Redamancy (d.m)

Chapter thirty six-little women

I washed myself twice a day everyday, sometimes thrice. I was desperate to rid myself of the pollinated sensation that lingered inside me. I could still smell the foul stench through the aroma of honey and lavender. Could feel the tacky aftermath of the blood trickling down my body. Because no matter how much i washed and scrubbed and scratched, I never felt clean.

Parkinson received a year's detention, and though it was an unpleasant punishment, I still felt unsatisfied. Every time I passed her in the hall I subconsciously wiped nonexistent blood from my face and traced the red marks from where I had scrubbed with too much force. The letters continued to arrive at steady pace, each one with a more brutal threat than the last. If you don't own up to your mistakes I will not hesitate to curse you into oblivion...you deserve to be boiled alive...Wish you'd take Noah Milton's place...I hope you meet your end soon and I hope it is as painful as you deserve, you horrid scum of wizardkind

Cedric had grown to know when to stay with me and when to leave me to myself. He walked me to class whenever I needed, which wasn't often, since I always had Harry, Ron, and Hermione around, constantly checking up on me. I had been supplied with calming draughts, which I took daily until I didn't require them anymore. I completed my homework though my professors insisted I needn't work too hard. I learnt to toss any letters straight into the fire until there weren't any letters at all. The last task was approaching, and Cedric described it in great detail, speaking of the twenty foot tall hedges with various unknown obstacles hidden inside, with the cup waiting in the middle. I had started to help training Harry in jinxes and hexes, in an effort to prepare him for the third task. I had made him, along with Ron and Hermione, promise not to tell Cedric, who felt I still needed rest, though Madam Pompey was confident I had made a full mental recovery. I had noticed that Bellatrix had slowed her usual pace of letters and baskets of food, when she did write to me, her sentences were short and her handwriting was sprawled and smudged with ink. She seemed on edge, though she insisted she was alright.

I groaned at the incessant droning of Professor Binns during history of magic, feeling particularly jealous of Harry, who sat in the back of every class researching hexes

"Oh, to be a triwizard champion and to be exempt from exams" I said wistfully as I spent my free period sprawled lazily in Cedric's arms, shielding my eyes from the bright summer sun as he picked through a pile of books I had brought from my dorm
"You'd fancy casting spells until your throat's dry, would you?" He said, picking up a dark green leather bound book, "How about this one?"
"One of my favourites" I grinned, looking over the loosely threaded together pages that had yellowed over time, "Little Women-a classic muggle book"
"Reckon we can get through a couple chapters before the next class" he said, opening the book to the first page and began to read aloud with one hand holding up the book and the other entwined in mine, resting his head on top of mine as I laid it gently on his chest.

The words I had read so many times sounded different coming out of his mouth, each syllable was delivered with a warmth, and I saw the story in ways I had never seen before. With ten minutes left before class, he gently ended the chapter and closed the book, sitting up slightly to face me.

"Are you worried?" I asked, noticing his expression as he carefully studied my face, "about tonight?"
"It's just another task, (y/n)" he said smiling, and tucked a loose strand of hair back in its place, "After I've won, we'll steal some food from the kitchens and go to the astronomy tower, and we'll plan our summer together, just the two of us. Sound good?"
"Can we take some butterbeer as well?" I asked
"We can take whatever you'd like" he answered, leaning forward to place his lips on mine and I smiled as I pulled away
"Then it sounds perfect, Ced"

By the time the tournament rolled around, the sky had turned into a deep blue, and the noise of hundreds of students filing into the stands around the maze filled the field, creating an atmosphere overwhelmed with excitement. Once the professors and judges had gathered around the champions, Ludo Bagman pointed his wand to his throat, and his magnified voice rang out

"Ladies and Gentleman, the third and final task of the triwizard tournament is about to begin Let me remind you how the points currently stand! Tied in first place, with eighty-five points each — Mr. Cedric Diggory and Mr. Harry Potter, both of Hogwarts School!" Beside me, Hermione and Ron joined in with the rest of Hogwarts in support, screaming and applauding loudly, "In second place, with eighty points — Mr. Viktor Krum, of Durmstrang Institute!" More applause. "And in third place — Miss Fleur Delacour, of Beauxbatons Academy! So...on my whistle, Harry and Cedric! One...two...three...!"

The whistle rung out, and Harry and Cedric darted into the darkness of the maze, followed by Viktor, then by Fleur. It had begun. The air was thick with anticipation from students, anxious to see their school champion emerge victorious from the maze. I reminded myself to take deep calming breaths, letting my mind wander comfortingly to the thought of the astronomy tower, and an entire summer to be spent with Hermione, Harry, Ron...and Cedric. I bit my lip subconsciously as the worry flooded back, frustrated that I couldn't see beyond the tall leafy hedges. I decided, instead, to focus my attention on the small details around me. The lines of the wooden bench that occasionally overlapped, the number of threads on my woollen scarf, the twinkling stars, the ominous quiet and its occasional interruptions by a distant owl or the buzzing of a beetle...wait...the beetle. Some5ing clicked in my mind as I caught sight of the acid green beetle I had seen three times before, once on my leg in the garden the night of the Yule ball, once in Hermione's hair at the second task, and once a couple days ago, on the divination window sill the day Harry fainted. Acid green. Ratty Skeezer is a dead woman. My eyes widened as the bug flew away from the stands, and I hastily stood up, to my friends' confusion

"(Y/n) what in the bloody hell are you doing?" Ron asked
"No time to explain, its fine, I'm not missing anything anyways" I said, gesturing to the maze
"Hurry back, you don't want to miss anything!" Hermione said, and I nodded, chasing after the glittering beetle as it soar away from the warm light of the stands. I was careful not to make any noise, so as to not declare my presence just yet. I crest after the beetle, darting behind walls and trees until it stopped its flight, hovering momentarily in the middle of a field before its minuscule body twisted into the stout form of a woman in green robes

"Well well well" I said triumphantly, stepping out from behind an oak tree, making her jump in fright
"Miss Lestrange...what are you doing here?" She stuttered, feigning innocence
"I go to school here" I replied sarcastically, "you, however, are banned from the school grounds. Care to explain?"
"I-I- well-that-that's-I mean..." she said, fumbling over her words
"I don't think the ministry will be pleased to know of your...magical abilities" I said, enjoying seeing her falter
"You...you have no proof!" She said, confirming her guilt
"That's true, although I could just shove a vial of veritaserum down your wrinkly throat and let the minister ask you himself"
"You wouldn't dare!"
"Wouldn't I?" I said maliciously
"No! You can't...it'll ruin me!" She said frantically
"What a shame that would be" I drawled
"Please...don't, I'll do anything!" She pleaded, and I pursued my lips in mock thought
"Stop writing about me, Harry, Noah, and any of my friends in the daily prophet, or anywhere" I demanded, and she nodded quickly, "Oh, also, confirm that the stories you've already published about us were lies and were made up in an effort to gain readers" she opened her thin mouth in disdain, but decided against it, and I grinned
"Alright. Anything else?" She said, crossing her arms
"That'll be all" I said cheerily, my heart beat quickening as I heard an uproar from the stands, "I've got to be going now, buh bye!"

I skipped all the way back to the maze, which was a fairly long walk, considering Skeezy could cover much more distance by flight than on foot. I was about to reach the stands, eager to see the outcome of the task, until I noticed Professor Moody carrying the limp form of Harry away from the crowds and up the path to the castle. I followed them closely, eyes narrwoing in suspicion and worry

Something wasn't right.