Disclaimer: I don't own Harry or Cedric, much as I might think I do. That also means I don't really own exactly how this chapter plays out… That's kinda depressing, but then I remember Promise is amazing and I sigh and say "Ha ha… Best. Character. Ever."

Chapter 7
Sortings and Schedules

Cedric stepped out onto the main platform, rain lashing his hair and face, cold wind and occasional crack of thunder drowning out Hagrid's call for the first years.

"Firs' Years! Firs' years!" He called, beckoning the first years to the end of the platform and out to the rainy path that led to the lake crossing boats, still attempting to keep warm even through the whipping rain.

"I repeat," Promise smirked. "Poor, poor first years."

"Sadist," Cedric muttered, just loud enough for Promise to hear as he began the sprint to the carriages.

"Of course," Promise yelled through the rain. "Who do you think I am anyways?"

"Promise Ledger?" Olivia remarked sarcastically as she moved into the horseless carriage, past Cedric, who was holding open the carriage door.

"I like it," Promise envisioned, shaking the water off her body as she sat next to Sam. "Promise Ledger: ."

"Last time I checked, Promise," Cedric added, shutting the door and sitting next to Olivia, across from Promise. "Being a wasn't a good thing."

"Depends on the point of view," Promise shrugged.

"Oh!" Sam shrieked. "Look at these windows! They're beaten and battered, even in this rain."

Olivia joined Sam in looking out the window at the heavy downpour as the carriage began to trundle out of Hogsmeade station and towards the Castle. Cedric lost himself for several seconds staring longingly at Sam before Promise tapped his knee, breaking him from his reverie… as usual.

"You should date her," Promise mouthed in the dim light to Cedric.

"Maybe later," Cedric mouthed back, looking back at Sam's dark hair, silhouetted against the dark windowpane.

Promise tapped him again. "You're hopeless, you know that?"

"I know," Cedric nodded as he mouthed back. "But I can dream, can't I?"

"You know," Promise arched her eyebrows in their silent conversation. "It doesn't have to be a dream. She's totally crushing on you."

"Yeah," Cedric shrugged. "But do you think she's crushing on me or the 'untouchable demigod' we're so often referred to as?"

Cedric didn't look back at Promise, not wanting to discuss the conversation in their practiced mouthing system. Lightning and the occasional roll of thunder lit Sam's face brilliantly, leaving Cedric to release a very hushed, very slow sigh and Promise to merely rub her face in frustration.

At long last, the carriage stopped. Cedric pushed open the door and led the sprint to the front door and entrance hall. Squeaking shoes provided a dull undertone for the rumble of chatter as the student began to file into the decorated Great Hall.

Cedric took a seat next to Promise in the middle of the Hufflepuff table. Sam took her seat next to him as Olivia moved next to Sam. Cedric showed nothing more than a slight smile over at Promise.

"You are so hopeless," Promise whispered. "It's just a seat for goodness sakes!"

"Yeah," Cedric whispered back. "But it's the seat next to Samantha Bennett."

"Could you be any more hopeless?"

"Would you like to see me try?"

Promise gave up and waited patiently for the food to appear.

"You know," Olivia looked down the table at her. "The food doesn't appear until after the sorting."

Promise shot Olivia a very perturbed look.

"She's always hopeful," Cedric murmured to Olivia's taken aback face.

Cedric watched the rest of the students file in before the last batch of first year students filed in under the lead of Professor McGonagall. McGonagall halted the students and pulled out the three-legged stool and the sorting hat.

Cedric paid attention to the hat, but only slightly. The song repeated the same pattern every time: a background on the founders, their collaboration to found Hogwarts, the basis for all the houses and what each stood for, and finally the hat's directions on what to do when their name was called.

"I always do love that song," Sam clapped when the hat finished.

"Same here," Cedric applauded. "I just wish that I could hear some again, you know? I remember my first year was an amazing tune."

"They could probably make it a Wizarding Wireless channel," Promise said, not taking her eyes off her plate or lowering her poised knife and fork.

"If you say so," Sam chuckled as Professor McGonagall began to call names off the list of first years.

Cedric clapped for each politely and invited them over, giving each a slight pat if they passed him.

"Can't they just hurry up?" Promise and her stomach growled. "I'm starving."

"Maybe you should try to not eat so many Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans," Cedric suggested.

"I don't," Promise looked at him defensively as Natalie McDonald ran to join the cheering Gryffindors. "I only eat the good ones, which means I eat less than you."

"Junk food doesn't do wonders for you," Cedric noted. "And besides, we'll probably raid the kitchen later anyways."

"But they don't cook for us. They give us what they have. I want some hot food!" Promise pouted.

"If you got into it you might enjoy it more."

"Fine," Promise dropped her fork and knife and cheered for the new Hufflepuffs as they joined the table. By the time they finished, she immediately picked up her fork and knife and prepared to eat as Professor Dumbledore stood up. "Are you kidding? Now is not the time for announcements!"

"I have only two words for you: Tuck in."

"I hear that!" Promise smiled as she stuck her fork and knife into the first food that appeared in front of her.

Cedric ate in silence, listening to the people discussing the summer's event loudly. Sam and Olivia fell into deep conversation about the possible class schedule in the wake of their O.W.L. exams at the end of the year.

"Are you taking Divination by any chance?" Cedric asked Sam and Olivia.

"Are you kidding?" Olivia looked at him. "I'm not crazy enough to take something that isn't real. I heard Trelawny is a complete dingbat too."

