Cayden was the first to wake up in the morning. He has always been an early riser. He sits up from the bed and starts getting ready for the classes, by the time he comes out of the bathroom, the others was only getting up from their bed.
Cedric turns his head to the bathroom door when he heard it open and was surprised to see Cayden, in his Hogwarts uniform with a towel still wiping his hair, but a smile took over his face at the sight of Cayden's bright sapphire eyes.
"An early riser, I see." Cedric said, smiling fondly at the boy who returned the smile, that easily outshined his. Cedric notices the small natural blush and freckles on the brunette's face, it's noticable when you're up close to him. "Excited for your first class?" He asked, taking his Hogwarts uniform from where he placed it on the bed.
"I am." Cayden said, moving to his bed and starts fixing up the blankets and pillow. He looks at Kiwi– his black cat with blue eyes– who is still sleeping on the makeshift bed he made for her. "What's our first class again?" He asked, sitting beside Kiwi on the floor as he looks up at Cedric.
"Dark Arts." Cedric lip twitches as he fought back a smile, seeing the unimpressed expression on Cayden's face. "Was the pain yesterday not just a small bit, then?" He asked, a teasing tone heard in his voice, making Cayden giggle.
"I'm not excited anymore." Cayden said with a straight face, making Cedric laughs.
≪ °❈° ≫
Dark Arts and Herbology class went without a hitch. Cayden was worried for nothing, maybe except for Professor Quirrell asking him for every answers for the questions on the board. Cayden answers them all without making eye contacts with Professor Quirrell, as every time Cayden make eye contact with the Professor, his right arm was filled with pain. He didn't know why he kept having the pain on his right arm. He's not like Harry, who has a lightning scar on his forehead. Harry's scar pain would be more understandable, than his no-scar pain.
Cayden won't meet his Godfather until Tuesday in his class. He could visit Severus, but he don't think it's a good idea for him to enter when his Godfather is working with the other students. He didn't want to disturb Severus from his work.
Right now, Cayden is spending his time with Draco, Crabbe, Goyle and Pansy in the Courtyard while waiting for their lunchtime. Well, Draco, Crabbe, Goyle and Pansy is the one doing the talking. Cayden is wondering where Cedric could be at right now.
"Cayden!"
Speaking of the devil.
Cayden looks up from where he is sitting on the ground, smiling at the sight of Cedric jogging his way through the crowd towards him. "Hello Cedric." He said, standing up with the help of Goyle, as Cedric arrives in front of him. "What can I help you with?" He asked, cocking his head away from the sun shining into his eyes.
"Well, I was thinking we could go to the library while we wait for lunchtime." Cedric said, looking down at Cayden, and studies the boy's face carefully.
Cayden looks behind him at his friends, who each sends him a mix of a nod, thumbs up, and a smile. He looks back at Cedric, who has an amused expression on his face, but he looks satisfied at the overprotectiveness from his friends. "Sure." He said, taking his bag from Draco's hand and follows Cedric to the library.
≪ °❈° ≫
Cayden sits next to Cedric at lunch in the Great Hall after borrowing some books from the library with the permission from Madam Pince. Cayden looks up from the book in front of him and accidentally make eye contact with Harry, who seem to be studying him. Cayden sighs, shaking his head softly, turning his head away and moves his head away from the book to eat his food so he won't get food on the book.
"Are you gonna talk with your brother?" Cedric asked after Cayden swallowed his food down his throat.
"I'm not the type of person to make the first move." Cayden answered, continuing where he stopped reading to take a bite of his food. He stopped again when Cedric uses his thumb against the corner of his mouth. Confused, he turns his head to look at Cedric.
"There was something on your mouth." Cedric answered, sending Cayden a small smile as he wipes the stuff on his thumb on a napkin.
Cayden nods, about to read the book again but was stopped again by dozens of owls circling the ceiling, then swoop down, dropping parcels to their respective person. A familiar owl land right next to him, dropping a square parcel beside him.
Cayden smiles and gave the Severus' owl some of his food and carefully opens the parcel. His mouth gaped at the sight of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and Book of Potions books.
"He really loves you, huh?" Cedric asked, looking at the books in front of Cayden with a small smile at the thought of Professor Snape caring for Cayden like his own son.
"He does." Cayden said, smiling softly at the thought of Severus gifting him these books, even though he had only mentioned to Severus a week ago that he wanted to read these books.
"It's almost time for Transfiguration class." Cedric said, breaking Cayden out of his thought.
"It is?" Cayden asked, turning his head to look at Cedric as the Severus owl flies away after eating his food.
"We will be if you wanted to put the books at the dormitory." Cedric said, taking the last bite of his food. "And return these books to the library before Madam Pince banned us from the library." He added, making Cayden giggle.
"Okay, let's put these books in the library and then visit the dormitory." Cayden said, ignoring the stare that he could feel from Harry and Ron. He stood up and takes the books on the table, Cedric taking much more than his, and starts walking out of the Great Hall to the library and their dormitory.
≪ °❈° ≫
"Did you hear that Harry Potter has made into the Quidditch team?" Cayden heard a Hufflepuff said as he makes his way up to his shared dormitory.
