Enchanted (A Harry Potter Fanfiction) DISCONTINUED

Chapter 7: Nightmares and reality

Thank you for reading my story. Denounce yourself to me and I'll read your book and dedicated my chapter to you (anyone else than my BFFS at school). The song above is Stronger by Kelly Clarkson, I just figured that this chapter needed some soundtrack so...yeah. This chapter is really really long....just a warning.
_nadia
XOXO
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Guilt.
This small word represents everything I've felt this week.
It's been a week since I haven't talked to Ginny. Ever since our little misunderstanding I've been really insecure lately and have been trying to disguise these thoughts under a mask. My friends instantly knew something was wrong but I whisked it away.
A part of me wanted to forgive Ginny but the other part refused, it found no reason to say those words even though I knew I was being this most ignorant, selfish and stupid person in the world. She had desperately tried to steal a conversation with me but I had kept my distance and ignoring her apologies (though I still ate the box of chocolate she sended me). I don't know if I'm ready to go back to normal now...or ever again. Most people think that I'm strong enough to handle the death of Cedric but in reality I've never felt so alone and vulnerable. I must sound so weak.
To put my mind out of things I had decided to put my heart in my little plan. Consulting Ron and Hermione several times, we had decided that we would form our little club if our planing skills do make sure it's safe from Umbridge.But nothing was sure...yet. Ginny was going to be there, and I'm pretty sure that we wouldn't be a pretty sight.
I was casually doing my Prefect duties with Malfoy, patrolling the corridors in search of students out of bed.
We walked silently, neither of us making any eye contact or any sentences at all.
Malfoy knew about the whole AMELIA ROSS IS IN A VERY BAD MOOD situation. The whole school did. They didn't know why but that's the bad thing about being one of the most popular girls in Hogwarts.
He seemed to understand how I felt, giving me distance and space when I needed it. Unlike others who stuck to me like a swarm of hungry bees. But I knew all of them meant only good for me. Still, Malfoy respected my privacy and I wondered if he was good in reading people's empathy.
Our Prefect duties were almost to an end until Malfoy broke the long desired silence and sighted.
"What's been going on lately, Ross? ", he asked casually.
I regret to say that I actually considered telling him everything, spitting out the truth but I didn't.
"Leave it, Malfoy", I said, spitting out the words as harshly as I could.
I started to make a turn back to my room when he grabbed my wrist . His hand was warm and an electric shock vibrated in me as the hairs on the back of my neck stood up.I tried to pull back, but his grip was tight. He forced me to look into his eyes. Those beautiful storm grey eyes. Wait a minute...
"Tell me what's wrong now", he asked. His glare was deadly serious.
"Why do you even care?"
He stares at me for a solid five minutes until he seems to re compose himself and snap back into his old self.
"You're right. I don't", he whispers but he doesn't let go off my wrist. His other hand runs through his perfect platinum blond hair.
"You have no idea how it feels like! You of all people who at least left me alone when I wanted to can't realize that I can't just spit it out to anyone! You never know what's happening in someone else's personal life. It isn't that simple! My life is not as simple as yours", I shout. I hope no one heard me.
Malfoy looked hurt at my last statement and I wondered if I had assumed wrong.
Before he could speak again, I pull myself free before I stalk off more sad and angry than ever. Why couldn't I get over this? I had never seen death until now and I never wished to see it again. I knew I had to be strong but why couldn't I gather enough strength to let go of Cedric?
* * *
In my dream, I am alone in a dark corridor. The hallway is lit by a few shimmering lights glowing dimly. The floors were covered in stone tiles as talking portraits stood numerous on the castle walls uneasily silent for once. This looked like Hogwarts. Though the walls seemed less new and the cracks of the old castle showed more than usual ...Wait a minute...This was Hogwarts! There were flags of four colors, the Four Houses, but what was I doing here?
I suddenly notice a figure walking elegantly towards me. The figure is a girl. Her dark raven hair is pinned in a low chignon style and a few strands escape from it, shaping her fragile but defiant looking face. She wore a deep dark cloak but underneath, a brilliant dark blue dress poured out. As she stepped closer, I noticed that the fabric was as silky and glowing as ghost.
I tried to speak but I was awestruck. She was magnificent but somehow it was like she seemed familiar.
She walked passed me as if I was invisible, her cloak swishing across the stone floor but not making any sound.I followed her and tried to call her several times but she didn't seem to hear me at all. Just passed as if I was nothing but air.
