Cedric had said goodbye to Joey the evening before his departure to Hogwarts. Joana's parents would not be able to accompany her to Kings Cross train station that morning and Amos did not feel comfortable 'taking responsibility for her' as he put it. Cedric was very annoyed with his Dad and had pleaded with his Mom. But this was one of those rare occasions when even Justina could not convince her husband. Equally disappointed was Ginny Weasley who had hoped to talk to Joana for a few minutes. She was at the station together with her whole family to drop off her brothers Charlie, Percy, and, of course, Fred and George who were First Years and therefore starting school with Cedric.

As Fred and George were the only kids he knew, Cedric was glad they agreed to share a compartment with him on the train. They seemed to be just as nervous as he was. Yet, while they tried to overcome their wariness by joking with the other kids, Cedric sat back and took it all in. He was on the Hogwarts Express. His parents had, of course, told him a little of what to expect, but sitting here, watching all the excited First Years, as well as the older kids passing by outside his compartment was all a little overwhelming. He looked out the window and saw the countryside flying by. He had never been this far away from home and the scenery was changing constantly. He loved riding the train. It was almost like a house on wheels that mysteriously knows the way through the ever-changing landscape. Soon he was yanked out of his daydreams by the prefects walking from compartment to compartment to remind them to change into their school robes. The First Years, for now, wore basic black robes until they got sorted into their Houses. Before the official start of term the robes would then be mended by the Houselves to represent the appropriate house colors and bear the respective house crest.

Stepping off the train Cedric heard a booming voice over all the chatter of the many kids “Firs’ Years over here!” He tried to locate the source and did not have to look twice. A gigantic man with a huge black beard and masses of equally black and frizzy hair was calling out to them. “Tha’s righ’, line up over here. You’ll be going across the lake with me, Hagrid, keeper of grounds and keys at Hogwarts. It’s tradition. Only the older kids take the coaches. Come on, Firs’ Years over here.” Thankful that all their belongings would be brought to the castle, Cedric lined up with the rest of the First Years and followed Hagrid to the boats. It was dusk by now and by the time they had entered their boats, 4 students to one boat, the light had grown quite low. All they could see was the black water and the lanterns on the bows of the boats bopping up and down.

In the distance Cedric thought he could make out a faint outline of a massive building. As they grew nearer, a few specs of light appeared, marking the windows. One of the boys in his boat got so excited that he leaned forward, trying to see better. The boat started swaying precariously and the boy quickly retreated to his seat, causing it to rock to the other side, and he lost his balance. With a loud splash he landed in the water. For a second there was no sound and Cedric tried desperately to locate the boy in the water to reach out for him. Then they heard some thrashing around and the boy started shrieking with panic “Help me! I can’t swim!” Silence, then again “Ahhhhh, I’m drowning, somebody, please!” Again silence as the boy’s head went under the water once more. And then Cedric saw the bubbles and could make out the boy’s white face as he broke through the surface.

There was no time to waste. Without hesitation he jumped in the water. As soon as he hit the water, Cedric thought his heart might stop. He hadn’t counted on it being so freezing that it took his breath away. The icy cold instantly hit him as hard as a brick. And as his robes soaked up the water he felt himself being pulled under by the weight of the wet fabric. What was he thinking? Why hadn’t he taken off at least his robes first? But he was a good swimmer and he was able to reach the boy in no time. Trying to hold both himself and the boy’s head over the water surface was another matter, which was made even harder by the boy thrashing around in panic. “Listen to me!” Cedric pleaded. For a moment he got the sinking feeling that he was literally in over is head. But he knew he had to put the other boy at ease if they were to both get out of this mess. “I got you, I’m a good swimmer, but you have to stop flailing about!” Cedric felt an elbow hit his nose and a foot kick his shin, but he held on tight. “Hey!” he shook the boy a little bit angry now “Stop it; it’s going to be ok!” All of a sudden the boy noticed that he wasn’t going under anymore and this seemed to be the first time he noticed that Cedric was there with him. He stopped thrashing his arms and was just kicking his legs now, to stay afloat. Cedric was getting tired but held on desperately, trying to keep his own head above the water. He succeeded just long enough to take intermittent breaths before his nose and mouth kept dipping below the surface. All his energy went into keeping the other boy’s head steady, while he bopped up and down. He was really hoping that somebody would come to their aid soon.

