homesick ☆ f.weasley

.:47:.

Life strangely seemed to be getting back on track. A familar structure and routine was forming in the days again. Of course, there was still grief at the core of Hogwarts but, now, it felt as though there was hope.

Emmeline was working hard, studying a variety of spells she could potentially use in the final task. She had mastered a lot of really complex spells that McGonagall was proud to inform her that not even the majority of her seventh year Transfiguration class had managed to conjure. She felt as prepared as she could but that didn't stop her from being drowned with nausea on the dawn of the final task. She wondered what would happen if she just stayed in bed. Ludo Bagman could hardly bustle in and drag her out, could he? She decided against this idea as Fred had reminded her that she had came so far, it was stupid to back out now. Fred wasn't worried, he knew she could do it. He was so certain, in fact, that he continued his tradition of gambling at what he predicted the results to be. His highest punt was with Crabbe, costing him fifteen galleons if Emmeline didn't win. Emmeline was enraged that he was betting so highly on the odds of her winning, though underneath all the anger and nerves, she was flattered that he thought so highly of her.

Emmeline was ushered away from her cluster of supporters to join the other champions. They had worked out that the final task involved a complex maze. That alone seemed challenging enough but Emmeline's heart sank when she was informed that there were numerous challenges. She could sense the extent of danger they would imvolve by the fact that there had been a surrender signal installed for this task. Emmeline had began shifting from one foot to another, hoping to shift some of the adrenline that was pelting through her body. Fred placed a callous hand on her shoulder to steady her.

"Relax, everything will be okay," he whispered into her ear. His low diction elicted goosebumps to caress her neck, trailing all the way down her spine. She was embarrassed at the affect one boy had on her. He was her whole life and she was his. What the couple weren't aware of was that he would soon be forced to live without her.

Daisy bounded up to her, shoving Fred out the way. She dived into her sister's arms. Emmeline took time to embrace her, properly.  Though Daisy was fourteen, in Emmeline's arms, she felt like a baby. In a way, she was Emmeline's baby; she had raised her once her parents had passed. The youngest Walshaw sister had barely entered adolescence and she would soon be reminded of how cruel and fragile life could be. She would have to navigate the rest of her life alone.

Angelina was next to wish her best friend good luck but, if she was honest, she didn't think Emmeline needed luck. She had her talent and bravery and intelligence. At the start of the tournament, Angelina had her doubts because Emmeline was so insecure and anxious. How wrong she was! She felt honoured to have witnessed her bloom into the beautiful young woman that stood before her. Angelina vowed to remind her how proud of her she was once this was all over. They could sense Ludo Bagman was growing impatient with Emmeline's seemingly unending entourage and hurriedly wrapped up their good luck messages. Emmeline watched them disappear into the eager crowd. The slight degree of serenity she clung on to quickly disappeared when Fred had left her side. Fred, George and Angelina took their seats in the stands beside Daisy and Neville. The apprehension the crowd emitted was more intense than the previous tasks. By the end, they would have a Triwizard Tournament winner. Daisy was as white as a sheet, her legs trembling. She hated not knowing what could happen.

"Good luck, Emmeline," Harry said, snapping the girl out of her anxious spiral of thoughts. Her eyes were still fixated on the patch of grass that was still dented from where Fred had stood.

"You too," she smiled back. She pulled him into a hug. If she didn't win, she really wanted it to be Harry.

Bagman reiterated the rules and regulations to a crowd that weren't really listening, they just wanted the task to start. The tributes could enter the maze at different times due to where they placed in the previous task. This gave Emmeline a large advantage. With the spectators now visably outgrowing their pateince, Bagman wasted no more time and waved his wand, commencing the final task. Emmeline inhaled deeply and sprinted into the maze, the sound of the crowd diminshing until the thick hedges muffled the noise completely. The air was still and eerie.