A/N-So this is a little spin-off story of my other crossover which isn't posted on this archive. If you want to have a better understanding of this story, read that one first. Still, you should be fine with just this one. It's basically a story about a young Rose who attends Hogwarts and the doomed love she and Cedric Diggory share. You probably should read the HP book to understand this or at least watch the movies. So read and review!
The Last Rose Standing
By Ginerva Weasley
Hogwarts Castle has fostered many tragic love stories with character deaths and heart wrenching breakups. It is, after all, home to over a thousand hormonal young wizards. But when Cedric Diggory and Rose Potter entered this school of magic for the first time, neither of them expected to become the most famous story of all.
When she was 11 years old, Rosemarie Lily Potter received her Hogwarts letters by personal delivery from headmaster at the time, Albus Dumbledore. Upon arrival at the castle, Rose was promptly sorted into Gryffindor house where she would soon become fast friends with the three known today as part of the Golden Quartet. Across the room, at the Hufflepuff table, sat Cedric Diggory who having already attended school for a year now, was talking with his friends, glad to be back to school at last. Hearing the loud cheers for Rose, he glanced up and caught her eye.
Rose blushed and looked down. "Who is he?" she asked a nearby Gryffindor. The girl turned to look where Rose pointed and giggled. "That's Cedric Diggory. Handsome isn't he?"
"Very," Rose agreed fervently, but the girl had turned around to talk to her own friends.
"She's hot," Cedric thought as he looked back to his friends. "Hey man, who is she?" His friend glanced up at him and where he was gesturing.
"That's Rosemarie Potter, you know, the one that defeated You-Know-Who," His friend said. Cedric sighed, and turned back to his food. It wasn't like it mattered anyway.
And so began three years of stolen glances, absent minded daydreaming, and mild obsessions with neither suspected that the other liked them back. But that all changed halfway through Rose's third year.
~THE LAST ROSE STANDING~
"A dance!" most of the classes cried out in shock.
"Yes, a dance. A masquerade ball, to be exact." Professor McGonagall said impatiently. Just seconds ago she had announced that Hogwarts would be hosting its first ever dance as an experiment to get students to overcome house rivalries and get to know each other better. She dismissed them and the students left their classes, all discussing possibilities for masks and dresses. (A/N- this is in third year)
A week later, it was time for the ball. The great hall was decorated with streamers and lights, floating objects scattered everywhere. The room seemed to give off an air of mystery. Fitting, seeing how it was a masquerade ball. But that night, as Rose entered the hall, she felt different. Nobody stared at her or her scar, nobody whispered behind her back. For one night, she was no longer Rosemarie Potter, but instead, just Rose. Regardless of all this, she still caught the eye of Cedric Diggory, who was standing in a corner waiting for his friends to return from dancing.
~THE LAST ROSE STANDING~
Cedric wished he had never let his friend drag him to this ball. It wasn't like he was going to dance with anyone. What was the point of dancing with someone it you didn't even know her name. "Chances are," he though sourly, "She'd dance with you for one night then never look your way again." And so he stayed in his corner refusing the few invitations he received to dance.
There I was again tonight
Forcing laughter faking smiles
Same old tired lonely place
He glanced up suddenly at a burst of laughter that erupted from one of the tables. Seeing nothing interesting he turned to resume watching the dancers when he caught the eye of a girl in another corner of the room. She appeared to be staring at the dancers too. With a firm resolution, Cedric pushed off the wall and walked into the crowd.
Walls of insincerity
Shifting eyes and vacancy
Vanished when I saw your face
Rose blushed and looked down as the handsome stranger made his way over to her. Shoving though the last line of people he reached his destination. Taking the hand she offered him, he brought it up to his lips and kissed it.
All I can say is it was enchanting to meet you
"Care to dance?" He asked her. Rose giggled. "Why, of course!"
Your eyes whispered have we met
Cross the room your silhouette
Starts to make its way to me
"So tell me," Cedric asked. "What's your name?"
The mystery girl smirked. "Now, if I tell you that, then what's the point of a mystery. " Normally, this behavior would have annoyed Cedric but now, it only made him more determined to find out.
"Just one hint?" he whined.
"Just one," she agreed, "you've defiantly seen me before."
"What is that supposed to mean" he asked.
