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CHAPTER THREE
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FLOWER BED
( The Following of Robin to Cedric )
➴ ❝HERE YOU GO.❞ Filch handed a forest green envelope with a written four on the front in gold handwriting, it was in a form of a square and looked like it has quite aged, Cedric received the envelope cautiously though Filch payed no mind and continued his words ❝I was asked to give that letter to the student who knows my name came to the greenhouse, it just happened to be ya.❞ he explained scrutiny yet kept his brows furrowed like it already was.
❝Nobody ever calls me by my first name. . .well, she was an odd one even before.❞ he finished, Filch looked back at Cedric with a harsh glare before scolding him for making him wait, he urged Cedric to open the envelope immediately that Cedric couldn't help but practically almost rip the letter open, as he spilled out the contents on the table he sat in front of him, it presented him and Filch a piece of parchment with various of names sectioned in columns and rows along with a bronze key and a small packet flowers he didn't quite know the name of, it was lavender tone but he was sure it wasn't lavender.
Filch instinctively pulled out a pair of reading glasses from his pocket as Mrs. Norris stayed still on his laps enjoying a peaceful nap, putting it on, he reached out for the piece of parchment in front of him not bothering to ask permission from Cedric seeing as he wasn't going to bother taking it back anyways, he examined each name carefully before coming to a realization seeing a familiar name ❝These are the names of the different flowers in this greenhouse, she was always good with names. . .❞ though the last part came a whisper saying it rather to himself than to Cedric. Cedric nodded understandingly, Filch continued shortly ❝And this. . .❞ putting the parchment down he picked up the packet of unnamed flowers to his palm as he remembered a small memory, he let out a small laugh that was rare enough to make the badger widened his eyes a bit, ❝heh. . .these are dried flowers she grew herself. Very difficult to grow, have a deep fragrance these have, once you manage to grow it you can make it into tea.❞ he clarified like he knew so much about it.
❝She must have wanted you to taste it.❞ Filch suggested, Cedric distinctively brought his hand up to his neck as if to express his embarrassment though suddenly, Filch stood up bringing the intelligent cat to his arms expressed him thoroughly ❝Wait here, I'll make it right now. . .if I remembered how to.❞ those were the last from him as he disappeared to the back of the greenhouse, unknown what materials he would have to make such drink, knowing well he doesn't have the ability to possess magic like him, he was a bit worried.
➴➴➴
Cedric was presented a translucent teapot enough to see the peculiar tone of the liquid inside, it was mixed between a peach and plain pink color which looked pretty and pure in a way that was a bit scary, a translucent teacup was brought in front of him by Filch as he poured the peculiar tea carefully not to spill the tea off to the wooden board, the tea came with the dried flowers that were previously lavender now possess a golden yellow color.
Filch nudged at the Hufflepuff boy, ❝Try it. And have a biscuit as well, it ain't gonna kill ya.❞ he motioned to the tea cup in front of them, Cedric reached for it carefully, seeing as the heat coming from the newly boiled beverage. Bringing the cup to his lips, he sipped silently as the warm liquid made contact with his sensitive tongue, bringing the cup away from his lips, a warm feeling started traveling down his whole form, unaware of the small grin forming on his face. He quite enjoyed the sweet but sour taste, like the monotone atmosphere he sat in suddenly had splashes of colors appearing in his mood.
As he continued this, he decided against leaving first for class hence he asked a question to the seemingly quiet caretaker with the intelligent cat on his lap.
❝R.C. . . . what does it stand for?❞ he inquired meekly, Filch kept on stroking Mrs.Norris rather gently, snickering under his own breath, he glanced back at the weary badger in front of him before shrugging his shoulders swiftly, indicating he never knew the name of the student who Cedric was after, seems Filch knew little as Cedric did, ❝Is that what you also called her?❞ he asked another, Filch glanced far ahead than Cedric before nodding silently, continuing his words ━ ❝It's easier she said, she had a long name she told me.❞ he finished before turning back to the furry on his lap. Cedric laid back at the seat back as he sighed heavily, still no trace of her identity.
One nudged at his friend in the front, the girl in front of him looked back at him in wonder, the blue and bronze boy pointed down to the greenhouse close to them he proved her ❝See? I told you, someone's in the squib's den!❞ he remarked chirpily, the girl in front of him leaned slightly to see closer in disbelief, she blinked before sighing again ❝Wow, another one? why would another Hufflepuff go into the dreaded place?❞ she added, they laughed rather loudly as it caught the attention of another, she gazed at the Greenhouse the two described with a neutral expression, thinking to herself in a daze.
