prospicere futurum

Corinne offered Flitwick a tired smile, passing over her exam, eager to escape from the stuffy classroom and quite frankly, just thankful she hadn't fallen asleep during the test. She of course had good reason to turn down Cedric's offer, or rather, his plea for her to stay last night with him, though she pointed out he needed a good night's sleep before the tournament, and deserved to be able to sleep in, while her alarm would ring bright and early for the day's exams. That didn't mean she hadn't regretted her decision a few hours later as she stared at the top of her bed, huffing out a silent sigh, her eyes begging for sleep that she knew wouldn't come. If she hadn't been so worried about the tournament, it would have been pouring over the exam subjects.

But now, her final exam was finished and as she breathed in a calming breath of the cool air outside of the charms classroom, she reminded herself for the dozenth time that whatever tonight's task brought, it would all be over. The tournament, the inter-house rivalry, or at least until Quidditch season started up again next term... Most importantly, the school year was drawing to a close, and win or lose tonight, Corinne was quite looking forward to a lazy summer with Cedric by her side.

As much as she wanted to drag herself back up to her bed to catch at least a short nap, the smarter half of her was sure she'd sleep right through dinner and miss the tournament completely, and as mature as she was sure Cedric would be, win or lose, she was going to be there by his side.

She hurried down the steps where the doors to the Great Hall were open, the tables already beginning to fill with students, the chatter carrying into the corridor as she stepped inside.

She spotted him at once, though his back was to her, and her stomach jolted at the sight. He was speaking to a shorter man and a thin, gorgeous woman, and as Corinne scanned over the room, spotting the other champions one by one, she realized who the strangers were. The families had been invited to watch the third task. She was going to meet Cedric's parents.

She glanced down over her uniform, straightening her skirt hastily and attempting to flatten out her hair which she was sure looked a mess after a full day of exams and a full night of little to no sleep.

She caught a glimpse of Krum from the corner of her eye, though even as she passed him she couldn't understand a word of his low conversation with his parents. He looked nearly an exact copy of his father and nothing like his mother at his side.

She turned her focus now towards the rest of the Great Hall, catching sight of Fleur's pastel robes at once. Her mother was grinning, proudly, speaking rapidly in French, though Fleur's eyes were latched across the room, Corinne following her gaze until it met a tall, thin man with familiar colored red hair beside a rather stout women with the same genuine smile. Harry Potter stood between them, Ron at his side shrugging away a question his mother had asked him.

"Corinne!" Cedric's voice pulled her attention away from the Weasleys, her stomach settling at the sight of that gorgeous smile as he waved her closer.

"So this is Corinne?" Cedric's mother smiled, warmly, reaching out her hand for a handshake. "I didn't know what I was more excited for, watching Ced win the tournament, or meeting the girl I've been hearing about all term."

"Mom." Cedric's tone was warning, though his smile hardly faltered as he pulled Corinne easily into his side.

"Pleasure to meet you, dear." Cedric's father grinned down at the pair, "How were exams?"

Cedric turned to her, apparently eager for the answer as well.

"Oh, they went well!" She nodded, "I'm glad they're done with."

"She did great." Cedric assured his parents, "She's been studying like a maniac for weeks."

"That'll come in handy for you next year, lets hope she can whip you into shape." Mrs. Diggory said, "Honestly, sometimes I don't know what's going through Dumbledore's mind. Giving the lot of you your exams off the year before NEWTs?"

"He'll be fine." Amos waved a hand through the air lazily. "He's always been top of his class, and just think how all the achievements from the tournament will look on any job application. As if they won't already know his name, isn't that right?" He nudged Cedric lightly and Corinne watched as her boyfriend resisted an eye roll in response.

"Should we find a spot for dinner?" Cedric asked, changing the subject, though his parents nodded at once and followed him over to the Hufflepuff table. "You can eat with your friends." He said beneath his breath, turning towards her as they took their seats.

"No!" She shook her head without thinking, "No, I'd like to eat with you."

"And you'd better eat up, Cedric. Who knows what they've got waiting for you in that maze." His mother said, her gaze drifting to the edges of the room as if she'd be able to see the grounds through the stone walls.

