The blow of trumpets and wallop of drums pulsated into my ears as we landed jaggedly onto the coarse grass. Cheers stemmed from the excited students bouncing in the stands as Professors and adults around us applauded. I could hear people chanting Hogwarts, mine, Cedric's and Harry's name. The sobs started to tidal wave out of me, my fingers clutching Cedric's shirt tightly; as if letting go would take me back. A subtle warmth still radiated through his skin, a sign that life once existed; maybe they could save him, reverse the curse? No, there was no reversing the Killing Curse. The facts pierced my chest again.
Harry's crying and stirring to my side roused me from my grief. "He's back!" he cried into the air at the bodies approaching us.
I remained clasping Cedric's body, his chest sodden from my tears. If I let go, I knew I would never be close to him again; to feel him again. Was it sick? How I clutched onto the soulless body of a dead man? After seeing Mr. Crouch's pallid body weeks ago, I never fathomed I could approach a dead body again, let alone hold onto one with my dear life. But this wasn't any dead man, this was Cedric. Pretty-boy Diggory who I was kindling a relationship with, so innocent and pure. The first one to capture my heart, make me feel, make me break, make me jealous. More cries tumbled out of my mouth as I buried my dirtied face into his torso.
There was a lot of movement around us, Harry repeatedly alerting the Headmaster and other Ministry officials of Voldemort's return. The cheering was vanishing now, replaced with gasps, undertones and even screams.
"Cedric, he asked me to bring his body back," Harry struggled through his tears. "I couldn't leave him, not there."
I finally looked up, aware of how distraught I would have appeared. I failed to slow down the sobs and they continued to quake through me. Dumbledore stared at me with wide blue eyes and then at my arm which was still seeping of blood. The black robes of Snape and other Professor's hurried around us, trying to block Cedric's body from the students view. Dumbledore placed a hand on my quivering ones that clutched onto Cedric.
"It's alright," he spoke softly and then gripped Harry's shoulder, "it's alright. He's home. You all are."
Harry half collapsed onto me, seeking comfort from the only other person who could understand. His forehead leant on my upper back as I straightened, his head tremoring against me as he cried. I looked down again at Cedric's whitened face and ran a hand over his cheek.
Fudge then ran back over to our side. His voice hissed, "the body must be moved, Dumbledore. There are too many people."
"Let me through!" A voice I recognised as Amos Diggory yelled. My eyes closed, not wanting to witness the heartache. McGonagall's hand rubbed circles on my back, it was comforting and I appreciated her motherly presence. She was soon pushed aside by Amos who was calling, "that's my son!"
Harry moved off him and tugged at my shoulder's to give the man room. I hesitantly let go of his shirt and sat back, falling half onto Harry's lap. Cries continued to hiccup out of me as I watched Amos fall onto Cedric. "That's my boy!" He bellowed.
Mr. Weasley was at his side, hands supporting the falling man. The twins weren't far behind their father, watching the scene with hopelessness. Amos continued to hold Cedric and cry more. He was wailing now. Cries also came from the students around us and I finally looked up to see everyone fixated on us. Girls were screaming, sobbing hysterically. Daphne cried into Nott's shoulder, as well as Faye; horrified. Payton hugged her while Pucey's hand rested on her shoulder, watching us despondently. Cho was on her knees, crying into her hands as her friends surrounded her.
Someone's hands held onto my shoulders and it was now I noticed Harry was gone, being whisked away by Moody. I followed the hands to see they belonged to Snape and a red flag waved within me.
He is at Hogwarts, my faithful servant.
My bloodshot eyes stared up at the Potions Master, but I was in too much disbelief it was possible. They then searched the crowd for Karkaroff and anger began to brew in the chamber of my stomach. Knowledge that he had put our names into the graveyard, he had put us into the cemetery.
"Taylor," Snape's voice said. "Are you hurt?"
I ignored him, starting to stumble to my feet, but my shaky legs gave way. He held me at the waist, supporting my weakened body.
"Severus," I heard McGonagall murmur as she appeared at my side again, hand returning to trace circles on my back.
"Are you hurt?!" He repeatedly urgently, grabbing my shoulders again and forcing me to look at him.
"I don't know," I rasped honestly. "He said something to me-" I started, but grappled to continue. Tears continued to stream down my chapped cheeks. The warm liquid stung my inflamed eyes that had already cried an ocean.
"Save it," Snape hushed me.
"She needs to be taken somewhere quiet." McGonagall spoke and started to lead me out of the busy field.
