What just happened?
Cedric blinked, disoriented, as he stepped off the stool. His eyes first scanned Hufflepuff's long table. I've just been sorted—at least clap or something, right?
But to his surprise, the table remained silent.
Frowning slightly, Cedric turned around to look behind him. Professor McGonagall stood with her hand over her mouth, eyes glistening with emotion.
It's just the Sorting. Why are you about to cry?
Up on the staff table, it was as if time had momentarily frozen. Every professor looked stunned. Hagrid and Filch—his somewhat unlikely but loyal friends—each gave him enthusiastic double thumbs-up.
And then there was Dumbledore.
Behind the crescent-moon spectacles, the Headmaster's eyes gleamed—not with warmth, but with unreadable intensity. Cold and analytical, like a magical scanner sweeping over every inch of Cedric's soul.
Cedric felt a chill run down his spine. It was as if someone had cast a Freezing Charm directly on his thoughts and dumped him into an icy lake.
No... No way...
A dreadful suspicion took root in Cedric's mind. He glanced at the Sorting Hat still perched on the stool, then turned to Professor McGonagall with alarm in his voice.
"You… you all heard what it just said, didn't you?"
Professor McGonagall could no longer contain herself. She rushed forward and hugged him tightly, whispering, "Child, I knew you were special."
Great. Just great.
Sorting Hat, you old traitor. You usually talk inside people's heads—why did you have to broadcast my whole life story like a Hogwarts-wide radio show?
[Ding! Legendary Event Created!]
[Event: The Perfect First-Year (Also Known As: Everyone's Ideal Child)]
[Legendary Points Gained: 2]
As Cedric stood there, awkward and stunned, the air around him seemed to shimmer with something unexplainable. In that moment, everyone saw him differently.
He hadn't grown taller, yet somehow, he seemed larger than life.
A heartbeat later, the entire hall erupted into thunderous applause.
Over at the Hufflepuff table—known for being the most unassuming of the four houses—someone stood up and shouted, "We've got Cedric!"
Others joined in, cheering and clapping as if they'd just won the House Cup.
It took a full five minutes before the applause subsided enough for Dumbledore to rise and raise his hands.
"The Sorting Ceremony shall continue," he said with a twinkle in his eyes, though his gaze lingered on Cedric a few seconds longer than necessary.
Professor McGonagall quickly resumed the sorting, trying to mask her emotional high. The rest of the first-years were sorted without incident, though a few looked at Cedric with awe and maybe even envy.
Then came the welcome feast.
The golden plates filled with delicious food in an instant, and everyone dug in with excitement—but even between bites, the buzz around Cedric hadn't died down.
As Professor McGonagall's closest friend, Hufflepuff Head of House Pomona Sprout—who had spent the summer away researching dragon dung fertilizers—leaned toward McGonagall and whispered curiously.
"That boy… Cedric. Tell me everything."
Every few sentences, she stole glances at him, her expression shifting from surprise to admiration.
Despite all the attention, Cedric remained oddly silent, methodically eating his food. The only other person who matched his calm demeanor was Dumbledore himself.
They were both thinking, analyzing.
But Cedric's quiet was soon broken.
"Um… Hello, Cedric—er, classmate. I hope we can get along this year!"
A timid voice drew his attention.
A fellow first-year stood by his side, holding up a goblet in a hopeful toast.
Cedric snapped out of his daze.
"Of course!" he said warmly, raising his goblet in return.
After the toast, he turned to the rest of the nearby Hufflepuff first-years and called out, "Hey, everyone! Come join us!"
He lifted his goblet high. "To a happy school year!"
The other first-years stood, forming a crooked circle of clinking goblets.
"To a happy school year!"
Laughter and cheers filled the air. In that instant, the Hufflepuff table transformed into the liveliest corner of the Great Hall.
"Thank you, Cedric!" the original student said, beaming, before returning to their seat.
As Cedric watched his classmates, something inside him shifted.
Forget it. If I can't hide anymore… then I might as well shine.
He looked back up at the staff table and met Dumbledore's eyes directly.
"Hello, Headmaster," Cedric said aloud.
Then, without flinching, he downed his goblet in a single swig.
Dumbledore blinked, then smiled faintly and took a small sip of his own drink.
For a moment, everything felt perfect.
With a grin, Cedric leaned forward and tapped the table for attention.
"Alright, listen up! You see these dishes—Peking duck, lion's head meatballs, Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, Kung Pao chicken, boiled cabbage—those are all my recipes. I taught the house-elves in the kitchen how to make them over the summer!"
Eyes widened across the table.
"There's also something called hot pot!" Cedric added proudly. "If we get the chance, I'll host one in our common room!"
Hufflepuffs, who were famously easygoing and food-loving, nearly lost their minds.
Ten Hufflepuffs, nine cooks—and now, they had a culinary genius among them.
The buzz surrounding Cedric reached a new peak.
Under the enchanted ceiling of the Great Hall, starlight glittering above, the students enjoyed their first feast of the school year—one that would be remembered for years to come.
Later that night, back in the cozy Hufflepuff common room, Cedric was the center of a crowd that chatted, laughed, and lingered until well past bedtime.
By the time they finally let him go, Cedric was smiling, though exhaustion pulled at his bones.
Lying in bed, staring at the ceiling, he realized one undeniable truth: the plan to stay low-key was officially over.
Time to change the game.
The elaborate plan to lay dormant for a year? Canceled.
From now on, it was time to move from the shadows into the spotlight.
He would be bold. Proud. Unapologetically excellent.
He would rise to the top—not in secret, but before the entire wizarding world's eyes.
And when Harry Potter arrived at Hogwarts, already marked by prophecy...
He would find Cedric Diggory waiting. Not as a rival, but as a radiant force already changing the school's fate.
With that thought, Cedric set his wand on the bedside table, whispered a charm to set his alarm, and closed his eyes.
Tomorrow, he would begin his next phase.
One where excellence wasn't hidden.
But proudly, boldly displayed for all to see.
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