A New Ghost

The crack from underneath the door was the only light in the small room that held two occupants. A slow rhythmical swaying prevented the person in the lower berth from attaining any semblance of sleep. She felt claustrophobic, staring at the underside of the bunk above her. With a loud thud, the entire cabin suddenly rocked to one side.

"Ginny, are you awake?"

"I am now," she replied.

"How can you sleep through this?" wondered Hermione aloud.

"Are you joking? Living at the Burrow I have developed a deaf ear to outside noises, although I could do with less rocking. I'm surprised these rooms don't use cushioning charms."

"That would make it more bearable. I have never traveled in a magical ship," said Hermione. She suspected that their ship was either invisible to Muggles, or that when they saw it they quickly recalculated their course to whatever destination they were heading. "Although it really seems more like a submarine actually."

"A what?" replied Ginny.

"It's a Muggle vessel that can function entirely under water without the use of magic."

"My dad would love to see one of those," Ginny replied.

Hermione watched as a pair of legs swing over the side of the top bunk. "Thanks for asking me to come along Hermione. I was supposed to go with Ron and Bill, but mum wouldn't let me because she didn't think it was safe. Then Ron goes and gets himself attacked." They had both agreed that there's more to this attack than met the eye.

"I am glad you came but, you are taking a big risk by lying to your mum and telling her that you are staying with me. What if you get caught? I wouldn't want to get on your mum's bad side."

"I won't," Ginny protested. She then climbed down from the top bunk and continued, "I told her we would be taking a Muggle course near your home. She thinks it's much safer since your parents have no connection with the wizard world. I am related to Fred and George you know, do you think I haven't learned a thing or two from them?"

Hermione laughed, then crawled out of the lower bunk and looked out the small porthole. The sun cast a slight golden glow as it began to rise up on the horizon.

"Thankfully, my parents were easy to convince due to the dentist's convention they wanted to attend in Stockholm. It would have been dreadfully dull to go with them. Fortunately, Professor McGonagall gave me the list for the cross cultural studies courses available. I have always been completely fascinated by Egypt, to study it's rich history from a magical perspective will just be a fantastic bonus."

Ginny rolled her eyes, "It could also be fun," she added.

"Seeing Ron for myself will also be a great relief. Did you tell anyone else about your plans?"

"No, it was close though, Fred and George almost read one of your letters."

Hermione glared at her friend, "Honestly Ginny, you should be more careful! How did they get it?"

"It's a long story, Luckily mum thought it was from Colin, so she didn't read it. How long before we arrive?" she responded, quickly changing the topic.

Hermione raised an eyebrow; "About another hour or less I should think. What is going on between you and Colin anyway?"

"Nothing really. He's very nice and thoughtful, but I think he only pays attention to me because of his admiration for Harry. He thinks he can get closer to Harry because Ron is my brother and he is Harry's best friend... Like that would matter," she added sarcastically.

"Ginny, do you still fancy Harry?" Hermione had never asked Ginny directly, but the timing seemed right to broach the subject.

"My feelings for him were so silly initially. He was THE Harry Potter, and I liked him without really knowing him. I was only 10 years old after all. He has always been nice to me, but he thinks of me as a kid sister and nothing more. I don't think that will ever change."

"I suppose not," replied Hermione. But, it wasn't until she thought about later that she realized that Ginny had never really answered her question.

They gathered their things, changed from their Muggle clothes into more appropriate robes, and went to the dining room for some tea. Shortly afterward they heard the announcement they were waiting for: "All passengers going to Alexandria please prepare to disembark in twenty minutes. We hope you have had a pleasant journey and thank you for traveling aboard the Perseus"

* *

Unable to utter a single word, Harry gazed in astonishment at the laughing apparition standing before him. It was a white, hazy image of the very person he'd been having nightmares about during the last few weeks.

Okay, I am having another dream I will wake up and there will be nobody standing here, Harry thought to himself. Harry closed his eyes and held his breath for a few seconds, then opened them again. He repeated this mantra a few times.