Corinne smiled as Dumbledore rose to the podium at the front of the hall, welcoming the judges and the families of the champions before inviting everyone to dig into the beautiful meal that had appeared before them. There was certainly more options tonight than she had seen in weeks, probably since the ball, and though everything looked amazing, she found her stomach swirling with nerves as the Diggory's went over possible obstacles that could be waiting inside the maze.

"You'll have to eat something more than bread." Cedric mumbled in her direction as his parents argued over the correct pronunciation of a spell that surely hadn't been uttered in the last two decades. Corinne glanced down at the slice of bread she had been tearing apart over her plate and dropped it at once, grabbing her fork and attempting her best glare in Cedric's direction as she began cutting her chicken absentmindedly.

"Corinne, do you have anything fun planned for the summer?" Mrs. Diggory asked, thankfully pulling Cedric's attention from Corinne's dinner.

"Honestly, I don't think so, but I'll be quite content with a nice easy summer." She answered, briefly meeting Cedric's gaze as his fingers found her thigh beneath the table.

"It's been a crazy year." Cedric explained, and his parents nodded along as if they needed no explanation.

"For us as well. You wouldn't believe the amount of house calls I've made in the last month alone. It seems as though there's a ghoul on every other street these days, even in the muggle neighborhoods. And then I've got to go track down somebody from muggle relations because I'm not dealing with all that. Whatever they end up doing, probably obliviating them..." Amos carried on and Cedric nodded along, seemingly content to be back with his parents, even for a short while. Corinne wondered how long the families would stay, and if they were staying overnight, where were they sleeping? Come to think of it, how long was the task supposed to last? They'd only given them an hour to swim through the black lake... it couldn't take much longer for four of Hogwarts brightest students to find their way through a bunch of shrubs.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" Dumbledore's voice rang out once again, the chatter of the hall dying out all at once, "In five minutes' time, I will be asking you to make your way down to the Quidditch field for the third and final task of the Triwizard Tournament!"

There was an excited scatter of applause throughout the tables as Dumbledore nodded.

"Will the champions please follow Mr. Bagman down to the stadium now!" He finished, gesturing towards the familiar judge beside him on the podium.

"Alright..." Cedric stood, glancing over the three of them. "Wish me luck!"

"You won't need it!" Amos grinned, patting Cedric's arm as Mrs. Diggory and Corinne bid him good luck before he turned back, hurrying to catch up with the other champions as they started out to the hall.

"Everyone else, if you'd please find your way to the exit. The final task will be held on the quidditch pitch, though I don't think you'll have any difficulty finding it." Dumbledore smiled easily.

"It was so nice to meet you both." Corinne smiled, climbing from her seat as well. "I'd better find my housemates."

"It was lovely to meet you, Corinne. I'm sure we'll be seeing plenty of each other this summer." Mrs. Diggory smiled knowingly, and waved Corinne a goodbye as she hurried over towards Taylor and Ella who'd been waiting for her at the end of the Hufflepuff table.

"Meeting the parents, huh?" Taylor teased.

"Has he told them?" Ella asked, trailing off as Corinne shook her head quickly to shut her friend up.

"Have you told your parents about Eddie Carmichael?" She hissed, Ella's lips sinking into a scowl as they made their way into the fresh night air.

The walk to the pitch didn't seem nearly as long as they followed the crowds along the worn grass path.

"Is he nervous?" Ella asked as the girls hurried up the steps, scanning over the available space in the stands.

"Actually, he seems alright. I think it was good, having his parents here."

"Plus the fact that he and everyone else here knows he's going to win." Taylor grinned, excitedly. "Oh, look!" She pointed down to the grounds where the champions were emerging from the tent at the edge of the pitch near Bagman and a few professors. They had changed into their uniforms, Cedric wearing the familiar black and gold jersey. They walked along the edge of the stands, Cedric's gaze searching over the growing crowd for only a moment before Corinne hopped down, a warm smile lining her face.

"Looking for someone?" She asked, cocking her head to the side.

"Yeah, my good luck charm. You haven't seen her, have you? Blonde, dazzling smile, piercing blue eyes?"

"Hmm... nope, sorry. I'll keep an eye out though." She shrugged, leaning her elbows onto the railing to meet his eyes.

