The Redhead and the Irish

Chapter 39

A few more people said something, claiming Cedric was their closest friend. It was disgusting. Some of them had barely spoken to him. It made me want to barf. But I kept quiet, staying by the Diggorys' side. As soon as the memorial ended, I got up. "Thank you so much, again." Amos stated, shaking my hand. I nodded, shaking Mrs. Diggory's hand as well. They were approached by Dumbledore, which I took as a sign to leave.

The halls were cramped with students from all schools. But it all seemed like a blur, like a spiral of colour and noise. The spiral tightening around me, choking the air out of my body. That's when I noticed Josie moving towards the stairs.

Emma and Thomas...I had to see them.

"Josie! Wait up!" I yelled, my voice drowning in the crowd. I pushed through the mass. My body collided with several others, arms hitting my form. I would be bruised after this, but I didn't care. I HAD to get to Josie. Eventually, I was able to grab her hand. She spun around, staring me in the eye. "Rowen..." she breathed out. "How- how are you?" I questioned. Her red eyes said enough. "I'm still standing." she answered. "Yeah, I know how it feels." I told her, smiling sympathetically.

We stood there for a few moments, surrounded by the chaos created by the students. "Would you mind if I came to the Hufflepuff common room with you?" I eventually asked. Josie smiled. "I want nothing more." she replied, dragging me through the crowd.

We descended staircase after staircase, passed barrel after barrel, until we finally arrived at the entrance. Josie knocked on the wooden surface, revealing the opening.

The common room was packed with students, and yet it was silent. Everyone was grieving quietly, some hugging each other. A second year boy noticed me. He managed to crack a small smile, walking towards me. "Did you bring the bowtruckle?" he wondered. I laughed quietly, already feeling the tears coming up once again. "Not now, Duncan. I'm sure Rowen's grieving too." an older girl shut him up. She looked around sixteen years old. "It's okay." I assured her, climbing onto the furniture so I could reach the window. I croaked twice, calling Jickett.

"He's on his way. Could you tell me where Thomas and Emma are?" I wondered, looking at the boy named Duncan. "Isa said they were in the boys' dorm." he answered. I glanced at Josie, who gestured for me to follow her. "When you see a bowtruckle, give him this." I told Duncan, handing him a piece of fabric. He nodded politely, sitting down beneath the window.

I followed Josie up the stairs, taking in the amazing murals. They showed the entire Hufflepuff bloodline. "It's beautiful." I breathed out, tracing the ferns connecting the family. "It's our greatest pride. The Ravenclaws have their painted night sky, the Slytherins have their tapestries, Gryffindor-" I cut the raven-haired girl off. "Gryffindor has nothing." I stated. "That's ridiculous. You have the most amazing views." she declared, opening the door to the dorm.

It was a sober room, decorated with some yellow curtains. The beds were simple, decorated with a badger's head on the headboard. The sheets were a pale yellow, the pillowcases as white as snow. The windows looked out on the greenhouses, filling the room with a flowery smell.

I noticed Emma and Thomas sitting on the bed in the left corner, holding one another. "Emma...Thomas..." I whispered, stepping towards them. "Rowen!" Emma sobbed, opening her arms. I thought I must've cried out all my tears by now. I was wrong. I fell into their arms, crying like a little girl. The two Hufflepuffs held me, sobbing. The three of us stayed like that, bawling our eyes out. "He's gone...Ced's gone." I confirmed. "He told us about the woods...the kiss..." Thomas murmured, squeezing my shoulder. "You two would have been so cute. Imagine the flower crowns." Emma joked, running a calming hand through my hair.

I felt like I was home, crying in my parents' arms. I hadn't cried this much since grandma Prewett's death. "God, I miss that moron." Thomas mumbled. "We all do." Josie spoke up. Tears prickled in her eyes too. We opened our arms, inviting her to join our sobbing circle too.