45 | The Trio returned, so did Voldemort
The night was coming, the sky was lit up with stars, and everyone was gathering around the Quidditch pitch, where the final Task of Triwizard Tournament would be held. The whole pitch was overgrown with a large hedge, at least six meters high, forming a maze. All the Champions were here, and all three schools were sitting on the benches to watch.
Marley Macmillan was sitting with Mrs. Weasley, Bill and Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. She had no idea where Fred, George, Angelina or Lee were, but that didn't concern her now. After what happened earlier today, Marley preferred not to see the twins. Just the fact that the three had to pretend everything was okay made her feel worse. Yes, it was pretty suspicious that Marley wasn't with Fred and George, who was obviously her boyfriend, and instead she was with Mrs. Weasley and Ron.
"Where are Fred and George?" asked Ron, who must have taken up the topic so that he could turn the attention to Marley. He knew very well that the three were still quarreling, but his mother thought it was over. The three had been in these tense relations for a month, and it seemed to be the longest in Marley's life. Why did Ron have to pour oil into the fire?
"I don't know." shrugged Marley without looking at the Weasley family. Her eyes were focused on the four Champions - Cedric, Krum, Fleur and her half-brother Harry. The boy with round glasses and untidy messy black hair this time looked more confident in his abilities.
"I thought you were with them." Mrs. Weasley said, turning her bright brown eyes to Marley.
"I lost them in the crowd." lied Marley. "There were too many people here and I couldn't find them anywhere, so I came here."
"You sure everything's okay with you and them?" questioned the red-haired short woman, now concerned about Marley, maybe because she fakened her smile way too much. "I didn't expect George'd fall for you, but still, is he threating you okay? You seem so sad the whole day."
"And month." mumbled Ron under his nose and Marley angrily hit him in the ribs. Mrs. Weasley heard her son and sadness ran through her face.
"DID MY SON BROKE UP WITH YOU AND NOW YOU'RE JUST PRETENDING IN FRONT OF ME?!" she shouted, her ears were fuming and red. "DID HE HURT YOU, SWEETHEART? I SWEAR, IF HE DID SOMETHING, HE'S GOING TO MEET MY BROOM IN THE SUMMER."
"No, Mrs. Weasley, it's okay. George and I are good. We're good." she was in a hurry to say that, wordlessly thankful for the support she was receiveing from Mrs. Weasley. But she didn't want to worry her at all. "No one did anything stupid. Neither Fred, even if it's hard to believe."
"But I thought--" Ron opened his mouth and started talking, but Hermione nudged him, making him shut up. She looked at him cautionary but Marley rolled eyes off them, without paying attention on Ron.
"Are you sure?" she repeated her question. "You can tell me if there's something bothering you. It's never too late to punch my sons where sun doesn't shine. The twins have always been so restless, and they often do stupid things, hurting others. And they don't even realize it. I just don't want you to suffer. Because going out with one of them is quite a challenge and you need an iron will."
"Mom, leave them alone." laughed Bill, finally joining the conversation. "I don't know Marley very well but according to Fred and George's words (and Ron and Harry's), I know she is a strong girl and know how to handle two naughty twins. Why do you think sometimes they are actually responsible?"
"You have a point, Bill, my dear." Mrs. Weasley slightly nodded with her head and Ludo Bagman's voice echoed in the Quidditch pitch. "Now focus, your crush is playing."
"Mom..." groaned Bill, angry that the attention had now turned to his love life. Marley, Ron and Hermione just chuckled and listened to Ludo Bagman, talking about the last Task. It was pretty simple - get to the centre of the maze and take the Triwizard Cup, going through various trials.
Harry and Cedric came in first, then it was Krum and finally Fleur. Twenty minutes passed, and red sparks shot from the maze. Apparently someone wanted help and would be forced out of the Task. It was Fleur. She was all torn and in blood, her hands were shaking and her face was white.
Ten minutes later, Krum also came out. But he was unconscious, and after the patrol professors took him out, it turned out that only Cedric and Harry were left in the maze.
"It seems too dangerous. This Task." stated quietly Mrs. Weasley, shaking disapprovingly her red-haired head. "Look at Miss Delacour and Viktor Krum. They don't look well."
Everyone nodded, supporting Mrs. Weasley's statement. Forty-five more minutes passed and there was no clue of Cedric and Harry. Marley was getting worried about her brother, wondering waht could have happened. There weren't even red sparks, so they must have been still in the maze.
Suddenly, Marley heard a scream and Cedric and Harry fell from the air with the Triwizard Cup. Wait, the Cup pretty looked like a portkey? But was it possible? And then the girl gasped, trying to hold her scream watching at Cedric, who was...
"Dead!" yelled Ludo Bagman. "Cedric Diggory is dead... dead..."
Even more screams echoed through the pitch, no one could believe what had happened. Hermione and Marley covered their mouths, staring at Harry and Cedric. Dumbledore was leaning over Harry, trying to wake him up, and Marley was simply silent.
