05. Catch-22
||Hogwarts||
The group of friends were lingering next to an alcove in the courtyard. Cedric was sitting on the ground, leaning against a tree with his head in a book. He had a lot to catch up on, to say the least.
"There ain't no rest for the dead," Fred chuckled, unable to resist making the joke.
The gray-eyed boy allowed the remark to roll off his shoulders. He didn't take offense in the slightest. As a matter of fact, the fact that the twins could joke about it was a breath of fresh air. Everyone else seemed to be walking on eggshells around him. Even Natalie was treating him like he was going to have a mental breakdown at any given second. Granted, being, quote on quote, 'dead' for six months would take a toll on anyone mentally. But Cedric had been given a clean bill of health and was more than ready for things to go back to normal.
But, of course, how could anything feel 'normal' when the most integral piece of the friend group was missing? His heart sank at the thought.
"Holy Mother of Merlin..." George's eyes grew to the size of saucers. "Who is that?"
Each of their heads whipped in the direction that George was staring at— It was a girl. Of course, it was a girl. She was walking towards the school with her back towards them. She had long flowing hair the color of gold, cascading down her back in unruly waves, and was wearing a black dress that clung to her curves like its life depended on it.
Cedric's and George's jaws went slack simultaneously.
But when she turned slightly, lifting her chin to look towards the sky and allowing them a view of her side profile, each of them gasped.
"Is that.... Is that Elle?!" Fred asked, his eyes widening in surprise.
George rubbed his eyes, as though he couldn't believe what he was seeing. Cedric's face turned several different shades of red as he drank in the sight of his long, lost friend. It was Elliana. Clearly. But she looked... different.
Her hair was longer, ending just above her waist. She had.. filled out. Granted, she was never one to wear 'form-fitting' clothes, so it was hard telling the exact shape of her body seven months ago, but from what Cedric could remember, it didn't look quite like.. this. She had the perfect hour-glass figure, and her dress accentuated her cinched waist in a way that perfectly showcased it.
But it wasn't just her hair and body that were different. It was her in general. She seemed to almost glow, radiating confidence as she walked down the cobblestone path.
Despite how confidently she held herself, her friends could pick up on the cloud of sadness that hung over her head. Of course, she wouldn't be exactly thrilled to return, given the fact that she had no clue that her late best friend was alive and well.
He was certainly alive— And watching every step she took with wary eyes.
"It is!" Natalie exclaimed, a smile stretching across her face as she clasped her hands together excitedly. "It's Elle! And she's in a dress. Oh, she looks so pretty. It's about time her fashion sense improve.."
George was quite literally drooling. Cedric forced his gaze from Elliana and narrowed his eyes at him before springing to his feet and slapping his shoulder in a bid to snap the red-headed boy out of the trance he had fallen under.
"Gee, mate. Put your eyes back in your head," Fred chuckled at his brother's expense. "And wipe your mouth. This is Elle you're gawking at!"
George quirked a brow, unashamed. "Is it though?"
"No, it's her clone," Cedric responded in a sarcastic tone before preparing to bolt towards her, excitement coursing through his veins. "Come on, guys! What are we waiting for?"
"Okay, but on the off chance that it is her clone or perhaps a long-lost twin, I totally call dibs," George was quick to say, sounding entirely serious as he directed his comment towards a giddy Cedric, who simply rolled his eyes in response.
"...Can I call dibs regardless?" George was unable to resist asking with a cheeky grin.
"No!" Cedric exclaimed, his eyes widening in horror. "Don't be ridiculous."
Natalie and Fred laughed in unison, but George was unperturbed. Just as they were taking the first steps in her direction, Hagrid seemed to appear out of nowhere, whisking their friend away before they had a chance to follow. Cedric's shoulders slumped forward, deflating like a popped balloon.
"Diggory. A quick word, if you don't mind." The sound of Professor Sprout's voice coming from over his shoulder pulled him from his reverie.
||Elliana's P.O.V.||
The plane trip had taken a toll on me. Both mentally and physically. Hagrid had been a welcome distraction from my incessant thoughts, asking question upon question about my 'new boyfriend'. The fact that Edward was a vampire wasn't lost to him, and it seemed to fascinate him more than anything.
"So, possible doppelganger, ye thinking?" He questioned as we prepared to board the train leading to Hogwarts, rubbing his beard in thought. "The resemblance is uncanny, I must say. I've never seen nothing quite like it."