"Just wondering," Cedric shrugged.

"I love food," Promise muttered, drinking deeply from her goblet of Pumpkin juice.

"I know," Cedric patted her on the back, but not nearly hard enough to make her choke. "And that's why we all like to go nuts on these start and end of term feasts."

As though timed perfectly, the main course disappeared to give yield to the numerous desserts.

"And this is when I start to love food even more," Promise smiled.

"You know," Cedric scooped chocolate gateau onto his now empty gold plate. "If it wasn't for our early morning runs around the lake I don't know what you'd do to stay fit after these eating binges."

"It's called magic Cedric," Promise smirked through a mouthful of chocolate pudding, attempting to keep a straight face. "I go into my room at night and take off all the unwanted fat with my wand."

Cedric gagged.

"Just kidding," Promise laughed, switching her attention to a large spoonful of treacle tart.

"I know," Cedric coughed. "But just the thought of doing that is disgusting. Why would anyone want to do that?"

Promise shrugged. "Don't bother me. I'm appreciating the hard working house elves down in the kitchen."

They ate in silence for several more minutes until Promise leaned back and placed her hands on her still flat stomach. Within a matter of seconds, the food disappeared and Dumbledore stood up to speak again.

"So! Now that we are al fed and watered, I must once more ask for your attention while I give out a few notices."

"Thank goodness he waited," Promise burped. "I was starving."

"Mr. Filch," Dumbledore continued on. "The caretaker has asked me to tell you that the list of objects in the castle has been extended to include Screaming Yo-yos, Fanged Frisbees, and Ever-Bashing Boomerangs. The full list comprises some four hundred and thirty-seven items, I believe, and can be viewed in Mr. Filch's office if anybody would like to check it."

"I hate how Filch likes to ruin the school," Olivia muttered, forcing Cedric and Promise to look around Sam and to her in shock. "What? I like to have fun too."

"As ever, I would like to remind you all that the forest on the grounds is out-of-bounds to students, as is the village of Hogsmeade o all below third-year."

He paused slightly as Olivia picked up her goblet of pumpkin juice. "It is also, my painful duty to inform you that the Inter-House Quidditch Cup will not take place this year."

Olivia spit out her mouthful of juice all over her glistening plate. Within seconds it mopped itself back up to its original sparkling state. All three looked at Cedric and his opening and closing mouth.

"This is due to an event that will be starting in October, and continuing throughout the school year, taking up much of the teachers' time and energy- but I'm sure you will enjoy it immensely. I have great pleasure in announcing that this year at Hogwarts-"

The Great Hall's door way slammed open, revealing a very worn man who leaned heavily on a staff. His black cloak billowed around him as with every other step a clunk reverberated around the hall as he made his way to the front of the hall to where Professor Dumbledore stood.

Cedric drew in a gasp with everyone else as the man's swiveling blue eye looked at him and every other student in the room. He shook Dumbledore's hand before taking a seat at the staff table and spearing a sausage with his own knife. He uncapped a hip flask and took a long, deep swig.

"May I introduce our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher?" Dumbledore's eyes twinkled into the stunned crowd. "Professor Moody."

The hall reverberated with the claps of Hagrid and Dumbledore, leaving Cedric, Promise, Sam, Olivia, and the rest of the students to gape at him.

"Mad-Eye Moody?" Promise whispered.

"Who?" Sam and Olivia asked at the same time.

"Mad-Eye Moody," Cedric muttered. "I think Dumbledore's lost his mind."

"Why do you say that?" Sam inquired.

"Because Mad-Eye Moody was one of the greatest Aurors who ever lived," Promise added. "Killed and captured a lot of Death Eaters back in the day."

"As I was saying," Dumbledore pressed on, forcing the student attention to shift back to him. "We are to have the honor of hosting a very exciting event over the coming months, an event that has not been held for over a century. It is my very great pleasure to inform you that the Triwizard Tournament will be taking place at Hogwarts this year."

Promise spit out pumpkin juice over her plate this time as Cedric did a double take.

"You're joking!" Fred Weasley shouted.

Everyone in the hall laughed.

"I am not joking, Mr. Weasley," Dumbledore chuckled. "Though now that you mention it, I did hear an excellent one over the summer about a troll, a hag, and a leprechaun who all go into a bar…"

Promise snorted. "I love that joke!" After a second, she gasped in realization. "Oh my goodness! That's from Peculiarities, Personalities, and Pectorals!"

Cedric stared at her wide-eyed.

"Er- but maybe this is not the time… no…" Dumbledore reconsidered his tangent after a cough from Professor McGonagall. "Where was I? Ah yes, The Triwizard Tournament… well, some of you know what this tournament involves, so I hope those who do know will forgive me for giving a short explanation, and allow their attention to wander freely."

Cedric focused even more intently on Dumbledore even though he knew full well what the tournament entailed.

"The Triwizard Tournament was first established some seven hundred years ago as a friendly competition between the three largest European schools of wizardry: Hogwarts, Beauxbatons, and Durmstrang. A champion was selected to represent each school and the three champions competed in three magical tasks. The schools took it in turns to host the tournament once every five years, and it was generally agreed to be a most excellent way of establishing ties between young witches and wizards of different nationalities- until, that is, the death toll mounted so high that the tournament was discontinued."

A barely noticeable ripple of concern passed through the crowd.

