𝐈𝐭 𝐇𝐚𝐝 𝐓𝐨 𝐁𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮 (𝐂𝐄𝐃𝐑𝐈𝐂 𝐃𝐈𝐆𝐆𝐎𝐑𝐘 𝐱 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐄𝐑)

13: Cat and Mouse

Y/N PERSPECTIVE

My cheeks had been burning since I entered the common room that morning, and I felt no different as I trudged back through the halls toward the Hufflepuff house. Cedric slowed his pace to match mine but said nothing as we walked alongside each other.

Morning light was streaming through the grand windows. It was still early, but it felt like a week had already passed in the early hours of the day.

Students of other houses had already caught wind of what happened, and I could feel dozens of pairs of eyes boring into me while the hall rippled with hushed, gossipy whispers. 

"Dumbledore only said that the Hufflepuffs' memories would be altered... I reckon he didn't account for gossip," Cedric said darkly.

What an awful idea I hadn't even considered.

Just outside the barrel entrance to Hufflepuff, I stopped.

"I don't want to go in," I murmured. "I can't face them. What if they haven't been taken in for the memory charm yet?"

Cedric reached for my hand to give it a reassuring squeeze, but I pulled away. He looked at me questioningly.

"Keep a low profile, remember?" I reminded him.

"Oh. Right," he replied. 

We stood in front of the door in uncomfortable silence for what felt like too long.

"I'll go first and call you in if the coast is clear," he offered finally.

I watched Cedric hesitantly enter the common room, then turn around and give me a thumbs up. I followed him in.

The common room was deserted. Thank Merlin.

Cedric collapsed into the sofa, reminding me instantly of the night we met. I was once again deciding not to join him, and started off towards my room.

"Y/N! Aren't we going to talk about this?" Cedric protested, turning to face me. "We need to catch the absolute cockroach who did this."

I sighed.

"Cedric, honestly, all I want to do right now is change into my robes and get to class. We've already missed breakfast." Cedric's face fell, and he looked so dejected I instantly felt bad.

"We shouldn't be seen together for a bit, at least while the rumors are still circulating, but how about this: find out whatever you can, I'll do the same, and we can meet in secret by the courtyard tonight after dark," I offered. 

He instantly perked up.

"Meeting secretly... I like that idea," he replied with a mischievous grin. 

I rolled my eyes and tried to hide my smile as I sauntered up the stairs to my room, already feeling slightly better. This was going to blow over before we knew it.

★゜・。。・゜゜・。。・゜☆゜・。。・゜゜・。。・゜★

Or... maybe not.

Potions class seemed to last an eon. I could hardly focus on my work with the constant wolf whistles thrown my way from the Gryffindors, and it was hard not to notice the sneers from jealous girls or the loudly whispered insults circling me like a wreath of shame.

Elaine, whose usual naïveté was only further amplified by the fact that she was one of the first to be wiped of her memories from this morning, continued to cluelessly reassure me.

"I'm not quite sure who started that stupid rumor about you and Diggory, but trust me, they'll forget all about it in a week. PISS OFF, SQUABS!" She turned to swat at Sweetpea Squabs, who was buzzing around us like an anxious little gnat trying to figure out what had happened this morning. Squabs seemed to be the only Hufflepuff who HADN'T seen the photos, but they wiped her memory just in case.

"Uh oh," Elaine murmured, catching my attention at last. "Captain dipshit, 12 o'clock."

Her ex boyfriend and his Slytherin posse were approaching the table, and I didn't like the look of it one bit. They circled us like sharks before finally taking the seats around us. We were locked in.

"What do you want, Bishop?" spat Elaine. As far as I knew, this was the first they'd spoken since she caught Crooks cheating on her.

Crooks smirked. "Relax, Elaine, I'm not here for you." He turned slowly to face me. "I'm here for your little friend."

Elaine's nostrils flared in anger and she shifted closer to me, instinctively trying to protect me from the horrible boy. 

"What do you want, Crooks?" I asked flatly.

"Don't respond, maybe he'll leave. All Slytherins want is attention," Elaine growled.

Crooks ignored her, and leaned in closer toward me. I could see the flecks of gold in his dark eyes.

"I know who did it," he said with a slight smile, "and I want to help you out."

Elaine shot up at this. "NOTHING happened this morning. Literally nothing. Leave Y/N alone or I'll turn you into a newt right here and now."

Professor Snape, of course, snapped his head around at this, and was over to our table faster than I could blink.

"If I hear any more... threats... of any kind from ANY of you three, it's detention for the rest of the week," he spat. Crooks started to protest. "EVEN you, Crooks." Snape stalked away. 

"Class dismissed."

I started to gather my books. I wanted to get out of that classroom and back to the safety of my own chambers as fast as possible, but Bishop reached out and grabbed my shoulder.

"Slytherin common room tonight, if you want to know the truth." He winked, then turned around and pranced out of the room with a flourish, followed by his friends.

I could feel Elaine's anger coming off her body in waves of heat next to me as we left the room.

"Sorry, Y/N, I don't know what that was all about. Just ignore him, and everyone else, okay?" She threw her arm around my shoulder and proceeded to try to distract me with an elaborate and far too detailed description of what she did to a boy she met at the Three Broomsticks the other night, but my mind was in other places.

Slytherin common room tonight... was it worth it to learn the truth? Even if Crooks was lying, it was the only lead I had. Maybe I need to take a risk.

★゜・。。・゜゜・。。・゜☆゜・。。・゜゜・。。・゜★