He had just finished communicating with Dumbledore via the handy-dandy two-way mirror in the privacy of a hollow oak tree that had been enchanted with the 'Silencio' charm, so I was unable to overhear the conversation. Not that I had the mental energy or desire to eavesdrop anyway.
I looked at Hagrid with a forced smile, nodding. "Yeah. That's the conclusion I've come up with anyway.."
He studied me for a moment before placing his large hand on my shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "I spoke with Albus a bit about yer... unique situation. He thinks it'd be best if ye keep yer relationship with the... vampire coven to yerself for now."
I was a bit taken aback, and I could feel myself growing defensive of the Cullens. "They're a family. Not just a coven..."
He offered me a small smile. "Of course, Ellie. All the same— It'd be best if ye keep it under wraps fer now. Especially yer special bond with that Edward feller."
I blinked rapidly, staring up at him. The sound of the train blowing its whistle in the distance filled my ears as I clutched at Ollie's cage.
"..So, I need to keep my boyfriend a secret from all my friends?" I asked, my brows knitting.
I had so been looking forward to telling Natalie all about how wonderful he is and showing her our collection of heart-shaped stones. Granted, I wasn't going to blurt out the fact that he was identical to Cedric just yet. That wasn't important anyway— It was simply an afterthought. I knew Edward's resemblance to my late best friend would be a sensitive subject for my friends at Hogwarts, so I had no intention on even bringing it up. But I did want them to know about the tender-hearted boy who had stolen my heart.
Hagrid nodded in response to my question. "Given the sensitive nature of the situation, I'd recommend it. Hogwarts isn't how you left it, Miss Ellie. I believe it'd be in the Cullens' best interest right now if you don't bring em up. The castle's walls have eyes and ears, and I'd hate for ye to unknowingly put yer friends safety in jeopardy back home.."
The color drained from my face. I thought by leaving, they'd be safe. It hadn't occurred to me that there could still be a target on their backs. Then again, if I had somehow sparked the interest of my estranged 'father' and he wanted to get my attention, he'd obviously use whatever means necessary to get it. Dumbledore and Hagrid were right— I needed to keep the Cullens out of this. At least until they were under the safety of Hogwarts themselves.
"Okay.." I finally managed to speak around the sudden lump in my throat. "..I.. I won't say anything."
"Good," he was quick to say, dropping his hand from my shoulder so he could grab my luggage as the train pulled up.
As he was loading my belongings into the compartment, he looked at me with a huge grin. "Despite everything, I believe yer going to be happy here, Ellie. You'll be in fer a nice surprise when ye walk into that castle. All of yer friends are anticipating yer arrival..."
The faintest of smiles flickered across my lips at that, however faint it was.
Still, the ache in my chest remained, a hollow feeling washing over me when the castle finally came into view. I squeezed the heart-shaped stone that was hanging around my neck, using the Protean charm to assure Edward that I was safe, making him aware from an ocean away that I had officially arrived at Hogwarts.
***
"Ye aren't excited at all to be back?" Hagrid asked curiously as we stepped foot into the enchanted castle.
His warm brown eyes crinkled at the edges, pulling up in a smile as he took in my sullen expression. I released a heavy sigh. My heart felt like lead in my chest before it gave way to a sharp, stabbing pain. His eyes of ember were burned into my memory. My lips were still tingling from our goodbye kiss. The kiss had been urgent and full of passion— Lacking its usual hesitancy and cautiousness.
"Soon," he had whispered, pressing his forehead against mine before placing a tender kiss there. "I'll find a way. I promise."
I was pulled back into reality when Hagrid gestured for me to lead the way. With every footstep that echoed throughout the empty hall, a tear slid down my face. I wiped furiously at the tears, blinking rapidly as I tried to get a grip on the many emotions coursing through me. The main one being ambivalence.
"Of course, I am," I breathed out as he looked me over; worry painted his features as he took note of my tear-stained cheeks. "I just.. miss him."
Hagrid's large hand clamped down on my shoulder before giving it a gentle, reassuring squeeze. "You'll be reunited with yer lover before ye know it."
His words brought me comfort, to my surprise. He sounded sincere— He truly believed what he was saying.
"It's difficult fer one of his kind to be separated from their mate, ye know. I'm assumin' the bond is just as strong fer ye as well." His eyes were full of sympathy before another grin spread across his bearded face. "A witch and a vampire? Who'da thought?"
I gave him a half-hearted smile at that, breathing out a humorless chuckle. "Not me."
Attempting to focus on the positives, I reminded myself that I was fixing to be reunited with three of my best friends. Natalie and my darling red-headed twins. That gave me the little push I needed to keep on walking.