"There have been several attempts over the centuries to reinstate the tournament, none of which have been very successful. However, our own departments of International Magical Cooperation and Magical Games and Sports have decided the time is ripe for another attempt. We have worked hard over the summer to ensure this time, no champion will find himself or herself in mortal danger."

"I like the mortal danger part," Promise rubbed her hands together. "Sounds exciting."

"Sounds like fun," Olivia laughed softly.

"The heads of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving with their short listed contenders in October, and the selection of the three champions will take place at Halloween. An impartial judge will decided which students are most worthy to compete for the Triwizard Cup, the glory of their school, and a thousand Galleons personal prize money."

Cedric swore he heard Promise's jaw hit the ground. He looked over to watch the scheming wide grin spread across her face.

"Eager though I know all of you will be to bring the Triwizard Cup to Hogwarts," Dumbledore pressed on. "The heads of the participation schools, along with the Ministry of Magic, have agreed to impose an age restriction on contenders this year. Only students who are of age- that is to say, seventeen years or older- will be allowed to put forward their names for consideration. This," Dumbledore raised his voice slightly and raised his hand. "is a measure we feel is necessary, given that the tournament tasks will still be difficult and dangerous, whatever precautions we take, and it is highly unlikely that students below sixth and seventh year will be able to cope with them. I will personally be ensuring that no underage student hoodwinks our impartial judge into making them Hogwarts Champion. I therefore beg you not to waste your time submitting yourself if you are under seventeen."

"I am so glad we'll be seventeen by October," Promise sighed, leaning back.

"That's so unfair!" Sam muttered under her breath.

"Don't worry," Promise nudged Cedric. "One of us will win it for Hogwarts."

"It sounded like such fun though!" Olivia scowled.

"The delegations from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving in October and remaining with us for the greater part of this year. I know that you will all extend every courtesy to our foreign guests while they are with us, and will give your whole-hearted-support to the Hogwarts champion when he or she is selected. And now, it is late, and I know how important it is to you all to be alert and rested as you enter your lessons tomorrow morning. Bedtime! Chop chop!"

The Great Hall burst into a plethora of sound. Excited talk between the hundreds of students drowned out the scraping of benches.

"Wow," Sam muttered breathlessly. "This year's going to be intense."

"No kidding," Cedric muttered as he stood up. "First year Hufflepuffs! Come over here!"

"Imagine winning that," Promise said dreamily. "That's a lot of money."

"I wouldn't do it for the money," Cedric said. "Hufflepuffs! This way!"

"Really?" Olivia asked, taken aback.

"Here we go again," Promise rolled her eyes as she began to gather the first years and turned around to take them to the Hufflepuff Common Room.

"Yeah," Cedric shrugged. "It's not really that big a deal."

"A thousand Galleons, Ced!" Promise grabbed him and shook him gently. "One thousand! Do you understand that?"

"Who doesn't understand that?" Cedric smiled. "I just don't need it."

Promise rolled her eyes. "Fruit-bat," She said to the large badger statue, She turned around to the first year Hufflepuffs in the long hallway. "The password is fruit-bat. Don't forget it because I'm not telling you again."

The badger jumped gracefully upwards and bowed low to one side as a large hole in the wall opened up, revealing the familiar common room.

"You know," Sam said, as she shepherded the first years into the common room. "I just can't wait to see who our champion is. I just hope it's a Hufflepuff."

"Oh it will be," Promise smirked. "First year Hufflepuffs," she called out as the wall closed again. "This is your new home. This is the Common Room. Ladies, follow me to your dormitories, gentlemen, follow Cedric."

"See you in the morning?" Sam asked Cedric.

"Eight o'clock," Cedric smiled. "Promise, you up for a run tomorrow morning?"

"Do you even have to ask?" Promise asked, heading up the spiraling staircase to the s dormitories.

"Run?" Olivia asked. "I'm in. Where to?"

"Around the lake," Cedric smiled. "It's a nice brisk, early morning run in the mud. Quite fun, actually."

"I'm so in," Olivia smiled.

Cedric chuckled as he led the way up the stairs to the first year's dorms. He pushed open the door with the freshly placed "First years" plaque.

"This is your new room. Keep it clean, and you'll find all of your stuff here. Breakfast starts early tomorrow morning, and nobody's waking you up. Don't be late."

Cedric smirked as he closed the door and went back to his dorm. He opened the door and a small parchment paper airplane swooped and attacked Cedric's head. Aggravated at its persistence, he ed it, unfolded it, and began to read.

Ced,
You still up for the Kitchen run we were talking about? I didn't want to give any of the first years the wrong ideas about invading our kitchen. Sam, Olivia, and I will meet you in the common room when you're done with your batch of little Voldemorts.
Always
Promise
PS: In case you weren't listening, Sam is going.
PPS: Just in case you didn't understand that. Sam will be joining us on our Kitchen run.
PPS: Why are you still reading this? I'm already in the common room waiting for you. Hurry up!

Cedric laughed as he crumpled the piece of parchment. He walked briskly against the flow of Hufflepuffs heading up into their dorms for the evening. Sam, Promise, and Olivia all stood at the base of the stairway to the boy's dormitory, waiting for Cedric.

"I can't believe you're still hungry," Cedric muttered to Promise.

"What can I say? We have an early morning jog tomorrow. I gotta be ready."

They left the room and headed down the hallway away from the Great Hall. They followed the passage until they reached the large bowl of fruit.

"These are the kitchens?" Sam exchanged glances with Olivia.

"Yeah," Promise smirked, tickling the pear. "Haven't you ever been in here before?"

