Note: Ok, this chapter is up two days before the deadline I gave myself, so yay! I just want to let you all know that there are a lot of projects that I am working on. The next one will be "I'm Your's," an NCIS McAbby songfic, to be published 1/10/2009. My next HP project is a threeshot called "I Could Not Want Anything More," the first chapter will be posted 1/17/2009. There are a few things I'd like to tell you before you begin reading this chapter. I know that Cedric and his two friends are very much like Harry and his friends, I did that on purpose. Also, a warning, this chapter contains some mild abuse.

Chapter Three: Home Again

As Cedric grew accustomed to life at Hogwarts, he found that it became easier for him to relax and make friends. He grew apart from the Weasley boys, who were both sorted into Gryffindor, but he still saw them in classes and he was always willing to joke around with them. The time began to fly by, between homework, lessons and time with friends, and the thing that Cedric feared most was drawing near. Christmas holidays were less than a month away. He tried to enjoy his limited time with his new best friends, James and Donovan. He knew that he would need a mental escape from his father's coming interrogation.

Cedric was sitting in the Hufflepuff common room working on his Potion's essay (Describe, in no less than 5 feet of parchment, the exact purpose of a bezoar, including it's effect on every potion listen on page 326 of your textbook) and daydreaming about throwing a bezoar at Professor Snape's head. 'I usually try to respect teachers, but he is a very foul man…' he thought while thumbing through 1,001 Magical Herbs and Fungi. He let his thoughts drift away from Potions and towards his family. He imagined how badly his mother must miss him, and he worried about how his father might be treating her. He wasn't exactly sure how long he contemplated his family situation when he felt a sharp poke on the back of his head.

"OW! What was that for?" Cedric screeched in outrage.

He turned around and saw Donovan laughing at him. "C'mon mate, it's time for lunch, you've been sitting here for at least two hours," Donovan grabbed his unfinished Potion's essay, "And it appears that you didn't even get anything done."

"Thank you, mother," Cedric snatched his essay back and shoved it into his book. "Let's go."

Cedric led the way down to the Great Hall, Donovan chuckling at his side. When they arrived, they selected seats near James, who was already stuffing his face with a variety of the food on the table. "For Merlin's sake, James, don't you ever stop eating?" Donovan commented.

James mumbled something about Donovan's mother and made a rude hand gesture. "Well, Mr. Ross. If you were half as passionate about your potion making as you were your insults, perhaps you would be in better shape for the upcoming exam," Snape glared at James. "Let's see, how about 10 points for rudeness, and another five for the eye-rolling, so a total of fifteen points from Hufflepuff." Snape swooped off towards the head table, and James took the opportunity to flash the same rude gesture at his retreating back.

"I really hate him." James turned back to his plate.

"Well, he has a point. Not that I want him to take points away, but you really should spend more time studying." Cedric listened to his friends bicker.

"Can you two give it a rest, please?" Cedric interjected, but the two ignored him and continued their argument. "You fight like an old, married couple." Cedric mumbled.

"Hey! That's not even funny." James looked offended, but finally moved on to a new subject.

Cedric spent the train ride to King's Cross Station staring out the window of the train and listening to his friends talk about the gifts they hoped to receive for Christmas. He was jolted out of his thoughts by Donovan. "What do you want for Christmas, Cedric?"

"Oh," Cedric had been hoping they wouldn't ask this, since he very rarely received anything he really wanted. "Well, I'd like a broomstick, but I don't think I'll get it."

Cedric internally prayed that they would notice his discomfort and not press the issue. However, James continued. "Why's that? Your dad works at the Ministry, I'm sure he could afford it."

"Dad's kind of funny about spending money." Cedric hoped that his face wouldn't betray his disappointment.

James opened his mouth to continue, but Donovan, by far the more tactful friend, gave him a swift kick and changed the subject to Quidditch. "You know, I don't think the seeker for the Harpies is that good looking. She has a weird nose."

"What? How can you say that?" James became distracted by his favorite topic, leaving Cedric to go back to his thoughts.

When the train arrived at King's Cross, Cedric became very nervous. He felt as though his stomach had relocated somewhere closer his knees and he could feel his heart trying to jump out of his chest. He wasn't sure if his father was coming to retrieve him or not. As he stepped down onto the platform, he let go a sigh of relief. His mother was standing there, and a quick look around showed that his father was nowhere in sight. He bid his friends goodbye as she rushed toward him. Wordlessly, she wrapped her arms around him, which slightly worried Cedric. Emily Diggory was a very talkative woman whenever her husband was not around. Cedric took this to mean that his interrogation was scheduled to begin the moment they got home.