"Good luck." She muttered at last, enjoying the grin that overtook his face for only a moment before he tucked his finger beneath her jaw, pulling her only slightly to close the space between them with a kiss.

"Mr. Diggory!" McGonagall shouted, offering him a stern glare which did nothing to melt the smile from his face.

"Be right back." Cedric winked, his fingers slipping through Corinne's easily as he hurried towards the maze, already nodding along to whatever Professor McGonagall was explaining.

Corinne spun back around at last, spotting Ella and Taylor who had managed to secure a decent spot among the towering bleachers. There were already crowds of younger, excited students huddled into the first two rows, though Corinne felt the third row back was plenty close, especially after noting the eerie mist floating through the entrance of the maze before them.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the third and final task of the Triwizard Tournament is about to begin! Let me remind you how the points currently stand!" Ludo Bagman's voice rang over the stands. "Tied in first place, with eighty-five points each — Mr. Cedric Diggory and Mr. Harry Potter, both of Hogwarts!"

The stands erupted into cheers all around them, Taylor springing to her feet, her hands cupped over her mouth as she screeched.

"In second place, with eighty points — Mr. Viktor Krum, of Durmstrang Institute!" There was another, although quieter, round of applause now from the edge of the stands where it seemed most of the remaining students from Durmstrang had gathered.

"And in third place — Miss Fleur Delacour, ofBeauxbatons Academy!" Bagman finished, and there was a final round of cheers as everyone's gaze settled back to the champions who were spread around the outside of the maze.

"Now... On my whistle, our first place students will enter the maze! Harry, Cedric..." Bagman began his countdown from three before the shrill sound of the whistle rang out over the stands. Harry and Cedric shared one final glance before racing forward into the maze and disappearing from sight into the dark, eerie mist.

"And now... we wait." Ella muttered, Corinne holding back a laugh. She wasn't truly sure which she would have preferred this round... Watching whatever Cedric was dealing with inside the maze, like she had with the dragon, or the waiting and wondering if he was doing alright.

"Is that Fred and George's mum?" Taylor asked, her eyes flickering through the stands and Corinne turned only slightly to catch sight of the red headed family.

"Yeah, they're here for Harry." Corinne nodded, turning her attention back to the maze, watching as the professors began to circle the perimeter. "They've got the professors circling the maze..." Corinne muttered, "They've got to have some really dangerous stuff in there."

"You worry too much." Ella nudged her friend lightly, though Taylor was still sneaking glances back to the Weasleys a few rows behind them.

"You're telling me that's Fred's older brother?" She hissed under her breath.

"I don't know." Corinne shook her head.

"Taylor, obviously, look at the hair." Ella replied.

"Yes, obviously, but... he's gorgeous." Taylor spoke again, this time not seeming to care if anyone heard her.

"I think Fleur thought the same." Corinne remembered now, the way the blonde had been eyeing the older Weasley brother earlier in the Great Hall.

The dull chatter echoed over the stands, creating a small sense of comfort, and Corinne felt the hunger begin to creep back into her stomach. She'd barely eaten at dinner and was now realizing that Cedric had been right trying to get her to eat.

The time ticked on, and Corinne began to wonder if they had enchanted the maze with a silencing charm. There had been nothing, no sign of any obstacles or fighting within the tall hedges and it had been nearly half an hour now.

"Okay, not trying to get hit or anything," Taylor started, her chin resting on her palm. "But this is so boring I think I'm going to-" The end of her words cut off as a high pitched scream pierced the air, the crowd falling silent all around them.

At least she knew the maze wasn't silenced.

✵

Fred's eyes drifted once again to the Gryffindors near the front of the crowd, their red ties peeking from their sweaters in sharp contrast with the Hufflepuff students surrounding them.

"You're staring again." George muttered, and Fred pulled his gaze back towards the safe, boredom of the hedge before them.

"I'm not staring." He lied, though he knew there was no point. Not with George.

"Who's your money on, Gin?" George spoke loudly, obviously hoping to entertain somehow.

"Oh, I do hope Harry can win..." Molly answered first, her eyes never leaving the maze. "He'll be so proud, and you know he didn't want to enter in the first place."

