𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐒 - 𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐟𝐨𝐲 (𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝟏)

14 - Realization and Casualties

At the Final Task

Hermione, Ginny and I took our seats in the stands. My heart beat slightly faster than usual. I watched as Harry, Cedric, Viktor and Fleur entered the maze. "That thing is huge, it's going to take hours before somebody wins," Hermione whined, rubbing her hands together in an attempt to warm them up. "They should've held this during the spring," I complained, tightening my knit gloves around my hands, covering my neck with my gryffindor scarf. I took out my wand, muttering a spell under my breath. suddenly the crowd of freezing witches and wizards sighed in relief. I'd set an invisible cloud of warmth over the bleachers. "You're welcome," I muttered, putting my wand back into my jacket pocket.

One second turned to a minute, a minute turned to thirty, and thirty minutes turned to an hour. "No no no, hand under," I instructed, Ginny putting her hand below mine. We were creating a secret handshake out of our boredom. "Ok then what?" "How about a peace sign?" I suggested. "Cute," Ginny laughed, holding a peace sign up to her face. I giggled. Suddenly, the crowd went up in 'oohs'. "What's that?" Hermione pointed to a bright blue light in the sky. "It's a flare," I answered, curiously staring into the luminous circle that flew towards the clouds. "Someone's in danger," Hermione's eyes widened.

Teachers began bustling below, pulling Fleur out of the twisting vines that laid underneath the maze bushes. She was unconscious. Dumbledore muttered a spell, removing the piercing vines from her skin. she slowly woke up, her eyes fluttering open as she whined in pain. "You're okay Fleur!!" Some of her Beauxbatons friends yelled. She stood up slowly, with the help of Dumbledore and Olympe Maxime.

"Ouch," Ginny grimaced, as Fleur's wounds bled. She was rushed to the medical tent. Around ten minutes later she walked out, seemingly untouched except for a bandage covering an exceptionally deep cut on her arm. Magic was impressive, especially when it came to healing. Another hour passed. "Faster," I giggled to Ginny. We'd been practicing the handshake nearly the entire time. "You guys are bloody insane," Hermione rolled her eyes laughing.

Suddenly, Harry and Cedric apparated back into the arena. People began cheering. I threw my hands in the air, screaming with Hermione, "YES HARRY!!" Harry was crying. Why was he crying? My hands slowly lowered to my side. My smile fell off my face. Blood. Cedric's body was limp. "He's back, Voldemort is back," I heard Harry cry under his breath as he held on to Cedric's lifeless body. "Oh my god," I whimpered. Dumbledore tugged at Harry, trying to drag him off, but Harry gripped onto Cedric for dear life. A hush fell over the crowd. "That's my son, that's my boy!!" Cedric's father cried out. Cho bawled into her hands, falling to the floor. Cedric's father's screams filled the air, a haze of heartbreak and mourning leaving everyone feeling empty, as though all oxygen around me had been replaced with carbon dioxide. I gripped Hermione and Ginny's arms as we stood in silence.

The Minister escorted us all back to the castle. We walked in silence, Hermione to my left, Ginny to my right. The head girls and boys lead us back to our common rooms. Nearly everyone returned to their dormitories, leaving Ginny, Hermione and I on the couch in front of the fireplace. I felt sick to my stomach. Harry's words rang through my head like a siren stuck on repeat. "Voldemort's back," I whispered under my breath.

Flashback... April 19th, 1985

"Set your intention," My mother spoke, as I closed my eyes. "Wands channel magic, but it all begins with your mind," her voice was soothing. We sat behind our cottage, sitting on the vibrant green grass. "Imagine what you want to create, she opened my palms, setting them upwards by my side. My golden brown curls blew gently in the warm spring air, my small cheeks flushing. My hands began to tingle slightly. "Very good," she exclaimed. "Now hold your hands up to the grass," I did as she said.

I opened my eyes, to see golden strands of vibrant energy flowing from my hands, planting themselves into the soil. Green stems broke the surface, climbing out of the dirt. White rose buds began to flourish out of the tips of the thin stalks. I removed my hands, revealing three perfectly constructed roses. "Beautiful job," Mother gushed, brushing the curls out of my face, adjusting the white bow that clipped two strands of my hair together. I plucked one out of the ground. "This one's for you, Mommy," I smiled, as she took the white rose into her soft palm. "Thank you darling," She gave me a small hug. "And this one is for Daddy," I plucked the second rose out of the ground. My Mother looked towards the sky.

"Inside," she whispered. "Inside, now," she exclaimed strictly. Dark clouds formed over our heads. I clutched her hand tightly, running towards the cottage. She held the side of my face. "Hide under the bed and stay quiet, whatever happens, just know I love you," She whispered. "What's happening Mommy?" I cried. "Hush," She slid me underneath the bed, taking out her wand. Three death eaters rocketed towards our house, landing where Mother and I stood merely a minute ago. A curly haired witch dressed in all black crushed the last white rose that stood outside with her boot. I whimpered. "Bombarda," the witch cackled, our stained glass door shattering into pieces. I covered my ears, letting out a small whelp before sealing my lips closed. "Stupef-"

"Avada Kedavra."

My mother crashed to the ground, her limp body laying in the kitchen. The house hushed, the world around me becoming silent. I slipped myself out from under the bed. "Mommy?" I walked slowly towards the kitchen, pieces of glass slicing into my delicate feet on the carpet. The three death eaters turned to me in shock. "What do we do with her?" one of them slithered. "I say we leave her," another suggested. "Crucio," the curly haired one pointed her wand towards me. My skin began to burn. "What's happening?" She turned curiously towards the second man. My veins began to glow, my eyes turning a fluorescent golden yellow.

"Leave," I squeaked, twisting vines covered in thorns erupting through the wooden floorboards, grasping the limbs of two of the cloaked men, pulling them downwards into the dirt. Vines climbed down their throats, suffocating them to death on thorns. The curly haired woman stared at me in confusion. I gazed into her eyes as she burst through the roof, flying away in a cloud of black smoke. The screams of the men ceased as the vines twisted their way through their intestines, dragging them further into the ground.

The glowing stopped as I turned back to my mother. "Mommy," I cried, sitting next to her deceased body. beams of sunlight filtered through the now broken kitchen window. I peered through the floor boards, eyeing a chestnut leather book with the initials E.B. etched into the spine. I plucked my mother's wand out of her hand. "Accio book," I whispered, as it flew into my hands. It was a book full of my mother's spells and knowledge.

"I'll make you proud Mommy, I promise."