Willow || Cedric Diggory

The Big Day

"All right, Ced. Focus." Cedric murmured to himself. It wasn't until a second later that he hear his father shouting words of support from him from the observer's side. 

"Mr. Diggory, this is your second chance. Should you fail, you will only have one chance left." The observer told him. He forgot what the observer's name was. But despite so, the man's frightening red eyes would be very hard to forget for him. 

"Start whenever you're ready." The man added, "I have forever."

To that, he merely nodded. Cedric then closed his eyes and took a brief breathing exercise, all the while reminding himself of the reasons why he has to succeed. He would be happy to have the practicality of apparition.

'One leap across the channel would be useful. Imagine all the spots you can visit in France.' He thought to himself, smiling at the prospect of a nice holiday with his boyfriend next summer. He better be able to get his license first before doing all that. What would Rey say if Cedric had to ask the younger one to teleport them each time? What would Adrian say?

"All right..." He let out a deep exhale for one last time before nodding to the observer one more time as a confirmation. 

The Apparition license test was a simple one. You just had to apparate a certain number of times (usually less than three) across different settings that have been prepared by the test's observers. The only catch are that you had to do it in one go and not leave anything behind, not half an eyebrow, not a finger. Thank Merlin for the three chances that each test takers have.

With his eyes wide open to spot the first destination, Cedric felt himself smudged into a blur that was followed by a resounding crack. And before he knew it, he had already passed the first one.

"Well go on then, kid. You'll be doing just fine." The red-eyed observer encouraged him, before quickly followed by the same remark from his father.

With such encouragement from the two -albeit one of them was a complete stranger-, Cedric felt his confidence flared up. So in one go, he apparated to the second and third destination. And before he knew it, he was already at the far end of the examination arena.

"All right, would you mind to retu-" The red-eyed observer was cut off by his action as Cedric suddenly appeared before him.

"Definitely didn't mind and definitely a pass for me, Amos." The man remarked, causing his father to beamed brightly. Cedric was sured that everyone in his father's office would hear about it, first thing after he returned to his desk. He won't mind about it too much, but his father's colleagues definitely will.

"Though you should not really apparate yourself in such a rapid sequence again, kid. You're still a beginner, ok?" The man discreetly whispered before handed Cedric his apparition license. "But for real, good job though. See you around, ey?"

The red-eyed man talked with his father for one last time before vanishing before his eyes. And when he was still trying to process his disappearance, he felt a rather firm tap on his shoulder. Turning to his right, Cedric immediately spotted his beaming father. One could not miss how proud the older man was for him, and that pride made Cedric fill a little bit warm inside.

"Ain't you the best son I can ever ask for huh?" His father smiled from ear to ear. "I'll take you home. Your mom will definitely love to hear this!"

One floo powder trip later, Cedric and his father found themselves in their home. As soon as he stepped out from the chimney, Cedric found himself being hugged to death by his mom. 

"There's my son." She tiptoed a little to grab Cedric's face within her hands. "How did it go? You didn't get splinched right?"

"It all went well, mum." Cedric blushed a little, feeling a bit giddy from his mother's attention. "I passed."