"No," Olivia shrugged. "Why would I?"

"These two have so much to learn," Promise sighed. She pulled on the handle formed by the pear and pulled back the painting, inviting Cedric, Olivia, and Sam to enter.

The House Elves already began to crowd around the entrance to the kitchens.

"Hello," They all said, slightly off time with one another creating an echoed ripple around the room.

"Good evening!" Promise beamed. "What do you guys have tonight."

"Oh, Ms Promise," a small, female House Elf stepped forward. "We have so much left over from dinner, not to mention the mass storage of desserts left over from the absence of students over summer."

"Sweenty!" Promise squealed and picked up the House Elf, pulling her into a tight hug. "How have you been? It's been three months? Is everything going ok?"

"Who?" Sam asked.

"Sweenty," Cedric explained. "She's Promise's contact in the kitchen. She's like, our own personal house elf representative for the kitchens. If the house elves want company, or someone to eat the food stores… anything like that, Sweenty's the one who comes and tells us about it. It's actually quite convenient."

"Oh, Ms. Promise," Sweenty buzz of a voice chirped. "It's been dreadfully dull this summer. Nothing of great importance happened, and, as always, we have extra food leftover from the feast an hour ago."

"I'm on it, Sweenty," Promise smirked, rubbing her hands together and licking her lips. "Anything you got that I can hold on to."

"Let's see," Sweenty rubbed her chin. "I'm not sure what we have. I know we have lots of chocolate éclairs left over. We also managed to procure some extra chocolate gateau. Actually, we just seem to have too much chocolate on our hands at the moment."

"I really like house elves," Sam smiled. "They always make me very happy. I should've talked to you two years ago."

Several minutes later, they waved goodbye to the house elves, their pockets full to the brim of chocolate treats. They walked back down the halls to the Hufflepuff common room, entered, and sat, enjoying each other's company for several minutes as they munched on delicious chocolate. Mainly, they discussed the Triwizard Cup, but it wasn't until Olivia mentioned Quidditch that Cedric remembered why he did not really think the Triwizard tournament was such a great idea after all. If he didn't make champion for the cup, he wouldn't have anything to do for the rest of the year. He couldn't fall back on Quidditch like he normally would. It would simply be a dull year. Olivia seemed in a worse position, though. Unlike Cedric, she couldn't even try to enter the Tournament based on the age restriction.

Several minutes later, Cedric finished his last dessert, fought his fluttering eyelids, and attempted to stand up. He tried three times, each time not succeeding and falling backwards into his chair.

Sam, Olivia, and Promise all laughed at his folly.

"Why don't you try it?" Cedric challenged them.

They each took at least five attempts to stand. In the end, they all stood staring at the deceptively comfortable looking armchairs.

"I'm so glad we have that jog in the morning to work all of this off," Promise sighed, hands on her stomach. "I'm going to sleep well tonight."

Cedric bid them goodnight and headed up the stairs to the dorm. He didn't even bother changing. He merely kicked off his shoes, placed his wand on the table and smiled before falling asleep.

Asleep on the first night of his sixth year at Hogwarts.

"Shhhh," Promise's hand covered Cedric's mouth as he opened his eyes.

"Promise," he threw her hand off, whispering. "You know you're not supposed to be in here. What are you doing?'

"Waking you up," She smiled. "We have a run scheduled, remember?"

"Yeah," Cedric muttered, careful to not awake the other Hufflepuffs in his dorm room. "What time is it?"

"Just before six," Promise smiled, biting off a small piece of chocolate éclair.

"Six?" Cedric exclaimed quietly. "What do you mean six? I thought we said seven."

"Oh, we did," Promise said, certain in her statement. "But then I thought when we get off the run at eight we wouldn't be so very pleasant. People won't be able to come near us. I, personally, want a go at the Prefect's bathroom this early in the morning."

"You know," Cedric muttered. "You could have told me last night." Cedric looked out upon the misty just-before-dawn Hogwarts grounds.

"Honestly," Promise sighed. "You make it sound like this is something I never do. Just get dressed and I'll meet you downstairs."

Promise moved swiftly and silently out of the room. Cedric sighed, threw his forearm to his forehead and laid there, eyes closed for several seconds before kicking off his covers and pulling on his Muggle clothes. He grabbed his wand, and waved it slowly before moving it fast enough to conduct music without it shooting out sparks. Smiling, he pocketed it, and ran on tiptoes down to the common room to find Promise, Sam, and Olivia all waiting for him.

"Ready?" Promise asked.

"Oh yeah," Cedric muttered.

They went quietly outside to the entrance hall and pushed open the doors, unconcerned about the curfew's ending at six.

"So what are we doing?" Promise inquired from the front steps. "Race around the lake?"

"Let's just take a brisk jog around it," Sam suggested. "It'll help us warm up to the course. We aren't experts like you and Ced, you know."

"True," Promise concurred. "A brisk jog it is. Now, you say brisk. I would like to tell you, try to keep up," she turned and grinned at Cedric. "Ready?"

"Always," Cedric responded, grinning back.

They took off and headed down the steps and towards the lake. Promise set the pace, as usual, Cedric followed next to her, and for the first couple of minutes, they ran alone, Sam and Olivia desperate to catch up.

"You know," Cedric huffed, heading onto the path that led around the lake. "This is rather mean."

"Nonsense!" Promise jested, turning around and running backwards. "You said you wanted brisk! You got brisk."