I kept following her until we were at the entrance to the Great Hall. With an expert wave of her hand the doors swung open.
Instead of the usual four grand tables, grand chandeliers and fiery torches, my view was a dark chamber with nothing but a burning broken chandelier above. I hesitated before setting foot into it but my curiosity got the best of me. Suddenly a bright blue light illuminated the room and I gasped at the sight in front of me. The grand windows in the front of the hall had been ripped out. Gaping red holes opened the walls like deep wounds and chains stood clanking from the rusted walls but in the middle stood the girl. A perfect light in a room of darkness. She reached onto the floor and brushed it with her fingers and whispered something very silently. I heard something cracks and lift, almost like the bricks in the visitors way in Diagon Alley.
She reached her hand in and pulled out a small silver box and turned to face me. Her golden eyes trying to make out if I was really there or not. I turned around to make sure she wasn't looking at someone else and when I turned around, she was directly in front of me holding out the box. It made my heart jump. The lady opened it. Inside revealed the most magnificent bracelet I have ever seen. It was a sort of twirling combination of a golden band and a silver one. The silver one was marked with ancient runes and studded with diamonds. The golden one was a beautiful golden snake twirling around the side.
"Take it".
I blinked. The lady had just spoken . Her voice was desperate and demanding but soft as a dove . Her soft face fell in a frown.
"Take it", she repeated again, this time more urgently.
I gently took it. It was smooth as glass and cold like ice. I put it on my left wrist . It instantly tightened .
The woman turned away and stared alert around the room.
"He is coming. You must leave."
She pressed her hands around the bracelet on my left forearm. Where the band touched it began to burn slightly but nothing more than a tickling sensation.
"Keep it safe, do not let him take it", the lady continued.
I tried to say the words: Who are you?, but the lady simply looked at me with pleading eyes.
"I'm sorry for what is to come, child. Be strong."
She parted her hands from my arm. And that was when the visions started.
At first, it was only a blur in my vision but as time grew, it turned into a blinding flash of light. When my vision finally cleared. I was standing in the middle of a broken down land, the clearing ahead dark and misty. The air around was unnaturally thick and the icy wind sent chills down my spine. In the center of the land was a statue with two spears crisscrossed over. The ground was filled with built in rocks and a creaking house was visible at the end of the clearing. A graveyard. It took me a second to realize where I was. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up . This was Little Hangleton Graveyard. Where Cedric had died.
I almost considered fleeing but I was paralyzed with shock and eagerness. I noticed a bright light in the clearing, a blue dim dot barely visible tucked into the remnants of a gravestone. I reluctantly took a step towards the light and took a closer look. It was a sort of cup glowing in a brilliant blue, its edges patched with golden and silver lines but I knew this cup too well after spending hours staring at it wondering if I could have won it.
It was the Triwizard Cup.
I immediately scrambled away from it, fear pulsing in my veins and started to make my way through darkness.
This is just a dream, Amy, I thought.
As I headed to nowhere exactly , I slammed into something. Or more like someone. I hit the ground hard (that person was very strong, okay?) and looked up at the stranger.
"Cedric?"
A flash of hope came to my mind. I wanted nothing more but to wrap my arms around him, holding on for god's sake. My hopes vanished as soon as they came, though.
He didn't look like Cedric. His face was ghostly pale and his smile looked forced. His jaw was clenched and his features were stern. His whole figure was mostly a blur. He looked like Cedric, alright but somehow it wasn't...right.
"Take my hand and you'll be free with me.", he said a little too coldly, extending his hand.
I hesitated.
"Take my hand and you'll be free", he repeated. I saw only a flash of recognition in his eyes, a spark until it was gone replaced by dark empty eyes. I almost considered going with him but no way this was the Cedric I knew who would throw a joke out of everything.
My Cedric was gone.
"You're not Cedric."
Quick as lightning, I did the first thing that came to my mind...I jumped for the Triwizard Cup Portkey. I could only saw him for a second but I swear I saw rage in his dull empty eyes. He began to transform, a cruel disturbing transformation. I watched as his eyes became blood red, his nostrils became two slits and his head turned bald.
The Dark Lord stood in front of me.
For once I was terrified.
He made a gesture to grab me but only manage to grab my left wrist, the one with the bracelet. His touch was cold and frozen as ice, which soon turned into a burning sensation that I couldn't bear anymore. My skin felt like my bones were peeling back and my skin was ripping apart.
The Portkey took off as I screamed as loud as I ever screamed until his grip disappeared and his yelling and cursing filled the air...and the bracelet was glowing as I woke up.