"Ye should go on to the Great Hall. Yer just in time for lunch. I'll let Dumbledore know yer here and fetch ye here in a bit," he said to me, ruffling my hair affectionately before heading in the opposite direction.
A part of me was hoping that I wouldn't have to walk into the Great Hall alone. As luck would have it, Professor Snape rounded the corner, his dark beady eyes locking with mine. They narrowed into slits, as if he was annoyed by my very presence.
"Kingsley," he greeted me with a curt nod.
I knew he was tasked with 'keeping a watchful eye on me'. Since the news of my heritage, Dumbledore had assigned him as my mentor, entrusting him to keep up with my offensive studies.
"Professor Snape," I returned the greeting before falling in step behind him.
The doors of the Great Hall swung open. I kept my head down as we entered the daunting room. I felt like all eyes were on me as I kept pace with Professor Snape. My eyes scanned the sea of students, searching for my friends.
"Elle!" I heard Natalie call from over my shoulder before she flung her arms around my neck in a tight embrace that I was quick to return.
"..Nat," I breathed out, feeling my eyes well up with tears for the umpteenth time that day.
She was the one who pulled away, taking my hands in hers and studying my face intently. Her hair was longer than I remembered, and her smile seemed brighter somehow.
"We missed you." Her smile grew as her eyes glazed over with tears. "I'm so glad you're here."
A solitary tear slid down my cheek as I returned her smile in full force. "I missed you guys so much," I whispered around the lump in my throat.
"Ellie!" I heard the excited voices of my favorite set of twins.
Before I realized what was happening, George had picked me up and swung me around, earning a delighted giggle from me. He had just placed me on my feet when Fred crushed me against his chest. George was quick to join in on the hug, followed by Natalie. I sighed contentedly as I closed my eyes and imprinted this moment into my mind forever. My best friends.
After a long group hug, we pulled apart. I studied each of their faces carefully, smiling at the three of them fondly.
"You guys cut your hair," I breathed out with a smile, ruffling the twins' hair in an affectionate manner. "I like it. You look so 'grown up'."
My smile turned into a smirk when their eyes widened.
"We'll never grow up," Fred was quick to say, followed by George, "Never."
My smile grew. Despite the ache in my chest due to the thousands of miles that separated me from Edward, my heart felt warm.
"Aside from the haircuts, you two haven't changed a bit," I assured them before turning to Natalie. "And Natalie, you're even lovelier than I remember."
"Thanks, Elle," she beamed at me. "You too. You look great."
George looked me up and down before nodding his approval. "You really filled out," he said with a wink.
I playfully swatted his arm as we walked out to the courtyard. We were all far too excited to think about eating right now.
"..You know.. I really did miss you guys," I said to the three of them as the sun peeked through the clouds, warming my face. "..And the sunshine. I missed that too."
The sun was a catch-22 for me. I loved sunny weather, but I would gladly step in mud puddles every day if that meant having Edward by my side. The rain reminded me of him. So, as much as I loved the sun, I cherished the rain so much more.
"...But I'm really going to miss the rain," I added with a forlorn smile, lifting my face to the sky to see a few Quidditch players sailing through the air.
"What are you on about?" Fred asked curiously.
"Yeah. You hate the rain," George said with furrowed brows.
I pressed my lips into a thin line before forcing a smile to flit to my lips. Natalie was studying my face intently, tilting her head to the side as she did so.
"..It rains just about every day in Waverly," I explained to them, shrugging in faux nonchalance. "The gloomy weather must have grown on me."
"Well, we're glad you're back. Welcome home." Natalie's brown eyes were dancing happily.
Home. The second she spoke the word, his face flashed through my mind. For me, home is wherever he is. Right now, my home is in Waverly, Minnesota. But of course, I couldn't tell them that...
So, despite 'home' being in his arms, I gave Natalie a gentle smile and said, "Thanks. It's good to be back."
We walked over to one of the picnic tables situated between two trees. I leaned against the tree, feeling far too fidgety to sit down at the moment. Fred and George plopped on top of the table, their faces breaking out into lopsided grins as Natalie shifted her weight from one foot to the other.
"...Soooo, who's going to tell her?" George broke the silence, his smile growing.
That caught my attention. "Tell me what?" I asked, instantly intrigued.
Fred and Natalie exchanged cautious smiles before she stepped towards me and whispered, "..Elle, there's something you need to know."