Sam rolled her eyes and picked up her pace around the lake, catching up within another few minutes to the rest of the group.

"O.W.L. year, huh?" Promise released a heavy breath, which crystallized in mid air for a split second before disappearing as she passed though it. "You guys are going to have a tough time."

"Whoa," Olivia gasped out defensively. "N.E.W.T. years are supposed to be insanely difficult. Don't start knocking us because we're a year younger than you."

"I ain't knocking you," Promise said as she turned around and began to run backwards. "I'm just pointing out you have classes every day, whereas me and Cedric here," She nudged Cedric's quick moving shoulder. "Actually get to have free periods now."

"Lucky," Sam crumpled her face.

"Show-off," Cedric muttered.

Promise stuck out her tongue and moved back around to face forward again. Within another few minutes, they rounded the final corner before the straight run to the castle.

"First to the door?" Olivia challenged.

"What happens when you three lose?" Promise looked back, refraining from taking off to the final sprint.

"Winner gets one candy of their choice from each of the losers on the next Hogsmeade visit," Olivia responded, smirking, as though she'd been planning it

"You're on," Promise smiled as she took off, pulling into the reserves she'd been holding back for the whole run.

Cedric chased after her, neck and neck with Olivia. He pumped his legs harder, creating the feeling that they would fall off any second. He pushed harder and faster, within another second, he pulled past Olivia, just behind Promise. Within twenty seconds they would reach the door. He pushed harder.

Without warning, a small blue coat flew past him and Promise. Sam sprinted up and took the steps three at a time before touching the door comfortably before Promise.

"You've got to be joking," Promise huffed, putting her hands on her knees and inhaling deeply. "I've never seen anyone move that fast."

Sam shrugged. "You think I don't run in my free time?"

All four huffing, they went into the entrance hall and down to the Hufflepuff Common room. They entered and grabbed their robes before heading off to the baths.

"I'm so going to the Prefect's bath," Promise said, an air of superiority coming from her upturned nose.

"If you knew the password," Sam stated.

"Which," Cedric thought aloud, pensively. "They didn't give us yesterday. How dreadful for you."

Promise looked at each of them. "Well," She flipped her hair back, shrugging off the simple truth. "It'll be that much better when I actually get in there."

Several minutes later, they all traveled to the great hall and the smells of breakfast so warmly provided by the house elves.

"Did I ever say that I love those guys?" Promise sighed squeezing the last of the saturated water from her hair.

"Yeah," Cedric looked over at Sam and Olivia's damp hair. "Just about every time you walk in here."

"Still," Sam inhaled, taking in the deep rich smell of bacon and eggs. "It can wake you up in the morning."

"As though an hour jog couldn't do that?"

"Oh no," Sam smiled. "That was just fun."

"Yeah," Olivia seemed put out. "Considering you won the candy of your choice. Maybe I'll get you some blood pops for kicks."

"Ha ha," Sam laughed sarcastically.

They sat at the Hufflepuff table, where Professor Sprout handed out the schedules to the students along the table. When she had finished the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth years, she pulled out a scroll of parchment and began to find the various sixth year Hufflepuffs along the table.

"Ah," She muttered in her delicate, raspy voice. "Ms. Ledger. Any classes you want? Very good O.W.L.'s by the way."

"Why thank you Professor," Promise looked back at Professor Sprout. "What are my options?"

"Well I can clear you for Advanced Defense Against the Dark Arts, Advanced Transfiguration, Advanced Potions, Advanced Herbology, Advanced Arithmancy, Advanced Care of Magical Creatures, Advanced Muggle Studies, and Advanced Charms."

"Let's go with," Promise considered her options for a second. "All except for Advanced Care of Magical Creatures, Advanced Muggle Studies, and Advanced Herbology. Sorry Professor."

"That is perfectly alright Ms. Ledger," Professor Sprout waved her wand over Promise's piece of parchment. "I'm sure your future will not necessitate the studies of Herbology. As I recall, you never did seem to like the subject."

"No," Promise held up her hands. "I like Herbology. In fact, I love it. I really do. I just don't think that it will be necessary in the future."

Olivia coughed, and Sam choked briefly on a piece of toast as Professor Sprout arched one eyebrow as she handed Promise her class schedule. "Isn't that exactly what I just said Ms. Ledger?"

"So it was Professor," Promise smiled as she ed the scrap of parchment from Professor Sprout's hand. "So it was."

"Ah," Professor Sprout smiled proudly at Cedric. "Mr. Diggory, congratulations. O.W.L.'s in all of your subjects. Very good work."

"Thank you, Professor," Cedric blushed as Promise, Sam, and Olivia all clattered their forks to their plates and looked over at Cedric, stunned.

"I'm sure you can take any advanced class that you will want to continue," Professor Sprout beamed brightly at Cedric.

"Well Professor," Cedric rubbed his chin. "Perhaps you can give me everything that you gave Promise but add on Advanced Herbology in there."

"Of course," Professor Sprout smiled as she waved her wand over the parchment.

Cedric looked over at Promise, who merely stuck out her tongue. "Suck up," she said, soft enough for Professor Sprout to not hear it.

Cedric shrugged as he thanked Professor Sprout for his schedule and examined it.

"Do you have a free first period?" Cedric inquired examining his schedule.

Promise nodded. "And Professor Vector after break?"

"This will be fun," Cedric smiled. "I hope we don't have any homework. I want an easy first day back. It will make me happy."

