Disclaimer: I don't own Cedric Diggory or any of the other things that occur canonically in this story. Yet, I will confess that I do own Promise and Sam and (new character!) Olivia!

Chapter 6
Hallway Patrol

Something nudged Cedric towards a tune. His foot began to jiggle in time to the music, and he felt humming escape his overpowered lips.

The throb of the instruments pulsed around him, bringing up lights slowly on a black background, more and more light until there they stood: The Weird Sisters. On a stage, in concert. To Cedric's left stood Promise, who seemed to indicate something behind him. Interest peeked, he turned around to face… Sam. Sam standing there, smiling, blushing slightly, her flowing deep periwinkle dress robes dripping over her body like cool water falling gracefully over a cliff edge and into a waterfall.

Cedric looked down at his figure and the deep green dress robes he had picked out to match her eyes. He would dance with her. He wouldn't ever stop, not for anything. The blackness around him came into focus, bringing to life a grandiose ballroom, lined with people four deep on the walls, all looking at them proudly. His dress shoes clicked along the marble floor in time with hers as he put his arm on the small of her back, escorting her to the center of the ballroom floor.

They stopped in unison, as Cedric moved his hand slightly along her hip, placing it there, almost uncomfortably. Her hand trailed up his arm and slid gracefully to rest on his shoulder. She looked into his eyes as they brought their other hand together and held them there, palms and fingers aligned, before sliding gently into a slight clasp.

"You ready?" Cedric asked.

"Do you have to ask?" Sam replied.

Cedric led her to the left first, waltzing in time with her as the people looked on. He couldn't take his eyes off her. She seemed to be there completely, so beautiful, so perfect, so whole. He would have kissed her. He really would have, but the thought of kissing something so pure… Something he wanted so much…

"You can, you know," Sam smiled, shrugging her shoulders, never taking her eyes off of his. She moved her hand that had clasped his around and to his shoulder. He took his free hand and placed it on her hip. They met their gaze for an eternity, then, slowly, ever so slowly, he moved in. His nose met hers. Eyes closed.

"I love you," He whispered, so softly he feared she would not hear it.

"I love you too," Came the graceful breath of life emanating from her lips.

He pulled her in closer, and she didn't resist. Their lips met, but they stayed there for several seconds, neither kissing the other. They had waited so long. They had wanted it to count. They had wanted it to last.

At long last, their lips kissed. They felt it. The brilliant warmth they had waited for for so long. Sunlight streamed in and his skin turned warm, but he knew that it wasn't because of the sun. He kept his lips locked in their kiss. They didn't let go. They kept on kissing, like they could forever and ever and ever…

At long last, he pulled back, eyes still closed. "Wow," he whispered.

"Are you done yet?" Promise asked.

"What are you talking about?" Cedric asked, not opening his eyes.

"I mean, are you done with the suck face session you and Sam are having in that fantasy land dream of yours?" Promise said, annoyed.

"Can't I dream in peace?" Cedric asked. "How'd you get in here anyways?"

"Are you kidding? I walked in," Promise shrugged, turning up the Weird Sisters on her Wizarding Wireless.

"What are you talking about?" Cedric asked, still not opening his eyes. "We've been at school for a long time. Days I'm sure. Haven't we?"

"Well, yes," Promise reflected, rubbing her chin, unbeknownst to him. "Wait, who am I kidding? No. We're not at school. We have another few days before we get there."

"Then where are we?" Cedric asked, rubbing his eyes vigorously before opening them.

"You tell me," Promise shrugged. "It's your house."

Cedric froze. "What do you mean?"

"It's your house. I have no idea where the heck it is. It's not like I have a floo network map. Actually, yes I do, but that's not the point. The point is I have no idea where 'here' actually is except that we are in your house, which is a place I never thought I'd be. So, you tell me."

"How did you get here?" Cedric asked, still afraid to open his eyes.

"Floo Powder," Promise yawned. "Had to wake up especially early to do it too."

"And why are you here?" Cedric asked again, tentatively opening one eye, only to find it blocked by his own hand, which he still refused to move.

"That's a very good question," Promise turned up the Wizarding Wireless again, continuing the song that had brought about Cedric's reverie.

"Seriously, Promise," Cedric cracked open the fingers blocking his eyes a tiny bit, but still not quite enough to see the room. "What are you doing here? We went shopping yesterday. You left the Leaky Cauldron before me. I watched you go home."

