06. Death Makes The Heart Grow Fonder
||Elliana's P.O.V.||
When my eyes slowly fluttered open, I realized I was in the infirmary. I stared up at the all-too-familiar ceiling of the hospital wing as I laid in the bed, trying to recall what I was even doing there. That's when it all came flooding back at once.
Wow. What an intense dream. It had all felt so real. My heart felt heavy in my chest at the memory. For a fleeting moment, I had seen him again— My dearest friend. In the land of dreams, he was there— Alive and well.
"You're awake," his soft voice came from my left.
I turned and locked eyes with his orbs of silver, a small smile creeping to my lips as I did so. In that moment, I didn't mind hallucinating him again. After the vivid dream I had, it was no surprise that my delirious mind had conjured him up once more.
"I believe so," I chuckled dryly in response as he sat down beside me on the edge of the bed.
If I wasn't mistaken, I could've sworn I could feel the warmth radiating off him, but I chalked it up to lingering aftereffects of the strange dream.
A crooked grin spread across his face as he looked at me. "You really had us worried there for a second, passing out like that."
He hesitantly reached towards my face, his hand lingering before tucking a lock of hair behind my ear. My eyes grew to the size of saucers— Realization hitting me like a ton of bricks.
It wasn't a dream.
He was really here. Cedric... My best friend was.. alive.
All I could do was stare at him, in a state of shock.
He pursed his lips in thought, withdrawing his hand from my face as he tilted his head to the side, studying me.
"..I guess your reaction should've been expected, huh?" He chuckled dryly, his smile wavering. "..Seeing me after.. Well, you know.."
I continued staring at him, counting the faint freckles that scattered his cheeks like I've done countless times before. A part of me kept waiting for him to disappear, to vanish into thin air. Several heartbeats passed before I sat up in bed, holding his wary gaze as his stormy eyes pored into mine.
"..You're alive," I whispered, my heart racing as I brought my hand up to his face, running the tips of my fingers along his cheek.
A faint blush painted his cheeks a dusty pink color, his face growing warm beneath my touch.
He flashed me a crooked grin that used to tie my stomach in knots.
"..Last I checked, yeah," he chuckled, attempting to make light of the situation.
I opened my mouth to speak, but before I had the chance, Natalie and the twins pulled back the curtain, revealing their smiling faces.
"There she is!" George grinned from ear to ear, plopping down at the foot of the bed. "..You're not going to pass out on us again, are you?" He teased.
His twin brother was all too quick to join in, adding with a chuckle, "As long as Ced doesn't make her 'swoon' again, she should be fine."
My mouth fell open at the insinuation. Used to, a comment like that would've had me blushing cherry red, but now, I simply laughed in amusement.
"I didn't 'swoon'," I used air quotes, shaking my head and smiling.
"You're one to talk, Fred," Natalie spoke up, grinning cheekily. "You went down like a tree when you first saw Cedric."
***
"Professor Dumbledore," I called out as I stood in front of his office before hearing him mumble 'Come in'.
After getting the all-clear from Madam Pomfrey, Dumbledore had instructed Hagrid to bring me to his office, so there I was— Sitting in the oversized chair in front of the elderly wizard as he flipped through pages upon pages of a weathered-looking book.
A moment of silence stretched between us before he looked up from the book and offered me a warm smile. "I'll start off by saying 'Welcome back'. You were greatly missed."
"Thank you," I responded, shifting in the seat. "It's.. good to be back."
He wasted no time in getting straight to the point. "Severus has made you aware of the unique circumstances regarding your return— The importance of you attending Hogwarts."
I nodded in response. "Yes, sir. He... explained some things to me, but um, I—"
Before I could finish the sentence, he cut me off to say, "I heard about your little fainting spell. My apologies. I was hoping to speak with you before you ran into your friend, but you know how that goes."
I blinked rapidly, still trying to process the entire situation. "It's.. fine. I'm still trying to wrap my head around it, to be honest. I mean.. How is this even possible?" I leaned forward, placing my hands on top of the desk as I continued in a shaky voice, "..I..I saw him.. die.. with my very own eyes."
