Rose Between Two Thorns.

Chapter 22

The next few weeks at Hogwarts were chaotic. The day after the Third Task, people avoided me and Harry like we were the plague. I don't know about Harry, but I preferred the peace as it gave me time to myself, time I spent down at the Lake thinking about the events that occurred in the graveyard. I was still trying to make sense about what Voldemort had said about me, being a person who disappeared over forty years ago. Although, I had been having strange dreams about it before the graveyard, I had never thought that they were linked to a past I didn't remember.

Although people avoided me in the corridors of Hogwarts, I managed to catch the gossip on Professor Moody, who was in fact a Death Eater disguised as the great Auror. It had certainly explained why he acted strange, and drank frequently from the silver flask he carried around. Harry had uncovered what had happened the night of the maze, how the Death Eater – revealed as Barty Crouch Jr – had cast the portkey spell on the Cup, and transported Harry into the maze, all for the purpose of Lord Voldemort rising again. No worries there, your plan worked and now the most feared wizard in the world is alive and stronger than ever.

A few days after the maze, we mourned the loss of Cedric Diggory and had an open ceremony for all the schools, plus the families who had come for the last task. Once I had been given the winnings from the Minister of Magic, I had immediately tried to give it away to the Diggory family, but they refused insisting that I use the money for something more worthy. So instead I gave it to the twins, to help with opening our joke shop.

"Hey Tabitha" a soft voice breaks my train of thought. I open my eyes to see Hermione sitting in front of me, dressed in her formal robes, her hair let down in her natural curls, and a concerned look lacing her soft face. It's our second to last day today, so it is all formal until the feast tonight. I nod at her, acknowledging that I had heard her.

"You can't keep shutting us out forever you know" she sighs. Mentally I roll my eyes.

"Tell that to the people who look at me like I'm some sort of freak" I mutter

"Not everyone does" she replies

"Oh really Hermione?" I snap at her "Try walking through the castle and have everyone flinch at you, or walk in a completely different direction, or whisper to their friends as you walk past. You come to me when that happens to you okay sweetie?" she flinches back at my statement, and I see tears welling up in her eyes.

"What happened to you?" she whispers shaking her head.

"The Triwizard Tournament happened to me" I say running my fingers through my knotted hair, catching the knots in several places and pulling out several strands. "And now Cedric's dead, Voldemort's back and the world wants to know what's happening inside Tabitha's head." I don't realize my words until I look up at Hermione to see the tears have won. They fall silently down her cheeks and drip off her chin, creating a small puddle on her skirt.

"I'm sorry" she hoarsely whispers, wiping her face, with her sleeve.

"What are you apologizing for? I should be the one to apologize, I'm the one acting like a jerk" I say, reaching over to wipe her face.

"You've been through a lot though, the tasks, being sent to a strange graveyard, witnessing You-Know-Who coming back, being tortured. It's a lot for one person, and you've been strong for so long. Eventually everyone breaks" she replies

"Thanks Dr. Phil" I say, making Mione laugh. I get off of my bed and walk towards my trunk, which I had started repacking yesterday. Pulling out my uniform, I quickly change and walk to the bathroom to sort my hair. But pulling the brush through my knots, proved to be difficult as the teeth catch onto every knot.