Author's Note: Sorry it took me longer than a couple of weeks to post a new chapter (kelpie, I hope you're still alive!!!), things just got too crazy the last few weeks =( I mentioned in the previous chapter that this would be the finale... well I was wrong =( Considering the mood, and the length of this one (relative to the other chapters), I feel it necessary to have another chapter after this. I'm still writing that... no promises this time, I might end up breaking it again but I 'll do my best =)
THANK YOU FOR THE REVIEWS! Several of you have put in more than one, I really appreciate it.
Book 5 is finally coming out! Yipeee!!!
Disclaimer: If you haven't figured out by now that I'm not JK Rowling, you gotta get your head examined =)
On to our story...
======================================================================
The Day After
"I do not know yet what exactly happened. I am deeply sorry, Cho."
It was grief like Cho had never felt. Tears were freely flowing from her eyes. Something happened in the Triwizard tournament and Cedric was gone. She'll never ever be able to feel his hand hold hers, never have the chance to look into his eyes or hear him say her name.
Professor Flitwick stepped out and was back moments later with her friends, Pam, Jane and Crystal. He must have told them what happened, as they had tears in their eyes.
Everything seemed surreal. Cho doesn't even remember how she got back to their dormitory. All she remembered was being comforted by her friends in Professor Flitwick's office.
Cho could not sleep that night. Those nightmares, that horrible thing in the graveyard, and Cedric lifeless on the ground, were they signs, signs that she ignored?
She then remembered her last conversation with him. He told her how much he loved her. He also said he might never had the chance to tell her how he felt about her.
He was saying goodbye.
Then she realized she didn't even get to tell him how much she loved him.
--------------------------------------------
"Is she alright?"
"How is she doing?"
Cho overheard fellow Ravenclaw students said in hushed voices that morning in the common room as she walked by. There was just so much on her mind she can't even be bothered by it. How she felt guilty ignoring the omens she had seen. How she didn't even tell him how she feels about him. She had spent all night crying.
"Keep quiet, Mark," she heard Pam say in a low voice. "It's bad enough she had to go through this, but with you guys acting weird around her..."
"I'm sorry, I just wanted to know how Cho is. Professor Sprout wanted her in her office, you think she's up to it?"
Mark then noticed Cho had heard him say her name. "Oh, hi Cho," he replied hesitantly. "Er -- Professor Sprout was looking for you."
"Cedric's mom and dad are in her office waiting for you."
"We'll walk you there," Crystal offered.
"Thanks, but don't worry about me." She then turned and climbed out of the portrait hole.
------------------------------------------
Cho fought hard to keep her tears from welling up her eyes as she headed towards Professor Sprout's office. This was only the second time she would be meeting Cedric's parents, and the first time after his death.
She saw Harry stepping out of Professor Sprout's office.
Harry was with Cedric when he died, she heard. She wondered how he was doing now. He must be going through a lot, witnessing how a friend of his died. Cho watched Harry as he walked away towards the stairwell leading to the Gryffindor common room before going to Professor Sprout's office.
Ony Cedric's parents were in the office; their Herbology professor wasn't there. His mother cried as she hugged Cho. His father was standing close by, looking very weary. Cho now let go of the tears she was trying to hold back.
It was some time before anybody said a word.
"Cho," Mrs. Diggory said in between sobs, "we just want to thank you for making Cedric's last days wonderful. He was never happier."
If there was anything harder than her losing Cedric, it was seeing how his parents struggled with losing their son. Both his parents looked like they have been crying for days.
"It is hard to accept what happened to our son, but we'll live through this."
Nobody had told her exactly what had happened to Cedric. She had the urge to ask Cedric's parents what really happened but decided against it. It would be insensitive to ask such questions as this time. She bade them good-bye and said she would be at his funeral, the day after they leave Hogwarts.
She left Professor Sprout's office realizing she had so many questions unanswered. How did it all happen? How did Cedric die? Why did he have to die?
She saw Professor Dumbledore at the other end of the hall on his way to his office. She hurried towards him.
"Professor Dumbledore!" she called out. "I would like to speak with you - er - that is, if you have some time to spare."
Cho was surprised with herself, how had she plucked up the courage to speak to the Headmaster. She knew he was kind but had never talked to him.
