Diggory Is More Than A Loser (book 3)

8- Beginning Of The End

Harry didn't rejoin Celia and the others on the train, and they had no idea where he had gone. But Celia was sure he wasn't in any danger even though he had disappeared, since Harry was great at getting himself out of bad situations.
Celia was anxious about stepping back inside the castle again, as she'd had an awful year, the year before.
Even though she'd spent some of her summer there, walking through the castle doors with the rest of the students, made Celia very uncomfortable.
And sitting next to her roommates in the great hall was a very awkward experience, since they had all fallen out the year before.
Although Celia was pleased to see thst Marietta was still scarred for betraying the DA, as the pimples could still be seen, even through a thick layer of make-up.

Harry didn't arrive until pudding had been served, and he entered the hall with his face covered in blood.
"What happened to him?" Questioned Cho.
Celia shrugged and continued the rest of the meal ignoring Cho as normal.
Harry looked O.K, so Celia wasn't too worried about him, and she wasn't willing to talk to Cho about what Harry could have gotten up to.
Once everyone had eaten, Dumbledore gave his normal welcome back speech, and revealed that Filch had banned all products from Weasley Wizard Wheezes, which made Celia smile.

When the welcome back dinner had concluded, Celia headed to the Ravenclaw tower with her roommates.
"What is hard to get into?" Asked the Ravenclaw door knocker.
"Someone's heart" suggested Celia.
"Hmm, interesting answer. But earning someone's love is a hard thing to do, so a heart is difficult to get into" agreed the door, before letting the group in.
Celia headed straight for her dormitory, but Cho was hot on her heels.

"We need to talk" announced Cho, once they reached their room.
"Why do you always corner me when we are alone in here?" Sighed Celia.
"Because it's the only time I can get you to talk to me" admitted Cho, as Marietta passed them both on the way to the bathroom.
"I suppose you've got a point. What is it you want to say to me then?" Asked Celia.
"This is the first day of our last year at Hogwarts, and I want us to enjoy our 7th year, despite all the bad things happening in the world right now"
"I too, want to enjoy our final year".

"Good. Then I think we should try and be friends" admitted Cho.
"Friends? Are you serious?" Questioned Celia.
"Yes. Or at least very good acquaintances. I want us to talk in lessons and when we sit during meal times together. I'm not expecting us to become best friends, and hang out around the castle together. But I just want us to get on, and not hate each other"
"I don't hate you"
"Really? Well you could have fooled me"
"I just don't like you that much, because you are everything I'm not, and everyone loves you".

"Before our 5th year when I started dating Cedric, we got on alright. You used to hang out with us" reminded Cho.
"That was before I made real friends" replied Celia.
"Well, just because you have friends, it doesn't mean we can't get along as well, especially since your friends aren't in our year or our house"
"I guess you've got a point. My life would be easier if we weren't at each others throats"
"So, you'll be nice to Marietta, Arabella and Katia again?"
"I won't be mean to Marietta anymore, but I will never forget or forgive what she did"
"I suppose that's all I can ask".

Marietta exited the bathroom, covering her face, because she'd removed the thick make-up that mostly hid the spots on face that spelled out SNEAK.
The rest of their roommates also entered the dormitory from the common room.
"Were you listening to our conversation?" Asked Celia.
"No" replied Arabella, in not a very convincing lie.
"Never mind" mumbled Celia, before rolling her eyes and heading over to her bed, to start unpacking her things.

"Where were you at the end of last year?" Katia quizzed.
"I was at St Mungo's, recovering from my head wounds" answered Celia.
"Not the whole time. Because you were definitely here on the last day" replied Katia.
"I spent the night in hospital wing, because Madam Pomfrey wanted to keep an eye on me".
"And you stayed here all summer, right?" Asked Arabella.
Celia shook her head, "No, only until my 17th birthday. I stayed with the Weasley's after that".
"Was it weird being at the school, without any other students?" Questioned Arabella.
"It was a little odd, but I enjoyed it" answered Celia.

"I still can't believe that this is our last year" admitted Cho.
"It does feel a bit unreal" agreed Celia.
"These 7 years have gone by fast" replied Cho.
"I'm really not looking forward to leaving next June. Hogwarts has been my home, and I don't want to leave it behind".
"Me neither, but it's all a part of growing up. We are adults now afterall" reminded Arabella.
"I don't exactly feel like an adult" revealed Celia.
"I'm sure you will, once we finish school and get our NEWT results" replied Arabella.

"I hope so. But I still don't know what I want to do when I leave here" admitted Celia.
"Well, you've got all year to work it out" informed Katia.
Celia looked over at Marietta, who sat on her bed, in silence, avoiding eye contact with Celia.
"You can talk around me you know, I'm not going to bite your head off" reassured Celia.
"I didn't want to make you mad at me, by saying the wrong thing" Marietta said quietly.
"I'm always going to be angry at you. But openly hating you is too much effort, so I'm not going to argue with you anymore" admitted Celia.

"Oh, O.K... And just so you know, I really am sorry about what I did, and I'm sorry that you got hurt more by Umbridge, because of my actions" informed Marietta.
"Thank you for your apology. Maybe in time I can forgive you. But I will never forget what you did, because I have to look at the scars on the back of my hand every single day. However, I am willing to put my pain behind me and move on, for the sake of everyone else" replied Celia.
"Thanks" muttered Marietta.
"You're welcome".