Disturbances

A/N: SO sorry for the lengthy delay in getting this chapter up. RL and gift exchanges have kept me very busy this past month, but the rest of this story should move along at a reasonable pace. Thanks to my beta team of charmed310, snapeophile and JaneAverage who help my words make sense.

Chap 14 – Disturbances

As May gave way to June and the pressure began to increase as the third task approached, Cedric was busier than he'd ever been. In addition to his class work, which seemed to grow daily, every evening he, Markus and Jamie compiled a list of creatures and debated which ones were likely to come up in the maze. They also concentrated on honing Cedric's defensive spells and Shielding Charms. With all of his extra work as well as helping his friends revise for their exams, Cedric barely had time to breathe.

He received regular correspondence from his parents, and although he was happy to get news, every letter made him both guilty for not replying more often and anxious about the choices he'd made in his life. His father's letters were always upbeat, full of encouraging words and grand plans for Cedric's life once he became the Triwizard Champion. It occurred to Cedric that his father truly didn't anticipate that he'd NOT win the cup, and Cedric didn't know which one troubled him more, his father's insistence regarding the surety of his victory or his blindness to the possibility that any one of the other three champions could be successful instead.

His mother's letters, on the other hand, were filled with loving thoughts and cheerful anecdotes of life at home. He knew that she missed her only child during the school term, but they always enjoyed the Christmas and summer holidays, often sitting in the kitchen or their garden and chatting about everything and nothing. She always asked whether he was eating enough and enquired after her 'other' boys, Jamie and Markus, yet under it all she still expressed concern about his break up with Cho. His father's reaction had been much like Markus' – shrugging it off as just the result of another bout of fickle teenaged hormones, but his mother had repeatedly asked him why they broke up and, even now, didn't seem to be completely satisfied with any of his evasive answers.

He couldn't tell them the truth – not yet. He needed to sort things out with Harry and get the Tournament behind him before he could really think about his future. The school year had started out very promisingly; his path had been wide open with many options open to him, and yet the more he really thought about what he wanted in his future, the more narrow his wants and desires had become.

A steady undercurrent to his daily life was Harry. His nights were often filled with dreams of him, sometimes idyllic scenes with he and Harry together, flying brooms together in the moonlight as they tossed a Snitch between them, or the two of them having meals with family and friends, but most often his dreams were disjointed scenes of Harry in danger, a concept that made Cedric extremely nervous. He knew that the tournament was inherently dangerous, but he still felt that the danger which Harry faced did not necessarily stem from any of the tasks. He regularly got the impression that there were greater forces at work in the school, and although he couldn't be certain, and definitely didn't have anything concrete to base his theories on, he felt it necessary to keep an extra eye on the Boy Who Mattered Most.

Jamie had been very supportive of Cedric in the days following their talk in the dorm and had served as a buffer between him and Markus. Although they hadn't really spoken about the Harry situation in detail, Jamie seemed content to let Cedric find his own way through the difficult time, and Markus had calmed down significantly once he'd had enough time to wrap his mind around the idea of Cedric and Harry. True, they weren't an actual 'pairing', but Markus had made less derogatory remarks lately and seemed mainly occupied with quiet observation.

Cedric only realized just how much his friend had changed one afternoon after class when they were standing just beside the great oak doors in the foyer off the Great Hall. The fourth-years were making their way up from the dungeons, and Cedric's height made it easy to spot Ron and, by extension, Harry, almost immediately. He could feel his own tension and anticipation and he glanced furtively at Jamie and Markus, who followed his gaze to the approaching Gryffindors. As Harry and Ron neared them, Cedric's felt his face heat up as a rush of something intense passed through him and his breath caught in his throat.

'Hi, guys. Last class?' Cedric spoke to them both, but his eyes were only for Harry's tousled hair and shining eyes. Merlin, he's a living, breathing wet dream!

