Never Forget

Disclaimer: See Prologue.
Rating: PG-13.
Beta: CeeCee
Author's Note: Okay so here's another chapter, I hope you are all enjoying the story so far. I want to think everyone for your reviews and confidence boots you've given me. It's nice to know my hard work is appreciated!

Chapter 3

After lunch Harry and Ron went to their next class. From his seat next to Harry, Ron kept giving him worried looks, but kept quiet as the teacher lectured on some event in American history. Harry stared out the classroom window, the teacher's voice becoming background noise to his thoughts.

It had been nearly three years since that night in the graveyard and he still remembered it as if it were yesterday. Cedric's scream still haunted his dreams, as if crying out for Harry's help, having to watch on helplessly as Cedric disappeared.

Every day he looked at his daughter and was reminded of how much Cedric had missed, that he'd never know he fathered a child with Harry. Never being able to see her gap toothed smiles or hear her giggle as Padfoot played with her. He hadn't been there when Lilu took her first step or said her first word "Dada" and Harry was saddened by that.

If it was Cedric what was he supposed to do? What was he supposed to say? If that was truly Cedric he didn't know if he'd even recognized Harry… after all he'd frowned when Harry said Cedric, as if confused. What happened to him after he disappeared?

For over a year the Order spent countless hours searching for Cedric after he disappeared, but they'd never found anything. Cedric's father had from the moment of hearing of his son's disappearance joined the Order, willing to do everything he could to find his son. But as time passed, and there were still no clues as to what happened to Cedric, Harry had slowly seen Mr. Diggory's health decline, but had been unable to stop it.

Once he'd found out he was pregnant he'd gone to the Diggory's with Sirius and told them he was carrying their grandchild. For Luciana Diggory the news had been a surprise, but very welcome. She'd latched on to her grandchild as if a buoy in a storm, in what Harry knew was her way of keeping at least one part of her son with her. She'd participated in all aspects of Harry's pregnancy, eagerly awaiting the appearance of her grandchild. However Mr. Diggory, no matter how much he tried, couldn't get past the loss of his son and as time went on he became less anchored in the world of the living and just before Lilu's birth he passed away.

After Amos Diggory's death, the light in Luciana's eyes seemed to die a little bit more. The disappearance of Cedric had crushed her, but as long as she'd had her husband she'd been able to cope. However, when Amos died he'd taken her will to live as well. She'd held on for another year, but soon she'd joined her husband in death.

"Okay class, I want a detail report on today's lecture detailing how you believe history could have been changed for the better and why." The teacher said just as the bell rang.

Everyone began filing out of the classroom, laughing and talking as they made their way to the final class of the day.

"I'll see you after the last class, mate…" Ron said softly as he ambled away, a frown in place on his freckled face.

"I'm fine Ron; I'll see you at the SUV." Harry said with a forced smile and then turned to make his way to his English class.

Entering the room Harry grabbed a desk at the back of the class and took out his book, note pad and pen.

"Hello." Said Edward as he slipped quietly into the desk next to Harry.

Harry jumped and whipped around as Edward spoke, "Merlin, scare a bloke why don't you!"

Edward laughed softly as he held out his hand to shake Harry's. "I'm Edward Cullen."

Biting his bottom lip nervously, Harry shook his hand a frown marring his forehead. Edward Cullen? As his hand touched Ced-Edward's hand, Harry's frown increased. Ced-dammit EDWARD'S hand was cold as ice, but nearly as soon as their skin touched, Harry's magic instinctively warmed the skin of Harry's hand and the cold disappeared. "Er… I'm Harry Potter."

Harry looked to see if there was any kind of spark of recognition in Edward's eyes, but was disappointed when there was nothing… did he truly not remember Harry?

"Nice to meet you Harry." Edward replied. At the touch of Harry's hand Edward felt a spark as if electricity and then for the first time since he was human, he felt warmth envelope his hand. He'd nearly forgotten how it felt like to feel something warm brush chilled skin after nearly a century of being a vampire. "That was strange, your hand warmed in mine…"

"Er… um… yeah, that is a bit strange… must be the heaters on the fritz or something." Harry mumbled.

"Of course…" Edward nodded his head and then turned back towards the front of the classroom. For a while they sat half listening to the teacher while they secretly observed each other.

It had to be him! Harry had gotten a closer look at him and there was no denying it, whatever name he was going by now, Edward Cullen was the wizard Cedric Diggory. Harry didn't know if he should be laughing or crying at this point. His daughter's father was sitting right next to him and all Harry could do was sit frozen in his seat as both overwhelming fear of the unknown and blinding happiness of the man he loved being returned to him consumed him.

"Who is Cedric…?" Edward suddenly asked, his quiet voice barely reaching Harry's ears.

Harry whipped his head around at Edward's question, gulping loudly he tried to figure out what to say. Should he tell him that HE was Cedric or should he tell him a half truth? One thing he did know was that he could use this as a means to let Edward know he knew he was a vampire, as no human could have heard Harry whisper the name.

