Description:
When Cedric was murdered it left his friends and family devastated, including his sister Natalie Diggory. The 15 year old continues on in her life at Hogwarts for her 5th year with boyfriend Terence Higgs. The Ravenclaw struggles to come to terms with Cedric's death and handle her emotions.
Ch. 1: Hogwarts Letter
Warning: I own none of the Harry Potter World that J.K. Rowling has created. I should only be credited for my own personal ideas.
On a particularly sunny afternoon in mid-August, the Diggory home in Ottery St. Catchpole was very quiet. Mrs. Diggory was just about to start on supper before an average Tawny owl came through the kitchen window with a letter addressed to Miss Natalie Anne Diggory. Mrs. Diggory opened the Hogwarts-crest-sealed letter and read the familiar emerald print. It informed the family that the new term began at it's usual time on the first of September. It also included a supply and book list requirement for the following term.
"Nat?" Mrs. Diggory called from the kitchen. Natalie made her way out of her bedroom and down the stairs to her mother. "Your Hogwarts letter came," she handed it to her daughter. Natalie's eyes quickly scanned the parchment for the word 'prefect' but failed to come across it. She reached in the envelope and searched for a small badge but it wasn't to be found.
"I didn't make prefect," Natalie said in a low tone.
"It's okay sweetie, maybe next year," her mother assured.
Natalie was upset. She thought it could be another of the things her and her brother could share. Now that her brother was dead, she felt as though that being prefect would make her feel closer to him.
Poof!
Right then, Amos Diggory apparated home.
"Is everyone ok?" He asked, acknowledging his daughter's expression. He took off his cloak and hung it on the chair.
"I didn't make prefects dad."
"I don't see why not. You're perfect. I don't see who could have beaten you," he said being his usual bragging self. Natalie smiled shyly to herself. "Next year, you'll make it. Only the best for my daughter."
Natalie sat down at the dining table next to her father doing over the list of supply requirements.
"Well, I suppose I could find some of these books in Cedric's bedroom," she suggested.
"No, no need to do that, we will simply take a trip to Diagon Alley tomorrow, when your father has off."
"That sounds nice, Nat have you finished your summer homework yet?" Amos asked. Natalie nodded in response. Of course she had, homework was easy for her. "Good girl," he kissed his daughter on the cheek. "Now why don't you go outside while it's nice and go practice flying." You show that Roger Davies that you are good enough for the team."
Natalie got the Nimbus Two Thousand out of her bedroom and took it outside to the backyard. She flew around the English country side for about an hour. Everyone knew that Miss Diggory was an excellent quidditch player. She was certainly good enough to make the house team but Roger Davies insisted on an all-male team with the exception of the seeker, Cho Chang, who was very skilled. Now that many were leaving, she had another shot at making it. She practiced the same skills that Cedric helped her prefect over the years; speed, accuracy, and technique. Just as it began to get a little colder, Natalie went back inside with her nose pink and hair, wind-blow to eat dinner with her family.
During dinner, Amos spoke of the trials and tribulations over Harry Potter that had been occurring over the past 2 months. He believed that Fudge had gone mad.
"An accident? How could he possibly explain that the death of a 17 year old boy was an accident? Not just any boy, our boy? Soon, like Dumbledore said, when You-Know-Who gains more power, we're all going to be in trouble. And, it's going to be Fudge at fault for not recognizing it earlier." Amos was red in the face and at a window shattering tone when he finished. It was scary to Natalie that out of complete no where her brother had died and now You-Know-Who was suddenly coming to power. When Cedric was claimed champion for the Hogwarts school in the Triwizard Tournament she knew all the tasks were dangerous, but dangerous enough to kill? For a short amount of time Natalie had blamed Hogwarts for her brother's death. But she knew it couldn't be at Dumbledore's fault because he had explained the murder by You-Know-Who and how Cedric had been completely innocent. It hurt Natalie to think of all this. Her throat had began to tighten and her eyes got glassy. But, still she held herself back from crying. She had cried enough, she cried all holiday. She just wanted an answer; a reason.
Ch. 2: Diagon Alley
Warning: I own nothing that JK Rowling created of the Harry Potter world, I can only be credited for my own person ideas.