Cedric watched in amusement. "What are you doing Harry? Get up. We have a lot to talk about."

Harry thought of how Moaning Myrtle had haunted Olive Hornby after her death. Cedric must be very angry with him. He somehow managed to peel himself off of the floor. As he stood, he looked into the eyes of the apparition. He was reminded of the wide-eyed expression on the face of the corpse lying in a graveyard several weeks before.

Finally catching his breath, he managed to whisper a few words. "Are you really Cedric...I mean were you him... Are you his ghost?"

"Yeah, I am," replied Cedric.

"Are you going to haunt me? Not that I'd blame you, I know it's my fault that you are dead and I can't tell you how sorry I am about that."

"Well I don't think you don't need me to haunt you -- you are doing a fine job of torturing yourself," Cedric quipped.

"How do you know what I've been doing?" asked Harry.

"I've been watching you I think you know that much."

"Yes, I have noticed something kind of strange lately." Harry realized that he had been sensing Cedric's presence for the last few weeks, and although it sounded absurd, the recollection now put his mind at ease.

"How long have you been with me? " asked Harry.

Cedric hesitated, "Not long, I remember being in the maze and touching the cup, then being transported to the graveyard. I remember seeing a bright green light and feeling a sharp pain race through my body. Suddenly I felt light, like I was floating. I saw Voldermort use the Cruciatus Curse on you, I watched in amazement as he sell from your wand met Voldermort's. I realized when Priori Incantatem occurred that you must share a common core."

"How did you know that?" asked Harry.

"I read about it in A History of Magic," Cedric stated with a certainty reminiscent of Hermione.

"You told me to hold on," Harry recalled.

"Yes I did," replied Cedric, "You were very brave Harry. I really didn't understand until that moment what you have had to endure."

"You still haven't answered my question, are you here to haunt me?" asked Harry.

"No, you didn't kill me Harry. Truthfully, I'm not sure why I am still here. I was there, in the circle and there was a dim light surrounding us getting brighter by the second. Your father reached out to me with his left hand while holding your mother's in his right. A gust of wind swept around us and they spoke to me.

"You ... You talked to my parents?" stuttered Harry, "What did they say."

"Well, the usual parental stuff actually -- they were very proud of how you handled yourself against Voldermort. They said they wished they could have been here for you through the years. They asked me about you, about your life. I told them what an excellent Quidditch player you were. Your dad seemed surprised that you were a Seeker for some reason. But we only had a few minutes and frankly -- aside from what the Daily Prophet says -- I really don't know much about you. Then, there was the fact that you asked Cho to the Yule Ball."

Harry clenched his jaw and looked at Cedric's hazy features, "You knew about that? You didn't tell my parents about that did you?"

Cedric laughed, "No, I didn't tell them that, as I said we only had a few moments. They said that I should watch over you. I think it meant a great deal to them to see you, even under such extreme circumstances."

"I wish they could watch over me," Harry said softly.

"I'm sorry Harry, but it seems you're stuck with me for now. When you took my body back, thanks by the way, I must have somehow still been connected to it. I watched the scene at Hogwarts and tried to talk but nobody was able to hear me. I couldn't stand to see my parents so distraught so I started wandering around. Then I saw you and Moody and I followed when he took you back to the office."

"You know about Crouch then?"

"Yeah, now there's a bad seed," replied Cedric. "I didn't know what to do after that. I stayed with my parents; I never let them see me. I even attended my funeral. Talk about surreal."

"I imagine it would be," replied Harry. "I couldn't go, my aunt and uncle wouldn't let me attend."

Cedric nodded, "There were so many people there. In addition to my family, practically all of the Hufflepuff house came and even some students from other houses, all of the Hogwarts teachers, even Dumbledore, and Cho. She looked awful, but it was odd - she didn't cry. I don't know why I expected that she would cry."

"I'm sorry," murmured Harry. He glanced down at the newspaper and suddenly remembered about Ron.

"What did you mean before, when you said 'Go'?"

"I think that you should go and help your friend Ron."

