𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐮𝐬𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐮𝐦 | 𝐜.𝐝 𝐟𝐟

𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙮𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙛𝙖𝙩𝙚.

When I opened my eyes this morning, something was different. It was brighter in my room. I looked out the window, grateful there was no fog, but bugged that a layer of snow had blanketed itself across the perimeter. And worst of all, the rain had frozen solid, creating intricate little impaling weapons. It might be safer if I stayed home today.

Ugh, but I had four children to look after.

I got ready quickly, and scarfed down my cereal. I wobbled to the Audi making an excuse about slippery roads. In truth, I felt excited to go to school. I knew it wasn't the stimulating learning environment I was anticipating, or seeing my new set of friends. If I was being honest with myself, I knew I was eager to get to school because I would see Cedric.

I know I should be avoiding him entirely after my not so civilised conversation with him. And I am suspicious of him; why should he lie about his eyes? I was still frightened of the hostility I sometimes felt radiating from him.

It took every ounce of my concentration to make it down the icy brick driveway alive. I almost lost my balance when I finally got to the Audi, but I managed to cling to the side mirror and save myself. Clearly, today was going to be wonderful. Not to mention, my unwavering safety when I drive these four monkeys down the slippery road to school.

Surprise! The Audi didn't have much trouble with the icy roads.

We all got out of the car. The boys already planning another snowball fight and Parkinson just walking along side them. Something silver caught my eye, and I walked to the back of the Audi - carefully holding the side for support - to examine my tires. There were thin chains crisscrossed in diamond shapes around them. And they were slowly disappearing. Bewitched car. So I did have a shot at using magic in this sad, bland town.

Suddenly, I heard a high-pitched screech, and it was fast becoming painfully loud. I looked up, startled. Way to ruin my revelation.

I saw several things simultaneously. The adrenaline rush made my brain work much faster, and I was able to absorb in clear detail several things at once. No potion needed.

I saw Cedric Diggory standing across the parking lot from me, staring at me in horror. His face stood out from a sea of faces, all frozen in the same mask of shock. But of more immediate importance was the dark blue van that was skidding, tires locked and squealing against the brakes, spinning wildly across the ice of the parking lot. It was going to hit the back corner of my car, and I was standing between them. I didn't even have time to close my eyes. I should blast the car away.

Was it Reducto, or Bombarda? Or should I use Confringo? Would Protego work?

A million spells ran through my head. Just before I heard the shattering crunch of the van folding around the car hood, something hit me, hard, but not from the direction I was expecting.

My head bumped against the icy blacktop, and I felt something solid and cold pinning me to the ground. What the hell?

I was lying on the pavement behind the tan car I'd parked next to. But I didn't have a chance to notice anything else, because the van was still coming. It had curled gratingly around the end of the Audi and, still spinning and sliding, was about to collide with me again.

This is it. I'm going to die. Like I should have during the Battle of Hogwarts.

A low swear made me aware that someone was with me, and the voice was impossible not to recognize. Two long, white hands shot out protectively in front of me, and the van shuddered to a stop a foot from my face, the large hands fitting providentially into a deep dent in the side of the van's body. Unimaginable resistance and strength; able to stop a machine from crushing me.