Rosabella's Point of View:
I stayed by Harry's side the whole night. The only time I had moved even an inch away from Harry's side was when my brothers, Fiona, Ron and Mrs Weasley were fast asleep in their seats and Hermione was scanning the room, as if she was looking very care fully for something. I raised a curious eyebrow at her.
"There's no way Rita Skeeter isn't going to try write a story on this. She's got to be in here somewhere." Hermione whispered in my ear.
I also scanned for a bug. Hermione was scanning the whole room, but I looked around where Harry was. I saw it. A black beetle on the window sill.
"Hermione, pass me a jar." I whispered extremely quietly.
Hermione gave me a questionable look but got up and grabbed a jar from the cupboard by Madam Pomfrey office and handed it to me.
I subtlety took my wand out my pocket and put an Unbreakable Charm on the jar. As quick as lightning I caught the beetle in the jar. The beetle buzzed in panic.
"I think I got her." I said simply to Hermione's surprised expression.
Hermione grinned eagerly and rushed over. We both stared intently at the bug and we noticed that the antenna's had the same marking as those awful glasses of hers. I quickly lifted the jar and I slammed the lid on quickly, sealing Rita Skeeter in. She buzzed angrily at me. I grinned back. I tossed the jar to Hermione and she caught it. I returned to my seat by Harry and held his hand again.
"She's all yours. I put an Unbreakable Charm on there. She won't be able to change back or get out intill you decide to let her." I said, smirking.
"Ro, you are truly brilliant." Hermione said, beaming.
"I just assisted, you figured it out." I said, tiredly.
I rested my head on the edge of the bed and I let sleep consume me, my fingers still entwined with Harry's.
I offered to stay with Harry when he met with the Diggory's but he wanted to do it alone. I went to breakfast with Ron and Hermione while Harry met with them. Dumbledore requested that students leave Harry alone and not to badger him to tell the story of what happened in the maze. A month later and people were still avoiding eye contact and whispered about Harry as he passed, but a glare from me would usually shut them up. Dad hadn't written to us in that time and we were all waiting for word or some sign of what was going on outside of Hogwarts. Voldemort was back and now nothing was the same.
There's no doubt that a second wizarding war will happen, and Harry will be at the centre of it, and I'll be there for him in anyway he needs. He won't have to do it alone.
Mrs Weasley had apparently asked Dumbledore if Harry could go straight to the Burrow this summer but Dumbledore wanted Harry to go back to Dursleys, at least at first.
"Why?" Harry said.
"She said Dumbledore's got his reasons. I suppose we've got to trust him, haven't we?" Ron said, shaking his head darkly.
As we no longer had a Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, we had those lessons free and one time on a Thursday we went to go see Hagrid. It was a bright and sunny day and as we bounded towards the cabin, Fang came out and started barking and wagging his tail. Hagrid came out to meet us and he pulled Harry into a one-armed hug and ruffled his hair.
"Good ter see yeh, mate. Good ter see yeh." Hagrid said and led us inside.
I raised a curious eyebrow at the two bucket-siezed cups on the wooden table.
"Bin havin' a cuppa with Olympe, she just left." Hagrid said.
"Who?" Ron and I said.
"Madame Maxime, o' course." Hagrid said.
"You two made it up, have you?" Ron said, while I smirked.
"Dunno what yeh're talkin' about. You all righ'?" Hagrid asked Harry gruffly, while placing biscuits on the table.
"Yeah." Harry said.
"No, yeh not. Course yeh're not. But yeh will be." Hagrid said.
Harry said nothing. I grabbed Harry's hand under the table and gave it a reassuring squeeze.
"Knew he was goin' ter come back. Known it for years, Harry. Knew he was out there, bidin' his time. It had ter happen. Well, now it has, an' we'll jus' have ter get on with it. We'll fight. Migh' be able ter stop him before he gets a good hold. That's Dumbledore's plan, anyway. Great man, Dumbledore. S'long as we've got him, I'm not too worried." Hagrid said.
