xxii. resolutions & relationships

ϟ

Harry was back walking through the corridors the next evening. Matilda had told him, Dumbledore had spoken to the school that morning at breakfast. He had merely requested that they leave Harry alone, that nobody asks him questions or badger him to tell the story of what happened in the maze. Most people, Matilda noticed, were skirting him in the corridors, avoiding his eyes.

Matilda guessed that many of their classmates believed Rita Skeeter's article about how disturbed and possibly dangerous Harry was. Perhaps they were formulating their own theories about how Cedric had died. Just as her sister Harper was.

They had come face-to-face since Harper's departure from the castle. Matilda hadn't known what to say to her. It'd been one of the few times she'd been rendered speechless. To see her sister standing before her, cheeks swollen and puffy red eyes, even her cheeks had sunken inward. It was a heart-shattering sight. And Matilda wished to never experience the hurt that her sister felt at that moment.

But Harper seemed to disagree.

"It's not fair."

The voice that came from Harper didn't even sound like her own. It was low and hoarse. Harper couldn't speak above a rugged whisper from the loud cries straining her throat.

Matilda's head hung low in shame, she looked up at Harper through her lashes. This was them supposed to be saying their goodbyes. Their parents had arranged it since the two of them had been avoiding one another like the plague.

"If what they're saying is true ─ if Voldemort k-killed Cedric," her voice quivered. "Than Cedric died in place of Potter. It isn't fair."

Zara, their mother, stepped up willing Harper to stop, but she pushed away from Zara's grasp.

"That isn't ─ Harper, that's not what happened," Matilda whispered, shaking her head.

Matilda refused to fight with her sister over this. She knew Harper was angry and needed someone to blame. Harry was the easy target, of course.

"Because he's the chosen one, isn't it? We're all just expected to lay our lives on the line for him." Harper scoffed angrily. "It's shit, Matilda. Everything was fine until Harry Potter arrived."

"Harper!" Zara's tone rang loudly through the room. "That's enough!"

"It's not fair!" Harper yelled. She was crying again. Fresh tears streaming down her reddened cheeks. "Why? Why does Potter get to live every time, and this ─ this one time Cedric dies?"

"You weren't there, Harper!"

"Neither were you, Tilly!"

Matilda was fine with Harper's anger. She expected it. The yelling and the blaming, Matilda could handle. But she couldn't allow anyone, not even her sister, to blame Harry. Not when he done everything to try and prevent this. Not when he was already blaming himself.

"There was nothing more that could be done," yelled Matilda. "Cedric, he was just... he was collateral damage. And for that I'm sorry, but Harry didn't kill your boyfriend, Harper, and he couldn't have stopped it from happening. At that point, no one could."

Matilda tried to stop it. She begged ─ she pleaded with everyone to stop the last task. She pleaded with Harry not to go in and she begged Dumbledore to pull him from the maze. But no one knew what was going to happen. No one could feel the burning sensation inside Matilda, the feeling that told her something bad was going to happen.

"Collateral damage?" Haper chose the words she heard. "For what? For what Matilda? Oh, of course, Harry Potter!"

"Stop it!" yelled Matilda. "You don't know. You don't know anything!"

"Girls!" once again the shrill shriek of their mother silenced them. "You were supposed to say goodbye. Not stand here and argue about something that none of us can change."

Matilda shut her lips tight as she sucked in a sharp breath. She stood in her spot at Zara placed a comforting hand on Matilda's shoulder and walked by her, making sure Harper was close in tow. But she'd stopped short, turning back to face her younger sister in the arched doorway.

"Tilly," she said, her tone soft, but the anger clear. "You need to know that if it comes down to it and if Voldemort really is back, I won't ─ don't ask me to fight. I will not be on the list of dead who gave their lives for Harry Potter, I'm sorry."

Matilda responded with nothing more than a nod, "Goodbye, Harper."

"Goodbye, Tilly."

