Callidora ☆ Fred Weasley

[chapter 35]

Revisions Revisions

Rain continued to pour over the Hogwarts Quidditch Pitch long after the match had ended.

Students were beginning to file back toward Hogwarts Castle, but many players still lingered on the soaked grass, all of them shaken.

It felt as if the cold the Dementors had brought with them hadn't quite left yet.

Callidora Nott stood in the middle of the pitch, rain streaming down her clothes and hair so heavily that it felt like she was standing underwater in the Black Lake.

Across the field, Cedric Diggory was still holding the Snitch.

He looked relieved and unsettled at the same time.

Calli walked over.

"Diggory."

Cedric turned, clearly surprised to see her still out there.

Water dripped from his hair as well; they both looked like they had been dropped in the lake.

"Congratulations." Calli said.

Cedric glanced down at the Snitch again.

"I still think we should replay it." he muttered. "When Potter is better."

Calli shook her head.

"That's noble of you." She said honestly. "But you would've gotten the Snitch anyway."

Cedric frowned slightly.

"You didn't see it from the pitch." He said.

"I saw it from the stands." Calli replied. "You were already ahead of him when you spotted it. Harry was way behind you."

Cedric considered that for a moment.

Then a small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

"Well," he said lightly, "apparently your good luck kiss worked."

Calli snorted quietly.

Cedric gave her a grateful nod.

"Thanks, Nott."

Then he jogged off toward the cluster of yellow robes where the Hufflepuff team was gathering before heading to their changing rooms.

Calli stayed where she was for another moment.

The pitch suddenly felt very large and very quiet.

She caught herself scanning the grey sky again.

Looking for dark shapes.

Her stomach tightened.

"Calli."

She turned.

Fred Weasley was standing a few feet away with the rest of the Gryffindor team behind him.

His hair was plastered to his forehead and his robes were just as soaked as hers.

But he wasn't looking at the rain.

He was looking at her face.

"You okay?" He asked quietly.

Calli realized she was still glancing toward the sky every few seconds.

Fred followed her gaze, understanding immediately.

"They're gone." He said gently. "No way they're coming back after Dumbledore sent that Patronus out."

Calli nodded, but a shiver still ran through her.

Her hair clung to her cheeks and neck.

She looked absolutely freezing.