The Spell Misspoken
By Joseph Pingaro Falabella
(I would like to dedicate this Chapter to my good friend Jessy and Italy, who helped me out of writers block and become Cedric)
Chapter Two
The Letter
Eight years has past by. It still feels like to, every wizard and witch, that it was only yesterday that they started to feel relief. The night was peaceful with only the sound of crickets chirping softly in the quiet town of Ottery St. Catchpole. The roster in a nearby farm crows in the distance. The sky slowly turns from purple to blue, then from blue to red. The sun slowly rose over the sleeping town preparing to awaken. The sun reaches the Diggory's house. The orange glow slowly creeps up the side of the house and gentle pours into the bedroom. The suns warm glow sweeps across the floor and up onto the bed. The warmth of the sun gently glides over the face of the boy in bed. Still sleepy, he slowly opened his eyes and they met with the glow of the sun rising over the hills. His eyes of silver, shined like the moon in the midnight sky. Now eleven years of age.
He sits upright and wipes his eyes. "Morning already?" he asked himself while he stretched. I hope my letter comes today. He thought to himself. The sunlight was now flooding the room. It's got to be at least six O'clock. He pulled the covers off of him and made his bed. Still sleepy, he walks down stairs to the kitchen.
"Accio bacon" Judith said as she was preparing breakfast. She sees her son walk in. Cedric is tall for his age. After all he's eleven now. He looked into the kitchen with his eyes of silver that shown like a pond of silver that seem to glow brighter than the moon in the midnight sky. Filled with happiness and love. His brown hair wavy, and soft to the touch just like his father's, Amos. Cedric's smile the most handsome, and most seductive feature about him. Not only charming but also his smile is contagious. "Good morning Cedric" She said with a smile.
"Where's dad?" He asked as his mother placed a plate of eggs and bacon in front of him.
"He's at the ministry. He has a lot of work to do since he's the head of the control of magical creatures department." She said with a sigh.
"I know." He groaned. It seems like he barely has time for me anymore. He said thought myself.Judith saw the frown on her boys face.
" He loves you Cedric, never forget that." She said while putting a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"I know mom," he said to her giving her a grin. "I hope my letter comes today," he said right before he ate everything on my plate.
" It might dear. It depends on is they send a reliable owl to send it on time" she said as she waved her wand over his plate. The plate flew into the sink and started to clean its self.
" Mom, what house do you think I would be sorted in?" he asked her giving her a smile.
" Well the Diggory clan has been in Hufflepuff for many, many generations." She told him.
Cedric climbed the stairs to his bedroom, quietly opening and closing the door behind him. Kicking off his shoes into the corner, he curled up on the window seat, tucking his arms in around him. I'll work harder then ever at Hogwarts this year, he thought.
Outside dark clouds rolled by, dotting the meadows around his home with bleak shadows, accentuating his gray mood. I'll work hard, for my parents and for Harry. If it weren't for him, I'd still be too afraid to sleep at night, knowing that You-Know-Who was still out there. He shuddered at the thought of the Dark Lord and held himself tighter.
As Cedric was daydreaming, he was brought back to reality went an owl pecked at the window. The owl wore a purple pendent around its neck with a golden H on it. I don't believe it. The bird had a roll of parchment strapped to its leg.
Cedric opened up his window. The barn owl took this as a welcome and simply dropped the letter into his hands. Cedric petted the owl on his head and then it was off in the morning sky.
Cedric was suddenly startled be the chiming of church bells in the distance. A wind of change swept over the land. There was a chill in the air. Cedric shivered as the wind started to pickup. He grasps the bronze handles of the window and then shuts it securely. He quickly motioned over to his dresser.
He grabbed a gray and emerald green sweater out of his top drawer. "I guess this will do," he said. He quickly put the sweater over his head. He scratches at the wool. "After all these months it still itches". Cedric went over to the window seat. He stared at the envelope with the emerald green writing say:
Mr. Cedric Diggory
House on the hill
Second window on the right
Ottery Catchpole, England
He smiled to himself. It's finally here. He thought to himself. He picked up the envelope and started to open it. With each passing moment, Cedric held his breath. There were three letters enclosed in the envelope. He took out the first one that was also in emerald ink.
