The Marauders - Order of the Phoenix Part Three

CVIII: The Greatest Bloke There Is

Cedric Diggory threw himself unceremoniously into his seat aboard the Hogwarts Express. Finally finished his prefect duties - which had included a great deal of rushing backward and forward about the train with a brood of very energetic first years, as well as telling off Draco Malfoy for loitering about the corridor unnecessarily - Cedric was finally able to have a breather.

The compartment Cedric chose was populated by a crew of Hufflepuff boys from the Quidditch team. "Hey, here's our Captain at last!" cried Malcolm Preece as Cedric sank into his seat. "About bloody time you joined us."

"Busy with prefect duties, wasn't I?" Cedric countered.

"What a goody-goody," teased Herbert Fleet, smirking.

"It's called being a responsible human being, more like," Cedric retorted. "Ought to go on and give it a shot now and then, hey, Herbie?"

"Me? Responsible?" Herbert chuckled.

"Might as well ask the Weasleys to behave," snickered Michael McManus. Herbert kicked his ankle and Michael snorted and pushed Herbert roughly into the wood panel of the compartment, knocking his head against a spot where some hooligan had carved initials into the wall years and years ago.

There was a good deal of rough-housing following this as Michael, Malcolm, and Herbert started pushing and shoving about and Cedric rolled his eyes and leaned back against the bench. "For Helga's sake, lot. I swear the whole band of you are growing down, not growing up!" Cedric shook his hand through his brown hair and closed his eyes as he put his legs up on the bench where Malcolm had been before launching himself across the compartment to get in on the wrestling match. "Don't pisser me off or all of you will find yourselves with detentions with Flitwick before we even get to the castle!"

Herbert hooted laughter, "What a load of codswallop you are! Diggory fancies he finds himself more mature than us, lads!" Herbert was in sixth alongside Cedric, while Michael was in fourth and Malcolm in fifth.

Cedric muttered, "At least more than you are, Fleet."

Herbert made a sound between a "psh" and a "pfffbt".

Cedric added, "Mate - the firsties I just ushered about were more mature than you are!"

Michael and Malcolm laughed heartily at this.

Herbert gave Cedric a rather rude gesture. "I can see that even with my eyes closed, Fleet," Cedric said as the other two laugher all the harder.

"Wasn't tryin' at hiding it, was I?" Herbert chortled.

Cedric sighed and settled more into the cushion, even as Malcolm returned to his seat, lifting Cedric's legs to slide in before letting them drop back over his own lap.

"So, what then, did you spend the summer coming up with loads of fancy new plays so we can finally slaughter those bleedin' lions this year?" Michael asked.

Cedric murmured, "I may have done." He grinned.

"Ayyyy I know that look. Diggory's got something brilliant on, yeah, Ced?" Herbert asked.

"I certainly hope so," Cedric answered. He opened his eyes and looked about the compartment. "I really need to win the cup this year, mates. It would mean the world to my Dad."

"Bloody hell like your pops needs another reason to be proud of you for!" guffawed Malcolm. "Already he doesn't stop on about you. Y'know he stood bragging forever to my dad on the Platform? My dad didn't give a hippogriff's arse if you won the bloody match last year. LAST YEAR, mate! Haven't you done something else - anything else - that he can talk about in the past year?