'Yeah. Potions,' Ron murmured, and neither boy bothered to hide their disgust, although the redhead seemed a bit surprised that sixth-year Hufflepuffs were even talking to them. Harry shuffled his feet nervously.

'Ah, yes,' Cedric smiled, remembering his own years of stress, 'and how is dear Professor Snape?'

Ron snorted with derision and looked at the ground while Harry tugged at his hair and screwed up his face in a manner that sent delicious shivers through Cedric. He longed to get the boy alone somewhere, just for five minutes, but at the same time he was almost vibrating with anxiety at having Markus right next to him.

'Same as always, I imagine. I can't wait for sixth year so I can be rid of him.' Harry's annoyance was quite evident despite his half-hearted attempt to hide it.

Cedric and Jamie exchanged knowing looks – although Professor Snape had never been a pleasant person, they both felt that there was much more to his antagonism of Harry than merely correcting any wrongdoings. Markus grinned and clapped Harry on the shoulder.

'Fear not, young champion, you're probably strong enough to get along without him already. Just keep your head down and play by the rules, if you can.'

Cedric was shocked to hear Markus utter those words in such a jovial tone, and he turned to his friend who was smiling at the surprised expressions on the Gryffindors' faces. Markus regarded Harry with a measured look, and Cedric was pleased to note that his young Gryffindor didn't back down or look away, even though he blushed furiously under Markus' gaze.

Mrkus looked at Cedric and nodded, then turned to the group.

'Alas, gentlemen, would love to chat, but I have a fair damsel who needs my undivided attention! Farewell!'

Apparently, Markus had been satisfied with what he found.

====

Several hours later, as Cedric patrolled the corridors not far from Gryffindor tower, he felt an unmistakable presence in a nearby alcove. He slowed his steps and reached out with his senses to detect whether there was anything to fear, but the signature returned something truly interesting. The strong aura of Harry Potter was there, but it was somehow distorted, almost garbled. Curious, Cedric continued along his path until he was alongside the alcove, then he stopped, unsure of what to do. At first, he pretended to look around suspiciously, almost scenting the air around him, and then he made up his mind.

'Out rather late tonight, aren't you, Harry?' he spoke into the darkness.

Cedric felt rather than heard the intake of breath from the darkened corner as the air around him came alive and he recognised it as Harry's reaction to his presence. For the thousandth time, he wondered whether that was good or bad and stood for a few moments, waiting for Harry's response as he questioned his own judgement. By all rights, he knew that he should just leave, should simply complete his rounds and then go back to his common room where his friends were probably waiting for him. He knew all of that and more, yet he stood.

And waited.

And hoped for... something.

Finally, after what seemed like an excruciating lifetime, Cedric felt a slight change in the whirling colours of Harry's aura, and he heard the gentle swish of fabric as Harry's face came into view. His heart yammered away in his chest and he fought to maintain his calm, but the knowledge that he stood this close to Harry in a darkened corner of a deserted hallway threatened to rip away all logic from his mind. The boy's powerful magic was all around him as Harry stepped closer and there was another gentle rustling of fabric as something pooled at his feet. In the dim light, Cedric could barely make out what it was, but it had completely obscured the Gryffindor's body before.

'What's that?' He stared at the shimmering fabric while striving to make intelligent conversation despite the uproar inside him.

'Invisibility Cloak. It was my dad's.'

'I see.'

Cedric stooped to pick up the cloak and draped the shimmering cloak over one arm as he slid the fabric through his fingers, feeling the texture of the cloth. He'd heard about Invisibility Cloaks but had never seen one, and he was impressed that Harry would own such a powerful piece of magic. Then again, given who he was, it shouldn't be a surprise.

'So tell me, is there any reason why you were lurking about in the corridors wearing this?'

Harry's silence and averted gaze were telling, and Cedric felt that the boy was hiding something from him. The whirls of colour only served to reinforce that suspicion.

'Well, Harry?'

