Blooming: The Untold Goblet of Fire Story

Before they realised it, they were inside a large, dimly lit room, partially illuminated by moonlight filtering through small cracks in the windows. Particles of dust floated visibly in the air. After closing the door behind them, they dusted themselves off and took a moment to look around. The walls were adorned with large medieval tapestries, their intricate images seemingly telling a story. A canine skeleton rested in one corner, alongside anatomical drawings of werewolves, a large wooden carving of a werewolf, and scattered books on shelves. In the centre of the room were two cosy armchairs positioned near a peculiar lamp with legs, and a large wooden piano sat quietly in the shadows. The entire space felt magical, as though it had been abandoned for years.

Veronica's eyes scanned the room, absorbing every curious detail. "This place… it feels like a werewolf scholar's hideout," she murmured, stepping cautiously towards one of the tapestries. "But why would anyone leave all of this behind?"

Cedric walked over to the piano, letting his fingers trail along the worn wood. "Who knows... maybe they weren't the only ones studying werewolves," he said, his gaze shifting to the wolf carvings on the wall. "This place might have been used for secret research."

Veronica approached a shelf lined with dusty old books, her fingers trailing over their cracked leather spines. "Or perhaps it was a safe haven for someone who had nowhere else to go," she added, her voice tinged with curiosity. She paused at a particularly old book, its cover embossed with a golden moon. Carefully, she pulled it from the shelf, the dust rising in the air like a cloud of forgotten secrets.

Cedric watched her, intrigued. "What's that?" he asked, moving to her side.

"I'm not sure, but it looks important," she said, flipping the book open. The pages were brittle, yellowed with age. Strange symbols and diagrams of werewolves filled the pages, alongside what appeared to be handwritten notes.

"Here," Cedric said, his finger resting on a faded line of text in the corner of the page. "It looks like a date."

"Property of R.L.—1974," Veronica read aloud, her brow furrowing as the letters clicked into place. "R.L.? Could it be an old student at Hogwarts?"

Her gaze shifted to Cedric, confusion and curiosity blending in her expression. Then, realization dawned as she recognised the familiar handwriting—the same as the one in the letter left to her. Remus J. Lupin. "Remus Lupin...? He was your Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher last year, wasn't he?"

Cedric nodded, but his face remained serious, his curiosity deepening. "Yeah... Lupin. But what would one of his books be doing here, in a place like this? Unless…" He trailed off, his thoughts turning inward. "No, but it couldn't be... Could it?" Cedric looked back at Veronica, his expression confused, as if something had just clicked in his mind.

"A werewolf? Well, that's what it looks like," Veronica completed, glancing at the large wooden statue before turning back to the other papers scattered about.

"Wait, there's more." She picked up a bundle of crumpled papers, carefully smoothing them out. Her eyes widened as she read the scribbled words: "Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs…"

She paused, the weight of the discovery sinking in. "There are more of them," she whispered, showing Cedric the rest of the pages, which seemed to outline the workings of a secret group. One word stood out among the scattered notes: Animagi. She flipped to another page, the name Potter jumping out at her.

Cedric leaned in closer, his breath catching as he skimmed the familiar names. "Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs…" he repeated, shaking his head in disbelief. "The Marauders. I've heard stories about them, but this—this is their work."

Veronica glanced back at the pages, her eyes wide with excitement. "Animagi… They weren't just mischief-makers. They mastered some of the most difficult magic at Hogwarts."

Cedric traced a finger over the scrawled handwriting, his brow furrowing. "But why is all this here? In a hidden room filled with werewolf research and… Lupin's belongings? Do you think he left this behind on purpose?"

Veronica's mind raced, trying to make sense of it all. "Maybe he didn't have a choice. If this place was a hideaway… maybe it was more than just research. Maybe it was his way of protecting a part of his life—something he couldn't share with everyone."

Cedric's gaze locked onto hers, the weight of the moment settling between them. "You think this is where he came, during his transformations?"

Veronica nodded slowly, glancing again at the werewolf carving. "It fits. And these notes—they're not just about Animagi. There are spells here, formulas… instructions on how to control the transformation."

Cedric's eyes darkened with a mix of fascination and concern. "He wasn't just hiding. He was trying to find a way to live with it."

