A New Star
Beth was in her last Arithmancy class if the term, it was their last lesson before Christmas.
“Now we all understand personality numbers and their importance, over the Christmas holidays I would like you all to write an essay on your character numbers. Do you think the description fits you or not? Which parts of the description do fit you?”
Beth jotted this down and started to pack her bag to go to her last study group of the term.
She was on her way up to the seventh floor with Ernie, Hermione and Theo when she was stopped by Cedric.
“There you are!” said Cedric breathlessly having being running.
“I’ve been looking for you everywhere,” he stammered, “Sprout needs to see you.”
“Me?” asked Beth confused.
What in the world could she have done, she never did anything wrong, why did Sprout want to see her?
“I don’t know why, but it seemed urgent,” shrugged Cedric.
“I’ll see you guys later then,” sighed Beth turning around and heading back to Sprouts office with Cedric.
“Do you have any idea what’s going on?” asked Beth nervously.
“No,” said Cedric, “but Sprout seemed pretty serious which is unusual for a start.”
“Hmm,” muttered Beth pulling at the end of her plait.
“I’m sure it’s fine Beth,” assured Cedric patting her on the back before he knocked on Sprout’s door.
“Come in!”
“I’ve brought Beth professor,” said Cedric putting his head around the door.
“Thank you, Cedric,” sighed Professor Sprout.
“Good luck Beth,” said Cedric giving her a quick hug and ushering her towards the door.
Beth took a deep breath and walked into the office followed by Cedric.
There was a middle-aged man with brown hair that was starting to go slightly grey, who was sitting in one of the chairs opposite Sprout’s desk.
“Dad?” stammered Cedric, “what are you doing here?”
“Hi Ced,” said Mr Diggory, looking up from his shoes for a moment.
“Has something happened Dad?” panicked Cedric, “is it Mum?”
“Your Mums fine Ced,” assured Mr Diggory putting his hands on his sons’ shoulders, “I need to talk to Beth and Remus though.”
“Oh,” sighed Cedric, “do you want me to go?”
“That’s up to you Cedric,” said Sprout.
“Oh,” said Cedric sitting down next to his Dad.
Beth sat down next to Cedric and stared into the flames.
“Where’s Beth!” said Remus frantically sprinting into the office, “what’s wrong!”
“Beth is fine Remus,” said Professor Sprout, “Mr Diggory needs to talk to you both.”
Remus took a deep breath and sat down next to Beth and put his arm around her.
Mr Diggory got up from his seat and paced around the room struggling to find the right words.
“What’s going on Amos?” asked Remus nervously.
Beth looked confusedly from Remus to Mr Diggory.
“I work with Lyall in the Department for Magical Creatures in the Ministry, he’s my partner.”
Beth nodded slightly in understanding and Remus clung onto her even tighter.
Mr Diggory paused for a moment.
“There was an assignment this morning, everything seemed perfectly normal, there was a Graphorn on the rampage in the Brecon Beacons, Lyall and I were sent to sort it out.”
Remus nodded in understanding.
Struggled Mr Diggory a tear in his eye, “we apparated to where the Graphorn was, Lyall and I had worked together for years, we didn’t think there was anything unusual about this case.”
“The Graphorn had gone berserk and was charging around, we were lucky the muggles hadn’t found it. Lyall and I pulled out our wands and tried to calm the Graphorn down.”
Mr Diggory took a shuddering breath.
“The Graphorn charged at Lyall before I could stop it, it knocked Lyall’s wand out of his hand and pierced him with his horn.”
“Where is he?” breathed Remus wanting to get the worst over with.
“I’m afraid Lyall’s dead Remus,” sighed Mr Diggory.
Cedric shook his head, he couldn’t believe what he was hearing, that could have easily been his Dad that had died.
“Are you sure?” stammered Remus.
“He was pierced right through the heart,” sighed Mr Diggory, “he didn’t have a chance.”
“Was it quick?” asked Remus tonelessly.
Mr Diggory nodded.
“Do you have any question dear?” asked Professor Sprout to Beth who hadn’t said a word since she came in.
“The Graphorn,” she muttered, “is it alright?”
“I managed to calm it down and take it back to its colony,” nodded Mr Diggory.
Beth nodded and snuggled in slightly closer to Remus.
“Cedric, Beth why don’t you go pack?” said Professor Sprout gently.
“I thought we were staying here for the break,” said Beth turning to Remus.
“We’re going to have to go home for a few days sweetheart,” sighed Remus putting his head in his hands, “the funeral.”
“Come on Beth,” said Cedric, putting an arm around her.
“Come back when you’re packed, you can use the flo.”
“Alright,” said Cedric.
Cedric gently led Beth from the office leaving Remus shaking his head in his chair.
“You ok Beth?” asked Cedric as they walked back to the Common Room.
Beth shook her head.
“I just can’t believe he’s gone,” she muttered.
“I know what you mean,” he sighed, “if you just go pack enough things for the next week or so I’ll meet you back down here in about fifteen minutes, ok?”
Beth nodded again and stared down at her shoes instead of looking at people, as she walked up to her dorm.
