So… I contracted COVID-19. Not a fun time. I've seen a doctor and based on when my symptoms started, I'll continue to be in quarantine until Monday of next week. I might post a few more chapters of this story between now and then for that sweet, sweet serotonin, I might not. I've also been drawing some stuff related to this story, but none of it seems any good. I might just post the sketches instead and once I've gotten better at coloring I'll do that. Oils work much differently than Photoshop.

Anyway, here you go.

Life had gone to shit for Cedric ever since Umbridge declared herself High Inquisitor of Hogwarts. He prayed every day for an acceptance letter to anyone of the schools.

It wasn't until a new Educational Decree appeared, that he knew what happened.

Educational Decree No. 29: Any student wishing to transfer schools must wait until after this current school year has ended. Any transfer papers will be destroyed and a rejection has been sent to the schools.

Cedric felt his chest grow tight. She had intercepted his mail. He was trapped and that is exactly what Umbridge wanted. Any night he didn't have prefect duties, he had detention. Umbridge loved detentions like Snape loved taking points. She particularly loved hosting detentions for him. Sometimes there'd be another kid there. Usually Harry.

The detentions were reaching the point where a towel had to be placed under his desk, for he would dissociate and not notice the free-flow of blood as he wrote line after line for whatever thing he had supposedly done wrong.

Several days before Halloween, he had spent most of the night writing lines for Umbridge. She was in a foul mood as one of the laws she'd written had been rejected by the Wizengamot, so she'd made him write lines until near midnight.

Instead of going to his Common Room, Cedric doubled back, put on his headphones, and dug out the Marauder's Map. He walked down the corridors, keeping out of sight of patrols. Once again, he found Fred and George in the disused classroom, so he went there to meet them.

He tapped on the door and entered the room. Fred and George were sitting at a table and looked up from their planning.

"Hey, guys," said Cedric.

"Evening, Ced," said Fred, pushing over a jug of pumpkin juice and a plate of sandwiches. "So lovely of you to visit."

"Didn't think you were patrolling tonight," said George.

"I'm not. Had detention."

"What for this time?"

"Using the sleep charm on Atwood. Again."

"That prick deserves it."

Cedric slowly sat down in a chair and blinked away the spots that danced in his vision so he could bandage up his arm. Fred and George gave him looks mixed with sadness and anger.

"She can't keep doing this to you," said Fred, opening up a bottle of murtlap essence while George brought out a clean roll of bandages.

"She can and she will," said Cedric, letting them help him. "It's not like anyone will stand up for me."

"We do," said George.

"Have you since she gave you detention?"

Guilt lined their faces. They hadn't. Not in a big way at least.

"I rest my case."

"Sure wish Hermione was here," said George. "Umbridge wouldn't have lasted a week. You could at least tell your own girlfriend you're being tortured."

"How do you know I didn't?"

He snorted and shook his head.

"Because if you did, she would have done something by now. The longer this goes on, the harder it's gonna be to usurp the toad woman." He taped off the gauze and went back to his notebook. "How is she anyway? Hermione?"

"I don't know… I've been ignoring her."

Fred looked up from his cauldron and scowled. "You better answer back then before some bloke at her new school sweeps her off her feet."

Oh, that was a terrible thought. Cedric took out his IMN; the yellow dot had grown with the frequency of her messages. He flipped it open and read passages here and there.

Cedric, you will not believe it! I drove around the course today and I only panicked a little! Granted I was way under the speed limit, but my instructor told me I was improving and that learning to drive well might help my fear. I told him my mum was a great driver but that didn't stop her from getting t-boned and crashing into the Thames. Then I had a panic attack and had to see the nurse. She gave me a lolly. I get what the Senhor Barreto was saying though. I am in control and can learn to adapt to drive in numerous environments including ice and snow.

Hey, farm boy, guess what? I got to see a tropical hippogriff today! The feathers were so cool. It shed one and I got to keep it.

Your soundboard is being used at the Quidditch Games. I'm renting it out to the announcers. I've been sending the money to Gringotts to deposit in your vault.

I'm having so much fun at the salsa club. It's nice to be dancing regularly. You know how much I love to dance. How's everything going with you?