"You shouldn't have heard that… you were over twenty feet away when I whispered that name…" Harry stated with a quirk of his eyebrow. "However, as a vampire I imagine you could hear much farther."

"…Vampire?" Edward said with a forced laughed. "Harry you really have a vivid imagination, I'm no-"

"-not a vampire? Edward it's a bit obvious really… pale skin, golden eyes, bruises under your eyes, cold skin… hearing much farther than normal humans?" Harry gave a small smile at Edward's wide eyes. "Don't worry; you're only obvious to someone who knows your kind aren't just scary stories told 'round a campfire."

"How?"

"I went to a school that most wouldn't even dream of… I was taught about subjects that aren't your everyday curriculum." Harry replied and then looked away for a moment to school his expression. Once he got it under control he turned back to Edward. "Cedric was a boyfriend who disappeared a few years ago… you remind me of him."

Edward's eyes squinted for a moment as if remembering something and then, almost as if it never happened, his face returned to normal, a smile on his kissable lips. The final bell sounded and Harry gathered his things and said a quick goodbye to Edward before practically fleeing the school.


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Harry walked into the house, Hermione and Ron talking quietly as they walked behind him. He felt drained and shaky and as if he was dying. Seeing Cedric or Edward or whoever he was, had been like a shock to his nervous system, sending everything into chaos.

"How was your first day?" Remus asked with a smile on his face as he walked into the living room, Lilu in his arms. Remus' smile turned to a frown as none of them replied, Hermione and Ron just looking at Harry in concern.

"Pup, what's wrong? There aren't any dateable males in the town?" Sirius said with a mock gasp as he flounced into the room, kissing his mate cheekily. "Lucky I found mind before we moved, huh?"

Remus smacked his mate on the arm as his frown increased and walked over to Harry. "Cub, what's wrong? What happened?"

Harry still couldn't find the words, so instead he took Lilu from his godfather's arms and nuzzled his face into her soft curls, trying to calm down his beating heart. Taking a seat on the couch, he smiled sadly as his daughter lifted her sleepy head from his shoulder and gave him a smile full of gums and a few teeth.

"Dada…" Lilu giggled quietly and then her tiny face turned into a little frown. "Dada sad…"

"Daddy's alright baby…" Harry said reassuringly as he gave her a small smile and kissed her forehead softly.

"We saw a boy at school today by the name of Edward Cullen who…" Hermione cut in, pausing for a moment as she licked her lips "who we think might be Cedric."

The two adult wizards spun around at her words, their mouths open in shock.

"Wait a minute… Cullen… I know that name. Apparently it's a family of seven who keep to themselves, not socializing with anyone in town. The parents adopted the children about ten years ago…" Remus said.

"…more like turned at that!" Ron said darkly.

"Turned? They're vampires?!" Remus said suddenly his face in a deep frown. "That explains it… I was in the grocery store today and I smelt a vampire nearby. I saw a blonde woman who I think was the vampire, but she left rather quickly. Why have they integrated themselves into this community? The town must notice that people go missing…"

"Actually they appear to be a small group who live on the blood of animals, not humans." Hermione explained.

Sirius walked over to his godson, sat down beside him and wrapped an arm around him.

"He doesn't even remember me, Siri…" Harry whispered tearfully as he laid his head on his godfather's shoulder.

"He doesn't?" Remus asked coming closer to his mate and their cub.

"No… when I first saw him I was so surprised, I whispered his name and he turned to me with this confused frown on his face…" Harry answered his voice hoarse with pain. "Then in the last period, he introduced himself and after talking for a while he asked who Cedric was…"

"I've never heard of a vampire loosing human memories when the person was turned…" Remus murmured. "Maybe over time after decades or even centuries as a vampire, but for less than three years to have passed and to have lost him memory as a human…?"

"Well pup… we can tell him, maybe we could fix his memories and-" Sirius said softly, nodding his head firmly.

Shaking his head, Harry said "No… he has a mate, a human girl that goes to the high school with him. I couldn't do that, break up mates like that…" Harry whispered as he looked at Sirius and Remus.

He'd seen firsthand what separating mates could do. When he'd first met Remus years ago, he'd always believed that the older werewolf had looked far older than his age because of the lycanthropy virus that ran through his veins. He'd never imagined that it had actually been caused by the separation of him from his mate. The same could be said of Sirius, though Azkaban had done its fair share of turning a once vibrant Sirius into a haggard looking old man, much of it was caused by him being ripped from Remus so many years ago. The two had had hard lives during the twelve years they'd been forced to be apart, even now after years of being reunited, the two mates still were nervous when separated from each other for more than a few hours. Being witness to that on a daily basis, Harry wouldn't wish that on anyone.


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That night after all the Cullen's returned home for the night, a family meeting was called regarding the new family that had arrived in Forks. Emmett and Rosalie had come from Seattle where they were currently attending university, Rosalie had glared at Bella the moment she walked through the door and said "What has she done now?"