. . . what is he doing?
* * *
The letter contained the key to the rabbit hutch along with a note asking me to visit early in the morning
❝I found it!❞ pulling out a brown envelope from the dirt he knelled by the multi-colored rabbits and showed it cheerfully to the grumpy caretaker, ❝The fifth letter!❞ not minding the earth he knelled on, eagerly opening the envelope cleanly it revealed clean parchment with cute, little doodles of bunnies, his sight traveled down to the message that was neatly written at the bottom of the letter, ❛Every student in our school has a role in the community as like the Head Girl and Boy, the Prefects and others. Taking care of the rabbit hutch is one of them as the house elves don't exactly know how to take care of animals very well, from my experience anyways. . .if you haven't decided on a role yet, why not consider this?❜ he stared blankly at the letter before him, roles? what roles? he didn't know it was present here, unbeknownst to him, the rabbits before him sniffed at the packed meal that was slightly opened on his hand, it was on their level, the rabbits didn't hesitate digging in more which cause Cedric to snap out of it.
❝Ah━ oh, no. This isn't for you guys!❞ exclaiming loudly, he did not know how to control them properly.
A familiar girl in the Ravenclaw robes came approaching the greenhouse absent━mindlessly, as the cage door of the rabbit hutch came to view, she looked curiously, wondering why someone left the gate open. Her eyes traveled to a figure formed inside, it revealed an oddly familiar brunette hair which cause her to widened her eyes almost instantly as she bolted towards the rabbit hutch swiftly opening her mouth to shout out, ❝Hey. . .!! You!!❞ met with a golden gaze with a familiar Hufflepuff, her posture relaxed in disappointment.
This kid. . . both thought as their gazes met.
She cleared her throat quickly, questioning him ❝How. . .are you the new hutch watcher?❞ it came out too stern she noticed as Cedric quickly hid the packed meal behind his back as he a ❝Yes!❞ rather quickly though came out small and shaky.
I was mistaken. . . the Asian girl thought to herself.
❝Hey.❞ she called out to the badger, Cedric looked at her with a tilted head wondering what she needed, she continued coolly ❝If you sit down there, you'll get rabbit poo all over yourself.❞ almost instantly, Cedric stood up constantly rubbing his knees frantically in hopes to clean himself up unaware of the girl shyly smirking at the action, she held his arm a split moment causing him to stop before whisking her wand out before pointing to his covered knees before bluntly vocalizing ❝Scourgify.❞ as it cleaned the earth that covered his trousers, Cedric's ear redden in embarrassment forgetting about the existence of magic due to being too into the task in hand. He thanked the shorter girl in which she accepted gladly, though an awkward silence fell upon them.
Seeing the rabbits around them, the girl counted them one by one in her thoughts till finally noticing two were missing from the herd which she quickly in from the lonely badger in front of her ❝We're two rabbits short.❞ he looked back the parchment in his hand, noticing the white and brown rabbit missing from the rest of their family, nodding to each other, they quickly searched out the two from around the greenhouse and off the side. They kept on searching to the point they ended at one of the pathways far behind the greenhouse.
❝I'm sorry. . .I really am. . .❞ he started, he really did feel guilty to have drag a person with no relation to him to search for a fat and fast pair of rabbit, seemingly have no choice for her to help as well.
❝Don't worry about that. Just help me find them.❞ she assured him as she continued searching through the thick bushes by the pathway, subtlety glancing at the Hufflepuff boy every now and then making sure he wasn't slacking off, mostly.
His eye twitched nervously, ❝I just hope Mrs.Norris didn't bite them or anything. . .❞ he voiced out his concern which was quick to be dismissed by the Ravenclaw girl, she chuckled meekly at the ridiculous idea before uttering ❝Our rabbits are much faster than that cat. The problem is the wild beasts in the mountains. . .❞ right after hearing this, Cedric let out a girly ❛eek❜ which he himself didn't believe he could make. Instantly covering his mouth, the red from the tip of his ears came traveling down as red from his neck started to form as well.
The girl payed him no mind but managed slip a soft laugh there before subconsciously shutting up, in hopes not to come off as rude or disrespectful though Cedric didn't really notice the action. What he did notice was the fat white rabbit by the tree trunk right across of him, the rabbit, soon revealed to him to be named ❛Usain❜ he suddenly jumped animalisticly after the white rabbit.
Which he comes to realize fast, that the fat rabbit was the ❛fastest❜.