Professor Dumbledore didn't seem surprised. "I was thinking when it would be a good time to speak with you, Cho."
She was more surprised that Dumbledore knew her name.
"I guess today is as good as any. Follow me to my office."
She had seen the other professors' offices but none were like Professor Dumbledore's. I was a circular room but aside from books on the shelves, there were quite a number of interesting silver gadgets on one side. On the other was a beautiful bird with red and gold plumage. This must be his pet phoenix.
"I want to know what really happened to Cedric." Cho said when they were finally seated.
"Cedric was killed by Voldemort."
Cho was taken aback. He-who-must-not-be-named had something to do with Cedric's death? She had heard the rumors floating around in school but would not believe any of them. It just seemed so unlikely. Didn't he die thirteen years ago?
"This may come as a surprise to you. Nobody thought Voldemort would be capable of coming back after all these years."
"But why would - er - why would he kill Cedric?" Cho had almost mentioned the name. Being muggle-born, she knew nothing of the horrors caused by the Dark Lord years ago but her five years in Hogwarts had taught her not to say the name. People around her shudder at the mere mention of it. Professor Dumbledore must be the only wizard she had heard say his name without fear.
"He just happened to be in his way."
Professor Dumbledore then told her of the plot to take Harry to help Voldemort rise again, how a Death Eater had somehow turned the triwizard cup into a port key and had meant to take only Harry to the Dark Lord. Cedric happened to touch the cup the same moment Harry did. Voldermort had no use for him and had him killed. He had planned to kill Harry too but he managed to escape.
This Death Eater who had been helping Voldemort had did it in the guise of helping Harry win the tournament, so he would be the first to touch the cup and be transported to Voldemort.
"Cedric just happen to reach the cup the same time Harry did. Maybe if he hadn't tied with Harry for first place, he might not have made it to the cup, if I had not helped him..." Cho's voice trailed off, too distraught to even cry. If she hadn't helped him in the second task...
"There's no guarantee things would have been different if you had not helped him," Professor Dumbledore said. "Cedric's a bright young man, you know that. He would have done well on the tournament on his own."
"None of us knew things would turn out this way."
"I knew..."
Professor Dumbledore looked at her, quite startled.
"I had nightmares, Cedric was lying on the ground. Then there was one in a graveyard... I saw something... it was horrible... that graveyard, it was the same graveyard where Cedric was... I had seen omens but I ignored them..."
The Headmaster was now seated next to her, consoling her as she sobbed uncontrollably.
"You had seen things in your dreams?"
Cho nodded. "Then during the third task," she said as she tried to stifle her cries. "I saw green light flash, and then Cedric was on the ground. It all happened real fast, in a blink of an eye..."
"So, you have a gift. It's something not all wizards possess."
"But I did not use it. I don't want this gift; I don't know how to use it. I never believed in this sort of things; I never believed in seers..."
"Funny thing though, I heard you were taking Divination."
Cho was surprised the Headmaster knew this. She had taken Divination only because she didn't know what classes to take. And Professor Trelawney never told her she had such gift. She usually tells her students if she saw potential in them.
"I would not blame you if you decide not to pursue this talent. Seeing signs can be a burden, much more is interpreting what is to happen."
It was as if the Headmaster knew what was going on inside her head.
Professor Dumbledore now looked at her thoughtfully. "Remember, Cho, the stars don't give our destiny. Neither do crystal balls nor teacups. It is our choices that make our destiny."
"But Cedric didn't do anything to deserve this, didn't he?"
"Ah, my child, there are things none of us can explain. He certainly did nothing to warrant his death."
"Now," he continued, "I must tell you, not everyone in our world believes what I told you about Cedric's death is true. The Minister himself deems it preposterous to even think Voldemort has risen."
Cho cannot believe her ears. "Cedric died so senselessly. What did they think happened, it was all just an accident?"
"Unfortunately, they do not believe Harry's account of what happened, and the Minister had disposed of the Death Eater who had helped Voldemort to rise."
"He was there with him! Why wouldn't they believe him?" Cho was now furious. Is Cedric's death not enough evidence?
"Alas, we cannot make people believe what they do not want to believe."