'I was waiting for someone.' Harry's voice was surprisingly calm as he stared at the ground between them, and Cedric felt an all-too-familiar stab of jealousy as he wondered who Harry was waiting for at this hour. He narrowed his eyes and gave the youngster a measured look, trying to ignore the riot of dark hair that blatantly refused to submit to any form of taming.

'Were you now? Fair enough, I suppose; shall I leave you to continue?'

Cedric's voice was slightly unsteady and he knew it, but he felt the air around them as it virtually shimmered with magical power and realized that Harry was the source.

'No, I... I think I've found him.'

Harry's hesitant words sent a jolt through his body, and he stifled a groan, knowing that it was foolish to pursue this; yet here they stood, face to face, and Cedric realized that the moment had come. He had to make some sort of move, do something that would change their relationship from one of furtive glances and questioning touches to something more concrete. Harry finally looked up at him, and Cedric could only see the green of his eyes and feel the pull of desire as their magic swirled and joined. He tried desperately to control the electric tendrils of excitement that flashed along his spine as he cast Silencing Charms up around them, sweeping toward Harry and backing him into the alcove until his back was flat against the stone wall.

'Really, and who have you found, Harry?' Cedric's voice sounded dangerous to his own ears as he leaned forward, close enough that he felt the thrum as their magic met, clashed and, finally, harmonised. Harry's eyes flickered briefly over his body before returning to his face, and Cedric could almost imagine that the young boy was gathering his courage, certainly something Gryffindors had in spades.

'You're here, aren't you?'

Harry's voice had a slight edge to it, and Cedric couldn't tell whether it was bravado hiding his nervousness, or nervousness hiding something else.

'Were you waiting for me?'

'Yes.'

'Why?'

'Um... I don't know exactly... I just want...' he started to explain, but Cedric needed more than that; needed to know that it wasn't just his own insanity that had him in this position. Harry was so there and Cedric's hands moved of their own volition as his fingers brushed a stray lock of hair away from Harry's forehead, and the younger boy leaned into the touch and his eyes fluttered closed.

'I wanted to see you.'

The words were little more than a whisper, and the tremulous voice drove desire deep into Cedric's groin. The Silencing Charms would only last for a short while longer, but he yearned to touch more, to explore the feel of Harry's skin and hair, to feel the weight and the warmth of him. Cedric leaned just a little closer to Harry, only a fraction, involuntarily pulled in by everything about the boy, but then slowly came back to his senses, both thrilled and alarmed by what he had done. That would be rape, his highly irrational mind screamed, or molestation at the very least, and certainly grounds for expulsion. Champion or not, his name would be bandied about the common rooms and the Quidditch pitch, fodder for the vermin and vultures like Rita Skeeter who no doubt would relish any dirt on him. So much for the "Perfect Prefect", and he didn't even want to think what his parents would say...

Cedric pulled away, reluctantly distancing himself from the warm body against him and holding the Gryffindor at arm's length as he ran his hand through his own hair in a move reminiscent of Harry's. He could see the boy's confusion; it was written on every surface of him and etched into his face and his eyes.

'Cedric? W-what's wrong?'

Cedric's body still shook from the intensity of the physical reaction that he still had. His body craved the young Gryffindor's touch as though it were a drug, but as Harry tried to move closer, Cedric forced himself to step backwards.

'Harry...'

'What are you playing at?' Harry's voice was laced with hurt and anger, a combination that Cedric had never heard before, and it tore at his heart.

'Look, I'm sorry... this is wrong.'

'What the hell do you mean, "It's wrong"?' Harry's voice rose with each word. 'You didn't think it was so bloody wrong two minutes ago when you slammed me against the wall, did you?'

'I...'

'DID YOU?' Harry shouted, and the sound echoed in the alcove as it bounced off Cedric's Silencing Charms, although thin cracks appeared on their shimmering surface that crackled and flashed dangerously. Cedric felt ashamed that he had initiated things, encouraged him and practically coerced Harry into these reactions, and his heart fluttered nervously as his face burned with embarrassment.

