Harry and Amelia Potter

5.9

"I'm not asking you to write all of it for me. I've been busy studying for these stupid OWL exams." Ron says to Hermione as they approach me in the common room.

"I'll do the introduction. That's all."

"Hermione, you're honestly the most wonderful person I've ever met." He says and takes a seat next to me on the couch. "And if I'm ever rude to you again..."

"I'll know you've gone back to normal." She smiles and takes a seat on the other side of me. "What's wrong with your hand?"

"Nothing." I say, hiding my left and showing her my right.

"The other hand." She states, grabbing it and seeing the sentence cut into my skin. "You've got to tell Dumbledore."

"No." I say to her. "Dumbledore's got enough on his mind right now." Then I scoff. "I don't want to give Umbridge the satisfaction."

"Bloody hell, Mia. The woman's torturing you. If the parents knew about this..." Ron starts to say but I cut him off.

"I haven't got any of those, have I, Ron?"

"Mia, you've got to report this." Hermione tells me. "It's perfectly simple. You're being..."

"No, it's not." I look to her. "Hermione, whatever this is, it's not simple." I then get up. "You don't understand."

"Then help us to."

"You think I haven't tried!" I exclaim. "I've tried to talk to you, and Harry, and Ron, but none of you get it." I cry out. "I lost the first person I fell in love with last year and I will never be the same."

"Mia, we're all here for you." Ron says.

"I know you are." I tell him. "And that's the worst part. Knowing I have you all here, except him."

I then run up to the girls dormitory and take a seat on my bed. Seeing that it's empty, I decide to right a letter to Sirius.

"Dear Padfoot,
I hope you're all right. It's starting to get colder here. Winter is definitely on the way. In spite of being back at Hogwarts, I feel more alone than ever. I know you, of all people, will understand."

I hand the letter to Pepper and send her off.

"Hey, Mia." Hermione says as she walks in with Ginny.

"Hey, guys." I say and take in a deep breath. "Look, I'm sorry I lashed out at you down there. My mind has just been reeling lately."

"What's going on?" Ginny asks.

"I think I might like your brother." I tell her. Hermiones eyes widen. "And before you even think I'm talking about Ron, I'm not. I'm talking about Fred."

"You like Fred? My brother, Fred Weasley?" Ginny asks, sounding surprised.

"He's been here for me, you know since Cedric, and I don't know if I actually like him or not. I mean who knows, it could just be apart of the grieving process with Cedric."

"Have you told him?" Hermione asks.

"God no, I don't want to put him in that position. And what if I am only fancying him because of the loss I went through with Cedric. I'd never forgive myself if I hurt him."

"Well, if I'm being honest, he does talk about you a lot." Ginny tells me

"He does?" I ask and she nods her head. "What does he say?"

"Just about how strong and incredible you are." She says. "Come to think of it, he might actually fancy you."

After my conversation with Hermione and Ginny, I decide to go for a walk, to cool myself off. Because truth is, I'm tired of being on edge with everyone all the time. I'm tired of yelling, and crying, and just being plain emotional.

As I make my way into the dark forest, I see Luna standing there, with one of the creature that pulls the carriages.

"Hello, Mia Potter." I walk up to her and notice she's not wearing any shoes.

"Your feet. Aren' t they cold?" I ask her.

"Bit." She smiles. "Unfortunately, all my shoes have mysteriously disappeared. I suspect Nargles are behind it."

Then I look to the creature standing before me, extending my hand to pet it. "What are they?"

"They're called Thestrals. They're quite gentle, really, but people avoid them because they're a bit..."

"Different." I finish for her. "But why can't the others see them?"

"They can only be seen by people who've seen death."

"So you've known someone who's died, then?" I ask.

"My mum." She answers. "She was quite an extraordinary witch, but she did like to experiment... and one day, one of her spells went badly wrong." She then starts walking and I follow her. "I was 9."

"I'm sorry." I mutter to her.

"Yes, it was rather horrible. I do feel very sad about it sometimes, but I've got Dad." She pauses for a moment. "So you saw it happen? When Cedric was killed?"

"Yes." I take in a deep breath and let it out. "He was trying to protect me."

"I'm sorry, Mia." She says. "I could tell you really liked him."

"I think I might have been in love with him." I tell her.

"Perhaps." She states, taking out an apple as a baby threstral comes up to us. "But you must move on, you know. Keep living your life. I didn't know Cedric Diggory very well, but if he loved you, that's what he'd want you to do."

"You think?" I ask.

"If you love someone, you must set them free. It works both ways in this situation."

"How do you figure?"

"Well, if Cedric loved you, then he's set you free by choosing to move on to the afterlife. Otherwise he would have chosen to haunt you forever." She tells me., throwing the apple down for the baby threstral. "And if you love him, then you'll have to accept the fact that he's gone, so you have to set him free in return. Knowing that he's not coming back."

"Wow, Luna. That actually made some sense." I say to her with a grateful smile. I notice the baby just sniffs the apple, but doesn't eat it.

"I'm not as crazy as everyone says." She smiles. "My Dad was raised Catholic, before my grandparents found out he was a wizard. They taught him a prayer. It went, 'God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I can not change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.'"

"That's beautiful, Luna." I smile at her. "Tell your Dad thanks for passing it down to you."

She smiles and nods. "We both believe you and Harry, by the way. That He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is back, and you both fought him... and the Ministry and the Prophet are conspiring against you."

"Thanks. It seems you're about the only ones that do."

"I don't think that's true." She pulls out a piece of raw meat. "But I suppose that's how he wants you to feel."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, if I were You-Know-Who... I'd want you and your brother to feel cut off from everyone else... because if it's just you and him alone... you're not as much of a threat." She throws the raw meet at the baby threstral and it gobbles it up.