Since going blind at 6 years old, Fiona Diggory has lived in the shadow of her twin brother, Cedric.
Now entering her 6th year at Hogwarts Fiona finds herself thrown into a new friendship with Fred and George Weasley while trying to determine the m...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
The next morning Fiona woke to the steady patter of rain rapping against her bedroom window. The morning droplets fought against the incipient rays of the rising sun over the rolling hills.
As the morning sun battled for dominance, Fiona was in a battle of her own. Leaving her bed, and starting a new day had almost no appeal. However, the thought of remaining in the comfort of her bed pleasured her mind endlessly.
While her father was home Fiona finally began to feel okay. As okay as one can be when a sibling becomes an only child, at least.
Sorrow still surged towards her with a vengeance.
To her surprise, it was the subtle reminders that pained the most.
Every morning, she'd walk over the same creaky floorboard that she would hear Cedric walk over while she enjoyed tea with her mother. The way he clanked the teacups around in the cabinet as he searched for his cup. Even the simple task of lounging on the couch was tainted; the smells of the living room reminded her of him. And quickly, the pain would crash down on her like a tsunami, powerful and fierce.
She took solace in knowing she wasn't alone. The subtle choking sobs her father made while preparing a meal, or the way his voice hitched when their conversations tread too close to mention of Cedric. The simple knowledge that her misery was shared somehow made it easier.
But her father had gone back to work, and her mum had been in London for days. Within the first moments of awakening, Fiona realized how consuming her grief would become. She realized that she was alone.
She began to wake and Nox leaped onto her bed. After exerting himself in the dawn hunt, he nestled in the space between Fiona's legs. His damp fur bled into her bed comforter.
"Ugh," Fiona moaned as she shifted her legs, forcing the cat to reposition. He settled on the pillow.
Curling up beside her ear, Nox began chirping. His paws tangled into her hair as his claws sectioned strands of her thick and greasy hair. Fiona groaned as the cat continued to paw at her scalp.
She pulled her thick comforter above her head, but Nox's chirps continued.
The previous day she had begun accepting her new normal. Her life without her brother. But upon waking up Fiona felt the guilt seeping into the cracks of her mind.
How could she walk around, continuing her life, knowing Cedric couldn't do the same? Knowing she could have prevented it if she had said more and sooner. She hid her dreams from the world, and by doing so, cursed Cedric to his fate.
Cedric was gone. He would never graduate from Hogwarts. He would never marry and have children. He would never live the life he deserved. And it was Fiona's fault.