Farm boy, are you alright?

Cedric?

Cedric.

Anyone home?

It was dinner time at Castelobruxo, so he could write her back, but… he didn't have any news. None good anyway.

"Tomorrow's Hogsmeade," said Fred. "You going?"

"Haven't had my privileges revoked yet," he replied and looked at them. "Invitation for what?"

"Harry's starting a Defense Club," said George. "Want to join?"

"Sure people will still want to join if I'm there?" he asked bitterly.

"Not as many people hate you as you think they do," said Fred.

"I see it every time they look at me." Cedric sighed and closed his eyes. "A beast meant to be locked up. They either think it… or they're too afraid to stand up. I don't blame some of them… too much to lose. Too scared of Umbridge. Does Harry have a plan for the meeting?"

"Not really," they said.

"Alright, I suppose I can be the Hermione of the group," said Cedric. "Starting a club like this could get everyone involved in a lot of trouble. So you will need… um…" he snapped his fingers trying to think of the word. "Like… collateral, but not. What I'm saying, is that we have to make sure nobody can snitch. As Hermione always says…"

"Snitches get stitches," Fred and George chorused.

"Why does she say that?" George asked.

"She tattled on a kid and got stabbed with a fork," Cedric explained.

"That only opens up more questions."

"Focus. So, we have everybody sign-in on a sign up sheet promising them to silence. They are not bound to stay in the club, they just can't say anything. When you join the club, sign another contract swearing to secrecy."

"Might turn some people off," George pointed out.

With Hermione creating their contracts to get testers for their products, they weren't getting as many volunteers which really bummed them out, though they agreed the waivers could potentially save their asses.

"You want people who are in it for the long run," Cedric reasoned. "People who won't bail. The second contract will be signed the meeting after the one tomorrow."

"You seem to have it all figured out, Ced," said George.

"Sure you haven't been plotting this all along?" Fred asked.

"Hermione loves contracts." He felt a surge of energy now that he had a use in the fight against Umbridge.

Hermione, you there? He wrote.

She answered nearly twenty minutes later.

Farm boy, you're up late. You okay? I was worried.

I'm fine. I need your help.

Anything.

I need a contract to swear a person to secrecy.

What for?

Harry is starting a defense club since Umbridge isn't teaching us shit. Gotta make sure nobody can snitch. Think you can draw up a contract by 1100 BST this Saturday? I know it's short notice but it was a spontaneous act.

Hermione didn't reply back and something splotched onto the page. Cedric watched in amazement as it bled through and appeared as a green drop on his page. He dabbed his finger in it and smelled tomatillos and spices.

Huh…

He wiped it away with a tissue.

"Is she gonna write it?" Fred asked.

"I'm not sure," he said. "She spilled salsa on the book and it bled through. I think she's still eating dinner. They have it late there. Seven to nine."

"Well, since you're not busy writing love letters, care to give us a hand?"

Cedric shook his head and pulled out his homework assignments.

"I have homework to do," he said. "Maybe another day."

"All work and no play makes Cedric a dull boy," Fred and George chorused.

Cedric shuddered. He still couldn't watch or read The Shining without feeling short of breath and paranoid.

"Don't do that," he said. "Please."

"Sorry, mate," said George.

They weren't sure what they said or did that made him react like that, but they weren't going to say the phrase again. That was cool of them.

When Cedric was halfway through his Transfiguration essay the dot appeared on his IMN. He flipped it open and several papers fell out; notes for an essay, a photo of a flower, and the outline of a contract. What runic order did Hermione even put in these things? It seemed anything that could be smoothed flat was sent through. She probably didn't intend this. Still, the contract was good enough for students.

She even added a countermeasure to keep it unbreakable.

Cedric? Hermione wrote ten minutes later. I had a total brain fart and lost the contract and the photo I took today of a flower.

Cedric chuckled and removed the pocket mirror.

"Show me, Hermione," he said.

Hermione's face appeared moments later and she looked frantic.

"I wrote it down, Cedric," she said. "It was just here and I really don't want to walk back to the plaza. I'm still trying to convince Mum and Dad to send me my bicycle but they told me to wait until Christmas."

"Calm down," he said and held it up. "I received it."

