CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
❛Forever?❜
As late June came around, the feeling of excitement was clear around Hogwarts. Most students were so excited about the third task that they seemed to forget about studying for their end of year exams. But even then, they were too excited to care.
June twenty-fourth came around fast and the parents of the four champions were invited to Hogwarts, as well as many other parents. Hope Lupin-Black stood next to Jessica and Amos Diggory, awaiting her best friend and godbrother.
"Isn't this just exciting, Hope?" gushed Jessica Diggory, smiling wide. "The two of you are closer to your dreams."
"I'm so proud of him," replied Hope, fiddling with her fingers. "Between this and the internships he's barely able to contain his excitement."
Jessica only laughed, shrugging his shoulders. "That's Cedric all right. Every since he's been little he's been little, could never contain his excitement."
"His whole world is Dragons, his Patronus is even a Dragon--"
"He can produce a Patronus?" asked the mother, her eyes wide.
Hope quickly nodded, her mouth turning into a smile. "Oh, yeah. I helped teach him a few weeks back."
Tears began to fill the Diggory woman's eyes. "I admire the way you two help each other. It's quite amazing, you know."
"Jessica," grumbled Amos Diggory, narrowing his eyes. "He's a man, now."
"Amos, he is a boy." she snapped back, crossing her arms. "Just because he's in this tournament, doesn't make him grown."
Sirius Black and Remus Lupin strolled over, smiles on both of their faces. "Ah, Amos Diggory, long time no see?"
"Sirius Black, didn't expect to see you here." Amos sneered, his lip curled. "Who exactly are you here for?"
"Harry Potter, of course." muttered Sirius in return, grey eyes glared. "My godson."
The Diggory man's eyes went wide as he nodded. "Mind me, I must've forgotten. Silly me, you and James Potter were attached at the hip."
"Godfathers of each other's children." Sirius snarkily replied before turning to his daughter. "Isn't that right, sweetheart?"
"Right, Dad."
Jessica slapped her husband's shoulder. "I'm sorry about him, Sirius. But you've raised a good one. I wouldn't want any other friend for my Cedric."
The Black man's face instantly dropped, the simple fact of knowing he didn't raise his children always in his mind. "Raised, right."
"He means to say thank you, Jessica." Remus added, shaking the woman's hand. "Cedric is the perfect friend for her, such a good influence. I can guess you're very proud?"
"Every day, Remus."
As the door swung open, the four champions walked in with surprised looks on their faces. Fleur instantly dashed over to her sister, while Viktor slowly walked to his parents, who wouldn't look in the direction of Sirius and Remus. And as Harry went over to Molly, Bill, Sirius, and Remus, Cedric walked over to Hope.
"J?" he questioned, furrowing his eyebrows. "What are you doing here?"
"I wanted to see you, I needed to see you." she said, looking up into his eyes. "Besides, family greets the champions. Lucky for me, I have two family members here today."
Cedric only embraced his best friend in a tight hug, never wanting to let go. "I needed to see you, too."
"Oh, Cedric," exclaimed Jessica, pulling her son into a motherly embrace. "We are so proud of you."
"The only Hogwarts champion, isn't that right--?
The father was cut off by his wife elbowing him in the side. "Shut up, Amos. Merlin, ignore your father, Cedric."
Cedric only stifled a laugh as he nodded. "I love you, too, Mum."
"We both know you'll do great." she told her son, smiling wide. "I love you so much. You too, Hope."
Hope's grey eyes went wide. "Me?"
"You know you're part of our family, sweetheart."
"Thank you, Mrs. Diggory."
Jessica Diggory glanced down at her watch before speaking up. "Now, your father and I already ate dinner. I didn't want to hurt Teeta's feelings--"
"Don't you see where I get my kindess from?" Cedric asked aloud, smirking slightly. "I'm telling you, my mother was the truest Hufflepuff ever to be known--"
"Oh, Cedric, there were plenty of other true Hufflepuffs." she interrupted, blushing slightly. "I just couldn't have Teeta crying again. But we're going to talk to Poppy, well Madam Pomfrey. I grew rather close to her while attending Hogwarts."
