The Last Riddle

74. Its okay to forgive

"Go in and head straight to your dormitory. Do not speak to anyone, do not stop anywhere." Snape looks down at me his face unimpressed.

"Yes Sir" I hang my head down as I walk up the stairs from the back entrance of the school. It is late at night and the only people who should be walking the corridors are prefects, the head boy and girl and the teachers. Not to mention Filch and Mrs Norris of course.

I wrap my arms tightly around myself as I walk slowly, I wish I'd been able to say a proper goodbye to Sirius, one day with him was not nearly enough.

"Ang?"

I turn surprised looking around the dark hallway, my eyes spot a silhouette sat on a bench with the moonlight illuminating them from behind. Hesitantly I walk forwards until I'm close enough for my eyes to register the face of the person.

"Poppy?" My voice is shaky and obviously confused as I stand before her.

"Hi" she smiles up at me, looking down at her I feel a sudden wave of sadness and nostalgia hit me.

"What are you doing out here?" I stay rooted on the spot afraid to say the wrong thing. Since Cedric's death Poppy and I have barely said two words to each other, she lost her cousin that night and from what Ginny has said, Poppy thinks I am to blame.

And rightly so.

Poppy sighs loudly as she looks out of the window before looking back at me "I was on my prefect patrols when I got distracted, Ernie's in the infirmary so I have to do them alone tonight. I was walking when I noticed that the sky just looked so beautiful I couldn't stop myself from sitting down and looking at it for a while." Tears fall from her eyes and she sniffles quietly.

"What is it?" I sit down slowly besides her, hesitantly I reach my hand out and place it on her hand. "What's wrong?"

Poppy wipes her eyes with her free hand and offers me a shaky smile "it's my grandmother." She sobs again "she passed away this morning, I got a letter from my mum."

"Oh I'm so sorry Poppy, I remember how much your grandma meant to you. Cedric always told me how her house was this fun place you guys went to over the holidays, I can't even imagine how much she meant to you." I squeeze her hand in what I hope is a comforting gesture "when was the last time you got to see her?"

"A while ago, Christmas holidays. I was meant to go home for Easter but obviously Umbridge banned that." She turns slightly so she is facing me a little more and smiles widely "I just wish Cedric was here over summer last year. She spent the whole time baking trying to keep us all busy, she was so ill before Cedric died but then after she was so full of energy. I'm sure she was putting it on in an attempt to make us all feel better."

I feel myself holding my breath my heart breaking at what this poor family have had to go through since June last year. I let go of Poppy's hand slightly "I'm so sorry Poppy." I feel a tear fall from my eye, looking down at my hand I refuse to look at her "I'm so sorry you've lost so much in the space of one year Poppy." My voice breaks slightly "I am so so sorry."

A silence falls between us for a few seconds before I feel Poppy grabbing my hand, looking up I meet her eyes.

"Stop apologising Ang" she smiles at me sadly "this is not your fault."

I look away again as more and more tears fall from my eyes. A deep shame rises in my chest and I go silent, she may be saying that but I know she doesn't mean it. Her actions over the past few months prove that.

"Angelica" Poppy pulls slightly at my hand and grabs my face with her other so I am looking into her eyes "this is not your fault. None of this is your fault okay? I was wrong to take it out of you, I grieved in the wrong way. You lost Cedric too that day yet I couldn't bring myself to see that, all I saw was my cousin and my uncle Amos being left alone." She pulls me forward and wraps her arms tightly around me, whispering in my ear "I'm so sorry Ang, this is not your fault."