~~~~~~~~~~
I woke up feeling sweaty. I know that's a lame thing to say after you've just had a nightmare but that's the first thing that I thought.
I clicked on the lamp.
My forehead was beaded with sweat and my cheeks were wet from tears. My hand was still burning from his touch but...Wait a minute...
I looked at my left arm and gasped.
The bracelet was on my hand.
WHAT?!?!?
I blinked several times to see if it was real but the result was the same.
This was seriously creepy...
Just at that moment, the door slammed open and Draco Malfoy came hurrying in. Had I screamed out loud?
"Are you okay? Was that you?", he asked alert.
I couldn't tell him . I couldn't tell anyone.
"It's nothing really..."
He didn't look convinced.
"But the screaming..."
"I was just practicing ...um", I lied."...opera".
Why did I say that? That doesn't even make sense! I'm so stupid!
Malfoy looked puzzled at my response and somewhat suspicious. We stared back at each other until I realized in which situation we were in.
''How dare you barge into a girl's room? More importantly my room?'', I shouted accusingly at him.
''Geez calm down woman! You'd do the same thing if you heard some crazy madwoman screaming bloody opera in the middle of the night!'', he defended himself, teasingly. He flashed me his signature getting-out-of-trouble-by-acting-incredibly-handsome smirk. It worked on most girls... not on me.
I threw a high-heeled shoe under my bed at him. To my greatest disappointment, he caught it.
''Why are you throwing shoes at me?", he asked.
I stared awkwardly at the ceiling. So embarrassed. I was never this shy around other boys! What was wrong with me?
The easiest thing to do was to change the subject right now. Hopefully, he forgot all about the whole screaming part and the throwing shoes part.
"Just get out!"
Malfoy didn't move.
"You don't tell me what to do, Ross".
"Well, this is my room, you idiot."
Malfoy smirked.
"You should watch who you're talking to", he hissed matter-of-factly.
I rolled my eyes.
"Who are you? The king of the world?"
"Something like that..."
I threw another shoe at him. He caught it again.
"You know, for a Chaser you sure have a terrible aim".
"Shut up, Malfoy! And get out, you little bastard !"
Malfoy looked amused.
"Oh...The dove has teeth".
I pointed towards the door.
"Okay...I'm leaving", he said, raising his hands in surrender. "Hand on the doorknob....turning away...last chance to change your mind..."
I grab my wand from the nightstand and point it at him.
"You wouldn't", he teased.
"Oh...I will"
Suddenly, Malfoy was jeered back and pushed against the wall by an invisible force. I had simply used wand less magic. Very hard to master but possible. Took me at least 2 years for a simple accio spell.
"What the f--", he cursed.
"Language".
He rolled his eyes, rubbing his back.
"God, you are one hell of a --"
"Will that convince you to piss off?", I asked hopefully.
"No."
I sighed and was about to literally push him out of the room when he fled cautiously out of the room.
"Scaredy cat", I mumbled.
His response was quick: "I heard that!"
I almost forgot about all the sack of worries I've had to carry on my shoulders. But that weight couldn't be lifted easily by a joke or even a triumphing conversation against Malfoy. It wasn't and never will be this easy.
I sink my head into my pillow as memories crowd my mind.
Malfoy's last remark makes me feel even worse.
"That's a nice bracelet, by the way".
~~~~~~~~~~
"I like that bracelet, Amy!"
"Really brings out your eyes!"
"Can I borrow it one day?"
I was sick and tired and equally terrified of everyone commenting about my bracelet. It just proved that it was true. How could it be true? I got it in a dream!
I tried to take it off, people! It just wouldn't budge. I even considered cutting my arm off (I didn't).
Today was the day I would confront Ginny and everyone I had ignored including Scarlett and Kat.
Let's start with those two first, it'll be easier.
I walked to the Slytherin table and sat down next to Kat and Scar.
I cleared my throat.
And I gave them a folded piece of parchment, my apology letter. I know...I know....I'm not a thoughtful friend but I wasn't good in apologies and writing stuff was easier, me and my friends did that all the time.
Dear Scar and Kat,
I'll just keep this simple. I'm really really really sorry for ignoring you guys these days...it's just things have been really really rough this week and I just had to calm down for some time. I know that sometimes I'm a horrible friend and I'm kind of ridiculous but I love you guys and you know that and I hope you'll forgive me after the next paragraph.
I know I'm being distant for not telling you this for about as long as I knew you but I figured it wouldn't be important at that time.