Amos only nodded, holding his side. "Perhaps she can fix my side. But we'll see you after the tournament, Ced. We're so proud of you."
"Sit by us, will you, Hope?"
Hope smiled at her best friend's mother. "I'll be near, Mrs. Diggory. Thank you."
"Of course, sweetheart." she replied before turning back to her son, placing a kiss on his forehead. "I love you, Ced. Win or lose, I'm proud of you."
"I love you, too, Mum. You too, Dad."
Cedric Diggory and Hope Lupin-Black managed to escape the room without being held in a conversation with anyone else. And the two began to wander around the school, which wasn't new, but there was a different feeling this time.
"Ced, can I tell you something?"
"Of course, you can tell me anything."
Hope pulled Cedric into the tightest hug she could, tears beginning to whell up in her eyes. "I love you, Cedric. I want you to be careful today."
The Diggory boy smiled softly. "And I love you, J. And just you see, I'm going to win it all."
"I can't lose you, Ced--" she began to say, shaking her head. "I can't."
"There isn't going to be any loss today." he told her, looking around at their school's walls. "Only gain."
She nodded slowly before speaking. "I'm so proud of you. You know that, don't you?"
"This is for the Dragons, for us." he gushed, the excitement clear on his face. "You and I are going to live out our dreams. You and me."
"You remember everything we practiced, don't you?"
Cedric squinted his eyes before nodding. "Yes, I think so. All of the charms, all the creatures."
"Here, this is for you."
The Lupin-Black girl reached into her pants pocket pulling a single muggle pen. Hope then placed it in the hands of her best friend who didn't seem to understand the concept behind it.
Cedric looked at his hands with furrowed brows. "Huh?"
"This is my good luck charm for you, Cedric Diggory." she told him, smiling wide.
"Hope," he replied, holding the pen up to her face. "This is a pen."
She rolled her eyes playfully as she laughed. "My favorite pen, actually. It was the first one you got for me. And I want you to have it."
For the first time in their entire friendship, tears began to stream down Cedric's cheeks. "I've never loved a pen more than this one."
"Neither have I."
Hope then placed her face into Cedric's chest, crying as hard as she possibly could. The overwhelming feeling of fear coming back into her body, but Cedric wiped the tears from her face.
"We can't start crying, Hope." he said, wiping the tears from his face a well. "You know when all this is over, we'll be laughing and smiling."
"You promise?"
"I promise." the words came easily out of his mouth . "Hope James, you are my bestest friend. I'm excited to spend forever with you."
"Forever?
"Forever."
Interrupting the moment, the speakers called out. "Ladies and gentlemen, in five minutes' time, I will be asking you to make your way down to the Quidditch field for the third and final task of the Triwizard Tournament. Will the champions please follow Mr. Bagman there now."
Hope Lupin-Black stared into her best friend's blue-grey eyes which were full of all the life in the world. "Please don't go?"
"J, I have to go. This is for our dreams, for us."
"If I beg you with all that I have," she paused, her grey eyes filling with tears. "Will you not go? Will you stay here, with me? Please?"
Cedric stepped forward, placing a brotherly kiss on Hope's forehead. "I love you, J. I love your recklessness, the way you love pens and sugar quills, the way you care. But I have to do this."
"But, Ced--"
"For the Dragons, right? For you and I? We can ditch the world and run away to Romania together."
Hope only nodded, the feeling still pitted in her stomach. "Right, for the Dragons."
"For the Dragons!"
As Cedric Diggory ran off in the direction of the Quidditch field, Hope Lupin-Black shook her head, walking back in the direction of the Great Hall. Yet the odd feeling that she couldn't explain was still pitted deep in her stomach.
When Hope entered the Great Hall, she quickly sat down next to her fathers, Molly, and Bill Weasley. She laid her head on Sirius' shoulder as she began to cry, which seemed to startle the father of two.
