Chapter 17

"Sage.. Don't look now." Olive elbowed Sage in the side as they made their way to COMC. "But Cho Chang and Cedric are totally walking together." She whispered, pointing across the corridor, where Cho Chang and Cedric Diggory were, indeed, walking together.

"No." She gaped at them. "That bitch. I can't believe this." She scoffed. "Did I tell you about the letter she sent him in Italy?" Sage asked. "You did. I can't believe you had to find out they were friends again like that, he didn't even tell you." Jill glared at them.

"It's despicable." Sage tore her eyes away from the pair. "Simply offensive." Olive added. "She repulses me. How can he stand her, the lying bitch never even apologised to you." Jill muttered in annoyance. "It's time we declared war." Jill concluded. 

"What- No. No war." Sage laughed. "Yes, Sage. War. If you won't, we will. Won't we Olive?" Jill linked arms with Olive, who nodded. "Please don't do anything- Jill!-" Sage grabbed Jill's arm as she raised her wand, but she was too late. 

Suddenly, a pair of dog ears and a tail to go with it sprouted from Cho Chang's body. Sage watched in horror as the girl shrieked in fright, trying desperately to hide her new accessories as Cedric searched the corridor for whoever had sent the spell. 

"Jill!" Sage hissed as they ducked into a nearby crowd, hiding from Cedric's gaze until they made it outside. "Jilly, that was terrible." Sage moaned. "Cedric's going to kill us."

"He won't know it's us, Sage." Jill giggled. "Did you like it? Bitch- female dog- hence the ears and the tail?" She raised her eyebrows mischievously, and Sage couldn't help but to laugh. "Creative, but cruel." Sage rolled her eyes.

----

"The Durmstrang champion is.. Victor Krum!" Dumbledore announced, as all of Durmstrang raised from their seats and applauded him. "I knew it'd be him." Jill whispered to Sage and Olive. "Didn't he catch the snitch at the World Cup?" Asked Athena.

Krum got up from his chair, shaking hands with Dumbledore before exiting into a side room, where the other contestants would meet him. 

"The champion of Beauxbatons, is Fleur Delacour!" He cried, and the Beauxbatons students applauded as a beautiful blonde girl got up, shaking Dumbledores hand, and following Victor Krum to the side room. 

Sage held her breath as the fire grew purple again, spitting out another piece of parchment. "Please don't be Cedric.." She crossed her fingers as Dumbledore read the sheet. "The Hogwarts champion..."  "Please don't be Ced-" "Cedric Diggory!" All of Hogwarts leapt to their feet, clapping Cedric on the back as he reached Dumbledore. 

Sage felt a weight drop in her stomach, just her luck. As Cedric shook Dumbledores hand, he met eyes with Sage, smiling at her. She did not return it. She watched glumly as Cedric walked away, entering into the side room. 

The whole room stood, now. Clapping and cheering before Dumbledore silenced them, beginning his speech, before he was interrupted. The fire flew purple again, shooting another piece of parchment into the air. 

Everyone watched curiously as it slowly drifted downwards, caught by Dumbledore, who read it aloud. "Harry Potter..." Dumbledore frowned. "Did he just say.. Harry Potter?" Athena strained to listen. "Harry Potter!" He called out, and a nervous looking Gryffindor raised from his seat.

"Wait.. Isn't there only supposed to be three contestants?" Sage turned to Olive, who shrugged. Harry Potter collected the parchment, reading it as if he'd no idea how it had reached the cup, and then entered the side room. 

There was a huge outburst from the students, they all raised to their feet shouting 'Cheat!' As the boy disappeared, soon followed by the Professors. 

----

"He said he didn't put it in the cup. Dumbledore and the rest of the professors believed him, but the Beauxbaton and Durmstrang headmasters didn't. Barty Crouch said he had to compete." Cedric informed them at breakfast the next morning. 

"Do you believe him?" Asked Rowan. "I do. His reaction was genuine, I don't even think he wants to compete." Cedric laughed, though Sage thought she detected bitterness in his tone. "Poor guy, never gets a break." Harper chuckled.

"Please don't be angry with me, Sage." Cedric whispered to Sage, who had not spoken to him at all. "Well since you said please." She rolled her eyes sarcastically. "I can't do this tournament without you." He continued. 

"I guess you won't be doing the tournament, then." She scoffed. "Sage.." He sighed. "Will you ever speak to me again?" 

"I'm speaking to you right now." She frowned. "You know what I mean, i'm sorry, but i'm doing this tournament." He groaned. "I hope you lose." Sage lied, but she wouldn't tell him that. She may have been angry with him, but she still wanted him to do well.

"You don't mean that.." He pouted. She didn't answer him, or any of the other things he said to her after that. "I'm not trying to upset you, Sage." He pleaded, but she still refused to say anything more.

"Fine, I give up." He grumbled. "..I know what you did to Cho Chang the other day." He continued. "I thought you said you'd given up.. And that wasn't me, blame Jill." She sighed. "I know you contributed to it."

"I did not. I told her off, for your information." Sage rolled her eyes. "Why don't you like her?" He asked. "Oh, I don't know. Maybe it's because she lied to my face and tried to sabotage our friendship?" She scoffed. "Which, by the way, she still hasn't apologised for. But you don't care, do you? She didn't lie to you, so what does it matter."

