Chapter 21

Sage had just turned a corner when Professor Moody appeared at the end of the corridor, he appeared to be holding a large blue trophy cup. Could that be the triwizard cup? Sage asked herself. If Moody had the cup, he must be going, or just come from the tournament. Perhaps Cedric was there, so Sage decided she would ask him.

Sage set after Moody, following him around another corner, trying to catch up to him so she wouldn't have to yell across the hall. As she turned into the next corridor, Moody disappeared into his office, leaving the door slightly ajar. Sage acknowledged that his behaviour was rather suspicious.

He seemed far too excited over being in possession of the cup, and he even left the door open. Something that a paranoid auror like himself, would never do, but Sage decided that Moody, himself, was an odd person. So she brushed it aside, and approached the door.

Upon entrance, Sage noticed Moody had the triwizard trophy set up rather strangely. He appeared to be casting a spell on the cup, one that she recognised to be a portkey enchantment. "Professor Moody?" Sage called into the room hesitantly, and Moody dropped his wand in shock, spinning around to face his intruder.

"Forgive me for interrupting, but are you turning that into a portkey?" She asked. "You should know better than to sneak up on a professional auror, miss Fawley." He grumbled. Sage waited for him to continue, but soon realised he didn't want to share what he was doing. "Well I was just wondering if-"

Moody's skin began to bubble and blister, and he let out an annoyed groan. The Professor dragged his fingertips down his cheeks that appeared to be sinking in, and his appearance altered significantly.

"P-Professor Moody?" Sage took a step back, in awe of the scene before her. Suddenly, Professor Moody dropped to the ground, snatching his wand up, but Sage's instincts were too fast, and she caught on to his intentions.

"Levicorpus!" She thrusted her wand forwards, and the man before her flipped upside down, dropping his wand. Sage dashed forward, retrieving the wand off the floor before he could steal it back.

"I don't understand.." Sage kept distance between herself and the man. "Who are you?" She gasped as his tongue flickered to the corner of his mouth, his appearance returning to its true state.

"But.. But you're Barry Crouch jr?" She stared at him. "I am. And I always carry a spare wand." He shoved his hand into his pocket, retrieving his wand before Sage could react. "Stupefy!" He called, and Sage was knocked unconscious.

——

When Sage awoke, she realised that she was laying on the stone cold floor of Professor Moodys office. She shot up, remembering the events from before she'd been knocked unconscious. Moody was nowhere in sight and Sage dashed over to the door, flinging it open.

Barty Crouch jr hadn't even bothered to lock it. Perhaps he believed that by the time she'd wake up, it'd be too late.

Sage ran down the hall, as fast as her legs could take her. The school appeared to be empty and she could hear the cheers from outside, near the Quidditch pitch. If the tournament had not already started, it would soon.

Sage continued out of the school, desperate to reach Dumbledore, Professor Sprout, or McGonagall. Something told her Barry Crouch's intentions with that cup weren't pure.

"HELLO?! ANYONE?!" She yelled, dashing across the grass towards the stadium. "ANYONE, PLEASE!" Sage continued. She tried to focus on running as fast as she could, but she found herself slowing down as she remembered Cedric. If that man truly was a Death Eater, and he had been in possession of the cup, Cedric was in danger.

Sage couldn't bare the thought of Cedric being hurt in this tournament. Death Eaters weren't harmless, if he'd put in this much effort in, pretending to be a Professor for what may have been all year.. He must of had a plan, Death Eaters were killers. They aimed to kill, and Harry Potter was in this tournament. It could be no coincidence.

"No. No. No." Sage repeated all the way across the grass. She began to piece the puzzle together. Barty Crouch had been turning the cup into a Portkey, Harry Potter, whom Voldemort was after, was in this tournament. Which could only mean that when Harry reached the cup, it'd take him somewhere horrible, maybe even to Voldemort himself. 

But what if Harry didn't win? He was much younger and less experienced than Cedric. The possibility of Cedric reaching that cup before Harry, was very likely, and Sage was terrified at the thought.

When Sage reached the Quidditch Pitch, she saw Victor Krum leaning over one of the students, who led him over to a medical tent. She searched the field for Dumbledore, and her eyes laid on Fleur. Had the tournament finished? No. Neither Cedric, nor Harry were anywhere near.

"Is something wrong, dear?" Professor Sprout approached the girl, who appeared to be in a state of panic. "I need Professor Dumbledore." She panted, blinking back the tears which pricked her eyes. She could be too late, Cedric could have already been hurt, or worse, killed.

"He's right up there.. Are you sure you're alright, dear?" Professor Sprout repeated, but Sage was already gone. "Professor Dumbeldore!" She ran up the bleachers, past the students that stared at her in confusion.

"Professor Dumbledore!" She breathed, reaching the elderly man at the top of the bleachers. Professor Moody had just noticed her. "Fawley!" He called, and Sage spun around.

"Professor." She was even more distressed now. "Miss Fawley, whatever's the matter?" Professor Dumbledores voice was calm and soothing, but she was not comforted by it, not while 'Moody' climbed those bleachers up to them.

"Professor, that's not Alastor Moody. That's Barty Crouch jr and he stupefied be when I saw him change, he was turning the triwizard cup into a portkey, you have to stop the tournament!" She swallowed hard. If he had succeeded in changing the cup, and Cedric won.. Sage knew Barty wouldn't have the cup send him to some lovely tropical island with unlimited butterbeer. Cedric was in trouble.

"Perhaps Miss Fawley is just worried about her friend, Cedric." Professor Snape sneered from beside Dumbledore. "Professor Dumbledore, please." Sage pleaded. "I believe you are telling the truth, but in case you have been mistaken, I will have to confirm this. Please trust me as I speak with him." He warned her as Professor Moody reached them.

