Something Magical

Chapter 25

Blacked Out

Millie left the hospital wing, holding her forehead gingerly, hoping the aching would quit soon. Dumbledore's plan to get her memories didn't go exactly as planned and she had ended up blacking out. She had been informed upon waking in the hospital wing that the block in her mind was stronger than Dumbledore had previously thought it would be and trying to get past it had caused Millie to black out, if Dumbledore had continued trying he said he believed she would've been returned to her comatose state. Dumbledore was clearly disappointed but thanked Millie for trying. Millie was just glad he had stopped before she was back in a coma, she didn't think her family could handle her being in a state like that again.

"Hey, stranger." Millie started, not having noticed that Cedric had caught up to her. Cedric grinned at her startled face, "How's it been since you've come back?"

"It's been...good. I'm still trying to catch up with everything I missed and catching up with all my friends, it's been really good. How've you been? How's preparing for the last task going?" Millie answered, studying Cedric who, she noticed, had bags under his eyes and was paler than usual.

"Oh, it's-it's been good. My mates are helping, you know. It's just a little..." Cedric trailed off as they stopped next to a large window that happened to overlook the Quidditch pitch that had been overtaken by a huge maze. Millie was stunned as she took the thing in, apprehension building in the pit of her stomach as she worried for both of her friends competing and the other champions. The task was tomorrow but Millie had a terrible feeling about it, like she was certain something bad would happen. "It's just nerve wracking. This is my chance to finally get Hufflepuff some glory, I just don't want to let anyone down."

"Come on, Ced. You won't let anyone down. Besides, I know you'll do brilliantly." Millie nudged him with her elbow gently, giving him an encouraging smile.

"But it's not exactly like you're going to cheer me on, right?"

"Oh, please. I can be Team Harry and Team Cedric. Besides, either way if one of you wins it'll be a Hogwarts victory so that'll be cool."

As Cedric and Millie arrived at the Great Hall, Millie realized it must be time for lunch. She hadn't been thinking of where they were walking but she did realize that she was quite famished since she'd been too nervous to eat that morning. Waving goodbye to Cedric, Millie walked in the direction of the Gryffindor table and located her friends quite easily.

Sliding into the space between Fred and George, Millie began filling her plate and greeted her friends. She was really focused on getting some of the delicious looking bread so it took a moment for her to realize they were looking at her expectantly and only realized what for when Harry prompted her.

"So, how'd it go with Dumbledore?" Harry asked eagerly from across the table.

Having taken a large bite of bread Millie had to hold up a finger to indicate she needed a moment as she chewed quickly before answering, "Total waste of time. Dumbledore couldn't figure anything out and I...er, I blacked out so I had to take a quick trip to the Hospital Wing but I'm fine so no worries!"

"Hospital Wing?"

"Blacked out?"

"What in the bloody hell did Dumbledore do to you?"

"Okay, woah." Millie waved her arms to get them to silence, having been accosted by Ginny, Hermione, and Fred's indignant shouts. "I'm totally fine so everyone take a breath. I knew the risks before doing it and Dumbledore stopped before anything bad could really happen so everything is fine."

"He shouldn't have put you in the position for something to happen that made you black out though, Ames." Fred grumbled, looking irritated that he was just now finding out that she'd been put in the hospital wing again.