The air was heavy. I sat with my house again, no one spoke. It felt as if a cloud was over everyone. I could hear a couple of sniffles and a couple of quiet sobs still through the hall. It was hard to look anyone in the Hufflepuff house in the face without almost shedding a tear.
Dumbledore sat before us within view. He too seemed at loss for words as it was silence for a couple of moments, until it was broken. "Today, we acknowledge... a really terrible loss." Headmaster rose from his chair and continued, "Cedric Diggory, was all you all know, exceptionally hard-working... infinitely fair-minded... and most importantly... a fierce, fierce friend. Now, I think, therefore, we have the right the right to know exactly how he died."
I lifted my head up as Headmaster said this. I didn't think this was going to be spoken about for months maybe even a year later. How would the others react? I'm sure most have figured it out, but just to say out right to all is a shock in my eyes.
"You see...Cedric Diggory was murdered...by Lord Voldemort!"
Everyone shifted uncomfortably as the elephant in the room was dropped. I felt my own breath hitch as it was said. I glanced to Harry in the row across from me, but he kept his eyes forward. Scratches still held on his face with our event. It felt as a bad dream, but Harry being there with his injuries assures me this was no Nightmare, but our unfortunate reality.
"The Ministry of Magic does not wish me to tell you this. But not to do so, I think, would be an insult to his memory. Now, the pain...we all feel at this dreadful loss reminds me--Reminds us--while we may come form different places and speak in different tongues, our hearts beat as one. In light of recent events, the bonds of friendship we've made this year will be more important than ever. Remember that, and Cedric Diggory will not have died in vain. You remember that. And we'll celebrate a boy who was...kind and honest and...brave and true right to the very end."
Toward the end of the day we all had packed out bags and started our goodbyes. I hadn't spoken to Harry yet, but we both knew that our lives are going to change from this moment on.
I traveled down to the entrance courtyard with Rina and Ronin. The other schools were getting ready to leave. Rina was bawling as her little boy toy was leaving. She was spending every minute with him before he got back on his shup. "Better get a kiss in now Ronin, the Beauxbatons will probably never come here again after this year." I laughed and elbowed him.
"Oh shit, you're right!" He ran off looking for one last flirtation as I laughed a felt another presence next to me, "Hello Harry."
"You alright?"
"What about you?"
We both kind of shrugged and tried to laugh it off. What else could we do, but laugh in this moment.
"I'll try to write to you okay? I don't know how it will be back at the Manor after all of this." I looked over and saw Ron getting a kiss on the cheek from Fleur then Ronin coming up to him and trying to know how he did that.
"Just make sure you're back here next year and I'll know you're okay. We're in this together now." Harry put his hand on my shoulder and brought me in for a brief awkward sibling hug. "Let's try and aimed for a normal year next time okay?" He broke away and left.
"I'll plan on it." I smiled in the hug and waved to him as he left. Rina came back to me with her handkerchief patting her eyes, "I'm going to miss him so much."
"Aren't you and his family going on Holiday in two weeks?" I questioned her mood as we walked to an opened corridor and began waving.
"Well yeah! But it's two weeks too long!"
I threw my arm over Rina's shoulder for comfort and let her cry out her only temporary broken heart. I had a new battle to face, to act as if nothing happened and pretend my father is not a Death Eater. I took a deep breath and exhaled, this break is going to be awful.
