#carewyn definitely inspires cedric enough to become a prefect

[carewyncromwell]

Cedric 🤝 Carewyn

Requested by Anon

Cedric Diggory had heard all sorts of stories about Carewyn Cromwell, prior to meeting her. Just about everyone in his year had plenty to say about the infamous Cursebreaker who had broken the curses on the Vaults endangering Hogwarts, and unlike a lot of the stuff circulated among Carewyn’s year and older when she first arrived, a lot of it was positive. Fred and George Weasley, for instance, were fond of telling the entire class that Carewyn was actually a Weasley, using her ginger hair and their older brother Charlie calling her his twin constantly as proof. Many first years also really looked up to Carewyn as a Prefect, since she -- unlike some other Prefects, who were most focused on following the rules and earning house points -- had a very protective affect and would frequently mentor younger students in dueling so that they could better protect themselves, even if it was technically against school rules. 

Cedric, for his part, was kind of flustered when popular Hufflepuff sixth year Penny Haywood introduced him to Carewyn. Not only was he kind of overwhelmed by the positive attention he’d received so far for his flying and work ethic, but being introduced and talked up to one of the most well-respected older students at school? Yeah, um, Cedric felt simultaneously thrilled and nauseous, spiced with a huge dosage of inferiority complex. Carewyn had such a cool air about her too that it was hard not to be intimidated by her, however much Cedric didn’t have to literally look up to her that much, thanks to his gangly height. 

Fortunately, along with being daring, protective, and intimidating, Carewyn was also incredibly modest. She even offered him some comforting words.

“I know this place can be overwhelming…but at least it seems like you’ve already seen how fun it can be too – how many awesome, talented people you can meet. Just take things at your own pace and do your best, okay?”

Cedric was definitely very encouraged by Carewyn’s kindness. It even encouraged him to -- after gathering up his courage -- approach her for help with his charmwork. He’d heard Carewyn and Ben were the best Charms students in their year, as well as that Carewyn had also occasionally tutored the Weasley twins in advanced charms, and he really wanted to improve his magic in all areas, Charms included. And considering Carewyn also was well-regarded as a duelist, he knew she’d also know a lot about defensive charms in particular. Considering their Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Huxley Meyers, largely used his first-year classes as an excuse to bully his youngest students, Cedric knew he wasn’t going to learn much of anything of value from him.

Carewyn asked Cedric to meet her on the Dueling Grounds Saturday morning. When Cedric arrived, Carewyn had him assume his dueling stance, but instead of getting ready to duel herself, she took a position beside him, facing the training dummies set up to the side.

“First things first,” she said in a very business-like voice, “what defensive spells do you know already?”

Cedric flushed. “Well, um...I do know Ebublio, the Bubble Charm -- and Impedimenta, I learned those, watching people at the Dueling Club. And I know the Tickling Charm! Fred Weasley taught me that one...or was it George? I have trouble telling them apart sometimes...anyway, Penny suggested I study Expelliarmus -- she said you used that in a duel, in your first year -- ”

Carewyn smiled. “I did. And I’d say that one’s a very good one to know...most witches and wizards are helpless without their wands. It’s a good way to stop a fight before it gets out of hand.”

Cedric looked down at his own wand hand uncomfortably.

“I have been having a bit of trouble with it,” he admitted. “I think I have the wand movement down, but...well, it’s not working right, for me.”

Carewyn considered this. “Show me your form, on the dummy.”

She inclined her head to the dummy in front of them. Cedric took a deep breath, turned to the dummy, and tried to focus.

“Expelliarmus!”

His spell materialized and even hit the target, but his red spell didn’t disarm the dummy. Carewyn, however, didn’t look disappointed -- instead she was nodding slowly.

“I think I know the problem,” she said. “You’re moving your arm a bit too much.”

She held up her own wand beside him, her focus solely on the dummy as well, so as to demonstrate. 

“The wand movement is a sharp, upside-down, backwards ‘L’ -- you’ve got that right. But your body shouldn’t be moving so much, to create that ‘L.’ You should be locked in place, except for your wrist. Hold your ground, with your body. Pretend you’re physically intimidating your opponent’s wand. Make it run and hide, with just your confidence. Expelliarmus!”

With only a flick of her wrist and seemingly no effort at all, Carewyn successfully knocked the dummy’s wand out of its hand, chucking it a good five feet in the air and across the grounds. Cedric was left staring and smiling in awe as Carewyn quietly summoned the dummy’s wand and reaffixed it to its hand. 

“Your turn,” she said with an encouraging smile. “Stand your ground and make that wand run away.”

Cedric didn’t get it on the first or second try. This discouraged him greatly, not just because he felt like he should be able to do better, but also because he hated messing up in front of someone cool like Carewyn. 

The Cursebreaker, however, being very perfectionistic herself, was incredibly kind in her counseling of Cedric.

