A/N: Sorry it's been a while since I've updated this particular thread.
I've been working hard on another story with one of my cohorts – it can be
found linked to on my Author Page, titled The World is on Your Shoulders.
Without any further adieu (and without disclaimers, which should be rather
obvious!), here's part three.
Unforgettable
Ginny Weasley caught a glimpse of one of her twin brothers dashing down the corridor after a scream echoed throughout the car. She jumped up; ignoring the confused looks of Colin Creevey and the other Gryffindor soon-to-be- fourth-years sharing the compartment with her, and stepped out into the hall. Down a ways a few dozen students were clustered around a door, more moving toward them. Slytherin stood next to Gryffindor, Hufflepuff by Ravenclaw, none really noticing if a pureblood was talking in hushed tones to a muggle-born.
After a moment, the crowd parted, letting Headmaster Dumbledore through, leading a sobbing dark-haired girl. With a start, Ginny realized it was none other than Cho Chang, the Ravenclaw seeker who'd turned down Harry Potter for the quiet hero of the Triwizard Cup, Cedric. The tears didn't surprise Ginny so much – she'd seen the older girl crying almost daily since Harry had brought back Cedric's body. It was the trickle of blood on the wrist, too slim from lack of food, which sent Ginny gaping.
She looked up to Dumbledore and moved out of the way as the pair moved down the corridor toward her. The Headmaster met her gaze for a second, only sadness and regret present in his eyes. The twinkle of amusement and glint of kindness, which were usually evident, had disappeared entirely. He gave a solemn nod to Ginny and continued guiding Cho down the hall. He stopped short in front of a pile of tangled limbs on the floor in front of one of the compartments, and Ginny watched as he peeked around the corner and called out, "The Jelly-Legs Curse and the Furnunculus together? Quite imaginative. However, I'd appreciate it if you'd not leave them in the middle of the passageway, Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley...?" With that, he helped Cho past the crumpled forms of Draco Malfoy, Vincent Crabbe, and Gregory Goyle – did Crabbe have little tentacles on his face? – and out the back of the car, probably taking her somewhere to keep an eye on her.
Leaving her compartment completely, Ginny caught a glimpse of Neville Longbottom peeking out of a nearby door. At his confused and questioning glance, she said simply, "Cho." He nodded and disappeared back into his place. Ginny caught a glimpse of Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas talking to Neville as she passed by on her way to the pile of Slytherin.
She made sure to step on Goyle's ugly face and Malfoy's wand arm as she made her way into the compartment, slipping into a seat next to Harry. He was staring out the window, the emotions on his face unreadable. Hermione was doing the same from her seat across the way, while Ron stared down at his hands. "Hey, Gin," he muttered, the only one who seemed to notice her entrance.
Hermione glanced over with a start. "Oh, hi, Ginny. How's your ride been?" She asked it, but didn't wait for the answer, turning back to her examination of the English countryside. Ginny watched her brother glance over at his friend in worry, then turn bright red and return to his examination of his fingernails.
Ron looked as red as Ginny did whenever she was confronted with Harry. The mere thought of the Valentine incident of her first year – damn Lockhart – sent Ginny's face pink as well. But Harry had shown time and time again that he didn't think anything more of Ginny than a little sister, or a friend at best. No, Ginny didn't deserve the Boy Who Lived. Someone special did, like Hermione. Or Cho.
Ginny glanced back at the compartment door, ignoring the Slytherins on the floor. She saw once again in her mind's eye the trickle of dark blood on the girl's pale wrist. What could've been so terrible as to push Cho Chang, Ravenclaw Seeker, popular and well-liked, to do that to herself?
Maybe she hadn't. Maybe she'd just slipped and cut herself. Maybe the scream had been Cho's. There was no reason for someone with so much in her favor to go that far, take that step. Was Cedric really worth that much? Ginny silently thanked whoever had been the screamer, the one who'd found Cho before she'd finished the deed. Remembrance of the look in Dumbledore's eyes was all Ginny needed to dispel the possibility of Cho's wound being anything but self-inflicted.
Glancing over at the profile of Harry's face as he stared morosely out the window, Ginny sighed quietly. Cho had been lucky. She'd had time with Cedric before the end. They'd seemed so happy at the Yule Ball, and every time Ginny saw them smiling at each other in the Great Hall or in a hallway between classes.
She wanted happiness like that. It seemed to her, the true tragedy in the aftermath of Cedric's death wasn't a life cut short – though she was sure the look of heartwrenching helplessness and utter despair she'd seen on Cho's face as the girl realized Cedric was dead would be frozen in her mind for a long time. The true tragedy of the day was the effect losing Cedric Diggory had on everyone at Hogwarts. After all – would the loyal, cheerful man want his friends to dwell on his leaving, or would he want them to make plans and triumph over the evils threatened by the one who caused his death? Ginny was fairly sure the second was the truth, even if she'd never spoken to Cedric directly.
