Gold Blood - Cedric Diggory

Chapter 1 ➵

I remember exactly how it felt having my new silk robes wrapped around my shoulders on sorting day; most terrified I’ve ever been as a child, I reckon.
Being presented right in front of all my new classmates, housemates and professors who were about to judge or befriend me based on the set of traits The Sorting Hat would decide I had.

Professor McGonagall wasted no time in ushering me to the chair when it was my turn and without a word placed the tattered hat on my head.

“Hmmm, you are an interesting one, aren’t you…” The hat spoke immediately with an almost deep, evil tone; “And you know exactly where you should be, don’t you…?” I was surprised The Sorting Hat hadn’t commented on the heavy sweat coming from my brow; “Hmm, but you don’t want to be where you should be, do you? I wonder why...” It said with a small chuckle.

I panicked and whispered in a desperate attempt to sway the hats choice “Please, not Slytherin, please”

“Not Slytherin, ey?” The hat boomed across the hall and a slight giggle echoed from some of the students throughout the large room and a few harsh glares from some of the older ones sat at the Slytherin table.

I thought I was going to cry. I was that scared and embarrassed, that was until the hat announced the words; “Very well then... Hufflepuff!”

Cheers and applause erupted from The Great Hall and a huge sigh of relief along with a giant grin settled on my face as the dusty old hat was thankfully removed from my head and I walked with a spring in my step over to the Hufflepuff table, purposely trying to avoid the acidic scrutiny from Slytherin.

I received many handshakes, welcomes, introductions, congratulations and pats on the back from all the Hufflepuff’s, of all ages. Instantly, they were some of the kindest, most humble wizards and witches I had ever met. Turns out being put in Hufflepuff was one of the best things I thought could have happened to me at the time, even though The Sorting Hat had hit a nerve of truth and there did seem to be a lingering feeling I didn’t belong, and someone else seemed to know it too; a fellow Hufflepuff, a boy with shaggy brown hair who’s subtle frown was strangely intriguing but also a little intimidating. Catching his glare soaked my happy grin away, he was pretty much the only one who didn’t welcome me, who'd stayed sat down and focused his eyes back down at the table when he seemed to come to the reality that I had noticed his surveying me.

-

That first year I kept my head down mostly, just focusing on keeping track with all my classes and studies. Second Year however, is when I began making friends. Nevill was the first, he sat with me in potions, I think mainly because he didn’t fancy the idea of sitting with Seamus Finnigan and potentially losing a hand through his special talent of pyrotechnics, but still, I enjoyed the company and Nevill was one of my favorites. He was kind and also a Gryffindor which made me trust him. Luna was another, she was so creative and knew pretty much everything about the care of magical creatures. She was as loopy as she was adorable but she was a Ravenclaw to the bone. Second year was also when things at Hogwarts got weird… weirder than usual anyway; it's also when I met Harry Potter.

Harry and I became pretty good friends by the beginning of Third Year, he was brave and loyal and very popular in the wizarding world it turned out; nevertheless he always seemed intractable against the incorrigible darkness that seemed to follow him around. Being close with Harry also meant Ron Weasley was a big part of life at Hogwarts. He was a hidden charm, not very obviously audacious but strong and honest in his own way.

I made a lot of friends, I wasn't unpopular or disliked; though it seemed most of Slytherin still hadn't forgotten about my begging The Sorting Hat to keep me out of their house, I guess that caused some serious offence even two years on. However, Third Year would also be when I crossed paths with the most golden of all the Hufflepuffs. Part of me wishes I'd never turned my head that day but then again, how could I possibly think of a single part of myself without Cedric Diggory now?