1 | Sunlight ➙ Cedric Diggory

Chapter Twenty Three

Matthew's blue eyes fluttered open against the dimly lit fluorescent lights above him. The boy wiggled his fingers and does under a soft blanket, his body slowly coming to its senses as he processed where he was. The room was painted with whites and beiges of various shades and a subtle hint of cleaning products lingered in the air. Matthew turned his head on the squishy white pillow, noticing a medicine bottle and a glass of water on the table beside him.

"Look who finally decided to wake up." A familiar voice spoke, cutting the silence in the room. Matthew glanced over to where the noise had come from, a blurry face with messy dark hair reaching his eyes. Even while his vision still adjusted, the boy could tell that it was Toby. He was sitting in a plastic chair with his feet propped up on the bed and his arms crossed over his chest. Cedric was beside him, frowning.

"Am I in the hospital wing?" Matthew asked in a scratchy voice as he sat up, rubbing his left eye with one hand. The boy winced as a dull ache spread throughout his torso at the movement.

"You sure are." Toby replied. "You and Harry both took a beating."

"You don't have to sit up, it's okay." Cedric spoke, rising to his feet. Matthew sat with his eyes scrunched closed and a hand on his chest as he breathed slowly.

"Did we stop Snape?" Matthew's eyes were still closed as he tilted his head down, trying to find a comfortable position. His entire body ached from the injuries he sustained on the chessboard but also from lying in a hospital bed for a day.

"Harry did. Barely lived to tell the tale." Toby replied with a soft chuckle as he glanced over to where Harry, Ron, and Hermione were, Harry in the same position as Matthew.

"It wasn't Snape. It was...you-know-who. In a different form." Harry chirped up from his bed, catching the attention of Matthew as his eyes sprung open.

"Really? What...how..." Matthew stammered off.

"I know. Crazy." Toby understood the boy's confusion as he nodded.

"Harry's lucky to be alive. He told us it was horrible." Hermione added, her face full of worry yet relief at the same time. Ron and Toby were happy to see their best friends awake and they had both turned to the snack tables at the foot of their beds to celebrate.

"Where'd all this come from?" Matthew asked, finally noticing all the treats in front of him as Toby ripped open a bag of popcorn.

"A bunch of people have been in and out. Dropped it all off. The Malfoys were in here for a second...which was strange." Ron spoke, a chocolate frog in his hand.

"Probably just to see if these two were still alive." Toby tried to joke while Harry scowled at the surname.

"These boys need their medicine and rest. Off to the Great Hall, all of you." Madam Pomfrey walked into the room, waving her hands in a shooing motion as she walked over to Matthew's bedside. The four students who weren't bed ridden all started making their way out of the hospital wing, bidding their goodbyes to Matthew and Harry. Cedric placed a hand on the blonde boy's shoulder with a soft smile before following the other three out of the room.

"Do you think Madam Pomfrey will let them come to the feast?" Ron asked, already thinking about the end of term feast that was planned for the evening.

"I dunno, that woman runs a tight ship." Toby replied. The four students left the hospital wing, revealing Headmaster Dumbledore who was standing just outside the door.

"I've been waiting for the four of you to leave. I need to have a word with Harry. Off to the Great Hall, most of your classmates are already there." The Professor spoke with a soft smile before pushing the hospital door open and turning to watch it close behind him.