Orphan Witch

Chapter Nine

Cedric and I are eating breakfast. People are still freaking out about the danger Harry was in during the Quidditch game two weeks ago. His new broom started needing up and nearly threw him off. And he still caught the Snitch.

That boy is lucky. I honestly would have died if I was in that situation. The owls come flying in, dropping letters. A red envelope drops in front of me. It starts smoking.

"Why do you have a yeller?" Cedric asks. I shrug my shoulders and grab it before anyone else notices. I head outside and sit in on a tree root by the lake. I pull out the envelope, which is so close to catching on fire. I open it and it folds into a pair of lips.

"HOW DARE YOU GO TO HOGWARTS WITHOUT OUR PERMISSION CLAIRE," my mother's voice screams. "YOU ARE A DISGRACE TO THIS FAMILY. YOU'LL BE LUCKY IF ANYONE TALKS TO YOU. I BET THAT BOY ONLY WAS THERE FOR PITY. AND YOU BETTER HAVE NOT ENDED UP IN SLYTHERIN. YOU'LL JUST RUIN THE HOUSE'S GOOD NAME. AND HOW DARE YOU THINK TO GO AGAINST A TROLL. YOU'RE A STUPID GIRL THAT IS A WAIST OF AIR."

It keeps going and going until I'm in tears. The envelope catches on fire and burns up. I just sit there and keep crying. A pair of arms wrap around me and pull me against a chest. I look to see it's Cedric.

"Shush," he softly says in a comforting voice. "What happened?"

I explain to him what happened in between sobs. He just stays there, hugging me. He lets me cry on his shoulder, and that's just what I need. I finally sit up and he wipes away any tears he sees with his thumb.

"I won't let your parents get near you," he informs me. "Not as long as I'm breathing."

"Is everything you..."

"I know exactly what you're going to say, and no. None of those things are true."

I nod my head, but my heart still hurts. We just sit there for a little while more in silence.

"How was the game?" I ask him.

"I caught the Snitch in no time," he informs me. "But when I didn't see you, I went looking for you."

"Answer me honestly. Why does a third year want to hang out with a first year?"

"Because I like having out with you. You are better than others in any year in my opinion."

I notice Harry, Ron, and Hermione running across the place after Hagrid, the head games keeper.

"Do you want to join them?" Cedric asks.

"I'm good with being with you."

After awhile, Cho comes over.

"Cedric," she says, "can you come help me with homework?"

"Um...I was hanging with C."

"Go ahead," I tell him. He apologizes and goes off with Cho. I get up and head to the library to work on DADA homework.