HOGWARTS SCHOOL
of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY
Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc. Chf. Warlock,
Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. Of Wizards)
Dear Mr. Diggory,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.Term begins on September 1st. We await your owl by no later than July 31st.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall,
Deputy HeadmistressCedric stopped reading and put the letter back in the envelope. His silver eyes shown brighter than ever before, brighter than the moon itself. "I have to show mom," he said to himself. He quickly grabbed the envelope and ran downstairs. "Mom!" he said while nearly tripping on his own two feet.
"Cedric! Are you alright?" she said, as she was startled when she saw her boy nearly falling down the stairs.
"Yea I'm fine." He said excitedly and out of breath.
"Then what is it dear?" she asked him with a questioning eye. Cedric looked at Judith and she can see how happy he was with his number one smile beaming at her.
"It came mom." He said grinning from ear to ear. "My letter, it finally came." He held up the envelope with the green writing. Cedric handed it over to his mother with a shaky hand.
Judith opened the envelope and read the first letter from with in. she looked up with tears in here eyes. She couldn't help but smile at him. She took her son into a backbreaking embrace. "I am so proud of you Cedric." She said with a shaky voice. "And I am sure your father will be overjoyed when we tell him" she said as she held her boy close to her.
"Thank you mom. I love you." he said while he hugged her tighter.
" Oh I love you too son! I love you too!" Judith said with tears now streaming down her face. She slowly pulled away.
" It says that 'they await my owl.'" he said looking at the letter from over Judith's shoulder.
"Right I'll go write a response right now dear." She said as she approached the doorway to the kitchen. "Oh and Ced, can you fetch Ginger for me. I think she is in the tree out back." She said with a smile.
"Yes mom, right away." He said in a hurry. He quickly climbed the stairs again and opened his bedroom door. He found his shoes, right were he left them, right in front of the window seat. He looked out side his window once again. The clouds were getting darker and there was a slight fog rolling over the hills. I better put a jacket on.
He thought to himself, as he opened his closet door. He mostly saw cloaks and robes in his closet. I can't go out in these. I swore I saw a muggle jacket in here somewhere. He finally pulled a ragged old jean jacket that his parents got for him for when he went outside. "Here it is" he said as he shut the closet door in a huff.
He quickly turned on his heal and ran down the stairs with his footsteps echoing in his ears. He turned the handle of the door and the wind blew it open. He quickly moved outside and forced the door shut. His hair was blowing fiercely in the strong gusts of wind. With the wind at his back he headed for the large apple tree his backyard.
"Ginger!" he yelled over the loud whistling and howls of the wind around him. "Ginger where are you" he looked everywhere. He held his arm up. "Ginger come here girl!" he called with sincere in his voice. Out of nowhere, the barn owl with ginger colored feathers flew out of the tree and onto his arm. "Good girl" he said to her while patting her gently on the head. Both Cedric and Ginger went to the front of the house.
The storm was getting worse. Large drops of rain started to fall. The wind was getting to be almost unbearable. Just as soon as he opened the door, he saw a lightning bold coming crashing down from the heavens and striking the lightning rode on the steeple of the church tower off in the distance.
Both him and Ginger jumped at the loud crash of thunder that followed. He then shut the door behind him. "Mom I have her." He said as he placed the owl on her perch near the bay window in the living room.
"Thank you Cedric. I just finished writing the letter to headmaster Dumbledore." She said as she came from the kitchen holding up an envelope. "All that we need to do now is strap it to ginger and let her deliver it straight to him." She said while she began putting the letter through the bronze strap on Ginger's leg. "There that should do it." She said with a pleased look on her face. She then unlocked and opened up the bay window.
Ginger quickly started on her mission. She walked to the window leg and quickly took off into stormy black afternoon sky. Judith quickly grabbed the handles of the window and pulled it shut and she then locked it securely. She then saw the other two letters that were in the envelope on the table. They listed Cedric's school supplies. She then looked at he son.
"You better get a good night sleep tonight Ced. Because tomorrow morning we'll be leaving for Diagon Ally to get your supplies." She smiled at him. "Now, what would you like for lunch Cedric?" she asked. Cedric just looked at her in a deep thought.