The Roses of Hogwarts | Cedric Diggory [1]

Chapter Fifteen: For the Best

Hogwarts was in good spirits after the students spent the whole day in Hogsmeade. Holly hung from the walls, and large Christmas tree's sat in various places throughout the castle. The Great Hall, the common rooms, everywhere. Tomorrow, many students would be sent off back home to visit their families to enjoy the holiday with a well deserved break from school. For the time being, they were all gathered in the Great Hall, enjoying a farewell feast.

All except Oriane.

She sat in a window with her knees pulled to her chest in a hallway she had stumbled upon by accident. The common room and her dorm were too crowded for her emotions. She needed space to spread out. And so she found that tiny window in that tiny hallway.

It was much too dark outside for any of the scenery to shine, however the natural glow of the castle was enough to light the courtyard down below. Footprints tracked through the snow, showing the path of whoever walked through there that day. They were deep, almost leaving a terrible ugly scar on the courtyard. But it was snowing, and she knew by morning those footprints would be nothing but a distant memory.

Unbeknownst to her, a young boy approached her from down the hallway. His movements were slow, careful, and quiet, as to not disturb her. In his hand was a small bag made out of what appeared to be wax paper, along with a brown coat.

"Hey," said Harry, his voice soft.

Oriane turned her head, red eyes landing on him. Every move she made was slow; lethargic. Her exhaustion was seeping through her body, dripping off of her in puddles.

"How'd you find me?" she asked, voice raw.

Harry shrugged. "Got lucky." He stepped forward, closing up the large gap between them as he held out the items in his hand. "Figured you'd want your coat back."

She took her coat and placed it in her lap. However, Harry also held out the bag for her to take as well. Her eyebrows furrowed. "What's this?"

"Before I went looking for you, I found Cedric to ask him if he knew where you were," Harry explained, leaning against the wall. "He didn't know where you were at but said that you hadn't shown up for dinner at all. So he smuggled some food from the feast and put it in there for you. Asked me if I would give it to you if I saw you since he had to help some first years sort their stuff for the ride home tomorrow."

Peeking inside, Oriane found a wide assortment of food. Bread rolls and biscuits, a few slices of chicken that had been wrapped in more wax paper, even a well placed slice of pie from dessert. It was still warm.

"He's worried about you," Harry added, "and your roommates too. Apparently they're tearing up the castle trying to find you."

Oriane sighed as she pulled her knees closer to her chest. She sat the bag in front of her on the windowsill and then turned her attention back outside. "I didn't mean to worry them so much. This is all rather embarrassing."

"I understand," Harry said, his voice growing dark. "I think we're the only people in all of Hogwarts who understands our situations. Though, I suppose I'm a bit more angry than anything else."

"At which part?" she asked.

Harry's eyes darted outside, looking down at the dark, snowy courtyard below them. "All of it, I guess," he admitted. "I was never told about any of that and well... judging by your reaction, neither were you."

She gave him a half-hearted smile, but it dissipated as quickly as it came. "I want to be angry. I've tried to be angry." Her voice began to shake slightly, yet her eyes stayed as dry and stone cold as ever. "Not being angry feels like a betrayal to our parents' memories. But every time I think about what they said, all I can feel is this overwhelming sadness."