Rough Diamond (The Poisonous Princess Book 3)

Dead end

I can only relate now what happened on last task of the Tournement.
We all got rattled...
Cedric Diggory is dead.

As spectators we didn't see what happened because the game was a labyrinth made of high hedges.
From our point of view, the four champions went into the maze, disappeared for a long time, then Fleur sent red sparkles to get saved, Krum received help from his director to be rescued too. And later, Potter and Diggory crashed back on the ground by portkey, absolutely distressed and injured... but Cedric's body never moved again.

Harry cryed out that they have been attacked by Voldemort himself, he repeated it desperately. Everyone's  blood curdled. Silent froze the stadium.
Me, who was seated with the Beauxbatons students in bleachers, when I heard him cry and claim that, my only reflex was to find my closest friends.
Between benches, I made my way to the Slytherin and tried to grab my boyfriend's hand. It was trembling. He was as shocked as everyone else, blank face and scared eyes. He knew that the "boy-who-lived" wasn't faking. Draco put his arm on my back and made us leave the place.
At that moment, I didn't realised how frightening the situation was. I was more like in shock.

It's only the next days that professors explained more to students.
They said that in the labyrinth, contestants had to find their way to the trophey but they had to face creatures that would bar their path. Creatures like Acromentula or boggart but nothing dangerous enough to attend to children's life of corse.

Instead of the wraping ceremony and party, the school reunited in the great hall and made a minute of silence for Diggory's honour. Following what Harry had said, Dumbledore made a funeral speech and spread the information that Voldemort came back to life that very night, in flesh and blood. And that he murdered Cedric by the Unforgivable curse.
It sounded like a lecture when he affirmed :

"Our difference and rivalry should vanish to be united against evil."

This was easy to say from him, who was confortably seated in the stadium while Potter fought alone. And to say that while sending judgemental glance to the Slytherin table... Students from Durmstrang were seated with us and we all felt that criticism badly.
That man was not treating people equally, so speaking of unity was mealy-mouthed.

We rose our glass to Diggory's memory, "to never forget him".
Then, we had to make a toast in appreciation and solace for Potter's bravery. I hesitated.
He never wanted to participate, he didn't show bravery, just did what he could to survive because no one was there. No professor nor director prevented what happened, they didn't even obstruct his participation to the game, eventhough they sensed the turmoil. No, Potter was not courageous, he was a victim. It was almost insulting to thanks him with a toast, i though.
People stood up again with their glasses, but not all Slytherin...
I was watching the famous boy and his own attention turned to us, to me ! So I quickly stood up... But Draco stopped me. He place a hand on my shoulder to forbid me.

"No... Now, you will have to behave according to your side." Draco said with a dull voice.

It sounded like a life sentence.
I felt like he was saying that to himself more than to me. It was undoubtedly a phrase he heard from his parents, an order he received a lot.

To me, headmaster's speech was not enought. I needed to know what really happened.

Thus, I spend a private time to discuss with Harry. Eventhough he was the most troubled of all, he accepted to recall again the assault for me, believing that it was crucial.

I listened careful and learned that Voldemort was like a phoetus body before, with the help of Peter Pettigrew again, a dark magic ritual was made to give Voldemort a strong human body. He was back as a man, half snake though, with grey skin and red eyes. And all his power was restored.

Harry explained that the dark lord called his followers who aparated with black hood and masks. They didn't do much except apologising and showing respect to their master. One by one, the dark lord called them so they unmasked their faces and Harry listed them for me : "Misters Malfoy, Goyle, Crabbe, Nott, both Avery parents, all of them !"

"All your friends are involved ! It is your last chance to pull away from them or it's gonna be too late."
Harry warned me.

But I knew that already.
I even know more about the circle.
But there was no way that I come off from them. They were my only family.
I didn't told that to Harry of corse. He was so broken that I only told him an evasive "I know".

He also taught me that professor Moody was not himself, never had been here ! We had actually never saw this man.
Barty Croupton junior, son of the minister, had took his place thanks to polyjuice potion. He was a fervent defender of Voldemort's leadership during war and ended up at Azkaban for this. Only he brilliantly escape a long time ago, his ill mother took his appearance and died in jail. Then, he himself took her appearance to fake her death. I thought it was clever... evilly clever.

There was also that meaningful talk Harry confessed, about his wand and Voldemort's being connected by a strong stray of light. He shared with me that intriguing moment, maybe because I myself lost my parents... That night, he saw the ghost of his mother and father, they spoke to him almost as if they were really there. He got emotional while remembering and I think, for once, we  were honest. I didn't make fun of him, i just listened and sympathised.

I kind of suspected that he shared this with me because it was a way to make my heart softer. Sadly, it worked.
Because since days I was mourning the loss of people I never liked.
Cedric Diggory, I regretted my anger against him, blamed myself for wishing him to die. And of corse my parents.
I grew up building my personality with disdain for their memories, becoming cold hearted and detached. (Or that's what I thought).
But when I heard Mr and Mrs Diggory screaming their despair in the stadium, pressing their son against their chest, and to face death, for real, I  felt lost to not be able to hug a mom or dad. For the first time of my life I realised that I will never have someone to call mother or daddy. I would never, because I killed them.

That's why it took me time before writing again.

Of corse I did shared a hug... with Draco.
When we got a moment, the last day, I told him a bit what Harry related. I only said what he had to know, about his father, but no details nor Harry's emotions.
Though, Draco's hands started to shake again, of angst, so we conforted each others. Hug was not something we were used to, it was even more meaningful for us. It's the only time that I saw him so afraid. For him, the dark lord being back, strong and powerful, was the beginning of real darkness. His fathers will have to follow orders, more serious and cruel than ever, and all of his own life would be related to the cause.
It also meant that I was in grave danger for now on. My only existence and name was becoming perilous to keep.
The future would be concerning.

That year ended in a dreary atmosphere, we said goodbye to our new friends from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang with emotions, and later, I walk all the way to Hogsmeade with my fellow Slytherin to see them off.
With Hagrid we waved hands to the train sending all the children back to their houses. And I shed tears, as if I said goodbye to some invisible ghosts.

To be continued...