And on those few departing words, Harper turned back around and followed their mother the rest of the way out of the Hufflepuff dormitories.

ϟ

It was with a dreadful feeling that Matilda packed up her trunk in the dormitory on this before her return home. To her father's home, of course. She was dreading the Leaving Feast, which was usually a cause for celebration when the winner of the Inter-House Championship would be announced. With Harry, Tilly avoided being in the Great Hall when it was full, ever since he had left the hospital wing, preferring to eat when it was nearly empty, to avoid the stares of their fellow students.

When she entered the hall alongside Harry, Ron, and Hermione, they saw at once the usual decorations were missing. The great hall was normally decorated with the winning house's colors for the Leaving Feast. Tonight, however, there were black drapes on the wall behind the teachers' table. Matilda knew instantly that they were there as a mark of respect for Cedric.

The real Mad-Eye Moody was at the staff table, his wooden leg and his magical eye back in place. He was extremely twitchy, jumping every time someone spoke to him. Matilda couldn't blame him; Moody's fear of attack was bound to have been increased by his ten-month imprisonment in his own trunk. Professor Karkaroff's chair was empty. Matilda wondered, as she sat down with the other Ravenclaws, where Karkaroff was now; whether Voldemort had caught up with him.

Madame Maxime was still there. She was sitting next to Hagrid. They were talking quietly together. Further along the table, sitting next to Professor McGonagall was Snape. His eyes lingered on Harry for a moment. His expression was difficult to read. He looked as sour and unpleasant as ever. Matilda continued to watch him, long after Snape had looked away from Harry.

What was it that Snape had done on Dumbledore's orders, the night that Voldemort had returned? And why... why... was Dumbledore so convinced that Snape was truly on their side? He had been their spy, Dumbledore had said so in the Pensieve. Snape had turned spy against Voldemort, 'at great personal risk'. Was that the job he had taken up again? Had he made contact with the Death Eaters, perhaps? Pretended that he had never really gone over to Dumbledore, that he had been, like Voldemort himself, biding his time?

Matilda's musings were ended by Professor Dumbledore, who stood up at the staff table. The Great Hall, which in any case had been less noisy than it usually was at the Leaving Feast, became very quiet.

"The end," said Dumbledore, looking around at them all, "of another year."

He paused, and his eyes fell upon the Hufflepuff table. Theirs had been the most subdued table before he had got to his feet, and theirs were still the saddest and palest faces in the Hall.

"There is much that I would like to say to you all tonight," said Dumbledore, "But I must first acknowledge the loss of a very fine person, who should be sitting here" - he gestured towards the Hufflepuffs - "enjoying our Feast with us. I would like you all, please, to stand, and raise your glasses, to Cedric Diggory."

They did it, all of them; the benches scraped as everyone in the Hall stood, and raised their goblets, and echoed, in one loud, low, rumbling voice, "Cedric Diggory."

Matilda glanced at Cho across the table. There were tears pouring silently down her face. She almost... almost scoffed.

"Cedric was a person who exemplified many of the qualities which distinguish Hufflepuff house," Dumbledore continued. "He was a good and loyal friend, a hard worker, he valued fair play. His death has affected you all, whether you knew him well or not. I think that you have the right, therefore, to know exactly how it came about."

Matilda glanced over at Harry before returning her gaze to Dumbledore.

"Cedric Diggory was murdered by Lord Voldemort."

A panicked whisper swept the Great Hall. People were staring at Dumbledore in disbelief, in horror. He looked perfectly calm as he watched them mutter themselves into silence.

"The Ministry of Magic," Dumbledore continued, "Does not wish me to tell you this. It is possible that some of your parents will be horrified that I have done so - either because they will not believe that Lord Voldemort has returned, or because they think I should not tell you so, young as you are. It is my belief, however, that the truth is generally preferable to lies, and that any attempt to pretend that Cedric died as the result of an accident, or some sort of blunder of his own, is an insult to his memory."