"And what a glorious day that was," Promise sighed. "I will actually have you know that's the reason I'm here. I wouldn't be here today if we hadn't shopped yesterday."

"Please don't tell me that you stole something," Cedric begged.

"Ok," Promise added. "I won't tell you."

Cedric snapped the hand off his face, glaring at Promise and her tied back hair.

"I'm kidding," she gave him a very unimpressed smile, as though he should have known her better than that. "But at least I got you awake. You've been asleep until now, and now is the time that you have to wake up."

"Why are you here?" Cedric asked.

"I'm sorry," Promise said feigning offense. "Did I do something wrong? I could leave. It's not like I spent all night packing and woke up especially early so that I could floo powder my way over here especially for you. Actually," She paused and looked upwards. "No, that's exactly what I did. Don't mind me. I'm just rambling."

"I'm not complaining," Cedric huffed. "I just think it's weird seeing you here of all places, and now of all times. Don't you have better places to be?"

"Actually," Promise scratched her chin again. "If I didn't like you so much I probably wouldn't be here right now. If your mother didn't work in Flourish and Blott's I probably wouldn't be here either. That, and other things…" her voice trailed off.

"What do you mean?" Cedric reflected back to Promise talking with his mother the previous day.

"I'm with you here for the rest of the summer," Promise shrugged. "I couldn't stand my house at all. It annoyed me to no end. I asked your mother yesterday if I could come and live with you here for the remaining week of summer."

"That is so cool," Cedric kicked off his covers and gave Promise a big hug.

"You won't think so in a few days," Promise hugged him back. "You'll be begging to spend more time with Sam. Oh wait, that's every minute of every day isn't it?"

Cedric sneered at her. "How did you get out of your parents' house anyways?"

"I walked out," Promise shrugged. "But can we talk about this later? It's just too fresh right now for me to talk about just yet."

So they didn't.

The next few days flew past quickly. They tested each other in their subjects and discussed Sam among other things, but spent most of the time, however, reading the different novels Cedric's mother managed to procure from Flourish and Blott's. Every month at Hogwarts, Cedric received a box of books from Flourish and Blott's. Most of them he read when he actually managed to finish his homework and the ones he knew he wouldn't get to, particularly the ones that didn't interest him, he gave away. To make things even better, because Cedric's father brought in enough to support their family, Cedric's mother could spend most of her paycheck on extra books and things for the house.

The book his mother happened to pick up this week (she received them on a weekly basis but sent them once a month to save their owl from an untimely death) was a book entitled Zephram's Muggle Transformation by Jeanine Gildenheim. It centered on a boy name Zephram who traveled into the Muggle world to live for as long as he could without the use of magic. Cedric's mother told him that Gildenheim had actually lived that way until the ripe age of thirty and returned to the wizarding world to show just how "the other half" lived.

Cedric's mother gave Promise a novel entitled Peculiarities, Personalities, and Pectorals. Cedric attempted on numerous occasions to ask Promise what the seven hundred page book could possibly be about, but she merely told him it was a "girly novel that even pretty boys wouldn't like."

At long last, the rain dragged about a new gloom in Cedric on the day the Hogwarts Express pulled out of King's Cross station. This year, Cedric and Promise were actually allowed to travel to the train by themselves, much to Cedric's mother's dismay.

"I couldn't get time off work," she told them. "And you're father's been called in early as with all the mayhem at the ministry recently. I wish I could take you though."

"Saying goodbye from here is no different from there, mom," Cedric attempted to comfort her. "The only difference is you'll be waving goodbye to us as you apparate out and not as we round the corner out of King's Cross."

"I suppose you're right," Cedric's mother looked gloomy like the weather. "But I still think that I should come."

"And I never said you shouldn't," Cedric urged as Promise bounced her trunk down the stairs creating a very loud banging and clattering as it hit each step with a crash. "It's really not a necessity, mom. It's nice if you're there, but not necessary."

"Trust me Mrs. Diggory," Promise soothing her by placing a hand on her shoulder. "We'll be just fine."

"Promise," Mrs. Diggory smiled at her, as a mother smiles upon a daughter to whom she is imparting wisdom. "When you're a mother, know that you'll worry incessantly over your children, even though there is no rational explanation for why the worry is there."

