A/N: So this is the last chapter of Avalanche. It was about a 118 page Word Document and around 60785 words. Thanks to everyone who left a review and/or followed/favorite my story. Cora's 5th year at Hogwarts will be coming up soon!

Chapter 27: I Don't Want To See You Go, But It's Not Forever

Our dorm was quiet as my fellow fourth years packed our things the night before our return to the outside world. Things would be very different from now on, we all felt it. We were usually chatty when it came to the Leaving Feast, wondering who would end up winning the Inter-House Championship. Not this time. Tonight was a farewell feast for our guests and a memorial for Cedric. The Great Hall, usually decked out in the winner's colors, was draped in black. I also noticed that a few students decided not to wear their colors, but wore black as well.

After a somber dinner, everything was removed from the tables. Professors McGonagall and Flitwick waved their wands and the tables were gone. They were replaced with rows of chairs. No one needed to tell anyone what to do. Every student, including those from Durmstrang and Beauxbatons, sat intermingled in the Great Hall for the first time in probably years. Professor Dumbledore was in his chair, left where the staff table usually was. The staff also sat scattered among us in the Great Hall. He looked around the Great Hall, seemingly trying to find his words. It looked as if his eyes fell upon all of the Hufflepuff students. They all looked like they were going to collectively burst into tears at any moment. I took Fred's hand in mine as, sitting somewhere behind us, Cho Chang was already sniffling.

"There is much that I would like to say," Dumblrdore began slowly. "Tonight, we acknowledge the terrible loss of a young man who should be here," he motioned to the room. "Cedric Diggory was, as you all know, exceptionally hard working, intricately fair-minded, and, most importantly, a fierce, fierce friend. I think, therefore, you have the right to know exactly how he died. You see, Cedric Diggory was murdered by Lord Voldemort," shuffles were spread around the hall. Many students were staring in disbelief or horror or both. Dumbledore, however was calm as he continued, "The Ministry of Magic does not wish me to tell you this. But not to do so would be an insult to his memory. Now the pain we all feel at this dreadful loss reminds me – reminds us – that while we may come from different places and speak in different tongues, our hearts beat as one." A kind of ripple of agreement swept over the Great Hall. Many heads were being held higher now. The row of Beauxbatons girls and Hogwarts students and Durmstrang boys in front of me were holding hands in solidarity. "In light of recent events, every guest in this Great Hall will be welcomed back at any time, should they wish to come. The bonds of friendship we made this year will be more important than ever. Remember that, and Cedric Diggory will not have died in vain – you will remember that. Remember, if the time should come when you have to make a choice between what is right and what is easy, remember what happened to a boy who was kind and honest and brave and true, right to the very end."

The courtyard was crowded as everyone was saying goodbye to their friends, new and old. It was a gorgeous day out; warm and breezy. For once, I was anxious to leave and be with my cousins again. I missed them so much while I was away and due to the tournament I hadn't been able to write as much as I liked either. As I waited with Ron, Harry, and Hermione for the carriages to take us to Hogsmeade station, we chatted with our fellow students.

"'Arry!" Fleur and Gabrielle had slipped through a few students and hurried towards Harry. In the distance, Madam Maxine was waiting by the carriage with Hagrid as her students slowly made their way back to her. "I 'ope we will see each uzzer again. I am 'oping to get a job 'ere to improve my Eenglish."

"It sounds very good already," Ron said in a strange voice. Hermione rolled her eyes.

The French sisters shared a look. They each kissed Ron's forehead. "Au revoir, Ron," Fleur smiled as she and Gabrielle ran off, their hair floating behind them. Ron inhaled deeply and breathed out with a dumb smile. Harry shook his head as he laughed.

Next, Viktor had come to say goodbye to Hermione. He had pulled her away from us for a private chat. From what we were watching, he had given her something. It was a bit of parchment. He brought both of her hands to his lips and kissed them. As they returned, Hermione had an impassive look about her. Ron still huffed and turned away. Viktor addressed Harry next.

"I liked Diggory. He vos alvays polite. Even though I vos from Durmstrang – with Karkaroff," he stuck out his hand for Harry to shake. Then, to my surprise, he looked at me. "You have been good vriend to Herm-ee-own. So you are vriend to me."

Hermione tried to hold back her giggles. "Thanks," I said slowly. He took my hand and kissed it lightly.

He then turned to Ron. Viktor stuck out his hand like he had with Harry. Ron's face went bright red. As he took the Pro Quidditch player's hand he burst, "Can I have your autograph?" Viktor smiled gently. He signed a bit of parchment and left for his school's ship.