"Uh, Remus," he whispered, his shoulders tensed up. But Remus was deep in a conversation with Molly Weasley. "She's crying, Remus!"
Remus and Molly turned and the Weasley woman looked at the girl she saw as a daughter. "Hope, dear. What's wrong?"
"I don't know."
"You don't know?" questioned Molly, before shaking her head. "I know. It's that you haven't eaten. You've been missing out on dinner."
The Lupin-Black girl only chuckled, wiping away her tears. "That's it, Mum. I haven't eaten since breakfast--"
"Hope James," grilled the Weasley woman, narrowing her eyes. "I know you didn't say you went however many hours without food."
Remus and Sirius shared a confused look. "I'm sorry, Mum?"
Bill only burst out laughing, nodding slowly. "Hope's been calling Mum well Mum since her second-year. It's normal by now."
"You're too thin." continued the mother of seven, before suddenly stopping. "Where exactly have you been?"
"I was with Cedric." Hope spoke softly, her grey eyes watering. "He's really, erm, nervous. And I needed to fulfill my best friend duties."
Remus Lupin raised an eyebrow, knowing there was more wrong, but also that she didn't want to talk about it. "You're a great friend, sweetheart. I don't think Cedric could have any better."
"Those poor boys, they must be so scared."
"But having fun," added Sirius, wiping off his mouth. "But look at the time, we best get down to the fields."
Remus nodded, standing up from the table. "You go with your friends, sweetheart. We'll be somewhere in the stands."
"Okay, love you."
Once she reached Seamus, Dean, Neville, and Ginny, the five decided to walk down to the fields. Hope jumped on Neville's back as they raced Seamus and Dean down the halls of Hogwarts. The feeling of excitement taking over Hope's fear.
"Dean, why is your face painted red?" she asked once they were outside.
The Thomas boy turned over, smirking slightly. "Why are you decked out in yellow?
Hope looked down at her clothes before smiling wide. "To support Harry and Cedric, of course. Yellow is neutral between Hufflepuff and Gryffindor."
"Woah," gasped Seamus, his jaw dropping. "That's actually kind of smart."
"It's almost like she has a brain." added Ginny, bursting out laughing.
The Lupin-Black girl only narrowed her grey eyes, cocking an eyebrow. "Where's your boyfriend, Gin?"
"Where's yours?"
"This is why we're friends, isn't it?"
Dean Thomas suddenly stopped in his tracks, his brown eyes widening. "Holy Hufflepuff, look."
As Hope looked out, the Quidditch field was unrecognizable. A twenty-foot-high hedge ran all the way around it. The overall feel of it was dark and mysterious, and by the looks of many, they didn't look overly thrilled either.
But, the ones who were thrilled made it known. As they cheered as loud as they could, yelling out the champion that they liked's name.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the third and final task of the Triwizard Tournament is about to begin!" exclaimed Ludo Bagman. "Let me remind you how the points currently stand. Tied in first place, with eighty-five points each, Mister Cedric Diggory and Mister Harry Potter, of Hogwarts School!"
Hope stood up, cheering as loud as she could. "Go Ced! Go Harry!"
"In second place, with eighty points," there was a pause. "Mister Viktor Drum, of Durmstrang Institute."
There was more applause, but not as much as Harry and Cedric had got.
"And in third place, Miss Fleur Delacour, of Beauxbatons Academy." he exclaimed, more polite claps were heard than screams and cheers.
Violette Bisset stood up, making herself clear. "Come on! Go, Fleur! Woman power! You got this!"
Ludo Bagman rolled his eyes at the girl's dramatics before turning to the Hogwarts boys. "So, on my whistle, Harry and Cedric. Three, two, one!"
The loud whistle was blown, and the two teenage boys disappeared completely. into the mystery maze. As the crowd cheered as loud as they possibly could.
After the tournament started, Hope Lupin-Black and Ginny Weasley decided they didn't want to sit around. The two girls decided to walk around the little shops set up around the transformed Quidditch Field.