I have...well, had a cousin and his name was---
"Pff...we already knew that", replied Kat.
So much for the dramatic ending....
"How did..."
"We saw your mother's old family name", said Scar sympathically. "And we know how hard it is to lose someone that you love so we forgive you, wholeheartedly and we'll do even more than that. How about that Hogsmeade shop near Zonko's? It'll be a chance for us to relax and cope through the pain together. I hear the clothes there are fantastic!"
I smiled down at my best friends, my family.
"I wouldn't miss it for the world", I said.
"Great...now for the Halloween ball what are you guys wearing? In my opinion, Amy's hair would look good in a chignon style but....", started Kat.
In that moment, all was forgotten and happiness reigned. Two down one to go.
Ginny.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Divination sucks.
Not a surprise. Everyone already knew that.
First of all, classes were supposed to be boring, right?Well, instead of boring it was rotten.
Who wants to have a death omen every week raise your hand? Not me.
I sat next to Malfoy today,to my disappointment.
But fortunately, he just sat as far as away from me as possible and did his own thing. Thank the wizarding gods!
I started to become anxious about lunch as in :Food, food,food!
Professor Trelawney was now predicting Kat's future. Or should I say maybe.
"You, my dear, will shape the beauty of the world. The most wonderful things will happen!",she said in her old whining voice. Kat's eyes were huge in amazement and she stuck her tongue out to Scar who had :" The person you confide in will betray you until the end".
Next was Malfoy, deadly close to me. I always had bad omens and most of them were about horrible things related to dying or darkness.
"The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek. I believe you're quite familiar with that quote, child. Keep that in mind as you set off on your quest".
Malfoy remained impassive and annoyed as if to say Does it look like I care? Though I could see a tiny flicker of worry in his storm grey eyes as if he knew that some of what she said was true.
I don't even want to tell you what she said to me.
"One death can change everything. Oh how I'm sorry for you, my dear, for what must come. I hope you'll tell us that little secret of yours one day".
What the godamn hell is she talking about? I don't have a secret! Now everyone thought I had a secret, way to ruin my life old woman!
"I don't have a secret", I said, lamely.
"Of course you don't, sweetheart", Professor Trelawney replied with an apologetic smile.
I was seriously going to kick her old lady ass off to Knockturn Alley. Excuse my language....
The old brat turned to predict Lavender Brown. Something soft landed on my fingers. A paper airplane?!
I opened it and found a message scribbled in crappy writing that unmistakably was Ron's. I gave him a questioning glare, he just gestured to the paper.
Crabbe and Goyle seemed to notice and since they were misters too fat to do anything and too lazy for words they thought we were flirting. Pansy just wanted to join in. Her and her pug faced ...face. Ugh...it gives me the creeps.
"Aw...Weasel's in love", said Pansy , smirking.
I leaned against my table coolly and said mockingly:
"How about you Pansy? How's it going with your plastic surgery, still not working as you planned? Oh my, I don't think even the most expert ones can change that nose dear...it's very....unpleasant considering they'll have to change all of ....that", I said, gesturing to her whole body.
Malfoy snorted.
Pansy's face was red as a tomato.
Slytherins and Gryffindors all chuckled. As much as they hated Slytherins in general, I bet they hated Pansy even more.
I read the message that Ron wrote.
Meet Ginny outside the castle, by the Black Lake at 4 o'clock sharp. Don't be late, please go.

-Ron

This was my chance. I had to go for it.
~~~~~~~~~~
"That's awful, Amy...God, I'm so sorry", Ginny said.
"No. I'm sorry. It was never your fault or anyone else's. It's just hard...", I replied.
We were casually sitting by the Black Lake and then I had apologized to Ginny and she had apologized to me. The wind blew by our hair and we tugged our scarves closer to our necks, mine green and silver, hers scarlet and golden. The grass tickled our skin as we lay, leaning on an old solid oak tree. We had been watching the sunset and the beautiful multicolored leaves rustling softly on the cool smooth ground indicating the arrival of the autumn season.
Ginny bear hugged me. It was nice to have her as a friend once again. I smelled the scent of her hair, a pleasant odor of lemongrass as her flowing red hair flew with the wind.
At that time, all was well. Cedric's death wouldn't drag me down. My friends helped me drag myself up. Sure it was painful but life is about moving on. You keep your fears hidden inside your mask but the truth is you want somebody to see under that thick makeup you use to cover. The show must go on.
I learned one valuable asset today.
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger.
And I was stronger than ever.