Here's the next chapter. I hope you enjoy it. Please read and review love Hermione xxx
That evening as he sat down to dinner he watched the evening mail come in and watched as Kreacher handed the letter to Cedric who looked highly confused but took the letter none the less. He opened it and read it becoming angrier as he did so. It was obvious from the slight reddening of his cheeks. He raised his wand giving a vow that he would be honest no matter what once he saw that Harry was looking. Harry nodded to show he'd seen it. Cedric then looked very resigned all of a sudden. When the evening meal was over Cedric approached him nervously.
"Harry I wondered if we might have a chat in an abandoned classroom for a moment. I need to explain some things to you and I hope you can pass them on to Lord Black for me!" he said as Harry smiled at him.
"Neville go up to the room and please take my bag with you. I'll be up there in a little while. Come on Cedric!" he said passing his bag to Neville who smiled at him and encouraged him to go. He would of course hear all about it later on. They entered an abandoned classroom which soon contained two armchairs in front of a fire facing one another while a table with pumpkin juice and glasses rested in the middle of them thanks to Kreacher. They both sat down and Harry poured them both a glass of pumpkin juice.
"Harry I got this letter from Lord Black and he told me dad petitioned for me to marry Pandora Tonks. I didn't know this because he didn't tell me. I am honestly very happy he said no and I would like you to tell him this. I am sorry about my dad sometimes he does come across as very overbearing and I hate it so much. I need your advice though!" he said taking a sip of his drink as his hands shook a little bit. It was clear he was very nervous about something and Harry wondered what he'd say.
"I am disappointed you did not know about it but I will let Lord Black know later. What did you need advice about? I will give it if I can!" he said as Cedric blushed very deeply.
"The other day I found a muggleborns book on relationships in the muggle world as she had loaned it to my dorm mate and I read it. It said in there all about engagements and proposals and well it's so romantic isn't it? I have a girlfriend Cho Chang and she's been my girlfriend for two and a half years. I've never told my dad because well he never asked and I didn't think to tell him about it. My question is that I love her and want to marry her what should I do?" he asked making Harry cough deeply. He'd not expected the question.
"I can see from that book you know that in the muggle world people just propose and they don't have to ask their parents for permission but it's not the same here. I don't know why by the way but it isn't. I can see that I have no choice so you need to give me a vow of secrecy that what I tell you next will go no further unless I say it can or until I say so myself!" he said confusing Cedric no end.
"Ok. I Cedric William Diggory do hereby swear on my magic and life that I will not reveal the secrets of Harry Black unless he does it himself or tells me I can so mote it be!" he said the wand tip glowing to show it had taken affect.
"Ok now I can tell you the truth. The truth is I am not Lord Black's heir. I tell everyone that so they will not know who I really am and I do like it that way as it suits me. Basically for reasons I am not getting into right now as they are a bit complicated I am Lord Black!" he said as Cedric gasped.
"So you can help me then? Look I'm sorry but I don't really care that you're Lord Black. I know I probably should but what you've told me about my dad has been eye opening to say the least. Look I love him but he's too much. To think that he'd do that and not once even think of me is depressing. I would never want to marry her or anyone because I have Cho but he isn't going to want to know about it. I tried to bring it up once and he said unless he can get something from it, it isn't happening" he said looking very sad.
"I see. It is for this reason that now I must ask you something very difficult. Suffice it to say they have many spells in the Black family which do many things not all of which are dark. Do you think your dad is a good head of the family? Does he do the Diggory name proud?" he asked as Cedric looked confused.
"I don't know much about what he does in his role just that everything he does must have some benefit to him or he doesn't do it. I only know this as he has told me this numerous times in my life!" he said as Harry looked thoughtful.
"What would you say to there being a new Lord Diggory?" he asked as Cedric looked highly conflicted.
"But I love my dad just not what he does. I know that may make no sense but I love him more than anything in this whole world I just hate that he always forgets about me. He doesn't mean it and I know that but he is always looking to progress or to go further and sees that the only way he can do this is to use and abuse as many people as he can. Is it awful of me that I think he should be doing things differently?" he asked guiltily.
"You have nothing to feel guilty about sometimes fresher perspectives can do wonders for a line. Do you feel you would make a better Lord Diggory then him?" he asked as Cedric paled considerably.
"Well yes I do but I don't hate him and wouldn't want him to think so. I really do love my dad. He's not a jerk like yours!" he said defensively and then paled as he realised who he'd spoken to.
"Calm down Cedric. You are right he's not a scumbag like my dad for sure. The Blacks have a spell I can use on you if I like to make you the new Lord Diggory. Usually the spell generates a reason on its own as to why the Lord has been changed from one person to another. Would you like me to use it? Either way you and he would still ultimately answer to me as my vassals so I could make things very difficult for him if he made them difficult for you" he said as Cedric's head flew up in awe.
"Can you be sure that he will know it went to me for the right reason and not because he was um a bad lord? I don't want him to hate me but I do want you to do it!" he said again looking very guilty.
"Well for example my father was an asshat and when things changed for him it said that this was the reason. Obviously this doesn't go anywhere and falls under that secrecy vow you gave me but Jim is the new Lord Potter because James couldn't run a bath much less a successful family! Your family is not an asshat like James senior is and so I imagine the reason it will give for you being the new Lord Diggory will be according. We will get the same letter he does which will explain why you are now the new Lord Diggory. Sit still and repeat after me while holding your wand in front of you ok. I Cedric William Diggory do hereby ask Lady Magic to judge the worthiness of Lord Diggory and reassign it to me where necessary if she deems it to be so" he said as Cedric copied him doing so as there was a slight explosion sound ten minutes later and it was done. A letter appeared there that Cedric who now wore the head of the family ring took in his hands and began to read aloud to Harry who was interested to see what it would say. It read:
Dear Amos Arthur Diggory,
It has been felt by the powers which be that you are simply not an efficient Lord of your house. We here at Gringotts have been notified by mother magic herself of these changes. You do things only which will benefit you and are in no way humble something which cannot be allowed to continue. You keep secrets from your wife and son you know to which we refer. You should be most ashamed of yourself as we can tell they would not ever think of you the same way again if they knew. Drunken mistakes always come back to bite us in the ass. You sired some children with someone who was not your wife. Yes that woman did have twins even if it was only the one time you were ever unfaithful to your wife. You see every time counts.
We would advise you to let Cedric know he has sisters. It would be god for him to know this. In light of all the lies we have witnessed from you and quite frankly selfish conduct it is now your son Cedric who is the new Lord Diggory. He is exceptionally loyal to you and loves you more than life itself. Please see to it that you do not harden your heart against him. He is a fine boy and you should be most proud. Not much will change for you. You will go about your day as you usually do the only difference is that you are no longer Lord Diggory Cedric is. As of right now your access to all accounts and things remains the same which will change only as and when your son says it should. Have a good evening. Do not forgot all we mentioned about love and loyalty,
Signed, Gringotts Bank London.
Cedric read it and was stunned it was written in such a nice way. This showed that he loved his father very much and that he was being given the chance to do things his way normally. It was written in such a way that Amos could not think poorly of his son. Amos was at home when it happened and was stunned totally but didn't feel that bad about it. Sure he wasn't Lord Diggory anymore and was annoyed about that but was confident Cedric would do a good job. He faltered when he'd learned he had twins out there somewhere buy decided not tell Cedric as it would upset him too much. He would later on learn to regret it but he wasn't awful like James Potter had been so financial restrictions didn't need to be put in place for now. That might change later but for now all was well.
