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chapter twenty one | tears streaming
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THE SKY WAS DARKENING, and Kaya walked with her group to the stands, ready to cheer Cedric on and watch the final task.
The crowds were filing in as they passed, looking for some available seats. Kaya was taking the opportunity to be a drama queen as different students shoved past them.
"Hey, don't push me! I'm sensitive! Merlin!" she said, causing Jaeden who was behind her to laugh and roll his eyes.
They finally found some seats completely opposite the entrance to the maze, so they had a great view of the champions before they entered. All four of them looked nervous, either shaking their arms to calm their nerves, or look for their friends in the crowd. Cedric chose both options.
"WE LOVE YOU!" Kaya shouted to him, causing him to break into a smile. Maisie made a heart out of her hands and held it up for him - he laughed.
Dumbledore took to the field and the crowds cheering their favourite champion calmed down, letting him speak. Kaya turned around and saw Fred sitting with George and Lee a few rows diagonally behind them. She flashed him a smile, which he returned - with a wink obviously.
"Earlier today Professor Moody place the Tri-Wizard Cup deep within the maze. Only he knows it's exact position. Now, as Mr Diggory-"
Kaya and Maisie whooped and whistled along with the rest of Hogwarts.
"...And Mr Potter-"
Another eruption of cheers began, Kaya and the rest of her group joining in, too.
"...are tied for first position, they will be the first to enter the Maze. Followed by Mr Krum-"
It was the Durmstrang students' time to cheer. Maisie grinned down at Stefan who smiled back and gave her a small wave.
"And Miss Delacour. The first person to touch the cup will be the winner. I've instructed staff to patrol the perimeter if at any point should a contestant wish to withdraw from the task, he or she will need only to shoot red sparks up with their wands. Contestants, gather round."
Kaya folded her hands together to a ball and rested her chin on them as she watched Cedric and Harry walk over to join the other two.
"Champions, prepare yourselves!" Moody called. Cedric took a deep breath and gave his father one last hug.
"WE'RE ROOTING FOR YOU CEDRIC!" Kaya bellowed.
"ALL THE WAY!" Maisie added.
Cedric gave them one last warm smile and a small wave, before he turned to face the entrance of the maze.
"On the count of three," Dumbledore began. "One-"
The canon set off early, and Kaya jumped, swearing as she did. A few laughs sounded across the stands, before the third and final task began.
"Aah, why can't we see them?!" Kaya said. "This is causing too much stress,"
"Oh, don't start already," Jaeden moaned. "They'll be fine, they're proper skilled. You're the one saying Cedric is good at everything,"
"Because he is,"
"Well there you go, then!"
Time passed, and everyone was beginning to note how the champions had entered the Maze long ago. Milo made a point that it was probably because of how big the maze was.
Kaya was biting her lip, and then cursing herself for doing it, because chapped lips were one of the worst things ever. But her nervousness was overpowering anything else.
And suddenly, the sky was filled with red sparks erupting from a place in the Maze.
"Shit," Jaeden muttered, as everyone watched Fleur leave the maze - a look of sheer terror was plastered all over her face which made the group even more on edge - what was in there that was so terrifying?!
Kaya was breathing heavy breaths to try and relax herself. Cedric had placed high in both the previous tasks - she wasn't sure what she was so worried about. Maybe it was because it was the final task and therefore the most brutal? She was unsure.
"This just feels wrong," said Maisie. "I can't explain it... just... I've got a bad feeling,"
And Maisie's bad feeling was justified when a crack sounded and Harry and Cedric appeared out of the maze - the Tri-Wizard Cup with them.
Everyone began to cheer, and Kaya stood up with a sigh at seeing Cedric return. But she was one of the first to notice the boy not moving.
Maisie's voice shook as she spoke.
"Harry's crying," she said. "Why's Harry crying? Why won't Cedric get up?"
The girls leaned forward to get a glimpse of what was happening, until they both froze in horror.
Harry was sobbing over Cedric's dead body.
Kaya's face crumbed, and her legs began to feel weak. Jaeden and Milo stood up with a mixture of shocked and terrified expressions, once they'd realised what was happening.
Maisie had turned away immediately, pressing her hand to her head and letting out a sob. She couldn't look at Cedric - she might be sick if she did.
Kaya was still frozen as she stared, as though she was in disbelief. She turned to Jaeden, with wide, teary eyes and an expression that shattered his heart to pieces.
