Finding Neverland | George Weasley ✓

Chapter Thirty-One

Thea didn't remember when or how she stopped running only the fact that she was sitting against a tree, goosebumps growing on her skin from the darkness, lost. 

Tears still made sticky trails down her faces even though Thea thought she must be close to stopping crying. Thea clutched her knees to her chest and sobbed into them, hoping that someone would come and find her. 

Sticks cracked, making Thea jump every time, her ears were closely listening to any sound that sounded like something dangerous as it dawned on her, just exactly how lost she was. The sticks cracking seemed to be getting closer and closer, Thea looked up from her knees, her eyes searching in the darkness to find the source of the noise. 

When Dumbledore stepped out of the trees, Thea let out the breath that she didn't even know she had been holding. 

"Hello there, Thea."

"Hello, Professor."

"What are you doing out here alone?" Dumbledore asked even though he seemed like he already knew the answer. 

"Oh. My brother, Cedric...." Thea started but couldn't finish her sentence as tears were ready to flow again. 

"Ah, yes. Mr. Diggory such a bright young fellow. I'm quite sorry for your loss, Miss Diggory." Dumbledore said. 

"Thank you, Professor."

"However you didn't actually answer my question, why are you out here alone?"

"Well, I ran."

"I'm aware of that fact," Dumbledore said a twinkle in his eye. "Why did you run?"

Thea thought for a few moments. Dumbledore was confusing her. She thought back to that moment when everything was getting too much and she just ran without even thinking. 

"I ran because everything was getting too much. I didn't want to have to look my friends in the eye and see them not understand."

"Understand, what?" Dumbledore prompted.

"THAT I LOST A BROTHER TODAY!" Thea screamed before breaking into sobs. She was in so much pain that the fact that she had just yelled at a professor didn't even register. 

"I understand, Thea," Dumbledore said trying to comfort the girl. "If you want I think you need to head back to the castle. Your parents have gone back home to tell the rest of your family and prepare for everything, they will collect you and your things tomorrow. For tonight though you can use the spare bed in my chambers."

Thea eventually got up and headed back to the castle with Dumbledore. However once Thea woke up the next day she really didn't remember much. She didn't remember getting into the bed she was currently lying in but she did remember meeting Professor McGonagall and Professor Sprout on the way but that was all she really remembered. She couldn't even remember the events that had led her to be here now. 

"Ah, good." Professor Sprout came in and once she saw Thea awake she greeted her. "You are awake. Good Morning."

"Thanks." Thea grinned up at her. "I'm just very confused."

"About what, Thea?"

Thea struggled to remember everything. Why she was in somewhere that wasn't her dormitory or the infirmary and what had happened that made her be there in the first place. And then it all came rushing back.

Cedric was dead and never coming back. He had left her behind.

Thea broke down into tears again and Professor Sprout immediately rushed in to comfort her.