Star Girl | Cedric Diggory

|*| Thirty Three |*|

It was safe to say Ethan tried (but failed... miserably) to avoid confronting Cedric and Aquila when they were together. He just wanted to stay away from the weird conversations they had, and it felt strange to see them as a couple. Sure, even Ethan wanted them together, but now that they were together, Ethan wished Cho Chang would miraculously return.

Ethan spent most of his time with Richard and the Weasley twins, but it just wasn't the same for him. He loved spending time with Aquila and Cedric, but it was just too awkward for him to be around them given the circumstances. He felt like the third wheel all the time, and it wasn't a pleasant feeling for the boy.

Ethan was walking to potions class alone one morning when he ran into someone going the opposite direction. "Sorry," he said. "I wasn't watching where I was going."

"Oh, it's fine; neither was I-Ethan?"

Ethan finally registered who he was speaking with. It hit him like the Hogwarts Express running down the tracks at full speed.

"C-Cassie?"

|*|*|*|

"Cedric?" Abby asked. "Cedric Diggory? The Hufflepuff?"

Aquila sighed. She knew Abby wouldn't care that Cedric was the Hogwarts Champion or that he was an amazing person. She never accepted him just because he was a Hufflepuff.

"Yes, Abs," Aquila said. "The Hufflepuff."

Aquila noticed things about Abby and Alexis lately. Alexis wasn't hanging around Carlos or her sister anymore, and Abby was beginning to hate anyone who wasn't in Slytherin. Her hatred grew stronger each day, and it was worrying Aquila.

"How could you possibly like a Hufflepuff? What would your family say?" Abby asked.

"I don't care what they have to say," Aquila replied. "And I certainly don't care what you have to say either."

"What would your dear brother Nash say?" Abby asked. She seemed to be questioning Aquila, trying to get her to break and realize that she was wrong. Only, Aquila knew she wasn't wrong, and even though Nash was a jerk at times, she knew he'd support her no matter what.

"Oh, you mean my dear brother Nash who helped me sneak around to see Cedric when he was a Prefect?" Aquila asked. "Are we talking about the same Nash?"

"He never helped you," Abby said.

"You don't know that," Aquila said. "He helped me numerous times, and he likes Cedric."

"Look, Quil," Abby said. "Alexis has been up to no good this year, and if I can't control her, I can at least try to get you to see reason."

"What has she been doing that so bad?"

"She's hanging around those weasel twins!"

"Sir Fredrick and Georgia?"

"What...? Okay, just..." Abby was not into Aquila's nicknames. "Alright, yes, the weasels! I'm afraid she's beginning to... to-"

"To what?" Aquila asked. "To like them? To realize your ways aren't right? Abby, I get that your whole family is like 'purebloods only,' but Alexis can make her own choices. So what if she doesn't like it? It's her life!"

"I don't need you preaching to me!" Abby yelled. "I thought you'd support me!"

"You should've known I wouldn't."

Aquila walked out of the room, leaving the door open behind her.

|*|*|*|

"This is wrong," Cedric told Aquila the next morning. "We can't butt into their business like... like-"

"Like creepy stalkers?" Aquila asked.

"Yes!" Cedric yelled. "We can't do that!"

"But that's exactly what we have to do!" she protested. "I need to know if that scumbag is telling me the truth!"

"Then just ask Alexis!" he stated.

"She and I don't really see eye to eye, Ced, and you know that!" Aquila shouted. "I need to know if she's trying to turn over a new leaf! I always thought Alexis would turn out evil and marry Carlos and support Moldemort, but I might be wrong! What if Abby is the actual villain here? What if horrible Alexis is trying to be-you know-less horrible?"

"Hold up," Cedric said. "Did you just say Moldemort?"

"I regret nothing," she said.

"Okay, let's say you're right-"

"I am."

"Let's say you're right about Alexis Greenwall," Cedric repeated. "What do we do then?"

"Well, I don't do this very often," Aquila admitted, "but I think I should try to make-and this pains me to say-peace with her."

"What? But you hate her!"

"I can't hate her if she's not like I though she was! What if she's like me? What if she isn't the stereotypical Slytherin, Death Eater girl I thought she was? What if I'm... wrong?"

"You'd want to be friends with her?" he asked.

"Only if she changed for real."

Cedric sighed, "Then let's go be creepy stalkers and investigate."

"I knew you'd come around, Ceddy Bear!" Aquila cheered.

"Okay, I am so done with these nicknames, Aquila!"

"Oh no!" Aquila yelled. "I've made Ceddy Bear an Angry Bear!"

|*| lord Quil these nicknames... what am I gonna do with u... |*|