Disclaimer: I do not own! Belongs to J.K. Rowling. Only Holly is mine.
A/N: NO FLAMES! Not accepted!
2nd A/N: Ok, so I've made Holly the same age as Fred & George Weasley. Two years older than Harry and Ron. I know that blows canon of Harry being an only child but many people have done the 'Potter sister' thing before, nothing new here. Also I've now skipped Fifth Year and gone straight the Harry and the Triwizard Tournament.
Chapter Five – What Happened?
Holly was now in her sixth year at Hogwarts and still with her Prefect badge on her chest, she pointedly avoided Fred and George all of last year. It was only when George Flooed to her house and apologized to her for Fred, who felt so bad he hadn't been able to do much all summer that she agreed to forgive them and George even told her that the badge helped make her eyes pop. He managed to get a smile it still failed to reach her eyes though. She wasn't at all the best she could be. George noticed.
"Holly? Are you feeling okay?" He asked when she joined him, Fred and Lee in their compartment on September first. Holly looked like she hadn't been sleeping well and she was skinnier than they remembered.
"I'm fine." She replied in a somewhat tired sounding voice, "why?" George cocked an eyebrow and she sighed.
"We know you too well Holl. Spill it. What's going on?" Fred said. Holly sighed again. she couldn't hide anything from these boys. They knew her all too well.
"So you've noticed…well, let's say that I'm not sleeping well because I'm worried and a little stressed can we leave it at that? Or do you want the whole story?" George and Fred shared a look and glanced at Lee.
"I'll go an find Angelina and Alicia. I have to talk to them about something." He said and left the trio in the compartment alone.
"Spill. It." George said. Holly took a deep shuddering breath; it wasn't like her to cry in front of them. She slowly let it out and closed her eyes.
"I'm not sleeping well because I've been sick. I've been having nightmares and I haven't been able to keep my food down. The nightmares got worse as the summer went on, even with Remus with his Wolfsbane potion, he couldn't comfort me like he used to. I had to deal with them on my own. You remember what my Boggart was last year?" They nodded. George and Fred had similar boggarts seeing their family and Holly lying dead before them. Holly had seen Remus, Harry, her parents, and Fred – only Fred – lying dead in front of her. George had figured out that Holly liked Fred, but Fred had just thought she couldn't tell them apart so she'd settled on just one of them. She hadn't had the best time, especially when Remus saw his own dead body in front of him on the floor of his classroom. In fact, Holly had been so distraught at seeing these she'd had dashed from the room in tears, leaving the rest of the class to keep going with the Boggart, Fred and George had followed her with the permission from Remus and found her outside an empty classroom behind a suit of armour sobbing.
"Well my Boggart became my nightmares." Holly said bringing both boys out of their memories. George knew that the most frightening one for her would have been seeing all of her friends and the only members of her family dead. He gathered her in a hug and held her tightly to his chest. This was going to be a very long year.
It was only a little while later that the school was given the surprise of its life when they welcomed the Triwizard Tournament to Hogwarts. Beauxbatons and Durmstrang were just wonderful. Beauxbatons were seated at the Ravenclaw table and Durmstrang seated at the Slytherin table. Gryffindor boys had a hard time concentrating on their work with some fabulous ladies invading their minds all the time. The only ones who seemed unaffected were Harry, Fred and George. Ron was overwhelmed by them. Holly and Hermione set about researching the Triwizard Tournament and found out that it involved three very dangerous tasks and usually something of a treat for the participating schools. That treat turned up just after the first task. The Yule Ball. It excited the girls but made the guys a little apprehensive.
Holly caught Fred and George's eyes over the heads of many girls and they shared a look of meaning. Holly intended to have Fred ask her, but Holly also knew that Fred had his eye on Angelina Johnson. A very pretty girl, whom he knew well, as they were on the Quidditch team together. Holly knew then her only chance was to go with George. She watched as Ron who hated the very idea of any sort of dancing was pulled up to dance with Professor McGonagall. Holly fought to keep the smile off her face. All the girls got to their feet when asked, but the boys, except Neville, remained seated. Holly however walked forward and pulled Harry to his feet. She beckoned Hermione to her and made them dance together, then she beckoned George to her. They danced, making other pairing start to take form too. Holly had started it. The boys suddenly realized that you could dance with your friends if you wanted to. It also had many boys asking the girl they were dancing with to the ball. Even George.
"Look, I know Fred is gonna ask Ange…you're not upset are you?" He asked, she shook her head.
"Why would I be upset?" She asked.
"Well…I know you like him." George said, "but since he's set on going with Ange. Will you go with me?"
"George…I'm flattered but I think you'd do better if you asked Katie Bell. She's got her heart set on going with you." Holly said, not the George was deflated at all by her rejection. She was just a friend to him. He didn't like her light that. Right?
Finally it was all over. Holly watched from the stands as the Champions – Harry included – entered the maze. It would take them ages to finish, but there Holly stood with Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Seamus, Dean, Fred, George, Lee and all of Harry's supporters. Holly watched transfixed on the maze. Someone had to win. Even if it wasn't Harry, hopefully at least Cedric would win it. However when Harry and Cedric appeared outside the maze Holly gasped softly and rushed down the steps ignoring the calls of Hermione and Ron. She rushed down past Mad-Eye and the other professors who wanted to hold her back. She fell to her knees next to Harry and grabbed his shoulders.
"Harry, Harry it's me It's Holly." He relaxed in her arms then and she held him tightly. Suddenly another voice broke through.
"Let me through! Let me through! That's my son! That's my boy!" Amos Diggory felt to his knees at Cedric's head, tears fell unbidden from his eyes and Holly was more than a little surprised that he didn't blame Harry for it. In fact he didn't say anything but cry. Holly felt a strong hand grab her arm and she was yanked to her feet the same as Harry. Both were dragged to the castle. Up to Mad-eye's office. He was acting strange. Some of Harry's words broke through Holly's daze.
"Professor, I don't believe I mentioned a gave yard…" Holly froze. Her eyes turned to Harry, her wide hazel eyes stared into scared wide green ones. This was it. This was the last time they'd look at each other. Just ten minutes ago Holly had been standing next to the boy that she knew she loved. The boy she wanted to spend the rest of her life, now she was sure she was going to die by the hand of a teacher she'd trusted.
"Both of the Potter Brats. Finally I will be rewarded when I bring the Dark Lord the two brats he wanted." Mad-Eye grabbed Holly by the hair and got her up to her feet, he was inches from saying the words when the door burst open and Mad-eye was expelled of his wand, he still had hold of Holly though, He refused to let go, even when they were able to force him into a chair, Holly was thrown to the floor by her hair. McGonagall was able to finally pry his fingers from her long black locks. They forced his real name out of him and where the real Alistair Moody was.
"I'll show you mine, if you show me yours." He pulled back his sleeve to reveal the dark mark, Harry's arm was presented with the cut on it, and then Holly's was thrust forward as well. A scar running the length of her forearm burned a pale white against the cream of her skin. It hurt, just like Harry's scar did in Voldermort's presence. This was one year that Holly did not want to relive ever, ever again. She just wanted to go up to her dorm and go to bed.