If you are a Harry Potter fan you will know what is to come as I am sticking to HP canon. If not, I should warn you of HP character death in this chapter :( and of course, spoilers for the end of the film and book, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Disclaimer: I do not own Glee or Harry Potter, I am just a humble fan
Warning: Rated M, angst, character death, mention of torture
It was Friday evening, 23rd June 1995.
The Hufflepuff dormitory was quiet except for the occasional snore and Trent talking in his sleep. Jeff giggled at his sassy friend as he tiptoed round his bed, then past Cedric's and then to his.
"Hey Jeff!" He heard a whisper next to him. Whirling round, he smirked at his friend, knowing he'd been caught sneaking in late. "You and Nick are insatiable! No wonder you eat so much for breakfast!" Cedric teased.
Jeff giggled, blushing, as he picked up a pillow from his bed to smash over Cedric's head.
"I see you're not denying it!" Cedric pointed out laughing as Jeff took another swing.
Jeff hopped on top of the blanketed lump that was Cedric, tickling his friend's sides until Thad yelled at them to shut up.
Jeff leant forward to Cedric, an evil grin crossing his face. "Well, if you're so interested I can give you a blow by blow account if you want?" He winked.
"Oh my god, no! I'll be scarred for life!" Cedric pretended to faint back onto his pillow.
"So, how's it going with you and Cho? Any action to report yet?" Jeff teased, winking cheekily.
"No, she's not as easy as you! Ooof!" Cedric gasped as Jeff began pelting him again.
Once the blond had stopped, he answered more seriously. "We've talked about having sex, but we decided to wait until after the Triwizard Tournament. Then we'll have been dating about 7 months. And I won't be so preoccupied with the Tournament."
Jeff nodded before he realised when that was. Tomorrow.
"Oh my god! You're so getting laid tomorrow!" His hysterical laughter was cut off by Cedric launching himself at him and covering his mouth with his hand, laughing too.
"I think now is the time for you to remember how sensitive I was to you when you first met Nick!" Cedric said, mock-offended.
Jeff calmed down, nodding, and Cedric released him. "Sorry! I'm just happy for you, man. You and Cho seem really good for each other."
He continued. "Are you nervous about the task tomorrow? I wonder what you'll meet in the maze." Jeff asked.
Cedric shrugged. "Not really, but then again Hagrid's idea of a harmless creature is another person's idea of a monster, so maybe I should be worried!" The boys laughed.
"At any rate, I ought to get some sleep. Night Jeff!" He said as his blond best friend hopped off his bed.
Jeff took his robes off, dreamily thinking of his date with Nick, as he changed quickly into his pyjamas. Then he jumped into his own bed and under the covers.
By dawn the next day, Jeff and Cedric were already up, showered and dressed in their robes. The two friends made their way out of Hufflepuff's tunnels, heading for the Great Hall for a hearty breakfast.
Cedric graciously received the well wishes of his numerous fans before they began tucking into their plates piled high with baked beans, scrambled eggs, sausages, bacon and grilled tomatoes. There was plenty of toast, butter and, of course, coffee and tea to accompany it.
Cedric leant across the table to talk to Jeff.
"Hey Jeff, I meant to say we should arrange to meet up to celebrate the end of the Triwizard Tournament later." Jeff smiled and nodded, his mouth full so Cedric continued.
"I have a date with Cho tonight..." He pointedly ignored Jeff's smirk and eyebrow wiggles, "...but maybe tomorrow we could all head to Hogsmeade for a Sunday roast at the Three Broomsticks."
Jeff nodded. "Sure! That sounds great! I'll be buying a round of Butterbeer to celebrate the end of the Tournament. I'll ask Nick later."
It was time for the third task.
The Champions, judges and spectators alike had gathered within the quidditch pitch grounds. The now mature hedges wove complicated lines and curves and sharp corners as they meandered all the way across the ordinarily flat turf of the pitch.
Professor Dumbledore's warning echoed in everyone's ears.
"Oh, find the cup, if you can, but be careful. You might just lose yourself along the way."
What the hell does that mean? Thought Jeff, worried for the Champions, as he held on tight to Nick's hand. They were seated high up in the spectators' seats, in the hopes that this would afford them a view of the Champions' progress through the maze.
His other Hufflepuff roommates, Thad and Trent, were sat with them, apparently also holding hands. Jeff made a mental note to ask one of them about it later, but for now he let his friends go unteased since they both looked happy.
The seats directly below them were taken by Gryffindors Kurt and Blaine, who now knew of Nick's proposed transfer to their house next year and had been incredibly welcoming and friendly to the Durmstrang boy.
Next to them were Ravenclaws Wes and David, who were discussing which Champion would win, no doubt in order to place bets with the Weasley twins.
Dumbledore had explained that the maze was populated by various obstacles and dangers that each Champion had to overcome. Professor Moody had placed the Triwizard Cup at the centre of the maze.
Cedric and Harry, tying for first place after two tasks, were to enter the maze first, followed by Viktor, and then Fleur. The first Champion to successfully navigate the maze and reach the Cup would be declared the winner.
