The Sword and The Shield- C Diggory

Chapter Twenty Four

"Really?" Florence sat back, open-mouthed. The two were on Elyah's bed, curtains closed and silencing charms up. "You really think the headmaster stopped you becoming prefect? Why would he have something against you?"
"That's the thing, I don't know. But I'm determined to find out." Elyah responded firmly. "Don't say a word to anyone, of course. Besides the Slytherins, everyone thinks the sun shines out of the man's behind. But he has made some seriously questionable decisions."

Florence nodded solemnly. "Hiring Lockhart." Elyah snorted. "I more meant keeping Harry Potter in a house with people who treat him poorly. I mean come on, has no one noticed how skinny and small that boy is? And Fred told me when they rescued him the other year he had literal bars on his windows, and eight locks on the outside of his door. He was twelve." Florence looked horrified. "Dumbledore knows?"

"Uncle Arthur practically tore him a new one. Saint Dumbledore assured him Harry was safe there." Elyah scoffed. "They starve him." Florence suddenly let out a huge yawn, before blushing and covering her mouth with her hands. "Oh gosh I'm so sorry that was rude! But it's late and I'm tired..." Elyah smiled, taking down the silencing charms and opening the curtains. Florence slid out to her own bed.

Sarah looked over, seeming mildly put-out she wasn't included. "Nice private chat?" She muttered. Elyah flashed her a wink, cool as a cucumber. "You're prefect, what you don't know is better, so you truly can claim ignorance. Trust me." Sarah laughed, her posture relaxing at the comment. "Okay, fair enough. But not too many detentions! We have to try and win the house cup this year since we won't be winning the quidditch one."

"I don't know what they were thinking!" Florence expressed angrily. "The tournament was cancelled originally because of the death toll. Have the past three years not been evidence enough that bringing it back is a really bad idea?" Sarah shrugged. "I hear Cedric is entering though, as he turns 17 by October 31st." Elyah scowled at the girl. "I'm trying to be supportive because I know what winning the tournament means for him and his career plans, but I'm scared for him. Not because I don't think he wouldn't be able to handle it, just because this place is bloody cursed."

"Well hopefully his name doesn't get chosen." Florence shrugged. "But it would be nice to have a Hufflepuff champion, prove to the other houses we aren't the weak option."
Sarah laughed. "Anyone who's seen El on the quidditch pitch knows Hufflepuff aren't weak. Didn't you break Marcus Flint's collarbone your first year on the team?" Elyah laughed at the memory of the event.

"Goodnight, guys." Florence yawned, flopping back onto her bed. With a flick of her wand, her curtains were closed. Elyah pulled her curtains closed, lying back and staring up at the canopy. It was good to be back at Hogwarts, and she couldn't believe she was in her fifth year already. She closed her eyes, and quickly found herself drifting off to sleep.

Elyah woke up, and cast a quick tempus charm to find out it was 6am. She groaned, rolling over onto her stomach and burying her face in her pillow. 6am? She was never awake that early. She dragged herself out of bed, heading to the bathroom to freshen up for the day. She might as well get up and on.

Elyah tied off the end of her braid as she headed down the stairs to the common room, her satchel banging against her thigh. The common room was deserted. Helga Hufflepuff smiled at her from the portrait over the fire. "It's nice to see you back and looking well, Miss Prewett." Elyah smiled at the founder. "Thank you, Helga. It's good to be back." She left the common room, heading up the stairs towards the entrance hall. Cedric was stood at the bottom of the stairs, hands clasped behind his back, deep in conversation with Roger Davies and Angelina Johnson. "Hey, Elyah." Roger greeted as he spotted her. "You're looking well, welcome back!"

"Thanks, Rog." She accepted a hug from the boy, and a high-five from Angelina. "It's good to be back. You all planning on entering to tournament?" Angelina looked like she was absolutely fed up of having the conversation. "I will be, yeah. October 11th is my birthday. Roger's not 17 until March though, so it won't be a competition between the Quidditch Captains." Elyah laughed. Roger shrugged. "Pete's gonna go for it, he's seventeen on the 20th of this month. And of course Ced, you're birthday is in a few weeks too. The party is gonna rival Charlie Weasley's coming of age do." Angelina smirked at the memory. Elyah had heard the stories- all the sixth, seventh and fifth year students had hangovers so bad they didn't emerge from the dorms for two whole days.

"It's your sixteeth in a couple of days, isn't it El?" Roger asked. "Any plans? Has loverboy here got a fancy date planned?" He gave Cedric a playful shove, who swatted him away, putting his arms around his girlfriend. "To be fair we haven't had much time together over the summer, and now Quidditch isn't on we won't see each other for practice. I'm looking forward to the first Hogsmeade trip of the year." Elyah raised an eyebrow, putting her hands on her hips in a threating manner. "Oh have you planned something? You know it's helpful to invite people you plan to be there?" Angelina burst out laughing, and Roger was smirking. Cedric blushed.

"Well yes, I was getting there." He cleared his throat. "Elyah, will you go to Hogsmeade with me?" She smiled, leaning up to kiss him on the cheek, before heading into the great hall. Roger and Angelina were clutching each other as they howled with laughter. "So is that a yes love? El? El?" Elyah's smirk faded off her face as she entered the great hall, and Professor Moody's eyes fell onto her. Both eyes. Her uncle and oldest cousins knew the man, but he gave her the creeps. And now, sat here at the head table to Hogwarts, he made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end, and she wasn't quite sure why.