a/n: this time I have written three chapter and posted them all at the same time. For I barely have no time on the internet these days with school and religious education. This also saves me a lot of time and gives you the opportunity to read three new chapters instead of waiting for a one new chapter in a week. I am also setting up the first task in four parts, so there will be one chapter added later being the ending of the task. The spell that Cedric uses is one of my own creation so if used in any other story I call it copying, even if you give me credit. Sorry that this chapter is very long but I had to make it that way for the rest after it are some what short. See you soon, LadyDiggory!

A Call For Help

It was two weeks before November 22ND, and Cedric seemed not to notice at all that his first task was getting closer by the day. Cedric walked into Transfiguration and took his seat right next to Roger. He pulled out his books and was ready to hear the daily lecture and practicing that went on in the classroom every day. The class went silent as Professor McGonagall stood in the front of the room holding rolls of parchment in her frail hands. She then started to walk out to the class and hand them out.

"I have read you entrees that you written two weeks ago and graded them. Some were very good and not dull while others were . . . inserting in their own way. I want you in this class to look over them and see what you think. Your homework tonight is to write one full parchment of what you think of your entrees." She stated passing out the last paper and placing it on Cedric desk.

He unraveled it quickly to see what marks were placed upon it and her thoughts. Roger on the other hand just wanted to talk.

"Diggory, you're actually going to do it?"

"Yeah."

"You must be going mad! Is it because it's just two weeks before the first task?"

"WHAT!" He said as he dropped his quill.

"You heard me. It's just two weeks until the first task."

"Davies it's not."

"Yes, it is Diggory. Are you okay?"

"Mr. Davies, Mr. Diggory is there a problem here, for if there is than I will surely do the honors of moving you both to separate sides of the room myself." Both boys went quickly back to work without a single word coming out of their mouths.

Leaning over Roger said, "Hey, Diggory."

"What Davies?"

"Look." Roger grabbed a piece of his robes with a circular badge on it and turned toward Cedric so he could read it.

Cedric Diggory the real Hogwarts Champion!

The badge stated in bright colors swirling. Roger the said, "Now look." The badge had turned a disgusting shade of green and the words now said something else.

Potter Stinks!

Cedric looked at the badge once more to make sure that he did not read it wrong the first time. There it stood loud and clear, POTTER STINKS. He could feel the anger run through him, at the moment he did not like Harry but that was no reason to be rude to him in any way. Cedric's Huffelpuffness was getting to him. He was the one fighting for sportsmanship in Quidditch so why not in the Triwizard Tournament. He rapidly went back to his work without a word to his dear friend next to him. Roger looked worried but thought that Cedric's silence toward him was so that both boys would not get in trouble. Cedric read the one sentence that was his feeling of anger at Harry when he wrote his essay.

It is known fact that when two men stand next to each other that the taller of the two casts the bigger shadow so how is it that I feel hidden in the smaller shadow of the shorter and younger man, who has not learned fully what he has needed to. Yet, I am lost and hidden in his shadow.

The rest of the class was silent. Not a voice was heard throughout the room, all that was heard were scribbles from the quills writing on parchment. The professor then demised the students at the right time and Cedric left the room in a hurry. All through the halls people were wearing the badges that Roger had shown him. Cedric was now getting more attention at that moment than the whole time after he had become a Triwizard Champion. It was Harry that got all the attention. He was a bit surprised but took every moment into deep consideration.

Classes passed without any trouble or doubt for three days. Cedric was on the top as he always was. The girls that flocked around him stayed with him. All supporting the badges. The badges were the one thing Cedric did not like. Everywhere he went, he asked people not to wear them.

Beep!

Beep!

Beep!

Cedric turned over onto his side and drifted back to sleep a few days before the task. A soft pillow then hit his face with enough force to make the contact hurt just a bit.

"Turn your bloody clock off, you prat!" Cedric rolled over and turned it off.

"What the hell Mark?"

"What you're too sissy to have a pillow thrown at you."

"No, you bastard. What time is it mate?"

"Around seven, why?"

"Time to get up."

"Why, class doesn't start until another two hours."

"But, a man needs his fuel." Cedric said as Mark climbed out of his bed and over to his trunk.

"You're sure right." Cedric did the same and both got dressed.

"Wait Mark. Are you coming with me?" Cedric said as he tired his tie around his neck.

"Could you both be a bit quieter." James said mumbling in his sleep.

"Sorry." Cedric said as he turned on the light to see his way a bit better than the shimmer of sunlight beaming through the room in small quantities early that morning.