Jeff returned his attention to the maze as the four Champions lined up at the start. He held his breath until the final Champion, Fleur, had disappeared from sight.
The spectators were disappointed to find that they couldn't see anything that was happening within the high leafy walls of the maze. They would have to just sit and wait to see who emerged.
What seemed like ages later, Fleur was the first out, after sending up a distress flare. Next came Viktor, to Nick's disappointment for his friend. Well, at least he's okay, even if he didn't win. Nick thought.
He turned to Jeff, squeezing his hand. "Well, it's a Hogwarts victory for sure, now." Just as he said this and leant to kiss Jeff softly on the lips, the crowd seemed to realise the same thing and the Hogwarts contingent began clapping, cheering and stomping.
Nick felt someone tap on his shoulder and was surprised to see a very out of breath Viktor next to him. He must have run straight to where Nick was after he had emerged from the maze.
"Nick! Can I talk to Jeff?" Nick looked up in confusion at his friend, realising how distressed Viktor looked in this moment.
"Sure, here, swap with me." He made room for Viktor to sit next to a bewildered looking Jeff, managing to squeeze onto the bench the other side of Viktor so he could listen.
"Jeff, I-I am so sorry. I need you to hear me out so you can explain it to Cedric if he won't speak to me again." The Bulgarian boy pleaded.
"What is it? Is Cedric okay?" Jeff asked, very worried now.
Viktor nodded. "He was when I left, he and Harry went on down different paths just before I came out." Jeff stayed silent, realising that Viktor had more to say.
"Before that, though, very strange things happened in there. The maze is a very bad place. I couldn't help my actions, it was like someone was controlling me to do terrible things, but at the same time I just didn't care."
Nick interrupted. "You mean you were under the Imperious Curse?" He almost yelled. All their Hogwarts friends around them were listening now.
Wes spoke up. "Yes, under the Imperious Curse you would not have any feeling of doing wrong, whatever you did is not your fault, Viktor."
Viktor nodded gratefully. "Maybe. But I will feel guilty for the rest of my life for what I did to Cedric." He stopped short as he held his gaze steady with Jeff, willing the boy to understand that he had not intentionally hurt his friend.
Jeff swallowed, before quietly asking, "What did you do, Viktor?"
"I tortured him. The Cruciatus Curse. I will never get his screams out of my head." He hung his head in shame.
After a stunned pause, he was surprised to feel Jeff's hand on his arm. "Well, I forgive you after hearing your explanation. I believe you were under someone else's will. I will do my best to explain it to Cedric later."
Viktor's head came back up and he nodded soberly and gratefully. "Thank you." Jeff could tell he had not forgiven himself though.
Jeff frowned as he continued. "There must be someone else in the maze then with Harry and Cedric, who is a danger to both of them."
"Perhaps." Said Viktor. "I was only stopped by Harry, who stunned me for long enough for Cedric to get free of me." His stomach lurched as he suddenly felt sick. He quickly excused himself, returning to where the Champions were supposed to wait until the end of the task.
Although Jeff believed Viktor, he couldn't help worrying until his friend had returned safely.
He breathed a huge sigh of relief as the crowd went wild with cheers, welcoming home the remaining two Champions in play, as they suddenly apparated near the mouth of the maze.
Then the atmosphere changed.
Some of the cheers turn to screams of horror at the sight of Harry covering a body with his own, utterly distraught.
As Harry was led away, Nick could clearly make out the Hufflepuff colours on the lifeless body sprawled on the floor.
Cedric.
Time went into slow motion.
Nick heard the strangled cry of "Noooo!" come from Jeff next to him as the sickening, heart-wrenching truth hit the poor boy.
He turned and launched himself at his distraught boyfriend, gathering him in his arms and holding onto him tight as he screamed until his voice broke. The deafening silence after that was even worse as he went into shock, shivering in Nick's arms.
Nick felt a hand on his arm, turning to find Trent with a tear-stained face beckoning him to follow him. Kurt, Blaine, Wes, David and Thad formed a protective circle around the boys as Nick scooped Jeff up and carried him down the bleachers and up to the Castle, towards Hufflepuff.
He refused any offers to help carry Jeff as he would not let go.
Thad performed a shield charm to protect against any vinegar aimed at Nick, because he was not a Hufflepuff, and Trent tapped out the required entry rhythm on the barrels. Kurt, Blaine, Wes and David kept their distance at this point, not wanting to trigger any anti-intruder enchantments.
Nick was allowed passage, still carrying his silent and emotionally spent boyfriend first to the common room and then straight to his bed, as guided by Trent and Thad.
Trent and Thad left the room and made sure no one would enter that night, as Nick laid Jeff out on his bed, quickly changed him into his pyjamas, borrowing some himself, before he laid with him under the covers and rocked him to sleep.
As he did this, Nick couldn't help staring at the bed next to Jeff's which would no longer have an occupant. Cho Chang's framed picture sat on the bedside table, next to it.
He finally let his own tears fall for the boy he had known less than a year but had still come to regard as a true friend.
Hours later, Nick finally allowed himself to fall asleep too, still cradling a very pale Jeff.
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