A Greater Power

Chapter 27: The Beginning

Third Person POV:

When she looked back, even after a month, Willow found she only had scattered memories of the next few days. It was as though she had been through so much to take in anymore. The recollections she did have were very painful. The worst, perhaps, was the meeting with the Diggorys the following morning. Well at least it was painful for Harry. Willow had very carefully gave the Diggory's her idea and they had beamed at the idea, but declined. They wanted their son to be remembered as the boy who gave his life for the Potter twins whether they were believed or not. They were proud that their son had the chance to compete in the Tri-Wizard Tournament, and to have laid his life on the line for the Potter twins. Neither blamed Willow and Harry for Cedric's death obviously. They even thanked Willow and Harry for bringing his body back.

Mr. Diggory sobbed through most the interview. While Mrs. Diggory's grief seemed to be beyond tears.

"He suffered very little then?" she asked. when Willow told them of how he had died. "And after all, Amos.....he'd died just when he won the tournament. He must have been happy."

When they had got to their feet she looked down at both Harry and Willow and said, "You look after yourselves, now."

Harry had returned to Gryffindor tower the following evening. While Willow wondered around the Slytherin dungeons. She found herself standing outside the Potions classroom. She wanted so much to feel Severus's touch, but she, at the moment, could only think about was Percy. She sighed and walked the rest of the way to the Slytherin common room.

From what Pansy had told her Dumbledore had spoken to the school that morning at breakfast. He had merely had requested that they leave Harry and Willow alone, that nobody ask either of them any questions or badger them to tell the story about what happened in the maze. Most people, she had noticed, were skitting her in the corridors, avoiding her eyes. Some whispered behind their hands as she had passed. She guessed many of them had believed Rita Skeeter's article. Which of course did not bother her. They can believe her disturbing article all they want to. She knew what she and Harry had seen and that was all that mattered. She liked it when she was around Janie and Izzy. They talked about other things. Like Ron and George and Fred. She felt that they had reached an understanding that were not spoken into words.

Over the last few weeks, Willow spent most of her time with either Hagrid or with Dumbeldore. She did not have any lessons as she had finished them all before the last task. To which she was grateful for. All she had to do was wait for the Leaving Feast at the end of the year.

It was with a heavy heart that Willow packed her trunk for the trip home, where ever that might be. She had a filling that it would be to The Burrow. The Great Hall usually filled with the colors of the winning house color's for the Leaving Feast. Tonight however, there were black drapes hung behind the teacher's table. Willow knew instantly that they were there as respect for Cedric. Willow felt a pang to her stomach and felt the need to run to the bathroom and get sick, but she didn't.

The real Mad-Eye Moody was at the staff table now, with his wooden leg and magic eye back in place. He was extremely twitchy, but that was to be expected. Moody's feat of attack was bound to have increased. Karakoff's chair was empty, which did not surprise Willow at all. Madame Maxine was still there, which made Willow smile. She had told Hagrid that she had hoped that Maxine would stick around for him. Further along down the table, next to Professor McGonagall was Severus. His eyes's lingered on Willow for a moment before before they locked with hers.

Willow had wondered what Dumbledore wanted him to do, though she had a sickly feeling that it had to do with talking with Voldemort. She gave him a soft smile and sat down between Izzy and Janie at the Slytherin table.