"Perhaps," Promise dropped her trunk and pulled Mrs. Diggory into a tight embrace. "Thank you for everything. It means a whole lot."

"Any time, dear," Cedric's mother patted Promise on the back. "I just wish Amos was here. It's such a terrible ordeal. I know he would've so wanted to see you off."

"Mom," Cedric urged. "Much as I don't want to see you leave," Cedric's mother gave him an evil glare. "And I don't," he added pointedly. "You're going to be late for work. We need to leave within the next twenty minutes, but you don't have that kinda time."

"I know," Cedric's mother glanced at her watch frantically. "But it's so difficult to say good bye."

"It's never good bye mom," Cedric hugged her and planted a kiss on her cheek. "It's always until next time."

"Then until next time," Cedric's mother smiled weakly. "Have a good time at school! Write often. You too, Promise dear! You're really family now."

"Wait," Promise rolled her eyes. "Does that mean this pushover's my brother?"

"Pushover?" Cedric asked.

"See what I mean?"

Cedric's mother laughed. "He's whatever you want him to be. I'll see you over Winter Holiday," She paused. "Actually, you'll probably want to stay over the holiday."

"Why?" Cedric exchanged glances with Promise.

"You'll find out," Cedric's mother smiled. "Don't forget the sandwiches I made you! Until next time!" And with a slight pop, she vanished.

"I love your mother," Promise sighed.

"Don't we all?" Cedric looked at the spot she vanished from.

"Yeah. You ready?"

"Waiting on youm, slowpoke."

"Ok," Promise looked at him and smiled. "When I say I need five minutes, it means I need five minutes, not five minutes after the next time you ask me."

"So… do you need five minutes?"

Promise punched his arm playfully. "After you."

Cedric nodded and walked over to the cookie jar and pulled out the last two remaining handfuls of floo powder they had. He grabbed the two sandwiches from the counter before he returned to the fire.

"How do we light the fire?" Cedric asked, the thought occurring to him as Promise stared at the empty fire pit.

"Hm- what?" Promise stared back at him questioningly.

"Fire?" Cedric said very slowly, putting the sandwiches in their respective trunks. "Big hot thing that's really bright and makes pretty, indefinable shapes."

"Glad you asked that," Promise responded. "I actually," She unlatched her trunk. "Just happen to keep a spare jar in my trunk. Responds to air, actually."

"And what if it pops open?" Cedric asked, rather frightened of the empty jar she held in her hands.

"It won't. It's a magic quick fix I found last year at Hogsmeade. You remember? It was that one you couldn't go to because you had a Quidditch practice? I bought four and they've lasted me until now. This is the last one, so I just need to buy more next time we are in Hogsmeade. Be careful though, it happens really fast."

Promise unfastened the tight latch, keeping the jar closed. She pointed it at the fireplace and opened the jar, sending a small, fast line of swirling fire towards the fireplace and igniting the logs in the center.

"I need one of those," Cedric smiled, possibilities flying through his mind.

"No you don't," Promise rolled her eyes and threw out the now empty jar. "You're a wizard, remember? You can conjure up fire at any time. This thing's just nice for when I can't do magic."

"I thought you always did magic."

"No, that was at the Quidditch World Cup where I couldn't get caught," Promise pulled the first of the two handfuls of floo powder from Cedric's bag. "When I'm here, the Ministry can figure out exactly if I'm using magic. Can't you keep tabs on me at all?"

"Haven't we already had this conversation?"

Promise squealed as she loaded her trunk into the fireplace. "You do care!" She jumped in and turned around. "King's Cross Station!"

She disappeared. Cedric sighed and laughed freely at the humor Promise laced with every word. He threw his powder into the fire, crumpled the bag and tossed it on the kitchen table. He moved his trunk and Dani's cage into the fire before shouting "King's Cross Station!"

Within a few seconds, Cedric fell out of the fireplace in King's Cross station, aided by an aid, who took Cedric's trunk and cage out, dusting them off. "Morning," The attendant beamed at Cedric and a curious Promise. "You two arrived early."

"What can we say?" Promise shrugged, dusting the ask off her shoulders. "I like to make sure he's never late. It's a gift."

