𝐄𝐔𝐏𝐇𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐀 ― 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳

𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐋𝐎𝐆𝐔𝐄

"𝕬 𝖋𝖗𝖎𝖊𝖓𝖉 𝖎𝖘 𝖘𝖔𝖒𝖊𝖔𝖓𝖊 𝖜𝖍𝖔 𝖐𝖓𝖔𝖜𝖘 𝖆𝖑𝖑 𝖆𝖇𝖔𝖚𝖙 𝖞𝖔𝖚 𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝖘𝖙𝖎𝖑𝖑 𝖑𝖔𝖛𝖊𝖘 𝖞𝖔𝖚."
― 𝕰𝖑𝖇𝖊𝖗𝖙 𝕳𝖚𝖇𝖇𝖆𝖗𝖉

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AN EIGHT-YEAR-OLD girl stood in the corner of a crowded room. Her eyes peered around, observing all the adults and the other children present. She was full of curiosity and imagination; she made guesses about the people's lives and came up with her own stories about what they did for a living.

Her parents were within eye-shot talking to a man with glasses and brown hair that came just above his shoulders. A boy noticeably taller than the girl stood by his dad's side trying to pay attention to the conversation in front of him but obviously lost interest. His eyes stared at his shoes as he tapped them together and hummed inside his head so he wouldn't disrupt the adults' conversation.

The boy heard a name being called and glanced up to see the girl walking from the corner over to her parents. Her eyes shined bright as she intently watched the boy and his father.

"It's so nice to meet you, Aurora! I've heard so many great things about you from both your parents here. The name is Amos Diggory, and this is my boy, Cedric," Mr. Diggory said as he patted young Cedric on the shoulder.

"Hi. It's a pleasure to meet you both," Aurora replied with a smile as she stuck her hand out to Amos. He chuckled at the little one's politeness and gently shook her hand while declaring that the pleasure was all his. After letting go, she stuck it out towards Cedric before he shook hands with her. Their parents starting to converse again.

Cedric looked at Aurora and asks, "Would you like to see my room?" "Sure," Aurora answered as she followed him out of the crowded room.

"It's a very enjoyable party your family is having," Aurora said. They were walking upstairs to the next floor as Cedric replied with a 'Thank you'.

They walked in a comfortable silence next to each other before stopping in front of a door. Cedric opened the door and revealed his room. It was tidy for a boy his age. Quidditch posters hung all over his walls, and collectibles were scattered all around.

"Sorry if it's messy," Cedric softly said as he watched Aurora look around his room. "Not at all. In fact, it's the cleanest room I have seen from any other boy my age, even some girls. Do you have a favourite quidditch team or player?" Cedric's eyes perked with excitement at her question.

"Wimbourne Wasps are great! I've been to a few of their games with my dad," Cedric started to say as he walked over to his desk. "I even got a mini quaffle replica, and some of their team members signed it!"

He held it proudly in his hands like it was one of the best things he has ever seen and held in his life. Cedric lifted it for Aurora to get a glance at the names scribbled on the quaffle. She leaned in to look at it closer but didn't dare touch it since it meant a great value to the boy in front of her. Cedric grinned brightly as Aurora stood up straight again.

"It's one of my favourite things I own, honestly."

"Do you plan on playing quidditch when you attend Hogwarts," Aurora asked. "Definitely! Would you be interested in playing?"

"Probably not. I enjoy the game, but I don't see myself playing it for sport," Aurora sighed. "Well, I could always teach you. I'm sure you'd be good at it. My dad says I'm not that bad. I've only played it for fun, though. Not many of my friends are that interested in it, but I'm sure they'll come around to love it."

"That sounds nice. I only have a few friends myself, but we don't play sports or anything of the sort. Do you have any idea what house you're going to be sorted into, or is there one you'd like to be in," Aurora asked, trying to learn more about Cedric.

"Both my parents were in Hufflepuff, so I guess that house. I haven't thought about it much... What about you?" "Ravenclaw," she immediately answered, "I feel like my characteristics and personality line up with that house the most."

Cedric listened to her and realized that she was most likely right. She spoke and acted like a bright and curious witch, especially for her age.

"I'm sure you're right. It seems like the best option. Do you want to go outside and I can show you my broom?" Aurora nodded with a smile as she followed him out of his room his backyard.

Cedric ran over to get his broom. "It's an Oakshaft 79! It's not a newer model or anything, but it's still the best," he exclaimed as he ran back over to her. He stopped in front of her and showed off his broom. He lifted it for her to look at the details.

"It looks nice." Cedric grinned at her reply with her smiling back.

"Aurora, dear! We have to head home," Mrs. Silversun said. Cedric and Aurora looked over at her mom by the doorway with her father.

"Okay, mum," she replied as she looked back at Cedric. "It was very nice meeting you. Hopefully, you can teach me how to ride a broom soon."

"Of course! See you soon then," Cedric asked. "See you soon." They smiled at each other before Aurora ran off towards her parents.

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"Just turn, Aurora! Turn," Cedric shouted. "I'm trying," Aurora yelled back. She was hovering in the air on her broom, trying not to run into any more tree branches.

"You make this look so easy," she whined as her broom stayed still. "I want to get down! Please, Cedric! I don't like this very much." Aurora cried out to him as he mounted his broom and flew towards her.

"Just calm down, okay? You're doing fine. Here. Hold onto me with one hand and grasp the handle real tight with the other," Cedric said soothingly as he saw a tear fall down Aurora's cheek. She nodded as she followed his instructions. She listened to what he told her as they slowly went back to the ground.

"Are you okay," Cedric asks as Aurora wiped away her tear. "Mhmm... I was just nervous and scared of falling. I'm sorry. I know how much you wanted to teach me so we could play quidditch together."

"It's okay. It is scary at first. We don't have to keep going if you don't want." "I want to, but can we take a break so I can calm down my nerves?" Cedric nodded as they headed inside his house to get something to drink.

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"I got my letter," an eleven-year-old Aurora exclaimed as she ran towards Cedric. "Me too! This is going to be so exciting. You'll still be my best friend even if we aren't sorted into the same house, right?" Cedric frowned at the thought of being separated from his best friend he's grown to love so much.

"Cedric, this is why you're not going to be sorted into Ravenclaw because you ask so many stupid questions," Aurora said with a smirk before laughing at Cedric's reaction.

"Best friends forever, right? Even though I ask stupid questions," Cedric asked with a smile, already knowing the answer. "Of course!"