Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
~
"And you're sure you really want to?" George asked Eleanora for what felt like the hundredth time since the letter from her father came in.
"Yes, I have to." She walked faster, trying to get to the field where the third task was taking place as quickly as possible.
"That's not what I'm asking," George sighed. "Do you want to?"
"It doesn't matter if I want to or not. My mum and Daisy need help, so I'm staying with them for the summer. There's nothing I can do about it." Eleanora looked at Fred, who had been unusually quiet through the whole discussion. "What's up with you?"
"Do you think your dad's a death eater?"
"Shh, keep your voice down." Eleanora elbowed him and looked around to make sure nobody had heard. The surrounding crowd was too excited about the third task to care. "I don't know what he's doing," she said shortly.
"But, do you think there's a chance-"
"I don't know, Fred!" Eleanora threw her hands up in frustration. "You saw the letter, he didn't tell me anything. I can't say I'm surprised. This is exactly what happened last time." She scanned the crowd, searching for an excuse to change the subject. Finally, she found one. "Cedric!"
Cedric, hand in hand with Cho, turned around and gave her an enormous smile. "El!" he immediately let go of Cho's hand to pull Eleanora into a hug.
"How're you feeling?" she asked, ignoring the disapproving looks coming from Fred, George, and Cho. "Are you nervous?"
"A bit," Cedric let go of her and stepped back to stand with Cho. "But I figure if I could survive dragons and the lake, whatever happens here should be nothing."
"Don't get your hopes up," Eleanora said darkly. "Anyways, good luck."
"Thanks, El." Cedric put an arm around Cho. "Couldn't have done it without you." And with that, he turned and walked towards the stadium.
"What does he mean he 'couldn't have done it without you?' He broke your heart!" George said, not bothering to keep his voice down. Eleanora simply rolled her eyes and started towards the stadium again.
"And what was that hug about?" said Fred.
"We're friends," Eleanora explained. She felt like she kept saying the same thing over and over.
"Are you sure you want to sit by Bill, El?" Fred asked. "There's a lot of... tension between you guys."
"Yeah, we could find somewhere else," George added.
Eleanora rounded on them, irritation etched all over her face. "You know, you two are really annoying today."
"We're just looking out for you!"
"You know I hate it when you do that. And yes, I want to sit by Bill and your mum. I haven't seen Molly in forever."
~
"Ladies and gentlemen, the third and final task of the Triwizard Tournament is about to begin!" Bagman's magically amplified voice boomed over the stands. "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!" The cheers and applause sent birds from the Forbidden Forest fluttering into the darkening sky. "In second place, with eighty points — Mr. Viktor Krum, of Durmstrang Institute!"More applause. "And in third place — Miss Fleur Delacour, of Beauxbatons Academy!" Eleanora heard Bill and Mrs. Weasley clapping politely next to her. "So . . . on my whistle, Harry and Cedric!" said Bagman."Three — two — one —"
The whistle blew and Eleanora watched Harry and Cedric disappear into the maze. A chill ran through her as the bushes closed after them. She didn't like the idea of either of them being trapped in there.
"How's your year been, Eleanora?" Mrs. Weasley asked from the other side of Bill. "I heard about what happened with Cedric. You're doing okay?"
"Oh yeah," Eleanora insisted. "I'm fine, really."
"Wait, how did you hear about Cedric?" Bill asked his mother. "She didn't even tell me."
"Well, that's when you were ignoring me for no reason, remember?" Eleanora tried not to sound as bothered as she felt. Mrs. Weasley looked back and forth between Eleanora and Bill, confused at the sudden tension between the two.
"I'm... going to go check on Ron," Mrs. Weasley said slowly. She was hoping Bill and Eleanora could sort out whatever was happening while she was gone. Eleanora watched Mrs. Weasley turn and head a little ways down the stands to talk to Ron and Hermione. She and Bill were silent for a long moment.
"You still could've written, you know," Bill said quietly.
Eleanora stared at him. "Are you blaming me for us not talking?" she said, her voice rising.
"No, no," Bill said quickly. On the other side of Eleanora, the twins made disapproving noises. "I'm not blaming you, I'm just saying... you know you can always talk to me."
"Really? Because you sort of proved that I can't."
Bill's temper started to flare too. He was frustrated with the whole situation, angr at how confused he felt all the time. "Look, I'm sorry I didn't write to you. Why d'you care so much? I thought everything was fine- at the second task-"
"Because I like- I like writing to you." Eleanora changed the course of her sentence at the last second and finished lamely. Bill scoffed and Eleanora glared at him. "What?"
"You had other people to talk to, I don't understand why this is such a big deal."
"I just want to know why you didn't write." Her eyes burned into his and he had to look away.
"I dunno..."
"Stop it!" she cried. "It's not a hard question! We talked all the time until the beginning of this year, and I want to know why you stopped. I deserve to know what happened."
"Nothing happened..."
"It's because of Molly trying to set you up with girls, isn't it?"
Bill looked disgusted. "Why would it have anything to do with that? And anyways, I figured you were too busy with Cedric and... whoever else." His eyes flicked to Fred, who was listening in on the conversation nervously.
"Are you being serious right now?" Eleanora said furiously, following his gaze. "I've told you a million times! What else do I have to say to get you to believe that I'm not in love with Fred? Why is this even a thing?"
"Well, my mum said-"
"Bill, why would you listen to Molly about this? She's been trying to get Fred and I together since we were thirteen. You could've just written and I would've told you that I love Fred with all my heart, but I've never felt that way about him and I never will. No offense, Freddie."
"None taken, love."
"Why... why do you care?" Eleanora's voice was softer now, almost hopeful. "Why would it matter?"
"It just... does." Bill stared down at the field.
"Why?"
Bill went silent.
George leaned over to whisper in Fred's ear. "I'll bet you five galleons they either profess their undying love for each other by the end of the day or they never speak again." Fred looked at Bill and Eleanora appraisingly.