Cayden shakes his head, ignoring the talk about Harry as he enters the dormitory and sees Cedric and another Hufflepuff getting ready for bed as well. "If I hear one more thing about Harry, I'm gonna lose it." He said, making Cedric snicker, taking off his shoes and takes Book of Potions from the bedside table beside him. He sits down on his bed, leans back against the headboard and starts reading the book.
"You're not jealous are you?" The Hufflepuff asked, turning to look at Cayden.
"Is there a reason why?" Cayden asked, not looking up from his book. "We were both babies when You-Know-Who died, and we 'supposedly' defeated him." He said, hearing Cedric chuckles from somewhere. "I just want you to know that I don't like the attention. If it's Harry that's the reason I'm not in the center of the attention, then, I don't mind being the shadow." He answered, looking up from his book to the Hufflepuff who has now sat down on the bed.
"You're friends with Malfoy's group." The Hufflepuff pointed out.
"I didn't know I need your opinion to make friends." Cayden said, raising an eyebrow at the Hufflepuff, who looks away from him. "I thought this school was created to learn spells and make friends, I'm sorry I must've been mistaken then. I guess this school was created to make children's army." He added, turning his head away from the now embarrassed Hufflepuff to a smirking Cedric.
Cedric shakes his head softly, turning his head to look at Cayden. "You're magnificent, Cayden." He said, sitting down on his bed with his head turned towards Cayden.
"I know." Cayden said, smiling, making Cedric chuckles.
≪ °❈° ≫
It's now Tuesday. He has eaten his breakfast, and done the Transfiguration class. It is now time for Potions class, that mean he'll finally meet his Godfather.
That was why Severus didn't look surprise when Cayden was the first to enter his classroom and takes the chair closest to him.
"Hello, Professor Snape." Cayden said, calling him by his title rather than his name. "Good morning?" He asked, placing his stuff on the table beside him as he turns his body to look at Severus.
"For now." Severus answered, turning back to what he was doing before Cayden enters the classroom.
Cayden snicker, opening his book and starts reading it to pass the time. Two minutes pass with comfortable silence between the Godfather and Godson.
The classroom slowly starts to fill itself out. Cedric enters the classroom, sees Cayden and sits down next to him.
"Excited for today class?" Cedric asked, grinning, placing his stuff next to Cayden's on the table.
Cayden smiles, turning his head to look at Cedric. "You know I am." He said, quietened down as the students finally find their seat and the class begin.
"There will be no wand waving in this class..." Severus began, and began the lesson about Cure for Boils.
Time passed and the Potions class has finally ended with the Hufflepuff gaining ten house point.
"Cayden." Severus called before Cayden could walks out the classroom.
Cayden turns around to look at Severus, wondering if he had left, or done, something to the man. "Yes?" He questioned, cocking his head to the side, looking at Severus.
"Be careful and don't come out after your bedtime." Severus said, fiddling with the rope around the jar he is holding.
"I won't, don't worry." Cayden said, smiling softly at his Godfather who returns the gesture with a small smile. "See you soon, Severus." He said, leaving after Severus nod at him.
≪ °❈° ≫
September has passed, and soon October will be too when people could stop looking at him like he will break because of his parents death anniversary. People die every day, other kids lose their parents too. it's not just him and Harry, just because they're a Potter.
Right now, Cayden is in the Great Hall at nighttime, looking at the candlelit pumpkin flickering throughout the hall while thousands of live bats flutter overhead.
"People keep looking at you as if you're made of glass." Cedric said. Even he is weirded out by the looks Cayden keeps getting, he doesn't know how Cayden is not snapping out at them.
"Just ignore them." Cayden said, sighing, leaning his head against Cedric's shoulder and closing his eyes to ignore the looks he keeps getting from the Hufflepuffs in front of him.
"I don't know how you do it." Cedric said, glaring his eyes at the Hufflepuffs that was giving Cayden's sympathetic looks. He's filled with satisfaction when they stopped looking at Cayden like he is made of glass and looks away.
"Severus teaches me how." Cayden answered, eyes still closed. "He know this will happen, so he teaches me how to ignore it." He said, opening his eyes and looks up at Cedric.
"He–" Cedric words was cut off by Professor Quirrell running into the Great Hall with a scared expression.
Then Professor Quirrell cries out: "TROLL IN THE DUNGEON! TROLL IN THE DUNGEON! Thought you ought to know..." He falls down to the floor, fainting.
There is a brief silence, then pandemonium breaks out. Students shrieking, and bats screeching.
The Hall goes still when three popping sounds comes from Dumbledore's wand.
Cayden turns his eyes to Dumbledore, still sitting down with Cedric beside him. He can see purple smoke trailing from Dumbledore's wand.
"Everyone will please not panic." Dumbledore said. "Prefects, lead your Houses back to the dormitories." He said, and the Prefects all stood up to lead the students back to their dormitories. "Teachers, follow me to the dungeons."
Cayden stood up with the help of Cedric, following Gabriel Truman to their Hufflepuff common room. "How do you think a troll get in?" He asked Cedric, walking beside the taller boy.
"I've honestly got no idea." Cedric answered truthfully, holding Cayden's hand so the boy won't get lost in the crowd. And if he looked behind him, he can see the others doing the same thing to the First Years.
"I guess we won't have the answers for everything." Cayden mutters to himself, entering the Hufflepuff common room with the others behind him.