"Never mind. Too bright to sleep for me." James replied as he stepped out of his bed in his boxers, mess up hair and five o'clock shadow. Mark burst out into an uncontrollable laughter. Cedric soon followed seeing that if any girl had seen him now they would go away in an instant. Their laughing had woken up Dan out of his hard slumber while the others lay peacefully in their beds.

"Mates, must I tell you to shut up. If I do not get the right amount of sleep then all my sexiness is gone." Dan grumbled. Mark stopped laughing at that moment and gave Dan a look beyond looks.

"Well Mr. Hot shot I'm sorry for our disturbance, but we must go now and see the ladies early this morning."

"Funny Mark trying to make a joke." Was all that Dan replied before going back to sleep.

Cedric, Mark and James left their dorm for the dining hall oddly quite. The hall was filled with people who were eating but not truly awake. Cedric plopped down at the Huffelpuff table sliding his school bag underneath the bench. Food was all ready before him and his friends. He piled grits and bacon onto his plate while placing frosted cereal into a bowl at his place and poured milk inside of it. The three friends then dug into their plates.

"So Diggory what do you think the quiz will be in Flitwick?"

"I don't know Mark. You think I steal them or something?" James stopped eating and looked up.

"Yea he thinks that because Ced you always get hundreds on your quizzes and other stuff."

"Just because I'm smarter than both of you gives you no right to tease me."

"Yes it does Diggory."

"So what you're saying, James, is that I can tease you too because you're dumber than me."

"No, that's not what he said and you know it!" Mark exploded.

"So I can't joke with you all!"

"No!" Both Mark and James said in unison trying to hold in their laughter.

In an instant all three of them were laughing hysterically. Cedric's face was turning redder by the second yet they laughing went on for minuets. The hall was filled with talk still for at least a few more minuets until Harry Potter walked in. He was for some reason filled with rage inside of him. Cedric said nothing as he passed him sitting with his friends. Cedric turned to James who nodded in agreement. Potter was mad. The food was cold now and each swallow was a chance for survival. Dan and Tim walked in just to get Pumpkin Juice and then left for class.

Cedric got up from the Huffelpuff table with his school bags and left the hall. His friends were a few feet ahead of him and Cedric ran to catch up. The stair ways to Professor Flitwick's class. When he had reached the top of the marble stair case, he was surrounded by his sixth-year friends. Cedric and his friends started to head toward the Charms corridor but when he reached the door Cedric's new bag split and all his belongings fell out.

"Don't bother helping." Cedric said to James as he leaned over to help a friend in need. "Tell Flitwick I'm coming I'll just be a bit late, go on now James . . ."

Cedric leaned over and started picking up his belongings and placing them in his arms. He saw Harry climb up the staircase and approach him.

"Hi. My new bag just split and all . . ."

"Cedric the first task is dragons."

"What Harry? You're kidding me?"

"No, dragons. They have one for each of us to get pass." Cedric's grey eyes were now filled with fear, excitement, and panic. How would he get pass the dragons? Would he make it alive?

"Are you positive?"

"Extremely positive."

"But how . . .were not . . . Krum . . . Fleur . . ."

"They already know." Cedric stood up with everything in his arms and gave Harry a quizzical look

"Why are you telling me Harry?"

"I guess to be fair. We all know now."

Mad-Eyed Moody was at the bottom of the stairs and growled, "Potter come with me. Diggory get to class."

Cedric opened the door to Charms and went inside his class room, green as could be. He placed his property down on the table and sat down next to Dan.

"Mr. Diggory, why are you late?"

"Well Professor my bag ripped as I was going to enter your class and everything fell onto the ground so I pick it up and entered your class."

"Thank you, and Cedric you may start your class work now."

The rest of the day way another long day. After going to Muggle Studies, his last class, Cedric went straight to the library to find a way to defeat the dragon that awaited him. He went through book after book until he found something useful.

Dragons are the most famous and dangerous of all beast. Some are easily detracted. The weakest point of the Dragon is their eyes but it is very dangerous to attack the eyes for you may get squished.

Cedric had found their weakness. He was going to detract the dragon to get pass him and do whateverelse that was needed. How now was the question, how was he going to pass the dragon? An idea then popped in Cedric's head. He ran down the hall as fast as he could. There was his hope walking down the hall.

"Professor McGonagall, Professor." Cedric called as he ran down as fast as he could to catch up.

"Yes, Mr. Diggory?"

"I need to know how turn a rock into a dog. Can you please show me Professor?"

"Why?"

"Just to be ahead of the class."

"Well you are eager. Come into my room and I'll show you." Cedric followed Professor McGonagall to her class room where she pulled out a rock and placed it onto a desk.