================================
Author's Note: Not my favorite, but I do hope you like it. I'm really not much when it comes to writing about grief or angst. Actually, this is the first time I attempted to write anything sad. I'm always about the happy stuff =)
Anyway, it's almost two am. it's past my bedtime, got to go... and once again, thanks for reading!
THANK YOU FOR THE REVIEWS! Several of you have put in more than one, I really appreciate it.
Book 5 is finally coming out! Yipeee!!!
Disclaimer: If you haven't figured out by now that I'm not JK Rowling, you gotta get your head examined =)
On to our story...
======================================================================
The Day After
"I do not know yet what exactly happened. I am deeply sorry, Cho."
It was grief like Cho had never felt. Tears were freely flowing from her eyes. Something happened in the Triwizard tournament and Cedric was gone. She'll never ever be able to feel his hand hold hers, never have the chance to look into his eyes or hear him say her name.
Professor Flitwick stepped out and was back moments later with her friends, Pam, Jane and Crystal. He must have told them what happened, as they had tears in their eyes.
Everything seemed surreal. Cho doesn't even remember how she got back to their dormitory. All she remembered was being comforted by her friends in Professor Flitwick's office.
Cho could not sleep that night. Those nightmares, that horrible thing in the graveyard, and Cedric lifeless on the ground, were they signs, signs that she ignored?
She then remembered her last conversation with him. He told her how much he loved her. He also said he might never had the chance to tell her how he felt about her.
He was saying goodbye.
Then she realized she didn't even get to tell him how much she loved him.
--------------------------------------------
"Is she alright?"
"How is she doing?"
Cho overheard fellow Ravenclaw students said in hushed voices that morning in the common room as she walked by. There was just so much on her mind she can't even be bothered by it. How she felt guilty ignoring the omens she had seen. How she didn't even tell him how she feels about him. She had spent all night crying.
"Keep quiet, Mark," she heard Pam say in a low voice. "It's bad enough she had to go through this, but with you guys acting weird around her..."
"I'm sorry, I just wanted to know how Cho is. Professor Sprout wanted her in her office, you think she's up to it?"
Mark then noticed Cho had heard him say her name. "Oh, hi Cho," he replied hesitantly. "Er -- Professor Sprout was looking for you."
"Cedric's mom and dad are in her office waiting for you."
"We'll walk you there," Crystal offered.
"Thanks, but don't worry about me." She then turned and climbed out of the portrait hole.
------------------------------------------
Cho fought hard to keep her tears from welling up her eyes as she headed towards Professor Sprout's office. This was only the second time she would be meeting Cedric's parents, and the first time after his death.
She saw Harry stepping out of Professor Sprout's office.
Harry was with Cedric when he died, she heard. She wondered how he was doing now. He must be going through a lot, witnessing how a friend of his died. Cho watched Harry as he walked away towards the stairwell leading to the Gryffindor common room before going to Professor Sprout's office.
Ony Cedric's parents were in the office; their Herbology professor wasn't there. His mother cried as she hugged Cho. His father was standing close by, looking very weary. Cho now let go of the tears she was trying to hold back.
It was some time before anybody said a word.
"Cho," Mrs. Diggory said in between sobs, "we just want to thank you for making Cedric's last days wonderful. He was never happier."
If there was anything harder than her losing Cedric, it was seeing how his parents struggled with losing their son. Both his parents looked like they have been crying for days.
"It is hard to accept what happened to our son, but we'll live through this."
Nobody had told her exactly what had happened to Cedric. She had the urge to ask Cedric's parents what really happened but decided against it. It would be insensitive to ask such questions as this time. She bade them good-bye and said she would be at his funeral, the day after they leave Hogwarts.
She left Professor Sprout's office realizing she had so many questions unanswered. How did it all happen? How did Cedric die? Why did he have to die?
She saw Professor Dumbledore at the other end of the hall on his way to his office. She hurried towards him.
"Professor Dumbledore!" she called out. "I would like to speak with you - er - that is, if you have some time to spare."
Cho was surprised with herself, how had she plucked up the courage to speak to the Headmaster. She knew he was kind but had never talked to him.
Professor Dumbledore didn't seem surprised. "I was thinking when it would be a good time to speak with you, Cho."
She was more surprised that Dumbledore knew her name.
"I guess today is as good as any. Follow me to my office."
