A Real Champion: The Cedric Diggory Story

A ShelbyElizabeth original story

Summary: Cedric Diggory was just an average boy, with an unusual talent, and now he's off to Hogwarts to learn magic and make friends, leaving behind the only thing he ever truly cared about.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter franchise. However, I do own this plotline, story, and Bridget Benoit.

Chapter One: Leaving

To his neighbors, Cedric Diggory was a seemingly average boy, with above average good looks and a charming smile. He was also quite bright, so it seems he was not average at all. On the surface, Cedric was polite and kind to all he met, man or woman, young or old, it made no difference to him. But what his neighbors did not know was that young Cedric had a secret. The secret was by no means the deep, dark kind that one kept hidden to protect their reputation, but still, Cedric's father, Amos, told him that he was to tell not a soul his secret. Cedric Diggory was a wizard.

From the time he was born, unusual things happened around Cedric. When he threw temper tantrums, the pots and pans all clanged together, and when he was extraordinarily pleased, the air around him seemed lighter and brighter. This was, of course because of his magical inclinations.

His father worked at the Ministry of Magic. Mind you, he was not the Minister himself, but he was no magical janitor, but in Cedric's eyes, there could be no better man in the world. Now Cedric did his best to please his father and he very rarely broke any rules, but once, just once, he broke the number one rule: DO NOT tell anyone the secret.

11-year-old Cedric was on the swings of the playground around the corner from his house, minding his own business when he was joined unexpectedly by a very pretty young girl by the name of Bridget Benoit, whom Cedric had always had affection for, though he couldn't be sure she felt the same way. "Hello Cedric," she said quietly, "Um, well you know term started today and I couldn't help but notice that you weren't in school, were you ill? I mean, I suppose you weren't ill because you're here right now but, um, where were you?"

Cedric knew that he would have a difficult time keeping secrets from Bridget, so he answered her vaguely, "Home."

"Oh, ok." the young dark haired beauty remarked.

"I'm not going to school here anymore." He replied.

"I see. Where are you going? Unless of course you're going to be home-schooled, but I don't think that is the case since both of your parents have jobs, but, um, yes, so where are you going?" the questions cascaded from her mouth.

Something about the way her blue eyes sparkled at him convinced him that he had nothing to fear from her. Surely his father did not include Bridget in the threat category. Surely it was safe to tell her. Cedric looked around, to be certain that he and Bridget were quite alone, and they were, so there could be no safer place. "Can you keep a secret?" he whispered.

"Of course." She whispered back, eyes widening in excitement.

"I'm going to a school east of here, called Hogwarts."

"Why does that need to be a secret?"

Cedric's nervous eyes strayed only from Bridget to scrutinize the woman walking past on the sidewalk with a baby carriage. "Because, Hogwarts is not a normal school, it's a school of," Cedric broke off, thinking of his father, but deciding that there was no way that he could be found out, he continued, dropping his tone until it was almost inaudible, "magic."

"Magic? What kind of magic? Like magic tricks, oh I love magic tricks. Oh, this is so exciting; you're going to magician school! This is so wonderful, why would you want to keep it quiet?" Bridget's face morphed to match her voice, which switched swiftly from excitement to confusion.

Cedric mentally rolled his eyes, but explained calmly "No, it's not a magician's school. It's a school for wizards. Real wizards, and real magic, not like card tricks and stuff." He tried very hard not to let exasperation creep into his voice; he should have known that she wouldn't understand.

"Oh, that's nice. I hope you have a good time. I probably won't see you again anyway." The girl's voice softened.

This took Cedric by surprise. He had expected to be able to see her during breaks, but now she was telling him it wouldn't happen. He tried to sound normal but his voice betrayed his true emotions, anger and a bit of sadness trickled in as he said "Why not? Is it because of what I just told you? You don't want to be my friend anymore, do you?" Sadness consumed Cedric's mind. 'How could I honestly expect her to understand? I shouldn't have said anything. Should've said I was going away to boarding school. It wouldn't have been lying, just not the whole truth. Oh well, too late now.'

"No," Bridget's voice startled Cedric; he did not realize she was still there, as he had expected her to be running as far away from this crazy boy as she could, "I'm moving. Me and my mum are going to live with my aunt for a while, in Paris, while Dad is… away. Mum thinks it will be good for me, and I'll get the practice my French. I mostly just came to say good-bye. I'm leaving tomorrow. I went looking for you at your house, but your Dad said you were here. He asked me to tell you that supper will be ready soon, and to please come home soon. Anyway, I was going to tell you sooner, but I couldn't think of a good way to say it."

The two sat in silence for a while, Cedric thinking about not seeing Bridget ever again, and Bridget thinking about not seeing Cedric. He broke the awkward silence, mumbling "I should probably go, Dad'll be mad if I miss dinner."

He waited for a moment, to see if she would respond, but Bridget stayed quiet and stared at the ground. It wasn't until he had begun to walk away that she stood up and whispered "Cedric,"

He turned around, hoping that she was going to tell him that it was all just a joke, and that she would be here, waiting for him during breaks, but she said nothing else. She got up from her swing and strode up to him, wordlessly wrapping him in a hug that said more than words could have.