'Harry, please... don't.'

'No, Cedric, YOU don't. Don't pretend that there hasn't been something going on ever since summer. You can't deny that.'

'Harry...' But Harry was walking closer, frustration and anger clouding his features, confusion and desire at war on the very face that haunted Cedric's dreams, and how could he stop him when he couldn't even think any more because Harry was there, touching him with trembling fingers, hesitantly asking for what Cedric wanted so badly to give and offering what he yearned to take. Cedric tried to stop himself from giving in to the harmony of their magic as Harry reached up and wrapped warm arms around his chest, but as he was enveloped by not only Harry's body but his aura as well, the combination was so powerful that nothing was strong enough to deny it. He closed his eyes and groaned softly, revelling in delicious anguish as he encircled Harry's shoulders and held the trembling young body against his. For a long moment, time stood still, and Cedric simply breathed in the smell of him as the frantic workings of his mind slowed until all that existed was the two of them.

Finally, reluctantly, Cedric gently untangled them both and set Harry away from him once more, forcing himself to accept the hurt in the Gryffindor's eyes.

'We have to be careful, Harry. The Tournament makes us opponents.'

'Sod the Tournament,' Harry groused irritably as his body language communicated more eloquently than words, and Cedric sighed, understanding him but not wanting to push the boy away.

'Look, let's just wait until after the Tournament is over, okay? Let's get through this final task and then see what happens. Can we do that?'

Pale skin and darkened eyes looked up at him in a moment of reluctant and resigned acquiescence, and Cedric fought the urge to hold him once again. After a brief hesitation, Harry nodded and, without another word, turned slowly and walked away while Cedric was left hoping that he'd done the right thing for both of them.

~~

Two days later, Cedric received another letter from his mother at breakfast. The post owls swooped through the Great Hall and he heard the distinctly plaintive "kiew, kiew" call of their family's owl. He smiled as he looked up to see her approach, her bounding, almost woodpecker-like flight pattern a familiar and pleasing sight. She alighted deftly on the table and nibbled gently on his finger as he untied the letter from her leg and he stroked her grey-brown feathers with flecks of white. Certainly not as striking as Harry's owl, she was nonetheless pleasing, and Cedric always felt that her most impressive feature was the markings on her face; the dark areas giving her a stern and almost cross expression in her yellow eyes. Oh, she looked fierce, but Misty was a gentle creature and completely devoted to his family.

'Hey, it's Dumpy. Diggs got himself another letter from home.'

Misty swiveled her head to glare at Markus, almost as though she understood his words and in a move almost too quick to see, she pounced on him, wings fully outstretched in an impressively threatening display. Her sharp beak came within inches of his fingers as she froze for a moment, as though making a point. A few second year students seated nearby gasped, certain that Markus' fingers would soon be little more than bleeding, shredded stumps, but he merely smiled gently as the bird deftly removed the piece of bacon from his grip.

Cedric grinned despite himself – Markus and Misty had a love/hate relationship that defied description. Every time she arrived with a delivery for Cedric, his friend would insult her, she would threaten him and steal his breakfast; then, as always, he would scratch the back of her neck and she would let him.

'Shut it, Markus. She's not dumpy, she's just small, and jealously is an ugly colour on you.'

Jamie nearly choked on his pumpkin juice as the rest of the table around them laughed. The banter went on every time one of them got a letter, and usually somebody would be caught taking a sip of their drink just as a joke was told.

'I can't be jealous of a bird, Cedric.'

'You're jealous of me, you rotter. Who's getting the letters?'

'That'd be you, Champion.'

'That's right. Now make nice with Misty or she'll have your fingers for real this time.'

Smiling, Cedric opened the letter and scanned through it quickly. His mother's careful script...

