In the Melancholy Moonlight

Chapter XV: I'm Your Brother

CEDRIC:

When I awoke Sunday morning and peeled my sleep mask off my eyes, Henry was the only other person left in our dormitory. I stretched and rolled onto my stomach. "Good morning," I mumbled through a yawn, my eyes slowly adjusting to the morning glow. Our common room and dormitories were in the dungeons, but that didn't stop Hufflepuffs from installing windows and enchanting them to reflect the outside world like the ceiling of the Great Hall. Most of us used sleep masks on weekends so the sun wouldn't wake us. This particular morning, a couple of faint rays of sunshine pierced the clouds overhead, and they happened to be hitting me square in the face.

"Good morning!" Henry said brightly, glancing up from the book in his lap. He ran his fingers through his curly hair. "How'd you sleep?"

"Pretty well, thanks." My eyes sank shut, and I hugged my pillow. "How about you?" I asked, yawning again.

"Same here. Martin and Paul headed down to the Great Hall already. I think they were planning to spend the day in the library making up for the studying they didn't do yesterday. What were your plans?"

I ran a hand over my face, as if to wipe the tiredness away. "I'll see if Madam Pomfrey needs help in the Hospital Wing. If she does, I'll spend my day there, and if she doesn't, I don't know." I opened my eyes and rolled onto my back, lacing my fingers behind my head. "Looks like today will be a beautiful one. I'll probably spend at least a little while outside."

"I'm tired of being cooped up," Henry agreed. "I'll definitely join you if you head outside. We still need to play with the new Gobstones I got for my birthday."

I laughed. "Sounds like a plan." I pushed myself out of bed and grabbed a set of clothes for the day. I showered quickly, and by the time I got out, Henry had already left for the Great Hall. It was just as well, really. I wasn't particularly hungry anyway. More so than that, I didn't want to have to respond to the letter inevitably on its way from home asking how the Quidditch match had gone. I wasn't a sore loser, but my father sure could be. Especially when I was the one losing.

I forced the thought from my mind and made my way to the Hospital Wing, offering a smile to the people I passed in the halls. When I entered the Wing, I found Madam Pomfrey right away, organizing the potions in one of her many cabinets.

"Good morning!" I said. "Do you need any help?"

"Good morning, Mr. Diggory! It's been rather quiet, but if you'd like to take this to the boy in the red striped pajamas, that would be very helpful." She pressed a small vial of yellow liquid into my palm. "Once he drinks it, he's free to go."

I nodded and made my way over to the boy.

"Good morning! This is for you." I smiled, holding out the vial. "Madam Pomfrey says you're free to go once you drink it!"

"That's good," he said with a tired grin. "Say, do you happen to know if Madam Pomfrey has anything for healing scars?"

I studied the boy's face, which was only marked by a small bruise above his left eye and a cut on the tip of his nose. "I'm sure she does, but your face will heal just fine."

"Oh, no, it's not for me." He struggled to uncap the vial, so I reached over and helped twist it off. "Thanks. Anyway, it's not for me, it would be for my friend, Lucy."

"Do you mean Lucy Diggory, by chance?"

He nodded, lifting the rim to his lips and downing the liquid in one swig. "She's my partner in most of our classes. She's nicer to me than anyone else," he added in a small voice. He cleared his throat and put the plug back in the top of the glass. "Everyone loves her, really. That's why Ron punched Malfoy during the match. I tried to get a punch at him, too, but Crabbe and Glyle knocked me out before I got the chance."