˗ˋ 26

                                    

                                          
CHAPTER TWENTY SIX
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-: seventh year :-
                          
── IN WHICH SHE'S STARED AT
                          
. . .
                          


                          
Whilst Rosie had had Fred and George to try and hide the stares - or her away from them - during their first journey down the corridor, this time she didn't and people were able to freely do that. 
                          
Everyone seemed to have wide eyes and were muttering things to one another, Rosie beginning to realise just how much her own actions had been tied into Harry's ongoing issue with the press and the general public's disbelief in Voldemort's return. 
                          
Mostly the fact that she had kept alive the one other person that could confirm or deny Harry's story. But Cedric was in a coma, Cedric Diggory the golden boy of Hogwarts very almost killed.
                          
And then a vial of Felix Felicis had stopped that, alongside several shed mermaid tears. Of course, that part hadn't been announced to the studentbody of Hogwarts per Rosie's request. 
                          
Essentially, the Kersey girl had cheated death and both had survived to to tell the tale. Almost. Cedric didn't seem as if he would be able to tell anyone what had happened on that fateful night in the graveyard at the end of the third Triwizard task. 
                          
She was only grateful that she wasn't receiving the same treatment that Harry was. Someone of the things that had been printed in the Daily Prophet and mumbled as she walked past were so utterly horrible. 
                          
Eventually, after passing many students who stared at her with an almost guilty interest, Rosie had peered into every single compartment she walked by and ended on the one containing the fifth year Gryffindor boy that she was looking for.
                          
Knocking briefly on the wooden frame around the door to announce her presense, Rosie pulled the sliding door to the side inside, only a step or so - she didn't want to intrude - and keeping her hand on the handle she looked around the cabin.
                          
There were a couple of Hufflepuffs and a Ravenclaw beside Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan, all six of them looking just as shocked as the other. "Hi.. sorry to interrupt." Rosie began, flashing a grin towards the younger students that she didn't know. Seamus muttered something to Dean, who dug his elbow into his friend's ribs.
                          
"Rosie.. how can we help?" Dean said as Seamus swore at him under his breath. "Good summer, I hope?"
                          
"Of course.. too many hospital visits to count and quite a few experiments. I can do magic outside of school now, which helped a lot." Rosie nodded, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "Talking of experiments, mind if I have a word with you Dean."

                          
"Me?" Dean repeated, somethiing flickering in his eyes as he stood up, glancing around at all the taken-aback faces in the cabin. "Sure, just in the corridor?"
                          
"That would do nicely." Rosie nodded, turning back and walking out of the compartment.
                          
"Dean - isn't this how that one dream of your's began?" Seamus seemed to had recovered from whatever had happened before and mischief filled his tone. The sound of some form of ruckus made Rosie raise her eyebrows, Dean appearing in the corridor seconds later to hear what she had to say.
                          
The half-blood boy seemed to be rather eager to design the posters, his reaction after Rosie had told him about it proving so. He had only settled for letting them pay him around a quarter of what they originally offered, but with an artist willing to help them design posters under their belts, Rosie began to make her way back to the twins' compartment - where Angelina would hopefully be waiting.
                          
"Hey Kersey!" A voice shouted, and the girl stopped in her tracks, twisting around to see one of Cedric's friends hanging out the door of his carriage. "How's Cedric doing? Planning on whipping up another concotion to wake him up any time soon?" In any other tone, his words could have been interpreted as rather considerate, but he was jeering at her, laughs could be heard from inside the cabin.
                          
"Don't be such an arse - do you think Cedric would be happy with his friends becoming dafts cunts whilst he was knocked out?" Rosie replied, flipping them off as she turned away.
                          
"You dealt with them well." A soft Scottish accent filled her ears as she did so, and Rosie's eyes landed on Cho. "I don't think I could've said that to them."

                          
"I'm sure in your own ways you would've scared them off." Rosie smiled slightly, an appreciative chuckle leaving her lips. "Good summer?"
                          
"As good as it could be." Cho shrugged. "Seemed to always have the shadow of Cedric being in a coma hanging over me. I feel awful the way we left things, and whilst apologising to you did help, I just feel so guilty..." She shook her head. "Nevermind that, I bet you had a busy enough summer without me unloading my problems."
                          
"A busy summer is right." Rosie nodded slowly. If you had seen them around the time the second task was to take place, you would never believe that they ended up like they were. "Cedric's stable, still in a coma.. but looks like he'll wake up soon."
                          
"And by soon you mean?" Cho's voice lilted upwards, filled with hope.
                          
"Next week, next month - Christmas?" The Kersey girl shrugged. "But soon, whatever that means. Let me walk you back to your compartment? I'm rather concious of people staring."
                          
"They tend to do that, don't they." Cho replied, not fully understanding on just how Rosie felt but knowing just a little of it - being his ex girlfriend had added to that.
                          
And so the girls continued to walk down to corridor to Cho's awaiting friends.
                          
Rosie's would have to wait.
                          
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