"Marauders? Who were they? Do you know?" Veronica asked, her voice filled with curiosity as she paced backward, her eyes still on the book's pages. Without stopping, she plopped down into a nearby armchair.

Cedric shifted closer, intrigued by her energy. "The Marauders? They were a group of friends at Hogwarts, all legendary for their mischief and adventures. James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew. They were known for creating the Marauder's Map, which shows every inch of Hogwarts." He paused, recalling the tales he had heard. "Lupin was part of that group, but I didn't know he was a..." He paused, as if still in shock from all the information, thinking about the past events. "I wouldn't have imagined that they were all Animagi."

Veronica was still trying to read the last pages of something that looked nearly erased. She leaned back against the couch, taking a moment of silence. "They transformed so he wouldn't feel alone..." She paused, the weight of the story settling in as a mix of shock and sadness washed over her. "How beautiful," she said, almost whispering to herself.

Cedric watched her, his heart aching at the empathy she showed. "Yeah, it really is. They were willing to risk everything to help their friend. That kind of loyalty is rare."

Veronica sat up a little straighter, her curiosity reignited. "I wonder how they figured out how to become Animagi. It must have taken a lot of practice and dedication. Not to mention the risk involved—especially with a werewolf."

Cedric nodded, a thoughtful expression crossing his face. "And to do it in secret... I can't imagine the pressure they must have felt. What if someone found out? They could have faced serious consequences."

"Exactly," Veronica replied, glancing back at the book. "But they did it anyway. It shows how much they cared for Lupin."

She paused for a moment, closing the book and looking at Cedric as if she were planning something in her mind, a mischievous look crossing her face.

Cedric noticed the way her eyes sparkled with mischief, a curious smile creeping onto his face. "What are you planning, France? You've got that look like you've just come up with a brilliant idea."

Veronica leaned forward slightly, a conspiratorial grin forming. "I was just thinking… if they managed to become Animagi to support Lupin, maybe we could find a way to honour that legacy. What if we try to learn how to become Animagi ourselves?"

"Wait, you want to become Animagi?" Cedric chuckled, half-amused, half-concerned. "That's quite the ambition. It's not exactly a walk in the park."

Veronica shrugged, her excitement palpable. "But think about it! If they could do it, why can't we? We're just as capable, and there's so much to learn from their journey."

Cedric raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued. "You're seriously considering this? You want to become Animagi?"

"Why not? If they managed to pull it off, we could definitely give it a go!" she replied, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"Alright, I'm intrigued. But that's a huge undertaking! Do you even know what it involves?" Cedric teased, leaning forward with a playful smirk.

"Come on, Diggory! Don't tell me you're scared of a little magic!" Veronica shot back, leaning in with mock seriousness.

"Scared? Me? Never!" he laughed, pretending to clutch his chest in feigned horror. "I just don't want us to accidentally turn into something ridiculous, like a toad or a pigeon."

"Cedric, Cedric, Cedric…" she said, feigning disappointment, her voice dripping with playful sarcasm. "I expected more from the reckless Hufflepuff who brought me on a late-night adventure." Her tone was alluring, a challenge in her eyes.

Cedric leaned in, his lips curling into a teasing smirk. "A reckless Hufflepuff, am I? You make it sound like I'm dragging you into danger on purpose."

Veronica raised an eyebrow, her lips curling into a sly smile as she leaned in slightly, her voice smooth and low. "Aren't you? Or maybe you're just afraid of a little excitement. I thought you'd be more up for the challenge." She watched him closely, a silent challenge hanging in the air between them. Her smirk never wavered, the tension between them thickening with every word.

His eyes locked onto hers, the playful tension between them growing. "Oh, I'm always up for a challenge, France. Just not one that ends with me stuck as a croaking toad for the rest of my life." He raised an eyebrow, leaning in slightly, his tone teasing but with a flicker of genuine concern.

Veronica chuckled, her breath warm as she leaned even closer, her voice dropping slightly as if sharing a secret only he could hear. "What's wrong with being a toad? And besides, you wouldn't be stuck, Cedric. I'd make sure to change you back… eventually."