Ginny resisted the urge to hug Harry and start crying. It would probably take him a long time to get over what he'd seen that night. Her tears certainly wouldn't help things any. She only hoped that he'd realize sooner rather than later the lesson Cedric's death should teach. Remember, yes, but keep living.
Unforgettable
Ginny Weasley caught a glimpse of one of her twin brothers dashing down the corridor after a scream echoed throughout the car. She jumped up; ignoring the confused looks of Colin Creevey and the other Gryffindor soon-to-be- fourth-years sharing the compartment with her, and stepped out into the hall. Down a ways a few dozen students were clustered around a door, more moving toward them. Slytherin stood next to Gryffindor, Hufflepuff by Ravenclaw, none really noticing if a pureblood was talking in hushed tones to a muggle-born.
After a moment, the crowd parted, letting Headmaster Dumbledore through, leading a sobbing dark-haired girl. With a start, Ginny realized it was none other than Cho Chang, the Ravenclaw seeker who'd turned down Harry Potter for the quiet hero of the Triwizard Cup, Cedric. The tears didn't surprise Ginny so much – she'd seen the older girl crying almost daily since Harry had brought back Cedric's body. It was the trickle of blood on the wrist, too slim from lack of food, which sent Ginny gaping.
She looked up to Dumbledore and moved out of the way as the pair moved down the corridor toward her. The Headmaster met her gaze for a second, only sadness and regret present in his eyes. The twinkle of amusement and glint of kindness, which were usually evident, had disappeared entirely. He gave a solemn nod to Ginny and continued guiding Cho down the hall. He stopped short in front of a pile of tangled limbs on the floor in front of one of the compartments, and Ginny watched as he peeked around the corner and called out, "The Jelly-Legs Curse and the Furnunculus together? Quite imaginative. However, I'd appreciate it if you'd not leave them in the middle of the passageway, Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley...?" With that, he helped Cho past the crumpled forms of Draco Malfoy, Vincent Crabbe, and Gregory Goyle – did Crabbe have little tentacles on his face? – and out the back of the car, probably taking her somewhere to keep an eye on her.
Leaving her compartment completely, Ginny caught a glimpse of Neville Longbottom peeking out of a nearby door. At his confused and questioning glance, she said simply, "Cho." He nodded and disappeared back into his place. Ginny caught a glimpse of Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas talking to Neville as she passed by on her way to the pile of Slytherin.
She made sure to step on Goyle's ugly face and Malfoy's wand arm as she made her way into the compartment, slipping into a seat next to Harry. He was staring out the window, the emotions on his face unreadable. Hermione was doing the same from her seat across the way, while Ron stared down at his hands. "Hey, Gin," he muttered, the only one who seemed to notice her entrance.
Hermione glanced over with a start. "Oh, hi, Ginny. How's your ride been?" She asked it, but didn't wait for the answer, turning back to her examination of the English countryside. Ginny watched her brother glance over at his friend in worry, then turn bright red and return to his examination of his fingernails.
Ron looked as red as Ginny did whenever she was confronted with Harry. The mere thought of the Valentine incident of her first year – damn Lockhart – sent Ginny's face pink as well. But Harry had shown time and time again that he didn't think anything more of Ginny than a little sister, or a friend at best. No, Ginny didn't deserve the Boy Who Lived. Someone special did, like Hermione. Or Cho.
Ginny glanced back at the compartment door, ignoring the Slytherins on the floor. She saw once again in her mind's eye the trickle of dark blood on the girl's pale wrist. What could've been so terrible as to push Cho Chang, Ravenclaw Seeker, popular and well-liked, to do that to herself?
Maybe she hadn't. Maybe she'd just slipped and cut herself. Maybe the scream had been Cho's. There was no reason for someone with so much in her favor to go that far, take that step. Was Cedric really worth that much? Ginny silently thanked whoever had been the screamer, the one who'd found Cho before she'd finished the deed. Remembrance of the look in Dumbledore's eyes was all Ginny needed to dispel the possibility of Cho's wound being anything but self-inflicted.
Glancing over at the profile of Harry's face as he stared morosely out the window, Ginny sighed quietly. Cho had been lucky. She'd had time with Cedric before the end. They'd seemed so happy at the Yule Ball, and every time Ginny saw them smiling at each other in the Great Hall or in a hallway between classes.
She wanted happiness like that. It seemed to her, the true tragedy in the aftermath of Cedric's death wasn't a life cut short – though she was sure the look of heartwrenching helplessness and utter despair she'd seen on Cho's face as the girl realized Cedric was dead would be frozen in her mind for a long time. The true tragedy of the day was the effect losing Cedric Diggory had on everyone at Hogwarts. After all – would the loyal, cheerful man want his friends to dwell on his leaving, or would he want them to make plans and triumph over the evils threatened by the one who caused his death? Ginny was fairly sure the second was the truth, even if she'd never spoken to Cedric directly.
Ginny resisted the urge to hug Harry and start crying. It would probably take him a long time to get over what he'd seen that night. Her tears certainly wouldn't help things any. She only hoped that he'd realize sooner rather than later the lesson Cedric's death should teach. Remember, yes, but keep living.