Dumbledore nodded, appearing pensive as he adjusted his moon-shaped spectacles on his nose. "Yes, I'm aware of the impossibility of it all. Magic has always decreed that, quote on quote, 'death' is permanent. But... if there are infinite possibilities, by default, it is impossible for the word 'impossible' to exist."
All I could do was stare at him, at a loss. A faint smile tugged at his lips as he leaned back in his chair.
"..You and Cedric Diggory share a special bond, as I'm sure you're aware. A profound, irrevocable bond laced with magic at its very core," he spoke quietly, holding my stunned gaze.
"What?" I furrowed my brows. "I mean.. Yeah, of course. We're best friends, but—"
"It's more than that," he interrupted me to say, slowly shaking his head. "There is much, much more to it than that, Miss Kingsley."
"I don't understand," was all I could say.
Was he speaking in riddles or something?
"Hagrid informed me of your relationship with a certain.. vampire." He quirked a brow, appearing mildly amused. "That's one for the history books, although it's not the first instance in which a wizarding individual found themselves romantically involved with one of their kind."
"Dorian and Mina," I breathed out, well aware of the story already. "They were fated."
His eyes gleamed with delight. "Ah. Yes. So, you've heard of them. The 'fate' bond— That's the epitome of magic..." He trailed off, studying me before asking, "..This vampire fellow.. The two of you are fated, are you not?"
I nodded, wondering where he was getting his information. But this was Dumbledore we were talking about.
"..How.. How did you know?" I asked, tilting my head.
"He's Cedric's doppelganger," he responded with a shrug, shuffling the aged papers on his desk. "..Or shall I say— Cedric's his doppelganger. However you want to look at it."
I was still confused.
"Yeah.. Okay.. But what does that have to do with the fate bond?" I wondered, my curiosity only growing.
He didn't miss a beat, his eyes locking with mine as he stated, "Everything."
Just as I was opening my mouth to speak, to ask for elaboration, he slid a piece of paper towards me and said, "Your class schedule. You'll be meeting with Severus several times a week to ensure you get caught up, starting today. Any questions?"
I clutched at the parchment in my hand, nodding. "Uh, yeah... Lots of questions actually."
He offered me a tight-lipped smile, glancing up at the clock hanging on the wall. "..Well, I'm afraid questions will have to wait for another time. I've got a meeting to tend to."
My mouth fell open as I rose from the chair, sensing an urgency as he stood up and opened the door, waiting for me to make my exit.
As I was walking by him, I had one last thing to say that I felt couldn't wait. "Professor Dumbledore.. You understand that I'm 'fated' to Edward.. And I want you to know that he and his family.. They're not like other vampires. They're vegetarians, feeding on the blood of animals. And I-I was wondering.. They've been working with the Aurors back in Stitchers Bend, safeguarding the town from.. threats.. And I, uh.. I really think they'd be a good addition to Hogwarts.."
"Hagrid has already brought the situation to my attention, and I do believe you're right. We could greatly benefit from having their surveillance, but it isn't just up to me. You're aware that wizarding folk aren't exactly welcoming towards their kind, so it's going to take some convincing to get the Ministry on board."
I nodded in understanding, my heart sinking. "Yeah, I know.."
He reached out, placing a hand on my shoulder in a bid to be comforting. "I'll see what I can do. In the meantime, focus on your studies. On your training. And... keep quiet. Your.. heritage.. is a secret you must keep for now."
I had so many questions regarding my 'heritage', but I knew now clearly wasn't the time to discuss such matters. Once more, I nodded.
"..Thank you.." I whispered before walking away, my mind and heart reeling.
My and Cedric's 'connection'. My 'fate bond' with Edward. My 'secret' heritage. I sifted through my thoughts, trying to process everything all at once. But I had no idea where to even begin.
***
After my mind-reeling meeting with Dumbledore, my friends and I found ourselves sitting on the hilly bank overlooking the Black Lake. We were gathered around in a circle, basking in each other's presence after being separated for far too long.