Hagrid raised an eyebrow at our disbelieving facial expressions.
"No good sittin' worrin abou' it. What's comin' will come, an' we'll meet it when it does. Dumbledore told me wha' you did Harry." Hagrid said.
Hagrid's chest swelled with pride as he looked at Harry.
"Yeh did as much as yeh father would've done, an' I can give yeh no higher praise than that." Hagrid said, sincerely.
Harry smiled back at Hagrid. I found myself smiling too, at Harry's smile. It was the first time he smiled in days.
"What's Dumbledore asked you to do? He sent Professor McGonagall to go ask you and Madam Maxime to meet with him . . ." Harry said and then broke off, not able to finish the sentence.
"That night." I finished for him.
Harry clutched my hand tighter.
"Got a little job for me over the summer." Hagrid said proudly.
"Let me guess, top secret?" I said.
Hagrid chuckled.
"Yeah, top secret. I'm not s'posed to talk abou' it, not even ter you lot. Olympe - Madame Maxime ter you - might be comin' with me. I think she will. I think I got her persuaded. Can't tell yeh how happy I am to hear abou' yeh father, Ro. Innocent, after all. I always found it hard to believe." Hagrid said beaming at me.
I beamed back at him.
"Is it to do with Voldemort?" Harry asked.
Hagrid flinched.
"Might be." Hagrid said evasively.
"Now . . . who'd like ter come an' visit the las' Skrewt with me? I was jokin'!" Hagrid added hastily, seeing the looks on our faces.
I managed to pack my trunk quite quickly, so I went up to the Harry's dormitory and saw him slowly packing. He looked miserable. I knelt down next to him and placed my hands on his and gave him a sad smile. I helped him pack the rest of his trunk. The trio, Winter and I then went down to the Great Hall and saw that instead of its usual decorations there were black drapes on the wall behind the teachers table. My heart clenched as I realised this was to honour Cedric.
The trio and I set by my brothers and the rest of the Weasley's. Winter lay by my feet and I scratched her head from under the table. I looked at the staff table. The real Mad-Eye Moody was there but extremely twitchy, jumping everytime someone spoke to him. I guess you can't blame him, Moody's fear of being attacked was bound to have at least doubled since he spent ten months locked in his own trunk. Professor Karkaroff was not here and I had a feeling he was most likely dead by now.
Madame Maxime was still here and she was talking quietly to Hagrid. The Great Hall had never been this quiet at the Leaving Feast and when Dumbledore stood up to speak the Hall fell completely silent quicker then ever.
Out of respect for Cedric, Hufflepuffs and everyone who cared about Cedric . . . Jason, Jacob, Fred, George and I decided not to do our traditional end of year prank.
Truthfully, for the first time I wasn't in the mood for a prank. Cedric didn't deserve to die. He was sweet and considerate and he could have easily become a very self centred and arrogant person, considering how his father idolized him. But he didn't. He was humble, brave and kind. I was snapped out of my thoughts when Dumbledore started to speak.
"The end, of another school year." Dumbledore said and then paused looking at the Hufflepuff table.
The Hufflepuff were still the quietest table in the Hall, the palest and saddest faces in the Hall.
"There is much that I would like to say to you all tonight, but I must first acknowledge the loss of a very fine person, who should be sitting here, enjoying the feast with us. I would like you all, please, to stand, and raise your glasses, to Cedric Diggory." Dumbledore said and gestured towards the Hufflepuff table.
Everyone in the Hall stood, everyone. We raised our glasses and we all said in one loud, low rumbling voice that echoed around the Hall: "Cedric Diggory."
I caught sight of Cho, she had silent tears rolling down her face. I couldn't imagine what she was going through. If it had been Harry - I didn't even want to think about that but Cho didn't have that option. She was living through it.
We all then sat down again and Dumbledore continued with his speech.
