The usual decorations were missing. The Great Hall was normally decorated with the winning house's colors for the Leaving Feast. Tonight, however, there were black drapes on the wall behind the teachers table.
"Cedric was a person who exemplified many of the qualities which distinguish Hufflepuff house, he was a good and loyal friend, a hard worker, he valued fair play. His death has affected you all," his eyes landed on Maeve face, she looked emotionless. The once happy girl, was gone and replaced the a numb one. "whether you knew him well or not. I think that you have the right, therefore, to know exactly how it came about. Cedric Diggory was murdered by Lord Voldemort!" Dumbledore said looking out at the gloomy Great Hall.
Maeve sat between the Fred and Julia, both holding each of her hands. Fred would occasionally paint circles on her thumb with his to try and comfort her. Fred and George could see the pain in her eyes, even though she was hiding it pretty well from others. The week after Cedric's death, she had became a numb person. As if all emotions left her body, leaving her as a shell. She wasn't Maeve anymore.
"The Ministry of Magic, does not wish me to tell you this. It is possible that some of your parents will be horrified that I have done so — either because they will not believe that Lord Voldemort has returned, or because they think I should not tell you so, young as you are. It is my belief however, that the truth is generally preferable to lies, and that any attempt to pretend that Cedric died as a result of an accident of some sort of blunder of his own, is an insult to his memory!" Dumbledore's voice felt like knives to Maeve.
She almost didn't turn up to the ceremony, the night before Julia and Maeve were caught trying to sneak out of the castle by Snape. If it would of been anyone Snape would expel them, but he knew their hurt. He knew what it felt like losing a loved one. He brought the girls back to their common room. When the girls walked in, they were alone again. Just staring at the couch. The couch Cedric carved into. Their couch.
"Now the pain we all feel at this dreadful loss reminds me, reminds us that while we may come from different places and speak in different tongues, our hearts beat as one." His voice once again brought Maeve back to reality.
When Maeve and Julia finally arrived at the ceremony today, they knew there would be stares. When they got to the door, Julia stopped Maeve,
"I don't want to go in." Julia said in a panic.
"We have to, Jules."
"I don't know if I can."
"Neither do i." She grabbed Julias hand, "But we have to do this for Ced." They took a deep breath and opened the door.
Once the doors opened to the hall, they saw the lines of chairs already filled with students, all eyes were on them. It didn't feel real to see the girls with out Cedric. As girls walked down the hall, hand in hand they stopped next to Cho, who had stood up. The three girls stared at each other.
"Cho.." Maeve's voice cracked
The three embraced, "He loved you two, so much." Julia and Maeve could only just cry after that, after leaving the hug they made their way up to the twins in the front with Ginny next to them. The melancholy expressions on their faces, was one she had seen too many times.
"In light of recent events the bonds of friendship we made this year will be more important than ever. Remember that and Cedric Diggory will not have died in vain. You remember that, and we'll celebrate a boy who was kind and honest and brave and true right to the very end." His voice once again brought her back to the present. Her eyes shifted to the side again and became glazed with a glassy layer of tears. As she blinked, they dripped from her eyelids and slid down her cheeks. She bit her lip tightly in attempt to hide any sound that wanted to escape from her mouth; her heart sank.
The hall began to empty, she told her friends she would meet them outside. When she was left alone, she stood in the middle of the hall, staring at where she once sat with her best friend for every meal. Memories swarmed her mind, she could hear his laugh, see his smile, feel his presence. The tears flowed unchecked down her cheeks and dripped from her chin. She was too sad to cry out or wail, she was tired. She just stood there as still as a statue while the magnitude of her loss swept over her. For once again she was lost in the torrid vortex of the moment. It was a moment that carried her forwards until only death could release her from its clutches. She was forever tormented by a past that could not be undone. She felt alone once again.
Eventually she had made it home, the moment she found her mom at the train station, she could only speak the words, "Let's go home."
Maeve sat on her bed, staring at the wall in front of her with photos of Cedric and Julia from over the years. She had no tears left to fall anymore, is as if they had all ran out. She would spend her days like that, staring off, emotionless or tending to the animals around her land. Remus and Sirius would visit to check on her, helping her through the loss of a best friend. At every meal she spent it pushing the food around her plate, spending every minute feeling numb for her best friend.
"When I found out James died," Remus sat down next to her, followed by Sirius, "my first reaction was I was pissed at him." She looked up at him, "i was pissed that he died, and left me."
"So it's normal." She sighed, "To be mad."
"Of course it is." Sirius answered, "There is no normal way to grieve Maeve."
"I was mad at your dad." Her mom said from the doorway, "we were suppose to have forever."
"Maeve, everything you are feeling is normal. He was your best friend, you two had a connection no one will understand.." Remus took her hand in his, "But you need to stop blocking us out. We are worried about you. We are still here."
"Fred is worried about you." Her mom kneeled down in front of her. "You need to write him back, I think he's getting tired of me replying."
Maeve let out a small laugh. "Is anyone mad at me?" They all looked at her in confusion, "for being distant?"
"Of course not love," her mom cupped her face in her hands, "You are grieving, no one could be mad at you for that. we all love you, and miss you."
"This feeling will pass Maeve," Sirius rubbed her back, "he would want you to be happy."
"I know."
"You can't keep holding off, it's okay to let him go for a bit. I can see that you love Fred, but you can't love someone when you aren't happy. I think he'd understand." Sirius added. She couldn't answer that, she already had been thinking that.
Later that night, Maeve finally read all the letters her friends sent her. Since school ended a month ago, the only person she had contact with was Julia. Since both were 17, they would apparate to each other, every other day. They didn't say much, they would just lay with each other and be with one another. They found comfort in each other. As she was reading all the letters, she made it to the last letter, it was from Fred.
__
My sweet Maeve,
I understand that you feel alone right now, but you're not. I wish I could be there to hold you, I tried to come to you but Mum told me to leave you be till you're ready. I don't expect you to reply to me any time soon, I don't know what you're feeling. Cedric was an amazing person and I know how much he loved you. I know how much you loved him. This is probably the 100th letter I have sent, so I'm not sure what you've read. I miss you Maeve. I miss your smile, laugh and your voice. George misses you too. We hope to see you soon or at least hear back from you. I love you Mae, more than you'll ever know.
Talk soon,
Fred
__
She didn't realize how many letters he wrote over the weeks, she felt guilty that she had been ignoring him. She decided to get dressed and go and see him. She picked up her wand and apparated to the Burrow.
Fred was in bed when her heard a crack come from outside, he got up and looked out the window and saw Maeve standing in the front yard. He ran downstairs and flew the door open.
"Hi Fred."
"Hi Maeve."
The two just stood and stared at each other.