The Years of Blue [2]

Chapter 61: A Time to Mourn

The day following the death of Cedric Diggory was depressingly slow and passed like a heavy fog. Everyone was melancholy, unlike the weather that remained just as joyously bright as before. It almost felt like an insult to his memory. Didn't the world know that someone had just died? But the world sees many people die before their time, and so the sun continues to shine, even when students cry into each other's shoulders, and walk like zombies, emotionally drained.

Like the rest of my friends, I went through the motions of the day, waking up, eating breakfast, walk the length of the lake, and pack up the last of my belongings, as we were to depart the following day.

The Hufflepuffs were drastically somber, which was understandable. When Dumbledore announced over breakfast the importance of all of us maintaining a distance from Harry Potter, and not asking him questions over what had happened, the Hufflepuffs remained still and silent. This of course contrasted with the nosy bodies that made up the rest of the school, even if we were in mourning.

" I can't imagine how I'd feel if I actually knew him," Mila said sympathetically as we passed a group of third year Hufflepuffs on our way out of the Great Hall. "I already feel terrible and I never said a word to him in my life!"

"Imagine dying after only seventeen years," Rosalie followed, in a far more depressing train of thought. "Most people haven't even figured out who they are at that point. Poor Cedric."

As I said before, what they said went in one ear and out the other. It was hard for me to concentrate over anything. Even as I packed, my mind went back to that jolt of a reaction when the pieces came together the night before. Cedric, pale and bloodied, his eyes glassy. If that was how death looked, I didn't want to think about how it would look on me. Would my death be as pitiful as his?

Then again, if all went well, I won't have a young death. That should drop at least half of the pitiful reaction from the timetable.

Ella found me with Ginny and Sam in the afternoon, under one of the trees near the lake. Ana and Mila were still packing, Jacqueline was off doing who knows what with Rosalie. Gisele, like Marie, had chosen to go off on her own for a moment. We all had our own ways of coming to terms with what happened. Introverts like Gisele preferred social isolation while I wanted company, at least for the moment.

"I needed to get away. Our common room is horrible. Not one dry eye in the place. Even his friends are a mess," Ella said in a strained voice. Her eyes were still red from crying earlier and her color in her face had gone. "It's one thing to see the first years cry but to see seventh year guys cry... I don't know how to react to that." Ginny took Ella's hand in a comforting gesture and motioned Ella to sit beside her.

"We were just talking about what's going to happen now," I explained in a monotone as Ginny distanced her gaze toward the water. Sam was toying with her family ring on her finger, avoiding all eye contact. "Ginny was just saying how her Dad is working exclusively with Dumbledore now while maintaining his post at the ministry."

"Why would he do that?" Ella asked, taking a seat in the soft grass. Ginny's jaw tightened at the question but her gaze remained soft as she returned to look at her friend.

"Because the prime minister is acting flaky. He doesn't want much news to spread about what happened to Cedric. Not that we know what happened to him. Hermione isn't talking about it, nor is my brother. Mum left this morning after having a meeting with Dumbledore. She was trying to get Harry to stay with us over the summer."

"That would be nice," I confirmed, as I stretched my legs out in front of me. The sun filtered through the tree line lazily, warming my pale legs. "I heard he doesn't have such a nice family at home." Ginny nodded slowly.