"Go to Egypt?" replied Harry. "How can I? I don't know how to get there, I have a job now and the not the least of all my problems is that Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon would never allow it. Besides, what could I do to help Ron? Even if this attack had something to do with Death Eaters, I can't stop them."

"You're right Harry, you have enough on your shoulders without worrying about what's wrong with Weasley," replied Cedric. "You must be tired of always saving people. First, Ginny Weasley in your second year and then Ron and Gabrielle in the lake at the Tri-Wizard tournament. I can see where staying here is a better option."

"Do you really think there is something wrong with Ron?"

"Based on what I have experienced, I don't think anyone is safe these days. Also, I overheard my dad saying something about a security risk that the ministry is investigating in Cairo."

Harry looked down at the photograph of Ron again.

"Even if I wanted to go, how would I get there?"

"You're resourceful, think of something," Cedric said in an agitated voice. "I need to go now, I can only stay visible for short periods of time."

"Why is that?" asked Harry.

"You know Harry, there is no manual that spells out the rules and regulations of being a ghost. I am learning everything day by day," he replied curtly, then softened his tone; "I'll talk to you soon."

Harry stood up and glanced into the hazy mist as it evaporated before his eyes. "Thanks," he murmured.

* *

After Ron's release from the Muggle clinic, he spent the next day sleeping while Bill studied hieroglyphics for work. The next morning the smell of breakfast woke him. Bill had dressed and was preparing French toast in the small kitchen.

"Morning sleepyhead. I thought you might sleep another day away," said Bill.

Ron poured himself a cup of tea and sat down at the small table. Bill placed a bowl of fruit before him, followed by a plate of toast in front of Ron. Then he sat down across from his younger sibling.

"I'm not hungry," Ron stated.

"You really should eat something. You look tired and I don't want mum thinking I am not feeding you," Bill replied.

"I'm okay," Ron replied and he rose from the table and began to wander around examining the room and Bill's things. The flat consisted of a sitting area with a small green sofa flanked by overflowing bookshelves on either side. To the right was the small scant kitchen area with a table that barely accommodated two people. Next to that was the bedroom, large enough for a bed, dresser, and one chair. Bill had placed an enlargement charm upon it to accommodate a bed for Ron.

"Where do you keep all of the stuff you find in the tombs?"

"It's held in a temporary vault that Gringotts has established here in Mut. Later the items will be transported to Cairo to the main warehouse before they are distributed to museums and collectors."

"Will you take me to see the vault while I'm here?" asked Ron.

"I need to go into Cairo today, it's the only place in Egypt that has a wizard market and I need some supplies. I will show you the main warehouse there. We really aren't supposed to take anyone there but since you're my brother, I think I can arrange it. Do you feel up to a little trip?"

Ron nodded as he took a sip from the steaming teacup. A thought suddenly occurred to him.

"I need to send a letter, can I borrow Sheba?"

"Sure," said Bill, "she loves the long flights back to England."

"Yeah right," replied Ron.

Later, as they shuffled through the narrow streets of Mut, Ron took in all the sights and sounds of the ancient city. The vendors sold everything from fruit such as dates and figs to household items such as vases and rugs. Ron followed Bill to the stand of one of the rug vendors. A large, brightly colored rug hung along the backside of the stand. A lovely dark haired girl with large brown eyes waved at Bill, he nodded and smiled as he and Ron walked behind the ornately woven rug. It concealed beautiful mosaic fountain was that released small tendrils of water from a hidden source.

Bill placed his hand underneath the stream of water and the fountain slid to the side revealing a narrow corridor. Ron followed Bill through and watched as he placed his hand upon a sconce on the wall. Immediately, they were both swept away into a whirling funnel-like abyss.

* *

Harry had racked his brain for two days after Cedric's visit, trying to think of how he could get to Egypt. When on a rather mundane errand to the market for some groceries for Rutherford, he happened to notice a picture of a pyramid in the window of a shop. Glancing above to read the sign a smile crept across Harry's face as he read the words - Travel Bureau.