Ludo Bagman's voice continued to be heard from across the pitch, Mr. and Mrs. Diggory sobbing over Cedric's body, and Harry watched sadly and wept.
"That's not possible." whispered Mrs. Weasley, looking at Cedric's body. "He was too young. Who killed him? And how did it happen?"
"I have no idea." Marley shook her head. "But I think Lord Voldemort has something in common."
"Bloody hell, Marley!" exclaimed Ron and didn't pay attention on Mrs. Weasley, looking at him badly. "Don't say his name out loud!"
"Why do you think so?" questioned calmly Bill.
"Everything seems so connected. Right from the start of the Tournament, when Harry's name was put in the Goblet of Fire, even though he was below the age limit. In my opinion, Volde -... You-Know-Who has too much to do with these things." the girl replied.
"Maybe you're right, but we would never be sure." confirmed Mrs. Weasley thoughtfully. "Oh, Harry's not in the pitch! I'm sure he went to Madam Pomfrey. Come on! We should go and visit him!"
They quickly left the benches and slowed down a lot until they could get out of the crowd and all the madness. But just as they reached the hospital wing, they saw Dumbledore walking with Harry. The boy had blood on his own, limping with one leg and his robe was torn.
Marley quickly went down to hug her brother, who hugged her tightly and felt his light sobs against her shoulder. So she wanted to know what had happened to him, but the girl knew from personal experience that he'd hardly spoke of it at that moment... Dumbledore forbade the others to question Harry, especially tonight. He would tell them himself when he was ready to talk.
Everyone was standing in the hospital wing, Fudge and Snape also appeared, and it was unknown why they were followed by Fred and George Weasley. Marley stubbornly refused to leave and leaned against the wall, silently watching the feud between Fudge, Snape and Dumbledore.
Marley was dozing off when she heard Harry mentioning Lord Voldemort. Suddenly, she was feeling terribly tired and slumped slowly on the floor, clutching her knees to her chest. Everyone was devoured by their conversations and didn't notice her, which was fine. She could see Fred and George talking to Mrs. Weasley, who suddenly began to yell at them.
"I appreciate that you are concerned about Harry." she said. "But haven't you noticed that Marley is not okay! I know she's trying to hide something between the three of you is off. She looked so sad today! George for the God's sake, she's your girlfriend, or at least I hope so. Do you have to act like such a fool?"
"Mom, leave them alone. They are old enough to fix their own problems." interfered Bill, trying to comfort his mother but Mrs. Weasley was furious.
"Mom, nothing's wrong between us." rolled eyes George. "She was probably worried about Harry. I mean, look what happened at the last Task."
"But you weren't there for her!" she shouted. Marley still didn't understand why Mrs. Weasley was protecting her so much. She didn't deserve it. "Why didn't you even made an effort to look for her when you lost her in the pitch."
"What?" questioned both Fred and George very confused. And now this was the moment when Marley's lie came on the bigh white world. The girl just stood up from the floor, swinging on her legs and approached Mrs. Weasley and the twins.
"I lied about it." she said, her voice hoarse. "I wasn't even planning to go with them on the last Task. I didn't even want to see them, so I came with you. The truth is, the three of us are mad at each other for a month and we still don't talk, so earlier today, when you met us in the corridor, we played everything. I didn't want you to worry."
"Oh, dear!" cried Mrs. Weasley, holding her sobs. "But why didn't you just tell me? Not that I didn't know. It was obvious that you couldn't breathe the same air right now. And yet, what did you fight for?"
"We were assholes." said George, simply shrugging his shoulders. "We didn't tell her for one thing, but I swear, we were planning to do it, just when it was over. And no, we won't tell you, Mom. Anyway, she understood from another person and that's bad."
"We may said some bad stuff about her." added Fred nervously.
"And I may have insulted their biggest dream by accident." joined Marley with sadness in her eyes. The three fell silent, and Mrs. Weasley was crying at the same time, looking a little startled and angry. Marley looked carefully at the twins. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it."
"We're sorry too." said Fred with a sad smile. "We were too harsh, right, George? We didn't mean that stuff about you."
"You had the full right to know what was going on, but we were such assholes and didn't tell you." George popped in, Mrs. Weasley was already crying unstoppable and Bill had hugged her, patting her on the back and trying to comfort her. "Will you forgive us?"
"Only if you do." sniffled Marley, as tears had already flowed down her face, wetting it.
"Оh, come here, Huffy." said Fred, and the twins hugged (AT THEIR WILL!) Marley, and she continued to cry. She had always been so sensitive. She could hear Mrs. Weasley sobbing even more loudly, and Bill was looking at them smiling. "You know we love you."
She just nodded, happy that everything was fine between them. "I want you to know that I actually love the idea of your joke shop--"
"We know." interrupted her George with a grin. "We heard your conversation with Noen last week - how you adored the shop and that was our best idea in the whole world. Mmm, you just strengthened our ego even more."
"Did you eavesdrop me?" Marley broke the hug, surprised but smiling. She wiped out the tears from her wet face. "You know this is not a good thing."
"It is, love." winked George. "If you hear good things."