"So, J," Ginny spoke in a sing-song voice. "How have you and George been?"
Hope shrugged her shoulders as she ate some of her crisps. "I wish I knew, Gin."
"What do you mean by that? How can you not know?" she asked question after question, seeming more into her brother's drama than his ex-girlfriend was.
"I don't know." admitted Hope, biting the side of cheek. "I saw him the other day, and he didn't bring up Cedric once. Which is new."
"That's a start."
The Lupin-Black girl nodded slowly before furrowing her blonde brows. "But I think it was just because Viktor Krum was there--"
Ginny stopped in her tracks, her eyes wide. "What? Why? What did he want?"
"How am I supposed to know?" she stated in reply, rolling her grey eyes playfully. "I guess he wanted to tell me all about his cousin--"
"Did he?"
"Alfie came before he got the chance." Hope answered, shrugging her shoulders once more. "I think it's just the stress of this competition getting to his head, you know?"
The Weasley girl bit her bottom lip, the knowing look on her face. "Yeah, J, stress."
"I'm just excited for summer at this point." she added, quickly changing the subject. "It's going to be amazing."
Ginny groaned loudly, crossing her arms. "I won't even get to see you all summer. You're going to leave me with my brothers and Hermione--"
"I'll be home for some of it--"
"Please, you leave Romania? Where the Dragons are?" she teased, shaking her head. "I'll be lucky if I ever see you again."
A loud voice interrupted the two girls' conversation. "Lupin? Is that you?"
"Olly!"
Hope sprinted forward to embrace her former Quidditch captain in a hug which he returned with joy. "I've been looking everywhere for you, you know."
"What are you doing here?" she questioned, smiling wide. "Not that I'm complaining."
"Supporting Harry, of course." replied Oliver Wood, shrugging his shoulders. "Dumbledore thought it'd be nice to have his old Quidditch captain."
"He has a great point."
Oliver nodded before looking around the field he knew and loved. "Have you seen our field, though? You know this field is for--"
"Quidditch," interrupted Hope, smirking slightly. "And Quidditch only."
"How've you been lately?" he asked randomly, a worried look in his brown eyes. "I got a letter from Diggory a few months back--"
Hope's grey eyes went wide. "About what?"
"Saying you started smoking again, I meant to owl sooner." Oliver paused, looking slightly guilty. "I should have came by sooner. This is important."
"You smoke? Since when?"
The Lupin-Black girl looked up with a fake smile. "I'm better now, Olly. There's nothing for you to worry about--"
"How are you and George?" he inquired more. "I've only been gone for a year and I've missed so much. It makes me almost want to come back."
"They're on a break." muttered Ginny, eating fudge flies obnoxiously. "And it's because my brother is an idiot. And Hope, she's partially one, too."
Hope quickly put a hand up to her heart. "Me? What'd I do?"
"You just are, but Oliver, Hope and I better get going--"
"Why?"
Ginny only pointed down the row of shops. "We need to meet up with Celine and Lettie. They're buying us butterbeer."
Hope Lupin-Black embraced Oliver Wood in a hug once more, reminding her of their Quidditch seasons. "It was nice seeing you, Olly. I'll see you later, yeah?"
"Of course. We can catch up afterward."
The two girls walked over to Celine Picard and Violette Bisset who stood next to a butterbeer stand, four bottles of butterbeer in front of them. As soon as Hope neared, Celin rushed forward to embrace her in a hug.
"'Ope, 'ow are you?" she questioned, tears in her brown eyes as a guilty look came over her face. "We bought you two butterbeer!"
Violette narrowed her eyes at her best friend. "Celine. She's fine."
"I'm definitely sad that you two have to leave so soon." confessed Hope, embracing Violette in a hug. "It feels like you just got here."
"I love Hogwarts," admitted the Bisset girl, looking around. "Perhaps Mom and Maman will let me transfer next year."
Ginny's jaw dropped. "Wait, really?"
