Zaid Zaid 9 133 2003-04-08T17:04:00Z 2003-04-20T06:42:00Z 3 2393 10774 205 39 13135 9.2720
Disclaimer: All characters belong to J.K. Rowling. We all bow down to her. I own nothing.
Author's Note: First fic ever…just had an idea on a year five story and it wouldn't let up till I wrote the damn thing down. So please read and comment. Have fun. All feedback will be considered and will most definitely be helping with the writing. I'll be adding more comments at the end. Well, here goes….
Rating: R [vulgarity I guess and some innuendo I tend to add]
Chapter One
"Fuck"
Harry slowly opened his eyes, adjusting to the lack of light in his room. His head buzzed and he wondered why his vision was so blurry. He shook off his stupor and realized sheepishly it was because he wasn't wearing his glasses. He sat up, reached for them and tried aimlessly to forget the memory of his latest dream.
Both of us … we'll take it at the same time. It's still a Hogwarts victory. We'll tie for it
Oh God! He remembered. The tournament. Cedric. Hogwarts' champion. Sharing victory. So stupid. To think I wanted to share glory. All I shared was death. All he gave out was a curse. His curse. His fault. Always his fault. To think that he was free of Voldemort. How stupid. How naïve. Never. Never again. Never let my guard down again. Poor Cedric. Dead. All gone. And all he did was follow Potter. Poor fool.
Yeah, we've helped each other out haven't we? We both got here. Let's just take it together.
Yup. Let's follow Potter. Let's follow Potter till the ends of the earth. He'll lead us. Lead us straight to our deaths. "Wands out, d'you reckon?" Didn't do any good did it? Couldn't save him could he? What was the point of being a savior if he didn't save anything. Some wizard! Didn't do nothing. All I did was stand there like a git and just him die. What was the point of being Harry Potter if he couldn't save one boy.
Kill the spare.
Spare he called him. Just a spare. Wasn't supposed to be there then. Wasn't to be with me. Wasn't suppose to die! Yet he did. All because of him. So many dead because of him. How many more to come? How many more to die? Led to their demise by the Boy Who Lived himself. I should have helped him . . . saved him. I should have done . . . something!
Cedric's face, at his open gray eyes, blank and expressionless as the windows of a deserted house, at his half open mouth which looked slightly surprised.
A flash of green light, a rushing sound, and the boy crumpled. He was dead before he hit the floor. Avada Kevadra. Two words. Yet so potent. So powerful. Such instruments of power. Such instruments of darkness. Two words strong enough to snuff out the future of a bright young boy. Avada Kevadra. Strong enough to kill off the hopes of Cedric's parents. Oh how proud his father was when Cedric beat Potter. Bet the Diggorys' despise me now. They should. Let their son die, didn't I. Avada Kevadra. Strong enough to extinguish the love of Cho's life. Ha! And here I thought I was falling for her. Can't have her now, can I? Don't deserve her. Don't deserve anyone.
Harry…take my body back will you? Take my body back to my parents.
I have the duty, because there isn't anybody else, now is there? People are out there suffering, defending themselves against Voldemort. Fighting, searching, and praying for the boy who is supposed to lead them to victory. Dying. And I sit here safe in this house under cover all summer. I . . . I owe them . . . something. Owe it to them to fight. Owe it to Cedric. Have to defeat the Dark Lord. Rid of him once and for all. He's gunning for me too. For revenge. One of us has to die, and I mean it to be him.
Harry's breath caught in his throat, tears flowing freely for the loss of a fellow student. His heart ached with Cedric's death. He still felt responsible. No matter what any of the Professors at Hogwarts said, he realized that he would always blame himself. Realizing that crying wasn't the best thing for the moment, Harry got up. He was clad in only his sweat pants, he'd found himself rather comfortable sleeping shirtless ever since a heat wave passed by Privet Drive. He glanced around the room, trying to regain his bearings. It was only a couple of hours till sunrise, and moonlight was shining brightly through the window, highlighting Harry as he slowly made his way to the bathroom to wash his face
~*~
"Harry, Hurry up!!! I've gotta pee…I'm gonna call mom!!"
Dudley's annoying shriek broke Harry's concentration, his gaze fixed on the image of his scar in the mirror. The mark ached often since his return from school, especially after his nightmares. He splashed some water on his face and yelled for Dudley to give him a minute more. He studied himself in the mirror, taking in the image of his whole body this time. Finally got some meat on your bones, haven't you. Might have to do something about this shock of hair. Can't have it all long and shaggy, gets into my eyes. I like how it covers up the scar nicely though. He shook his head, running a hand through his hair. Harry ran his palm across his chin. Hmm. I think I'm getting some facial hair! Gotta tell Ron 'bout this.
He brushed past Dudley on his way back to his room and ignored the pudgy boy's glare. Since his time back, Harry and his cousin sort of had an arrangement. They both stopped harassing each other and Harry promised not to slip any of Fred and George's trick candy into his food or try anything, you know, 'freakish'. Theirs was definitely not a relationship based on trust. He chuckled inwardly, remembering the effects of the twin's Ton Tongue Toffee had on Dudley and the look of absolute fright on the pudgy boy. Note to self: Never accept anything from Fred and George. I wonder what other creations they've managed to invent over the summer. I think a certain 'investor' might be privy to the right to some batches. He had to hand it to them; they always had something up their sleeves.
He went round his room silently, retrieving his clothes. Harry slipped on some sweats and put on his trainers. They fit pretty well considering they were originally Dudley's. Of course that could also be due to the fact that his cousin had last wore them four years ago. The trainers were a surprise though. Aunt Petunia had seen it necessary that he at least wore proper footwear if he was to be out running with her Duddleykins. In one of the most bizarre experiences of his life, Uncle Vernon had dragged Harry to the mall, after making sure he at least looked presentable and threatened him not to do any 'magic', and bought him a pair of trainers. I'd never thought I'd see the day Vernon Dursley spend his own hard-earned…well his own money anyway, on Harry Potter himself.
