A/N: Um… I have nothing to say. Enjoy!

Chapter Thirteen: On The Trail of Sirius Black

Holly couldn't concentrate for the rest of that day. All she could think about was the convict and how he'd escaped! She didn't speak for the rest of the day. The very thought of dementors helping him to escape sent shivers up her spine.

"He killed your father?" Cedric sounded surprised. Holly nodded as they continued to make their way to the Great Hall for dinner the next day.

"Pushed him down the stairs," Holly confirmed, her face inscrutable. "But they say it was an accident. He was still convicted, though. A murder is a murder…" Cedric nodded as he listened. When they entered the Hall, Holly noticed Harry was trying to keep a low profile while Hermione was smiling proudly. Frowning, she approached the table, muttering a quick 'goodbye' to Cedric who made his way over to the Hufflepuffs.

"Did something…" but she trailed off as Harry angrily shoved the Daily Prophet in her face. Holly scanned over the article and stifled a laugh. She instantly forced herself to realize the graveness of the situation.

"Oh, Harry, Hermione, I'm sorry!" she said, sincerely. "I don't believe it. I'll never believe a word she writes!"

"Nor will I," said Hermione, her smile fading. "But how did she know?!" she blurted. "About Viktor inviting me to visit him this summer? We were by the lake and she can't…" Hermione shook her head in frustration.

"Relax," Holly said, soothingly. "Both of you. Gossip is like… Like a trend. People might revel in it for a few days… But it'll die down. Soon, they'll get bored of it, then they won't care, then they won't remember. So don't worry about it." Hermione seemed slightly offended as she sat up very proudly.

"I'm not worried!" she informed Holly. "It's them! They listen to everything everyone says as if it were said by some holy priests! No matter how many times I tell them, they still care what other people think of them." Holly smiled.

"That's because they're more insecure than you are," she said, grinning at the boys who scowled right back at her. "Guys are very sensitive… They just don't like to show it. It's some macho-thing…" Holly shrugged and she and Hermione shared a laugh.

"Yeah," Hermione said, grinning as well now. "You're right. I'll remember that…" she shot Ron a deliberate look.

"WHAT?!" Ron shouted, defensively. Harry, Holly, and Hermione burst out laughing.

"Listen, Holly, we have to go," said Harry. "Sorry."

"No, it's fine!" Holly said. "You do whatever it is you two do… Preparing for the Third Task now?"

"How can I?" Harry chortled. "I've only just finished the second! I don't even know what the third one is yet!" Holly nodded.

"OK then," she said. "I'll see you later." They nodded and stood up. Holly saw something flutter to the floor from Harry's pocket. Curious, she picked it up and read over it. It seemed to be a short letter with no signature…

"Be at stile at end of road out of Hogsmeade…" she read. "(Past Durvish and Bangs) at two o'clock on Saturday afternoon. Bring as much food as you can…?" Holly was confused. Who sent this? Did Harry know who'd sent it? Was he walking into a trap?

Holly panicked. What was she going to do? Should she go to Dumbledore? She was supposed to be watching out for him, a silent guardian watching over him… whether he knew it or not. Holly suddenly knew what she had to do.

"I suppose I should follow him," she mumbled. "And make sure he doesn't get into any trouble…"

"Why are we doing this again?" asked the seventeen-year-old as the younger student led him after the three third years.

"Because you know that I am responsible for that boy. Whatever happens to him is going to be because I wasn't looking out for him," Holly replied.

"But-but-but he's my opponent!" Cedric cried. Holly looked at him, disdainfully.

"I can't believe you!" Holly hissed as they quietly followed her brother and his friends.

"It's your duty just as much as mine to look after that kid! You promised me, remember? You promised me!" Cedric nodded.

"I remember…" he said quietly, looking at his feet. "I told you I'd look after him when you couldn't, when he was doing the tasks."

"I'm glad you remember," Holly said, tonelessly. "Now come on. They're heading to the edge of the village now. I have to know what he's up to…"

As the three approached the mountain, their pursuers watched them from the shadows. Holly nearly gasped aloud at what she saw.

"Sirius…" she muttered as she saw the big black dog with the newspaper in his mouth.

"That's who they were going to meet…"

"What?!" Cedric exclaimed, loudly enough to make the three students and the dog hesitate and turn around.

"SH!" Holly hushed him hastily. "They'll hear us! Come on, we have to go. Nothing will happen while that, er, dog is with them. Hurry, before they find us!" and with that, they turned tail and ran.