Fear gripped me, despite the glee dancing in her eyes. I couldn't help but be on edge with everything going on. I folded my arms across my chest and frowned.
"What is it?" I asked warily, bracing myself for a mental blow.
She pressed her lips together, still smiling. I watched as tears glistened in her eyes.
"..It's about Cedric," she whispered.
Bile rose in my throat. After seven months, my late best friend was still a touchy subject for me, so I instantly tensed when she said his name.
My three friends studied me with wary eyes.
"..What about him, Natalie?" I asked, my voice void of all emotion.
Why were they looking at me like that? With excitement and pure joy? I narrowed my eyes at them suspiciously.
"He's—"
Natalie cut herself off mid-sentence as I heard an all-too-familiar voice call my name— A voice I never expected to hear again in this lifetime.
"Elliana," Cedric's deep voice came from over my shoulder.
My entire body stiffened, knowing that my ears were deceiving me. I should've known coming back was a bad idea. I hadn't hallucinated him in months.. Now, I haven't been at Hogwarts for even an hour, and they were already starting again. Maybe if I ignore it, it'll go away.
I struggled to keep a stoic face as I looked at each of my three friends, who were staring at me with wide eyes.
"You were saying?" I managed to choke out, quirking a brow at Natalie and clearing my throat.
She looked at me in disbelief. Just as she was opening her mouth to speak, I heard his voice again...
"Elliana!" He called out before appearing directly in front of me.
My jaw dropped. My heart was in my throat as he peered down at me with dancing gray eyes. I was frozen— Like a deer in headlights when he wrapped his arms around me and lifted me off the ground, spinning me around in the air and laughing joyfully as he did so before setting me to my feet.
It was then that I came to my senses.
I scowled at 'Cedric' as I pulled out my wand and cast the Jelly-Legs jinx, watching as he fell to the ground in shock.
"..What the hell?" He looked up at me in confusion from his spot on the ground. "Wh-Wh—"
Fred and George threw their heads back and laughed. Natalie rushed to my side, looking at me with horrified eyes.
"Elle, what are you doing?!" Her voice went up an octave when she took note of the fire dancing in my eyes.
She knelt down to the ground next to 'Cedric' and pulled out her wand, no doubt going to cast the reversal spell. I wasted no time in silently casting 'Expelliarmus', sending her wand flying out of her hand. The twins' laughter stopped abruptly, suddenly realizing the seriousness of the situation. Natalie sprung to her feet, her jaw going slack. 'Cedric' was looking at me in apparent horror.
"Stay away from him, Nat," I warned her, pointing my wand directly at the look-alike. My voice was dripping with venom as I said, "...I thought you had a one-way ticket to Azkaban."
Had Reining really somehow managed to escape? Had he been set free? I shuddered at the reminder of his grimy hands all over my body as he had been disguised as my best friend. Even now, his unwanted touch still lingered.
Perhaps it wasn't even Reining at all. Perhaps it was another Deatheater using a Polyjuice potion, trying to masquerade as Cedric Diggory. And they had really been so foolish as to traipse into Hogwarts? I was shocked.
The 'look-alike' stared up at me in faux confusion. "...What?"
Fred and George flitted to either side of me, gazing at me with worried eyes. Fred tried to lower my hand that was holding the wand, but I brushed him off, keeping my eyes on the Polyjuiced Deatheater.
"..Ellie, lower your wand," George urged in a wary tone, his eyes widening.
"No!" I yelled, my grip tightening on my wand as I took a threatening step towards 'Cedric'. "Someone get Dumbledore or Snape now!"
"Elliana, why are you doing this?!" Natalie stared at me in shock. "He's your best friend."
My scowl deepened. "No. He's not. My best friend was murdered seven months ago, need I remind you."
I couldn't keep the harshness from my tone if I tried, but I was too full of adrenaline to care.
To my surprise, 'Cedric's' eyes filled with tears as he gazed up at me. For a fleeting moment, I felt my defenses start to crumble. I swallowed hard around the sudden lump that had formed in my throat and stood my ground, despite my heart clenching in my chest.
"..Elliana," he whispered my name. "It's me."
Something was swirling in the depth of his pupils that stunned me to my core, but I was quick to collect myself. My Pro-Dueling training had paid off, allowing me to focus on the task at hand— Protecting my friends from the Deatheater before me.
"I'm not going to fall for your tricks," I hissed, probably looking just as crazed as I felt as I continued gripping my wand like my life depended on it. "Keep your damn mouth shut!"
The twins' jaws went slack, not used to hearing their sweet, soft-spoken friend speak in such a way.