He slowly poked his head round the hallway. He definitely didn't want to meet up with any of his relatives this early. They always seem extra cranky in the morning, especially this early. Dudley had gone back to his room, now snugly sleeping again. Satisfied no one was awake to bother him, he made his way outside quietly.
He had actually been forced to start running every morning due to incessant pestering by his aunt to accompany Dudley during his notorious diet period. Harry was always amused when she brought up Dudley's weight. If I'm not mistaken, I'd say Dudley had at least gained a good twenty pounds more. Dudley had long since stopped the dieting and exercise but Harry decided it would be helpful to keep himself fit. He had to be prepared mentally and physically for the future. He spent a few minutes stretching then started off on his jog.
~*~
He liked running. He liked the way the cold, harsh air brushed past his face, keeping him awake, alert. He especially liked running before sunrise, under the moonlight. Privet Drive seemed a whole different place. The neighborhood seemed to take on magical properties, bringing to life childish fantasies. It seemed easy to picture the homes in different realities. Instead of housing a snobbish, rich couple, the Streator house was a magnificent castle, where royalty ruled fairly and huge parties were held. The abandoned house in the corner was a haunted house, full of ghouls and zombies. One could easily imagine a host of different stories each home held.
Even though Harry had actually seen ghosts and experienced events which would practically blow a Muggle's mind, he still was awed by every magical act. One had to remember Harry had been separated from the wizarding world for the first eleven years of his life, believing himself to be an unfortunate orphan. It seemed to Harry that magic would always astound him.
He paced himself well. During the first few days of his training regime, he found himself having to stop for a breather before he was even half way through his route. He also had to figure out that stretching was a must if he was to avoid cramps. He slowed down to a jog, coming to a complete halt when he reached the nearby park. While he went through his regular exercises, he mulled over his life.
There was only a month left before his fifth year at Hogwarts began. Fifth year, huh. He had lived through a myriad of experiences both wonderful and dreadful. He had discovered a whole new world, where Harry Potter wasn't just an annoyance that had to stay in the closet under the stairs, but instead he was Harry Potter, The Boy Who Lived. A world where the scar on his forehead was revered. He had discovered a world that accepted him, where he had friends. Wonder what they're doing now. Ron's probably experimenting with Fred and George on new mischievous treats. Knowing Hermione, she's likely going through her Potions essay for the tenth time. Harry stifled a chuckle. He was definitely saddened when he found out that Dumbledore had refused permission for Harry to visit The Burrow during the summer. He also suspected that the Headmaster had something to do with the lack of letters he had received since school ended. He probably wanted to protect me from harm. He didn't have to keep me in the dark though.
Suddenly a wave of dizziness hit him. Knees turning to water, he stumbled. A shimmering face he could barely make out flashed in his mind. Voldemort? With an effort, he caught himself, forced his legs straight. And the whirling sensation vanished. He took deep breaths, calming himself. His scar throbbed, almost burning to the touch. He worriedly glanced around, searching for any signs of a stranger or an attacker. Wha..what happened? Voldemort, he reminded himself. A vision of the Dark Lord himself. Brilliant way to start your birthday Harry. Hopefully it was just a one off thing. Shaking off the effects of the attack, he slumped down onto one of the numerous benches nearby. He closed his eyes and rested his head in his hands, breathing slowly, trying to rid himself of the uneasiness that had settled in him. Well, Happy 15th Birthday. Another painful reminder of my life. He suddenly realized that sitting alone in the middle of a park wasn't exactly safe, especially since he had left his wand in his room. He gradually stood up and set off back home.
He blanked out any thoughts of the vision and redoubled his concentration on his running. It was more meditation to him then exercise. He cleared his mind, only taking notice of his surroundings, the beat of his feet on the pavement, his measured breathing. In. Out. In. Out. Sometimes Harry imagined that everything in the world would right itself while he was running. That when he returned home, he'd see his parents settling down in front of the table instead of the Dursleys. But currently, his main motivation for running was to numb the pains of reality. Harry hoped all he could do was just run. Harry hoped he could just run away from it all.
~*~
A/N: Well that was the first chapter. Hope you like it. It's pretty short. Doesn't really delve into anything, I know, but I felt I had to at least post my attempt at the discomfort of Cedric's death. I spent quite a lot of time trying to type the first scene out, trying to include the emotion but still not go over board with clichés. God knows how many fics I've skipped out on reading because of bad starts. *crosses fingers* I couldn't bear to write an abusive Vernon as the subject makes me really uncomfortable. Sorry. Besides it kinda overdone and I don't really think I can add to it.
Just as a warning for readers, the fic will most probably be leaning towards a Harry/Hermione ship. I wanted to pair up Harry and the only person who I feel could remotely have a relationship with him was Hermione. But realistically, I think JKR would write R/Hr and leave Harry single. In my opinion, Ginny needs a lot of work [can someone remind me if she had any part involving Harry in GoF/PA]. Any thoughts/ideas on her will be greatly appreciated. Be warned though, I will stretch out the UST a lot. Its really more action/drama then romance.
Some story ideas aren't mine and I will give credit and point them out if I knew where they came from. Such as the Harry's summer isolation and in oncoming chapters, the Voldie recuperating and needing more potion cos I cant have him up and about just yet.
BTW Harry and Co. might get quite mouthy with swear words. I know it's not like that in the books but at least let me have this one pleasure. Its mostly just british slang and stuff.
I'd appreciate if people with feedback email em to me so I can answer qns/comments. All feedback is wanted and cherished. Thank you and God Bless.