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"𝐢'𝐦 𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮." _____________________
After weeks of lying, hiding the truth, convincing myself that I was capable of handling everything on my own, and postponing telling anyone all that I had done, or rather failed to do, I finally admitted defeat.
Sunday, the beginning of a new week, a fresh start. Seems like the perfect time to come clean. Well, that and the fact that my lies have fully caught up to me. I had told everyone that I'd figured out what the egg meant. In all honesty, I haven't a clue. Now I'm left with two days, a totaled 48 hours, to come to a conclusion on what the next task is. And I can't do so alone.
Hermione and I lean over the wooden railings supporting the long covered bridge of the third floor, a place that's become rather frequented among our group of four. We often walk the long bridge and take in the tranquility of our surroundings. The nearby mountains continue to be a breathtaking sight despite the fact that it's been the same sight the last four years. It never fails to captivate you with it's beauty.
"Harry you'd told me you figured the egg out weeks ago. The task is two days from now," Hermione scolds.
So much for tranquility.
Notwithstanding how I know that I've messed up, and that Hermione has every reason to rebuke me, her words still annoy me.
"Really?" I ask sarcasm oozing from my tone. "I had no idea."
She says nothing so I turn to face her, taking my last opportunity of having the answer handed to me. "I suppose Viktor's already figured it out."
"Wouldn't know. We don't really talk about the tournament," she's quick to answer. "Actually, we don't really talk at all. Viktor's more of a physical being."
I smirk, although surprised, having not expected the information the reserved girl voluntarily supplies. Said smirk converts to a chuckle when I hear her laugh shortly at herself and see her cringe among realizing how her words came across.
"I just mean, he's not particularly loquacious," her smile is prominent as she rushes to clarify.
I give her a skeptical look though she wouldn't know for she avoids my gaze. "Mm-hm."
"Mostly he watches me study," she continues. "It's a bit annoying actually."
When she finally looks at me the atmosphere changes instantaneously as the smile falls from her face; a more concerning look washing over in replacement. "You are trying to figure this egg out, aren't you?"
A strained silence falls over the two of us for a moment.
"What's that supposed to mean?" The combined stress and overwhelmingness of the situation causing my words to come across harsher than I meant them too.
"It just means these tasks are designed to test you," she tells me, mind you not for the first time, thus only fuelling my irritation. "In the most brutal way. They're almost cruel. And, um. . ."
She pauses, surely noticing my attempts at tuning her out so she switches her place, appearing on my other side to which I revert my gaze to straight ahead of me. Assuming she's not going to jump over the railing and somehow levitate in front of me to simply catch my gaze.
Although wouldn't quite put it past her.
"I'm scared for you," she admits. "You got by the dragons, mostly on nerve. I'm not sure it's going to be enough this time."
There's something I haven't heard before. The truth.
"Hey, Potter."
I'm thankful for whoever it is that calls my name for it puts my current conversation on hold. I turn over my shoulder to see Cedric Diggory. Although he hasn't really done anything wrong to me and that the whole Yule Ball incident was al my doing, I still have a slight resentment towards him. I look back at Hermione mentally debating which conversation I'd rather be in before I decide neither of them.
I push away from the railing and begin walking away from the both of them, hoping neither will make any effort to catch up to me.
"Potter."
Darn.
"Cedric," I reply albeit I continue to walk.
His footsteps gradually slow from their jogging pace as he catches up to me and I decide to stop self pitying myself and see what the guy wants.
As I turn to face him he eyes me quizzically, somewhat thrown off by my cold shoulder.
"How. . . how are you?" He asks genuinely.
I nearly groan out loud. I'm getting proper sick of being asked that question.
"Spectacular."
Cedric looks to the ground. "Look, if this is about, y/n-"
"What?" I'm a little too quick to reply. "No, no, obviously not. I'm just, I'm in a bit of a rush today, I don't really have time to stand and chat, I'll see you, Cedric."
I turn away from the boy for a second time and begin walking quickly back towards the third floor corridor but before I can take too many steps, Cedric yells out again.
"Wait!" He calls out and I must take note of his persistence. "Look, I realize I never really thanked you properly for tipping me off about those dragons."
I feel a twang of guilt for having taken my bad mood out on him when he was just trying to be a decent guy.
Maybe that's why I feel so angry. Because when I had been a twat, he was a decent guy, the guy that was there for y/n when I mistreated her. It's not him that I'm mad at, it's me.
"Forget about it," I tell him. "I'm sure you would've done the same for me."
"Exactly," he says, the volume of his voice increasing as he sees me begin to leave. He checks over his shoulders before continuing, lowering his voice to avoid being heard by any bystanders. "You know the Prefects' bathroom on the fifth floor?"
Quite honestly I don't really want to take any handouts from Cedric, my stubbornness and my ego bearing strong. However the time is running out and I'm far too desperate to decline his help. I've had months to figure this egg out and I've gotten nowhere there's no chance I'll somehow miraculously figure it out on my own with this two day deadline. So I look at the boy and nod.
He seems to struggle to find the right words and comes even closer, bringing his voice to a whisper. "It's not a bad place for a bath."
I can't help but to frown. What the hell does that mean?
He walks away, his signature charming smile plastered onto his face. "Just take your egg and. . . mull things over in the hot water."
He nods before he leaves himself, leaving me standing on my own trying to decipher his bizarre clue. I grow frustrated that I don't immediately understand what he was hinting at but once more I'm reminded of how little time I have to waste. So I begin my walk back to the castle in search of the Prefects' bathroom in hopes that something will come of this.
This may just be my last hope.
✵ -short, filler chapter kinda vibe but hey at least you didn't have to wait 2 months for it! -more to come soon! xo