"Bea!" The look-alike blurted out. "Remember? Bea the Bean? Our bean? A-And Oliver?"
My eyes glazed over, my mouth falling open as I was hit full force with the memory.
Professor Sprout had assigned all the first years to grow plants from a tiny bean plant on our first day. Over the course of two months, the bean plants had shown tremendous growth. I admired my cute little plant with a huge grin on my face. Cedric chuckled and lightly pinched my cheek in a teasing manner, causing me to blush and my smile to grow.
"Looks like your plant is the biggest and most beautiful." Cedric beamed at me. "What's your secret?"
I giggled as I gently caressed the small leaf of my plant. "Well, for starters, I've given him a name."
"A name?" He quirked a brow, grinning from ear to ear.
"That's right. 'Oliver', to be exact."
"Oliver?" He chuckled.
I hummed in response. "'Ollie' for short."
Cedric looked at his plant and pursed his lips. "I should probably give mine a name too, huh?"
"Most definitely." I nodded.
"Any suggestions?" He asked, smiling softly.
I tapped my chin in thought. "How about 'Beatrice'? And you can call her 'Bea'."
"Bea the Bean." He laughed, his eyes dancing with joy. "It's perfect."
The next day when I went into the greenhouse, I was left in tears upon finding Oliver shriveled up and dead. Turns out, Reining was behind it (no surprise there). When Cedric found out, he decked Reining right in the nose. That had prevented any further bullying from the obnoxious Slytherin; at least for several weeks anyway.
Later that day, Cedric wrapped an arm around my shoulder and said, "You can help me take care of Bea. She can be our bean, okay?"
I nodded, leaning my head against his shoulder. "Okay."
Natalie and the twins were continuing to look back and forth between me and the Deatheater with worried eyes.
"At the ball.." 'Cedric' trailed off, sorrow falling over his features. "We danced together, and I told you you looked like Cinderella, remember? A-And you compared me to Jaq."
The grip on my wand lessened as I lost myself in yet another memory.
His eyes trailed from my face and down my neck, stopping as he appeared to study my dress— Particularly the intricate design that decorated the top of my chest. When his face flushed, I thought I may have imagined it. Only when his guilty eyes flickered to mine in embarrassment did I realize that I hadn't.
"..Sorry," he mumbled, sounding bashful. "I'm not used to seeing you like this. You look— You look amazing. Beautiful."
I blinked rapidly, at a loss for words. He tilted his head to the side, studying my blushing face with a cheeky grin.
"What was that muggle princess's name? The one with the blue dress and mice for friends?" He asked, his grin growing.
My blushing intensified. We both sported matching rosy cheeks as we continued our dance, the tension hanging like a thick curtain between us (in a good way, of course). I briefly wondered if he could feel it too? Doubtful.
"You mean Cinderella." I laughed. "With the glass slippers."
He chuckled musically, throwing his head back in amusement. "Ah, that's the one! You look like Cinderella."
My eyes immediately filled with tears as I lowered my wand, gazing into his stormy orbs of silver. The sound of my heart bounding in my chest echoed in my ears.
"...C-Ced?" I whispered hoarsely around the giant lump in my throat.
I watched as the first tear slid down his face. He nodded, smiling sorrowfully. My heart lurched, dropping to my stomach before I cast the reversal charm with shaky hands, tears rolling down my cheeks as he jumped to his feet.
Immediately, I threw myself into his arms, wrapping my arms around his neck and sobbing into his chest. He wrapped his arms around my waist, holding me tightly against him as he buried his face in my hair. I inhaled deeply, breathing in his comforting scent for the first time in seven months. The smell of cinnamon and sunshine filled my nostrils, and I found myself crying harder as the weight of everything came crashing down on me.
I couldn't believe it. I was in a state of shock. It took a moment for my mind and body to catch up with each other, but when they did, I felt the earth shift on its axis. The trees above us started spinning, a wave of lightheadedness engulfing me. I barely felt Cedric's arms tighten around me, preventing me from collapsing to the ground as everything faded to black.
||AUTHOR'S NOTE||
AHHHHHH!!!!! Ellie is reunited with her wizarding friends at last, and most importantly her dearest friend of all— Cedric. It's so bittersweet. 😭💕
So, I had this chapter ready to be published on Saturday and completely forgot about it after saving it in my drafts. Sorry! For some reason, I thought I had already published it over the weekend. I only realized I hadn't when I was uploading the draft for the next chapter. Hahaha! 😆