As the rabbit bounced right on his beautifully sculptured face, he fell hard on the earth below him but the girl with Cedric managed to grapple the fast white rabbit by the stomach as she held it tightly to her chest and made her way back to the rabbit hutch as he saw the fat rabbit whine and struggle against the grasp of the Ravenclaw girl. Now locked inside the rabbit hutch, the pair continued to search around for the brown rabbit, The one the writer informed Cedric ❛Likes to hide in holes and dark place. Cedric started searching through small stone caves, holes in tree trunk and various of mole holes until the eagle interrupted him shortly by grabbing him by the shoulder that cause him to look up to her. ❝. . .Lessons is about to start.❞ she informed him, he sat up and wiped the dirt off his face and clothes before turning back to her with furrowed brows, ❝I'm sorry, I'll find the other one on my own. You go ahead.❞.
She was quiet after he said this, looking down at him she thought about it carefully before responding diligently ❝. . .I'll help.❞ she walked beside him before crouching down, not minding the fresh dirt below her feet as she continued ❝Taking care of rabbits is my responsibility too, and you aren't exactly all that agile.❞ she commented, Cedric unbeknownst to him had his hand up to his heart as if taking in the harsh truth, she noticed this. That the badger is capable of exaggerating so much though she smiled at it.
➴➴➴
It took exactly 30 minutes later to have found the other rabbit.
❝I found him!❞ Cedric exclaimed, the girl abruptly turned around to see him bend over a unused canal with his buttocks out high.
She walked to where he was stationed at and copied his posture as she saw the brown rabbit just staring at them with it's fat body glued to the surface around it as it made no attempt to move whatsoever, she questioned Cedric curiously ❝How did you find him here?❞ Cedric looked at her directly almost bidding a sweat before answering ❝I was told that he likes to hole up like that!❞ he blurted out suddenly as the Ravenclaw only nodded in response hearing the strange badger's response, both of blue and yellow decided to lay on their stomach in attempt to try to pull out the rabbit it out but alas it was not successful. The eagle informed the badger ❝I don't think we could reach that deep if we pull him out from the back, if we do, he's just gonna burrow even deeper.❞ Cedric took note of that, then a moment came to his mind before standing up swiftly, leaving the eagle laid there as she watched him run away back to the greenhouse in question.
He returned shortly with the packed meal in his hands as he rustled through it, the eagle already by his side by then looking at the rabbit food inside, grabbing his wrist she took the packet from his hand as she informed him to help her with her idea. Cedric unknown what that idea is, agreed nonetheless and let her handle it, the Ravenclaw then started placing the carrot shaped rabbit snacks down in a row and waited for the rabbit to come out, in which he did. The rabbit smelling the delicious treat, started munching on one small carrot after the other until he was handled by Cedric, as it squirmed and struggled under his touch, he dashed quickly to the rabbit hutch to place the brown rabbit inside successfully.
The pair watching the herd of rabbits inside, sighed in relief as Cedric gave them their deserved treats.
He turned to the Ravenclaw one last time as he utter out his thanks, ❝Thanks for helping me out, um . . .❞
❝Cho Chang.❞ she announced after him.
❝Thank you Cho. My name's Cedric Diggory, though I presume you already know that.❞ he responded shyly, fiddling his fingers as he looked down though Cho paid it no mind.
❝How did you know that he likes to hide in dark holes? And who gave you those snacks?❞ she asked, question after another, truly curious on how he managed to know such information and being able to obtain items she couldn't have gotten herself, he was just a Hufflepuff, but when did he started visiting the rabbit hutch anyways?
Cedric, unable to answer kept on stumbling his words as he tries to find an excuse to say. Though Cho managed to beat him out of it as her eyelids narrowed down before commenting, ❝It was Robin, wasn't it?❞ she claimed as she turned to face her properly, ❝I didn't know she had a friend like you.❞ she remarked at him, he turned to face her as he titled his head at the smaller girl before asking, ❝Are you friends with Robin?❞ he questioned, Cho remained silent, continued staring at him as her brows kept crossing then straightening out before she finally answered ❝No.❞
Cho looked a little angry when she said that. Cedric managed to observe that. ➴
➴ ❝IT SEEMS OUR Ced isn't worth our time anymore, he hasn't attended two lessons straight now.❞ Justin stated out as he could see Ernie snickering to himself as he mouthed a spoonful of rice as he chewed on it quickly and swallowed, looking back at Ernie before voicing out his opinion ❝I reckon you, he's just snogging someone and it's just taking so much time to finish.❞ as he said that, both laughed amongst themselves before getting smacked at the back of their head by some rough parchment as it was revealed to them a not so impressed Hannah sitting across them.