Stunned and frightened, every face in the Hall was turned towards Dumbledore now... or almost every face. Over at the Slytherin table, Matilda saw Draco Malfoy muttering something to Crabbe and Goyle. Matilda felt a hot, sick swoop of anger in his stomach. Meanwhile, Daisy Morgenstern looked sickly. The dark bags under her eyes shone through her pale skin. Her cheeks were swollen too, similar to her siblings. Matilda forced herself to look back up Dumbledore.

"There is somebody else who must be mentioned in connection with Cedric's death," Dumbledore went on. "I am talking, of course, about Harry Potter."

A kind of ripple crossed the Great Hall, as a few heads turned in Harry's direction before flicking back to face Dumbledore.

"Harry Potter managed to escape Lord Voldemort," said Dumbledore. "He risked his own life to return Cedric's body to Hogwarts. He showed, in every respect, the sort of bravery that few wizards have ever shown in facing Lord Voldemort, and for this, I honor him."

Dumbledore turned gravely to Harry and raised his goblet once more. Nearly everyone in the Great Hall followed suit. They murmured his name, as they had murmured Cedric's, and drank to him. But, through a gap in the standing figures, Matilda saw that Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, and many of the other Slytherins had remained defiantly in their seats, their goblets untouched. Dumbledore, who after all possessed no magical eye, did not see them.

When everyone had once again resumed their seats, Dumbledore continued, "The Triwizard Tournament's aim was to further and promote magical understanding. In the light of what has happened - of Lord Voldemort's return - such ties are more important than ever before."

Dumbledore looked from Madame Maxime and Hagrid to Fleur Delacour and her fellow Beauxbatons students, to Viktor Krum and the Durmstrangs at the Slytherin table. Krum, Matilda noticed, looked wary, almost frightened, as though he expected Dumbledore to say something harsh.

"Every guest in this Hall," said Dumbledore, and his eyes lingered upon the Durmstrang students, "Will be welcomed back here, at any time, should they wish to come. I say to you all, once again - in the light of Lord Voldemort's return, we are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided."

He continued.

"Lord Voldemort's gift for spreading discord and enmity is very great. We can fight it only by showing an equally strong bond of friendship and trust. Differences of habit and language are nothing at all if our aims are identical and our hearts are open. It is my belief - and never have I so hoped that I am mistaken - that we are all facing dark and difficult times. Some of you, in this Hall, have already suffered directly at the hands of Lord Voldemort. Many of your families have been torn asunder. A week ago, a student was taken from our midst."

He paused for a moment.

"Remember Cedric. Remember, if the time should come when you have to make a choice between what is right, and what is easy, remember what happened to a boy who was good, and kind, and brave, because he strayed across the path of Lord Voldemort. Remember Cedric Diggory."

ϟ

Matilda hardly recognized her empty dorm. She should've spent more time in there. It felt so lonesome without Padma's clutter and Luna's homemade decorations. Her trunk had been packed; Pluto was back in her cage on top of it. Ron with her, having offered to help her down to crowded Entrance Hall with the rest of the fourth-years waiting for the carriages that would take them back to the Hogsmeade station. It was another beautiful summer's day. Matilda supposed her dad's garden would be in full bloom by now.

"A lot has happened this year," Matilda spoke, breaking the blanket of silence that had fallen over her and Ron as they made their way through the nearly empty corridors. "I've done a lot of thinking."

Ron snorted out a laugh, "More thinking than usual?"

Furrowing her eyebrows Matilda bumped her shoulder into Ron's side before smiling herself. He apologized before allowing her to continue speaking.

"I've realized that there are a lot of things I still don't know," she admitted, earning a confused look from Ron. "I mean, I'm still the brightest witch at Hogwarts, that of course is known. But, I don't know everything. And as much as it pains me to admit... I don't have to know everything."

"Yeah?" Ron looked over at her, an eyebrow raised and a smirk playing at his lips. A look that made Matilda's heart flutter just ever-so-slightly. "And what's brought on this realization."

