Her legs were contracting… she felt as though someone was trying to pull her limbs apart… she thought she saw Viktor running away, but no, it couldn’t be…
And then it ended.
What had just happened? Who’d hexed her? Was it Viktor? But Viktor wouldn’t do that to her. They were friends.
By the time Fleur realized she could still move, McGonagall was already rushing towards her.
The Triwizard Cup
Several months ago, Cedric would not have done it.
He'd thought –- stupidly, in hindsight – that Harry had put his name in. It made sense at the time. Moreover, he knew how crucial it was for his House to get credit for being the “everyone else” house. What people didn't understand was that Hufflepuffs weren't just “everyone else” – they were people who stuck together. Some Hufflepuffs were better at demonstrating this trait than others, but in any case, Cedric owed it to them to prove everyone wrong about their misconceptions. Hufflepuffs were strong. They could win this. They had much to be proud of.
But he couldn't be proud of taking the Triwizard Cup away from Harry.
No one would understand. Especially not his father. Or Bronson. What did it matter? Cedric knew what was right. Harry had never signed up for this. Moreover, he'd helped him in the First Task. He'd helped everyone. Who else would have gone back to rescue the others in the Second Task?
Harry was deserving. He didn't want to win; he was shaking his head at Cedric.
Then Harry suggested they both take it.
Cedric decided that was the fairest way to go about it.
Wrong
“Where are they?” Hermione asked, checking her watch.
“They’ll be back soon,” Ron said, but he didn’t sound so sure.
Bill could see that even the judges were whispering in confusion. Something was wrong. Very wrong, he realized.
“I’m going to see if there’s anything I can do,” Bill told his mother.
He was halfway down the stairs when Harry and Cedric appeared on the ground.
Dreams
Cho was starting to get worried about Harry and Cedric; they all were. Bronson even suggested they go into the maze after them, but of course no one would have permitted it.
Then they appeared on the grounds, but it wasn’t right. Cedric wasn’t moving.
“What is he doing? Get up!” Cho hissed.
“My God — Diggory!” Fudge shouted. He said something else that Cho couldn’t hear. She stood up with Bronson just in time to hear, “Cedric Diggory — dead!”
What?
Bronson and Cho both froze; all of the Hufflepuffs were standing now. Cho wished they would sit back down…
Cedric’s parents were running to their son. They would put it right; Cho was sure of it. They’d see that he was fine…
As the stands emptied, people were screaming and crying and asking frantic questions. She could see Harry being whisked away by Mad-Eye Moody.
“Cho? We should go down,” Bronson said, sounding pained. “See what’s happened.”
Cho shook her head. Doing so would make it true.
“Cho…”
Bronson held her hand, and after swallowing, Cho made her way down the stands with him onto the grass, passing person after person. Marietta called her name, and her other friends were looking at her with sad and frightened expressions. Why wouldn’t they stop staring at her, calling after her like something was wrong? Nothing was wrong. Viktor had taught Cedric to feint, and that’s all this was. He was feinting.
The Hufflepuffs were in a circle now… Professor Sprout was sobbing… a fourth year looked as though she'd been kicked in the stomach... Ernest MacMillan kept saying this wasn't really happening... in the middle were Cedric’s parents with his b—
“CEDRIC, NO, NO, NO!” Cho wailed.
She flung herself at Cedric, shaking him until Mrs. Diggory pulled her into the hug she’d been sharing with her husband, and they stayed close, the only ones who shared each other’s pain exactly.