❝You pair are actually so immature, Ced wouldn't even go just snogging anyone. What an excuse of a friend you two are, be ashamed of yourselves.❞ she huffed out in annoyance as she degraded two of her best friends before they straightened their posture at her sight. But it didn't stop them joking to themselves about Cedric's nonexistent love life even with the amount of girls that were throwing themselves at him.
Hannah though, minded her business but sometimes conversed with the pair as her eyes trailed around the Great Hall, countless of red,green,blue and yellow robes mixing with each other as they began to gather around their own houses, most were eating, some were just speaking to each other and rarely other students did their paperwork though nothing out of the usual. She eventually spotted a tarnished looking Cedric by the entrance of the Great Hall seeming to be out of his head before called out his name loudly causing him to snap to the direction of her voice immediately. Cedric fastened his pace to his house's table before settling beside Hannah, greeting the housemates around him until he greeted Hannah, which stopped him seeing the look on her face.
Almost immediately, he engulfed her in an annoying embrace as he looked at her face with squished cheeks and a pout that he wasn't even trying to hide as he cooed ❝Hannah I'm so sorry~ can't you forgive this handsome face?❞ apologizing over and over again to what he did wrong, didn't stop until Hannah threatened to not even hex him but actually punch the so called ❛handsome face❜ saying something along the lines that she was immune to his good looks but she accepted his sudden apology anyways.
❝Cedric there's going to be Quidditch try-outs soon again right? are you finally trying out for captain seeing now that Robin's not here anymore.❞ Ernie questioned him absentmindedly, which Cedric managed to catch up swiftly, untangling himself from Hannah and leaned forward slightly at the table in front of him as he inquired the familiar name ❝Robin?❞ curiously.
Ernie swallowed whatever he had in his mouth before raising his brow at him as he continued ❝Yeah, she was the Quidditch captain last year remember? though I don't quite remember her much since she did kind of blend in a lot. . .But now that Cho's got no competition, you're gonna try out right?❞ he urged him ❝Robin transferred remember?❞
➴➴➴
She transferred. . . So that's what happened.
He sat absentmindedly in Charms the next morning as he pondered to himself, repeating Ernie's words over and over again until it was finally stuck in his head. The seat I took when we started fifth year. . . was Robin's chosen seat before she transferred. . . he kept on thinking to himself.
As he knew that, he stopped with the letters for almost a week, spending time with his friends more to distract him for this discovery, clearing his mind in the process, he asked around if anyone knew her full name. But none was able to provide him the information he needed, they either called him by Robin or just R.C., the teachers weren't a help either as they refuse to give up her name, so he couldn't know who she was then, but why didn't he notice his own Quidditch captain then? was he so ignorant?
❛You can find the next letter when you walk five steps forward, seven steps to the right, and then nine steps forward from the backdoor of the rabbit hutch.❜ the letter informed him as he stood outside the backdoor of the rabbit hutch following the instruction carefully.
Five steps forward, seven steps to the right, nine steps forward.
Though it leaded him nowhere, just countless fields of grass that were swaying from left to right from the light breeze he could feel at the chilly outside, he didn't think there was something that was going to pop-out either, he wondered was his steps too big or too small? He re-read the letter again only to notice the very very important detail he didn't read at the end of the short note, to do those instructions with ❛with your eyes closed❜ noticing this, he walked back to where he started, remembering to do what he was asked with eyes closed he looked straight forward, inhaling heavily before exhaling as he thought to himself, maybe I didn't walk properly because I was looking too hard.
So he did it again, five steps forward, seven steps to the right, nine steps forward.
His chest collided with a smaller force as he was forced to open his eyes to see the familiar Ravenclaw in front of him, to close for his taste as she too was surprised to meet him as she turned slightly to look behind her before she exclaimed his name rather loudly. There he noticed the surroundings, they were in an abandoned warehouse type thing though he noticed the small space, there were things like benches, lavender flowers, teacups and picnic blankets, a ladder and countless of other things you can see an adventurer having. Open windows and the short ceiling, is this what the muggles call a school bus?
Cho, still in disbelief turned around as her question came out in a whisper, ❝How did you?❞ ➴
A'N
And that's it for chapter three! wow this had alot of words, it was around 3700+ and my brain is washed out on how I waned to phrase some of the words, I hope you liked how I interpreted some of the Hufflepuffs in this chapter along with Cho and Filch as it was really fun for me to write about them! make sure to vote and comment your opinion on this chapter, I would always love to improve my writing and ideas in any ways!
P'O
04/06/2019