Joke's On You ~George Weasley~

Chapter 25 : Thorns

A week had passed since the Tri-Wizard tournament. Dumbledore had gathered all of the houses to the Great Hall for a ceremony in memory of Cedric.

Instead of a sea of green and silver, red and gold, black and yellow and black and blue, hung black flags the Hogwarts symbol etched white.

It was hard not being able to think about Cedric. Trying not to cry again.

Dumbledore began speaking : "Today we acknowledge a really terrible loss. Cedric Diggory was as you all know, exceptionally hard working, intricately fair minded. And most importantly a fierce fierce friend,"

Wiping away a tear, that rolled down my cheek. 

"I think therefore you have the right to know exactly how he died. You see, Cedric Diggory was murdered by Lord Voldemort," An eruption of gasps came from the hall, at his words.

He continues, infected by the schools reaction.

"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 that while we may come from different places and speak in different tongues, our hearts beat as one. In light of recent events the bonds of friendship we 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" He finishes, his voice solem.

Everyone files out, I stand silently walking out of the hall.

An arm wrap around my shoulders, Hermione.

"I know how much he meant to you. . .how much he meant to all of us," Hermione says a comfortng smile on her face, gesturing to everyone standing by. Harry, Ron, Fred and George "He was an amazing Hufflepuff along with an amazing person" She finishes, giving me a hug. I rest my chin on her shoulder.

"Thank you," I sigh pulling back, quirking a smile at her "Thank all of you"

My eyes linger on George, he smiles at me in response.

I hug her one more time and walked over to George hugging him.

"I will always love you. . .no matter what you think" I whisper, placing a kiss on his cheek and walking away.

Shuffling into my bedroom, pulling out a shoe-box from underneath my bed.

Opening the lid, revealing all of my relationship with Cedric and I from when we were little. Our first film ticket. Our first Quidditch ticket. A picture of us at dinner in our 3rd year with our families before he lost his mother.

And finally. . .the first flower he gave me. A yellow rose that had been put into glass so it would never die.

A yellow rose paper-weight.

It seems so long ago, but I can still recall the memories instantly.

Cedric and I in our 3rd year of school just returning from Hogwarts on the train.

Cedric's father had come to pick us up at the train station, making our way to his house. Our families liked to go on camping trips together during the first 2 weeks of summer. It was the trip I looked forward to the most, when coming home from Hogwarts.

We had just set off for our trip, we were planning to see the first summer solstice.

Cedric and I had run ahead to get a good spot, putting our stuff down where a single yellow rose was growing, struggling for life. I reached for it, my finger pricked on the thorns.

"Ow" I said, putting my finger to mouth trying to stop the blood flow.

"What is it ? What happened ?" Cedric asked, taking out his wand and putting me behind him, trying to protect me from the supposed 'danger'

"Nothing Cedric. . .I just pricked my finger on that rose" I gestured, pointing to the rose and leaning down balancing on my toes.

"That flower hurt you ?" He asked kneeling next to me, pointing towards the yellow rose. He picked it from the ground and placed it in my hands "Close your eyes"

"Cedric why ?" I asked laughing.

Why is he asking me to do this ?

"Just trust me" He responds laughing, I closed my eyes. I felt my hands become cooler and heavier. My eyebrow raises my eyes still closed, wondering what Cedric had done.

I opened my eyes to see that the top half of the rose had been encased in, a glass oval in my hands. I squealed in delight, instantly wrapping my arms around Cedric's neck.

Letting go, looking back at the glass ornament in my hands.

"So it doesn't hurt you anymore," He smiles at me and creating one in the other hand "So that whenever you look at this it'll remind you of when I saved you from the thorn" He said, placing it in his pocket.

"I'm sorry for not saving you from the thorns," I sigh, holding it to my chest "Please forgive me" I whisper, placing it in my pocket, walking out of the common room with my trunk.

////\\\\

Trying to find Hermione in the dense crowd, pushing through the Durmstrang and Beauxbatons students. Spotting Viktor handing a piece of paper to her, placing a kiss on her cheek, whispering something in her ear then he walks away.

I walk over to her, nudging her with my elbow.

"What was that all about huh ? Enjoying your Bulgarian Bon-Bon ?" I tease, she had slight blush on her cheeks and shaking her head walking away to find Harry.

Looking over to Ron who was sitting alone, the Delacour sisters come up to him. Fleur's little sister places a kiss on his cheek. Fleur does the same saying something to him that I didn't quite catch.

They leave I join in with everyone clapping, Ron gets up walking over to me and we soon meet with Harry and Hermione shortly after.

"Do you think we'll ever just have a quiet year at Hogwarts ?" Ron asks, his hands in his pockets.

"No" Hermione and I say in unison, we both laugh.

"No I don't think so" Harry says, shaking his head jokingly.

"Everything's going to change now isn't it ?" Hermione asks stopping and looking up at all of us.

"Yes" Harry said with a smile.

"Most definitely" I smile winking at her, she held the piece of paper close to her chest, dropping her hands as we walked on.

"Promise you'll write this summer," Hermione says cheerfully "The three of you" She says, almost, stern.

"Well I won't. You know I won't" Ron chuckles.

"Elyse you will won't you ?" Hermione asks hopefully. 

"Yeah I'll try maybe I'll remind ol Wonny kins over here to do it as well" I say, Ron lightly shoved me with his shoulder. I let out a small chuckle, doing the same.

"Harry you will as well won't you ?" She asks looking at him, her ponytail almost whipping me in the face.

"Yeah. . .Every week" Harry responds chuckling, we looked out of the stone window watching the Beauxbaton carriage pull away into the sunset dripping sky, and the Bulgarian ship sink into the clouded water gracefully.

"I'll see you guys on the train" I say, heading towards the Common Room to get changed out of uniform.