The man laughed and walked over to open the door, leading out to the main station of King's Cross. Cedric led the way down the remaining three platforms left in their trip to reach platforms nine and ten. Promise and Cedric glanced both ways before casually leaning into the barrier and falling through it and onto the empty Platform Nine and Three quarters.

Cedric looked around at the mostly empty platform. He enjoyed the silence this early before the train departed. His eyes eventually fell on Promise, who gazed longingly at the train.

"That large red train that I only see a few times a year brings either extreme excitement, or extreme depression. It's funny how things can do that."

"Which one is it this time?" Cedric asked.

"Are you stupid?" Promise laughed as she hugged him.

"How long until we leave?" Cedric asked, pinning his Prefect badge to his chest.

"Can't you just revel in the big red choo-choo train? And if you can't revel then let me revel. Go get a watch."

"I have a watch…"

"Then why don't you check it?"

"Cuz I like ticking you off."

Promise snarled at him. She picked up her trunk and moved towards the train. Cedric looked at his watch. Twenty minutes until the train pulled out of the station. That left more than enough time for them to find a compartment, stow their stuff, and get dressed to set the role model for the rest of the students.

Cedric followed Promise to the relatively deserted train, where they found an unoccupied compartment and set their bags in it. They pulled out a set of robes, shut the blinds, and took turns keeping watch at the door while the other changed. When they had finished, they headed down the hall and walked into the Prefect car, which was already occupied by four people.

Two stood near the front, conversing rapidly in low undertones, but the two girls closest to the door were deep in conversation even after Cedric and Promise's entrance. It was only after a quick cough from Promise that the two turned their focus and heads to Promise and Cedric.

"Cedric!" Sam cried as she stood up and gave Cedric a large hug. "And Promise! How's life? I love it, myself! We're going back to Hogwarts! What could be better? My parents carpooled with my friend Olivia here. I believe you've met her before."

"I know Cedric has," Promise smiled. Cedric dreaded what Promise would say next based purely on her facial expression. "Unless he doesn't care about fellow Hufflepuff Quidditch players."

"Thanks Promise," Cedric closed his eyes and pursed his lips. "I needed that. I am so humbled from that display of truth. Olivia Histing, will you ever forgive me?"

"I'll try," smiled the short cut, blonde haired Olivia, standing up. "I was just discussing your exploits at the Quidditch World Cup with Sam here."

Promise smiled. "That was really fun. Did you go?"

"Yes, but I had horrible seats."

"How horrible?" Promise asked.

"Ireland goal posts. About four rows up."

Sam, Cedric, and Promise all flinched slightly.

"Honey," Promise smiled at her. "You should've talked to me. My dad works in the Department of Magical Games and Sports."

"I didn't know you," Olivia shrugged. "Besides, you think I'd actually talk to the Promise Ledger? Are you kidding? I'm not as secure as Sam here."

"You know," Promise turned to Cedric. "If I didn't know any better I'd think that we were complete demigods."

"Just don't let it go to your head," Cedric said, as though it were the hundredth time he'd said it. "Do you two have a compartment?"

"Not really," Sam shrugged. "I just set my stuff down here because I'll be sitting here. Olivia won't be able to, though."

"Only one of the fifth year Hufflepuff girls could make Prefect," Olivia shrugged. "Looks like I got outdone by Sam again."

"You can still fly circles around me," Sam looked at her, jealous.

"We have a compartment about a car down the way," Promise added. "We can take you there and show you where we'll hang out after hall monitor duty. You can't honestly think we'd like to be stuck in a room with all these brown-nosing suck ups for a whole day, can you?. Cedric is more than enough of a brown-nosing suck up for anyone."

"Oh," Olivia's face dropped. "Does that mean I'll be sitting there for what could be hours by myself?"

"We'll stop in often," Cedric grinned weakly. "Promise."

"Huh?" Promise asked, trying to make them believe she didn't acknowledge anything except for her name's reiteration.

"That's starting to get old," Sam looked at her.

"Only if you think it is," Promise smiled. "And Olivia, I have this book you can read. It's really funny."

"Really? What's it called?"

"Peculiarities, Personalities, and Pectorals," Promise replied.

"Oh my goodness!" Sam exclaimed as she picked up her trunk. "Wizardess magazine gave that book a really fantastic review. Is it any good?"

"I laughed, but I told Cedric he wouldn't like it," Promise chuckled.

