The Tale of Jamie Devereaux

You're Hideous Looking

Chapter Twenty-Nine: You're Hideous Looking

There was silence throughout the stands. Everyone watched on as Professor Dumbledore rushed to the side of Jamie Devereaux's limp body bringing out his long, thin wand and waving it over the little witch. Water moved upward, coming off of her clothing and out of her lungs. Her mouth was opened, her eyes closed, her body now empty of lake water. The Headmaster of Hogwarts stared at her lifeless body, nervously. Guilt and panic overwhelmed him at the idea of a student dying due to the Triwizard Tournament. He was also extremely confused at how she was able to wake up from under the spell.

Fred Weasley pushed his way through the crowd, panicked and quiet. His tall stature allowed him to look over the heads of the other students that were staring down at his Jamie. He wanted to scream, but all he could do was look at her lifeless body and plead to everything in the existing world that she would be okay. That she would wake up.

In the distance, Cedric Diggory emerged from the water with Ron Weasley, who spluttered loudly. The two were confused at the lack of commotion at their arrival.

Minerva McGonagall saw it first, the slight movement of her little pinky finger. Without thinking, she lunged toward her small body and grabbed her hand, accidentally pushing Albus Dumbledore out of the way. Minerva squeezed her hand tightly, needing desperately to see her favorite student's eyes. She couldn't imagine what would happen if Jamie died, and what Loren Bruce would do without her daughter.

Jamie coughed hard, it was dry and rough, and hurt every part of her body. There was bustling of movement above her. She heard Professor Dumbledore and McGonagall calling for Madam Pomfrey, she heard Fleur say something in her thick French accent, and she heard Harry Potter say her name multiple times, trying to bring her attention to his. But Jamie's eyes found Fred Weasley's in the midst of all the panic. He didn't say anything. His brown eyes were wide with fear and Jamie's heart went out to him in that moment. She wanted to hug him and assure him that she was fine. But she felt decidedly not fine at all. Her limbs were heavy and numb from the cold. Jamie Devereaux would have been shivering, had she not been unable to move in that moment. Even lifting her head to allow madam Pomfrey to wrap a towel around her felt like she was straining every muscle in her body. The last thing she remembered before waking up under water was Professor McGonagall assuring her that nothing was going to happen and even if Cedric Diggory failed to retrieve her, she would be fine. She also remembered being extremely flattered that she was the thing that Cedric would miss the most, not that she was too surprised by it. And then suddenly she was drowning. There was no dream in the middle, it felt like barely a second had passed between being in the Transfiguration office and being at the bottom of the lake.

"Jamie?" Cedric's voice broke through the commotion. He was soaking wet and looked exhausted, but brushed off Cho Chang's attempt at putting a towel over him. "Jamie are you alright?"

The little witch tried to speak, but her throat felt like it had been stripped from all of its water, which it probably had been. Instead, she settled for nodding in confirmation. From above, she heard Ludo Bagman's announcing the scores, with Harry Potter receiving 50 points for acts of bravery—saving her life—especially when she was not his to collect. Fleur hugged her from the side, kissing her cheek, before McGonagall pulled the French girl off of Jamie Devereaux. Everyone was speaking, but Bagman was still announcing scores and Jamie felt a rush of sadness that Cedric had been awarded second place. She knew it was a silly thing to think. She had almost died and didn't because of Harry, but even her subconscious was team Diggory through and through, with or without the yellow muggle hat. The Bruce girl was brought to her feet, supported by Madam Pomfrey and Minerva McGonagall, who were scolding everyone for crowding her. Jamie's eyes met Harry's and she mouthed the words 'Thank you,' still unable to find her voice. She was embarrassed at the attention and crowd she was creating. This was the second task of a tournament, and she had managed to make it about her. Loren Bruce would be proud, apart from the whole almost drowning thing.