A Change in Fate || Cedric Diggory [1]

Chapter 4: Trains and Tournaments

On September 1st, Analeigh side-Apparated with her father, Altair, to Platform 9 3/4 after a long goodbye from her mother, Grace. It included countless paragraphs in French as she told her daughter to behave as always and reminded her of the little things she would most likely forget.

Analeigh's father gave her daughter a quick kiss on her temple before speaking to her in his fatherly tone, emphasizing that what he was relaying was important.

"Now, like your mother said — well, I didn't understand half of it because of the French — you should write more often."

"Yes, Dad," said Analeigh, tapping her foot impatiently. The clock on the wall across her read 10:56, so she had to get inside the Hogwarts Express soon and find her friends.

"Also, try not to get into anymore trouble. You could imagine our surprise when Dumbledore told us how you met Sirius Black and —"

"Dad, it's not like I meant to," Analeigh reminded him. "I was out for a stroll at the wrong time and happened to find Ron getting bitten by Sirius' Animagus form."

Altair Heart didn't know much about the whereabouts of Sirius Black at the moment despite their history with one another, if you could call it that. Analeigh didn't even know about this, either, because Altair didn't find it fit to tell his daughter about it. He deemed it unwise to overload her with such information, and it was much more complicated than simply telling her that he knew Sirius Black, and even more, that he could still be considered to be associated with him. There was much more at stake, and he felt it wasn't appropriate to tell her — not yet, at least.

"Okay, okay, I need to go now, Dad," Analeigh told her father, walking backwards on her way to the steam train. "I love you and I'll see you during holidays."

"Well, you might not want to come home for Christmas this year."

Analeigh halted and stared at the man in confusion. "What? Why?"

He shrugged, a small smile playing on his lips. "There's a special event this year that you certainly wouldn't want to miss."

"What—" And then the train hooted, signaling that it was almost time to leave. "Ugh, broomsticks," she cursed.

Altair chuckled at his daughter, "Get in the train, Analeigh. I love you and see you in... er, I'll see you when I see you!"

Analeigh sighed and hurried into the train, jumping in as it began to move.

"I'm gonna write you and force you tell me when I get to Hogwarts!" she told her father. But Altair just shook his head in amusement as he watched the train pick up speed, his daughter riding away with it.

Analeigh walked down the train, saying hi to some familiar faces, mainly Gryffindors. She spotted the unmistakeable head of ginger a few feet away from her, and that's when she finally reunited with Ron, Hermione, and Harry since the Quidditch World Cup incident took place.

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