Suddenly, It's Magic

Chapter Fourteen

   “Cedric told me what happened. How’s your dad, Ron?”

  Ariella was the first to talk once her and her friends found themselves back in the room when Harry arrived at Grimmauld. They all sat in a square, sitting on the corners of the bed, silence and stares shared amongst each other. Ariella leaned against the headboard and watched as Harry looked directly at the fireplace, Hermione picking apart the seams of the fabric and Ron, watching Hermione’s fingers.

   “He’ll be home tomorrow. So, that’s a relief.” He let out a little smile. Ariella was glad to hear as she smiled at Ron but it was Harry that was bothering her. He was out of it, he stared at the fireplace – there was no fire, just the remains of burned coal and ash.

   “Harry?” Ariella spoke up but he didn’t react to his name. He didn’t want to talk about it considering his body language; turned away from Ariella, his mind focused elsewhere and his eyes emotionless and dark. Considering he didn’t want to talk about it, Ariella changed the subject on his behalf. “How’s Cho?” The sudden mention of her name his pupils widened and Ron instantly smiled as well as Hermione.

  Harry smiled genuinely as he looked down. Ariella teased as she was in awe of his sheepish actions and his cheeks turning a rather pale pink. He looked over at her and shrugged his shoulders. Something happened between Harry and Cho and based on his initial reaction, it was much more than him saying that he didn’t know.

   “I don’t want to force it out of you but I find it unfair how you could ask me about Cedric and I can’t ask you about Cho.” Ariella retaliated.

   “She’s right, Harry.” Ron blurted out. Harry instantly turned to Ron and looked at him rather offended. “What? It was just a snog anyways, unless you’re holding out on me, mate.” Ron elaborated rather calmly.

   “Thanks Ron.” Harry threw one of the throw pillows he used to support his back at Ron who caught it with his face. Hermione and Ariella had ear to ear smiles plastered on their face; Ariella’s being a few inches wider than Hermione’s considering it’s the first she’s heard of it.

   “How was it?” Ariella asked.

   “I don’t even ask you when you snog Cedric which means I won’t answer that.” He said rather disgusted but with a smile, understanding that Ariella means well.

  As the laughter and idle chitchat began to past and turn into nothing more than silence, Harry stood up and told everyone that he was going to go for a walk. No one followed or said anything once he got up, everyone watch as he stood from the end of the room, making his way over to the door. The shattering ear silence once the door closed became unbearable. Ariella glanced from Hermione to Ron and then Ron to Hermione; they both looked as if they had no clue what to say or where to begin, but they looked as if they had something to say.

   “He hasn’t told us anything since yesterday. Hasn’t mentioned a word of it to anyone,” Hermione blurted out staring at the strands of fabric she pulled from the sheets they were sitting on, “he wants to keep it all to himself.”

   “The only thing I know is that he thinks he was possessed.”

   “By?” Ariella turned to Ron looking at him uneasy.

   “You-know-who.” He said bleakly.

  The silence remerged at the end of Ron’s sentence. No one could say a word after what Ron had just said; their best friend thinks he’s possessed by the darkest wizard in the world and with that in mind, he could be seen as a threat, being inside a house with members who plan to demolish you-know-who. Each and every one of them felt guilt, Ariella stared at the both of them and she knew on her face as well they believed that Harry could be a threat. For a brief second, they’ve lost faith in Harry.