"You."

Panic began to settle in Matilda. Her heart raced as the words escaped the confinements of her lips. She couldn't have just said that out loud. She hadn't even admitted to herself that she'd liked Ron. But here she stood, admitted to it now. Her eyes were wide with horror and she quickly turned away from Ron, hoping that he'd pretend she hadn't said anything.

But of course, Ron wasn't about to let that admission slip.

"Me?" he asked, stopping in the middle of a corridor and dropping Matilda's trunk that he'd offered to carry for her. "But how?"

Matilda stopped as well, just a few feet ahead of Ron. She was quiet as two other Ravenclaws in her year passed by them, also on their way to the Entrance Hall. Once they were out of sight she turned to Ron, suddenly realizing she had nothing good to say.

It could've been Harry. The person she liked. It would've been easier with Harry. Everything with Harry was easier. Everything made sense. But with Ron... with Ron, it was like her entire world turned upside down. And she'd spent so long denying that, suppressing what she felt for him because it was an unfamiliar feeling.

But it was Ron. It'd always been Ron. He made her heart beat a little faster than normal. When he'd touched her goosebumps would run down her arms. He made her question everything. And he annoyed her ─ he annoyed her more than any other person she knew. He certainly wasn't the brightest but he never failed to recognize her brilliance.

No matter how hard she tried to look away that red hair and goofy grin never failed to put a smile on her face.

"Well," she rolled her eyes, placing her hands firmly on her hips, looking as if she was about to scold Ron. "Because you make me feel so stupid. I don't know anything when it comes to you. Ron, you ─ you make me crazy, and yet here I am, telling you that I like you for some unknown reason."

Ron's mouth was agape. His entire world had been turned on its head. He'd been so used to being ignored and pushed aside that he'd expected Matilda to do the same. A girl like her wouldn't look at him twice. Or at least that's what he'd made himself believe.

But here she stood, telling him that she liked him, for a reason he couldn't understand, and he hasn't said a word. Hasn't even moved.

And Matilda stood before him, the most vulnerable she'd ever been, waiting for Ron to say something ─ anything. And the longer he took the more she began to fear that she'd just made the biggest fool of herself.

"You like me?" was the only thing Ron could think to ask her. "Really?"

Relief washed over Matilda like a wave. A smile broke across her plump lips and the weight on her shoulders had been lifted. A slight laugh broke through her lips and she nodded.

This is why it was Ron. He was not boastful or conceited. Ron was not like her, which is the very reason why she needed him. Ron was the calm in her personal storm.

"Yes," said Matilda. "And I don't think I could be any clearer."

Ron shrugged, "I might need you to say the words."

Matilda laughed, shaking her head, "Ron Weasley, I like you."

And quickly, before she could talk herself out of it, Matilda stepped up, lifting herself high up on her toes and planting the softest of pecks on his lips before quickly pulling away. Her cheeks reddened and her heart rate sped up once more.

Ron too had gone red.

"That was clear enough," he assured her. "For now."

"For now?" asked Matilda.

Ron nodded as he picked Matilda's trunk back up off the floor and the two set off for the Entrance Hall once more.

"What's that mean?" she asked, looking over at a grinning Ron.

He shrugged, looking down at her, "I may need reminding again a time or two."

Of course, he was referring to the kiss. Matilda laughed as his cheeks turned a light shade of pink. It'd been the slightest of pecks, even her kiss with Harry had been more, but it was still enough to send her stomach into a frenzy of nerves.

The effect Ron had on her would remain unexplainable to Matilda Winters.

ϟ

The weather could not have been more different on the journey back to King's Cross than it had been on their way to Hogwarts the previous September. There wasn't a single cloud in the sky. Matilda, Harry, Ron, and Hermione had managed to get a compartment to themselves. Pigwidgeon was once again hidden under Ron's dress robes to stop him hooting continually; Hedwig was dozing, her head under her wing, Pluto remained awake, and Crookshanks was curled up in a spare seat like a large, furry ginger cushion. Matilda, Harry, Ron, and Hermione talked more fully and freely than they had done all week, as the train sped them southwards. Matilda felt as though Dumbledore's speech at the Leaving Feast had helped Harry, somehow. It seemed as if it was less painful to discuss what had happened now. They broke off their conversation about what action Dumbledore might be taking even now to stop Voldemort, only when the lunch trolley arrived.