"I heard they sold out of it everywhere," Olivia picked up her suitcase as Cedric led the way down the train. "But I also heard it was good. I'm not sure if I'd like it, though. I heard it was really girly."

"It is," Promise stated. "And I'm not one for girly books, but my goodness hilarious."

"How'd you get it?" Sam asked following them while carrying her bag, still amazed that Promise managed to obtain the best-selling novel.

"Cedric's mom," Promise smiled.

"Oh, right," Sam nodded as they reached the compartment.

"How?" Olivia sidled through the door and placed her trunk on the luggage rack with Cedric's help.

"My mom works at Flourish and Blott's," Cedric explained. "But right now we need to just hang out here until we leave. Most of the people should be coming in now."

He pulled up the blinds, revealing the mass of students who conversed and socialized outside the train as though just appearing for the first time.

"This place always fills up so fast," Promise sighed.

"Which means we'll need to get seats in the Prefect car soon," Cedric chimed in.

"It fills up fast?" Sam inquired.

"You think it's bad out here?" Promise scoffed. "Most people here don't care where they sit on the train. Prefects are the worst."

"You're a Prefect," Sam looked at her, confused.

"I know," Promise said, beginning to walk down the length of the car.

"I guess I'll just stay here then?" Olivia asked.

"Of course," Promise smiled encouragingly. "And it's only for the first hour or so. One of us will be back as soon as we possibly can. Read the book," she winked at Olivia.

"I'll do my best," Olivia threw up a fake salute as the three left the compartment.

"I feel kind of guilty leaving her there," Sam looked back wistfully as she sidled past a small group of timid first years moving in a daze through the narrow corridor.

"She'll be fine," Promise waved her off.

"I know," Sam replied. "But she'll be bored. I know she will."

"We all get bored," Cedric smiled. "It's how life works." He pushed the door open upon the now nearly full prefect car. "It's really funny how five minutes changes the status quo of everything."

"Isn't it though?" Promise asked. "Let's take these seats."

"I wasn't talking about the seats," Cedric's voice trailed off.

"Huh?" Sam asked.

"I've never really talked to Olivia outside of the Quidditch setting," Cedric said to Sam. "Now there's you and it changes everything."

"I'm sure that's not the only thing you love about her being here," Promise murmured softly in his ear.

They chose an entire row for their seats. Promise, as though once again she had planned it, seemed to make sure it was located towards the back. The three sat quietly, bored, and felt the lurch of the train after several minutes. People continued to talk until the new Head Boy, seventh year Ravenclaw Calvin Parker attempted to call order. It was only with the help of the very attractive seventh year Gryffindor Kaylee Walton that the Prefect car finally calmed to order.

"Now," Parker began. "I know how much you don't want to be here. Goodness knows I didn't want to when I was a Prefect, but the heads of houses and schools say we have to, so we have to. Basically, it's the same routine as always: get passwords and review any new school rules. Yeah, most of the rules stay the same, but with the advent of the Ministry's special event we will be adding a few newer ones."

A murmur flooded through the car. Promise, Cedric, and Sam all exchanged concerned glances. Cedric vaguely remembered his mother mentioning a special occasion that would make them not want to take holiday over Christmas, but he couldn't imagine what it could be. His curiosity peaked; he decided to listen intently at their news in an effort to see if they would reveal any news on this special event.

"So let's get down to business. I want all houses to divide into groups and decide on a new password for your houses. Report back to me and we can then have you sign up for the patrol schedule. Remember, you will be paired with the Prefect of the same house and year for your patrol."

The Prefects all began to stand up and several even made a mad dash towards the sign up schedule in Parker's hands.

"Ok," Kaylee Walton stood between the Prefects and Calvin Parker. "You heard the man, you need to design a house password before sign ups."

A mutual grumbling passed through the train. Cedric, Promise, Sam, and the other fellow Hufflepuff Prefects had already begun their choice of password. After several minutes, they agreed on the word Fruit-bat, wrote it down, and handed it to the Head Boy and Girl.

"Fruit bat?" Kaylee murmured. "I like it."

"We wanted to make it Pectorals," Promise glared at Cedric and the other Prefect boys. "But some of us wouldn't stand for that."

Kaylee squealed. "You read that book?"

"Did I?" Promise smiled. "It was so good!"

