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"Can't believe the term's already over." Lizzy told, earning a hum from the Ravenclaw as she packed her folded clothes into her trunk, "Time flies..." she sighed as she straightened up her jeans about to fold them when something flew out of its pockets.
A rectangular piece of paper that had fallen out, it looked to have some short words written on it, curiously the Ravenclaw picked it up, eyebrows furrowing as she scanned through the sentence, 'Colin wanted me to give you this -Har'.
Slowly, she turned the paper around, instantly a sigh left her lips as her heart grew heavy, it was a photo of her and Cedric at the Yule Ball, they had drinks in their hands and big smiles on their faces, they seemed so happy.
"Y/N? You alright?" Lizzy questioned with slight concern as she caught on with the Ravenclaw's slightly emotional demeanor. Y/N shook her head as another sigh escaped her lips, "Nothing, it's just..I miss him."
Lizzy held a small frown as she motioned to the bed next to the Ravenclaw and took a seat, looking down to the picture in Y/N's hold as a soft sigh emitted from herself, "We all do."
"But, he's somewhere safe now,." Lizzy comforted, "Happily watching over us, just like everyone else."
"Yeah.." said Y/N quietly, "You think he'll get along with Lily and James?"
Lizzy softly snickered at her remark, sending a pat on her shoulder as she nodded, "I think they'd get along perfectly." she reassured, earning a grin from the Ravenclaw in return, "I bet Cedric's already showing you off by telling them how good you did during the Tournament."
A chuckle escaped the Ravenclaw's lips at the thought as she shook her head playfully, "No, he's probably annoying them for being too nice." she joked, earning a loud hum in agreement from Lizzy, "Oh, definitely. Honestly, how could someone be so nice?"
"I mean..there's a reason he got sorted into Hufflepuff." Y/N pointed out knowingly to which Lizzy rolled her eyes at, "Besides, you're just too mean to understand how to be nice."
She was shot a scolding glare from the blonde girl along with a playful swat on the shoulder as she stood back on her two feet, "Shove off, Y/L/N." she scoffed as she motioned to the dorm door, "I'll wait for you at the common room, don't want to keep the boys waiting, you know how they get."
"Right, right." Y/N snickered, turning back to her trunk in front of her, "Tell them I'll be there in about 3 minutes, just got a little more packing to do."
She heard an understanding hum from Lizzy before the sound of the dorm door swung open and shut again, this told the Ravenclaw that she was now alone in her dorm.
Sighing to herself, she took another glance at the photo of her and Cedric in her hand, the visions of that night slowly flooding back in as she quickly shut her eyes and shook her head, attempting to shake the visions out of her mind.
Letting out a breath before slowly fluttering her eyes back open to the same picture in her hold, though this time a small smile curled up in the corner of her lips, the smiles they were holding were so genuine, like nothing in the world could worry them at that moment.
The Ravenclaw wondered if she'd ever have that worry-free moment ever again, the thought of Voldemort being back had given her a gut feeling that genuine smiles would become rarer and rarer, the happy moments with her friends and family would become lesser and lesser.
If only she could travel back in time, if only she could go back to the good old times where they were just little kids running around Hogwarts, only having to worry about exams and nothing else.
A normal school year, a wish that she had been wishing for for four consecutive years, and that wish would only stay for more.
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It's been awhile since Y/N had entered the Great Hall during it's busy hours, she wanted to avoid as much people as she can, knowing that it'll only make her grow irritated and bring back unwanted memories.
Though, the Leaving Feast was considered a 'compulsory' for every student to attend, besides her friends wouldn't allowed her to stay in her dorm during the Feast anyways.
As Y/N, Lizzy, Aidan and Caleb entered the Great Hall they were surprised to see that there were black drapes on the wall behind the teacher's table. Instantly, the Ravenclaw knew it was there for the respect of Cedric.