When Hermione returned from the trolley and put her money back into her schoolbag, she dislodged a copy of the Daily Prophet which she had been carrying in there.

Harry watched with trepidation while Matilda remained unaffected, but Hermione, seeing Harry looking at it, said calmly, "There's nothing in there. You can look for yourself, but there's nothing at all. I've been checking every day. Just a small piece the day after the third task, saying you won the Tournament. They didn't even mention Cedric. Nothing about any of it. If you ask me, Fudge is forcing them to keep quiet."

"He'll never keep Rita quiet," said Harry. "Not on a story like this."

"Really? Well, Rita hasn't written much of anything since the third task," Matilda shrugged, glancing at mischievous-looking Hermione with a smile. "In fact, I don't believe Rita will be writing anything for a while. Not unless she wants our dear Hermione to spill the beans on her."

"What are you talking about?" said Ron.

"I found out how she was listening in on private conversations when she wasn't supposed to be coming into the grounds," said Hermione in a rush.

Matilda had known about this for days now. She'd been the first person Hermione rushed to tell. She'd been wanting to tell the boys for days now, but she'd been restraining herself in the light of everything that had happened.

"How was she doing it?" said Harry at once.

"How did you find out?" said Ron, staring at her.

"Well, it was you, Harry, who gave me the idea," she said. "And then Matilda practically confirmed my suspicion."

"Did I?" said Harry, perplexed. "How?"

"Bugging," said Hermione happily. "And then Matilda comes to the library and we end up talking about animagi, and she pointed out how the castle has little protection from them."

"But you said bugging didn't work -"

"Oh, not electronic bugs," said Hermione. "No, you see... Rita Skeeter," - Hermione's voice trembled with quiet triumph - "Is an unregistered Animagus. She can turn -"

Hermione pulled a small sealed glass jar out of her bag.

"- into a beetle."

"You're kidding," said Ron. "You haven't... she's not..."

"Oh, yes she is," said Hermione happily, brandishing the jar at them.

Inside were a few twigs and leaves, and one large, fat beetle.

"That's never - you're kidding -" Ron whispered, lifting the jar to his eyes.

"No, I'm not," said Hermione, beaming. "I caught her on the window-sill in the hospital wing. Look very closely, and you'll notice the markings around her antennae are exactly like those foul glasses she wears."

Harry took the jar, looking closely at the beetle, "There was a beetle on the statue the night we heard Hagrid telling Madame Maxime about his mum!"

"Exactly," said Hermione. "And Viktor pulled a beetle out of my hair after we'd had our conversation by the lake. And unless I'm very much mistaken, Rita was perched on the window-sill of the Divination class the day your scar hurt. She's been buzzing around for stories all year."

"When we saw Malfoy under that tree..." said Ron slowly.

"Malfoy was talking to her, in his hand," said Matilda. "He knew, of course. That's how she's been getting all those nice little interviews with Malfoy's little posey. They wouldn't care that she was doing something illegal, as long as they were giving her horrible stuff about us and Hagrid."

Hermione took the glass jar back from Ron and smiled at the beetle, which buzzed angrily against the glass.

"I've told her I'll let her out when we get back to London," said Hermione. "I've put an Unbreakable Charm on the jar, you see, so she can't transform. And I've told her she's to keep her quill to herself for a whole year. See if she can't break the habit of writing horrible lies about people."

Smiling serenely, Hermione placed the beetle back inside her schoolbag. Matilda had only ever been this proud of Hermione once before, and that's when she sucker-punched Malfoy square in the face.

