The Golden Mare - Cedric Diggory

Hufflepuff's Golden Boy

Aurora dashed out of the classroom and ran right into Harry. Many of their books fell out into the middle of the hallway.

"Oh, Harry- I'm so sorry, let me help you." Aurora murmured, bending over to help pick up Harry's things.

Harry gave her a smile as he leaned down to help. "It's alright. I understand the anger of the first day with Snape."

She laughed and stood back up after gathering all her items again. "So, what class are you headed to next?"

Harry opened up his schedule and squinted down at his paper as they started walking down the hallway together. "Divination." He mumbled with a roll of his eyes. "I wonder if she'll end up giving me another death sentence this year."

Aurora giggled and then looked up at Harry, who was gazing up at her seriously. She blinked up at him. "She seriously did that?"

Harry laughed. "Yup. Fortunately, she isn't the best fortune teller, so I was safe."

Aurora let out another laugh and placed her hand on Harry's shoulder. Harry seemed to shiver under her touch, but she barely noticed. She pulled out her own schedule and looked down at her second block. It read: Year 6 Transfiguration.

"Shit, I have transfiguration next. And with the sixth years!" Her voice was filled with anxiety. "Where is the room?"

He halted for a moment and looked around. "Oh, just go that way, take the next right, and then a left. It will be the first door." Harry instructed her with a smile. His eyes looked especially beautiful today, as the early morning light showered on their dazzling emerald hue.

Aurora smiled back at him. "Thanks, Harry. I"ll see you at lunch!"

As she turned around, she noticed that Draco had been watching her and Harry's interaction with a rather sour expression.

It must be because he hates Harry, she thought. And me.

Aurora approached the room for transfiguration and took a step inside. The class was pretty filled up at this point, and there was barely a seat left for her. She scanned the room, and she noticed the Hufflepuff boy she had met the night before was in her class. He was chatting with a group of boys sitting behind him. Aurora couldn't help but grin as she looked at him. One of the boys sitting behind Cedric seemed to notice her, and whispered in Cedric's ear. He looked up at her with a smile, and then continued chatting.

Aurora scanned the room once more, and realized that the seat next to Cedric was the only empty one left. She let out a deep breath and slowly walked up to him.

"Hi, mind if I sit here? There aren't any other chairs left." She asked. The boys behind Cedric looked at him with raised eyebrows and silly grins on their faces.

Cedric gave a friendly nod. "Of course."

"Thank you", Aurora said and took a seat.

"How come you're in year six transfiguration? I thought you were a fourth year", Cedric asked, gazing at her directly. His eyes were a beautiful hazel green, much like Aurora's. They beautifully complimented the yellow in his Hufflepuff robes.

"Well, I am, but my old school concentrated pretty heavily in transfiguration. That's why I'm ahead of kids my age here. It's pretty normal for adults in America to be an animagus. My grandmother is a parrot", she said with a laugh.

Cedric raised his eyebrows. "Wow, that's crazy. You have to register to do it here, and the process takes many years. Sometimes I think I might do it", he said, a wistful look in his eye.

"Well, what animal do you think you'd be? Ya know, if you could turn into an animagus." She inquired.

Cedric pondered for a moment. "I think I'd be a horse".

Aurora let out a laugh. "Why a horse?"

"Well, I used to ride them a lot when I was young. My father is very fond of them. Plus, I think it'd be very freeing. Being able to run through the fields, carefree."

Aurora smiled. It seemed like Cedric had put a lot of thought into this. "I like that. I've always found horses to be very beautiful."

"Well, what do you think you would turn into?" Cedric asked, nudging her with his shoulder.

She thought for a moment. "I think I'd be a cat. I have a cat, Quinton. He's always sleeping and eating. I think that would be a perfect life." She murmured, and Cedric let out a chuckle.

As Aurora and Cedric finished chatting, Mrs. McGonagoll assigned the class to turn the toad in front of them into a snake. Aurora was able to complete the task fairly easily, while the rest of the class struggled.

"Very good, Mrs. Windhyme. Very impressive work for a fourth year. Ten points for Gryffindor", she complimented Aurora with a nod. Aurora beamed back.

At least some teachers here are nice, she thought.

She glanced back at Cedric, who was having difficulties. "What some help?" She offered.

He nodded. "I think so. The frogs started to grow a tail, but not much else."

Aurora laughed as she looked at the funny looking creature he had created. "The spell is serpens rana. You have to pronunciate very clearly, and flick the wand once."

Cedric nodded and turned back to his frog-snake hybrid. "Serpens rana!" He exclaimed. Suddenly, his frog was no longer a frog, but a small snake.

"Hey, you did it!" Aurora said, patting him on the shoulder. His gaze turned to hers, and for a moment their eyes met. Aurora quickly turned away, feeling a shiver go through her body.

"Good job, everyone, today. As we progress through the year, we will be transforming more large and complex animals into other animals, and objects. Be prepared! Class dismissed."

Aurora got up from her chair, and started heading for the door, when she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned around to see Cedric.

"Hey, thanks for helping me out today", he said, seeming a little embarrassed. She grinned at him.

"No problem. See you tomorrow?"

"Of course. I'll need your help."

Aurora let out a soft laugh as he walked away. She blinked after him, and she already couldn't wait for her next transfiguration class.