She had seen the other professors' offices but none were like Professor Dumbledore's. I was a circular room but aside from books on the shelves, there were quite a number of interesting silver gadgets on one side. On the other was a beautiful bird with red and gold plumage. This must be his pet phoenix.
"I want to know what really happened to Cedric." Cho said when they were finally seated.
"Cedric was killed by Voldemort."
Cho was taken aback. He-who-must-not-be-named had something to do with Cedric's death? She had heard the rumors floating around in school but would not believe any of them. It just seemed so unlikely. Didn't he die thirteen years ago?
"This may come as a surprise to you. Nobody thought Voldemort would be capable of coming back after all these years."
"But why would - er - why would he kill Cedric?" Cho had almost mentioned the name. Being muggle-born, she knew nothing of the horrors caused by the Dark Lord years ago but her five years in Hogwarts had taught her not to say the name. People around her shudder at the mere mention of it. Professor Dumbledore must be the only wizard she had heard say his name without fear.
"He just happened to be in his way."
Professor Dumbledore then told her of the plot to take Harry to help Voldemort rise again, how a Death Eater had somehow turned the triwizard cup into a port key and had meant to take only Harry to the Dark Lord. Cedric happened to touch the cup the same moment Harry did. Voldermort had no use for him and had him killed. He had planned to kill Harry too but he managed to escape.
This Death Eater who had been helping Voldemort had did it in the guise of helping Harry win the tournament, so he would be the first to touch the cup and be transported to Voldemort.
"Cedric just happen to reach the cup the same time Harry did. Maybe if he hadn't tied with Harry for first place, he might not have made it to the cup, if I had not helped him..." Cho's voice trailed off, too distraught to even cry. If she hadn't helped him in the second task...
"There's no guarantee things would have been different if you had not helped him," Professor Dumbledore said. "Cedric's a bright young man, you know that. He would have done well on the tournament on his own."
"None of us knew things would turn out this way."
"I knew..."
Professor Dumbledore looked at her, quite startled.
"I had nightmares, Cedric was lying on the ground. Then there was one in a graveyard... I saw something... it was horrible... that graveyard, it was the same graveyard where Cedric was... I had seen omens but I ignored them..."
The Headmaster was now seated next to her, consoling her as she sobbed uncontrollably.
"You had seen things in your dreams?"
Cho nodded. "Then during the third task," she said as she tried to stifle her cries. "I saw green light flash, and then Cedric was on the ground. It all happened real fast, in a blink of an eye..."
"So, you have a gift. It's something not all wizards possess."
"But I did not use it. I don't want this gift; I don't know how to use it. I never believed in this sort of things; I never believed in seers..."
"Funny thing though, I heard you were taking Divination."
Cho was surprised the Headmaster knew this. She had taken Divination only because she didn't know what classes to take. And Professor Trelawney never told her she had such gift. She usually tells her students if she saw potential in them.
"I would not blame you if you decide not to pursue this talent. Seeing signs can be a burden, much more is interpreting what is to happen."
It was as if the Headmaster knew what was going on inside her head.
Professor Dumbledore now looked at her thoughtfully. "Remember, Cho, the stars don't give our destiny. Neither do crystal balls nor teacups. It is our choices that make our destiny."
"But Cedric didn't do anything to deserve this, didn't he?"
"Ah, my child, there are things none of us can explain. He certainly did nothing to warrant his death."
"Now," he continued, "I must tell you, not everyone in our world believes what I told you about Cedric's death is true. The Minister himself deems it preposterous to even think Voldemort has risen."
Cho cannot believe her ears. "Cedric died so senselessly. What did they think happened, it was all just an accident?"
"Unfortunately, they do not believe Harry's account of what happened, and the Minister had disposed of the Death Eater who had helped Voldemort to rise."
"He was there with him! Why wouldn't they believe him?" Cho was now furious. Is Cedric's death not enough evidence?
"Alas, we cannot make people believe what they do not want to believe."
================================
Author's Note: Not my favorite, but I do hope you like it. I'm really not much when it comes to writing about grief or angst. Actually, this is the first time I attempted to write anything sad. I'm always about the happy stuff =)
Anyway, it's almost two am. it's past my bedtime, got to go... and once again, thanks for reading!