The door of the compartment slid open.

"Very clever, Granger," said Draco Malfoy.

Crabbe and Goyle were standing behind him. And Daisy Morgenstern stood the furthest away, trying to push her way to the front. All three of the boys looked more pleased with themselves, more arrogant and more menacing than Matilda had ever seen them.

"So," said Malfoy slowly, advancing slightly into the compartment, and looking around at them, a smirk quivering on his lips. "You caught some pathetic reporter, and Potter's Dumbledore's favorite boy again. Big deal."

His smirk widened. Crabbe and Goyle leered.

"Your point? This isn't some secret we're trying to keep," Matilda glowered, her blue eyes narrowed. "We don't keep secrets among friends, Malfoy, but I can't say the same for you."

Draco's eyes widened at her words, her eyes falling onto the blonde who stood on the other side of the glass. Daisy's brows furrowed at the statement, meeting Matilda's gaze before trying to push past the two large boys that stood in her way. Laughing, Crabbe and Goyle apprehended her and pushed her backward leaving Daisy to stumble slightly. Draco scolded the oafs for touching her but didn't make a move to actively stop them. He was too busy snarling at Harry.

"Trying not to think about it, are we?" said Malfoy softly, looking around at all four of them. "Trying to pretend it hasn't happened?"

"Get out," said Harry.

Harry's feelings toward Malfoy seemed to match Matilda's. The sense of complete hatred filled her ever since she'd found out that he'd known about what was supposed to happen in the maze. Draco was ready and willing to let Harry die. He knew what was to happen. And he didn't even tell his best friend, who had a cousin competing in the tournament.

So angry, Harry began to grip at his want under his robes.

"You've picked the losing side, Potter! I warned you! I told you you ought to choose your company more carefully, remember?" Draco's voice had escalated, bringing attention from nearby students. "When we met on the train, the first day at Hogwarts? I told you not to hang around with riff-raff like this!"

Daisy yelled Draco's name in a scolding manner as his eyes trained on Hermione and Ron menacingly. Matilda could feel the anger boiling inside her as Draco's grey eyes bore into her friends.

"Too late now, Potter!" Draco spat. "They'll be the first to go now the Dark Lord's back! Mudbloods and Muggle-lovers first! Well - second - Diggory was the f-"

"That's rich coming from you, Malfoy!" Matilda stood from her seat, her brook falling from her lap carelessly as she yelled. "Shouldn't you and your goons be in the Slytherin car plotting over Voldemort's return and maybe not insulting the death of your best friend's cousin?! In which you helped cause!"

"No one asked you, Winters," Draco glowered in a low voice, his cheeks burning a bright red. "Seeing as you'll be amongst those lost as well!"

It was almost funny... Draco's threat. And Matilda certainly didn't take it seriously. She would just have to remind Malfoy of who she was.

It was as though someone had exploded a box of fireworks within the compartment. Blinded by the blaze of the spells that had blasted from every direction, deafened by a series of bangs, Matilda blinked and looked down at the floor.

Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle were all lying unconscious in the doorway. Matilda, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were on their feet, all three of them having used a different hex. Nor were they the only ones to have done so.

"Thought we'd see what those three were up to," said Fred matter-of-factly, stepping onto Goyle, and into the compartment. He had his wand out, and so did George, who was careful to tread on Malfoy as he followed Fred inside.

"Interesting effect," said George, looking down at Crabbe. "Who used the Furnunculus curse?"

"Me," said Harry.

"Odd," said George lightly. "I used Jelly-Legs. Looks as though those two shouldn't be mixed. He seems to have sprouted little tentacles all over his face. Well, let's not leave them here, they don't add much to the decor."

"Happy Summer," Daisy waved simply to the six of them, stepping over the limp boys before her.

Ron, Harry, and George kicked, rolled, and pushed the unconscious Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle - each of whom looked distinctly the worse for the jumble of jinxes with which they had been hit - out into the corridor, then came back into the compartment and rolled the door shut.

