Youngblood: Champions {Year 4, Book 2}

= Chapter 27 =

"C-Cedric? Cedric!" Lillian screamed from inside her sleep, awaking Aspen roughly.

"I- oh... not again." Aspen mumbled sorrowfully.

It had been about a week now since Cedric's death and every single night ever since, she'd had these dreams about him being still alive. Aspen's brows creased as she slid out of bed, shaking Lillian ever so slightly to wake her.

"A-Aspen! He's alive! Cedric's alive!" Lillian gasped once she'd been woken up. "I-"

It took a while for her to realize the dream's effects.

"It was just another dream... wasn't it?" Lillian said, tears welling up in her eyes as she laid her head back down and curled into a tight ball, cuddling Thistle tightly.

"I'm so sorry." Aspen sighed, crawling back in her own bed and looking at the clock.

5:35 AM

It was the day of Cedric's funeral, and was destined to be one of the hardest days for Lillian. Aspen sighed, getting up because of a failure to sleep - which happened almost daily. She was surprised Lillian even got the chance to close her eyes, and when she did, she was plagued with dreams and nightmares of Cedric.

Aspen exited the girls' dorm, allowing Mystic to flap to her shoulder to come with her. No one was in the common room, which was pitch black except for the dim light of the fading flame in the fireplace.

'Howt hoot.' Mystic cooed from her shoulder, rubbing his owner's worried face.

"It's okay bud." She replied, gently petting his head as she sat down in a large black leather chair, allowing Mystic to curl up into her lap as she fell back asleep.

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"Aspen... Aspen, wake up." Someone groaned from above her.

"W-What?" She replied, swatting the voice away, only to realize seconds later that it was Ember. "What do you need?"

"It's not me - it's Lillian. She won't budge." Ember sighed as Aspen looked down.

"Alright." She got up and raced to the girls' dorm to find Lillian weeping, staring out the window.

"I can't do it Aspen. I just can't go." She cried, wrapping her arms around Aspen tightly when she sat on her bed next to her.

"Hey, hey. Calm down, everything is okay." Aspen said, becoming even more bugged with the fact that she never knew what to say.

"No, it's not okay. He's gone. Gone forever!" She cried harder.

"Shh, shh. Hey, listen: He would want you to honor him by going to this. He would want you to attend his funeral."

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The Great Hall was filled with chair, as the tables had been cleared, and black Hogwarts banners hung from the ceiling. Dove walked up to Aspen, smiling weakly and looking down at a teary Lillian.

"Want me to take her?" Dove asked as Aspen nodded, not saying a word.

"Yeah, I'm waiting for someone." Aspen replied as Dove nodded to Mya, who followed her and Lillian into the hall.

"Hale." She heard a voice behind her.

"Hello McClain." Aspen smiled.

"You said there was something you wanted to talk about." Ember whispered.

"Yes. It's Malfoy. Can you help me keep him away from Lillian for the day. She's having it real rough and I'm afraid he'll only make it worse." Aspen said, looking down at her black dress shoes.