"You—huh?"

Fred and George got up and sat on either side of Cedric.

"Hello, Hermione," said Fred.

"You're looking lovely this evening," said George.

Indeed she was lovely with her hair was done up and she had on full makeup. It was subtle and light.

"I was a date for a quinceañera," she said, loosening her white tie. "It's all part of the salsa club. If a quinceañera can't get a date, one will be assigned to her. This particular girl wanted another girl as a date, so I volunteered."

"You make a very pretty date," said Cedric feeling a twinge of jealousy.

"I do, don't I? Thankfully, she understood when I told her I was aiding in teen rebellion and had to bail. She did seem a little sad, though, so I sent Josefina her way. Give me one second."

She opened a sliding door to outside and set the mirror down so she could have her hands free to remove her jacket and settle in her chair. She looked so lively. By this time at Hogwarts, her soul was already being compacted. She really was among people who understood her.

"I can't believe I'm ninety-six thousand kilometers away and I still have to set things up for those two. Next thing I know, I'll be mailing off study guides. So, a secret club? Tell me more."

"Yeah, Harry's supposed to be the leader," said George.

"Every leader needs a support system." She plucked the bobbins out of her hair so it fell freely over her shoulder. "He's a good teacher and he's the best at Defense in his class. He needs help keeping things structured and having support. I'm willing to bet that he's feeling pretty alone."

"But he isn't alone," said Fred.

Hermione sighed and picked up her crochet project.

"Think about it from Harry's perspective," she said. "Abused for most of his life and made to feel like an outsider and unwanted. He comes to a place where people tell him he matters. He doesn't want the fame, but he loves the acceptance and support. He's thrown into a Tournament he doesn't want to be in. He's turned into both a joke and an underdog. Acceptance level gets worse than second year because second year people ignored him. Now, they're bullying him. He faces three tasks that nearly kill him. Used in a ritual. Nobody believes him about the ritual. Frustration because he's so unlikeable that two eye witness accounts don't matter and everyone calls him a loony. He knows you all are there for him, he really does, but it's easy to forget about the people who are there for you when they're drowned out by the people that hate you."

"That last bit could be a song lyric," said Cedric.

Hermione smiled at him and once again he felt a pang of longing. He wished she were with him, though he would never subject her to Umbridge.

"Just… be there for Harry. Remind him that he isn't alone."

"What do people there think about our good friend Morty?" asked Fred.

"Oh, they believe he's back," said Hermione. "Two eyewitness accounts? Harry is still the Boy-Who-Lived here. He's one of three people who ever survived the Killing Curse in written and oral history and the first baby who survived. But it's Britain's problem. They got dark wizards of their own here. There are two kids in my year alone who are prophecy children. Morty being back isn't that far fetched."

"Okay, so he's got the support of his closest friends and a school that is thousands of miles away," said Cedric. "Anyway we can bring up proof?"

"I can find out what's been keeping Morty alive," she said. "Units four and five are on Defensive Spells with a section on recognizing dark magic. I'll be able to research more thoroughly starting February."

"Might be too late by then," said Fred.

"No." She shook her head. "He's a full-tilt diva. When he comes back, he's going to make it into a big show. It's got to happen when morale at Hogwarts is lowest, when the Ministry relaxes, and something dramatic happens. Maybe… death of a Minister. Morty is calculating and won't take risks, but his followers are not. He's got to bide his time."

While she rambled on about her findings and patterns of historic villains, as well as societal patterns that led up to it, Cedric drank in every word and wished she were right there telling them her theories. He couldn't see her mind working through a mirror. He liked watching her work. God, he missed her so much.

Hermione stopped talking and tipped her head. She heard something.

"What the hell?" she looked at the three of them. "Do you hear that? Shh! Listen."

Cedric, George, and Fred leaned in. It sounded like someone was singing. Hermione got up and disappeared out of sight so they could only see the brightly patterned cushion of her chair. She came back seconds later and brought the mirror to the rail. A boy was standing on the street crooning a song which was mostly saying a girl's name over and over, a little difficult to make out from mirror call. Hermione turned the mirror back towards her.

"No way," said Fred. "Think he's there for Hermione?"