"Miss Fawley, here, hit her head pretty hard this morning. Pleases beg her pardon, she isn't feeling herself." Moody grunted. "She was mumbling nonsense about Barty Crouch-"

"I believe you are mistaken, Alastor. Miss Fawley was just telling me that you confiscated her owl this morning, and she was requesting that I returned it to her. It seems it is an emotional support animal as Miss Fawley often has distressing hallucinations." 

"Yes, I think I had one just a few minutes ago, actually, it was quite odd." Sage lied. "Yes.. Yes I do have her owl, I can give it to you after the tournament." The fake Professor Moody eyed Sage suspiciously, but said nothing more.

"Alas, it seems you were right, Miss Fawley." Dumbeldore nodded his head. "I don't have an owl, Professor." Sage grinned at Moody as Dumbedore cast a spell to bind him.

"Severus, I need you to stop the tournament immediately." Dumbledore turned to Snape, who was already out of his seat. "Thank you, Professor.." Sage breathed heavily as Moody was dragged away by Professor McGonagall and Professor Sprout.

A moment later, Harry Potter and Cedric were standing in front of the entrance to the maze, obviously confused as to why they'd been pulled out of the tournament. Sage froze at their appearance, he was okay. Cedric was okay. 

Before she could rationalise her decision, Sage found herself rushing to the bottom of the bleachers, desperate to reach him. Cedric noticed her as she reached the grass, dashing towards him. He blinked at her in confusion, pausing as she flung herself at him.

"I'm so glad you're okay." Sage melted into tears, crying into his chest. At first Cedric had no reaction, but after a moment longer, he hesitantly wrapped his arms around her, stroking her hair. 

"I'm sorry if I worried you.." He whispered nervously. "Don't be sorry, this is all my fault." Sage pulled away from him as a swarm of Professors swept Cedric and Harry away. 

----

For the rest of the day, until later that afternoon, Sage had been interviewed by a number of people. She had been asked to retell every detail of her encounter with Barty Crouch jr to Dumbledore, the Minister of Magic, the school Professors, all the Triwizard Champions and Rita Skeeter. 

At the end of the interviews, Sage left Dumbledores office and decided that she'd find Cedric immediately. However, she didn't need to look far, as he was already waiting for her outside. "I only waited to apologise for scaring the shit out of you." Cedric said as she approached him. 

"I hope you're okay after your encounter with Barty Crouch jr, and thanks for warning Dumbledore before something bad happened." He smiled emptily and Sage felt greatly discouraged by it. "Can I speak with you.. Before you leave." She grabbed his wrist as he turned away. 

"I just really need to tell you something, please." She pleaded. "Okay, but be quick." He turned back around. "First of all, i'm sorry about what I did at the Yule Ball. I liked Harper, but I only kissed him to make you jealous and I take full responsibility for my pettiness." She waited for his response, but when none came, she continued. 

"I said yes to going to the ball with Harper because I knew you'd ask Cho.. But I really just wanted to go with you." She looked down. "I tried to ask you." He scoffed. "What?" Sage looked back up. "I kept trying to ask you, I even tried to get you to meet me in the astronomy tower but you kept avoiding me." 

"I thought you'd found out that Harper had asked me.." She frowned. "No. I had no idea." Cedric looked away, embarrassed. "Anyway.. During seven minutes of heaven, I also kissed Harper to make you jealous, and though I did have a crush on him, it was stupid of me. I was angry that you and Cho were friends again." She sighed. 

"But Cho apologised to you about lying. I told her i'd only be friends with her once she apologised to you, so she did, and you still didn't forgive her." Cedric frowned. "Cho never apologised to me.." Sage paused, had Cho lied again?

"She told me she did, maybe you just misunderstood what she was saying." Cedric shrugged. "Cho hasn't even tried to speak with me since she lied to me." Sage scoffed. "She lied again?" Cedric paused. "No, she told me-"

"Well she never apologised to me. I'm pretty sure i'd know." Sage laughed disbelievingly. "Oh." Cedric stared at her for a moment longer. "Where you trying to make me jealous because you don't like Cho..?" Cedric asked, and Sage knew she'd have to tell him.

"This is not exactly the most.. ideal.. place or time to tell you this." Sage sighed heavily. "And I know you're angry with me-"

"I'm not angry with you anymore, Sage." Cedric bit his lip. "I get it.. We misunderstood each other, we've been stupid and I shouldn't have ignored you for all those months.." He shrugged.

"-Well.. I know you don't feel the same way, and you're dating Cho, so-"

"I'm not dating Cho.." Cedric frowned. "We broke up after the second task.. She wasn't happy that you were sent into the lake, and not her.. And besides, I wasn't really happy.." He looked away, and Sage felt a boost of confidence come on.

"I'm in love with you." She breathed out, and Cedric flung his head around to meet her. "What?" He gaped at her. "I'm in love with you and I know I've been an idiot, i've been such an idiot and I should've just confessed that I liked you when I realised that I did, and-"

Sage was interrupted, once again, but this time it was not Cedric's words that cut her off. Cedric grabbed her waist, pulling her into a kiss, which she met with the same desperation. She locked her hands around the back of his neck, her thumbs resting on his jawline.

She could not have been happier, he liked her too, perhaps he didn't love her.. But he liked her enough to kiss her. She had waited for what felt like a lifetime for this moment, and it suddenly all felt worth it. All the fighting, all the anger, all the jealousy. It had all been worth it.

Cedric pulled away from her lips, though he didn't seem to really want to. "I'm in love with you, too, Sage. I'm so glad you feel the same.." He sighed, their faces still inches apart. "I've been in love with you my whole life." He caressed her face. 

"You are?" She smiled fondly at him. "Truly?" She laughed. "Truly.. How could I not be?"