What did he do to deserve Head Boy? He hardly spent time with any other students this past year because he was so caught up in the tournament. I mean sure he represented the school, but so did Harry.
The more Cedric thought of Harry the more it upset him, they were using his death to force him to be Head Boy! If he didn't grab the cup at the same time as him then who knows what would happen? Bringing back Harry's body was a mistake, it caused a lot more trouble than it needed to. If he just left him there then that man could've done whatever he wanted to him though. Some dark ritual, he assumed.
"Fine." He said aloud petulantly. "I'll just be the worst Head Boy the school has ever seen."
Cedric decided to never help the prefects, tutor students, help professors, or his house. It would be a change but it would teach Dumbledore and those other meddling teachers a lesson. You can't force someone to be Head Boy just because they brought the body of The Boy-Who-Lived back after he was killed. It wasn't even a rational decision, he just did it at a whim.
Marching back up to his bedroom, Cedric stood in front of the window that looked over the front garden. Dumbledore was long gone it seemed, must have apparated through the wards somehow. Or used some sort of invisibility cloak. He'd ask his father once he got home about this whole Head Boy mess too. He would definitely have something enlightening to say.
The rest of the day passed quickly, reading textbooks from last year and repeatedly looking over his results paper. With no house elf though, unlike some richer families, it fell upon Cedric to do all the chores in the house while his father was at work.
This included the Herculean task of clearing the overgrown back garden, long weeds that went up to his head and a couple bushes out of control. With a pair of secateurs and a saw in hand, his work continued into dusk.
Amos Diggory arrived home to the sound of quiet exertion coming from the back side of his home. Rather than go through the door he walked around the rear, and saw his son angrily and messily shearing the bushes. His haphazard workmanship was clear on each part of the lawn. Random chunks of weeds and branches were laid everywhere. Cedric himself was sweating through his light t-shirt and shorts.
"Ced are you okay?" He asked gingerly, interrupting another bout of furious trimming.
"I got my end of year test results back today Dad," he began, until he noticed the look of concern on the face of the man he was speaking to, "Don't worry I did good in them, it's just for some reason they've made me Head Boy."
"Oh well that's wonderful, you're the pride of the family!" His father replied happily. Eager to go back inside and celebrate, he skipped in and was heard flinging his bag and coat into the front hall.
Cedric followed, although he couldn't understand why his father didn't see the bad side of all this. Was it just in his head?
"Dad, no, wait. I don't want to be Head Boy. I wanted to be the Quidditch Captain."
"Cedric, try and see the bigger picture. You're the pride of your house now, and the whole school. You're sounding like a child whinging over not getting what they want, and it doesn't sound nice you know." He replied, frowning.
Why can't he just understand! Cedric didn't want to be Head Boy, and he doesn't deserve it.
"And I think they only gave me it because I brought back Harry at the end of the tournament." He stated, brandishing the badge up to his father.
"Don't bring this up now." He barked angrily, balling a fist. "I've been working so hard to separate you from all this. Keeping you here, quashing rumours at work, contradicting all stuff they're putting in that rag tabloid. You deserve to be Head Boy and this is the last I'll hear of it. Do you fucking understand me?"
Red in the face and almost roaring, this wasn't like the man Cedric was used to seeing. He sometimes got emotional and angry, as everyone does. However this was different, this foaming at the mouth fury was entirely new.
"I'm sorry okay." He mumbled out before running to his bedroom, leaving his results paper and badge behind him.
He was leaving, forced to stay here while the whole country was going around gossiping about him. Cedric was sure they were saying such awful things, like he did it, or he brought him to some Death Eater like Sirius Black to be murdered and sacrificed for You-Know-Who. Something crazy like that.
Quickly throwing clothes and toiletries into a backpack and trunk, he had second thoughts.
What if he was truly safer here at home? If people were trying to murder him because they thought he was a killer? He'd never killed anything before, maybe a few flies. But he always let spiders and moths out through the window when they got into the house.
Dragging his trunk down the wooden staircase, it made a racket on each hollow step. Alerting everything in the house and even more. Cedric managed to get to the door before being interrupted. His father swung open the door, purple in the face and once again balling his thick fingers into a fist.
"What do you think you're doing?" He hissed, "Running away? To where? The country hates your guts, you're only going to be safe here."
"Dad please I just need to get away for a while, to have some time to think things over. I'm not running away for ever, I'm only in school you know."
"Leave then, everyone does to me lately. Nobody is talking to me at work you know, thinking I'm crazy for defending my own family." He said, scowling but with tears in his eyes. "If you really want to go you're welcome to. Just know you won't be welcome back."
