Henrietta Potter || Draco Malfoy

18 - So Long, Cedric!

"Where are we?"

I looked up from where I was sprawled on the ground. The Triwizard Cup was laying next to me.

Cedric shook his head, pulling me to my feet. "No idea,"

We looked around. This was weird. We were in some kind of graveyard. It was completely silent and slightly eerie. We were definitely not in Hogwarts anymore.

"Is this supposed to be part of the task?" I wondered, getting my wand out at the ready.

"I dunno," Cedric, too clutched at his wand, sounding nervous. He grabbed my hand pulling me by his side. "Stay close, it could be dangerous."

"Someone's coming," I pointed out suddenly.

A figure was making their way towards us, walking between the graves. They were carrying something that looked almost like a baby swaddled in a bundle of robes.

I didn't like this one bit. Cedric squeezed my hand, sensing my fear. I was so flipping glad he was here with me.

We watched as the figure, a short, cloaked man, stopped, only six feet away from us, beside a towering marble headstone. And then he looked at me.

I wasn't prepared for the pain that exploded through my scar. I dropped my wand as my hands went straight to my face, trying desperately to somehow stop the pain. It was like nothing I'd ever felt before in all my life. My knees buckled beneath me and I could see nothing as I fell to the ground. I was sure my head was going to split open.

And then I heard a high, cold voice. The words he spoke sent the whole world plummeting from below me.

"Kill the spare,"

A swishing noise and a second voice, which screeched the words to the night: "Avada Kedavra!"

No! I couldn't breathe. I heard something heavy fall to the ground next to me. The pain in my head made me retch and I couldn't, wouldn't believe that Cedric had just been killed. I was terrified to look up, to have my worst fear confirmed. But still, I opened my eyes, stinging from the pain.

I let out a huge violent sob. Cedric was lying spread-eagled on the ground beside me, his once sparkling eyes staring blank and expressionless into the night.

He was dead.

***

What happened next really fucked me up for life.

To cut a long story short, I came face to face with a now resurrected Lord Voldemort, after I witnessed Wormtail actually cutting off his own hand to bring him back to life.

Voldemort then brutally tortured me to the audience of Death Eaters, all of whom watched and laughed. Including Lucius Malfoy, Draco's father. There were other names I recognised; Crabbe, Goyle, Nott. None of them surprised me.

He tortured me over and over again on the grave of his father and I thought I was surely going to die. Just when I got to the point I would happily beg for death to come, he stopped.

He challenged me to a duel. I could barely effing stand! I tried running away and hiding behind the graves. But it was no use. I was just being laughed at. I was never going to be able to get away. So I pulled myself together, determined to die facing my enemy and not cowering from him.

"Expelliarmus!"

"Avada Kedavra!"

Voldemort's killing curse hit my disarming one and crazy shit happened. Our wands were connected by a golden thread of light, and it seemed to give me protection somehow.

And then, out the end of Voldemort's wand, stepped a ghost. It was Cedric.

He looked at me and smiled. "Hold on, Etta," he said, the voice echoey as though from very far away.

Tears pricked at my eyes; I could almost feel the ghostly tingle of his kiss upon my lips.

"I'm sorry, Cedric." I sobbed. "I'm so sorry."

"It's OK, Etta," he smiled sadly now, "just hold on, promise to hold on."

And then other ghosts followed. Including my parents - their ghostly presence giving me sudden strength. I knew I could do this.

"Our beautiful, brave girl," my mother said proud, tears in her ghostly eyes as my father stood next to her, encouraging me not to let go.

"Etta..." whispered the figure of Cedric, "take my body back, will you? Take my body back to my parents..."

"I will," I said, tears now rolling down my cheeks, "I will."

"Do it now," whispered my father's voice. "Be ready to run... do it now..."

"NOW!" I screamed, and the connection broke. I was no longer protected.

Blindly, I ran towards where Cedric and the Cup lay. Spells flew past me, luckily all missing me. I could hear Voldemort roaring as I threw myself down to the ground, grabbing Cedric's limp arm with one hand and touching the Cup with the other.

The graveyard disappeared as I made my way back to Hogwarts.

***

Cedric, the Cup and I landed on the ground with a thud. I let go of the Cup, clutching Cedric's body to me as the sounds of cheers went up all around me. I squeezed my eyes shut, not wanting to open them, not wanting to face reality ever again.

The cheering soon turned to sounds of confusion and shouting, as people realised something wasn't right. I could hear the deafening sound of footsteps coming closer and closer. I squeezed Cedric's body tighter and tighter to me, my head spinning with fear.

"Etta! Etta!" I couldn't work out whose voice that was. I didn't care. I wanted them all to go away and leave me be with Cedric.

Hands grabbed at my shoulders, "Etta! What's happened?"

I looked up into the eyes of Professor Dumbledore. "He's back," I whispered, before burying my face back in Cedric's chest.

"Good God! He's dead! Diggory's dead!"

The voice of Cornelius Fudge boomed across the grounds and I could make out other people shouting in disbelief.

"Cedric's dead?"

"Quick, Dumbledore, Amos is coming over. Perhaps we better warn him before-"

"MY BOY! MY BOY!"

I felt someone pulling me off Cedric. I desperately tried to hold on. I knew the minute I let go he would really be gone. Tears coursed down my face as I was being dragged away. I could see Amos flinging himself down to where I just had been, sobbing for the boy who was now dead.

"Etta, it's okay," a comforting voice soothed in my ear. "It's okay."

Arms flung around me. It was Ron and Hermione. They both held on to me tightly as I sobbed uncontrollably.

But it was not okay because Cedric was dead, and Voldemort was back.

How could it ever be okay again?

***