THANTOPHOBIA ① g.weasley

year four: goodbye cedric diggory

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

❛For Cedric.❜

The funeral of Cedric Diggory wasn't long, which everyone knew Cedric would have wanted. But the short time it lasted, everyone was crying. Hope Lupin-Black had never gotten so many hugs, or seen so many tears.

Hope Lupin-Black sat outside by the grave of Cedric Diggory, and for awhile she didn't say a word. And it wasn't that she had nothing to say, because for Cedric she had all the words in the world, she just didn't know how to talk to someone who didn't respond.

"I'm mad at you Cedric Diggory." she finally managed to say after a long while.

Even though Hope knew there wasn't going to be a response, she expected it. But much to her disappointment, Cedric's voice didn't reply to her, she was met by the sound of falling rain in the graveyard.

"You're the only thing I've been able to think about. And I haven't been able to decide if that's a good thing." Hope continued on, tears beginning to stream down her face. "Everything I think about goes back to you. And for now, I can still remember what you sound like."

As she looked up to the stars in the sky, the Lupin-Black girl began to cry harder. She wasn't sure how to say goodbye, she wasn't sure how to say goodbye to the person who understood her most.

"Merlin, I miss you so much, Ced." she cried, her head falling into her knees. "How am I supposed to move on from this? How am I supposed to go on with you? I can't, I can't go on without you."

Hope could feel someone walk up behind her, standing at the entrance of the graveyard, but she didn't care. Even if it was someone there to kill her, she didn't care. This was her goodbye, and if it meant she joined her best friend, that was what she wanted.

"You're my best friend, you're not supposed to die. That wasn't the plan." sobbed Hope, slamming her fist down on the grass. "It wasn't supposed to be like this. It isn't fair. I didn't even say goodbye. I'm so sorry, Ced."

From behind the teenage girl, Sirius Black walked up next to Jessica Diggory who stood in tears. And the sight of his teenage daughter sobbing over the grave of her best friend made him burst into tears, too.

"You promised me a lot of things, Ced." she whispered, fumbling with the bracelet of Cedric's that she found in her room. "We're supposed to be in Romania right now, laughing with our favorite creature. Damn it, you should have listened."

The words of Milo Bishop still rang in her head, as well as her own, when she begged and pleaded for Cedric not to go. And as much as Hope regretted it, Cedric left. The same way Hope left Milo standing there.

"You're supposed to be here. And I'm so sorry, if I could have taken your place if I could have." she exclaimed, meaning every word she said. "If I got the choice, I still would. Because you deserve to be here, Cedric. I'm so sorry, I'm so so sorry."

Jessica Diggory walked forward, bringing Hope Lupin-Black into her arms. "Hope, Cedric wouldn't want you crying like this--"

"But--"

The mother only shook her head slowly, holding the best friend of her son the same way she held him. "We both know he wouldn't anyone crying over him."

"But he's gone." she cried into her shoulder, glancing at Cedric's grave many times. "It's all my fault--"

"And Cedric was the luckiest boy to have you as his best friend." Jessica told her, tears streaming down her face as well. "Please don't ever forget him, either. Use Ced's memory to move forward."

Her words quickly clicked in Hope's mind and she turned around. "I'm so sorry, Mrs. Diggory. Cedric was your son, and here I am. I'm a mess, I'm sorry--"

Mrs. Diggory shook her head, the same smile on her face. "My son was your best friend, your brother, I saw how close you two were. Never apologize for grieving."

"But why can I feel the pain? It hurts."

"I promise you, Hope, you'll find your way to manage. I know I will." explained Cedric's mother, who wiped the rain drops off of his stone grave. "You have to stay strong, and never forget how much Cedric loved you."

Hope nodded slowly, glancing back to her father who sat on the edge of the street. "I'll never forget, I promise."

"I do have one thing to ask of you. Just one thing."

The Lupin-Black girl's grey eyes widened quickly. "Anything, Mrs. Diggory."

"Visit the Dragons in Romania, for Cedric."

And once Mrs. Diggory was gone, Hope Lupin-Black turned to the grave of her best friend one last time. Her wand gripped tightly in her hand, as she spoke her final words to Cedric Diggory.

"I don't care what it takes, he won't get away with this, Cedric. I'll fight until I can't fight anymore, No one will get away with this."

ahh, the final chapter! i'm sorry that it's so short, but i feel this was the proper ending for this story. there's another part after this with just random details, and i suspect the second story to be updated very soon! i've already started writing the prologue and first chapter!