Switching Sides | Cedric Diggory vs. Fred Weasley

Chapter 44: The Final Days

Millie Barrett stood in her dormitory as her and her roommates packed their things for the final time, as today was the day they were to leave Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry forever. They three of them had tears in their eyes as they took down posters and photos, filling their trunks up hesitantly. They talked and sang throughout the hours in which they packed, reminiscing on the past seven years of their lives: the ups and downs, the endless adventures, everything they went through to bring them right to that luxuriously sad moment, preparing to leave their second home. 

Millie's record player was switched on, her old vinyl of U2's album 'Boy' spinning as they screamed 'Out of Control' together for the last time.

"I was of feeling!" Angelina sang.

"It was out of control!" Alicia joined in.

"I had the opinion!" Millie cried.

"It was out of control!" they all sang, spinning and jumping around their almost empty room. 

The song soon faded out, the three girls collapsing on their bed in a fit of giggles, tears brimming their eyes as the sun continued to set and time failed to stop. Millie stood up, taking in the sight of the room, completely empty for the first time in seven years. They'd always left up the posters and some photos, knowing they'd be back the next year, but now they were left with the bare, deep red walls and stripped four posters they'd only seen once before. It was a lot to take in, knowing this was it for them.

"I can't believe it," Alicia sighed. "Seven years and what do we have to show for it?"

"Knowledge," Angelina said. "Friends,"

"Oh, shut it," Alicia scoffed, giggling slightly at how cheesy Angelina was. "I never thought I'd be so attached to this place. I remember the first day we were here, I was the only one not excited to start classes. Millie, you were off the walls to start those Quidditch classes with Hooch, remember?"

"Oh God," Millie cringed, thinking back to her 12 year old self. "I was showing off so much,"

"You just wanted to impress the cute ginger standing next to you," Alicia smirked.

"Shove off," Millie groaned with a smile, stepping over to her closed trunk.

"It's almost time," Angelina frowned. "We should head down,"

The two other girls agreed as they all grabbed their trunks. Alicia and Angelina stepped out first, but Millie remembered something quickly. 

"Shit, I forgot my jewelry box," she said. "You two go down, I'll meet you there in a minute,"

She stepped back into the room and walked over to one of the plain walls that used to contain the Hollyhead Harpies poster her father had bought her in third year. She whipped out her wand and mumbled an incantation, revealing the secret cabinet she'd magically hidden in the wall. Her jewelry was expensive and wildly important to her, so she'd always done her best to keep it all safe.

She pulled it out of the wall and carefully dropped it onto her bed, sealing the secret cupboard back up before turning to the box. She opened it, planning to check that everything she had was still safe and in good condition. It hadn't been opened in quite some time; every year she took all of her jewelry off and sealed it away right before Quidditch season for she knew she'd forget she had it on and an earring or necklace would get lost in the green grass of the pitch.

Millie sifted through her belongings, admiring rings and necklaces she'd been given over the years when she came across something she didn't remember having. It was a thin, silver chain bracelet with two charms hanging off it: a C and an M. She didn't remember receiving or buying it and was wildly confused for just a moment before she made the realization.