When I glanced at Cedric, my heart felt as heavy as lead. Here he was— My best friend of six years. Literally back from the dead. In all my wildest dreams, I had never imagined this. No prophecy could have prepared me to see the boy who had sacrificed his life to save mine.
After hallucinating him for months after the tragedy, actually seeing him felt like a fever dream. I couldn't stop myself from reaching out to touch his face, simply to ensure that he was truly there. It was difficult for me to accept that my mind wasn't playing a sick, twisted trick on me.
When I felt his warm, blushing cheek beneath my palm, my racing heart slowly returned to normal.
He was here. Truly, he was.
He flashed me a sheepish smile, his blush deepening as I pulled my hand from him.
"Sorry." I beamed at him, studying the faint freckles on his face for the umpteenth time that day. "It's just hard to believe that you're actually here."
He breathed out a wry laugh, his eyes flickering to our friends before meeting mine once more. "I can imagine."
Natalie was grinning from ear to ear. "It's... mind boggling. Here we are. All of us. Just like old times."
"Here, here," Fred and George said in sync, popping a jellybean in their mouths.
"Ew! Cement." Fred's face pulled down in disgust.
"Mine tastes like paint," George said with a frown, chewing slowly.
I threw my head back and laughed whole-heartedly. Some things never change. Speaking of..
"..Ced, you look exactly the same." Tilting my head to the side, I continued to study him, still in disbelief.
"Death was kind to the bloke." Fred joked, followed by George, "Does wonders for the skin."
Natalie and I both rolled our eyes at that while Cedric simply chuckled, not taking offense.
"..Time seemed to have stood still for me," he explained, shrugging in faux nonchalance.
The way his jaw was set led me to believe that he wasn't as unbothered by the whole 'back from the dead' thing as he was letting on.
"How is that even possible?" I voiced the question aloud, completely at a loss.
Death was permanent. Magic couldn't bring people back from the dead. So, how was he here? My discussion with Professor Dumbledore had left me with more questions than answers.
Once again, Cedric shrugged. "I have no idea. No one does. The last thing I remember before waking up in the Quidditch field was seeing a flash of green light. Professor Dumbledore has been looking into it, but so far, he's coming up blank."
I pulled my knees up to my chest, being careful not to flash anyone in my short dress. This was so much for me to wrap my head around. It felt like I was in a state of shock. Still, I wasn't complaining.
"Well.." I trailed off, pursing my lips in thought. "For whatever reason, Ced, you've been given a second chance."
A small smile flitted to his lips that didn't quite reach his eyes. "It would seem so.."
My smile grew, feeling so lighthearted I could fly. "Any idea what you're going to do with it?"
He dropped his gaze to the ground, seeming deep in thought. A moment passed before he looked at me, his lips pressed into a thin line. He released a soft sigh and stared out across the lake, the late afternoon sun reflecting on the rippling surface of the water.
The four of us were waiting on pins and needles for his answer.
Finally, he spoke, meeting my gaze with a bittersweet smile, "...I haven't the slightest clue."
***
"I can't believe you have a dorm all to yourself," Natalie commented as she helped me unpack.
Apparently, Dumbledore thought it would better be (given the situation) if I had my own dorm. Considering the fact that everyone thought it best that I keep my 'true heritage' a secret, some space from a roommate's prying eyes would be beneficial.
However, I would miss sharing a room with Natalie. We had been roommates since first year, so it felt wrong being in this room all by my lonesome.
"Me neither," I mumbled, pulling out one of Edward's hoodies that he had gifted me for my journey.
I ran my hand along the soft material, envisioning him in it. Immediately, a dull ache ignited in my chest. "..I can't believe I'm back."
She looked up from arranging my shoes and offered me a soft smile. "I'm glad you are. We're all glad you are."
I blinked rapidly. My mind was still struggling to process that I was, in fact, back at Hogwarts. That my late best friend was, in fact, back from the dead. Literally.
Seeing him again was an actual dream come true. I couldn't count how many times I had wished and prayed, prayed and wished that I could somehow trade places with him. Having him back... It was surreal, for lack of a better term.