"She made one little mistake out of fear, and besides, she says you're intimidating. She hasn't apologised because she's scared you'll yell at her." Cedric scoffed. Sage could be foul when she wanted to, but unless you were in her group of friends, she was the perfect little Hufflepuff. 

"That's bullshit." Sage rolled her eyes. "I suppose she has lied to you then, you're just ignorant." Sage got up from her seat, dragging Harper with her just to spite Cedric. "Unhand me, woman. I can walk." Harper freed himself from her grip.

"Don't call me woman." Sage frowned. "Unhand me, fair maiden." He grinned, and she rolled her eyes at him. "Did you get in an argument with Cedric?"

"When aren't we arguing, these days?" Sage huffed. "Want to go to the Yule Ball with me?" He raised his eyebrows. "No." She shook her head. "Why?" Harper frowned. "Because you asked me too quickly, and it wasn't romantic." 

"I suppose i'll have to come up with something romantic, then." He sighed.

----

In the weeks leading up to the first task, Sage was warmed up to the idea of Cedric competing in the tournament. She had not yet held an entire conversation with him that hadn't ended in an argument over the tournament, but for the majority of the time, she did not loathe him.

Sage and her friends had been out the front of the school, sitting on the grass, as it was a warm and sunny day. When Cedric came wandering out of the castle, looking around nervously as he approached. "I just spoke with Harry Potter.." He told them, taking a seat beside Rowan.

"The first task has something to do with Dragons.. He saw them, and he was very sure of it." He sighed. "What am I going to do.." He glanced nervously around the group. "I hope you're happy you entered your name, now, Cedric." Sage scoffed. "What did I tell you?"

"Not now, Sage." He groaned. "Yes, right now." She scolded him. "You're about to be eaten by Dragons, and you put yourself there against my advise. I expect a full apology when you come out of the first task with half your hair burnt off, if you come out of the first task." 

"I wish you'd just help me and not pester me about entering. The goblet chose me because I can do this." He sighed. "The goblet has chosen other contestants before who've died. Who's to say you won't join the long list?"

"Fine. I'll go ask Cho if she can help me." Cedric glared at her, getting up from the grass. Sage and the rest of the group gaped at him. Cedric had done everything he could to avoid mentioning Cho in front of Sage, and now he had purposely mentioned her to piss Sage off.

"I agree that you need to calm down about his entering, but that was too far." Jill frowned. "He crossed the line." Olive shook her head in disappointment. "I agree." Rowan and Harper nodded. "I hope Cho gives him terrible advise, and he ends out coming last." Sage scoffed.

And she did. Cho advised Cedric to transfigure a rock into a dog, and though the dragon took the bait, it soon realised, and turned on Cedric. Burning his face. Cedric ended out using a conjunctivitis jinx on the dragon and obtaining the golden egg, which was the task, but was badly injured in the process. 

Cedric was sent to the hospital wing immediately, due to bad burns on his face and arms, and Sage rushed to meet him there. 

----

Cedric sat up in bed, smiling at Sage who was half curled up in her chair, half resting on his hospital bed. She had fallen asleep while waiting for Cedric to wake, and Cedric took the opportunity to admire her features.

He wanted to reach out and play with her hair, but he was afraid he'd wake her. She looked so peaceful when she was sleeping, and if she were to wake up, she'd certainly scold him for his foolishness during the first task. 

Cedric's friends had left gifts at the end of his bed, but all had given up on waiting for him to wake, so Sage was the only one left. Cedric flinched as the girl began to stir, lifting her head up from his bed. 

"Cedric?" She rubbed her eyes, and he nodded. "Hi, Sage.." They had not spoken since their argument, where Cedric had found out he'd be battling a dragon. "..How's your burns?" 

"Healed.. Madam Pomfrey works wonders." He smiled. "What were you thinking." She sighed, sitting up right. "Transfiguring a rock into a dog?" She laughed. "It was Cho's idea.." He smiled sheepishly. "She took inspiration from the prank Jill played on her, so I suppose Jill's partially responsible." He grinned. 

"Of course you'd shift the blame off Cho, onto Jill." Sage scoffed. "Want to sit?" Cedric shuffled over in the bed, and she came and sat beside him. "I'm sorry if I scared you." He apologised. "I told you this tournament was a stupid idea." She sighed. 

"I don't want to fight anymore." He pouted. "Neither do I.. I'm sorry for being so annoying." She frowned. "No, it's okay."

----

"On your feet, everyone. Partner up." Professor Sprout ushered the Hufflepuff students into the middle of the room as the music began to play. "Slowly, now." She paired random students up, directing them on how they should hold their partner.

"Miss Fawley with Mr Lee, please." She pointed at Sage and Harper, and Sage was glad to be partnered up with someone she knew. Cedric on the other hand, was not so happy about their pairing. 

"Lucky me." Harper cocked his eyebrows, placing his right hand on her waist."This remind you of anything?" Harper grinned, moving the hand that was on Sage's waist, ever so slightly. "Funny."  She rolled her eyes, containing a blush that threatened to creep up her cheeks. He had been referring to the seven minutes they had spent together, in a cupboard during the summer.

"The good old days." Harper sighed and Sage withheld from hitting him. "Creep." She scoffed. "Aren't you the one who lied about how many Galleons you had, just to kiss me?" He whispered. "I shouldn't have told you that." 

Harper continued to tease her, until eventually they were dismissed. "I look forward to dancing with you like this again, at the ball." He bowed. "If I go with you." Sage giggled. "You will, just wait."