Shocked, Cedric opened the door and slammed it behind him. He was only going to go for a couple days, maybe see if the Weasleys would want to talk to him. Or just stay at an inn for a few nights to clear his head. Now he was being kicked out? For what? He wasn't a petulant child, he knew that.
The Leaky Cauldron was not always named so. The innate dampness and mould gave it's name, as the innkeepers were a lot more bothered about the thoroughfare of Diagon Alley patrons. Busy, drafty, and dark were the best words to describe it. Among the muggle born population at Hogwarts there was an in-joke called the "Leaky Cauldron Syndrome". Muggle borns who were so enamoured with the excitement and discovery of their new world, they associated it with the horrid bar they walked through to get there. Many preferred to stay there for a few days rather than a cheaper, cleaner, quieter inn elsewhere.
All of this was perfect for Cedric. There were enough people coming and going so nobody really focused on him. The rooms weren't filled with the high society snobs who'd recognise him and create a stir. The pub downstairs too, was advantageous. Dark enough inside to hide in a corner, but not too sparse to stand out as the loner on the other side of the room.
Interestingly, Hogsmeade did not serve alcohol to students, regardless of age. So it was here that Cedric sipped his first legal pint. Alone and feeling sorry for himself, definitely ready to dive headfirst into the exciting world of alcoholism. He swished the dark stout in the glass, swirling the bubbles and foam round and round. Bored slightly, sure. But with nothing really to do.
A fantastic idea popped into his head. A holiday, there's nothing he needed more right now than a break away from everyone. Where to go though? There wasn't really any places to book a stay away in Diagon Alley, or anywhere he knew of really. A few of his friends have mentioned going on holiday the muggle way though. In a flying metal bus apparently. He could foray into the streets of London to find somewhere that does that.
Perfect, it was decided. Cedric got up, downed the rest of his drink. Regretted downing the rest of his drink. Then left the pub out the front door, for the first time in his life. The street he was on now was very unfamiliar, there were lots of houses. Shops too, mainly little takeaways that wouldn't be open for a few more hours. A newsagents, which he walked towards, had a spinning display of leaflets for various outings using all kinds of peculiar methods. Some sort of several day long bus ride sounded unpleasant. Spending the entire time on a boat too, was something that seemed unappealing. He found it though, with a little picture of an 'aero-plane' flying around the globe. A glossy brochure for some travel company.
"Do you know where I can find these guys?" He asked the woman behind the till. He hoped it wasn't far as he had no mode of transport save walking.
"About a half hour drive love." She replied back smiling kindly. Judging by her look of understanding though she must have guessed he was a visitor here.
"Not know how to get a taxi?"
He shook his head, embarrassed.
"Just wait for one to come past with the light on and wave your hand out for a bit. Hope you have a nice time away pet, somewhere warm?"
"I hope so." Cedric quickly said, walking out into the street. Waving his hand wildly at every car that passed, eventually a black one pulled up next to him.
"Know where this place is?" He asked the driver through the open window, motioning to the address on the reverse of the pamphlet.
"Course I do, get on in"
After he did the whole journey was spent in silence, Cedric's lack of muggle knowledge letting him down when he didn't understand anything the newscaster was reporting on when the radio was turned up. The traffic was astounding though, there were so many little cars on these streets. Midday on a Tuesday no less. Peering out the window, he was impressed with each taller and taller building he passed. Judging by the increase in congestion, noise, and angry noises his driver was making he assumed this must the be city centre. Wherever he was going must be some expensive establishment if it was next to all these big offices.
"Here we are mate. That'll be £27.60. Bloody congestion charges these days, hope that's no problem." The cabbie said, whilst first motioning to the metre, then the long traffic jams to his side.
"I'm sorry, I haven't really got any money in that currency. Could I just overpay you for the ride as well as the trouble for converting it." As he spoke he began pulling out Galleons from his pocket. He only had four or five on his person, but much much more in the bank.
"Bloody Hell are those solid gold? They'll be worth 500 quid not 30. If you give us one I'll just take it as a keepsake, never mind the fare. Look at the size of them, they're like saucers."
"Yeah thanks." He said sheepishly as he left towards main entrance of the posh looking building. Gilded with silver and green lines, the entrance hall was very grand. The large reception held a wide but low desk, behind which sat four people all in a horizontal line.
"Excuse me?" One asked, "Is there anything we can help you with?" They said kindly.
"Yeah I wanted to try and go somewhere on holiday..?" He half said half asked.
The receptionist chuckled to herself, as did the others.
"This is the head office for the whole company, not just a travel agents. We'll bring someone out who can help you though. I'm guessing this is your first time going away huh?"
"Yes sorry about all this, just it said on this leaflet this was the address. Thanks for helping me though."
