lot of `convenient' things your throughout your life, Mr. Potter. Not all things can be explained away and this is one of them," he said candidly. "I'm not going to give you the answer you're looking for. You either take what I say or you don't; the problem is yours, not mine."
"That may be so," Harry said, "but the problem now lies in whether or not we'll get the truth out of you. There's something we need to do and we need the truth in order to do it."
"The truth is what we make it Mr. Potter, as it bends so easily with the will of man," he replied irreverently. "If there is something you need then I will try to accommodate you. I will not however, go out of my way for you as so many other witches and wizards, your hero-worshippers, might be apt to do. I do not feel indebted to you and I most certainly do not feel as if I owe you anything. I am here simply because I was told that you were looking for me and I refuse to spend my day listening to you question my integrity. Now, if there is something that you want I suggest you tell me now or you will find yourself without my services at all."
Harry looked at him as though he wanted nothing more than to wrap his hands around his throat. "I'm not looking for anyone to owe me anything," he said through clenched teeth. "I've never looked for special favors or treatment. Whatever others do is their own damn business, I haven't gone around asking for anything from anyone and I've never fancied the label of hero. In fact, I wish every person who's used it in reference to me would take it and shove it straight up their arse. I don't want it and I don't need it. Yes, I have questions and we need help but it hasn't a damn thing to do with my being Harry Potter, it has everything to do with…with saving Hermione's life," he finished just above a whisper.
Hermione placed her hand on Harry's arm and he jumped at the sudden contact. He turned to look at her and immediately he felt an overwhelming sense of calm. How can she do that just by a simple touch? He wondered briefly. He was brought quickly out of his thoughts by the sound of Hermione's voice.
She was looking at Mr. Diggory with a look of both understanding and annoyance; she was quite sure she knew why he was acting this way but she was getting very upset by the way he was treating Harry. "Why did you say that?" she asked him without reservation. "Why do you feel the need to be so hostile? You don't know what we need, you've barely said anything that's made sense to anyone other than yourself, and yet you choose to talk to Harry like that. Why?"
"Because that is my truth Miss Granger. Harry Potter was partially responsible for the misery my wife and I have suffered since the death of our son," he was speaking to Hermione while looking at Harry, "or have you forgotten that?"
Harry stumbled slightly at his words. Damn it why does this keep coming up? He looked at Mr. Diggory with an anger he felt more toward himself then toward the man before him; it was a feeling he'd become accustomed to since Cedric's death. Today, for the first time, he felt like defending himself despite the anger. "I didn't kill your son. I didn't know that was going to happen, we were just supposed to share the victory. Why is everyone suddenly blaming me for it when I DIDN'T DO IT!" he shouted. Because you blame yourself, Hermione's voice spoke inside his head. Why shouldn't they blame you when you spend so much time carrying the guilt? Don't you know by now that it's easier for them to lay the blame on you because you take it so willingly? It helps them move forward because you are left behind holding onto all the blame. He looked at her, desperately pleading with her to stop, although logically he knew she was unaware that he could hear her voice inside his head.
"I'm not suddenly blaming you for anything, Mr. Potter. I've blamed you from the start. I must admit that I was feeling a little guilty toward you for my wrongful accusations regarding the conjuring of the Dark Mark at the Quidditch World Cup. Then, just a few months later, when you came out of the maze carrying my son, I was ready to curse you straight to hell for taking him from me. I must admit that a very small part of me was grateful that you'd had the decency to bring him back, but I was not grateful enough to spare you. It was a strong voice of reason that made me realize it would be of no comfort to my wife to curse you or to make further accusations against you. As such, I withheld from lashing out at you that night and the opportunity had not yet presented itself again…until now. I must admit, it does feel good to finally admit how I really feel about our hero, The-Boy-Who-Lived."
"It's not my fault, it's not," Harry said in a low voice as he shook his head. "It's not my fault!" he yelled suddenly, raising his eyes to stare at Mr. Diggory.
Hermione moved in front of him and lifted his head, forcing him to look at her. "Do you believe that Harry? Do you really believe that it's not your fault?"
Harry nodded his head and answered, "No."
Completely ignoring Mr. Diggory Hermione persisted. "Harry you have to believe. This is never going to go away until you do."
"It's never going to go away if he doesn't," Mr. Diggory said disdainfully.
Hermione turned around with every intention of laying into Mr. Diggory for his thoughtlessness. Instead she surprised them both by saying, "You're right."
"Pardon?" Mr. Diggory said, confused by the sudden change in her demeanor.
"I said you're right," she repeated. "Harry is to blame, isn't he?"
"I highly doubt that your efforts at reverse psychology will help anything Miss Granger. Mr. Potter will either continue to feel guilty or allow himself to let it go. Personally, I find it rather heartening that he bears the guilt so willingly, seeing as how he carries such a large part of the blame."
Hermione sneered, "You don't know what the hell you're talking about. Reverse psychology…humph. I said you were right and I meant that you were right. Don't second guess me or try to play games or waste your time telling me what you think I might be doing. Harry Potter is to blame for everything that happened to my Cedric and very soon he will pay; the payback has, in fact, already begun."
