Ineffable | Harry Potter - George Weasley // COMPLETED

33 | Why?

Throwing my hands in the air, I cheered as loudly as could while listening to the cheerful, bringing a start to the third and final event in the tournament. We were all gathered outside again, a smaller stadium this time with a maze in front of us, but knowing this tournament, there was no way it was just any ordinary maze.

One by one the champions came out with their mentors, Harry's being Dumbledore.

"Sonorus!" Dumbledore started, stepping up to the podium and bringing an end to the music. "Earlier today, Professor Moody placed the Triwizard Cup deep within the maze. Only he knows its exact position. Now, as Mr. Diggory and Mr. Potter are tied for first position...they will be the first to enter the maze, followed by Mr. Krum...and Miss Delacour. The first person to touch the cup will be the winner! l've instructed the staff to patrol the perimeter.
Should, at any point, a contestant wish to withdraw from the task...he or she need only send up red sparks with their wands. Contestants! Gather around. Quickly!"

Stepping down from the podium, Dumbledore gathered the champions in and talked to them. We couldn't hear what he was saying, but it was Dumbledore, so more than likely it was some encouraging words.

"Champions, prepare yourselves!" Dumbledore called as Harry and Cedric lined up, one at each of the entrances. "On the count of three. One-"

Instead, the canon shot of early, like it had been doing at every event, and Harry and Cedric entered the maze. It was nerve-wracking watching as the bushes closed on Harry, preventing no way for him to come back the way he had entered.

The maze stretched out further than the eye could see, posing a very serious chance of simply getting lost inside. Every once in a while a strange noise would ring out from the green bushes, a few yells or screams, but nothing that sounded too worrisome.

"This is the worst one yet." I tried to slow my breathing as I gripped onto George's wrist. "I can't see anything that's going on."

As the sun started so set, literally leaving us in the dark, we all still sat there, wondering and waiting to see who would be the real champion. There was no time limit on this challenge though, probably because it was that difficult, but I just wished we would know when they would come out.

Then, with a flash of light as the torches nearby lit up the ground, Harry appeared back with Cedric's still body beside him.

"He did it!" Cedric's father cheered, but I could tell something was wrong. Harry was crying.

Jumping up, I ran down the steps and fell down on my knees beside Harry and Cedric. People were still cheering as they ran up to congratulate the boys, but that didn't last long. "He's dead!" Harry sobbed.

Rushing over, Dumbledore tried to pull Harry off of Cedric's body, but Harry refused. "For God's sake, Dumbledore, what's happened?" Cornelius Fudge asked.

"He's back. He's back." Harry cried. "Voldemort's back. Cedric, he asked me to bring his body back. l couldn't leave him, not there."

"lt's all right, Harry. lt's all right." Dumbledore cupped Harry's head with his hands. "He's home. You both are."

"Keep everybody in their seats," Cornelius ordered. "A boy has just been killed. The body must be moved, Dumbledore. There are too many people."

Realizing what had happened, Cedric's dad started pushing through the crowd. "Let me through. Let me through! Let me through! That's my son! That's my boy! It's my boy!"

"Come on." Professor Moody and I helped Harry stand as he continued to sob. "Get up. Easy, easy! This is not where you want to be right now. Come on."

"No!" Cedric's father screamed.

"Harry." I wrapped my arms around him tight as Cedric's father screamed again in the background, only making Harry cry harder. "Come on. You need to go."

Wrapping an arm around Harry, Moody gave me a nod. "I've got this." he started leading Harry away. "I'll get him away from this."

"Okay." I tucked my hands up into my sleeves as I stood there beside Cedric's body, the fire from the torches lighting up half of his face as he laid there, still as could be. That poor boy had just wanted, as promised, 'eternal glory,' but instead he died. He wanted to bring honour to his school but instead brought sadness as he was killed.

In that moment, I remembered when I had first met Cedric. Hoping down from a tree, he smiled when he met us, and I joked with Fred and George about him after; but he and his father were good, honest people who did not deserve this.

Why was there so much death around Hogwarts? Why were we always having to risk our lives to save someone else's?

I felt my eyes start to well up then, my heart hurting for this poor man who would never again be able to have a conversation with his son. I couldn't stand there and watch anymore. I couldn't be there anymore.

_______________

"Today, we acknowledge...a really terrible loss," Dumbledore spoke while we had a service for Cedric. "Cedric Diggory was, as you all know, exceptionally hard-working, infinitely fair-minded, and, most importantly...a fierce, fierce friend. Now, l think, therefore, you have the right to know exactly how he died. You see...Cedric Diggory was murdered...by Lord Voldemort!"

Wiping a stray tear from my cheek, I buried half of my face into George's robe as he wrapped an arm around me and held me tighter. At that moment, when he whispered to me that everything would be okay, I was happy I had George there purely for the fact to just have someone there.

"The Ministry of Magic does not wish me to tell you this." Dumbledore rose his voice, making sure each and every single person in that room could hear what he was saying, "But not to do so, l think, would be an insult to his memory. Now, the pain...we all feel at this dreadful loss reminds me...and reminds us that while we may come from different places and speak in different tongues...our hearts beat as one. ln 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."

_______________

The next day we were all gathered again, but this time to say goodbye to our guests with which we had shared an entire year. People had made friendships and even relationships; bonds that surely wouldn't be broken by a simple goodbye.

"Do you think we'll ever just have a quiet year at Hogwarts?" Ron asked as we sat outside together.

We all shook our heads. "No."

"No, l didn't think so." Ron agreed. "Oh, well. What's life without a few dragons?"

Tearing up slightly, Hermione took a deep breath to calm herself. "Everything's going to change now, isn't it?"

"Yes." Harry nodded, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Promise you'll write this summer." Hermione requested. "All of you."

"Sure, Hermione." I gave her a genuine smile for the first time in a while.

Ron scrunched up his face. "l won't. You know l won't."

"Harry will, won't you?" I chuckled.

"Yeah. Every week."