The Golden Quartet (Harry Potter x Reader x Cedric Diggory)

Sixth Year - Chapter 29

News of Katie coming back spread just as quickly as Ron getting out of the hospital and the two of them were the talk of everyone as they made it into the Great Hall to eat. You tried to get Harry to stop pestering Katie with questions because she still seemed overwhelmed. When she said that it was okay, just she rather answer in a more private place than the Great Hall, you backed off. You wanted to know just as bad what happened to her but not at her own sanity. But you also realized that not everyone was you. Katie seemed to have been in full recovery, almost like the curse never affected her. If she was fine then you thought she should tell what happened. The quicker you all knew the real threat level, the better.

Katie seemed more interested in talking to Harry about getting back on the quidditch team. The finals were coming up, ending sooner than usual. You were sure that it was because of the now second poisoning at school. None of the Houses even protested. It was better than quidditch being canceled completely. Unfortunately, ending a season early meant that your House had no chance of being in first place. However, the other three places were up to grabs depending on who won the game and by how many points. It was Gryffindor against Ravenclaw which made life easy for you. There was no one else to cheer for but Gryffindor. You put on Harry's captain jumper— your official staple clothing for a quidditch match— back on over your uniform. The game wasn't until the weekend but it was necessary to show your support. It was technically allowed because the quidditch uniform was an official part of Hogwarts' dress code for proper uniform attire. It wasn't uncommon to see students on the team switch out their grey pullover for their quidditch ones. They were a bit more comfortable anyway.

You had taken off the jumper while checking the fifth years' practical labs of brewing Hiccoughing Solution, not wanting to get anything on it, and then stayed late to try and figure out the Hallows symbol. The clock in the classroom chimed and you realized that you were going to be late to dinner if you didn't put the Hallows to rest and get up. Besides, you didn't feel like eating in the classroom again which happened whenever Harry came to find you after you missed the entire meal and brought a small plate.

Harry had followed Malfoy's dot on the Marauders' Map all the way to the girls' lavatory on the second floor. Between Myrtle and the Chamber of Secrets, absolutely no one went in it. Harry pressed his ear to the bathroom door like he did last semester with the classroom. He only slipped in quietly when he realized that he couldn't hear anything. Malfoy just finished telling Myrtle off, the ghost retreating to her favorite toilet. His knuckles were going white as he clutched the sink. Malfoy kept muttering to his own reflection that he had to do it, he had to kill him or be killed himself. He seemed unhinged.

The bravado was gone and Harry wasn't sure he ever saw Malfoy look so scared. A weird look for a Death Eater as far as he was concerned. His tone changed when the muttering sounded more like sputtering and sniffling. He realized Malfoy was crying. The blonde boy wiped at his eyes and gasped when he looked up to see Harry's reflection in the corner of the mirror. Malfoy turned around swiftly, pulling out his wand. Hexes and jinxes began to fly between the two of them.

Malfoy pointed his wand with determination. "Cru—"

"Sectumsempra!" Harry yelled the spell that the mysterious Half-Blood Prince had written in the margins of the book.

Blood suddenly spurted from Malfoy's face and chest. Harry gasped, only managing to say no over and over as Malfoy stumbled backwards. It was like he was cut by a sword. His wand fell from his hand that had gone limp and he crashed to the floor, convulsing in a pool of his blood mixed with water from the broken sinks. Harry tried to get to his feet to help Malfoy.

You were skipping down the stairs, a little excited because pumpkin pasties were being served according to Kreacher. A chill ran down your spine as you reached the second floor coupled with the smell of earl grey tea causing you to ditch the Great Hall and follow your dark senses.