After another few minutes of conversing and discussing Sam and Olivia's schedules, Cedric and Promise bade them goodbye as they headed off to their first Herbology class out in the Greenhouses. Cedric and Promise headed back to the common room and began to discuss the many possibilities ahead of them in their new N.E.W.T. level classes.

"You know," Promise examined her Standard Book of Spells Level Six. "According to this, we learn how to do non-verbal spells."

"Don't you already know how to do that?" Cedric inquired.

"Of course," Promise stated as though he should have known it. "With nothing better to do at my parents' huge house, I go through their library and pull out old spell books and teach myself the spells. How do you think I know so many?"

"Intuition?"

"Well there's that too…" Promise's voice trailed off.

They discussed other possibilities and eventually found their conversation focused on Mad-Eye Moody. They theorized everything from what he would teach them to the numbers of homework he would assign per night.

Several minutes later, the bell for break rang and Cedric and Promise picked up their bags and headed up the stairs to the Arithmancy classroom on the sixth floor.

Outside the classroom, several other N.E.W.T. students stood hastily comparing the answers from their summer assignments.

"You said he'd find true love by his twenty fourth birthday? Oh dear, that's no good. No good at all."

"What'd you get about the French maiden in the tower?"

"The answer is yes, he is amazing."

"If I didn't know better," Promise muttered under her breath to Cedric. "I'd say that these N.E.W.T. students were first years after their first homework assignment."

"Yeah," Cedric shrugged. "Good thing we went over it before we got here. That was a long assignment."

"But hard?" Promise looked around at the scurrying students all looking for answers. "Was it really so difficult they couldn't derive the answers?"

"True," Cedric shrugged again. "Maybe they're just lazy and we should follow their example."

"Finally! You consider not doing work for the first time in your life."

"I did not consider it!" Cedric threw up his hands defensively.

"Yeah right," Promise made a face at him.

Promise and Cedric took their usual comfortable seats in the back of the classroom as the bell rang.

"Seats everyone," Professor Vector shut her office door, bright and cheery. "Let's all take our seats! It's the beginning of a new year, and, unless anyone's taking Advanced History of Magic, which, is, as always, no one, this will be your very first class of the day, school year, and the rest of your lives as Hogwarts students! You are no longer the lower levels. You belong to an elite caste. Welcome to the world of advanced classes.

"This means, however, that it is uphill from here. With the end of your O.W.L.'s you have now elected to take part in something greater. This class will be harder, faster, and more intense than any other class you have ever taken. Expect tons of homework every night after tonight. What you worked on over the summer is typical of a week's worth of homework.

"But for now, let's get down to business after I say one more thing.

"Welcome to Advanced Arithmancy."

Professor Vector set off teaching new curriculum as Cedric pulled out his quill and hurriedly copied down all of the notes he could. By the end of the class, he had scribbled notes all over a full sheet of parchment.

"Good work today ladies and gentlemen," Professor Vector nodded as the class began to pack up their bags at the bell. "No homework tonight unless you would like to get a jumpstart on this year's work. Read the first chapter of Advanced Arithmancy and you'll be fine."

Promise refrained from whooping until out of earshot of the classroom. "I love Vector's no-homework-on-the-first-day-of-term policy."

They trekked down the stairs and entered the Great Hall for lunch.

"How was your free period?" Sam asked as she pulled some steak and kidney pie from the large plate in from of her.

"Delightful," Promise smiled and shifted her weight, as though nestling in for a long nap. "And we have absolutely no homework from Professor Vector."

"She still does no homework on the first day even after O.W.L.'s?"

"I guess so," Cedric shrugged, grinning with his teeth.

"How was Herbology?" Promise grinned.

"It was good," Olivia said defiantly into her face. "Too bad you're not taking it."

"Yeah, bad. Something like that," Promise nodded. "Just means that I have less homework."

"You know," Sam looked over at Promise. "It's not like Professor Sprout assigns that much homework in the first place."

"Touché," Promise nodded. "Still, it's that much less I actually have to do."

"Maybe you should actually enjoy your classes," Cedric suggested. "And then by enjoying them you'd enjoy doing the work."

"I do enjoy classes," Promise stared at him. "Why the heck do you think I'm taking Potions? Or Arithmancy? Or Transfiguration?"

"For one thing," Cedric held up three fingers. "You are actually incredibly good at Potions, even though you don't like Professor Snape. You simply love and adore Professor Vector, and in Transfiguration, you like to suck up to Professor McGonagall, so she absolutely loves you."

"Ok, fine," Promise gave in. "So I'm just good at some classes. That doesn't mean I don't like them. What class do we have next?"

"Advanced Defense Against the Dark Arts," Cedric answered.

"Oh!" Sam exclaimed. "Have you heard about Professor Moody yet?"

"No," Cedric exchanged looks with Promise. "What about him?"

"They say he's nuts," Sam looked at them with excited, wide eyes. "Really knows his stuff."

"Well," Promise attempted to keep a straight face. "It'll be pretty hard to top Gilderoy Lockhart."

They all laughed loudly.

"Remember that time that he pulled out his book and forced Geoffrey Davis to the front of the classroom in order to re-enact that werewolf scene?" Olivia wiped a tear from her eye as she attempted to catch her breath. "Oh I thought I was going to die."

"What a hack!" Sam wheezed.

"He was such a phony and a glory hog," Promise continued laughing. "I wouldn't be surprised if he actually found people who did that, had them tell their story, and then erased their memory."

They laughed even louder.

