Honey Bee

Chapter 45

It had been a month, I hadn't said anyother word, I tried but nothing would come out. It's like my tounge had been ripped out. But I don't remember much of the days that followed the horrific events I saw, but I could tell you how uneventful they would of been.

But there's one moment that sticks out in my mind. The meeting with the Diggorys that took place the following morning.

They did not blame Harry nor I for what had happened; on the contrary, both thanked us for returning Cedric's body to them. Mr. Diggory sobbed through most of the interview. Mrs. Diggory grief seemed to be beyond tears.

"He suffered very little then," she said, when Harry had told her how Cedric had died. Like I said, I wasn't talking. "And after all, Amos... he died just when he'd won the tournament. He must have been happy."

When they got to their feet, she looked down at Harry and said, "You look after yourselves, now."

Harry seized the sack of gold on the bedside table. "You take this," he muttered to her. "It should've been Cedric's, Melissa told me she couldn't take it -" But she backed away from him.

"Oh no, it's yours, dear, I couldn't. . . you keep it Sweetie."

I had been spending time away from people, so I was sitting in the courtyard with Blaise and JJ. From what they told me, Dumbledore had spoken to the school that morning at breakfast. He had merely requested that they leave Harry and I alone, that nobody ask us questions or badger him to tell the story of what had happened in the maze. Most people, I noticed, were skirting me in the corridors, avoiding my eyes. Some whispered behind their hands as I passed. Perhaps they were formulating their own theories about how Cedric had died. I had to walk on crutches as so much damage had been done on my leg, it's not to bad after a while though.

As there was no longer a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, we had those lessons free. We used the one on Thursday afternoon to go down and visit Hagrid in his cabin. We I'm talking about Harry, Ron and Hermione.

It was a bright and sunny day; Fang bounded out of the open door as we approached, barking and wagging his tail madly.

"Who's that?" called Hagrid, coming to the door. "Harry! Melissa!" He strode out to meet us, pulled Harry and I into a one-armed hug, ruffled our hair, and said, "Good ter see yeh. Good ter see yeh."

They saw two bucket-size cups and saucers on the wooden table in front of the fireplace when they entered Hagrid's cabin. "Bin havin' a cuppa with Olympe," Hagrid said. "She's jus' left."

"Who?" said Ron curiously.

"Madame Maxime, o' course!" said Hagrid.

"You two made up, have you?" said Ron.

"Dunno what yeh're talkin' about," said Hagrid airily, fetching more cups from the dresser. When he had made tea and offered around a plate of doughy cookies, he leaned back in his chair and surveyed Harry and I closely through his beetle-black eyes.

"You all righ'?" he said gruffly.

"Yeah," said Harry.

"No, yeh're not," said Hagrid. "Course yeh're not. But yeh will be." Harry said nothing. "Knew he was goin' ter come back," said Hagrid, and Harry, Ron, and Hermione looked up at him while I looked down still, shocked. "Known it fer years.. Knew he was out there, bidin' his time. It had ter happen. Well, now it has, an' we'll jus' have ter get on with it. We'll fight. Migh' be able ter stop him before he gets a good hold. That's Dumbledores plan, anyway. Great man, Dumbledore. 'S long as we've got him, I'm not too worried."