Harry dropped his head and took a deep, staggering breath. "Shit!" he muttered to himself. "Just what I need right now."
Hermione's eyes cut a sharp beeline for Harry and she smiled mockingly. "What's the matter Harry? Not happy to see me?"
Mr. Diggory was looking between the two of them and he felt the noticeable change in the air between them. "Would either of you care to explain what the hell is going on here?" He looked at Harry before he spoke again, "Tell me why she just called him `my' Cedric. What does Miss Granger have to do with my son?"
Harry shook his head. "I told you we needed your help," he said dryly.
Hermione looked at Harry with narrowed eyes before she addressed Mr. Diggory. "I can hear you, you know? If there's something you want to know about me just ask me. For the record, he is `my' Cedric and Harry here took him away from me," she said with a contemptuous look in Harry's direction.
Mr. Diggory narrowed his eyes and looked from one to the other before his eyes finally settled on Hermione. "Are you telling me that he killed my son in some sort of jealous rage?" he asked, barely able to control the anger that was welling up inside him.
Hermione looked at Harry then back again to Mr. Diggory with a half-smile on her face. "Now that you mention it…" she said deviously as her eyes cut upward to meet Mr. Diggory's.
Mr. Diggory's eyes were raging and he was having a hard time fighting for control of his anger so he took a couple of deep breaths before he spoke to her, "My son never mentioned you, Miss Granger, how can you stand before me and call him your Cedric when not once did he mention your name? What kind of game are you playing?"
Harry looked sharply at Hermione before she could say anything. "Hermione didn't have anything to do with Cedric, Mr. Diggory," he said as calmly as his rapidly beating heart would allow.
"I don't understand she just…"
"She didn't just anything," he interrupted. "Like I said, Hermione didn't have anything to do with Cedric…Cho did."
"WHAT?" Exploded Mr. Diggory. "What the hell is going on? How dare you bring up Cedric's girlfriend at a time like this!" he bellowed. Suddenly, like someone had flipped a switch on his emotions, his expression changed from one of anger to one of sorrow as he remembered Cedric's talks of Cho. "Now her, her I know about…" he said softly, "…for such a young man he had a great deal of love for her. Not only have I lost my son, but the woman he loved as well. She was a casualty of this war you know?"
Harry nodded. "I know," he said almost inaudibly. He looked at Hermione and the sight of her nearly broke him.
She had begun to cry uncontrollably at Amos Diggory's words. Hearing him talk of Cedric, the man Cho had long ago pledged her heart to, and his love for her was nearly unbearable. "He loved me. Did you hear that Harry? I told you he loved me and you…you took it all away," she yelled as the pain in her heart deepened. Harry tried to pull her close, to offer her comfort, but she wouldn't allow his touch. "Leave me alone," she cried out piteously. "Just…leave me alone."
Amos Diggory watched as her legs weakened and she dropped helplessly to the floor, convulsing with the pain that wracked her body. He listened as the tortured sounds of her cries echoed throughout the corridor and in that moment there was no other recourse; he conceded. He looked at Harry with haunted eyes. "Tell me what this has to do with Miss Granger."
Harry nodded his head, believing now that the reasons Amos Diggory found them were irrelevant, the fact that he blamed Harry for Cedric's death was now even more irrelevant…all that mattered was Hermione. He was ready to lay it all out on the line for her and all he could do was hope beyond hope that Amos Diggory was an honest, forgiving, and understanding man…because without him, they would have to go back to the beginning and he would surely lose his Hermione.
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A/N: I've had a lot of questions about how much longer this is going to be. I've been trying to keep that information tight to my chest because there are different scenarios for the way this story could end. There is always the chance that they won't survive…or Hermione may not, anyway. There is the possibility that they'll make it through and find their happily-ever-after…that leaves a lot of alternatives in the middle because those are at totally opposite ends of the spectrum. I just can't bring myself to give too much away about the ending which means I can't tell you how much longer it will be.
I put the following into a review so I'm going to put it here…if I say too much to one person, then I prefer to say it to everyone…
REVIEW of last Chapter: Huh? On the one hand, they seem to be working towards their goal, on the other, the whole ministry bit was just wierd. Can't wait to see what is next.
Author Feedback: Weird? Is it weird because you don't know why they're there or weird in the way that people are acting, or what?
The real reason they're there is coming...it's more than just seeing Diggory about wands...
This is their first outing since the battle ended and people are bound to want to talk with them, etc...and they are bound to meet people along the way. They are very aware of the fact that once word gets out that they are there, all kinds of people will be wanting to thank him, congratulate him, etc...they are trying to avoid that. They haven't yet realized that they 'really' should have been 'discovered' already...they haven't questioned it.........maybe they should.
They've been to the Three Broomsticks, Diagon Alley, Ollivanders, and the Ministry...places crawling with people and yet very few seem to know they're there. There should be a reporter or something trailing them by now. Remember, they haven't given their story either! Someone's going to want it so if things were truly 'right' with the world, they'd be hounded already.
Hopefully it'll all make sense very soon.
Thanks once again for reviewing.
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter……………………on to the next!
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