1 | Sunlight ➙ Cedric Diggory

Chapter Sixteen

Matthew, Cedric, Andrew, and Tobias were all seated in a compartment on the Hogwarts Express as the scarlet engine made it's way to King's Cross. Christmas break had finally begun, so all four boys were going home for the holidays. Matthew and Cedric would be heading to the Granger household together while Andrew and Toby went to their own homes to spend time with their families. Hermione was also going home, but was in a different compartment with her friends. 

The Hogwarts Express came to a slow stop and whistled loudly at the platform of King's Cross Station. The four Hufflepuff boys stood up out of their seats, and Matthew slid the glass door open. Students rushed to get down the aisle and see their parents for the first time in months, most of the craning their necks to look out the windows. Excited chatter filled the train while the quartet made their way into the aisle, and onto the platform. Matthew felt someone grab onto the pale yellow cotton long sleeved shirt he was wearing, glancing back to see a slightly nervous Cedric. 

"Sorry, I don't want to get lost." The boy mumbled, looking around for two people that resembled Matthew's parents. He had met them multiple times over the summer, and could easily pick them out in a crowd. "There's Diane!" Cedric exclaimed, pointing over to a woman that Matthew resembled.

"But where's...never mind." Matthew spoke, successfully spotting his father. Malcolm was a few feet away, talking to his brother; Hermione's father. 

"I see my parents. Have a great Christmas, guys. See you in the new year." Andrew chirped up over the crowd, catching the attention of his fellow Hufflepuff friends. The four boys bid farewell to each other before Andrew walked off towards his mum and dad. 

"Do you see your mum, Toby?" Matthew asked over his shoulder, as Toby tried to look over the crowd of students and parents to find his mother. 

"Not yet. She said she'd be here." Toby replied. The boy had a soft frown etched onto his features. The boy was only thirteen, but had dark circles under his eyes and slight creases where his lips turned down. 

"We'll find her." Cedric tried to comfort the boy, who just nodded in response and continued looking around. The trio finally reached the Grangers, followed by a Hermione a few moments later. 

"You guys walk fast. I tried to catch up when you stopped to say bye to Andrew, but a group of people got in the way." The girl explained, trying to catch her breath. The boys immediately felt bad, not knowing she was behind them. 

"There they are!" Malcolm exclaimed, leading the Granger family over to where the three Hufflepuffs and lone Gryffindor stood. Children and parents were reunited again, and Cedric let go of Matthew as he went to hug his mum and dad. Hermione caught up with her parents, which consisted of her ranting to them about how the school year was going. Matthew heard fragments of the one sided conversation, which including things about Harry Potter and "oh, you won't believe what got into the school on Hallowe'en!" Matthew rolled his eyes as a small smile formed on his lips, turning to Cedric and Tobias.

"Mum, dad, you remember these two I hope." Matthew gestured to his friends, skipping the formal introductions because both Diane and Malcolm had met the boys before. 

"Yes, of course. They're hard to forget." Malcolm replied, reaching out to shake a hand of both Cedric and Toby. The man was referring to the time when the two boys were over during the summer and managed to blow food up on the barbecue, without the use of magic. Also the time when Belle was painted purple with washable paint. No one was harmed in the chaos the three boys ensued in the Granger house. It did take multiple baths and three weeks to get the paint off of the family dog though. 

"Nice to see you both again." Cedric and Toby said, both shaking Malcolm's hand and both getting hugged by Diane. Matthew watched with a smile as his friends bonded with his parents. He couldn't help but the notice the expression of relief as Toby was pulled into his mother's embrace.