"Rosalie, the reason that I've called you back home is not about Bella." Carlisle stated as everyone took their places around the family dining table that, in the years since it had been purchased had never been used for the purpose of eating. "A new family has moved to Forks. At least one of them appears to be not completely human and another was able to identify Edward as a vampire."

"What? More dogs?!" Rosalie hissed and then glared at Edward. "How did the human know you were a vampire, probably doing something to impress your little human!"

Rosalie returned to glaring at Bella and Bella returned the glare. It was no secret that the two had never cared for each other. Rosalie saw Bella as a threat to their family, one that should have been dealt with long ago, and Bella saw Rosalie as a threat to herself, not of her life, but rather a threat to her promise of being turned.

Edward glared right back at his sister and replied. "I was not doing anything that would draw anyone's attention. He said that the only reason he was able to figure it out was from my pale cold skin, golden eyes, bruises under the eyes and… I mistakenly let him know that I heard him whisper something that no human would have heard."

"How does he even know about vampires?" Jasper asked in confusion.

"He said he learned about us in a school he attended; he learned a great deal that as he stated isn't everyday curriculum… but he seemed more than comfortable being near me and talking, which isn't usually what happens when a human become aware of a vampire." Edward replied with a shrug and then speaking to the rest of the family he said "I am also unable to hear the thoughts of any of the three new students."

"How is that possible?" Esme questioned with a frown on her marbled face.

"It's like a wall around their minds keeping me out… with Bella it is almost as if a fog surrounds her mind. The walls feel as if they have been put there almost intentionally." Edward answered his mother.

"How do you know one of them isn't completely human?" Emmett questioned.

Esme leaned in slightly and spoke. "I was in the grocery store doing the weekly shopping and I smelt a strange smell. It was similar to the Quileute Pack's smell, but not quite. He smelt like a dog, but the smell was far less offensive and there was a hint of sweetness to it. The man had another dog smell to him as well, one that seemed more human than dog or werewolf, that smell was even less like the Quileute Pack."

"Edward and I also realized that the three younger ones do not smell like food to us." Jasper added.

"Alice, did you see why they are here?" Carlisle asked.

Smiling Alice said "They've had a difficult time of it the last few years having been involved with some kind of war… they decided that they needed to get away from that life once the war had been won. They are not a threat to us… if we let them; they will become a part of this family quite easily."

Carlisle sat for a while a thoughtful look on his young ageless face. "I believe we should meet this new family, if we come into this willing to be peaceful, as Alice has seen, then hopefully our lives will not be adversely affected by their presence here."

Most of the family nodded their heads in agreement, save Rosalie who was no surprise and Bella who kept her feelings to herself.

"Edward, since you've had the most contact with one of them, I think you should arrange the meeting." Carlisle stated to his son.

"I will talk to him tomorrow." Edward replied.

Soon after that the family meeting broke up. Edward kissed Bella's temple and told her he'd only be a few minutes and then followed his sire to his office to speak privately with him.

"Father, may I speak with you?"

"Of course Edward." Carlisle said as he gestured his son in.

Edward closed the door after him. "I wanted to speak to you about Harry, the human I was speaking with…"

"What is it Edward?"

"The boy's scent is very appealing to me… it draws me in to him even more so than Bella." Edward answered with a frown on his face. "I do not understand it, if I didn't have Bella I would say he was my mate… and if he were a singer his blood would drive me to blood lust, not intense attraction and protectiveness."

"From this I see that you believe Bella is your mate?" Carlisle questioned trying to keeps his private thoughts hidden. "Only you can determine whether she is your mate or not, others can only speculate."

He knew Edward felt certain Bella was his mate, and Carlisle couldn't fault Edward for trying to convince himself of it. He'd seen his son exist for 90 years alone, while his entire family paired off in front of him, unable to change it. Carlisle had tried with Rosalie, hoping the newly turned vampire would prove to be Edward's mate or at the very least, someone he could spend his days with. But, from the beginning, they had seen each other as nothing more than siblings. Not two years after that Rosalie had come upon a dying Emmett in the woods and had instantly known her mate, returning to their home she'd begged him to turn the man, who'd been nearly mauled to death by a grizzly bear.

Carlisle had been wary at first when the human Bella Swan had come into their lives; Edward's bloodlust for her had been a threat to not only their family, but the humans as well. However, Edward had returned, determined to overcome the bloodlust. Through strength of character alone, his son had denied the bloodlust and built a relationship out of it. He could understand Edward's confusion as bloodlust if controlled could be very similar to the attraction one felt towards a mate. However, if one's true mate came along that attraction would pale in comparison to that of a mate.

"Yes, she is my mate…" Edward said quietly, his voice uncertain, if only to Carlisle ears.

"Then if so, this Harry's scent might be something to do with him not smelling like food as well…" He said placatingly after a few moments of silence. Carlisle did not hold much faith in that statement, but for the sake of his son he'd ignore his feelings on the subject and help Edward anyway he could.