PRONGSLET AND THE CERYNEIAN GUARDIAN

Chapter Twenty-Two

One early morning, Milo had tried to sneak out to collect the dew from the place in the Forbidden Forest where Newt had brought him to find the black tulips, but unfortunately, he had been caught by his mother. She only assumed that he was heading into the forest to observe animals, Newt planting the idea that it was okay to enter the forest on his own since the man had done it when he was a boy. Milo seemed more than relieved with the idea that it was all the woman suspected. 

But she did warn him that there would be no special treatment applied to the situation if she caught him trying to sneak into the forest again. He would be serving a lengthy detention under her watch if he was caught again. It left Milo somewhat discouraged but he knew he had to get into the forest to collect the dew eventually. It was a time like that where he wished he was in possession of his father's invisibility cloak. 

However, he foolishly remembered that he did have access to the Marauder's Map.

"I'm such an idiot," Milo muttered to himself as he slipped off his quidditch boots to place on his regular shoes. "The answer is right in front of me and it just went right over my head. It's a wonder I get anything done on my own."

As he told Heidi and Max to go on without him, Milo thought he was alone in the locker room after the quidditch team cleared out. However, when he heard the sound of shoes scuffing against the floor, he peered over and saw Cedric, immediately bringing Milo to hold his breath. The older boy didn't say anything right away, he just walked over and sat beside him on the small bench. 

Milo suddenly felt very hot, not a pleasant warm that he normally felt when he had been in Cedric's company in the past. But he could feel his hands become sweaty as the silence lingered on between them. He wasn't sure if Cedric was expecting him to say anything first or if Cedric was trying to figure out how to start the conversation. Just as he went to open his mouth and ask Cedric how he was doing, Cedric spoke first but he decided to keep it brief.

"I wrote a letter to my mum and dad," Cedric began, " and I told them everything."

Milo suddenly became frozen in place, not even able to look over at him for a few moments. 

"I tried to tell you that the other day but you didn't show," Cedric continued, "I guess I should have expected it since it took me this long. I haven't heard anything back from either one of them. I'm sure it won't be anything good, but I did tell them. I was honest about it all and how I felt...I...just wanted to tell you that."

He didn't wait for Milo to say anything as he picked himself up and left the locker room, leaving Milo alone. 

●▬▬▬▬▬๑۩۩๑▬▬▬▬▬●

Not getting the chance to talk to Cedric again, it seemed the roles had been reversed as Milo wanted to talk to Cedric but the other boy was avoiding him. Milo didn't care about what had taken place before and all feelings aside, he just wanted to know if Cedric was okay. He didn't expect Cedric to come out to his parents at all, let alone so soon. Yet Cedric had decided to do it for his own reasons through a letter, Milo couldn't even imagine how that was going to go over with Amos and Anne. 

It was a time more so than any other where Cedric needed all the support he could get. Judging by what Milo had witnessed over the summer with Amos' attitude towards others that like the same sex, he had a feeling whatever the response was, it wasn't going to be pleasant for Cedric. But Milo couldn't say anything or try to reassure Cedric if the boy wouldn't let him. Seemed as though everything was turning into a mess but to make matters worse, Milo had been looking forward to Remus' class, but by the end, he wasn't feeling the same.

Since the students were behind due to Lockhart's wasted year, Remus had the third year and fourth year lessons coincide, meaning a lot of the lessons were the same. It certainly helped homework wise as the older students were able to help the younger students with assignments. Milo had the first-hand experience with helping Neville some nights in the library. But the lesson for the day would leave Milo wishing he hadn't stepped foot into the classroom that afternoon.

Remus greeted the students with his usual kind smile, welcoming them all to sit so he could get the lesson started. Milo noticed that he seemed to be in a rather good mood as of late, not looking as tired as he normally did but rather fresh-faced and full of energy. The boy figured he would talk to Elspeth sometime soon and see if she knew what had suddenly lifted the man's mood. 

Then the lesson came to light as they were all to stand in front of a wardrobe that was said to hold a boggart. The wardrobe shook violently as the boggart inside was ready to be released. There was plenty of students for boggart to taunt with their worst fears. He had them recite the incantation "Riddikulus" in loud and clear voices before the lesson was set to get underway.

Remus had to admit when it came to the lesson, he was curious as to what the Potter boys would have as their worst fear. He already made the assumption in his head that Harry's would have something to do with Voldemort, but when it came to Milo, he couldn't say he figured the same for him. Not because Milo didn't have reason to fear the dark wizard, but Milo was a curious sort, fascinated with dangerous beasts that stood a higher chance of killing him than Voldemort. He had also grown up with Minerva and Remus didn't have the slightest idea as to what that woman feared if anything. 

Minerva knew how to control her emotions in the sense that most could not see whether she was fearful or sad over a matter, she kept a very stoic look for many matters. Milo was the same but the opposite as he controlled his emotions behind a smile. He guessed that he would figure it out, just at the time as everyone else in the class did.

It would seem cruel to others to place on display what one feared the most, but it was the same reason why Remus was going to have all the students come up one by one. It was to show that everyone held fear and Remus wanted them to understand that it was okay to be fearful of something, it was natural. The entire point was not letting fear control their lives. They could build off of the fear and learn to overcome it to get through their lives. 

Many of the students seemed to have the usual fears that Remus would expect, from nightmarish creatures they imagined in their heads, to the fear of certain animals or insects. It seemed to be going smoothly as the Riddikulus incantation allowed the students to laugh in the face of their fear. However, Remus' own laughter died down as it was Milo's turn to approach the boggart. Remus kept his wand at the ready, if Milo's boggart form turned out to be Voldemort, Remus could not subject the rest of the class to it. 

But Milo's fear didn't turn out to be Voldemort, it wasn't a mummy or any type of creature. The boggart took the form of Harry, the boy's little brother. The rest of the class fell completely silent and even for a moment, Remus seemed to be frozen. Because Milo's fear wasn't just his brother, it was his brother...dead.

Milo couldn't bring himself to mutter the incantation as he made his way over to the form of Harry's dead body and dropped beside it. His hands were trembling and he kept muttering out "no" under his breath. He shook his head from left to right as everything appeared so real. His classmates looked on with blank expressions as the lesson had taken more than a dark turn.

Remus didn't even bother to turn the boggart into anything funny, instead, he banished it back to the wardrobe, but Milo didn't move for a few moments after it was gone. The image had already been placed into his head, he never wanted to believe it, but seeing it before him. had been way too much for the boy to handle. Remus went to help the boy up to his feet, but Milo pushed him away and ran out of the classroom.

He ran all the way back to the Hufflepuff Common Room, planning on hiding himself in the dorms for the rest of the day. But as he entered the common room after nearly knocking out the wrong hymn on the barrel, Milo found Cedric inside as well. The boy was on the floor near one of the armchairs and before him was a small pile of ash. A definite sign that Cedric had received a howler, not to mention the pure distress on his face said it all. Milo could assume in that moment that Amos had finally sent his response. 

The two of them looked as though they could use the biggest hug in the world but no one else was around to comfort them. Leaving Milo to walk over and dropped down in front of Cedric before pulling him into a hug. It took a moment for the shock to subside for Cedric before he realised what was going on. He didn't know why Milo was upset but it didn't matter as he wrapped his arms around him as well.

The boys remained on the floor in each other's arms, not caring who saw or what they thought in that moment.