"Now, what would be the fun in telling you that?" she asked. He stuck his tongue out at her and she smirked back.
The playful conversation starts
Counter all your quick remarks like
Passing notes in secrecy
"So what year are you in?" she asked.
"Fourth. You?"
"Third."
And I was enchanted to meet you
"You're a third year"
"Yes. Why, is that surprising?"
"Very," He admitted as he blushed.
Yes I was enchanted to meet you
"It's strange" he said.
Cause this night this sparkling
don't you let it go
"What?"
I'm wonderstruck
blushing all the way home
"I came here thinking that this would be the most boring night of my life, but it's turned out to be one of the best."
I'd spend forever
Wondering if you knew
"Me too."
I was enchanted to meet you
But all good things must come to an end. As Rose left to return to her common room, she reached up to whisper in her mystery man's ear.
"If you really wanted to know who I am, meet me on the astronomy tower balcony tomorrow night."
The lingering questions kept me up
Two A.M. who do you love
I wondered till I was wide awake
And so they both left, counting the seconds till they could see each other again.
And now I'm pacing back and forth
Wishing you were at my door
I'd open up and you would say
"Rosemarie Potter! Will you find it in yourself to listen to my lesson today?" Professor McGonagall commanded from across the room effectively snapping Rose out of her vivid daydream. Rose mumbled something incoherent and looked back down at the paper she had been doodling absentmindedly on. Staring back at her was a carbon copy of the mystery man's face. "Pull yourself together! You've only known him for one night and already he's the only thing on your mind," she berated herself as she began to erase.
I was enchanted to meet you
5 minutes later…
"Rosemarie!"
"Sorry."
Oh, I was enchanted to meet you
Cedric's mind was filled with doubt as he headed up the long flight of stairs. Then it struck him that this girl might be spoken for, or worse, that she would never show up.
This is me praying that
This was the very first page
Not where the story line ends
His fears were assuaged when he found the girl leaving on the balcony. Her face was turned away from him but as she turned to look at him a flash of recognition ran through him.
My thoughts will echo your name
Until I see you again
These are the words I held back
As I was leaving too soon
"Cedric? Is that you?" it seemed like an innocent question but he knew what Rose was really asking. He swallowed hard.
"Yeah," he called out, "Yeah, it's me." Rose took a couple steps towards him, then hesitated. Then her face broke out into a wide grin.
"Good," she said happily. "I've always wanted to do this" And with that, Rose leaned forward and kissed Cedric.
I was enchanted to meet you
The rumor mill went wild the next day, when Rose and Cedric were spotted kissing in the 7th floor hallway between classes. A fourth year 'puff dating a 3rd year Gryffindor was almost unheard of. Nevertheless, their relationship thrived for well over a year. Then trouble struck.
"The Hogwarts champion is Cedric Diggory!" Dumbledore announced. Loud cheers broke out across the great hall, loudest of which came from the Hufflepuff table. In fact, the applause went on for so long, it was a good while before anyone settled down enough to hear Dumbledore again.
"Excellent! Well, we now have our three champions. Remember, by cheering your champion on you will…" Dumbledore stopped speaking as the goblet of fire burst into flames for the fourth time that night. A piece of burnt paper fluttered out and into his hand. He read it then glanced up with a frown on his face.
"Rosemarie Lily Potter." The entire great hall turned to look at Rose, whose face had gone ashen.
"That's bulls**t!"
"Language, Miss Potter!" said Proffesor McGonagall reprovingly.
"I don't give a damn about the effing language, what I want to know is how the hell my name got in that goblet!"
"Perhaps the best person to ask would be yourself, Miss Potter," Snape remarked.
"if you want proof that I didn't put my name in that effing goblet that ask him!" Rose said pointing at Cedric, "I gave a huge lecture about why he shouldn't enter the tournament, which he did anyway behind my back. Which reminds me, you and I have some serious talking to do." Cedric flinched away from her glare and turned to staff table instead.
"But of course, she iz lying!" Madame Maxine burst out.
"Thiz ees not fair. Now 'ogwart's vill have two champions instead of one," Karkaroff mumbled. Rose glanced at him.
"No it won't, 'cause I'm not competing."
Then Barty Crouch stood up, "I'm afraid that Miss Potter has no choice. The goblet of fire constitutes a binding magical contract; once entered you cannot leave. She is, as of this moment, a Triwizard Champion."