"I know!" Kaylee shrieked in delight.

"I really wanna read this book now," Cedric whispered to Sam as Kaylee presented the Prefects with the sign up sheet for patrol duty. Naturally, the seventh year Hufflepuffs had first choice, so they chose the first shift. Promise and Cedric chose second shift, and Sam chose the third shift with her male partner Prefect, Marcus Traston.

"Why does everyone choose the first shift available?" Parker asked, full well knowing the answer.

"Because after the summer holiday we all want to see our friends and spend as much time with them as possible?" Promise yawned as though it made so much sense it really wasn't worth much of her time.

Promise, Sam, and Cedric all went back to their seats.

"So what do you want to do between now and then?" Cedric asked as the two older Hufflepuff Prefects left the room.

"We could always have a parchment war," Promise smiled maliciously.

"What's that?" Sam smiled from across the aisle.

"Well," Promise pulled out her wand. "Now that we have the use of magic again, we can use it however we see fit," She pulled an extra few scraps of parchment from her robes and handed them to Sam and Cedric. "The object is simple. Make a creature out of your parchment and then we have them fight. Last parchment standing (literally) wins."

"Sounds easy enough," Sam muttered.

"Easier said than done," Cedric smiled. "You need to make an efficient design with your wand, and then maintain it while you attempt to use it to shred your opponents to pieces."

"Let's just do it," Promise smiled. "I have a few more scraps so we can have a few games. Good thing they take a long time."

Cedric pulled out his wand and began to poke and prod it on invisible strings as his creation began to take shape. He added several folds and curves in the central body to attempt to keep Sam and Promise from slashing his creatures' undersides. He gave it long, pointy legs, a small torso, and very little in terms of a head. He added arms to it and stood it upright, waiting for Promise and Sam.

Promise created a small, vicious looking bird with a large scorpion like tail. Sam, on the other hand, created a small domed creature with spikes on what Cedric called its shell and on the arms. Each set their creatures up to face against the others. With a word from Promise, the First Parchment War began.

Cedric's fared fairly well, its long, lanky figure allowing it a great deal of movement and agility. Eventually, however, Promise talked Sam into teaming up against Cedric, and within twenty seconds of the agreement, Cedric's parchment figurine lay battered and shredded in shards on his lap.

"You two are so mean," Cedric pouted.

"All's fair in love and war, love," Promise let her tongue dart out of her mouth and onto her lips, her wand flicking slightly, moving her small piece of parchment to attack Sam's. "I'll give you a free shot next time."

Several more minutes of dueling left Promise the victor. She forced her puppet to perform a soaring, stinging victory dance. She whooped, and perhaps would have begun a primitive tribal war chant were it not for Cedric's wand "accidentally" shooting out gold sparks and igniting Promise's parchment into an instant flash of ashes that burned so quickly Promise couldn't even put out the small fire before it had extinguished itself.

They played again, Sam and Promise continuing to team up against Cedric and his precious pieces. Each time, Cedric's creations were very human and structured. Sam created animals that seemed defensive in nature, while Promise, as always, created fearsome offensive based fighters. One time, she even made a dragon. Cedric decided to focus all of his attention on the dragon, teaming up with Sam, who felt threatened by Promise's blatant disregard for the unspoken "no dragons" rule. He used Sam as a decoy as he maneuvered his character into slashing the dragon's tail off.

Promise, as always, incapable of focusing on two targets at once, immediately turned her dragon around and used it to bite Cedric's leprechaun's head off. Cedric still smiled. His creature could function without a head, but could Promise's function without a tail? Within seconds, it fell to the ground and instantly became shreds of parchment in the hands of Cedric's leprechaun and the claws of Sam's armor plated gecko.

In the absence of another target, Cedric began to fight against Sam's gecko. Cedric noticed that while Sam's target initially seemed very small and feeble, the conservation of parchment for the legs and the amassing of it onto the top kept it completely shielded. It was only when Cedric's leprechaun lost an arm in the process of flipping the gecko did he realize its weakness. The leprechaun took its sharp, pointed hands and prepared to make a very deliberate, finishing move into the gecko's soft, single-layered underbelly.

Purple sparks shot out of Promise's wand, igniting Cedric's leprechaun on fire.

"Hey!" Cedric scowled at Promise before turning back to the ashes of his scorched parchment and his should-have-been victory.