Cedric shook his head, laughing softly, though the intensity in his gaze didn't fade. "You're trouble, you know that?"

"And you're so in," she teased back. "But I prefer 'adventurous.'" Veronica shot back, her lips curling into a grin.

He tilted his head, his expression thoughtful but still teasing. "I'll admit, you keep things interesting—I'm almost sold. But Animagi? That's next-level mischief. If we're doing this, we'll have to do it properly. No half-baked spells, no shortcuts."

"Of course," Veronica said, her voice sincere but still tinged with excitement. "Besides, where's the fun in doing things the easy way?"

Cedric leaned back, crossing his arms with a mock-serious expression. "Alright, I'm in. But if we turn into toads, I'm blaming you."

Veronica grinned, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Blame me all you want, but I've always wanted to have a toad."

They paused, sharing a moment of laughter, their amusement blending with the growing excitement of a potential adventure ahead. Their eyes met, and in that brief exchange, a silent understanding passed between them—it was their secret now, something they would share together. The thrill of discovery had momentarily pushed aside the tension, but now, as they stood there, the unspoken connection between them returned, even stronger than before. It lingered in the air, charged with unspoken words and emotions neither dared to voice, communicated instead through genuine smiles and the quiet flicker of nervous anticipation.

Veronica then stood up once more, trying not to let the silence between them linger too long, or whatever it was that was happening in that moment.

"So... how about we come back here when someone finds out something about Animagi and how we'll go about it, if that's okay with you, of course." she said, attempting to keep things light. But she could still feel Diggory's gaze on her, tied to something deeper in his thoughts, and that smile on his face was already becoming firmly etched in her memory.

Cedric leaned against the pillar, arms crossed, his expression thoughtful yet playful as he nodded. "Agreed. But if I turn into a toad, I might need a princess to turn me back into a prince, you know... with a kiss."

Veronica was taken aback by his words, finding herself enjoying the moment more than she should. She put the papers aside for a moment and turned to him, crossing her arms, her mischievous look narrowing as she eyed him.

"Honestly, you're so obsessed," she said, her tone playful as she slowly approached Cedric, clearly enjoying the moment. "But you know," she added, settling into the armchair beside him with an inviting, amused smile, "if your Animagus skills are as good as your guiding skills, I might just consider your case, Diggory."

Cedric, still leaning casually against the pillar, chuckled at her response. Her playful tone and approach had him slightly on edge, in a pleasantly good way, and the amused smile on his face only widened further.

"Oh, don't worry," he said, his voice low and alluring. "My Animagus form will be so magnificent, you won't be able to resist giving me that princess kiss."

As she lowered herself into the armchair beside him, Cedric couldn't help but feel the tension between them growing even more, like an electric current crackling in the air.

Veronica watched him, sensing the tension rising between them again. It was as if they were trapped in a flirtatious game where neither of them could tell if they were being honest. Under the soft glow of the moonlight, Cedric looked irresistibly handsome, his light brown hair catching the light just right. Maybe it was still too early to define their relationship—perhaps they were just good friends, she thought. Good friends who shared secrets.

Before she realised it, Cedric leaned closer, coming within inches of her, making her heart race.

"Look," he said with a playful smile, as if he felt the tension too but was enjoying the game. He frowned playfully, then tilted his face so close that they could feel each other's breath. The tension they felt had long since transformed into something else. He seemed to relish the moment, while Veronica was too busy lost in his scent and that charming smile to react, wondering how far she was willing to go at that moment.

"France, look," he said, breaking her reverie. He pointed to the arm of the chair, which was made of wood, amusement dancing in his eyes.

Veronica shook off the moment and focused on the initials carved into the chair just below her wrist. Leaning closer, she read, "R&S."

"It looks like someone left their names here long ago, something even time can't erase," she remarked, her tone shifting to one of seriousness as she gathered her thoughts.

"That's what it seems," Cedric agreed. Then he pulled out his wand. Before she could respond, he began engraving his initials, followed by hers—"D&V"—into the wood. "Diggory and Veronica," he murmured, a hint of pride in his voice as he finished, his face close to her neck.

She couldn't help but smile. D&V. Diggory and Veronica. It sounded special, meaningful.