The voice was booming just as it had been at the train station. “Good gracious, boys! What ‘r’ you doin’?” and he felt a strong arm pick him and the other boy up by the back of his robes and place them back into their seats. Hagrid had turned his boat around as quickly as he could when he heard the first splash and was now floating alongside them. “D’you think you can make it the res’ of the way without fallin’ in again? I have ter get back t’ the front!” Both boys, nodded silently. Cedric was terribly cold and they were both shivering so violently that he feared the boat would start shaking and topple all four of them out this time. Through clattering teeth the other boy said, “Th…thank you, my name is Zacharias Smith. You saved my life.” Cedric just nodded and rubbed his nose where the elbow had hit him. He was trying to concentrate on not feeling cold. “My robes were pulling me under and I can’t swim.” Again Cedric nodded “Don’t mention it!”

********

A witch in long black robes and a tall pointy hat met them at the top of the stairs leading into the main castle entrance. Cedric saw Hagrid talk to her and assumed correctly that he must be telling her about the little mishap on the way, because he immediately heard her shout “Oh Dear! Smith, Diggory…. Where are you? Over here please!” Cedric and Zacharias, both now shivering uncontrollably hurried to the front of the crowd and up the steps. “Oh Dear!” the witch said again and pointed her wand at them. “Spiro Siccus!” Cedric immediately felt warm air engulf him and his hair and robes were instantly dry. “The sorting ceremony is about to begin. So this has to suffice for now. I want you two to drink lots of warm tea with honey! After the feast I’ll have Madam Pomfry take you up to the hospital wing and look you over, just to make sure that everything is alright!” Cedric and Zacharias nodded a little embarrassed. “First Years, you will please line up right here and follow me into the Great Hall!” she called out to the rest of the students waiting anxiously at the bottom of the stairs.

The two large oak doors opened and as Cedric entered the Hall he felt hundreds of eyes on himself and the other kids that were following him. It was actually a little terrifying. He half wished he could be out on the lake again. The procession stopped in front of the hall where an old wizard hat sat on top of a chair. The witch that had greeted them at the stairs now had a roll of parchment in her hand and called out “Aurelia, Patsy!” A small girl with long brown hair stepped forward and sat on the chair, placing the hat on her head. After a short pause the hat yelled “Gryffindor!” and the long table to the right of Cedric erupted in applause. This procedure was repeated over and over. Cedric knew from his mother that the Sorting Hat placed you in any of the four houses, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Slytherin or Hufflepuff according to your abilities as a wizard or witch as well as according to elements of your character.

Cedric was yanked out of his thoughts when he heard “Diggory, Cedric!” He stepped tentatively forward, picked up the hat, put it on his head and sat down. The thoughts were racing in his mind. His mother had been a Ravenclaw and his Dad a Gryffindor. He wanted to be a Gryffindor. He was sure anything else would just disappoint his father. “Gryffindor, ey?” he heard the sorting hat say only loud enough so he could hear. “I can see the Gryffindor in you. Bravery you lack not. But defined you are by the loyalty to your friends and sense of justice.” And then the hat proceeded to shout out to everybody in the Great Hall “Great Honor you will bring to the noble house of those who never get the glory. A hero like you they never had!” Cedric’s mind was racing, which house was he talking about? But he didn’t have to wait long. The hat yelled “Hufflepuff!”

The table on the opposite side, which was now on his right, jumped up and applauded and cheered. Cedric rose, placed the hat back on the chair and walked over to his house table in a daze. That was just his luck. The House that ‘took the lot’. His father would be thrilled. He sat down and felt a soft jab of an elbow in his side. He looked up and saw a head full of purple hair. “Welcome to the noble house of founder Helga Hufflepuff. I wonder what the sorting Hat meant. It has never been that specific with anybody it put into our house.” Cedric shrugged. “Hi, I’m Tonks. I’m in 6^th year. Come on, what’s with the long face? You must be pretty special for the hat to single you out like that.” Maybe she was right, she seemed nice enough. Cedric smiled tentatively and tried to forget about what his father would say when he found out and focused on enjoying the rest of the sorting ceremony.

One by one the first year students were distributed into their different houses. Zacharias joined him at the Hufflepuff table and every time another student joined them they cheered with the rest of their House. The ceremony ended with “Weasley, George!” The Sorting Hat had not even touched George’s head and it yelled “Gryffindor!” just like it had for his brother a minute before that. Instantly Cedric’s gloom was back. They would be in different houses, playing Quidditch against each other. His father would never understand.