"What'd I do this time?" Promise asked innocently.

"You messed up my finishing move! I was about to win!"

"I didn't mess it up. You took too long."

"I was relishing in my victory."

"Maybe you should relish less."

"Maybe it's your shift," Sam pointed at the door where the two Hufflepuff seventh year prefects who had just entered the room flagged down Promise and Cedric.

"She owes me a game," Cedric clenched his teeth as he put his wand in his robe pocket and stood up.

Promise rolled her eyes and put her own wand into her pocket and stood up. "Just because you can never win at our parchment wars…"

Cedric merely glared at her and left the prefect car. He began to trek the halls with Promise slowly, trekking it in silence, simply content to have each other as company.

Several people poked their head out of their compartments. Cho Chang, the Ravenclaw Seeker, stuck her head out and called out to Cedric, waving very flirtatiously.

After about half the shift, Cedric decided to break the silence. "Can I ask you a question that's been bugging me for a while?"

"Absolutely."

"It's rather personal, though." Cedric felt second thoughts that usually accompanied personal questions creep into his mind.

"Cedric," Promise stopped and looked into his eyes. "You're like my brother. There's nothing I would never tell you. I trust you more than you can possibly know. There will never be any secrets between us. I, Promise, promise."

Cedric and Promise looked at each other feigning seriousness, neither attempting to breathe. Then, in unison, they burst into peels of laughter.

"I love you Promise," Cedric laughed, leaning over, holding his stomach.

"I love you too, Ced." Promise attempted to catch her breath. "What is it you want to know?"

"Don't judge me on this one, but," Cedric looked at her, still partially out of breath. "Why'd you come to my house this past week?"

Promise frowned. "I'm not sure if I want to discuss that yet."

"I understand," Cedric interrupted, trying to end the silence before the conversation turned awkward.

"But it's something I need to talk about to somebody," Promise sighed. "And, in all honesty, I don't think there's anyone but you I can talk about it to."

"Promise," Cedric followed her slow pace down the train hallway. "What happened?"

"It's my parents," Promise said, stopping, as thought coming to a realization.

"What about them?"

Promise took a deep breath. "I think they don't care about me."

"What do you mean? They always seem to be there."

"Well, they're there, Ced," Promise continued. "But there's a big difference between being there and actually being there. My parents took me to the World Cup, true enough, but as far as I could remember that's the only thing they've ever done for me, besides give me money I need."

"What do you mean?" Cedric asked, befuddled.

"Can you count the number of times that your parents have been there for you?"

Cedric thought about it for a second "No."

"I can," Promise murmured. "I've been on my own for as long as I can remember. I can think of a grand total of once that my parents have been there for me, and that trip to the Quidditch World Cup was it. They said it was for all of the birthdays they said they missed. And when I didn't even sit near them, they didn't even notice, much less care."

"When you say birthdays, you mean to say…"

"All sixteen, I'm pretty sure."

"So why come to my house?"

"Because I had nowhere else to go," Promise shrugged. "I don't know what happened, but when I got back to my parents' house at the beginning of summer I realized how much they weren't there. They're so wrapped up in their own little world that they literally don't have time for me, or they don't care. I'm more inclined to believe the latter."

Cedric grabbed her shoulders and pulled her into a tight squeeze, the fabric of the robes on his chest growing damp from Promise's tears. They stood there for a very long time, Promise simply holding onto him, and Cedric wanting to never let go as she kept sobbing the same four words into his ears.

"My parents don't care," she sobbed into his chest.

Every time made his heart shatter. She couldn't take it any more. She wanted out. She needed the love that was so freely given to her at Hogwarts. She didn't recognize the truth that stood before her for the first sixteen years of her life.

"My parents don't care."

At last, she realized it and her world came crumbling down. It explained so much, though. She could go anywhere during the summer at any time. She left her house a week ago and didn't tell her parents. Why would she?

"My parents don't care."

She sobbed into his chest for what felt like a lifetime, the torrent of pent up feelings waving over, and forcing Cedric to shed silent tears with her. She didn't deserve this. No one deserved this. How did she manage to go on, knowing that her parents were there but never even cared about her?

"My parents don't care."