After five or so minutes, a small man came out from a side door and motioned for him to follow. Winding corridors led him to a small but light filled room on what must have been the back of the building. The view was of another tower of offices, and Cedric could see into their kitchen it seemed. A couple of people in suits and ties were talking while drinking tea or coffee.
"Look you've got to know this isn't how we do these kind of things, but we really appreciate the customer here at Airstad so we just want to help you out okay? Where is it you wanted to go? Or were you just going to look through some options?"
"I'm not really sure where, I'm just looking to go away as soon as I can. Money is not an issue as I have at least.." he did some quick maths in his head "equivalent to 500k from an inheritance and I need to get out of Britain for a while to clear my head. Somewhere warm, and somewhere historical would be fun too."
"Well your, shall we say, larger than average budget gives us a lot of options. We're luckily quite a big airline so a lot of flights are leaving, especially because it's summer. For historical purposes a lot of people go to Greece, or Egypt this time of year. Or what about Japan? If it's your first flight.. ugh, that might be a little too far. Probably safer to go to Southern Europe or North Africa. I recommend Italy and Rome especially."
"Well, some mutual friends of mine went to Egypt and they apparently loved it. Went through the tombs and everything. Something similar to that would be very good. I think Egypt will be nice too. I'll go there."
The Weasley's went there after winning the lottery to visit their eldest son, he remembered because his father was awfully jealous.
"Great, great. I'd also recommend going for at least two weeks, there's an awful lot to do in such a short amount of time there don't you worry. Maybe 3 and you'll still be back before September."
"I think two will be enough, and if you could arrange for me to look around the pyramids and tombs and stuff too that would be amazing."
Some time later, after negotiating the exact terms of the trip, Cedric left for Gringotts. The Goblin Bank was secure and trustworthy, even if the workers there were not. They held a monopoly on currency and exchanges in Wizarding Britain. In other parts of the world, especially East Asia, there were significantly less of a Goblin influence. In China and Japan it was the Pixiu and the Tengu who handled all gold.
The Pixiu were the guardians of the banks and stockpiles, huge winged creatures similar to Dragons. With the head of a lizard, not unlike a monitor, the body of a great lion, and the wings of an eagle. These vicious creatures fiercely protected anything they held dear, which was usually some sort of precious metal.
The Tengu were short, but only slightly smaller than an adult Human. Nowhere near as dwarf like as the Goblins. They too had long noses, coincidentally. However the Tengu has slender long noses, as well as the wings of a bat, and talons of a bird of prey instead of feet. Their skin was a vibrant pulsing red, and their bodies were leaner than the stouter Western Goblins. Tengu were the controllers, but not owners, of the Pixiu. As well as the accountants and managers of the banks in Eastern Asia.
Amos Diggory once held a long lecture highlighting the benefits of improving relations with these Eastern Races. The country would benefit economically, as some sort of competitor to Gringotts. Culturally Britain would benefit too, as it would mean more Asian tourists would visit. The existence of their native creatures in Britain would help accustom them to the change, as well as the help financially they could get from their own national banks rather than British Gringotts.
The Ministry shot down the propositions as it would destroy relations with the Goblin Nation, likely starting a full war with them. A war which they could not handle only a dozen months after Voldemort's downfall.
All of this was why Cedric was reticent to withdraw and convert all of his prize money into Sterling. He also hoped it wouldn't become a whole shunning of his family from the bank entirely, as it would likely also mean his father would lose his job. At worse though he could withstand them taking a heavy fee for all the 'hassle'.
"Next!" the teller screeched. Cedric shuffled forward and was about to explain to him what he wanted to happen.
"I should inform you of your recent winnings. This is your account key, as is a fixed account you may not deposit money, nor transfer it into another account. Only withdrawals are possible. Should the sum total of the account reach zero, it will be closed indefinitely. What do you need?"
"I want to withdraw the entire 1000 Galleons, and convert it into British Sterling. I assume there will be an exchange fee?"
"Yes. It is as 0.5% for exchanges under 500 Galleons, and 2% for anything over that." He sneered to Cedric, baring his sharp short teeth and black tongue.
"Twenty Galleons? That's absurd. Could it not be lowered as it's only 1000?"
"Absolutely not. That would mean you will be taking home £473,340 at an exchange rate of 1 Galleon to £483. Acceptable?"
"Yes fine just get it over with." Cedric said, defeated. That was daylight robbery, taking so much of his hard earned money like that.
After a few minutes of waiting, he was given a bulging steel briefcase, and advice to open a muggle bank account.
AN- Huge thank you to everyone who read, liked, followed etc. Please leave some reviews as they really help me know what is and isn't working, as well as the overall feel of the story.