"Cedric..." she choked. "Cedric... Cedric's dea-"
Kaya couldn't finish her sentence as she let out a wail that sounded almost inhuman, Jaeden wrapping his arms around her and pulling the girl in for a hug. Fred, George and Lee were watching from afar, and slowly made their way over. They couldn't understand what was happening, but many people were now weeping and blubbering. Fred's face wore a pained expression at the sight of Kaya sobbing uncontrollably into her best friend's chest. He was desperate to go over.
Cedric's father rushed over to the boy, his voice ringing through the crowd.
"Let me through! That's my boy!"
Kaya's knees buckled at this sound, and she sank to the floor, putting her hand to her mouth as tears spilled from her blue eyes, sobbing uncontrollably. Jaeden kept ahold of her.
She made a noise that sounded like Cedric's name, muffled by her cries and whimpers.
Jaeden's own eyes were becoming glossy as the heartbreaking sound of his best friends wails and the fourteen year old boy's cries echoed over the stands.
"He's back! He's back!" Harry sobbed. "Voldemort's back!"
The tears spilled out from Jae's eyes as he looked up, spotting Fred, George and Lee rushing down from their seats to work out what the commotion was. Kaya was still bawling into Jaeden's chest, his top already drenched with tears. Milo's eyes were red and puffy, refusing to look at the body of the Hufflepuff boy lying on the grass.
"Cedric... he asked me to bring his body back... I couldn't leave him! Not there-"
The twins and Lee reached the group, Fred crouching and reaching for the small brunette girl immediately. He exchanged a sorrowful glance with Jae, as a tiny tug on Kaya's arm caused her to switch from her best friend to Fred.
"He's dead!" she told him, her voice cracking. He stroked her hair and looked up to the sky, trying not to cry himself. George and Lee had frozen, although George put a comforting hand on Maisie's shoulder, being the closest person apart from Milo to her.
Kaya removed her head from Fred's chest and stood up shakily, wiping her eyes, which was useless for more tears spilled out.
"No," she said, shaking her head. "No,"
How had a night so cheerful turned so despairing in a matter of hours?
"He's not dead!" she heard Maisie cry, still facing away from the body. Milo was crushed at the sight of both his girls completely destroyed.
"I-I need to see him," Kaya blubbered.
"Kaya-" Fred said softly, as she removed his hands from cradling her.
"I need to see him-"
"Kaya, I know," said Jaeden. "I know you do, but you can't go- not right now," he weeped.
"Fuck off!" She lashed out with an even bigger cry. Fred tightened his grip on her arm.
"Kaya, no-"
"PISS OFF!"
And she took off, still crying, immediately regretting how harsh she'd been to the two boys. But Jaeden was practically on her heel as well as Fred as the they chased her down the steps and over to Cedric.
The girl stood still once she'd caught sight of the dead boy up close, and the two boys held her once again. Jaeden's face turned green at the sight of the soulless body.
She was gasping for air. She couldn't breathe, let alone talk, the sobs completely taking over. And they got worse at the sound of Amos Diggory crying for his boy, and Harry for witnessing his death.
Death was cruel. The tragic, physical hurt in Kaya's chest left a feeling like she'd been stabbed. It hurt like hell, and yet she still was unable to believe the reality of what was happening, the fact that she'd lost someone so close to her. It was a thing people thought would never happen to them - until it does.
Cedric was nothing but a dead body. The last smile and wave he'd given the two girls before entering the maze was the last smile he'd ever give them. The gaunt and frightened expression on his pale, frozen face would imprint Kaya's memory forever.
She covered her ears, unable to cope with the sound of his parents' cries. Jaeden rubbed her shoulder and Fred held the back of her head, pressed up against him. Milo, Maisie, George and Lee caught up with them. Maisie took one look at Cedric and spun around, leaning onto Milo as they walked forward.
"I can't," she wailed. "I can't look at him, I- I feel sick!"
"I'm sorry," Milo whimpered, as he gazed at the brunette with a devastated look. "K... Mais... I'm so sorry,"
They felt like someone had reached into their bodies and tore their hearts to pieces.
Kaya turned to Cedric and finally spoke after long minutes of wails.
"Don't leave," she begged. "Don't leave, please don't leave me,"
Fred pulled her into him yet again, and kissed the top of her forehead, tightly hugging her as she cried. She held onto him, but couldn't help but question why everything felt so heavy, for something as light as his shirt crumpled under her clenched fists felt like it was pulling her to the ground.
She felt like she was sinking.
And it was a long way down.
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A/N: ...I love you guys....
Also did you catch that cheeky little Coldplay reference in the chapter title?