"Right, riches and eternal glory, he's got plenty of that." Ginny teased.

"Now, you lot hush, or-"

Fred's eyes snapped first to the maze and then towards the blonde a few rows away. One of the boys screamed, a blood curdling, seemingly never ending scream of pain.

Molly was on her feet, as if the extra height would allow her to peer into the maze, though Fred's eyes hadn't left Corinne's face, which seemed to have lost all of it's color in the split second since he'd last looked. The shout couldn't have lasted more than ten seconds... could it have? Fred's mind was racing. Was it Harry? Was it Cedric?

Finally, silence filled the air once again and everyone exchanged uneasy looks before a blast of red sparks soared through the air and there seemed to be a collective sigh of relief.

"Well, seems like whoever it was is okay." Bill assured, patting his mother's arm. "Come on, Dumbledore wouldn't let anyone get hurt."

"Just fried up with dragon's breath." Ron muttered. "Or drowned in a lake."

The crowds around them continued to chatter lightly, and Fred was beginning to grow bored of the waiting. Though he wasn't wishing for anymore screaming from the maze, he was really quite ready to head back up to Gryffindor tower and collapse into bed. A week from now it would be summer, and there would be nothing to do, nothing to worry about, except who had to play keeper in their daily quidditch games.

He saw the bright light before the crowd had even gasped, excitement ringing through the stands as everyone jumped to their feet for a better look. The cup was enormous, and glowing with an eerie green light similar to the mist still spilling from the maze where Cedric and Harry both laid face down against the grass. For a moment, neither of them moved, until Harry shoved the cup away from the both of them, his face still stuck to the muddy grass.

"Hogwarts victory!" A few people shouted from the stands as the first round of applause and cheers rang out. Fred huffed under his breath. Of course.

He watched as Dumbledore raced onto the pitch, reaching for Harry's arms at once and turning him over, lifting him from the ground.

Fred blinked, watching the scene play out before him as if in slow motion. Something wasn't right... Harry clung to Cedric's arm at his side and gripped the front of Dumbledore's robes with the other.

Cedric hadn't moved.

Fred's eyes flickered between the maze and Corinne, as if they couldn't decide which scene to focus on, though as soon as his gaze found Corinne, it was clear. Something was wrong, and she knew it. It was written across her face. He had never seen anyone look so white.

Fudge was reaching down beside Dumbledore, stumbling back in shock and then grabbing a hold of Harry's arm, to no avail. Fred was sure if the crowd would just quiet down, they'd be able to hear what was happening.

At last, Dumbledore pulled Harry to his feet, and Fred knew, even before the crowds had started announcing it. Cedric still had not moved, lying face down against the grassy field. He could barely make out the words of his brother, his mother, his eyes finding Corinne again, her head shaking as Ella reached out to pull her back to the stand.

It was no use, she had already stepped down, one bleacher then another, her steps staggering until she reached the front of the railing, her mouth had fallen open and her eyes seemed frozen, stuck to the edge of the maze.

There was a sudden collective chant as the crowds realized what had happened. Why the Hufflepuff hadn't moved yet. Why no one had spoken up yet from the grounds.

"What's happened?" "What's wrong? What's happening?" "Diggory's dead!"

The crowds all moved like a sea, a swarm of red and gold and black, and for a second Fred's heart stilled in his chest as he lost sight of the blonde. He pushed forward, not caring who he'd sent toppling to the floor, spotting her at last. Her gaze hadn't left the pitch, and she seemed either unaware or unbothered by the swarms of students pressing her harshly against the wooden railing.

"Move." He muttered, "Move!" He jumped easily down the bleachers, two at a time, pushing through the throngs of students just as Corinne took the last step onto the uneven grass of the pitch.

There was a strangled voice ringing over the stands now, though Fred was hardly paying attention as Amos Diggory launched himself through the sea of students.

"Let me through!" He screeched, "That's my son!" His knees hit the ground, "That's my boy!"

"Corinne-" Fred called, reaching out, shoving another pair of students out of his way until at last his fingers wrapped over her shoulder, pulling her to face him. "Corinne, don't."

