Skill and Seclusion [2] || Harry Potter x OC x Draco Malfoy

154. For Ced

DISCLAIMER

I do not own Harry Potter ... but one of the few things Dumbledore did right was out the Ministry during Cedric's memorial

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It was impossible, but Bel had been right.

Her tears hadn't stopped falling.

From the moment she finally allowed herself to break in the hallway, they had continued.

That night had been sleepless for every Hufflepuff.

Bel had spent every second with her friends.

Riley, Ollie, and Tia all stayed up in her dorm room with her, each of them going through various phases of their grief.

Ollie was trying to be the strong one for the three girls. Making them hot chocolate, and offering an abundance of hugs.

Riley had taken the sweet approach. Taking turns telling stories, sharing memories of Cedric that they could all smile at.

Tia was furious. She demanded to know exactly what had happened to Cedric, and was already planning ways to get him justice.

As for Bel herself, she sat silently at the windowsill with Gus perched on her lifted knees, letting her tears fall.

She watched as the moon vanished and the dull sun rose in the morning.

She knew her mind should be racing with numerous questions and emotions, thinking about Voldemort and what future lied ahead.

About the past year, the consequences it had, what she had been put through.

About her father.

But all she could think of was her lost brother.

Nothing else came to her.

Nothing could possibly break her out of her grief this time.

She didn't feel the need to keep busy like Ollie.

She didn't feel the need to honour like Riley.

She didn't feel the need to be angry like Tia.

Actually, as the morning drew into noon, Bel acknowledged that she didn't feel anything at all.

Her tears had finally run dry, and left her cold.

Not even Cedric's quidditch jumper she had wrapped herself up in would warm her.

A knock came at the door to their shared room, and Ollie quickly stood up from Riley's bed to open it.

Patrick was on the other side, looking just as exhausted as the four younger students, clearly not having slept himself.

Bel wasn't surprised. Patrick shared a dorm room with Cedric.

Had shared.

"How are you guys holding up?" the older boy asked as he closed the door behind him.

"I want to lie and say better, but who would I be fooling?" Riley chuckled, trying to lighten the mood.

"T?" Patrick asked, turning to his little sister.

Tia had been pacing up and down all night, and didn't stop when her brother addressed her.

"Someone's going to pay for this. I don't care who or how, but the Ministry better pull their act together and do something", she seethed.

"Tia –", Riley tried to gently rationalize with her, but she didn't get very far.

"I know", Tia snapped, her pacing coming to a stop.