"Well," Cedric checked his watch between chuckles. I guess its time for us to go and meet this Professor Mad-Eye Moody."

"Yeah," Promise clutched her sides. "We'll tell you how it is, kids."

They waved to Sam and Olivia as they went up the stairs to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. Most of the other sixth years stood around the hallways waiting for the classroom to open.

"You excited?" Promise smiled.

"Mad-Eye Moody is our teacher. How do you think I feel?"

The door opened and the N.E.W.T. level students all filed in. Cedric took a seat with Promise towards the back again.

"Good afternoon," Professor Moody growled, setting down papers on his desk at the front of his room.

The class chirped back a greeting.

"As you must know by now, I'm professor Moody. Alastor Moody," Moody began again. "I was an Auror for many years, and now I'm back as a last favor for Dumbledore. You are all brilliant Hogwarts students ready for the most intense Defense Against the Dark Arts class you have ever taken. And with the brilliance you must be prepared for a sense of constant vigilance!"

Cedric jumped in his seat like the rest of the class at the last two shouted words.

"This will not be an easy class. Your teacher Professor Lupin taught you the practical parts, and your teacher the year before," He examined a scrap of parchment on his desk. "Professor Gilderoy Lockhart," Moody spat, refraining from laughing. "I don't think I need to say any more than that."

The class chuckled in appreciation.

"But since you had at least one throw-away year, I think we best get started. It's a miracle you managed to pass your O.W.L.'s with such… teachers.

"Today you will learn how to cast non-verbal spells," Moody snarled. "Can anyone tell me the advantages to casting a non-verbal spell?"

The class remained silent and shifted uncomfortably in the wake of Moody's question. All of the students looked past the house groups they instinctively sat in order to see if anyone actually knew the answer. Tentatively, Promise raised her hand.

"Yes," Moody looked at Promise with his good eye while sizing her up with his constantly swiveling magical eye. "Ms. Promise Ledger."

Promise took a quick double take. "Um, sir. Isn't the advantage so that you can make sure that you can cast a spell without him or her knowing?"

Moody's gnarled mouth twisted into a slight smile. "Five points for Hufflepuff. If one can utilize the non-verbal spell effectively, one can take their enemy by a second's surprise. I know that in my old Auror days a non verbal spell managed to catch the Death Eaters," he emphasized and spat out those words. "I met off-guard," he smirked, reminiscing. "In order to cast a non-verbal spell, all you do is cast the spell without saying it. I will show you. Davies!" He barked, forcing the Ravenclaw Quidditch captain to jump in his seat.

"Me?" Davies pointed to himself and looked around at all of the other Ravenclaws surrounding him. "Me, Professor Moody?"

"Yes you, Davies," Professor Moody snapped. "Is there another student named Davies in this class? I don't see anyone else named Davies, so I must mean you. Stand up!"

Roger Davies kicked his chair back so fast it clattered to the floor. "Yes sir."

"Davies," Professor Moody pulled out his wand. "I want you to hex me."

"You want me to… what sir?" Davies blinked at him taken aback.

"Hex me, Davies," Moody stared at him. "Are you deaf? Surely you must know some! Don't insult Professor Lupin's reputation by telling me he never taught you any hexes."

"Oh, no, sir," Davies seemed to be trembling. "I just don't think I should hex you."

"And why not, Davies?" Moody barked again. "I'm telling you to hex me, so hex me!"

Davies shook his head and brought his mind around to thinking up a hex off the top of his head. "I'm not sure I can't think of any off the top of my head."

"Davies," Moody growled. "I am not a patient man. I order you to hex me."

"I- I-"

"Jelly legs jinx!" Moody exclaimed. "Don't you know the-"

With a loud bang, Davies's wand released a powerful jelly legs curse. Moody merely waved his wand, throwing up a shield without saying a single word. Davies wobbled quickly and he collapsed on the floor of the classroom, landing on his hands.

"Good, Davies!" Moody cackled. "Ten points to Ravenclaw! You know Davies," Moody limped over, his metal claw of a leg clunking with every other step and kneeled, placing a hand on Davies's shoulder. "For a minute there, I didn't think you'd do it, but you did."

Davies attempted to push himself up to his feet. "Thank you sir."

"That," Moody turned to the whole class. "Is how to cast a non-verbal spell," He held up his wand. "You simply wave your wand and cast the spell with your mind," He wove his wand and Davies kicked himself to his feet. Moody looked around to the rest to classroom. "Why aren't you copying this down?"

Within minutes, Moody scraped his way back to the front of the room and gave them all their notes on non-verbal spells. "Your assignment for the rest of the class period and tonight is to practice your non-verbal spells. In fact, some of you might find that casting non-verbal spells is easier than casting a verbal spell. Watch how many of your teachers cast non-verbal spells. As for now, however, it is time for practice."

"How did you get so good at that?" Cedric asked Promise several minutes later as they exited the class. She managed to cast every spell she knew perfectly without speaking, whereas Cedric had a great deal of trouble casting even the most basic of spells.

"Remember that week at the Quidditch World Cup?" Promise asked. "What do you think I did during that time? Sat around?"

The remainder of the week passed without incident. Cedric found Advanced Herbology very dull without Promise. She usually poked fun at Herbology, saying things like, "Of all the classes, we'll never use this one," and "why the heck am I here?" and "Can I have a venomous tentacula?"

