Chapter 32 – Seventh Year
GN
It was something trivial really, but I loved that we were old enough and able to apparate to the platform on our own. Cedric and I wore the same grin on our faces as we landed at the end of the platform. Without saying a word Cedric took my trunk in his free hand and walked over to the train. I rolled my eyes playfully as I followed him on the train. We found an empty compartment and Cedric pulled me down next to him, his arm loosely over my shoulder. I leaned against him as my eyes flickered over the platform, watching the students all walk in. It was weird sitting here for the last time, for our last year. Seeing ickle first years look at the platform in wonder and amazement.
"A sickle for your thoughts?" Cedric's voice brought me back.
"Just thinking about that this is the last time we ride to Hogwarts." I said with a sad smile.
"It is weird, if you think about it. It's been our entire world for the last seven years. It's going to weird not seeing you, or Odin and Lyra every day." He rubbed my arm absently. "At least you know what you want to do after Hogwarts."
"I may know with what I want to do for work, but I don't know where."
"I thought you would go work with Bash and Charlie in Romania?"
"Eventually, maybe. But I want to travel first, see what I can do and learn about other creatures. Then there is the opportunity of an apprenticeship in Africa with Abo." I bit my lip as I thought about next year.
"You'll figure it out."
"You will too, Ced. I'll make sure of it." I gave him a pointed glare.
"I'll keep you to that." He chuckled as the door slid open, Odin and Lyra were standing there already in their school robes. "Here are the lovebirds!"
"Oh, hush you." Lyra chastised but smiled none the less. She gave us both a kiss on the cheek, Odin doing the same to me, while he clapped Cedric on the shoulder and sat down next to Lyra. "So, what are we talking about?"
"Life after Hogwarts."
"Still no plans, mate?" Odin asked, wrapping his arm around Lyra.
"No. You?"
"Going for my master in potions."
"And I'll start my healing training this summer." Lyra clapped excitedly.
"You'll do great. Madam Pomfrey said so herself." I smiled at her and suddenly I saw mops of red hair appear on the platform. My smile wavered and I leaned over Cedric to push the blinders down.
"Gwen?" Lyra frowned at me confused.
"George?" Cedric whispered glancing through the blinders, and I nodded my head.
"Shit, they're coming on the train." I cursed and grabbed my wand and put a disillusionment charm on myself. "I'm not ready."
"What's going on? Why did you turn invisible?" Lyra asked as she leaned forward.
"George wrote her one letter this summer and didn't visit or ask her to come to the burrow." Lyra looked outraged at Cedric and invisible me, even Odin looked disgruntled. "You need to talk to him."
"Not now." I snapped and Cedric just sighed in response.
"Fine, sit down on the ground against the window. Because I'm sure they're coming in here any minute now, and if they sit down."
"They'll know." I grumbled. "I know." I lowered myself to the ground and Cedric placed one foot between my legs, so it didn't look like something else was there. "Thanks."
"Any ti-" Cedric started and just as the train started with a jolt the door flew open, revealing to no one's surprise the twins. "Weasley." Cedric said coolly and I placed my hand on his calf.
"Hey, Cedric." George looked nervously around the compartment. "Lyra, Odin. I- uhm, has anyone of you seen Guinevere?"
"She was here earlier. She went to find Eloise and Drake, to see if they were in her NEWT's class for Care of Magical Creatures."
"Oh." George frowned as Fred clapped his back.
"Let's see if we can find her, yeah." Fred asked his brother, who nodded absently.
"If you see her, can you tell her I need to talk to her." George asked Cedric.
"I can." He drawled out. "But I honestly don't know if she wants to talk to you, George, but I'll tell her."
"Thanks." He mumbled and followed Fred out of the compartment. Odin leaned forward and closed the door and put those blinders shut before putting a locking charm on it.
I sighed and undid the spell. I appeared before the others again as I pulled my knees up and wrapped my arms around it. Lyra slid to the ground and shuffled close to me.
"Maybe you should talk to him, it seems he really wants to talk to you."
"He hasn't sent me a letter for two months, couldn't even muster an explanation. Now he can wait until I'm ready." I huffed, placing my head on my knees.
"Gwen-"
"Hear, hear." Odin shouted suddenly and we all looked at him in surprise. Odin was always the silent type, a man of few words and never loud, so this was a bit of a shock.
"What?" Lyra squeaked; her eyes wide.
"Gwen's right." He pointed out. "If he couldn't write to her for Helga knows what reason, he can wait until she's ready to talk to him."
"Thanks, Odin." I smiled up at him and he shot me a wink.
"Since that's sorted out, come back up, Winnie." Cedric leaned forward to look at me and held out his hand.
"I'm quite comfortable really. Can you hand me my CMC book?"
Cedric shook his head with a grin but accio'd my book for me. "Here you go, love."
I accepted it with a smirk as Lyra sat back down next to Odin. I pushed Cedric's legs open and positioned myself between them, my back to him and rested my book against my knees.
