Arrow ━ Cedric Diggory

3 ─ METAMORPHOSIS.

  She found herself waking with a start as a slam was heard, jolting her up in her bed. Bleary-eyed, Cupid could make out the figure of something small writhing on the floor across the room. Whatever it was, clearly it had struck the wall with a lasting impact. She blinked a few more times, panicked until she found that it was only the Weasley family's owl, Errol.

  Distressed by the discovery, Cupid jumped out of bed, gently helping the owl back on its legs. Errol gave her a gentle prod with his beak before taking off, safely managing to make it back out the window. Cupid watched the owl go with a smile, before a new, unopened letter on her desk caught her attention. Her smile fell in confusion.

  It was the first letter she'd received in a long while, especially from the Weasley family. But, Cupid knew better than to hope for it to be Ron. Cupid rose from the ground, both eager and hesitant to open it and see what the letter was about.

Upon tearing the envelope open and beginning to read the paper inside, Cupid felt some part of her shift and twist into anxiety;

  Dear Cupid,

  The Weasley family would like to cordially invite you to join us at the Quidditch World Cup on the 25th of August. We hope that you will accept this invitation as we all miss you very dearly. Should you choose to accept, please arrive at 10 AM at the latest on the morning of the 25th.

  Hoping to see you soon, the Weasley family.

  Cupid found that it was funny how so few words could make her completely rethink the promise she'd made only the night before. Cupid felt guilt eat away at her as she sat down on her bed. Undoubtedly, a similar letter had likely reached Harry and Hermione before her.

Her heart felt suddenly stretched apart─ painful and torn. She wished she could say she longed to see all of them─ and maybe, buried beneath all the shame and her guilt, there was a part of her that did. But, there was also a part that dreaded it too.

  How could she not?

  After everything that had happened the year before, she was surprised to even receive an invitation like this. Cupid hung her head. Bidden by the thought of her friends, she thought back to the way she had spent her last few school weeks; hiding in hallways alone, avoiding everyone, and running from the humiliation that still haunted her no matter what.

  Cupid had pushed them all away and, if the pitiful pile of letters she'd received that summer were any indication, clearly it had worked. She felt tears sting her eyes. She knew she was undeserving of this kindness.

  There were summers before this where she would spend days with the Weasley family─ with Harry, Ron, and Hermione. There were days when her letters ceased to fit in the drawers she saved them in─ the majority coming from her best friend, Avena, who still dared to send letter after letter.

  She was loyal to the end, even if Cupid was a pretty lousy friend in return.

  How do I make it all different? Cupid curled herself into a ball, feeling like an inconsequential spec of space in the vast bedroom she'd been trying to force herself to like. Not that she ever would.

It was too big, too quiet, too lonely.

  Cupid squeezed her eyes shut, willing the tears to go away. She was tormenting herself with thought; how do I change? How do I make everything right again?

  However, in spite of the thoughts clouding her mind, Cupid knew better. Change wasn't a sudden metamorphosis in the middle of the night. As if she could wake and find that her outlook on the world had done a complete 180.

  The world was still grey, the guilt still hung over her like the blade on a guillotine, and things wouldn't change at the simple turn of a dime.

  Cupid rolled onto her back, staring up at the ceiling looming high above her. She stopped chasing away the tears and forced herself to push aside self-pity. She laid there for a long moment, before the McLean girl slapped her tear-stained cheeks.

  She was furious with herself. Change had and would always be a gradual process─ and it resulted through trial and error. How many self-help books had reiterated that lesson to her, over and over again?

  Change decided; what are you comfortable with now and who are you going to be?

  Cupid McLean's metamorphosis began through a series of choices that she had to be brave enough to make, starting with going to the Quidditch World Cup. With sudden energy, the brunette rose from her bed.

  She felt as though a sudden shock of electricity had shot through her as she got up. Inside of Cupid, something roused to life. It was as if she had been asleep all this time and, as she sat down at her desk and took her quill to paper, she was electrified and so very much alive.

  Galvanized.

  The energy lasted about as long as it took to write her reply. Anxious to send it before she could back out, Cupid brought her fingers to her lips and let out a whistle. Within moments, the family owl was at her window sill.

  Strife was a Stygian owl, all dark and broody. Cupid pinched her features together as she delicately stretched out her arm. She offered the letter to Strife, wincing as he nipped at her thumb.

  Strife had a preference to Castor, and made his distaste for Cupid very clear. Still, the owl gave her one more peck before taking the letter and flying off. She hissed, bringing her bleeding thumb to her mouth.

  Of course, she could have used her own owl, but Strife was a bully to Bloom just as much as Cupid. Huffing, the McLean girl stood and made her way over to Bloom's cage.

  "You better stretch your wings while that beast is gone," she said to the small shape of Bloom. The Flammulated owl ruffled its feathers at the sound of her voice, peering up at her curiously as she opened the cage.

Bloom hopped out hesitantly before flying up and out, landing onto Cupid's shoulder resolutely. She laughed, petting him softly as Bloom closed his eyes.

  At the very least, she could count on the companionship of her owl.

Cupid sat back down at her desk, staring out into the forest as the world was set ablaze. The sun set slowly, lighting everything in a glorious, warm flame. Sights like this were rare, and Cupid took it as a sign.

She picked up the pocket-watch on her desk (stolen from the peeling door downstairs, all those years ago.) The watch was old, and the metal cover was cool as she pressed it to her lips.

  "This year will be different," Cupid breathed out, holding the promise close to her heart, willing it true with everything in her.

And manifestation is such a wondrous thing.

►

AN: It's been a while but my love for the Harry Potter series and Cedric Diggory are an undying flame. I also just want to hold Cupid in my arms and protect her from everything, but alas, I also love tormenting myself.