On the next morning, Saturday, the Diggory family took the Floo Network to Diagon Alley for a little shopping. The family stood at the start of the bright, cheery street wondering where to go first.
"Well, I suppose I'll head up to Gringotts to get some gold. And shall I meet you in the book should in about 15 minutes?" Amos suggested. His wife found that idea to be perfect.
"Come along Nat," Mrs. Diggory ushered her daughter down the street toward Flourish and Blotts. The store had a few browsing around inside and several workers were busy organizing books. The store was particularly well stocked, probably getting ready for the new term.
"Mum?" Mrs. Diggory turned her attention to her daughter. "I was wondering if I could get a book for, you know, personal reading?"
"Of course you can," she assured. The family was well-off and not very concerned with money. Usually, Amos encouraged such reading. "But give me your list, to make sure we don't miss something." Natalie handed her the list and went on browsing among the other wizards. She walked quickly to the back of the store, where the Dark Arts section was. She came to an entire section about the darkest wizard in the world, You-Know-Who. Among them many books included topics such as Harry Potter, Gridelwalkd and the Ministry of magic.
But the young Diggory searched for more than that. She looked for an answer as to why he was so cruel. What had made him so cold and evil, enough to kill so many innocent people, including her brother Cedric. Natalie failed to find anything that interested her. So she continued up and down the rows of books. She found herself in the section of Divination; a subject she wasn't too fond of. She picked up a book on death omens and help it close to her chest. She walked to the front counter where her mother and father were paying for a pile of books. Natalie handed the book to a young witch who tallied up the prices,wrapped, and bagged the books.
Over the course of the day, the Diggory family went to Madame Malkins' to fit Natalie for new robes and sew on the Ravenclaw crests. They bought new jumpers and skirts, as well as new vests and ties for Amos. Next they went to the stationers. They picked up rolls of fresh parchment, several bottles of ink and dozens of new quills.
Natalie shook her head to lunch and ice cream. She wanted to get home quickly and sort out all of her new things. She was a very organized girl and liked to get things done ahead of time. When they stepped outside of the stationer, Amos couldn't help but rush to the store next to it.
"Come on Nat! We have to go in. You can't say no to this one. There's always something new to look at." Natalie looked to her mother for guidance. Mrs. Diggory allowed her daughter and husband to have a quick peek inside Quality Quidditch Supplies. The shop was featuring a sale on loads of World Cup merchandise. Seeing as most of it never sold because of the unfortunate series of events with the Dead Eaters, the store needed to find a way to sell the inventory somehow. To support the store and Ireland, Mr. Diggory purchased two Ireland shirts for him and his daughter.
Ch. 3: To Remember Him.
On the night of August 31st, Natalie sat at the dining room table eating a slice tiramisu and a rather large scoop of vanilla-bean ice cream as dessert after the family's last dinner of the summer together. When she finished she put the dishes in the sink and began to rinse them off. When she finished she went up the stairs and into Cedric's room. The room was still in the same condition as it had been a few months ago, everything was still in its same place.
For the whole summer Natalie had been depressed by the death of her brother. The family was greatly suffering. She was obsessed over Cedric's room, his smell, his writing and his personal possessions because that was all that she had left of him. She laid down on his bed twisted up in the charcoal gray bed covers. She breathed in the warm, fresh but sweet smell of clean wood that reminded her of Cedric. After just laying down, taking everything for awhile she got and went to get what she needed.
Out of the wardrobe she took out a plain black tee-shirt to bring to school to remind her of Cedric. She wanted to keep him close at all times. She wanted to keep the memories of him, smell him and keep him for the rest of her life. The two had always been close, extremely close. Many were surprised that they were not in the same houses in school. They both looked very alike with the exception that Natalie had dark green eyes and Cedric's were gray. They were both friendly, outgoing and had similar interests like Quidditch. Sometimes they finished each others sentences, like they were the same person.
"Nat, have you finished packing yet?" Mrs. Diggory called from the living room. Natalie scampered out of Cedric's room and closed the door carefully, making sure to not many any noise. She didn't want her parents knowing that she had been spending so much time in his room.