"Would you blame him?" George teased.

"She can still hear you, you know," said Cedric, leaning in closer to try straining to hear the song.

"He's not here for me. I'm a notorious Sanchez. We kill our spouses, you know, and bathe in their blood to keep us young. It prevents flirting at-" Realization dawned on her face. "wait… Noa, was Estevo flirting with me?"

"You just now got it?" Noa scoffed. How long had she been there? "Yeah, he asked you out and you crushed him with the friend card. Same thing with Pasqual, Arturo, Julio, and Zoe."

Her face fell.

"I… that doesn't. You know what? I don't care. Let's just help this kid." She looked over her shoulder. "Oyé! Is there a Rosa in the house?"

"Rosa who?" Someone far away answered.

"Rosa who?" Hermione asked Lover Boy.

"Rosario."

"Fake."

The mirror shook as it changed hands and Noa looked into it.

"Cedric," she said. "What a nice surprise. Who're your friends?"

"I'm Gred, he's Forge," they chorused.

Noa tipped her head as she tried to place them.

"You're the ones who kissed Nia at the World Cup."

"That we are," said Fred.

Cedric was insanely jealous when the twins kissed Hermione for unknowingly helping them make an insane bet. He had satisfaction when she slapped them both. Who knew he'd be their backer and friend, now?

There were several shouts from people who were opening their windows and trying to find Rosa Rosario which then spurred conversations. Cedric pressed his hand over his mouth to contain his laughter.

"This must be what the telly is like," said George, opening a box of Bertie Botts.

"Rosa Rosario is in the Macaw Building, man!" said a voice from the balcony below Hermione.

"What building is this?" Lover Boy asked.

"Hystrice," said Hermione.

Noa pointed the mirror towards a statue of a glowing creature that looked a lot like a porcupine if it were crossed with an armadillo.

"Oh."

"Poor bloke," said Cedric. "Tell him I thought it was a lovely song."

"My boyfriend likes your song!" Hermione called.

The three boys laughed. They got a good look at Hermione's feet as she entered her room and closed the door.

"That's not something that happens," said Hermione, sitting down at her desk. "I mean, at eleven o'clock we get to stand on our balconies and scream, which makes the poachers in the area think this patch of land is haunting. Anyway, I'm willing to bet Rosa Rosario isn't even home. A lot of people are preparing for Día de Muertos this weekend."

"Even you?" Cedric asked.

"Eh. I'll just join in the celebration," said Hermione. "There's going to be a massive party filling all the streets. Several clubs are performing or having exhibitions. I plan on painting my face for Día de Muertos. Though some kids think that it should just be for countries that actually celebrate it instead of making it a blanket holiday for the school. It's important to my family, so I'm just gonna celebrate."

"Take plenty of pictures," said Cedric.

"Of course."

"Do we need to let you two have some alone time?" Fred asked Cedric with a suggestive wink.

Hermione made a face. "George, smack him for me."

George overzealously smacked his twin upside the head, thrilled to be the Chosen One.

"I'm actually going to let you go," said Cedric. "Thank you for the contract and the rent money."

"Mm-hm, just keep me posted on how it goes and raise some hell."

"Can do. I love you."

Hermione blew a kiss, signed 'I love you,' and her image disappeared leaving Cedric staring at his own reflection.

"Wow, could you two be any mushier?" George teased.

"For Hermione, that is mushy," said Cedric. "Any of the extra stuff you see some couples do makes her uncomfortable. Anyway, let's take a look at this contract."

When they finished, the twins yawned and stretched in unison; Cedric was a half-second behind.

"Alright, Fred and I will be heading off to bed, then," said George. "You?"

Cedric sighed and rubbed his neck. "Don't really have a choice. I wouldn't put it past Aiden to rat me out, despite us not being roommates anymore."

"Aren't Hufflepuffs supposed to be loyal?"

"You'd think so, seeing as we take everyone who isn't a fighter, scholar, or politician," Cedric muttered. "Loyalty is extended to those you think deserve it. A werewolf like me? Doesn't fit."

"Things will get better, Cedric," said George.

"That's a nice thought."

As soon as he stood up, he collapsed and blacked out.