By the time the Potions lesson rolled around on Wednesday morning, Cedric felt his brain twinge at the realization of exactly how much homework he still had. He relayed this information to Promise, who merely shrugged it off, telling him that she'd do it later. Cedric rolled his eyes as they entered the class.

Professor Snape began and lectured on the many possible potion solutions that they would be able to create after the N.E.W.T. class. Based on the curriculum, Snape assigned them to make a vial of the Draught of Living Death. Promise and Cedric opened their copies of Advanced Potion Making and began to create the potion.

Cedric and Promise both found themselves at an impasse, however. About halfway through the instructions of the potion making, Cedric found his potion simply not working. No matter how much he stirred, he could not quite make his potion work.

"It's not working," Promise chucked her ladle to the table. "I don't know what I did wrong! I followed every last step to the letter! What is going on?!"

"Promise," Cedric muttered, careful to try to not attract Snape's attention. "Mine's not working either. I know I followed mine to the letter, I triple checked my steps, remember?"

"But it should be a lilac!" Promise whispered. "Why isn't it lilac?"

Cedric looked over at Professor Snape and the curled smile his mouth formed.

"That's a little odd," Cedric told Promise. "Snape looks like we're supposed to fail."

Promise blew the long lock of brown hair out of her face. "Well, we aren't in Slytherin so he must be against us."

"But still," Cedric noted. "What if we're doing this wrong?"

"How can it be wrong?" Promise huffed, frantically checking the index of the textbook. "It's an advanced level textbook! We're supposed to follow it! It's supposed to be right!"

"Promise," Cedric laid his hand on her twitching hand. "When have you ever played by the book? What if this book is wrong? If we're both doing the same thing and getting the same results then it must be the book's fault."

In the end, Promise and Cedric managed to make the best potion of the class. During their break, Promise and Cedric dashed to the library to find Madame Pince, asking her about her opinions on their "Advanced Potion Making Textbook."

Madame Pince merely laughed. "Every year," She shook her head. "Every year it's the same problem. No one thinks to check here for a better textbook. I'll be honest. The only reason Hogwarts requires Advanced Potion Making is because Professor Snape enjoys testing the students. He wants to weed out which students are serious and which aren't."

Cedric and Promise merely glanced at each other and rolled their eyes.

"That's alright though," Madame Pince grinned. "Because I just happen to stock the real textbook you should use. I only keep one copy. Professor Snape likes it that way."

Promise and Cedric grinned at each other as they checked the large textbook out of the library and dragged it back to the Hufflepuff common room. They pored over it during the period until lunch, comparing the different directions for the Draught of Living Death, using it to begin their next composition on errors for their potion making.

By the weekend, Cedric slept in for the first time after the many hours of homework he had over the week. He reflected on the many hours yet to come in an average week once Professor Vector started assigning them serious Arithmancy work and Professor Moody actually got around to assigning non-practical assignments, which, Promise assured Cedric, would happen by the end of the following week.

He headed down to the breakfast table with Sam and Olivia, not waiting for Promise, who used Saturday mornings for her "beauty sleep."

"So today is Saturday," Cedric sighed.

"Yes," Olivia stared off into the distance, fumbling for her toast in the absence of not seeing the plate. "A day of relaxation."

"And no Quidditch practice," Cedric sighed, signaling a moment of silence between the three of them.

"We could always go out for a run," Sam suggested, but reconsidered from the looks from Olivia and Cedric. "Or we could just… not."

Cedric decided to get a jump-start on his Herbology work in the absence of Promise to work with. He chose a nice comfortable chair and table near the fire and sat with Olivia and Sam, working through the better part of the day.

Around noon, Promise sidled down the stairs, yawning widely. "Morning all."

"Morning," Cedric smiled, snapping his Herbology textbook closed. "Nice to see that the Queen Bee has finally woken herself up."

"Ha, ha," Promise muttered. "Have you talked to your father recently?"

"No," Cedric looked at her blankly. "Why?"

"Maybe you should talk to him about the Triwizard Tournament," Promise offered. "It would be good for you to keep in touch with him."

"You know," Cedric's voice rose. "If you didn't remind me I would have gone to do it anyways."

"Then let's get to it!" Promise clapped her hands. "Chop, chop!"

Cedric rolled his eyes and scribbled a full note to his father and mother detailing his first week back at Hogwarts and telling them how he felt about it all and his plans to enter the Triwizard Tournament.

En route to the Owlrey, Cedric passed many people who waved and smiled. Once in the Owlrey, Cedric tied the note to Dani and sidled her off to his home. He stared at her until she became a pinprick on the horizon. He turned to leave and bumped into Cho Chang at the door.

"Oh," Cho blushed, picking up the letter she dropped and refusing to make contact with Cedric's eyes. "I'm so sorry. The Owlrey is usually empty, so I didn't think anyone was here and I was in a hurry and I-"

"It's ok," Cedric smiled. "It was an accident, no harm done."

"Good," Cho grinned sheepishly. "That's good. I like it when it's an accident."

Cedric stared at her, forcing her to realize exactly what she said.

"I mean," Cho fumbled for words. "If it's an accident then it's not anyone's fault, you see. It's just what it is: An accident."

"If you say so," Cedric shrugged. "Anyways, I have to get back to my studies. See you around Cho."

"Yeah," Cho sighed. "See you around Cedric."

Cedric twiddled his fingers in a gesture of farewell as he moved out of the Owlrey, so preoccupied with the awkward situation that he failed to hear Cho's sigh as her back hit the wall and she slid gracefully down to the ground, smiling.