"Exploding Snap, anyone?" said Fred, pulling out a pack of cards.

They were halfway through their fifth game when Matilda became too impatient to not ask them.

"So, are you going to tell us, then?" she asked, looking at George. "Who you were blackmailing?"

"Oh," said George darkly. "That."

"It doesn't matter," said Fred, shaking his head impatiently. "It wasn't anything important. Not now, anyway."

"We've given up," said George, shrugging.

But they all kept on asking, and finally, Fred said, "All right, all right, if you really want to know... it was Ludo Bagman."

"Bagman?" said Harry sharply. "Are you saying he was involved in -"

"Nah," said George gloomily. "Nothing like that. Stupid git. He wouldn't have the brains."

"Well, what, then?" said Ron.

Fred hesitated, then said, "You remember that bet we had with him, at the Quidditch World Cup? About how Ireland would win, but Krum would get the Snitch?"

"Yeah," said Harry and Ron slowly.

"Well, the git paid us in leprechaun gold he'd caught from the Irish mascots."

"So?"

"So," said Fred impatiently, "It vanished, didn't it? By next morning, it had gone!"

"But - it must've been an accident, mustn't it?" said Hermione.

Matilda rolled her eyes, "Dial the optimism back a little, Granger..."

George laughed very bitterly. "Yeah, that's what we thought, at first. We thought if we just wrote to him, and told him he'd made a mistake, he'd cough up. But nothing doing. Ignored our letter. We kept trying to talk to him about it at Hogwarts, but he was always making some excuse to get away from us."

"In the end, he turned pretty nasty," said Fred. "Told us we were too young to gamble, and he wasn't giving us anything."

"So we asked for our money back," said George, glowering.

"He didn't refuse!" gasped Hermione.

"Right in one," said Fred.

"But that was all your savings!" said Ron.

"Tell me about it," said George. "Course, we found out what was going on in the end. Lee Jordan's dad had had a bit of trouble getting money off Bagman as well. Turns out he's in big trouble with the goblins. Borrowed loads of gold off them. A gang of them cornered him in the woods after the World Cup and took all the gold he had, and it still wasn't enough to cover all his debts. They followed him all the way to Hogwarts to keep an eye on him. He's lost everything gambling. Hasn't got two Galleons to rub together. And you know how the idiot tried to pay the goblins back?"

"How?" said Harry.

"He put a bet on you, mate," said Fred. "Put a big bet on you to win the Tournament. Bet against the goblins."

"So that's why he kept trying to help Harry win!" said Matilda with sudden realization. "Well, he did win, didn't you? So, he can pay you your gold!"

"Nope," said George, shaking his head. "The goblins play as dirty as him. They say you drew with Diggory, and Bagman was betting you'd win outright. So Bagman had to run for it. He made a run for it right after the third task."

George sighed deeply and started dealing out the cards again.

"You should've come to me for help," sighed Matilda, leaning back in her seat with a bored expression. "I'm great at blackmail. I could've gotten your money."

George snorted a disbelieving laugh, "Now Tilly ─"

"Don't," said Harry quickly, shaking his head with the slightest look of fear in his eyes. "Don't underestimate her."

"Well then," said Fred. "We'll remember you for next time, Tilly."

The rest of the journey passed pleasantly enough. Halfway through their journey, Matilda left the car to go and find Luna and Padma. She'd stayed with them for a little while. They were careful in their words to her, but she could tell they wanted more than anything to ask about Harry, and the rumor of Voldemort returning. But in respect to her, they refrained. Matilda said her goodbyes to them as they neared King's Cross. She promised to write the both of them before returning to her previous car. The usual confusion and noise filled the corridors as the students began to disembark. Matilda, Ron, and Hermione struggled out past Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle, carrying their trunks. Harry, however, stayed put.

Matilda could see Rueban in the sea of parents and guardians waiting to be reunited with their children. But she didn't go straight for him. Instead, she stopped turning to Ron and Hermione.