"No..." She mumbled, her eyes wide, her head craning to face the maze again, as if locked in a strange trance. "Cedric-"

"Corinne, we..." Fred trailed off, glancing around the sea of faces, all craning for a better look at the scene still playing out before them. Some students were screaming, some were sobbing, and still he didn't know what to do. What to say.

"We have to just wait... just a minute, and then they'll... Dumbledore will tell us - Corinne!" He screamed, the faces nearest them were now focused only on the blonde before him as her eyes flickered shut, her knees buckling as she collapsed.

Fred dropped to his knees, pulling her arm easily until she landed against his chest and sinking to the ground, paying no attention to the crowds surrounding them, sucking all the air from their space, or possibly from the entire pitch.

"Oi, back up!" He growled, shoving one arm out to force the circle wider around them. "Corinne!" He reached out, fingers sliding around her jaw, tilting her face towards him.

"Fred!" George's voice pulled him back to focus, looking up as his twin began to reach down for the blonde in his arms, pulling both of them back to their feet. "Take her to Madam Pomfrey."

"Right..." Fred nodded, though he was finding it very difficult to pull his gaze from the blonde's face.

"Make a hole!" George ordered, the students nearest them flattening against the railings of the stairs as Fred slipped an arm beneath Corinne's knees, feeling the snags in her tights from where she'd fallen to the ground. He jolted through the opening and started back to the castle, George falling back to wait with the rest of the Weasley's who were trying to spot Harry in the chaos that had now enveloped the field.

✵

Fred paced over the worn looking carpeting in the Gryffindor common room, his eyes flickering between the girls stairwell and the portrait hole in rapid succession. Of course he hadn't expected Madam Pomfrey to let him stay in the hospital wing with Corinne, but he didn't see what business it was of McGonagall if he wanted to spend the night on the frozen stone floor in the corridor outside.

He'd spent the night on the couch nearest the portrait hole, his eyes stuck to the back of the painting until they'd burned so badly he'd let them fall shut, just for a moment. He wasn't sure how long that moment had turned into, though when he opened his eyes once again, the sun was only just beginning to climb over the forest in the distance, and he no longer knew if Corinne had arrived back to her dorm or was still in the hospital wing.

He glanced at his watch for likely the five hundredth time since he'd woken up and let out a frustrated sigh. Bloody Gryffindor and his bloody collapsing staircase.

At last, his eyes shot to the left, the sound of light footsteps echoing down the winding stairwell and felt his breath leave his lungs before Ella and Taylor emerged, their eyes meeting Fred's at once.

"Weasley?" Ella muttered, her voice sounding hoarse, and even from across the room, Fred could make out the red rimming both of their eyes, their blotchy cheeks.

"Is she alright?" He practically whispered, clearing his throat as he waited for the answer.

"I don't..." Ella shook her head, looking to Taylor who's eyes hadn't left the floor beneath her feet.

"Ella. Is she okay?" He asked again, stupidly. Of course she wasn't okay. He didn't know what else to say. "What can I do? What does she need?"

"Fred." Ella cut him off, stepping closer towards the empty couches where Fred had spent the last hours. "She's not here."

He nodded, relief flooding his veins. She was still in the infirmary. Maybe she hadn't woken up yet, or they'd given her something to help her sleep. She didn't know yet, she didn't have to know just yet.

"Her parents got here around four this morning." Taylor muttered at last, her voice nearly unrecognizable. "Dumbledore wrote for them, Madam Pomfrey said she was... she was in no state..." Taylor's words crumbled away as another round of tears welled up in her eyes.

"They took her home." Ella finished, Fred's head starting to shake without his knowledge.

"No."

"McGonagall tried to tell us while the house elves packed her things..." Ella explained, "They... Pomfrey had to give her a sedative. She was inconsolable. Thrashing and screaming..."

"They can't just take her!" Fred was yelling now, not caring if the entire tower woke up. "She... she's going to need you two and... and her friends and... What do they think she's going to-"

"I don't know, Fred..." Ella's lips pressed into a thin line, and Fred could tell she too was trying to avoid tears. "We're going to talk to McGonagall before breakfast again... See if there's any news..."

News. Of course there would be news. Everything had gone wrong, worse than anyone could have ever imagined. A student was dead. Gone, forever. And Corinne was now alone, hundreds of miles away, inconsolable.