The Lost Potter [Fred Weasley/ Adrian Pucey]

-THE LEAVING FEAST-

"You'll be alright?" Adrian whispered in Rose's ear, his hand traveling from her shoulder to her arm; rubbing small circles over where he knew she had a small scar from Pettigrew's attack.

"I'll be fine, Adrian," she assured him, smiling gratefully with shining grey eyes. "Stop hovering, go back to the Slytherins."

He nodded one last time, bending to kiss the side of her head before he shot a glare at the Gryffindors who were staring at them before he walked back to his own table.

The Great Hall, which in any case had been less noisy than it usually was at the Leaving Feast, became very quiet.

"The end," said Dumbledore, looking around at them all, "of another year."

He paused, and his eyes fell upon the Hufflepuff table. Theirs had been the most subdued table before he had got to his feet, and theirs were still the saddest and palest faces in the Hall; except for Rose, she looked like she had just come back from the dead.

"There is much that I would like to say to you all tonight," said Dumbledore, "but I must first acknowledge the loss of a very fine person, who should be sitting here" – he gestured towards the Hufflepuffs – "enjoying our Feast with us. I would like you all, please, to stand, and raise your glasses, to Cedric Diggory."

Rose did, as did everyone else, with shaky hands as she tried to keep her tears from spilling. Everyone stood and raised their goblets, and echoed, in one loud, low, rumbling voice, "Cedric Diggory."

Rose couldn't hold it anymore, and silent tears began to spill from her eyes rapidly. Before she could blink them away, she caught Harry's eye from across the table. His expression solemn as he looked down at the tables before sitting back down. Rose felt a pang of hurt in her chest, she hadn't spoken to him since the task; she didn't know what to say.

"Cedric was a person who exemplified many of the qualities which distinguish Hufflepuff house," Dumbledore continued. "He was a good and loyal friend, a hard worker, he valued fair play. His death has affected you all, whether you knew him well or not. I think that you have the right, therefore, to know exactly how it came about."

Rose raised her head, her heart beating loudly as she tried pleading with her eyes that Dumbledore wouldn't say it.

"Cedric Diggory was murdered by Lord Voldemort."

A panicked whisper swept the Great Hall. People were staring at Dumbledore in disbelief, in horror. He looked perfectly calm as he watched them mutter themselves into silence. Eyes glanced at Harry and Rose, as if they were Lord Voldemort himself, but Rose simply bend down her head.

"The Ministry of Magic," 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 Cedric died as the result of an accident, or some sort of blunder of his own, is an insult to his memory."

Stunned and frightened, every face in the Hall was turned towards Dumbledore now ... or almost every face. Rose's eyes searched Adrian, and he caught her gaze before nodding his head at her in reassurance.

"There are two other people who must be mentioned in connection with Cedric's death," Dumbledore went on. "I am talking, of course, about Harry and Rose Potter."

A kind of ripple crossed the Great Hall, as a few heads turned in Harry and Rose's direction again before flicking back to face Dumbledore.

"This pair managed to escape Lord Voldemort," said Dumbledore. "They risked their own lives to return Cedric's body to Hogwarts. They showed, in every respect, the sort of bravery that few wizards have ever shown in facing Lord Voldemort, and for this, I honour them."