That night Cedric didn’t use his mirror. Instead, he spent the night watching the swirling colors”thinking what he’d do when he saw his father. How could he reach out to him if his father couldn’t see or hear him? There had to be a way. Otherwise, Charity wouldn’t have told him it would be enough. He was certain that a Head Halo couldn’t lie.
Still, the entire night passed and he was no closer to having a plan. He had no idea how to reach his father. That knowledge terrified him. What if he couldn’t figure it out? What if he wasted his one chance to say goodbye?
“I thought you were told not to fret,” Monoi said, magically appearing at his side.
“I can’t help it,” Cedric replied, throwing his hands into the air. “I just don’t want to ruin this opportunity.”
“You won’t,” Monoi assured him. “It’s time to go.”
Cedric nodded, rising to his feet.
“Take my hand, again,” Monio explained, “but this time you can keep your eyes opened. You’ll probably enjoy the view.”
“Are you sure?” Cedric was uncertain. After the last trip, he didn’t feel like taking chances. If his dead stomach could get fluttery with his eyes shut, he didn’t want to know what could happen with them open.
The elf laughed. It was a strange sound, but nice. His voice helped to calm Cedric, just like it did when he explained himself to Charity.
“Trust me,” Monoi said.
Nodding, Cedric stepped forward to take the elf’s hand. He did trust him. If Monoi wanted him to keep his eyes opened, he would. In many ways, the elf really had become like a friend to him. He hadn’t had a friend since he died.
The moment his hand touched Monoi’s things began to change. The clouds around them began to fade into the background, and something else started to come into focus through a fog. After a few seconds, he could distinguish images. They were standing on a quaint street and the ground was covered by a light snow. Glancing around, he could see Christmas trees lighting up most windows. All the windows, except the most familiar one.
His house.
He was standing outside his house on Christmas Eve. It was a miracle. His very own Christmas miracle.
“You can go inside,” Monoi told him. “Just walk through the door, like a real ghost.”
“Aren’t you coming with me?” Cedric asked. Strangely, he didn’t want to be parted from the little elf. He’d grown accustomed to having Monoi at his side during the important moments.
“I can’t,” he replied. “This was your request. You have to go in alone. I’ll be here when you’re done.”
“How long can I stay?”
“Until it’s done,” the elf replied. “You’ll know.”
Again, Cedric was reminded of the Tri-Wizard Tournament. Why couldn’t anyone give him a straight answer? He’d had enough riddles while he was alive.
Slowly, Cedric moved towards his childhood home. The snow didn’t crunch beneath his feet. He couldn’t really explain why, but that made him sad. It just seemed like something else he’d lost.
When he approached the door, he automatically reached for the handle. Of course, his hand went right through it. His stomach lurched and it took him a few minutes to recover. Then he remembered Monoi’s advice and stepped through the door.
The living room came into focus. Little had changed since he’d last been there. The sofa was pushed against the wall, surrounded by two chairs. The tattered old carpet still clung to the floor. He was home.
His eyes landed on his father, slumped in one of the chairs, the one closest to the fireplace. Of course, there was no fire. The house must’ve been freezing, but he couldn’t be sure. As a ghost, he had no sense of temperature.
Remaining by the door, he watched his father. The man was hunched over, tears filled his eyes. His house showed no signs that it was Christmas, but the look on his face declared that he couldn’t forget. Amos couldn’t forget that it was Christmas. He was alone for Christmas.
A bottle rested on the table in front of him. Cedric couldn’t read the label, but he didn’t need to. There was no doubt in his mind that it was alcohol. His father rarely drank anything else.
Standing at the door, he wanted to cry himself. He was home for Christmas, but why did it matter? He wasn’t doing any good.
A single tear slid down his father’s cheek and Cedric lost it.
“Dad,” he cried, running across the room and wrapping his arms around his father. Surprisingly, his arms didn’t go through him. He could feel his dad.
“Cedric?” Amos asked. “I can sense you. Are you here?”
“I am,” Cedric replied, knowing he couldn’t be heard. It didn’t matter. He wanted to talk anyway. “I love you, Dad. I’m sorry; I can’t be with you anymore. I just want you to know that you were a great dad. I was lucky to have you.”
“If you’re here, son, I love you,” Amos said, looking around the room. “I miss you. No one could ask for a better son.”
When his father finished speaking, a warmth filled Cedric. All the sadness and bitterness seemed to drain out of him. He felt happy.
Watching his father, he saw something similar happening. There was actually a smile on his face. He rose from the chair and went to start a fire. It was a small step, but it was a step. Cedric knew his father was on his way to getting over his death.
That was all he needed.
Like Monoi had said, he knew it was time to go. Everything was going to be all right. For the first time since his death, he was certain of that. Even Harry and Cho were going to be all right. He didn’t know how, but he knew they would be. It was enough.
“I love you,” he said one last time, and then turned to leave.
Just as he was walking through the door, he heard his father say, “I love you, Cedric. Goodbye.”