My darling Cedric,

Mum

The conversations at the table faded into the background as Cedric became absorbed in his own thoughts and doubts. How badly he wanted to be able to just blurt it out – to just tell his mother about Harry, but even though he hoped that his parents would understand and support him, the pessimistic part of his brain doubted that his father could ever understand him or support him. The secret gnawed inside him, and having to keep it from them only intensified every time he thought of holding back, hiding, denying himself the right to choose, but didn't he have that right? Of course he wanted to please his parents and live a happy life, as anyone did, but he also wanted happiness on his own terms, and he found that more and more his desires differed from his father's ideas. Wasn't part of becoming an adult having to make your own decisions and then living with the consequences?

~~~

Friday afternoon classes consisted of Defence Against the Dark Arts. Markus and Jamie had settled in the back row and were discussing their list of dangerous creatures, debating which of them rated 4Xs and which rated 5 on the danger scale. Cedric was half-listening to them bicker while he thought about Harry and was also keeping an eye on Moody. He was startled out of his reverie by Professor Moody, who had obviously heard the chatter in the back row.

'IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO TEACH THE CLASS, MISTER HUGHES?' he shouted, his magical eye fixed on the two young men seated behind Cedric.

There was dead silence in the classroom for several seconds until Markus cleared his throat.

'Well, Professor, we were contemplating the different categories of dangerous creatures. Jamie here thinks that a Centaur should be a 3 but it's listed as a 4.'

'Hmm,' Cedric mused, 'nicely pulled outta your ass there, 'Kus.'

'If you'd read the footnotes, you'd see that they're not rated for their aggressive tendencies, but because there are those in the Ministry who think that they should be treated with great respect.' Professor Moody spoke in his usual growl, but for once he wasn't terrifying.

'All of the creatures in the 4 and 5X categories are dangerous in some way, but the Centaurs, well, they don't do anything. They just avoid wizards and keep to themselves. I hardly see how the Ministry thinks they deserve the rating. What about you, Professor? What do you think?'

All eyes were on Professor Moody, whose face twisted into something that perversely resembled a grin.

'Well, I've never had much time for the Ministry or their rules, Mister Hughes, but I will have to agree on this matter. Centaurs are not to be scoffed at, and there have been occasions in the past when they disagreed with the Ministry in their classification, rather emphatically, I might add.'

Cedric wondered why the Professor was giving them so much information on dangerous creatures, especially in light of the upcoming third task, and he resolved to mention it to Harry when next they spoke. He glanced across at Jamie who grinned as Professor Moody continued to explain.

~~~

It was Saturday afternoon on a Hogsmeade weekend, and Cedric reclined in his favourite chair in the common room, double-checking his list of dangerous creatures. The large oak doors slammed open, and Markus strode angrily into the room, followed seconds later by an equally furious Jamie. A few first- and second-years quickly gathered their books and scattered – it was widely known that an angry Markus was never a good thing – and Cedric realized that something was significantly wrong by the way his friends' faces were twisted with rage. He met Jamie's eyes and felt his wrath as a palpable thing, and one look at Markus pacing back and forth in front of the fireplace assured Cedric that something was seriously amiss.

'What's gotten into you two?'

'That woman from the Prophet has been at it again, Diggs. She cornered us in Hogsmeade and backed us into a bloody corner. She kept pressing us for answers and wanted insight into your life now that you're tied with Potter for first place.'

'You mean, now that he's tied with me.'

'Exactly. But you know her, it's all about Potter, Potter and more Potter.'

Cedric chose to let that remark pass, knowing that Markus didn't mean it the way it sounded. Jamie looked exasperated as well, and Cedric surmised that his friends must have been put through the wringer for them both to come back early and in such foul moods. He met Jamie's normally gentle blue eyes which were sharp with anger.

'What else did she want?'

'She wanted to know about the real Cedric Diggory and how we felt being best friends with the "other Hogwarts champion."'

