After dinner, and after shooing some of the younger students from the common room, I sat down with Angelina, the twins, Katie, Alicia, and Lee. I stared into the fire fiddling with my hands as I began, "It all started because Dumbledore had asked me to go and wait in the center of the maze to make sure that Harry made it through alive. He was worried that something was going to happen to him."
I paused, the fire reflecting in my eye.
"Harry and Cedric both made it to the center. Harry saved Cedric's life and then I saved both of them. They wanted me to take the cup with them but I refused. They both took it and disappeared. When I realized that I..." I broke off, realizing they didn't know about the ring. "Well first you need to understand this ring. Among other things, it allows me to see the recent past and future of a location. So I did that and grabbed the cup.
"I was taken to a graveyard where Cedric and Harry both were. I spotted someone unfamiliar and yelled at the other two to hide but they didn't listen. I-I watched as this skeletal, tiny version of You-Know-Who ordered the other man to kill them spare'...he killed him right in front of Harry and I." Angelina gasped but said nothing.
"Then I saw his spirit rise up form his body. Another perk of the ring. He came over to me and we both watched as Harry was tied up to the gravestone. The man got this caldron and made a potion with You-Know-Who's father's bones, the man's hand, and...Harry's blood. Then he put him in it and he rose again. I wanted to stop it, but...I was too scared." My voice broke, but I took a moment to breathe and blinked away the threatening tears.
"He summoned the Death Eaters, but before they showed up...I was hiding and I couldn't watch, but when I opened my eyes he was towering above me. I couldn't fight against him. I tried but...there was nothing I could do. I'd never felt more powerless in my entire life. He left me tied up under the gravestone Harry was at and there were so many tortured spirits that had to pass on. They just kept coming and coming and then I saw my godparents."
"Who are your godparents?" Katie asked.
"James and Lily Potter," I explained. "They hadn't passed on yet. So I had to let them pass on but it was too much. Harry has to fight him but i couldn't help because I couldn't focus on what was happening because I was so overwhelmed by the spirits that I couldn't see anything. Harry has to save me and take back Cedric's body." There was silence for a long time and everyone seemed to be deep in thought. No one, not even Fred and George, has heard what exactly had happened. Only Dumbledore, Harry, and Dad knew.
"And now," I said quietly, "every time I close my eyes I see him towering over me again." Looking around at them all, I said, "I can't make up trauma and I won't put up with you if you won't believe me so." I got to my feet. "Just let me know if you don't believe me so I can just drop you now."
"Wait," Angelina said. I turned wearily to look at her. She got to her feet and cane over to me, wrapping her arms around me. I held onto her tightly, finally letting out the tears I'd been holding back for so long. Katie and Alicia got got up and hugged me too. The three of them held onto me as I cried until I had calmed down. My eyes were red and swollen when I pulled away from them to look at Lee.
After looking at me uncertainly for a moment, he got up and hugged me as well. Pulling away from him, I said, "Thank you, all of you for believing me."
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The others had long ago gone to bed, but I was still sitting on the couch staring into the fire. I heard a faint noise behind me and turned to see Harry standing at the foot of the stairs. "You all right?" he asked awkwardly, seeing the dried tears coating my cheeks.
I shook my head as I explained, "I keep seeing them, Harry. You're probably the only other one who could understand."
"Seeing who?" Harry asked.
"Cedric," I admitted. "And...You-Know-Who."
After a pause, Harry asked, "Valerie, why'd you stop saying his name?"
"I can't say his name," I said. "Every time I close my eyes I just see...I see him towering over me. And he's haunting my dreams. I just see him and-and Cedric. It's like he won't go away."
"Val, Vol-" I flinched so severely he seemed to almost consider not saying his name, but he decided against it and finished, "-demort is just getting inside your head. Don't let him win."
I thought over what he said, my eyes staying trained on the fire. After a time, I said, "You should get some sleep. Classes start tomorrow." Before he could say more, I went up to bed.