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╰┈➤ ❝ [𝑇𝐻𝐼𝑅𝑇𝑌-𝐹𝑂𝑈𝑅] ❞ೄྀ࿐ ˊˎ-
⁺⤾·˚.⃗.  [ʀᴀɪsᴇ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴡᴀɴᴅs] 𑁍ࠜೄ ˊˎ
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Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
— Scottish Highlands
( June 24th, 1995. )

                                    𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐓 𝐇𝐀𝐋𝐋 had been rearranged into neat rows of chairs, with students from Hogwarts, Durmstrang, and Beauxbatons all gathered together. The usual house divisions were gone; there was no separation of Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Instead, everyone sat mixed, shoulder to shoulder, united in their grief. The warm, flickering light of floating candles cast long shadows on their solemn faces.

Olympia sat between Cassie and George, her hands folded tightly in her lap. Cassie's eyes were red and puffy from crying, while George sat unusually still beside her, his jaw tight and his hands resting on his knees. Fred, seated next to George, with Ginny to his right, glanced at his twin and Olympia now and then, his usual carefree expression replaced with quiet concern.

The Beauxbatons and Durmstrang students sat among them, some whispering softly to one another in their native tongues, others sitting in stunned silence. Even the usually imposing Karkaroff was subdued, his eyes downcast, while Madame Maxime dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief.

Dumbledore stood at the front of the room, his figure tall and steady despite the weight of the moment. His voice was calm but carried the gravity of the loss they had all experienced as he began to speak.

"Today we acknowledge a really terrible loss," Dumbledore said, his deep voice resonating through the hall. "Cedric Diggory was, as you all know, exceptionally hardworking, intricately fair-minded, and most importantly, a fierce, fierce friend."

Olympia bit her lip, the words cutting through her. She could feel tears threatening to spill over, but she held them back, her gaze locked on Dumbledore.

"I think, therefore, you have the right to know exactly how he died," Dumbledore continued, his tone growing heavier. "You see, Cedric Diggory was murdered by Lord Voldemort."

Gasps rippled through the hall. The Durmstrang and Beauxbatons students exchanged shocked looks, and even some of the Hogwarts students who had been clinging to denial seemed stunned by the truth spoken aloud. Olympia heard Cassie stifle a sob beside her, and Fred's hand twitched, as though he wanted to reach for her but didn't know how.

"The Ministry of Magic does not wish me to tell you this," Dumbledore said, his voice steady yet full of quiet defiance. "But not to do so, I think, would be an insult to his memory."

The hall fell silent, the weight of his words pressing down on everyone. Olympia felt her chest tighten, her breath catching as she glanced around. Fred had his head bowed, his hands clasped tightly together. Cassie clung to Olympia's arm, tears streaming silently down her face, while George stared straight ahead, his expression hard to read.

"Now," Dumbledore continued, his voice softer but no less commanding, "the pain we all feel at this dreadful loss reminds me—reminds us—that while we may come from different places and speak in different tongues, our hearts beat as one."

The room felt unified in its grief, every student, professor, and guest hanging on Dumbledore's words. Olympia's gaze flicked to the Durmstrang and Beauxbatons students seated among them. She saw Fleur Delacour, her face pale and streaked with tears, clinging to her sister Gabrielle, while Viktor Krum sat stiffly, his usually stoic face showing visible sorrow.

"In light of recent events," Dumbledore said, his voice rising slightly, "the bonds of friendship we made this year will be more important than ever. Remember that, and Cedric Diggory will not have died in vain."

Olympia's heart ached as she thought of Cedric's warm smile, his kind words, his unwavering integrity. A lump formed in her throat, and she could feel her control slipping, the tears she'd tried so hard to hold back threatening to spill over.

"We'll celebrate a boy," Dumbledore concluded, his voice full of both sorrow and pride, "who was kind and honest and brave and true, right to the very end."

The hall was silent for a long, poignant moment. Then, as if on cue, a single wand was raised into the air, the tip glowing softly. Another followed, and another, until the entire hall was illuminated by the warm, golden light of raised wands. The glow spread like a wave, filling the space with a gentle radiance that seemed to push back the shadows of grief.