So the tournament began, with Rose and Cedric passing the tasks with surprising consistency, both of them tying for first place. Then the night of the third task arrived. As the champions set out, the crowds watching them disappear into the darkness. That night, only two of champions completed the maze; only one of them made it out alive.
~THE LAST ROSE STANDING~
The dress made a swishy sound as it brushed past the stone columns. The balcony was cold and deserted but welcoming at the same time; a source of comfort she had turned away from after her fourth year. It was still the way she remembered it, only the rose trellis had overgrown the entire wall. With a wave of her wand, she slashed aside a few vines to reveal the inscription underneath. Her shaky hands traced the letter forever carved into the wood. Cedric and Rose forever-she snorted. Fate was cruel.
Rose made her way to the balcony peering over the edge. The vast expanse of darkness stretched down below her for miles. A single tear escaped her eye, falling into the blackness; she never heard it land. Her fist tightened around the stone in her hands.
"Cedric?" Rose called out. Beside her, the air solidified as a shape materialized and took form. A messy haired boy with a sad look on his face appeared. He sighed.
"Rose, you need to get rid of that stone. It's bad for you." Rose gave a laugh choked by tears.
"Since when have I ever listened to what's good for me? Anyway, I had to see you one last time. I promise I'll stop using it after this. It's just-" She said. Cedric smiled softly.
"I understand." Rose blinked back tears.
"I just needed to say sorry for what happened that night. Can you ever forgive me?" Cedric sighed, the wind sailing out his ghostly lungs in a whispering sigh.
"Listen to me. I am going to say this once and only once. What happened that night was NOT your fault. I made the decision to take that cup with you and I dealt with the consequences." He said.
"It is my fault! If I hadn't tried to be so noble and told you to take that damn cup, none of this would have happened!" Rose said vehemently.
"I don't regret what happened and neither should you." Cedric said firmly.
"But-but your dead," Rose whispered. Cedric chuckled.
"Am I now? I hadn't noticed," He stopped midway catching Rose's glare, "I mean-I would have loved to have grown up and fulfilled my dreams but it wasn't meant to be. Still, I got to see you grow up and learn to love another."
"Who doesn't love me back?" Rose added bitterly. Cedric smiled slightly, shaking his head. If only she knew. He'd always admired her stubbornness.
"You'd be surprised," He glanced around, "It's time for me to go, Rose." Rose sighed and turned to him, tears shining in her eyes. Her heart felt like it was being wrenched into two and something in her stomach twisted. Cedric's hand wiped her cheek.
"Hey, hey! No crying." His hand caught a tear, "what's this?"
"A teardrop?" Rose answered, her brow wrinkled in confusion. Cedric grinned.
"Guess again." He said. The teardrop bubbled and grew, changing shape as it went. Finally, a clear watery rose lay in the palm of his hand.
"Something to remember me by," He said as he brought his lips down to her, "I love Rosemarie. Always." He shimmered once then faded into oblivion. Rose blinked back tears, clutching the rose like a lifeline.
"Me too, Cedric. Me too." Rose whispered holding back tears as the corporeal body of Cedric Diggory faded away into the night. She brought her hand up to brush off her face then glanced at the object enclosed in her fist. The resurrection stone sparkled under the light of the stars. With one last look at where Cedric had stood, she tossed over the balcony. It hovered for a moment, then began its lengthy descent into the darkness. Rose studied the dwindling shadow of the stone then raised her wand. A jet of white light shot out of her wand and towards the shadow. She turned away from the balcony with a sigh and glared at the roses growing along the wall. They wilted under her stare. Rose groaned and collapsed on the floor her head in her hands.
The stone spun wildly off course as the spell hit it. The inside began to crumble as a large crack ran up the smooth black marble.
"Goodbye Cedric," She called out then walked over to the wisteria bench and sat down. Below her, the stone lay broken, the last of its magic dwindling away. By morning, the last remaining connection to the world of the dead would be no more.
As for Rose, she stayed on that balcony all night, remaining truly, The Last Rose Standing.
A/N-So what do you think? Please review and tell me. If you want to read another story like this, I have a full length crossover that follows a similar story arc but it was posted in the normal archives. REVIEW!