My Love ✧ George Weasley

62 - The Leaving Feast

Adriana

I had been sort of dreading the Leaving Feast. Not because I was dreading my return home, but because I was dreading the whispers and stares that were bound to come. Every time I would walk through the corridors and common room, people would be full on staring at me, not even trying to hide it, while whispering to their friends. It was honestly quite annoying, and I would've much preferred them to just come up to me and ask what had happened, instead of making up dumb rumors about Harry and I.

Just as I thought, almost every pair of eyes in the Great Hall were on me when I walked in with Cedric, Naomi, and Katherine. To the best of my abilities, I ignored them, making my way to the Hufflepuff table while taking in the decorations of the Hall.

Usually, the Hall was decorated with the colors of whichever House won the Inter-House Championship, but tonight, there were black drapes hanging on the wall behind the teachers' table.

"What's with the funeral-like decorations?" I asked my friends as we dug into our food.

"Did you forget that you basically died, Adriana?" Katherine said, a look of disbelief on her face at the thought. "The funeral-like decorations are for you. There was almost a funeral here for you."

"Oh, right," I said. "Yeah, I did sort of forget about that."

"How'd you forget you almost died?!" Cedric questioned. "I feel like that's something that would stick with you."

"Well, I was unconscious for it," I replied. "One minute, I was in some graveyard, and the next, I was in the hospital wing. Of course I forgot about it, I wasn't awake. I wasn't present for the traumatic part. I was in a peaceful sleep."

"You were in a coma," Naomi stated with a blank look.

"Yeah, I know," I said. "But it was basically me being in a deep sleep, since I woke up and felt very well rested. I'd like to say I just became Princess Aurora for a day."

"Oh my God," Katherine muttered, shaking her head as she continued eating her dinner.

Once everyone in the Hall had eaten, Professor Dumbledore stood up from his seat, effectively quieting all chatter.

"The end," he started, "of another year. There is much that I would like to say to you all tonight, but I must first explain what happened the night of the final task. You see, Adriana LaVey was nearly murdered by Lord Voldemort."

Panicked whispers spread across the Hall, and I sunk further down in my seat as people started looking toward me.

"The Ministry of Magic," Professor Dumbledore continued, "does not wish me to tell you this. It is possible that some of your parents will be horrified that I have done so, either because they will not believe that Lord Voldemort has returned, or because they think I should not tell you so, young as you are. It is my belief, however, that the truth is generally preferable to lies, and that any attempt to pretend that Adriana almost died as the result of an accident, or some sort of blunder of her own, is an insult to her bravery and endurance, as well as her friends' through this hard time.

"Now, there is somebody else who must be mentioned in connection with what happened to Adriana," Professor Dumbledore added. "I am talking, of course, about Harry Potter.

"Harry Potter managed to escape Lord Voldemort. He risked his own life to return Adriana back to Hogwarts. He showed, in every respect, the sort of bravery that few wizards have ever shown in facing Lord Voldemort, and for this, I honor him.

"The Triwizard Tournament's aim was to further and promote magical understanding. In the light of what has happened, of Lord Voldemort's return, such ties are more important than ever before. Every guest in this Hall will be welcomed back here at any time, should they wish to come. I say to you all, once again, in the light of Lord Voldemort's return, we are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided. Lord Voldemort's gift for spreading discord and enmity is very great. We can fight it only by showing an equally strong bond of friendship and trust. Differences of habit and language are nothing at all if our aims are identical and our hearts are open.