A crowd gathered as the Beauxbatons girls finally got inside their carriage. The Durmstrang ship fired a cannonball signaling that it too was ready to leave. The Hogwarts students applauded as the great winged elephant-sized horses took off at a run. There were shouted well wishes as it took flight, headed back for France. With one more boom of the cannon, the Durmstrang ship sailed off, sinking in the distance.

"Do you ever think we'll ever have a quiet year at Hogwarts," Ron asked.

"– No," Hermione laughed.

"– Definitely not," Harry added.

"But who wants normal anyway," I shrugged.

"Everything's going to change now, isn't it," Hermione suddenly became serious.

No one replied. But I know we four were thinking the same thing. Nothing would ever be the same again.

There still wasn't a single cloud in the sky as we headed back to King's Cross Station. We managed to grab a compartment all to ourselves near the back of the train. Just like on the journey to Hogwarts, we talked openly and freely as we played Checkers and Exploding Snap while our pets lounged around the compartment. Our conversation had eventually come to Dumbledore's speech and the impact it had on all of us. It wasn't as painful for Harry to talk to us about what had happened in the maze. I tried not to cry as he explained Priori Incantatem and how he saw the images, or echoes, of Cedric, a No-Maj man, and his parents pop out of Voldemort's wand. We had only stopped Harry's retelling when the Trolley Lady stopped by with lunch and candy.

As Hermione and I returned with food for us all, Harry was starting at the Daily Prophet in disgust. "There's nothing about what happened in there. Just a bit sating you won the tournament. Cedric's name wasn't even mentioned. If you ask me," Hermione said as she put the paper back in her bag, "Fudge is silencing them."

"Rita Skeeter can't be silenced," Harry grumbled.

"Oh," Hermione smiled. "She isn't going to be writing anything for a while. Not unless I spill the beans on her."

"What the hell are you talking about," I asked, biting into the largest of the Pumpkin Pasties.

"I found out how she was listening in on private conversations," Hermione lowered her voice even though no one could possibly hear us. "Rita Skeeter – is an unregistered Animagus!"

"No way," Ron's eyes bugged out of his head.

Hermione pulled a glass jar out of her bag. Inside were some twigs and leaves and a very fat, lime green colored beetle. The beetle began flying around, ramming angrily into the glass. "I've put an Unbreakable Charm on the jar, you see," Hermione smiled wickedly. "She can't transform until we get to London then I told her she has to keep her quill to herself or else I'll write my own little exposé."

"You're cold, Hermione," Ron shook his head, laughing. Hermione smiled as she placed the jar back in her bag.

Our compartment door slid open to reveal Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle. Each looked pleased with themselves. "Get out, assholes," I growled, running my fingers over my wand.

"I'm not even inside yet," Draco pouted like a child. He laughed maliciously, entering the compartment. "I've come to remind you, Potter, you've picked the wrong side! Didn't I tell you? Choose your company more carefully. I told you to wise up and be friends with a higher caliber of wizard!"

Steam was practically coming out of Harry's ears. He gripped his wand under his robes. I stood up, wand pointing at my cousin's nose. "I said – Get. Out. Now," my voice was dangerously low. I was two seconds away from hexing Draco and the two Witless Wonders into eternity.

"It's too late for Potty," Draco sneered, staring passed me. Pleading flashed through his blue eyes, but it was gone as soon he caught my murderous gaze on him. "It's not too late for you, cousin. Ditch the unworthy. They'll be the first to go, now the Dark Lord's back! Mudbloods and Muggle-lovers will be next! Diggory was just the fir –"

Something exploded in our compartment. A bright blaze of spells blinded me as I stumbled backwards. The noise was deafening. But it was over as soon as it started. My ears were ringing as I looked down. Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle were unconscious in the ground. I looked to Harry, Ron, and Hermione. All of them had their wands out, but we quickly realized that the different hexes the four of us had used wouldn't have reacted that way together.

"Thought I'd check up on my girlfriend," Fred Weasley said as he leaned against the door. He stepped on top of Goyle to enter the compartment. He had just put his wand back in his robes as George followed with a notepad.

"Interesting effect," he mused, writing something down.