Olympia's hand trembled as she raised her wand, her tears finally breaking free and sliding down her cheeks. The tears came like an ocean, her shoulders heaving with every breath. George raised his beside her, his jaw tight, while Cassie sobbed openly, her wand trembling in her grip. Fred and Lee raised theirs, their faces uncharacteristically solemn, and Seraphina, usually reserved, lifted her wand high, her face streaked with silent tears.

The light filled the hall, soft and unifying, as if Cedric's spirit were there with them, reminding them of the goodness he had embodied. The golden glow reflected in the tears on every face, a silent tribute to a boy who had been kind, honest, brave, and true.

As the wands remained aloft, Olympia felt George's hand find hers, their fingers intertwining as they held on to each other amidst the sea of light. Neither spoke, but the small gesture was enough to remind her that even in the darkest moments, they weren't alone.

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
— Scottish Highlands
( June 25th, 1995. )

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐍𝐄𝐗𝐓 𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆, The Great Hall was unusually quiet, a somber air hanging heavily over the room. Students entered slowly, many with tear-streaked faces and subdued expressions. The house tables remained, but they were not divided by house banners or colors. Instead, Dumbledore had encouraged everyone to sit with those they were closest to in this time of mourning.

Olympia walked in with Fred, George, and Cassie on either side of her. Her movements were slow, as though the weight of grief had settled into her very bones.

They settled at one of the long tables near the middle of the hall, no house divisions or rivalries present this morning. Cassie slid into the seat next to Olympia, who sat across from George. Fred dropped into the seat beside his twin, his usual humor absent, while Seraphina sat quietly beside Elvira, her hands folded neatly in her lap.

Dumbledore sat at the head table, his presence as steady as ever despite the visible sorrow in his eyes. Professors McGonagall and Flitwick whispered quietly to one another, while Madame Maxime comforted a group of Beauxbatons students with soft words in French. Karkaroff was absent, and the Durmstrang students sat huddled together, their usual bravado replaced with silence.

Plates of food appeared on the tables, but few people moved to serve themselves. Olympia stared at her empty plate, her appetite nonexistent. Cassie nudged her gently, placing a muffin on her plate, but Olympia didn't touch it.

Judeth broke the silence first, her voice soft and trembling. "It feels... wrong, doesn't it? To just sit here and eat like nothing happened."

Atlas placed a hand on her shoulder, his face drawn. "It does. But we need to keep going. Cedric wouldn't want us to fall apart."

Fred leaned forward, his elbows on the table as he let out a quiet sigh. "Doesn't mean it's easy, though. This whole place feels... empty without him."

George nodded slightly, his gaze flickering to Olympia, who was still staring at her plate. He reached across the table, his hand brushing hers. "We'll get through it," he said softly, his voice steady. "Together."

Olympia finally looked up, her eyes meeting George's. She nodded faintly, her lips pressing into a thin line. "I know," she whispered. "But it doesn't make it hurt any less."

Oliver, sitting at the end of the table, spoke up, his tone quiet but firm. "No, it doesn't. But Atlas is right. Cedric wouldn't want us to stop living because of it. He'd want us to remember him and keep moving forward."

Elvira, usually sharp-tongued and quick-witted, stayed quiet, her gaze distant. Seraphina, sitting beside her, placed a comforting hand on her arm.

As the meal continued in quiet conversation, Dumbledore rose from his seat at the head table. The hall fell silent as he addressed the students.

"Today marks the end of a very difficult year," he began, his voice calm but carrying the weight of their collective grief. "As you prepare to return to your homes, remember the lessons we have learned, the friendships we have forged, and the courage we have witnessed. Cedric Diggory's memory will live on in all of us, and it is our responsibility to honor his legacy by standing together in the face of the challenges ahead."

Olympia felt George squeeze her hand under the table, a silent reassurance that she wasn't alone. She glanced around the table at her friends—Cassie's quiet tears, Fred and George's solemn faces, Judeth's trembling hands held by Atlas, Oliver's determined gaze—and realized that while they were broken, they were also unbreakable together.