"Cedric was a person who exemplified many of the qualities which distinguished Hufflepuff house. He was a good and loyal friend, a hard worker, he valued fair play. His death has affected you all, whether you knew him well or not. I think that you have the right, therefore, to know exactly how it came about." Dumbledore said.
I saw Harry raise his head out of the corner of my eye. Was Dumbledore really going to tell them?
"Cedric Diggory was murdered by Lord Voldemort." Dumbledore said.
I stared at Dumbledore, impassive. They all had a right to know. Voldemort is a threat to everyone.
"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 any attempt to pretend that Cedric died as the result of an accident, or some sort of blunder of his own, is an insult to his memory." Dumbledore said.
Every face in the Hall was staring at Dumbledore stunned and frightened or almost every face. Malfoy was muttering something to Crabbe and Goyle. Anger coursed through me as I forced myself to stare back at Dumbledore. I saw Harry stiffen next to me and I glanced at his face showing that he was angry too. I grabbed Harry's hand, in an effort to calm us both down.
"There is somebody else who must be mentioned in connection with Cedric's death. I am talking of course, about Harry Potter." Dumbledore continued.
A few heads turned in Harry's direction. Harry gripped my hand tighter in response. The heads soon turned back towards Dumbledore.
"Harry Potter managed to escape Lord Voldemort. He risked his own life to return Cedric's body to Hogwarts. He showed, in every respect, the sort of bravery that few wizards have ever shown in facing Lord Voldemort, and for this, I honour him." Dumbledore said and turned gravely to Harry and raised his Goblet again.
Nearly everyone in the Hall followed suit, we murmured his name as we did Cedric's. Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle and many other Slytherins stayed defianitely in their seats, Goblets untouched. Dumbledore, however, did not see this. Everyone then resumed their seats once more.
Dumbledore continued his speech telling us that the bonds of friendship we've made with the foreign students are more important then ever and that the foreign students will be welcomed back anytime. Dumbledore believes we should stand strong together against Voldemort. Dumbledore told us that when we face the dark and difficult times that will soon come, to remember Cedric.
"Remember Cedric. Remember, if the time should come when you have to make a choice between what is right, and what is easy, remember what happened to a boy who was good, and kind, and brave, and died because he strayed across the path of Lord Voldemort. Remember Cedric Diggory." Dumbledore said, earnestly.
My brothers, the Weasleys, the trio, Winter and I were all waiting outside the Entrance Hall with the rest of the school for the carriages to arrive. I saw Lucas and Fiona locked in a passionate kiss in a corner away from the crowd. Michael was with his friends and Jason and Jacon were talking quietly to Fred and George. I stood with the trio with Harry's arm around my shoulders. Harry didn't look very happy and it was obvious that it was because he was returning to the Dursleys.
"I'll do everything I can to get you out of there as quickly as I can." I whispered in his ear, placing a kiss on his cheek.
"'Arry!"
We all looked round and saw Fleur approaching.
"'Ello, Rosabella." Fleur said to me.
I smiled kindly at her.
"We will see each uzzer again, I 'ope. I am 'oping to get a job 'ere, to improve my Eenglish." Fleur said as she shook Harry's hand and then mine.
"It's very good already." Ron said, in a strangled sort of voice.
Fleur smiled at him, while I rolled my eyes and Hermione scowled.
"Au revoir, Fleur. J'espère que tu trouveras un emploi ici. Ce fut un plaisir de vous rencontrer et j'espère que nous reverrons." I said, smiling politely.
(Goodbye, Fleur. I hope you get a job here. It's been a pleasure to meet you and I hope we see each other again.)
Fleur beamed at me.
"Goodbye, 'Arry. It 'az been a pleasure meeting you." Fleur said, and she went over to to Beauxbatons Carriage that was getting ready to take off.
"Wonder how the Durmstrang students are getting back?" Ron said, curiously.
"D'you reckon they can steer that ship without Karkaroff?" I said.
