Cerise Diggory didn't like annoying people, which is why she tried to avoid the Weasley twins as much as possible, but that seemed nearly impossible with George being made her Divinations partner.
[ cerise aurelia diggory x george fabian weasley ]
[...
( CHAPTER SIXTYFOUR, "My brother was murdered, Voldemort killed him, and you know it." )
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"IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING that my predecessor not only performed illegal curses in front of you, he actually performed them on you."
Cerise wouldn't know; She refused to turn up to the lessons with Professor Moody after the unforgivable curses lesson, or maybe it was the lesson after where she decided not to return... She couldn't remember, his lessons were horrible. She did, however, remember Loralei talking about it to Lee straight after it had happened.
"Well, he turned out to be a maniac, didn't he?" said Lee hotly. "Mind you, we still learned loads."
"Your hand is not up, Mr. Jordan!" exclaimed Professor Umbridge. "Now, it is the view of the Ministry that a theoretical knowledge will be more than sufficient to get you through your examination, which, after all, is what school is all about. And your name is?" she added, staring at Elijah, whose hand had just shot up.
"Elijah Woods, and isn't there a practical bit in our Defence Against the Dark Arts NEWT? Aren't we supposed to show that we can actually do the counter-curses and things?"
"As long as you have studied the theory hard enough, there is no reason why you should not be able to perform the spells under carefully controlled examination conditions," said Professor Umbridge dismissively.
"Without ever practising them beforehand?" Elijah wondered. "Are you telling us that the first time we'll get to do the spells will be during our exam?"
"I repeat, as long as you have studied the theory hard enough—"
"With all due respect, theory is no good in the real world." Cerise said, with her hand up in the air. Loralei looked at Cerise worriedly. She knew the expression on her face, she knew the tone of her voice...
Loralei glanced behind her at Fred and George worriedly.
Professor Umbridge looked up. "This is school, Miss Diggory, not the real world," she said softly, giving the girl a fake kind smile.
"So you think that we shouldn't be prepared for what's waiting for us out there?" Cerise asked, furrowing her eyebrows and crossing her arms.
"There is nothing waiting out there, Miss Diggory!" Umbridge replied harshly.
Cerise felt the anger in her rising. Loralei placed a hand on Cerise's arm, in an attempt to calm her down.
"Who do you imagine wants to attack children like yourselves?" enquired Professor Umbridge in a horribly honeyed voice.
"Oh, I don't know!" Cerise said sarcastically, rolling her eyes, "Maybe... y'know... Voldemort? And his army?"
Loralei exchanged a glance with Lee, while Fred and George shrunk in their seat. Elijah's head snapped into Cerise's direction, and some of the other students— like Angelina let out a loud gasp.
Professor Umbridge, however, did not flinch. "Ten points from Hufflepuff, Miss Diggory."
The classroom was silent and still. Everyone was staring at either Umbridge or Cerise. Loralei grabbed Cerise's hand worriedly, giving her a small shake of her head.
"Now, let me make a few things quite plain." Professor Umbridge stood up and leaned towards them. "You have been told that a certain Dark wizard has returned from the dead and is at large once again. This is a lie."
"It is NOT a lie!" Cerise said angrily, pulling her hand out of Loralei's grip. "Harry saw him, he fought him!"
"Detention, Miss Diggory!" said Professor Umbridge triumphantly. "Tomorrow evening. Five o'clock. My office. I repeat, this is a lie. The Ministry of Magic guarantees that you are not in danger from any Dark wizard. If you are still worried, by all means come and see me outside class hours. If someone is alarming you with fibs about reborn Dark wizards, I would like to hear about it. I am here to help. I am your friend. And now, you will kindly continue your reading. Page five, "Basics for Beginners"."
Professor Umbridge sat down behind her desk. Cerise pursed her lips, her eyes narrowing as she shifted in her seat.
"How naive do you have to be to believe that Voldemort isn't back? He is back, my brother is dead because of him!" Cerise exclaimed, anger lacing her voice.
George turned in his seat and watched Cerise with worry. She didn't glance at him, she refused to. She knew that if she did, the tears would start to fall down her cheeks.
"Cedric Diggory's death was a tragic accident," Umbridge said coldly. Loralei grabbed Cerise's hand and held it tightly, Lee and Elijah gave each other worried looks, and Fred and George's mouth dropped open in shock.
Cerise narrowed her eyes, "You know what?" She said, anger clear on her face. "I hope he kills you in the most slowest and painful way, and I hope the Ministry rule it as a tragic accident. . ."
Umbridge didn't bat an eye as she stared at Cerise. "My brother was murdered, Voldemort killed him, and you know it."
Professor Umbridge's face was blank, and Cerise was about to open her mouth once again, but in the fakest voice Umbridge could manage, she said, "Come here, Miss Diggory."
Cerise rolled her eyes and approached Umbridge's desk. George, worriedly, watched as Umbridge pulled a small roll of pink parchment out of her handbag. He watched as she stretched it on the desk, dripped her quill into a bottle of ink, and started scribbling.
Nobody said a word. After a minute or so she rolled up the parchment and tapped it with her wand; it sealed itself seamlessly so that she could not open it.
"Take this to Professor Sprout, dear," Umbridge held out the note for Cerise to take. As soon as she took it, she turned around, grabbed her bag, and stormed out of the classroom, slamming the door as she did-so.
She walked through the halls of Hogwarts, taking her time so she could catch her breath. Her hands were shaking, and tears brimmed her eyes.
Umbridge's words were on repeat in her head, Cedric Diggory's death was a tragic accident... His death wasn't a tragic accident, was it? Was Harry really telling the truth? She wasn't there that night, she didn't know if he was telling the truth, she just chose to believe him.
She sighed deeply.
What if Harry was telling a lie?
She shook that thought out of her head as soon as she remembered Remus and the other adults she had grown to love believed Harry. Remus believing Harry was enough to make Cerise believe the boy.
Harry wasn't telling a lie, and Cedric's death was not a tragic accident.