Safely back in the crowded Hogsmeade, Cedric turned to Holly.

"Who did you say they were with?"

"No one," she said, offhandedly.

"Because you said Siri—"

"I was going to say Seriously, but trailed off… I couldn't believe my eyes."

"Why not?" Cedric asked.

"Because I know that dog. He was a close friend to our parents. He's a very smart dog… He's lived for ages, too," she added. Cedric seemed satisfied with this answer and Holly silently sighed with relief. Her lousy improvisation had worked. She had told Cedric everything about her that he needed to know, but she knew that if he didn't already think she was crazy, he would after she told him the truth about Sirius Black.

The days went on and on lazily. Holly leaned against the wall outside of the Charms room waiting for the Ravenclaws to emerge. They finally did and Holly was about to enter the class when Cho caught her by the arm.

"Holly," she said, "Could I talk to you for a minute?" Frowning, Holly consented.

"What is it, Cho, you sound concerned?" Cho nodded.

"I am," she said quietly, but Holly could see desperation in her eyes. "It's Cedric." Holly started and her heart leapt into her throat.

"What about Cedric?" she asked, forcing her heart back down into her chest.

"Well, I was just wondering…" Her voice was quivering. This can't be good, Holly thought.

"What is it, Cho, is something wrong with Cedric?" But Cho shut her eyes tight and shook her head. Holly realized she was trying not to cry. Cho gulped down the lump that had obviously been forming in her throat and opened her eyes, which were glistening.

"He… you two aren't, you know…" Holly gaped as she realized what this was about.

"You think he still fancies me!" she shrieked, incredulously.

"Keep it down!" Cho pleaded. Holly nodded.

"You needn't worry, Cho. There is nothing between Cedric and I."

"Nothing at all?" said Cho, hopefully. Holly shook her head. "Because he speaks of you constantly and you spend more time with him than I do! And I was just wondering if maybe…"

"No," Holly decided, emphatically, as her heart broke inside her. "There is nothing whatsoever between me and Cedric." Cho blushed.

"I'm sorry, I should have just confronted him and asked him… I should have trust him, but… But I couldn't bring myself to ask him, Holly! He'd get defensive, you know how guys are." Holly nodded.

"Yes," she said. "Yes I do." Cho smiled.

"Thanks, Holly…" As she walked away, Holly saw her paused. She turned. "And Holly?" she said.

"Hm?"

"Can I just say that… And I know this from experience… When the one you love does not love you in return, you don't just stop caring for them. That feeling… It never goes away. Not for as long as you both live." Holly's heart twisted in her chest and she felt nauseous.

"OK, Cho…" was all she could bring herself to say. As she walked into the Charms classroom, she said to herself, "I'm doomed!"

Holly moped around after that, realizing that Cedric was happy with Cho and she wasn't. She couldn't break them up, even if Cedric did still feel something for her. It wasn't right. But… No, she couldn't even think of it. It was selfish. She forced her thoughts to wonder about how Harry was doing with the Third Task now that he knew what it was…

She thought of something she had never thought of before. Bartemius Crouch. What was going on in that screwed-up little head of his…? Harry and Viktor Krum had discovered him in the woods but he had disappeared.

There was something strange going on and Holly didn't like it.

As she sat down at the table for breakfast one morning, she decided to play detective and try and figure out all the clues. She took out a parchment and wrote them down.

First clue: Voldemort wants Harry dead. (Well that was obvious, she thought.)

Second clue: Someone put Harry's name in the Goblet of Fire, possibly to try and bring him harm.

Third clue: Harry didn't put in his name, Holly was almost certain of that.

Fourth clue: The dream she had had about Voldemort and his servant. What had been going on?

Fifth clue: What in the world was going on with Barty Crouch?

Sixth clue: Holly had a bad feeling about the Third Task.

Staring at the clues she had written down, the mystery still didn't seem to make sense. Sighing and figuring she was no Sherlock Holmes, Holly crumpled up the paper and tossed it in the air and watch it burst into flames and turn to ashes.

"Miss Phillips!" Holly cringed at the sound of Snape's voice. "No magic outside the classroom! Ten points from your house!"

"I have a question if I may speak freely sir?"

"Yes?" Snape consented, but glared at her.

"Do you ever award any points to the Gryffindors?" Scowling, Snape turned his back and walked away and Holly heard him mutter:

"An additional five points for your impudent comments."