Safe With Me ~ Fred Weasley

The First Task

The majority of the students had rushed from breakfast straight to their dorms to get dressed warmly for the tournament, as all we knew was that it would be outside. As I neared the stairs to the Hufflepuff common room, I saw him. The sandy brown hair towering above the rest of the students, heading in the opposite direction, his eyes glazed over, deep in thought.

"Cedric." I called, stopping in front of him as his eyes met mine, his hands reaching to scratch the back of his neck nervously.

"Hi Cassidy." He said, his voice not sounding it's usual level of cheery.

"What's with the badges, Cedric? That's poor taste, I didn't think you'd stoop that low." I honestly was disappointed with the Hufflepuff prefect. Everyone that spoke of him knew how kind he was.

"I didn't make those badges!" His eyes went wide. "I've asked them not to wear them. It's cruel. And I honestly don't think Harry wanted to enter."

I paused, sliding over to let more students pass me down the stairway as I studied his face. Of course he hadn't made them. Of course he had told people not to wear them. It wasn't like him.

"Oh... I'm sorry, I should have known." I trailed off.

"That's alright. Very Hufflepuff of you." He winked, taking one more step up to the main floor. "I gotta get going, First Task will start soon. I'll see you there?" He began walking backwards towards the exit, still looking at me, waiting for my response.

"Wouldn't miss it. Good luck!" I smiled, watching him walk out the door, feeling guilty for accusing him of something he didn't do right before the first task.

"There she is, our favorite Hufflepuff!" George sang as the twins rushed up next to me, linking arms with mine.

"Now we know you might be tempted to sit with your fellow Hufflepuffs..." Fred started, holding up a scarlet sweatshirt with WEASLEY embroidered along the back. "But we were hoping you might re-consider."

"Fred! No!" I laughed, trying with all my might to break out of their hold of me to get to my own dorm room and retrieve a perfectly golden hoodie to wear to the tournament.

"I just don't see you getting down there..." George shrugged, faking disappointment for me as Fred held his sweatshirt out for me once again.

"I see you being quite cold actually, and it's probably gonna start any minute now, we're going to miss the start, it'll just all be-"

"Fine!" I rolled my eyes, pushing my arms through the sweatshirt and letting Fred slip it over my head.

"Much better." He smirked, leading the way out to the grounds.

"We're sitting with the Hufflepuffs though." I said, looking between the two of them.

"Near the Hufflepuffs." Fred countered.

"Within eyesight of the Hufflepuffs." George continued.

Ten minutes later, Fred, George, Lee, Ron, Hermione and I were smushed together in our best attempt to preserve our warmth, sitting at the edge of the Hufflepuff stands. I could feel some glares in our direction as, admittedly, we were some of the only students in the stands sporting Gryffindor colors, but because of this I felt less guilty. It wasn't fair that no one was cheering for Harry.

Finally, a loud whistle blew from the stands where Ludo Bagman, Barty Crouch and the Headmaster's were sat and Cedric emerged from the champions tent. He was wearing a yellow long sleeved shirt and black pants, but from this distance you could barely see his face, which might have been a stroke of luck for the champions. I knew my face would be ghostly white if I had managed to last even these first few seconds with the dragon Cedric was looking at.