◣ 𝗦𝗢𝗙𝗧 𝗦𝗣𝗢𝗧 ◥

𝗖𝗨𝗧

CUT
"𝗒𝗈𝗎'𝗋𝖾 𝖻𝗅𝖾𝖾𝖽𝗂𝗇𝗀."

—RUSHING THROUGH THE CORRIDORS, ALEXANDRIA STOPPED, PANTING. "Where did he go?" She asked the closest person, wrinkling her nose in disgust when she noticed it was a Gryffindor.

The Gryffindor gulped and ran away, not answering.

"So much for Gryffindor bravery," scoffed Alexandria, clutching her chest in an attempt to stop her panting.

Draco, who had just caught up to her, rolled his eyes— not even panting. "Do you need help, princess?" He asked in sarcasm.

"Not the time," pointed out the girl with a glare.

"We've got to catch up with him."

"We?"

"Yeah," nodded Draco as if it was obvious. "He could be dangerous for all we know—"

"He's far from that."

"I'm sure," he rolled his eyes again— something which was frequent around the girl. "Let's just catch up to him."

"You're not coming," she pointed a finger at him, obviously threatening him. "I can handle this by myself, Malfoy."

♡

"Professor!" exclaimed a voice in the empty corridor that night.

Professor Selwyn stopped walking and turned around. "Yes, miss Slytherin?"

"You're bleeding," she pointed to his arm, then looked into his eyes.

The Professor gave her a thankful smile. "I know, but thank you. Is there anything I can help you with?"

"I was in the library the other night.." started the young girl. "And I read something odd. Necromancy. It said that the spell to bring the dead back was—"

"It's not a spell, Miss Slytherin. It's a ritual."

Alexandria gave him a little smirk. "How do you know that, Professor?"

"I've got to go—" he pointed to his cut— which was getting bigger by the second and was bleeding, looking rather painful.

"Why? You don't want me to see you die?"

Professor Selwyn sighed, looking anxious. "Alexandria—"

"I've already seen you die once."

He blinked, shocked. "Pardon?"

"Right, Cedric?"

Professor Selwyn— no, Cedric, tried swallowing the lump in his throat, clutching onto the big cut on his arm— which was spreading. "Andria, I'm so sorry. I'm so—"

"What happened, Ced?" Her eyes teared up. "What happened to you?"

"I.. I died. Then, my dad couldn't understand it. He went to the dark arts for comfort— somehow believing and knowing that Dumbledore killed me. He read about necromancy and everything needed to know about it, then brought me back."

"Why are you here now? Why Hogwarts? And how does Dumbledore not know?"

"I needed to make sure you were alright. Even if that meant I had to switch identities. Dumbledore believed I was a Selwyn as soon as he saw me at the Ministry— where I was planning to change my identity. He offered me the Defence job or I'd get killed. I wanted to find a way to come to Hogwarts, anyways, so it was perfect. But obviously, you figured everything out."

Not even bothering to ask why he didn't let her know, Alexandria nodded. "Ced, I'm so sorry.. I never wanted you to take that spell for me—"

"I did. I wanted to," Cedric cut her off, wincing at the pain in his arm— but choosing to ignore it. "It wasn't your fault, Andria, and I regret nothing."

"What about now?" She asked with teary eyes— refusing to actually let any tears drop. "You're going to die again."

"I've accepted death ever since I was brought back. Death is a part of living."

"So.. I'll never see you again?"

He shook his head, looking at her. "Most likely not."

She let out a sigh. "I'm.. I'm so sorry again—"

"You have nothing to apologize for."

"I do, Ced. I couldn't love you back, nor could I tell you those three words—"

"So?" frowned Cedric. "Love isn't something that should be forced. Andria, all I've cared about was your happiness. I'm just glad I was the cause of it, even if it was for a little while."

"You were," smiled the girl for the first time in ages. "You really were.."

He smiled back, then hissing in pain. "Go."

"No," she shook her head, rushing to catch him as he fell. Holding his bleeding body, she cradled his head in her arms, trying not to break down crying.

"Alexandria, leave—"

"I don't want to leave you," a few tears escaped her eyes finally as she started brushing his hair away from his face. "I don't want you to leave, either."

Cedric— even in extreme pain— managed to give her a soft smile. "I have no problem dying. But you shouldn't see this. Not again. Leave, Andria. Leave while you still can—" he let out a grunt of pain suddenly— meaning that he was close to dying. "Andria, leave."

Alexandria stubbornly refused, letting out a shaking breath.

It was the first time seeing somebody die scared her.

It was the first time seeing somebody in pain not bring her any joy.

She might've not loved him, but he loved her.

He loved her to the point he gave up his life for her. And when he was given a second chance at life, all he wanted was to see her safe.

And that's what broke her heart to the core.

And a few minutes later, when he was finally dead, she broke down and started sobbing— holding his dead body in her arms.