After finishing with Rutherford's errands, Harry practically ran to the Dursley's where he went straightaway into his room to begin putting his plan into action. Sitting down at his desk, he wrote three letters. The first, written in his best penmanship he placed it into an envelope addressed to Rowling's Travel Bureau. The next to Hagrid, and the last to Ron. After sending Hedwig off with the letters, he checked to make sure that Dudley was watching the telly and Aunt Petunia was outside gossiping with her friend Nadine. Thankfully all those years of helping Aunt Petunia with the house cleaning had paid off. He knew exactly where to find the item he was looking for. He snuck into Uncle Vernon's desk and pulled out Dudley's passport.

Harry went back up to his room and shut the door. A prickly feeling on his neck alerted him to the fact that he was not alone. "Cedric?"

"No, it's Moaning Myrtle," said Cedric with a laugh.

"Great, I'm being haunted by a ghost who thinks he's a comedian."

"I am funny. In fact, I think I might be funnier as a ghost than when I was alive. I took myself too seriously. Always trying to be the best at everything. Anyway, I see you have come up with a plan."

"Yeah, I just hope it works. Hagrid is sending me a certified check from Gringotts for the ticket and I have Dudley's passport and have had a photo taken to place over it."

Cedric looked at him quizzically. "You're traveling as a Muggle?"

"Yeah, I thought I might not be recognized that way. Plus, how bad could it be? It's flying after all and I love flying on my broom. It can't be much different. Are you going with me?"

"No, I think I'll stay here and bug your relatives a bit. I've been having great fun moving things around the house. It's driving your Aunt Petunia mad."

Harry laughed and started packing a few items that he planned to take with him into a backpack. "There is only one more thing I have to take care of."

That night at dinner he broke the news that he would be taking a special class during the next two weeks news to his aunt and uncle. The news was met with their usual lack of enthusiasm of anything pertaining to Harry. No fight was put up and no questions were asked not even, how he was going to get himself to Kings Cross station. Harry wondered if they would even have noticed had he just left without saying anything.

The next morning Harry walked Max to the travel bureau and delivered the letter to the woman at the desk stating that it was for his uncle. After reading the letter, the woman assured him that she would make all the arrangements and instructed him to stop by the next day with a payment in the form of a certified check. Later that afternoon, Harry told Rutherford he would need to be gone for several weeks. Contrarily to the reaction of his relatives, his employer seemed much more suspicious and inquisitive of Harry's plans. This surprised Harry, as they seemed to have reached some unspoken agreement not to communicate too much.

"A summer class you say, how long will you be gone?" asked the man curiously.

"Two weeks," answered Harry in a confident tone.

"That doesn't seem like enough time to complete a class."

"It's a writing workshop actually." replied Harry. He had anticipated this question.

"I didn't know you were interested in writing. Had I known, I could have saved you the trouble of leaving and given you some tips myself."

"You're a writer? I thought you were a teacher."

"Who told you that?" asked Rutherford.

"My aunt, I think. What have you written."

"Mostly history books, nothing you would have heard of I'm sure. It was quite a few years ago. Lately I seem to spend more time reading and I've recently switched my interest to the law."

"Yeah, I've noticed." Harry glanced at the piles of think old books on the desk.

"Would you like a cup of tea?" asked Rutherford distracting Harry. He rose, walked to the stove, and poured some steaming water into two cups before Harry could answer.

"Thanks, but I really must be going, Aunt Petunia will be expecting me."

"Will your uncle be driving you to school? Where did you say it was?" asked Rutherford.

"No, I will be taking a bus," said Harry.

"I can drive you if you like."

"NO!" cried Harry, startling Max out of his lazy slumber near the sofa. "I mean, I don't want to trouble you."

"Very well," replied the older man, "I shall see you in two weeks."

Harry said goodbye and collected his pay for the week. Rutherford watched him stroll down the sidewalk. "What are you up to Harry Potter?" he said in a whisper. He then went back to his desk, cleared off the books, and pulling out a piece of paper, began to write.