In a rush, surprising the both of them, Matilda reached out and pulled Hermione into a hug. It was awkward and felt slightly invasive, but not terrible. Three seconds hadn't passed before Matilda stepped away though. With an awkward cough, she straightened out her shirt.

"We'll write one another, yes?" Hermione asked hopefully.

Matilda nodded, "Certainly."

"You have a happy summer, Tilly," she waved, before walking past her to greet Molly Weasley.

Matilda's gaze followed Hermione and she'd caught the eye of Molly Weasley. She waved eagerly and even blew a kiss in Matilda's direction which had made her laugh.

"Ignore her..." Ron groaned, his cheeks turning a light shade of pink. "She's embarrassing."

"She's sweet," Matilda shrugged.

Ron smiled but said nothing. The blanket of silence began to fall over them again. Neither of them knowing how to act or what to say. Were they dating now? How does one say goodbye to their boyfriend? Matilda didn't know these things. She had a lot of reading to do this summer on the topic of relationships.

In a surprising act of courage, Ron was the first to act and stepped toward Matilda and lightly kissed her right cheek. Now it was her turn to be embarrassed. She could hear the gasp from Molly and the slight awe's. And Matilda didn't dare turn to face her dad.

"I'll write to you," he promised. "Everyday."

"Same," Matilda nodded, smiling.

"I should... I should go say hi to my mum," Ron jutted his thumb out awkwardly.

Matilda nodded, understanding. She watched Ron walk toward his mum, his head dangling in embarrassment as she ran toward him, pinching his cheeks and demanding to know everything about him and Matilda.

She too was just about to turn to face her father but was stopped when Harry stepped off the train. Matilda couldn't leave without saying goodbye to Harry.

"So," said Matilda, getting Harry to face her. "This is it."

He let out a long sigh, "I suppose so."

Before she could think Matilda wrapped her arms tightly around Harry, and much to his relief he mocked her actions. This hug was most different than her interactions with Ron and Hermione. It didn't feel forced or awkward. She didn't have to think about it. It was just comfortable. It felt normal. Easy.

"Thank you," Harry whispered. "For everything."

Matilda stepped back, she sighed, "Do you really have to go back to that horrible house?"

"Afraid so," Harry shrugged. "I'll be alright."

Of course, he'd be alright. Harry Potter was always alright. But Matilda couldn't help but to worry about it. It was as if it'd been engrained in her now. She had to worry about Harry. Because she couldn't bear the thought of losing him.

Harry Potter was Matilda's other half.

If she lost him then she'd be losing a part of herself.

"I wouldn't be here if not for you," said Harry.

Matilda, though she loved Harry tremendously still wasn't for heart-touching conversations. Deep conversations and thanks still made her feel awkward, and so she attempted to lighten the mood.

She shrugged, "Well, I've grown quite fond of having you around."

"Same," said Harry.

A short silence fell over them as they stood before one another. It was hard leaving him. Matilda felt wrong for doing so. She'd spent all year standing by Harry's side. Being away from him now, it didn't sit right with Matilda.

"I'll see you soon," Matilda promised. "I'm sure of it."

"I'll see you, Tilly," he said.

With one last hug, Harry and Matilda parted ways for the summer. Or so they thought.

Now, to face her father, who had just learned about Matilda's possible romance with a certain red-headed Weasley.

"Please," Matilda shook her head, approaching Rueban who wore an amused grin as if he was waiting to tease his younger daughter. "Please, not here."

Rueban laughed, pulling Matilda into a hug, "Fine. But once we're home..."

And just like that, Matilda's fourth year had come to a bittersweet end.

ϟ

AN:// and so, another year with Matilda has come to an end.

Kind of a full year, wasn't it. Just wait to see what the next one holds. Romance, death, heartbreak... I'm pulling out all the stops.

Any new theories? Ideas for OOTP? Love to hear what you all have to say.

I hope you continue to follow Matilda through her fifth year.

Love you guys!