The first thing I wanted to do was tell Edward the wonderful news. But that wasn't an option. Sure, I could write him a letter, but I felt that telling him my best friend was miraculously back from the dead wasn't exactly something one should convey in a letter. That was the sort of news you tell someone in person.
Natalie stood up from her spot on the floor and walked towards my bed, sitting down beside me. She tilted her head to the side, studying me.
"..Can I ask you something?" She asked me.
I breathed out a laugh, a smirk flitting to my lips. "You just did."
She rolled her eyes playfully. "Seriously?"
I bumped her shoulder with mine, smiling at her. "Go for it."
She wasted no time in doing just that. "..Why did you attack Cedric?"
My brows flew up my forehead. Of all things, I wasn't expecting her to ask me that. Although, I could see why she would.
She took my silence as reluctance, so she continued, "..Your first instinct when you saw him was to 'attack'? Why?"
I breathed out a sigh, running a hand through my hair. In this case, I figured honesty was the best policy.
"When I was in Waverly..." I trailed off, collecting my thoughts. "Connor Reining showed up Polyjuiced as Cedric."
Her eyes grew to the size of saucers. "What?!"
I nodded, my face pulling down in a frown.
"Why? Why would he do that? What happened?" She was aghast.
I couldn't tell her the entire truth— That Reining was a Deatheater. That would raise some questions that I wasn't sure how to answer. But I could give her a vital puzzle piece.
"He... wanted me," I blurted out.
And that was, indeed, the truth. My 'father' had promised me to the snaggle-toothed Slytherin, though I had no idea as to why.
She blinked rapidly, stunned. "..What?"
"Weird, right?" I chuckled nervously. "Yeah. He.. showed up at my school. Guess he thought he could trick me? I don't know.."
A look of worry fell over her face. "Did he... do something to you?" She asked in a faint whisper, sounding fearful.
I chewed on my lower lip, growing anxious at the memory. "Um.." My gaze fell to the floor. "He.. He tried to... He tried.."
Her eyes grew, her mouth falling open. "..Tried to do what exactly?" She asked in a whisper, her eyes full of fear and concern.
I gulped, shuddering at the thought. She was watching me closely, her features pulled down in worry.
"...What did he try to do, Elle?" She repeated, her voice wavering as tears filled her eyes.
It was difficult to talk about, but now that it was brought up, I figured keeping it to myself would only make things worse.
Inhaling a shaky breath, I managed to respond, "...Immediately, I knew he wasn't Cedric. As if Reining could ever pull that off." I scoffed, trying and failing to sound lighthearted. "..But when he found out that I knew.. He did try to make me.. do things with him."
A tear slid down her face, but she remained silent, waiting for me to continue.
"At first, I didn't have my wand.. I felt so.. powerless." My throat started burning when tears sprang to my eyes; tears that I wouldn't allow to fall.
She placed a hand on my arm and looked at me with pure sorrow in her eyes. "Elle.. Did he...?"
She trailed off, unable to bring herself to finish the sentence. I shook my head, offering her a forlorn smile.
"..He was going to," I admitted, pulling my lower lip between my teeth. "But I... It didn't get that far.."
I couldn't bring myself to admit that I had used an Unforgivable Curse on him. Nor could I admit that I had blacked out in a fit of rage before doing so, managing to overpower the Deatheater with little effort. How I was able to do get the upper hand like that, I still had no clue. Was it purely due to adrenaline?
"I.. was able to fight him off," I whispered, leaving out all the details. "..And my friend showed up."
Friend. The word felt foreign on my tongue; at least as far as Edward was concerned. Sure, at that point in time, he was just my friend. Or at least I had thought. It's funny looking back because deep down, he was always much, much more. Even when I was too stubborn and blind to see it. Still, he always knew.
My heart ached in yearning at the thought of him.
"Oh, Elle!" Natalie cried, throwing her arms around me in an embrace. "I'm so glad. So, so glad!"