“A lot of people don’t pick up these sorts of things right away,” she said patiently. “You’ll get better at it, the more you practice.”

Cedric smiled self-consciously. “I hope so.”

He paused. Then he asked, “Hey, Carewyn...may I ask you something?”

“Sure.”

“Will you tell me about that duel? The one where you used this spell, in your first year?”

Carewyn raised her eyebrows, a bit surprised. “What would you like to know?”

“Well...it was your first duel, right?” Cedric said awkwardly. “And you were my age, when you did it...so I reckon you had to be breaking some rules, at the time. How did it happen? Why did you duel...well, whoever it was you were dueling?”

Carewyn’s lips curled up in a very slight, almost absent smile as she turned her gaze onto the castle.

“It’s not much of a story to tell,” she said slowly. “Some of my friends and I was getting bullied by one of our classmates and I didn’t know that many spells...so I asked Professor Flitwick to help me defend myself.”

Cedric blinked, taken aback. “You were bullied?”

Carewyn’s red lips spread into a huge, amused grin. “Well, sure. I was ‘that delinquent Jacob Cromwell’s’ little sister. Just about everyone assumed I’d be trouble back then.”

Cedric frowned deeply. “...I guess I have seen people get bullied for worse reasons, but...that’s really rotten, Carewyn. I’m sorry that happened to you.”

Carewyn’s expression softened slightly, clearly approving of the younger boy’s sentiment. 

“It was nothing I couldn’t handle. Regardless...that classmate had attacked one of my friends in the Courtyard for his ancestry -- he was a Muggle-born, see -- so I went over and told that classmate to back off. She attacked me with a Knockback Jinx -- her one trick, at the time -- so I defended myself.”

“It must’ve been a great duel,” presumed Cedric. 

Carewyn gave a light huff. “Hardly. It was over in about ten seconds -- I chucked a potion bottle at her head and then disarmed her.”

Cedric burst into laughter -- so much so that he ended up letting loose a loud snort, after which he hurriedly rushed to stifle his laughter. Carewyn’s expression grew softer again, and Cedric chuckled a bit more self-consciously. 

“...Hold on...” he said, as he considered this. Then his face lit up. “...that’s why Penny told you about me helping Aaron in Charms class -- because of this! You stuck up for people weaker than you, even when you were still my age...”

Carewyn gave a light shrug. “I suppose so. Penny was there that day, in the Courtyard. It’s after that whole thing that she first approached me, and we became friends too.”

Cedric beamed. “That’s awesome...you and Penny being friends, of course, but...well, why you became friends. She saw you protecting your friend...and it made her want to be your friend too.”

Carewyn’s eyes drifted up toward the towers overhead idly. “...I guess you could put it that way.”

Cedric’s brown eyes and smile looked a little more confident than before as he turned to face the training dummies again. 

“Expelliarmus!” he cried, more loudly than before.

With a burst of red light, the dummy’s wand was knocked right out of its hand.

Cedric grinned excitedly, his face looking more boyish than ever. “I did it!”

Carewyn’s face burst into a proud smile too. 

“Well done!” she said, coming over to rest a hand on his shoulder and give it a supportive squeeze. 

Cedric turned to her, still beaming from ear to ear. 

“I pretended that...I was protecting somebody too,” he admitted. “And well...it was easier -- to stand my ground, I mean -- if I just pretended there was somebody behind me. Like my dad, or Aaron -- even someone younger.”

His smile grew so much that it actually made him close his eyes. 

“I think that’s what I want to do with any of these spells, really,” he said as he opened his eyes again. “Protect other people -- not just myself.”

Carewyn’s expression grew warmer, prouder. “I think that’s a very noble dream, Cedric.”

Cedric flushed, clearly both pleased and touched by Carewyn’s approval. 

“...Say, um, Carewyn? Do you think you could...maybe...show me the Stunning Spell? I feel like that one could be really useful...”

Carewyn raised her eyebrows, her red lips curling up in a wryer smile. “Another time, maybe. For now, let’s duel properly, and see if we can work on perfecting the other spells in your arsenal.”

Friendship Drabble Prompt! 

#hphm #hogwarts mystery #friendship drabbles #cedric diggory #carewyn cromwell #penny haywood #fred weasley #george weasley #amos diggory #my writing #yup cedric is kind of starstruck by cursebreaker cromwell XD #but hey mama bear sees an excuse to mama bear! so she does hahaha #carewyn definitely inspires cedric enough to become a prefect #charlie is the person who inspires him in becoming quidditch captain #in the books cedric's described at one point as 'strong and silent' and in the game we see him being a bit awkward #so yeah I actually see this poor kid secretly being a bit self-conscious and people-pleasing #and yet he does end up knowing more spells than the entire rest of his class combined in just his first year XDD #hence why ben taps him for the circle of khanna