That's why when she called him her brother. That's exactly what he really was. A brother. Cedric's family was the closest thing she had to a family. Cedric's relationship with Promise flashed back through his mind. It made sense, though. She really was a docile person back then. This covering that she built up to become the Promise Ledger Cedric knew and loved came as a direct result of her parents.

"My parents don't care."

Cedric pulled her away from his chest and cupped her hands in his palms. He used his thumbs to wipe away the tears that continued to slide down her face.

"I care," He whispered. "And I always will."

She chuckled feebly. "Thanks. I just really needed that," She wiped the tears from her eyes with her forearm. "Wow," She smiled. "Look at me. I'm such a wreck. Look at this lame excuse you have for a friend."

"Yeah," Cedric smiled at her. "But you're my lame excuse for a friend."

They laughed softly and resumed their patrol down the hallway for the rest of their time. After they finished, they went back to the prefect car and started Sam on her first patrol duty. Still smiling, they went back to their compartment and opened the door to peels of Olivia's laughter.

Cedric looked at her. "What are you doing?"

"Oh my goodness!" Olivia gasped for air, standing up and wiping the lint off of her robes. "This book is so funny Promise! Oh my goodness. I don't think I've stopped laughing since I picked it up."

"What part are you at?" Promise picked up the book.

"I think Thomas just started recanting his feelings to her," Olivia began to laugh uncontrollably again. "That book is the coolest book I've ever read."

"Isn't it though?" Promise picked it up and began to read the song, chuckling slightly. "I love the fire whiskey. Actually. That's a lie. I love you just as much as I love fire whiskey. No. That isn't right. I love fire whiskey less than I love you. Yeah. That's it. Don't get me wrong though. I really love fire whiskey. I mean you! Smack! Oh! What was that for? I didn't do anything wrong!"

Promise rolled into the peels of laughter as Olivia began her fit again.

"Wait," Cedric interrupted them and picked up the book. "I really don't get it."

"And that's part of what makes it so darn funny!" Promise gasped between laughs.

The next hour or so was spent full of roars of laughter from Olivia as she continued reading the book, stopping at what seemed every page to continue laughing. Then, Promise would pick up the book, read it, and join her in her loud chorus. Cedric looked up at Dani about halfway through the laughing spree only to see her hooting in time with the girls.

"Honestly," Cedric rolled his eyes. "I don't even know whose side you're on anymore."

When Sam came in several minutes later, they started the book over, reading silently, careful to exclude Cedric from the circle.

"Cedric," Promise warned, still chuckling. "Trust me, you don't want to read this book."

"And why the heck not?"

"Because it's too darn funny!" Promise read the page again and burst out, resolving at last to put the book down. Sam and Olivia followed suit several minutes later as the trolley passed by. Promise, being Promise, ordered the usual bag of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans.

Promise pulled out several more scraps of paper for another round of Parchment Wars as Cedric asked Sam about her first patrol duty.

"It was dull," Sam shrugged. "I expected more."

"Don't we all?" Promise asked. "The real patrols happen after one, and that's why you want a nice, early shift. It means you don't have to injure the stir-crazy first years."

"What is our password?" Olivia asked, curious.

"Fruit-bat," Promise attempted to say it with a straight face to Sam and Olivia. All three maintained eye contact, but after several seconds burst into another fit of hysterics, forcing Cedric to once again roll his eyes.

They continued conversing during the parchment character construction sessions, Cedric getting into a heated argument with Olivia on whether the Montrose Magpies were better than the Ballycastle Bats.

Before too long, they received word of the Hogwarts Express arriving in Hogsmeade. Promise sighed heavily, reflecting on the fact that she had no more scraps of parchment after the war they just finished.

They all prepared to disembark.

"Look at that rain!" Sam exclaimed as they looked out at the rain lashed windows.

"Poor, poor first years," Promise sighed. "Maybe that will teach them to not be so annoying."

"Why do you hate first years so much?" Olivia asked.

Promise shrugged. "They have no sense of authority or respect for the upper classmen, save several precious gems and exceptions."

"And you're saying you were a good, sweet, innocent, subordinate first year?" Sam arched her eyebrows.

"Of course. Is it so hard to believe?"

Cedric checked his pocket for his wand and attempted to not scoff at her blatant lie. Promise led the way into the throng of students attempting to jump off the train and into another year of school, Sam, Cedric, and Olivia in tow.