When she pulled away, she wiped at her tear-stained face furiously. "If I ever see that pathetic snake again, so help me, I'll—"
"Trust me.. He won't be coming anywhere near me." I laughed dryly.
The aurors of the MACUSA had collaborated with the Ministry, ensuring he had a one-way ticket to Azkaban after discovering the 'Dark Mark' on his forearm. Safe to say, he was rotting away in a magical cell as we spoke. Of course, I couldn't tell Natalie that. If she knew that Reining was a Deatheater, that would just raise questions that I couldn't yet answer.
"He better not!" She snapped, shaking her head in anger before collecting herself, flashing me a bright smile. "Enough of that.. Let's finish unpacking. The boys want to meet up with us before dinner."
My heart dropped.
"I can't," I told her, frowning. "I have to meet up with Professor Snape."
She furrowed her brows. "Whatever for?"
I shrugged one shoulder in faux nonchalance. "He's supposed to make sure I'm all caught up. Dumbledore tasked him with ensuring that I don't fall behind."
She pursed her lips. "Of all professors, why him?"
I lifted a shoulder in a partial shrug. "I.. don't know," I lied, forcing a smile. "Maybe because I'm struggling particularly with potions?"
That wasn't exactly a lie. Potions was never my strong suit.
A sigh escaped her. "..I guess that makes sense. But.. Can't you reschedule? You can start tomorrow. Surely Snape would understand."
I quirked a brow in amusement. "Snape? Understand? Those two words don't belong in the same sentence."
She groaned in frustration. "But it's your first day back. It's our first dinner together. With you and Cedric."
"I know..." I offered her an apologetic smile, releasing a deep sigh. "But I'll make it in time for dinner. Save me a seat, okay?"
"You know I will." She breathed out a dry laugh before narrowing her eyes in a teasing manner, organizing my books as she spoke, her tone thoughtful, "...Do you have any idea how happy Ced was when he found out you were coming back?"
I felt myself deflate, but I hoped it didn't show on my face. Don't get me wrong— Words couldn't describe how ecstatic I was to have him back, but I was seriously dreading having 'the talk'. Eventually, he would want to talk about the events leading up to the final challenge, and I honestly had no idea what I would even say to him.
Her mouth tugged down at the corners as she took in my reaction.
Per usual, I used humor to hide my discomfort. "..Nowhere near as happy as I was upon seeing my best friend alive and breathing after seven months of.. not."
She looked at me with apprehension before chuckling. "Fair point." A cheeky grin spread across her face before she wagged her eyebrows suggestively and said, "..You know what they say, right?"
I was worried where she was going with this. "..What?"
"Death makes the heart grow fonder," she joked, her smile growing as she continued wiggling her brows.
My mouth fell open before I let out a loud laugh. "That's distance, Nat."
"All the same." She shrugged, her smile faltering slightly as she continued to look at me. "...You okay?"
I was quick to nod. "I'm great."
Lie. Was that all I was going to do anymore?
She hummed in response, not buying it. I laughed once more before pulling her in for a big hug.
"I missed you, Nat. Loads and loads!"
She chuckled, pulling away and smiling softly. "I missed you too."
We continued unpacking for several minutes. Natalie was sifting through my clothes with a pleased grin on her face.
"Well... I'm glad to see that you've finally developed a fashion sense," she mumbled, catching my eye.
She can thank Alice and Amy for that. I rolled my eyes and threw a rolled-up sock at her.
||AUTHOR'S NOTE||
So happy to be writing this. 😊 It brings me such joy! Although this chapter was written MONTHS ago. I just had to go in and tweak a few things. I've written ahead quite a bit for this story; just different random chapters that I'll be 'piecing' together. I'm so excited! 😁
I know you're all missing Edward. I miss him too. Our precious baby. 😭 But we'll be reunited with him soon. I promise! Just have to stir the pot a bit before he and the others arrive lol! I may sprinkle in some of Edward's P.O.V. here and there until we're able to see him again if you guys would like. Let me know. ☺️There will definitely be some of Cedric's P.O.V. coming up, so that should be interesting!
Love you, mean it!!! 🥰💕