"Cacrcosa (car-a-sos-a)!" McGonagall swished her wand and pointed at the rock. It quickly turned into a pug sitting on the desk staring at Cedric in the eye. "Is that good enough for you Mr. Diggory?"

"Perfect Professor. Thanks." Cedric rushed out of the classroom fast as lighting. He ran down the hall and out into Hogwarts Courtyard. It seemed no one was there around three in the afternoon. Cedric was. He took a seat on a bench near a pile of rocks. He pulled out his wand from a pocket inside his cloak and grabbed a rock from the garden. With all his concentration on the rock and what he wanted.

"Cacrcosa!"" Cedric said pointing at the rock and nothing happened it went on for another twenty minuets with nothing happening. Cedric then heard a feminine giggle from behind him.

There she stood the Ravenclaw seeker Cho Chang. She was a friend of his yet they never talked much. Something about her this year had changed, she was not the girl he knew a year ago. Her jet black hair was long and out shimmering in the sunlight, she had an Asian look to her fair skin because her grandparents were both from Japan. She was a fifth year but hung out with the rest of her Quidditch team made up of sixth and seventh years. Cho had an angelic face with rich brown eyes and had a youthful grin across her face.

"Cedric what are you trying to do?"

"A spell which is suppose to transform this rock into a dog."

"Some dog you got there." Cho said referring to the same rock which Cedric had started with.

"Cho that was not very funny."

"Come on Cedric. When will anybody need to turn a rock into a dog?"

"In the first task maybe."

"Do you know something I don't?"

"No Cho if I did would I be turning a rock into a dog."

"Cedric that is not a dog it is a rock."

"Cho I know. I'm doing my best."

"You're telling me Cedric Diggory one of the smartest students in the school cannot turn a rock into a dog?"

"Cho your jokes are just getting funnier by the minuet." Cedric stated sarcastically.

"Yes they are."

"What the hell are you doing here any way?"

"I was taking a stroll but now I think I have other plans."

"Oh, Cho Chang what are they? Please tell me I'll die if I don't know."

"So you're going to make the lame jokes now?"

"No. Really, what are you doing?"

"You need any help?"

"Maybe." He did the spell a few more times with Cho now sitting on the bench next to him.

"Then here is some advice just try to relax."

"I AM RELAXED!"

"Okay? Sure you are Cedric." He looked at her and could not help but smile for she was truly beautiful. "What?"

"Nothing it's just that you're so . . . so . . . so beautiful." Cedric blushed a bit from embarrassment but looking at Cho her whole face turned bright red.

"Can you just try it again."

"If you want. Cacrcosa." Cedric and Cho were both looking at the rock hoping for it to change. The grey rock slowly turned brown and then into a small pug.

"Oh, Cedric you did it!" Cho exclaimed throwing her arms around him.

"Yeah, I guess I did."

"You don't sound happy."

"Well I forgot to ask how to turn it back into a rock."

"Well you still did it."

"Yeah. I did, didn't I? Cedric now had his arms wrapped around Cho. Everything seemed so right, so perfect.

"Same time tomorrow?"

"What?"

"You're going to need all the help you get to do whatever you need to turn a rock into a dog." Cedric let her out of his embrace.

"See you here then?"

"Sure, bye." Cho grabbed her bag and left. Cedric sat down on the bench again and just repeated the spell and the dog was a rock again.

The next day he and Cho met and everyday Cedric got better. On the second day the rock turned into a Beagle and then the second time a French Terrier. With Cho he felt happy, Cedric felt alive. Like he could finally breathe again. With Cho he could relax and not care if she just liked him for his looks. She was just helping a friend in need, him. The third and final day before the task was the most important.

"Cedric you ready?"

"Yeah, you know if anyone saw you instructing me it would seem weird."

"Why that I'm helping you, you're doing all the work."

"Good point. I just wish that there was some way to repay you, for your help."

"No need, friends always help friends. Just do the spell."

"Fine. Cacrcosa!" This time he pointed at a big rock and it turned into a yellow Labrador.

"Amazing. I think big rocks work the best."

"I think so too."Cedric said looking at Cho with a smile sweeping across his face. "Cho?"

"Yes Cedric." She said as she met his eyes. He leaned own and pressed his lips against her. Cedric hands rested on Cho's waist. Her hands on Cedric's face. Both kissing passionately than before. His heart was spinning with desire. Never had he felt like this while kissing a girl. They finally broke away with grins across their faces. Cedric was on Cloud Nine with Cho. He stood there with Cho for minuets. Her in his strong embrace. Cedric was truly happy. Only the next day he world have to face a dragon.