"Pierre's parents are letting 'im transfer 'ere next fall." Celine explained, smiling wide. "Perhaps ours will be more likely to, too."
"That's amazing!" exclaimed Hope, turning to Ginny quickly. "What house do you think they would be in?"
The Weasley girl stared intently at Violette and Celine, as if admiring their characteristics. "Lettie values loyalty over everything, that's Hufflepuff, isn't it?"
"I could see that."
"And Celine, she could go any way, really." Ginny explained. "She's brave, you know. But values loyalty and intelligence. Also very ambitious."
Hope only shrugged before furrowing her brows. "Wait, why is Pierre transferring here?"
"I don't know." Celine stated, her voice unconvincing. "I zink zey got work 'ere."
"Sure, work--" Ginny began to say before Hope elbowed her in the side. "Ow, I didn't even say anything yet!"
"We better get back to the stands," Hope began to say, dragging Ginny away. "We don't wanna miss out on too much."
"I wish your friend and brother ze best of luck!"
"We wish Fleur the best of luck, too."
Ginny Weasley and Hope Lupin-Black slowly walked back to the stands, only to sit with the crowd of Gryffindors. Most of which were decked out in Harry Potter buttons and red painted over their face.
"Did you two buy anything?" questioned Neville, the second the two girls sat down. "I'm starving."
Hope narrowed her grey eyes at her friend. "We just ate an hour ago. How in Merlin can you be hungry already?"
"I know you have food. Give me."
"Here."
Ginny stifled a laugh as she leaned in towards Seamus Finnegan. "How's it going so far?"
"Boring." he groaned in response, slouching his shoulders. "Nothing's happened, yet."
Out of nowhere, red sparks were shot up from the maze. The sparks almost made Hope Lupin-Black jump from her seat before she realized it was only Fleur Delacour, who was crying hysterically as she sat down.
"Is that the blonde girl?" inquired Ginny.
"Fleur Delacour," exclaimed Ron, looking at his sister like she had gone insane. "Isn't she just perfect?"
"Poor Fleur," said Hope, placing a hand to her heart. "She's crying, she must be heartbroken."
"Did she even have a chance at this anyway?"
Dean Thomas turned towards his best friend, smacking him across the forehead. "Seamus Finnegan, what's the matter with you?"
"I'm being honest, Dean." he said, holding his forehead in pain. "Everyone knew it was going to be Harry, Cedric, or Viktor."
"Is it because she's a woman, Seamus?"
"Yeah, are women not capable?"
The Longbottom boy only smirked, looking from the girls to his friend. "This'll be good. Go ahead, Seamus, I'm ready to watch."
"I'm just going to die now."
The sight of Fleur Delacour was heartbreaking, the girl cried into the shoulder of her two friends and family. Madam Maxine held a disappointed face yet continued to comfort the blonde girl.
"Oh shit, I almost forgot." exclaimed Seamus, pulling change from his pants pocket. "We need to place some bets. I'll start. I put 5 sickles on Viktor Krum."
Dean Thomas looked out onto the field before shrugging. "I'll put 4 on Harry. Just to be a good friend."
"7 on Cedric." finished Hope, nodding silently. "Yeah, I'm confident."
"Just you see, I'm going to be a rich man--"
Suddenly, more sparks came shooting out of the maze. And deep down, Hope prayed it was Cedric. But, to Seamus' disappointment, it was Viktor Krum. The Bulgarian boy's face held a scared look as he heavily panted.
"Ladies and gentlemen, our second champion to return is Viktor Krum. This leaves Cedric Diggory and Harry Potter left!"
"Fuck this." muttered Seamus, crossing his arms. "This is why I don't gamble."
Hope only burst out laughing, nudging her friend in the side. "You want to pay up now or later, Finnegan? We can do it in parts--"
"Shut it."
More time passed on and the six friends only continued to mess around. They all cracked jokes on who they thought would win and debated how the maze was going. All six friends laughed harder than they had for awhile, and enjoyed their night.