Harry made a noise. He had used the Fernunculus Curse while George had used the Jelly-Legs Jinx at the same time. The two had caused Crabbe to sprout small tentacles all over his face. The boys rolled the Slytherins out of the compartment with their feet, taking great caution not to touch them with their bare skin. Each of the Slytherin dipshits looked just as bad as the other because of the mix of jinxes. Wouldn't want to be them right now.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione took up the seats across from where I sat in between Fred and George. Fred put an arm over my shoulders as he started a game of Exploding Snap with his younger brother. Hermione and I each took out a book to read while Harry and George played with Ron's chess set. I was three chapters into my book about sex, lies, and blackmail in the Victorian Age when a thought occurred to me.

"Fred…George…who were you guys blackmailing?"

"WHAT," Hermione and Ron both shouted.

"That," George questioned darkly.

"It's nothing. It's not important. Not anymore, really," Fred shook his head. "It wasn't as important as making o – Ouch!"

I pinched Fred to stop him from telling the others about our little tryst in the Owlery. George probably already knew but I did not want my friends finding out about that. Ron was still being a little weird around us when we showed any affection to each other. I did not want to know what his reaction would be when he found out about that.

"You were trying to blackmail someone," Hermione's book had fallen into her lap.

"We've given up," George shrugged.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione kept pestering the twins until they gave in. They finally told us that they had been trying to blackmail Ludo Bagman. It had all started at the Quidditch World Cup. They bet him that Ireland would win, but Krum would still get the Snitch. Bagman paid them – in Leprechaun gold. It vanished by the next day. Hermione, dear trusting Hermione, told them it must have been an accident. Not everyone knows that Leprechaun gold vanishes after a day or two. The twins wrote and wrote to Bagman but he never responded. They tried to talk to him about the mix up at Hogwarts, but he always got away from the two. In the end he told them off and refused to give back the money. Bagman was in trouble with the Goblins too. Took everything he had. The idiot tried to pay them off by betting on Harry. Goblins are sneaky and bet Harry'd tie with Cedric in the end. So naturally, no one came out a winner. I pressed a quick kiss to Fred's pulsing jaw as he and George finished their tale.

The rest of the train ride went by without another problem and all too soon, we were pulling into the station. Fred and George helped us grab our things as Hermione and Ron joined the noise of the disembarking students. I was about to leave the compartment when I noticed Harry had stayed behind.

"You guys coming," I asked with my hands full.

"Go on," Harry said. I left Harry and the twins, stepping on Crabbe to get to the exit. The three were still covered in evidence from the clusterfuck of six hexes hitting them.

Hermione and Ron were waiting by the barrier to the No-Maj world. One at a time, the three of us bid our mental goodbyes to the Hogwarts Express. Beyond the wall, Andi was waiting for me. Molly was standing with her, speaking in shushed tones, looking inconspicuous. I wondered if my cousin was in on Dumbledore's important work. Standing even farther away was Harry's uncle, looking as uncomfortable and mad as the first time I had seen his big ugly face.

When Harry slipped through the barrier, the four of us walked over to Andi and Molly. Hermione's dad walked over just as Molly pulled her in for a big hug. She shook hands with Andi and then hugged her dad. "Promise you'll all write this summer," she said, turning to us.

"I always do," I exclaimed.

"I won't," Ron shrugged. "You know I won't."

"Harry will. Won't you," Hermione smiled. The four of us chuckled at Hermione's little joke.

"Every week," Harry replied.

I smiled sadly as Hermione's dad he wrapped an arm around her shoulders, asking how the year was. As the two walked off, Molly grabbed Harry for a hug as well. "I think Dumbledore will let you stay with us later in the summer. Keep in touch, dear."

The twins appeared by Molly's side out of nowhere. The seventeen year old twins had wicked grins on their faces as they vigorously shook Harry's hands at the same time. He winked at them. Then he walked off in the direction of his uncle. Molly and Andi watched the two disappear into the crowd as if to make sure Harry wouldn't be abused. While that was happening, the twins caught me in their Cora-twin sandwich. I laughed as they squeezed me tightly. Ron rolled his eyes. George backed away but Fred remained pressed against me. I had place my arms around him too, staring up at him with a goofy smile.

Fred leaned down and gently brushed his nose against mine. "I don't want to see you go," I muttered.

"It's not forever," Fred reassured me gently.

"Ugh," Ron moaned. "Stop with the lovey stuff would you…"

Molly and Andi spun around faster than the speed of light. My eyes widened like deer caught in the headlights. Andi's expression went from shocked to confused to delighted in seconds. Ron and George were uncontrollably laughing at their mother's expression. She looked like a weird mixture of livid and glee. Molly yelled.

"FRED WEASLEY YOU HAVE A LOT OF EXPLAINING TO DO!"