As Harry saw a flash of green light heading towards him he felt panic. An all encompassing panic. Worse than any emotion he'd felt before. There was no clarity, no peace, no I'll finally see my parents again. Just pure human instinct and the need to survive. He was helpless. There was no time to move and it was all over before Harry could even feel anything. No pain. No emotion. Just oblivion.
In the stands of the tournament Hermione lamented that the maze had really lost its luster. She was worried about Harry the whole time and that drove her to the point of why are we here again?
She felt a spike of panic as she heard a crack and saw Dumbledore standing there.
Levitating two bodies.
You could here a pin drop all the chatter had ceased. He was mobbed.
Hermione's brain kicked into overdrive. A thousand scenarios raced through her head. All getting more unbelievable as they passed through. They all seemed reasonable in the moment.
She didn't move and neither did Ron, or Neville. Someone screamed "MERLIN'S BEARD ITS HARRY POTTER AND CEDRIC DIGGORY THEY ARE DEAD"
She felt her blood run cold. She went pale. Everything froze. It wasn't her mind playing tricks on her due to shock. If things where quiet before they were soundless now. The silence was deafening.
The daily prophet read the next day: "TRIWIZARD CHAMPIONS DEAD".As if everyone didn't know already. Ginny thought. She didn't speak, she hadn't ever since that fateful day. She was one of the first to mob Dumbledore. She had seen there lifeless bodies better than anyone. She hadn't experienced death before. Her uncle died but she didn't understand death. She couldn't even remember him. Why should she miss a person she didn't know?
It was like she was put on mute. She knew what she wanted to say but just, couldn't. Like an invisible barrier between her and her words. She couldn't find it within her to care.
The next day the prophet was much more optimistic. By optimistic she meant completely terrible. It was all about how Voldemort totally wasn't back you guys I mean really why would you say that. R
Yeah, Ol' Rita had committed social suicide. Hermione looked murderous. She kept mumbling about bugs. It was weird.
Ron asked her to pass the eggs. She did. He asked her why she hadn't been speaking. She went back to the newspaper even though she had already read it. Ron looked annoyed. She didn't care.
Harry was dead. What did it matter?
Ron was angry. He was angry at Harry for dying on him. He was angry that the prophet for slandering his friend. He was angry at Dumbledore for not doing his job. He was angry at Ginny for not speaking to him.
He was angry at himself. So, so angry. He was angry at himself for being a terrible friend. For even considering he put his name in the cup. For thinking it. For acting on it. He wanted to scream and cry. He wanted to make himself hurt. He wanted to apologize a thousand times to Harry.
He had lost his chance though. He lost his chance to make it up to Harry. Now his best friend was gone and never coming back.
His brother in all but blood was dead and there was nothing he could do.
Neville wasn't prepared. He couldn't believe he had been such a bad student. He needed to make up for that immediately.
He through himself into his work. Day in day out. All in the library, when Pince kicked him out he worked on his practical.
There was no time for anything else. Harry had seen to th- Yes, no time for anything but study.
He had to be good at this. At everything, Hermione was no longer top dog. She had lost sight of what was important. She had given up. He would not make the same mistake as her. Who needed sleep? Who needed hygiene? Neville barely needed food, he would just show up at breakfast. All was well.
No he wasn't avoiding thinking about Harry why would you say that? He was just dedicated.
Hermione just felt like someone had crossed her out like a misspelled word. She felt like there was wait on her chest constantly. She didn't want to get out of bed but she forced herself to.
She went to classes. She did her homework. Her grades had dropped but they weren't bad. She couldn't find herself to go to dinner most days.
She had enough sleep yet she felt tired all the time. Maybe because most days she just wanted to go back to sleep. At least she had Crookshanks. He was nice, he cheered her up not by making her happy but by providing comfort. Crookshanks was the only one she talked to, the reason she got up instead of just going to sleep and never waking up.
She missed Harry.