Students were everywhere, it was a whirlwind of panic. The Headmaster worked on trying to quieten down angered Ministry Officials, while Fudge paced anxiously, muttering angry words. I leant on McGonagall as she escorted me, too tired to walk. Most others eyes were glued onto my battened body.
"Away!" Snape shouted to some gawking witnesses as he lead us.
Daphne and Nott were rushing over to me. Her face was messed by streams of black mascara. "Melody, are you okay?" Her voice had never sounded so angelic.
"She will be fine, Miss. Greengrass," Snape called as he shooed her away, but she continued chasing after me.
"Please sir, let me come." She pleaded.
"Not now," McGonagall said and we continued walking, but a sob from Daphne willed me to stop.
I turned to look at her, she was more than afraid for me. Any dispute we had hours ago had clearly passed. I forced a smile through my tears and rushed into her arms where she cuddled me tight. It was a comfort I needed. Oh how I wanted to just collapse there and cry about Cedric, cry about Ezra, cry about Voldemort.
"He's back," I sobbed into her shoulder. The pain reemerging and she cried with me. I pulled away and looked at her, hiccuping breaths. "I need to tell them what happened," I said to through my tears, "but I'll be back."
"You are so brave," she nodded and stepped back.
I returned to McGonagall who was watching us with drooping blue eyes. Snape was metres ahead and we continued back to the castle. The nightmare was already haunting me as I cried the entire trek. McGonagall sat me down on a chair as she left quickly, saying she would get a Calming Draught. Snape stood darkly nearby. With the information Voldemort had revealed, I was compelled to ask him for the truth.
"Is it you?" I blatantly asked.
"I beg your pardon?" He quirked a dark brow while he observed me, clearly uncomfortable by my uncontrollable sobbing.
I looked away and out a nearby window. The large hills in the distance comforting me to know I was far from him now. My cries were beginning to subside, but it wasn't until Snape conjured an array of stars above me, that they truly quietened. A gentle lullaby played, a sweet song that felt familiar; but I could never pin point where I had heard it before.
I looked up at the wizard quizzically and he studied me, intrigued at my response for it. The delicate music sent a harmonious spell over me. I grew more tired by each beat. The magical stars glowed mesmerizingly in my sight, dancing to the lullaby. A deep breath of air exhaled out of me as I sat back into the chair, enjoying the comfort.
"Thank you," I whispered.
McGonagall returned with Madame Pomfrey who immediately got to work in checking my injuries. If only she could heal the cracks in my heart. McGonagall looked at the stars above me and gave Snape a curious look. She then placed her head under my chin, tipping my head back for the draught. I accepted the sour liquid, eager for it to bring me some peace.
"It will help numb the trauma," McGonagall said. "For a short time." She added despondently.
They allowed me time to settle with the draught. Some of my peace was taken when Snape vanished the stars with a swish of his wand. "What happened?" He asked, hands tight behind his back as he regarded me.
"We were at the cup... The three of us, Cedric, Harry and I." I closed my eyes as I mentioned his name. Remembering how just hours ago he was alive and well,"if only he hadn't touched the cup." I said out loud.
"If who hadn't?" McGonagall asked.
Pomfrey pushed up my sleeve to reveal my deep cup and started working on treating it. It was throbbing again now that my emotions had levelled.
"Cedric," I gurgled. "Well, all of us. The trophy was a portkey. We were going to tie for it so we all grabbed it."
"How noble," Snape commented.
"It took us to a cemetary. Far from here, I didn't recognise it. I couldn't even see the hills." I frowned recounting the moments, "then Wormtail appeared. He... he killed Cedric," I swallowed back a cry, "and binded Harry and myself to a gravestone. Then he... then he performed some sort of ritual," I was starting to blubber again, the wepts about to come again. McGonagall reached forward and put a hand on mine. I wiped my eyes, "he performed a ritual and Voldemort returned. He used my blood. My blood brought him back," I was crying again. So much for the Calming Draught. "He called for his Death Eater's and said there was one missing," my eyes widened and I looked up at McGonagall, "he said there was one here, in Hogwarts."
The Professor looked horrified and even Madame Pomfrey stared up at me.
"He put mine and Harry's names in the cup and made sure we were delivered to him tonight!" I spoke quickly.
McGonagall looked up at Snape and they seemed to shared some silent, apprehensive conversation. "Stay here, Miss. Taylor." She ordered as she followed Snape out the room in haste.
Madame Pomfrey looked back at me with her kind blue eyes. "Do you feel any more pain anywhere?"
"Everywhere."