"Your father's waiting for you in the study," Emily took Cedric's coat and hung it in the closet. "Just answer his questions and it will be over before too long," she said optimistically.

She kissed Cedric's forehead and went into the kitchen to begin making dinner. Cedric shuffled down the hall as slowly as he could, hoping to put off his father's sure disapproval. With every step closer to Amos' study he could feel his anxiety heighten. Finally, Cedric stood in front of the closed wooden door. He took a deep breath and knocked gently. "Enter," his father's voice was low.

Cedric did as his father had said. He closed the door behind him and sat at one of the uncomfortable wooden chairs in front of the desk. The room was not unlike the office of a company executive, but it had no windows and the walls were lined with books that looked as though they had never been read. Amos' face was emotionless, but Cedric did not relax for he knew that nothing was ever good enough for his father, and somewhere behind the façade, he was planning a verbal attack on his son. Cedric's palms began to sweat as his father reached into a drawer and pulled out a stack of parchment. Amos set the papers in the middle of the desk facing Cedric, trying to entice him to look down, but Cedric knew better. He held eye contact with his father, remembering another one of the Diggory household rules; always look people in the eye, for looking away is a sign of insecurity. He held his breath for what seemed like days until his father began to speak. "Son, I've been in contact with your teachers. Do you know what these letters say?" Amos glared down at Cedric.

"No sir!" Cedric replied in a military-esque fashion, employing two more of his father's rules: always speak in a clear voice because mumbling is for those who are weak, and always address your elders respectfully.

"Very well, I shall tell you. Some of your professors are intrigued by you. They find you to be a diligent worker who rarely has difficulties involving time management or stupidity. I don't know how you did it, but you've got them wrapped around your finger," Amos removed all but one of the letters from the desk, "However, there is someone who seems to be at odds with the rest. Read me the letter."

Cedric had a feeling he knew which professor had written this letter, which he took off of the desk and began to read aloud:

"Dear Mr. Diggory,

It was quite a surprise to receive your letter, as many parents do not take a very active role in their child's education, but I am glad that you did. Your son is below average in my class, and it seems to me that he is not putting forth all of his efforts. I am concerned that he may be spending too much time frolicking with his companions, when he should be spending it doing the proper research for his homework, which consistently lacks insight and is rarely the work that I would expect from someone whom other professors claim to be highly intelligent. When this letter arrived, I immediately graded your son's recent examination, for which he earned a dismal 'P.' I ask that you please step in and inform your son that if he does not put forth a great deal more effort, it is unlikely that he will succeed in any of his classes, not merely my own.

Sincerely,

Prof. Severus Snape, Potionsmaster"

Cedric could feel his face becoming red, partially from embarrassment, but more from anger. He was not doing that poorly in Potions, he was one of the top students, but in true Snape fashion, his hard work was ignored. He had suspicions that his homework was not even read, and that Snape simply marked it with a 'P' before moving on to the next paper. He was also angry, for his father always focused on the negative, no matter how many positives there were.

Cedric set the letter back on the desk and examined his father's facial expression. Amos had leaned back in his chair and his eyes were closed. He remained this way for several minutes before speaking. "Needless to say, I am very disappointed," Amos hissed as he rose out of his chair and withdrew his wand from another drawer. "Stand up."

Cedric did as he was told, knowing what was to come. His father walked around the desk until he was behind where Cedric stood. Cedric prepared himself for the pain he knew he was about to endure. Amos silently swung his wand toward Cedric's back, as if he were trying to hit a baseball while batting with only one hand. No actual contact was being made, but with each movement of his father's wand, Cedric could feel a thick wooden cane striking his back. He cringed with each hit but did not move, because he knew that one tiny movement would escalate his father's anger. He stood motionless until suddenly, there were no more strikes. This meant his punishment was over.

Amos left the room, slamming the door behind him. Cedric felt a lone tear roll down his cheek. He took a few deep breaths to compose himself before exiting. He could tell it was going to be a very long seven years.

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Thank you all for reading, the next chapter will be a lot happier. It will be up by 1/24/2009. Reminder: Reviews are my life, so please leave them!

Hugs and Kisses!