GN
A few minutes before we arrived at the Hogsmeade station, we had changed into our uniforms. Leaving our trunks on the racks in the compartment, the four of us walked out of the train station. Cedric wrapped his arm around my shoulder as he guided me to the carriages. I was laughing with the story Cedric told me about Amos accident at St. Mungos.
"Guinevere!" George's voice called loudly behind them.
I stopped laughing and sighed. I didn't turn around, I just walked faster and noticed Cedric looking back with an apologetic shrug. I just hoped I was fast enough to the carriages before he could catch up to me. When I reached the first available carriage, I hopped in, and Cedric's robe almost got caught up in the door when I went to close it right behind him. "Sorry." I muttered as Cedric sat down, and the carriage started moving. I kept my eyes trained on the dark sky outside, only the contouring of the trees visible. When we arrived in the great hall, I took my place at the Hufflepuff table with my back to the soon to be full Gryffindor table. I didn't eat much as I felt his eyes staring at the back of my head all during dinner. I just tried to keep my attention on my friends and not at the table in the back. I smiled as I saw that Lyra had grown her hair out, now it reached her midback, Odin too, instead of his usual buzz cut, had now a full head of hair where you could easily run your hands through. Cedric on the other hand had cut his hair at the end of sixth year, shorter than he ever had. Maybe it was due to what happened, maybe he wanted a fresh start, I don't know. I still had the same brown bob I had all summer. Not only was it because it was easier than long hair working with dragons, but also that I wanted something else than George's favourite hairdo on me, the mid length, ash blonde hair.
After dinner, I waited until most of the kids were standing up, making it hard for George to make his way to me. I slipped out behind the Hufflepuff first years, as Cedric rounded them up. Cedric was offered the title of Head Boy, but after everything that happened last year, he wasn't up to it and let it go to someone else. The title went to Nicolas Drilling from Slytherin and the one for Head Girl went to Lisa Ludling from Ravenclaw. I slipped past everyone and hurried off to the Hufflepuff common room. The common room was still empty as I was the first to arrive and went to my room immediately. My trunk was already placed at the end of my bed, I pulled out a set of pyjamas and my CMC book. After I changed into my nightwear, I crawled into bed. Twenty minutes later a small paper flew in from the open window. I caught it as it flew above my head with a little frown, I recognized the handwriting in an instant. With a huff, I set the note on fire. While the note was burning in the air in front of me, a soft knock came on the door and Cedric poked his head in.
"Burning down the school already, miss Northon?" He chuckled as he walked in as the flames died out.
"Note from George."
"What did it say?"
"Don't know, didn't open it." I shrugged and leaned back against the headboard. Cedric sat down on the edge of my bed and opened his mouth to say something but closed it again. I knew he wanted to say something about it, but he knew I didn't want to discuss it. So, he changed the subject.
"The party is already in full swing." He grabbed my hand. "Come on, it's our last first-day-of-year-party."
"If you put it like that." I grinned with a playful roll of my eyes and let him pull me up. I dropped my book on my bed and followed him back to the music filled common room.
GN
Cedric, Lyra, Odin and I were sitting at the breakfast table in the great hall waiting for Professor Sprout to hand over our timetables. Since I didn't eat that much the night before, I needed to catch up. So, my plate, to the amusement of Cedric, was filled with eggs, bacon and toast. I was reading the daily prophet while the others talked. One hand holding the paper, while the other scooped eggs to my mouth.
"Oh, Lyra. Do you want to sneak out this weekend? There is a new muggle shop in Diagon alley."
"What do they sell?" She asked leaning over the paper to look at the article.
"Clothes, muggle appliances, trinkets, all kinds of things. Look." I handed over the paper for her to look at as I sipped my orange juice.
"Yeah, it's been a while since we had a girls' day." She smiled as she gave the paper back. "Tomorrow?"
"Brilliant." My eyes twinkled.
"What about us?" Cedric pouted. "What do we have to do all day without our girls."
"Oh, honestly!" Lyra and I rolled our eyes. Our eyes met once they were back in place and we both fell into a fit of laughter, booming through the great hall.
"It seems like you're having a good morning."
Lyra and I stopped laughing and looked up at Professor Sprout with a grin. "We are." We chimed.
Sprout looked at us with a smile and a twinkle in her eyes. "Welcome back, kids. If I can still call you that, your final year already. Oh my, my, how the time flies. But don't get my nostalgia get in the way. Here are your timetables." She handed out four pieces of parchment. "I'll see you in class on Monday, Gwen." She smiled and shuffled to the other students.
"So, how is your timetable looking?" Cedric asked, leaning over my shoulder to sneak a peek.
"Monday, two hours of DADA before lunch and three hours of Care of Magical Creatures after. The rest free, you?"
"DADA with you, advanced Arithmancy with Odin and Ancient runes that day." He said switching timetables. Mine was also filled with Herbology, potions and charms while Cedric's was filled with charms, transfiguration. "Come let's go." He said as he put his bag on his shoulder and stood up. "You wanted to go see the Thestrals, remember?" I was still looking at his timetable to see if we had free periods together as I stood up. I smiled as he held out my bag and we walked out of the great hall as we switched our timetables again.