"Karkaroff did not steer. He stayed in his cabin and let us do all the vork. Could I have a vord?" Krum said and then asked Hermione.
"Oh . . . yes . . . all right." Hermione said, looking flustered as she followed Krum through the crowd and out of sight.
"You'd better hurry up! The carriages'll be here in a minute!" Ron yelled after her.
Ron, however, let Harry and I look out for the carriages while he spent the next few minutes craning his neck over the crowd trying to find Hermione and Krum. I rolled my eyes exaggeratedly at Harry as a reaction to Ron's behaviour. Harry laughed softly and in the next moment he pulled me against him and his lips captured mine in a passionate kiss that I quickly returned.
The kiss only lasted a few minutes as the carriages started to come. Hermione and Krum returned just as the carriages were pulling up. Ron finally got an autograph of Krum and the trio and I got into a carriage and Winter settled by our feet as the carriage took us to Hogsmeade station.
The weather could not have been more different on the journey back to King's Cross than it had been on our way to Hogwarts the previous September. There wasn't a single cloud in the sky. I sat by the window and Hermione sat opposite me. Harry sat next to me with his arm slung around my shoulder, and Ron sat opposite Harry. Winter was curled up on the spare seats next to Harry. Harry seemed a lot more at ease after Dumbledore's speech, he seemed more comfortable.
The trio and I talked freely, we talked more then we had the pass week. We talked about what action Dumbledore might be taking even now to stop Voldemort. We only broke off this conversation when the lunch trolley arrived. After we brought a fair amount of food and sat back down, Hermione pulled out a copy of the Daily Prophet. I glanced at Harry and saw he was eyeing the newspaper apprehensively.
"There's nothing in here. You can look for yourself, but there's nothing at all." Hermione said, also noticing Harry's uneasy expression.
"Hermione and I have been checking everyday. There was just a small piece the day after the third task, saying you won the Tournament. They didn't even mention Cedric. Nothing about any of it. If you ask me, Fudge is forcing them to keep quiet." I said.
"He'll never keep Rita quiet. Not on a story like this." Harry said.
I gave Harry an evil grin.
"Oh, Rita hasn't written anything at all since the third task." Hermione said, grinning triumphantly.
"As a matter of fact, Rita Skeeter isn't going to be writing anything at all for a while." I said, smugly.
"Not unless she wants me or Ro to spill the beans on her." Hermione said and we high fived.
"What are you two talking about?" Ron said.
"I found out how she was listening in on private conversations when she wasn't supposed to be coming into the grounds." Hermione said, eagerly.
"How was she doing it?" Harry asked, at once.
"How did you find out?" Ron asked, staring between Hermione and I.
"Well it was really Harry who have me the idea, and Ro." Hermione said.
"Did I? How?" Harry asked perplexed.
I leaned over to whisper in his ear.
"Bugging." I said simply, and loud enough for Ron to hear.
"But you said they didn't work -" Harry said.
"Oh, not electronic bugs. You see Rita Skeeter is an unregistered Animagus. She can turn -" Hermione said, her voice trembling with triumph.
Hermione then reached into her bag and pulled out the glass jar out of her bag.
"-into a beetle." I said, finishing Hermione's sentence.
Hermione and I then explained how Hermione had figured out what Rita is and how I trapped her in the Jar.
"I've told her I'll let her out when we get back to London. Ro put an Unbreakable Charm on it, so she can't transform. And I've told her she's to keep her quill to herself for a whole year. See if she can break the habit of writing horrible lies about people." Hermione said.
Hermione and I grinned again as Hermione put the jar back in her school bag. The door to the compartment slid open.
"Very clever, Black. Granger." Draco sneered.
Crabbe and Goyle were standing behind him, the three of them looked more arrogant and menacing then I had ever seen them. Winter let out a threatening growl. I gripped my wand that was in my robe pocket.