Again, their silence was broken, and a tender moment ruined by a taunting from beyond the gate. "Cedric and Bridget, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"

The annoying boy's friends laughed, and Bridget broke away, not wishing to be a target for their antics. She was mainly embarrassed, but Cedric felt nothing but anger. He was silently wishing harm on the boy, his face screwed up from trying to hold back tears. The boy took another jab, "Look fellas, he's trying to take a poo!"

This only made Cedric angrier and the small group of boys laughed harder. They began to move away when their leader, the taunter, tripped over a small rock on the sidewalk that had not been there before. The motion propelled him forward, and failing to catch his balance, he fell and smacked his head on the side mirror of a car. The boy's friends checked to see if he was hurt while Cedric chuckled inwardly. The boy stood up, rubbing his forehead, and stomped away angrily. His friends followed, snickering quietly behind his back. Once they were around the corner and out of sight, Bridget and Cedric began to laugh. She looked up into his eyes, her own wet with tears from laughter, and hugged him again. His enjoyment subsided immediately as she whispered "I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you, too." He said, though it was more like a promise that he would never forget this wonderful girl.

Cedric gave her a small peck on the cheek, and walked away from playground. He could not bring himself to turn around, because he knew that if he did, he would not be able to leave. Then, so quickly that Bridget could not be sure she had seen it, he swooped down, grabbed the rock that the horrible boy had tripped over, and pocketed it. He still felt the urge to turn around, so he started to run away, to make their parting as painless as possible. So he left Bridget standing alone in the old playground that she would never return to, ever again.

"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? I SENT THAT WRETCHED GIRL AFTER YOU HALF AN HOUR AGO!"

"Amos," a timid voice interrupted, "Please calm down, she meant no harm."

"I WILL NOT CALM DOWN, YOU KNOW THAT HE HAS A SOFT SPOT FOR HER. WHAT DID I TELL YOU, BOY? ONLY NANCY-BOYS HAVE SOFT SPOTS, YOU NEED TO TOUGHEN UP, RIGHT NOW." Cedric's father shouted, his face shone red, as if he had eaten too many cherries and his skin was tinted that color.

"Dad, please. We were just saying good-bye." Cedric said softly, hoping that his father could not see the sadness in his eyes.

"Good-bye? GOOD-BYE? WHAT DID YOU TELL HER?" Amos's questions stung Cedric, filling him with guilt as well, remembering that he had indeed broken the number one rule.

His momentary hesitation was all that his father needed to condemn him. Amos grabbed Cedric by the arms, pinning him to the wall and repeated "WHAT DID YOU TELL HER?"

"Nothing Dad, I promise. We were only saying good-bye because she's moving." Cedric said meekly, praying that his eyes would not betray his guilt.

For a moment, he thought he had been successful, for his father's grip slackened. Then, as if he had no mercy for the puppy-lovesick liar, pushed Cedric up against the opposite wall and hissed "You lie. Go to your room, NOW!"

He shoved Cedric towards the stairs. Cedric stumbled a bit climbing them, but he comforted himself by thinking 'Dad's just a little intense, that's all.' But he wasn't fooling himself. He heard his mother yelp as his father turned on her as well. 'So it's going to be one of those nights…' he thought. He lay down on his bed and stared at the ceiling, listening to his father blame his mother for everything that was wrong with Cedric. He tried not to think of anything family related. Instead, he thought about Bridget, and how much he was going to miss her. He hoped she would have a good time in France. 'Oh, shoot,' he thought, silently berating himself, 'I forgot to ask how long she would be gone.' Eventually, he drifted off to sleep, dreaming only of Bridget.

Cedric awoke to a soft tapping on the door. His mother poked her head in and whispered "Are you all packed up and ready to go, dear? Your father's not awake yet, but you know how being late upsets him."

"I'm ready, mum. Just give me a minute to get dressed." Cedric told her sleepily.

"There's something else, dear." His mother stepped in and closed the door. She was careful not to step on the creaky floorboard, and she sat on the end of the bed. "I've purchased an owl for you, but I don't want your father to know, you know how he gets about spending money on frivolous things. But I don't think it's frivolous. I've already sent it to Hogwarts. It's a tawny owl, but I haven't named it yet, I thought you might like to." His mother continued in a hushed tone.

"Bridget." Cedric said softly, yet firmly. 'That way, I'll always have a reminder of her…' he thought.

"That's a lovely name. Bridget then, whenever you need me, send her to me. But only at work, I don't want your father to know just yet." His mother grimaced, she did not like to keep secrets from her husband.

"What about when I come home next summer? He'll find out then for sure, when I come home with an owl that he didn't buy." Cedric pointed out.

His mother replied "We'll worry about that when the time comes." She kissed him on the forehead and exited, leaving Cedric to get dressed and prepare to leave for Hogwarts.

"September 1st…" he said quietly, reveling in the happiness of leaving his father's abrasiveness, if only for a short while.