"I'm working on it now," she called down the staircase. Natalie sauntered down the hall and into her own room, where again she closed the door softly. Natalie pulled the giant monogrammed trunk out from underneath her bed. She packed lots of muggle clothes, all her new things they had bought in Diagon Alley just a couple weeks ago, her shower case, her tan leather school bag and books, Cedric's tee-shirt, her pajamas, and all her pictures. She had just barely fit are her Potions equipment in there let alone her broomstick.
At the end of the night, almost midnight, she had finished packing. Natalie sat at her desk trying to write a letter to Harry Potter. She had only written three lines and had no idea what to say to him. She stared at the three lines. She didn't know how to write to him. He'd always been around, in her classes and at meals. They were in the same year so they knew each other, just not well.
"Dear Harry, How are you? How has your holiday been? Have you heard anything from Dumbledore? She wanted to know every detail about the night in the maze. But instead she wrote, 'have a good term' and signed it; Sincerely, Natalie Diggory.
She sent the letter off with her father's large Barn owl. Before going to bed Natalie turned off the very bright desk light, leaving the Diggory home in complete darkness. She tucked herself in to the covers, and for the first time, slept for six whole hours straight.
Ch. 4: The First of September
The morning of September 1st was cold, foggy, and rainy. The family had gotten up extremely early. Amos called a car service to take the family to Kings Cross in London. At 6 am Natalie had hauled her trunk all the way down the stairs and into the trunk before climbing into the backseat and settling down.
Hours later the can stopped at the train station. Natalie, once again, hauled her trunk out of the back and followed her conversation-consumed parents until they reached platforms nine and ten. The particular section was rather packed today. Natalie said her goodbyes to her parents; hugging and kissing them.
Natalie then sprinted through the platform while dragging her trunk along behind her. She was anxious to see Terence. It had been a long, hard summer and she hadn't been able to see him at all. The familiar scarlet engine billowed steam and looked like it was ready to leave. It was just a few minutes before 9 sharp and a crowd of students were hustling to get on the train. Natalie peeked in and out of compartments looking for her boyfriend. She had found him all the way in 4C; a compartment full of Slytherin Quidditch players. All the boys quickly came to a hush when she slid the door open.
"Hi Natalie," they almost all said simultaneously. Terence pushed his way out of the crowded compartment.
"Hey." His sweet voice rung sentimentally. He took her aristocratic chin in his hand and kissed her softly. Natalie kissed him back then pulled back and pressed her head into his shoulder.
"I missed you." Natalie felt tears well up in her eyes. Terence had obviously heard the tears at the bottom of her voice too.
"Are you okay?"
"Never better."
"Hey follow me this way," Terence pulled Natalie to the front of the train. As they walked Natalie admired his tanned neck and blonded hair.
"I saved you a compartment for when I have prefect meetings. I don't want to leave you with the guys. I'd figure you'd like something more private. This is better right?" He slid the door to a close.
"Much better," she smiled. After Terence struggled the trunks into the overhead storage he sat next to Natalie and interlaced his fingers in hers.
"I went to France this Summer. My mum's whole family lives there." As he spoke Natalie admired how Terence looked in the sunlight that streamed through the window. His peachy skin was radiant and his hair appeared to be light gold. "Spent a lot of the time not doing much; it wasn't all that fun." His eyes lingered on Natalie's face. "I bought you a present, I know you'll love it.
"I'm excited." Natalie grinned.
"I'd hope so," he grinned back "I love that smile." Terence hadn't seen her smile much at the end of term. He didn't expect her to after her brother was killed. He couldn't even imagine what it would be like to lose someone that was close to you in such a tragic way. He leaned in and kissed her softly, just once, before leaning back. "I'm so excited for this year," Terence gleamed. "it'll be good to have Quidditch back right?" Natalie's stomach churned. She was nervous for tryouts. After a whole year without much practice she was a little rusty.
"Right. The sun is nice isn't it?" She changed the subject. After a whole morning of clouds and rain it was nice to see the sun peak out, even if it was for just a few minutes. After Terence left for prefer duties Natalie dozed off in the compartment. She lay with Terence's windbreaker as a blanket and her head pressed to the window. The rhythm of the train was able to lull her into a peaceful, dreamless sleep.