The Ravenclaw's eyes instinctively scanned through the Gryffindor table, and to no surprise she'd already found a pair of brown eyes she knew all too well looking back at her, she couldn't help but break out a smile as she locked eyes with the bushy-haired girl.
She gave her girlfriend a small wave to which she returned before heading to take her seat at the Ravenclaw table, she took a seat next to Angelique as Lizzy took the seat beside her, Caleb and Aidan sat on the opposite beside Fleur, causing them to look a little flustered and awestruck.
The Beauxbaton and Durmstrang students were still here, even though Karkaroff had vanished off, possibly ran away,but the Durmstrang students didn't seem too stressed about it.
"Y/N! How have you been?" Angelique exclaimed quietly, Y/N and Angelique hadn't talked after the Yule Ball, well, she didn't really get a chance to, considering her friends were constantly training her for the third task.
"Good." Y/N replied nonchalantly, though she was anything but 'good', "How about you?"
"I've been vell." Angelique beamed, she looked cautious with her words, the Ravenclaw wasn't quite surprised, she knew Angelique didn't want to bring up anything that might've hurt or remind the Ravenclaw of that night, "Itz zad that tozay might be our last time meeting for anozer few yearz."
"Yeah..that sucks doesn't it." Y/N sighed as she shifted her gaze to the table in front of her, "But it was nice having you around and thanks a lot for everything you've done for me, it was tremendous help."
"Ah, zat was nothin." said Angelique simply with a dismissive wave. Just then, the Hall went silent, instinctively the Ravenclaw and Angelique turned their attention to the staff table to where Dumbledore now stood.
"The end of another year." he paused, his eyes fell upon the Hufflepuff table, whose table had been the most subdued table throughout the entire time, most of them had the saddest and most palest faces in the Hall.
"There is much that I would like to say to you all tonight." Dumbledore told, "But I must first acknowledge the loss of a very fine person, who should be sitting here."
He gestured to the Hufflepuffs, "enjoying our Feast with us. I would like you all, please, to stand, and raise your glasses, to Cedric Diggory."
Everybody did it, sounds of the benches scraping filled the Hall as everyone stood to their feet, raising their goblets and echoed in one loud, low, rumbling voice, "Cedric Diggory."
Y/N caught a few people from the Hufflepuff table who were silently crying, tears streaming down their faces, though it seemed that this loss hasn't just affected the Hufflepuffs as she caught Cho crying too. She couldn't blame them though, she as well would've cried if her feelings weren't already numb.
They all sat back down quietly as Dumbledore continued with his speech, "Cedric was a person who exemplified many of the qualities which distinguish Hufflepuff house, He was a good and loyal friend, a hard worker, he valued fair play. His death has affected you all, whether you knew him well or not. I think that you have the right, therefore, to know exactly how it came about,"
"Cedric Diggory was murdered by Lord Voldemort."
Panicked whispers filled the Great Hall, many people were staring at Dumbledore in disbelief and in horror. Though, Dumbledore looked perfectly calm as he watched them mutter back into silence.
"The Ministry of Magic." Dumbledore continued, "does not wish me to tell you this. It is possible that some of your parents will be horrified that I have done so, either because they will not believe that Lord Voldemort has returned, or because they think I should not tell you so, young as you are. It is my belief, however, that the truth is generally, preferable to lies, and that any attempt to pretend that Cedric died as the result of an accident, or some sort of blunder of his own, is an insult to his memory."
Students within the Hall now held stunned and frightened looks, everybody was turned towards Dumbledore, everybody except for Malfoy who was muttering something to Crabbe and Goyle, though the Ravenclaw couldn't care less as she turned back to Dumbledore.
"There is somebody else who must be mentioned in connection with Cedric's death." Dumbledore went on, "I am talking, of course, about Y/N Y/L/N."
A few heads turned towards Y/N, though she kept her gaze glued to Dumbledore, unbothered by the sort of looks she was given across the Hall.
