Chapter Four

The response to our letter comes two days later at dinner. Cedric grabs it before I can. "Cedric give it!" I laugh, jumping up to try and grab it, but Cedric is holding the letter above his head, and I'm short.

"Not until everyone's in the common room!" He smiles. "Can't let anyone get a sneak peak!"

"C'mon, Ced, it's my parents!" I say, jumping again and tripping on the way down. I land face first and laugh.

"You alright?" Cedric asks, laughing and helping me up. I nod, and we keep walking across the grounds. I had run out to show Cedric the letter at the end of Quidditch practice.

The air suddenly get very chilly. Our laughing immediately ceases, as does my happiness, replaced by a feeling of deep sadness.

"Cedric, I thought the dementors were supposed to come near the castle." I shiver.

"They aren't." Cedric mutters. "We just walked to far." He steers us back towards the castle, and the sinking sadness quickly goes away, but the cold doesn't. Being the thin weak kid I am, I keep shivering all the way to the fire in the common room, even after Cedric wraps his scarf around me.

After we've had some chocolate, Cedric gathers everyone. "We've got a response!" He says gleefully, waving the letter around.

"Open it!" All of Hufflepuff cheers.

Cedric dramatically tears open the envelope, and out falls a piece of parchment. He quickly swipes the paper off the floor before anyone else can grab it.

"To the House of Hufflepuff," Cedric begins. "I shall be contacting Dumbledore as to the inexcusable behavior in Hufflepuff House. There have no need to justify anything to children, and I will be personally speaking with Dumbledore as soon as possible!"

The common room is a mixture of laughing and cheering next. Everyone finds the response comical, including me. "Write back, write back!" Someone cheers.

Cedric pulls out a sheet of parchment. "Dear Mr. Malfoy," He begins. "We very much look forward to your visit. Love ya, Hufflepuff!" Once again, we all sign the letter.

"Should we go send it now?" Cedric asks, and recieves cheers in response. "Guys, its almost midnight though..."

The cheering continues. "Let's do it!" I laugh, and once again Hufflepuff is running through the halls, loudly laughing. Everyone wants to see how my father will react to this, even if it gets us all into trouble.

We pass Ravenclaw Tower, accidentally waking up quite a few teachers. Professor Flitwick has to quickly jump away as the Hufflepuff mob almost runs him over in our excitement.

"Thirty points from Hufflepuff!" He sqeuaks. "Get back to bed!" No one listens to him until we're back in the common room. Most everyone goes to bed. "Charissa, wait." Cedric stops me as I walk off with Isabel and the other first year girls.

"Yeah?" I ask. The commin room is now empty. Cedric hands me a slip of parchment.

"It was in the envelope, but I didn't want to ruin your fun. It's from your mum." He says. "I didn't read it."

"Thanks." I take the parchment and open it, not really wanting to read the words inside of it. Hearing my father's disappointment and anger was one thing; I'm pretty sure I've always been a disappointment to him, but hearing my mother's will be entirely different. I feel as though I've let her down, which I have for sure.

Charissa, I don't know what's going on with you, but the letter was not alright. I know you're upset with your father, but he is right. It's not ok for you to be associating with Mudbloods. It's not good for you. I'm not mad at you for being a Hufflepuff; I saw it coming. You've always been too kind for Slytherin. I'm ok with that, but what I'm not ok with is the Mudbloods. If you can't break any ties with them, then I cannot speak to you again. Please, make the right choice, Charissa.

I'm crying by the end of it. "What did she say, Rissy?" Cedric asks gently.

"She's given me a choice." I choke. "I have to break ties with either my friends or my family."

"What would be wrong about cutting with your family?" Cedric asks.

"Because then I can never speak to my mother again." I say. "My mum's always been there for me, she's always been so protective of me. I trust her more than anyone."

Cedric gives me a reassuring hug. "Whatever you do, whatever you do, remember Hufflepuff will always be there for you. It's part of being a family." He says.

I smile a bit. "Thanks, Ced." I say. "Goodnight."

The next day I spend contemplating, thus my focus is at a level none. I know I don't have too long to decide. My father will be coming soon, and I know my answer will have to go home with him. "Charissa!" Isabel taps my shoulder. "Snape's talking to you!"

"Hmm?" I ask. "Can you repeat the question?"

"I said, Dumbledore wishes to see you in his office." Snape sneers. "Now."

"Yeah, ok." I say, getting up to leave. "Where's Dumbledore's office?" Snape gives me directions quickly and I hurry off. Please don't be Father, please don't be Father.

It's not. When Dumbledore lets me in, I find out he's just asked me to talk. "I received a very angry letter from your father about two days ago. Any idea about what that might've been about?" He asks.

"Me." I say.

"Partly," Dumbledore responds. "So what will you chose?"

"I-what?" I say. "How do you know about that?"

"Does not matter." Dumbledore waves off my question. "Do you have any idea what to chose?"

"No." I admit. "I'm torn. I don't want to lose my mum, but if I don't, I'll lose my best friends."

"I think the choice is clear, Charissa." Dumbledore says. "Your friends are already completely supportive, quite unlike your family. You would sacrifice that for a chance to be accepted by one person?"

"I don't know." I sigh. "Even if I were to break with my friends, I'd only ever be loved by Mum. But if I keep my friends, I keep their love, but I lose the person who matters most to me's."

"Love has no boundaries." Dumbledore says quietly. "If you chose your friends, then it won't stop your mother loving you. It isn't something you can turn on and off. It will just make it harder."

"Are you saying I should chose my friends?" I ask.

"If that is the conclusion you come to." Dumbledore nods. "Now, onto the matter of Lucius. I believe it would be best if both you and Mr. Diggory came to my meeting with him."

"Cedric? Why Cedric?" I ask. Is it because the letter was his Idea?

Dumbledore winks. "I think you know why. Now, run along and tell Cedric. I'll send for the two of you when the time comes."