Cedric cringed as he imagined Markus' reaction to that particular question, and his heart sank as he looked at his friends. Jamie's voice was carefully measured, but Cedric sensed a significant upheaval in his friend's psyche, and his body language was definitely different. Markus at least had ceased his rapid pacing and was now sitting on an ottoman, and Cedric was both infuriated that they had been subjected to that woman's terror tactics and a bit nervous that she now appeared to be pursuing him as avidly as she did Harry.

'Well, what did you tell her?'

'Not a bloody thing, of course,' Markus spat. 'What's there to tell, when all she wants is dirt? That bitch never wanted to print the truth before and I'm pretty damn sure she doesn't now.'

Cedric blinked in surprise at Markus' use of language, but understood that his friend was angered beyond the norm, and looked at Jamie, who still shook with the effort of restraining his ire. That was always the way – Markus would explode, vent his frustrations loudly, and then he would calm down, whereas Jamie tended to reserve his reactions until he'd had time to process them properly. Of the two, he was calmer and more rational, but when he did explode, it was usually significant.

'I'm really sorry, mates. I had no idea that she was even in Hogsmeade.' Cedric rubbed his eyes roughly, never having expected that anything like this would happen when he had put his name in that cursed Goblet.

'Probably living with the rats,' Markus snarked.

'Listen, I need to know what she wanted. What did she say, how did she act?'

'I believe her first words were something like, "Hello boys, how's life with Harry's competition?"'

Oh bloody hell.

'Seriously, Diggs, the bloody photographer tried to get pictures of us, but I figure all he got was our backs. Skeeter followed us around for at least an hour before Jamie finally lost it and faced her head-on.'

Jamie appeared uncomfortable and gave Markus a significant look which didn't escape Cedric's notice, and as he shifted his attention between the two, he realized that they were obviously hiding something. Turning sharply towards Markus, he asked suspiciously, 'And why would Jamie do that?'

Silence.

Again, Markus and Jamie exchanged looks, and Cedric grew more frustrated as a ball of dread settled heavily in his gut.

'What? Just tell me what,' he snapped.

'Dammit, Cedders, she wanted to know if there was any inter-house collaboration between you and Harry, all right? She as much as suggested that the two of you were acting as a team in order to assure a Hogwarts victory and wondered aloud whether you had been the one to put his name in the Cup.'

Cedric was momentarily surprised at the force of Jamie's answer.

'Why the hell would I put his name in the cup? Why would I want that kind of competition, and from somebody so much younger?'

Again, the silence.

'Well?'

Jamie was obviously struggling with himself, and Cedric knew that his friend wanted to spare him any hurt, but the situation involved more than just Cedric, and he had to know.

'She... alluded to the possibility of a "relationship" between the two of you and found it "very interesting" that you are now both tied for first place, especially since you're the older and more experienced one.'

'WHAT?'

'She also inferred that Harry is some sort of attention seeking kid with a hero complex and that you...'

'That I what?'

'That you... well, that you're only facilitating his wishes of being in the competition so that you can ride on the coat tails of his fame, ensuring you better opportunities after you finish school, which would put you in a better position than your father could.'

Oh, Merlin!

'...And that's when Jamie lost it,' Markus interjected. Jamie's eyes were downcast, and Cedric felt the shame and anger that his friend broadcast hitting him in waves, commingling with his own sense of horror and disbelief. Surely Rita Skeeter couldn't seriously think that way, but even though none of it was true, the mere suggestion of such a thing in the newspapers could ruin his reputation, possibly even his life and his parents' lives!

'So what happened then?'

'Well, then he hit them with Memory Charms and destroyed the camera. Oh, and that freakish quill she uses. Incinerated them both. Bloody marvellous work, really, you'd have been proud of him, Diggs.'

Cedric stared at his friend, who blushed Gryffindor red, but when Jamie finally met Cedric's gaze his eyes were resolute, for in questioning Jamie's honour and sense of fairness, Skeeter had struck a blow to his very core, at things which his friend treasured above all else.

TBC