"Y/N Y/L/N managed to escape Lord Voldemort." Dumbledore told, "She risked her own life to return Cedric's body to Hogwarts. She showed, in every respect, the sort of bravery that few wizards have ever shown in facing Lord Voldemort, and for this, I honour her."
Dumbledore turned gravely towards the Ravenclaw, and raised his goblet once more with nearly everyone following in suit, they murmured her name like how they did with Cedric's, though to no surprise she caught Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle and his other gang member's arses glued to their seats, their goblets untouched.
As everybody resumed to their seats, once again, turned their gazes back to Dumbledore, "The Triwizard Tournament's aim was to further and promote magical understanding. IN the light of what has happened, of Lord Voldemort's return, such ties are more important than ever before."
"Every guest in this hall, will be welcomed back here, at any time they wish to come. I say to you all once again, in the light of Lord Voldemort's return, we are only strong as we are united, and only weak as we are divided."
"It is my belief, and never have I so hoped that I am mistaken, that we are all facing dark and difficult times. Some of you, in this Hall, have already suffered directly at the hands of Lord Voldemort. Many of your families have been torn asunder. A week ago, a student was taken from our midst."
"Remember Cedric. Remember, if the time should come when you have to make a choice between what is right and what is easy, remember what happened to a boy who was good, and kind, and brave, because he strayed across the path of Lord Voldemort. Remember Cedric Diggory."
Dumbledore had concluded his speech as he stepped down from the High Table, flicking his wand in the air as the beautiful feast has now appeared on all four tables, everybody began to dig in, the mood enlightening at the slightest bit as the Hall were now filled with chatters.
The Ravenclaw hadn't really had the appetite for food these few days, but the sudden thought of her having to go back to the Dursley's tomorrow morning, and possibly have to eat off of leftovers for the entire summer holidays, immediately worked up her appetite.
She grabbed almost every dish she could get ahold of onto her plate, eating like she hadn't ate in months as her friends stared at her puzzledly. "Slow down, Y/N, we don't need another Caleb on this table." Lizzy said, earning an offended gasp from the dark-skinned boy, "Hey! I don't eat like that."
Though, Lizzy only shot him a knowing and pointed look in return, "Mhm..totally." she deadpanned.
"Y/N seriously, nobody's going to steal your food away." Aidan pointed out, "Slow down."
The Ravenclaw was chomping down on her drumstick like a wolf, her mouth filled with food while shaking her head as a response to Aidan and Lizzy, "I won't be having anything good for an entire 9 weeks, might as well enjoy a scrumptious meal before I go to hell."
"You're overexaggerating." Lizzy scoffed, "The Dursley's couldn't possibly be that bad-"
"Oh, no no, they are." Y/N retaliated, "Why'd you think Harry blew up Aunt Marge for? Why'd you think he'd risk getting expelled, that just shows how annoyed and mad he got with the Dursley."
"Fair point." Lizzy responded, "But you and Harry better not risk another expulsion, if you both ever feel like you're going to explode of anger, get out of the house before you use magic, okay?"
"Don't worry, I'll make sure Harry doesn't-"
"We're not worried about Harry." Caleb interjected, "We're worried about you, you know how you get when you're all angry."
"Uh, when have I ever exploded at someone?" Y/N scoffed, though she was shot with bored looks from all three of her friends.
"Have you forgotten when you insulted the Minster of Magic?" Caleb pointed out, "You practically called him a blinded piece of shi-"
"Okay, yeah. I get the point." Y/N said quickly as she began to stuff her mouth with a handful of biscuits, "I promise me and Harry won't use any magic and kick ourselves out of the house when things get out of hand, okay?"
"You better keep that promise, Y/L/N." Caleb ordered, earning a scoff from the Ravenclaw, "C'mon Caleb, I always keep my promises."
And just like that, the group continued to dig in to their last feast of the term before they'll ever have another one together in 9 long weeks.
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