A Memorable Tale

17 | 50 Points for the Nonsense Adventures

"Please," Padma groaned. "Tell me how you end up going on these nonsense adventures!"

I shrugged as I adjusted my tie in the mirror. "It got us fifty points, didn't it?"

"Forty-five, technically," Morag said.

I rolled my eyes. "Plenty all the same." I slung my bag over my arm. "Besides, we got second place this year again. Nothing can really fight the two that actually went into the chamber."

"And I'm thankful that you didn't," Sue said, linking her arm with mine. "Imagine if your face got as screwed up as Potter's!"

"Yes, that would be tragic."

I glanced at my bag once again and dug into it to pull out the school record from 1943, placing it on the bed.

"That's not a library book?" Lisa asked.

"I checked the catalogue, it's not in there." I patted the dark green cover. "I think it's better if it stays here."

"I thought your original mystery was how it got into your bag?"

"Well, some mysteries are meant to be left unsolved, don't you think?"

We descended into the common room, where Cho sat on the couch with a pale face. I tilted my head. "What's the matter?"

Her trembling hand lifted and pointed at the door. I pulled out my wand and took the doorknob, opening the door to reveal Cedric waiting by the entrance. "Oh, Ced!" I glanced at Cho and realized the reason she needed three second years to fan her as she sat down. "Oh, Ced..."

"Did I do something wrong?"

"No, no." I took his arm. "Let's get you out of here before somebody faints from your cologne."

"Did I put on too much?"

"No, you put the right amount. That's the problem." Among other things.

We got to the entrance of Hogwarts, where I saw Neville standing with his toad clutched in his hands and Seamus and Dean on either side of him.

Seamus noticed me and waved me over, elbowing Neville so he'd look in my direction as well.

"Hey, you three," I greeted. "Ced, this is Neville, Seamus, and Dean. Guys, this is-"

"Cedric Diggory!" The three exclaimed together.

"Yes, him."

He fashioned another awkward smile followed by an even more awkward wave. Cedric was popular, and he knew that much - the problem was that he didn't know what the heck to do about it.

I held out my hand and Trevor hopped into my palm. "Hey there," I said to the mischievous amphibian. "Did you get away from Neville again? Is that why he's holding onto you so tightly?"

"I don't know how you get him to stay in your hand like that," Neville groaned.

"Y/N's just good with animals." Cedric put his hand on my shoulder and smiled. "Isn't that right? How many owls do you have?"

"Technically, one, since the other two belong to my mom and dad."

"They listen to you all the same. You don't even have to bow to your hippogriffs anymore."

"Apus still makes me bow to him." I stroked Trevor's back. "You want to sit in the same booth as us, Neville? Seamus? Dean?"

"Would we?" Seamus grinned, so wide that you could barely see his pupils. "Definitely!"

•••

I placed my head on Cedric's lap with my legs leaned against the wall for Seamus to sit next to him. "So how do you know Y/N?"

"She's my god-sister."

"Ced, just say sister, you're wasting your breath."

His face flushed again. "Right... sister."

I smiled to myself and turned the page of my book.

"You had a Nimbus 2001 at the last game!" Neville recalled. "You can afford it?"

"Y/N can afford it," Cedric corrected.

I smiled to myself again.

There was reason to smile, after all - other than being rich, of course.

The Defence Against the Dark Arts classes for the rest of the year had been cancelled while Lockhart went to regain his memory.

According to Ron, he had tried using Obliviate on the two of them using his broken wand, resulting in him forgetting even his own name.

Somehow, I hoped that those who completed the deeds that he had taken credit for would be credited again.

Lucius had also been fired from his job as governor of Hogwarts - a blessing to us all, really. He did threaten the other governors so that Dumbledore would be forced to step down from his job.

Even better for Lucius, Dobby lost his job - he's a free elf. Looks like Draco will have to learn how to cook.

And my conclusion for the investigation was, again, correct: Tom Riddle was the true Heir of Slytherin and Hagrid was innocent.

The only thing I didn't get to solve was who had put the student record in my bag the year before.

"Y/N?"

I looked away from my book to find each boy in the booth staring at me.

"Are you okay?" Neville asked.

I nodded and sat up, closing my book. "'Course. Why do you ask?"

"You just looked... troubled over something."

"A working mind is always troubled over something, like how being down for something and being up for something mean the same thing."

The faces they made after I said that couldn't make them look any more dim-witted.

Cedric laughed and whispered to me, "You have very interesting friends."

I gazed at each of their faces, which looked at each other as if the answer to my idiotic shower thought would be written on the other's forehead, and grinned. "Yes, you're right."

•••

"Do you ever plan on getting a girlfriend, Ced?" I asked as he helped me load my trunk onto a cart.

"I don't know. I haven't really met anyone yet."

I glanced at the group of girls all staring at him, giggling to each other as if it were a language I didn't understand. Maybe he just doesn't swing that way. "You'll find the one," I assured.

"What about you?" He placed the cage with Dipper inside on top of my trunk. "Ever plan on getting a boyfriend?"

"I mean, yeah, but I won't just date anyone for the sake of dating." I began pushing my cart with Cedric walking beside me. "That's so boring."

We walked through the wall and entered the muggle world, with muggles walking by, being none the wiser.

"Gemini's outside," I said.

"And that is..."

"My hippogriff. One of them, anyway."

"Right."

I heard someone running after me from behind and I turned to see Neville dragging his cart behind him.

My face brightened. "Neville!"

He panted and held out a piece of parchment. "I was wondering... if you could give me your address so I could send you letters?"

I eagerly took the parchment and scribbled down my address. "I'll be home for most of the summer. Just not from August 14-27. I'll be at Cedric's."

"I'll right down my address as well, then." He took the parchment from me and began writing.

I gave it back to Neville, whose eyes glittered as if I had given him a treasure map. "Thanks!"

"Not a problem. I'll write back, I promise."