When she got to her dorm Artie, Ginny and Hannah were in a festive mood, they were rushing around packing singing Christmas carols.
“Hey Beth!” said Hannah, “you excited for Christmas?”
Beth just started to go through her chest of drawers to pack.
“I thought you were staying here for Christmas?” said Artie confused.
Beth shook her head.
“There something wrong Beth?” asked Ginny as she came to help with the packing.
Beth looked up at Ginny.
“My Grandpa’s dead,” she mumbled.
“Mr Lupin?” said Artie.
“That man who kept on cracking jokes at your birthday?”
“That’s Grandpa,” muttered Beth, “he was always trying to cheer me up.”
Ginny helped Beth pack and Beth put Guinevere in her basket.
Beth carried her trunk and cat basket downstairs and found Cedric in the Common Room.
They both headed back to Sprouts office, it was clear that Remus had been crying slightly and Remus had his suitcase with him.
“Come on little one,” he said putting his arm around her, “let’s get you home.”
“Remus,” said Mr Diggory nervously, “Celia and I were thinking that maybe you’d like to come stay with us for a few days, instead of going back to the house.”
Remus bit his lip for a moment, the last thing he wanted right now was to take Beth home to a house full of the memories of his parents.
“That would be great, thanks Amos,” said Remus smiling slightly in relief.
“Ced, could you help Beth with her trunk, Remus and I will follow you.”
“Ok Dad,” said Cedric picking up one half of Beth’s trunk as Beth picked up the other half and they both walked into the large fireplace in Sprouts office.
Cedric took a pinch of flo powder.
“The Rookery!” he called clearly.
Beth clung onto her trunk as they spun away from the office and landed in a warm sitting room.
“Ced!” exclaimed a middle-aged woman with honey coloured hair.
“Thank Merlin you’re alright Ced!” she sobbed holding her son close.
“Hi Mum,” said Cedric hugging his mum back and blushing slightly.
Beth dragged the trunk out of the fireplace and stood nervously in the background.
“Oh you must be Beth,” said Mrs Diggory letting go of Cedric.
“Cedric’s told us so much about you, I’m so sorry about your grandfather.”
Mrs Diggory pulled Beth in for a hug and instead of clamming up or hyperventilating like she usually did, she burst into hysterical tears and dropped her trunk.
She had never had a mother, but she supposed that this must be what it was like to be hugged by a mother, it felt so warm so safe.
“Don’t worry dear it’s alright,” said Mrs Diggory stroking Beth’s hair, “you’re going to be alright.”
Beth was still sobbing as Remus arrived with his suitcase and Guinevere.
“Are you ok little one?”
“She’s fine Remus,” said Mrs Diggory, “she’s just had a shock, and probably very tired.”
“You sure you’re ok Beth?” asked Remus concernedly.
“Yeah,” said Beth still sobbing slightly, “I’m just tired.”
“Cedric, why don’t you show Beth up to her room, it’s the one next to yours.”
“Ok Mum,” nodded Cedric picking up Beth’s trunk and carrying it upstairs.
Beth followed him upstairs, as Remus fell back onto the sofa and Mr Diggory got out a bottle of firewhisky.
Beth passed a bedroom that was full of Quidditch posters and Hufflepuff banners and followed Cedric into the next door room.
There was a double bed with freshly changed light pink sheets and matching curtains, the windows looked out over the garden, but as it was dark outside she couldn’t see it.
“You’ve had a long day Beth, do you want to just go to bed?”
“Maybe,” muttered Beth.
“Tell you what, why don’t you get changed and I’ll go get your cat.”
Beth nodded slightly and got changed into a pair of pyjamas before kneeling down by the window and staring out.
The stars were so bright tonight, she remembered a story she had been told at Primary school. When a person died, their spirit was meant to go up to the sky and become a star. One of the stars was twinkling extra brightly, almost as if it was winking at her like Lyall used to.
“Hi there Cariad.”
Beth whipped her head around almost as if she expected Lyall to be in the room.
“I brought up Gwen,” said Remus handing her Guinevere.
Remus’ eyes were still slightly red from when he had been crying.
“I’m sorry if I haven’t been much help,” he muttered as Beth took Guinevere, “I was just a bit shocked.”
“It’s ok,” mumbled Beth.
“Do you want me to tuck you in?”
Beth bit her lip and nodded slightly.
“What are we going to do Uncle Remus?” she mumbled as Remus tucked her in.
“I don’t know Cariad,” sighed Remus, “but we’ll get through this together.”
“So, you don’t want to get rid of me?”
“Why would I ever want to get rid of you?” asked Remus brushing a stray lock of Beth’s hair out of the way.
“You are the most important thing in the world to me.”
“You always have been always will be, we need to look after each other even more now.”
Beth nodded and snuggled slightly further under the covers.
“Get some sleep sweetheart,” said Remus kissing her on the forehead.
“Night,” she muttered drowsily.
Guinevere nuzzled herself up against Beth for a moment before hopping off the bed and patrolling the door that Remus had left open.