And then, as if in the blink of an eye, Harry Potter and Cedric Diggory arrived on the wet grass of the Quidditch Field. Cheers erupted from the crowds, but something wasn't right. Cedric's face was an odd shade of blue and he wasn't moving.
Hope Lupin-Black ripped herself out of Dean Thomas' arms, staring intently at her godbrother and best friend. And that was when she felt her heart drop out of her chest, and all of the life left her grey eyes as she sprinted down the stands.
As she reached the field, Hope came face to face with her best friend's dead body. Her scream echoed through the field as she began to cry. "Cedric? Cedric, no. No, no, no."
"Voldemort, he's back." sobbed Harry, who was now face to face with Dumbledore. "He's back. He killed Cedric."
"My Merlin, Diggory!" gasped Cornelius Fudge, his jaw dropping. "Dumbledore, he's dead."
Hope shook her best friend's body, hoping, praying it would make him come alive. "Please, don't leave me. Ced, no, no. Breath, Cedric."
"Miss Lupin--"
The Lupin-Black girl just continued to shake her head, as she looked into her best friend's lifeless blue-grey eyes. "It's going to be fine, he's going to be fine, you're going to be fine. Damn it. Wake up, wake up, Cedric."
Students began to come down the stands as Hope Lupin-Black's painful screams echoed through the field. Tears streamed down her face as she continued to cry, and her cries were not enough to bring Cedric Diggory back.
"You can't do this to me." she continued to weep. "You said you wouldn't die. We said forever. You promised me, Cedric. Remember our promise?"
"He's dead, Miss Lupin--"
Dumbledore was interrupted by Hope continuing to shake her best friend's lifeless body, begging him to do things he could never do. "We need to see the Dragons. We never saw the Dragons. We're supposed to be best friends forever."
"Hope," Remus and Sirius' voices were heard from behind the crowd as they continued to push through.
Amos and Jessica Diggory reached the front of the crowd and the two fell to their knees. Jessica only touched her son's, her only child's lifeless hand before falling into her husband's chest.
"You can't die on me. I can't do this alone, I can't." Hope began to punch the ground, her grey eyes not leaving Cedric's. "Please, Cedric?"
Once Remus Lupin and Sirius Black reached the front of the crowd, the sight broke the two of their hearts in half. The sight reminded Sirius of himself when he had encountered the dead body of James Potter, and he turned around. Unable to bear the sight.
"Mister Lupin, get back--"
Remus slammed his finger into Fudge's chest, a furious look in his eyes. "That is my daughter. You will let me and Sirius through, she needs her fathers."
Neville Longbottom stood behind his childhood friend, attempting to grab her by the waist but she wouldn't move. Not one person could move Hope Lupin-Black off of her best friend's dead body.
"Don't fucking touch me!" Hope yelled, standing up on her own, her mind seeming in a different place. "Don't you dare touch me."
The Headmaster only grabbed the fourth-year lightly by the shoulder. "Miss Lupin, Mister Diggory is gone."
"No," she whispered to herself, breathing heavier by the second. "He can't, no, he can't be. This is all my fault."
As Remus Lupin reached his daughter, he took her in his arms. Hope's body didn't move a muscle, an overwhelming feeling taking over as if she too was dying. She could feel her heartbeat in her face as a sense of numbness took over.
"Sweetheart--"
"Don't touch me!" she suddenly blurted out, shoving herself out of her father's arms before looking around at everyone staring at her. "I-- I can't."
And that was when Hope Lupin-Black took off running in the direction of the castle. The overwhelming realization that her best friend, her brother, the one person in the world that understood her was gone. And there was nothing she could do to bring him back.
two chapters left everybody! i sobbed writing this part. also, i will never listen to this song the same way ever again. i do want to clarify a few things, they'll also be clarified in further chapters. it was hope's choice to get her memories of ivailo krum removed for the sake of her friends and not wanting to remember it ever again.
i also hate killing cedric off, but like it's with good reason. i also read this thing on pinterest a few months back about making character's deaths sadder. can i ask, did it work?
two chapters left!