Malfoy began taunting Harry and the rest of us.
"Get out." Harry said, I could hear the warning in his voice.
"You've picked the losing side, Potter! You too, Black! I warned you! I told you, you ought to choose your company more carefully, remember? When we met on the train, first day at Hogwarts? I told you both not to hang around with riff-raff like this!" Malfoy jerked his head towards Ron and Hermione.
"Too late now! They'll be the first to go, now the Dark Lord's back! Mudbloods and Muggle-lovers first! Well - second - Diggory was fi-" Malfoy sneered but was cut off when the trio and I shot him, Crabbe and Goyle with different hexes.
But we weren't the only ones. Fred, George, Fiona and my brothers had aswell.
"Thought we'd see what those three were up to." Fred said matter-of-factly, as he and the others stepped into the compartment.
We all dragged Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle into an empty compartment.
"Exploding Snap, anyone?" Jacob said.
We were halfway through our fifth game of Exploding Snap when Fred and George finally told us who they were blackmailing. Apparently, Bagman had a gambling problem and was in big debt to some particularly nasty Goblins. When Fred and George had betted with him on the World Cup, Bagman had payed them with Leprechaun gold, that of course disappeared within a few hours.
At first the Weasley twins thought it was an innocent mistake but Bagman was very unco-operable with paying them back so the twins started using more desperate measures. It also turns out the reason Bagman offered Harry help was because Bagman had bet with the Goblins that Harry would win as a way to pay the debts. Since Harry technically drew with Cedric, Bagman had to run for it.
We were now at King's Cross and the others got their luggage and started to exit the compartment. Harry stayed put and so did I. I was curious as to why he was stalling. The twins were still in the compartment but they were about to go. Harry shot me a wink.
"Fred, George, wait a moment." Harry said.
Harry opened his trunk and pulled out the big bag of Gallons he got for winning the Tournament.
"Take it." Harry said and trusted the sack into George's hand.
"What?" Fred said, looking flabbergasted.
"Take it. I don't want it." Harry said, firmly.
"Your mental." George said, trying to push it back at Harry.
"No, I'm not. You take it, and get inventing. It's for the joke-shop." Harry said.
I looked at Harry with awe and admiration.
"He is mental." Fred said, in an almost awed voice.
Harry managed to convince the twins to take the gold and only had one condition that they don't tell Mrs Weasley where they got it from and that they buy Ron different dress robes. Harry then dragged me out the compartment with him before the twins could object even more. I kissed Harry passionately as we stood on the platform. I hugged Harry tightly, not wanting to let go, not knowing when I would see him again.
"I'll see you soon." Harry whispered.
I nodded my head and we kissed again. Harry waited until he saw me safely with Remus and my brothers before he went off with his uncle Vernon. I sighed sadly as I watched him go. I hugged Remus in greeting.
"Come on, we have to go." Remus said, urgently.
I looked at him curiously, with a raised eyebrow.
"First all of you read this." Remus said, showing us a piece of paper.
"What's the Order of the Pheonix?" I asked.
"You'll see." Remus replied and he Apparated us somewhere.
The next thing I knew we were standing in a dark hallway. I took a curious and cautious step forward and tripped over what I think was an umbrella stand.
Winter sniffed her way over to me and nuzzled her head against me.
"Glad I'm not the only one who's tripped over that." I familiar teasing voice said.
I shot up and the lights turned on. I would recognise that bubble gum pink hair anyway.
"Tonks!" I exclaimed and ran into her open arms and we embraced in a tight hug.
"Wotcher, Ro." Tonks said to me and then said the same to my brothers as they hugged our favourite cousin too.
A portrait then started to screech bloody murder and said the foulest of things. A bunch of adult wizard came and struggled to shut curtains over it.
"Welcome to the headquarters of the Order of the Pheonix." Dad said, grinning at my brother's and I.
A/N: This story continues in Rosabella Black |Daughter of Sirius Black|(Book 5)