章 7: Chapter 5: Time
Amos Diggory even allowed his beloved son to fly a magical broom for the first time when Cedric turned seven, much to the dismay of Barbara Diggory, who unsuccessfully opposed this.
The flying broom that Amos gave to Cedric was a beautiful Comet 260.
Cedric loved it, and flying on the broom came almost naturally to him, which pleasantly impressed his father. Amos wasn't just proud of him; he clung even more to the title of genius he had given his son.
However, Barbara didn't allow Cedric to fly outside the mansion without constant supervision. So, he usually had to fly in the large playroom that Amos had made for him in the mansion, after feeling terribly guilty for forgetting his son's fourth birthday.
Anyway, Cedric fell in love with the sensation of flying on the Comet 260, so it became his favorite pastime, whether it was after eating, reading, studying, meditating, practicing, or exercising with Qui-Gon Jinn.
Even when he woke up in the morning, he hurried to meditate and then fly a bit, claiming it helped him fully wake up. Additionally, when he flew, he could also practice his control of the Force, which Cedric counted as training. Naturally, his master didn't fully agree with this.
And so, what started as a way to unwind and relax after a hectic day turned into a daily routine for him.
However, as much as Cedric wanted to spend more time flying, Qui-Gon Jinn wouldn't let him slack off too much.
Every morning, Cedric had to meditate. After lunch, he took sword lessons and learned about the Force privately in his room. In the late afternoon and evening, Qui-Gon made him read all kinds of books to learn more about the magical world. Cedric suspected, or rather, was quite sure, this was also partly to satisfy his master's own curiosity.
'In my master's words: Knowledge is essential. A Jedi can only make good use of the Force with a solid theoretical foundation, and to be a great wizard is similar... blah, blah, blah,' Cedric remembered, rolling his eyes as he glanced at the stack of books on his bedside table that he had already read.
Although Cedric couldn't deny any of this, he had heard that even powerful wizards like Dumbledore and the infamous dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald stood out for their extensive knowledge of magic.
As boring as sitting and reading might be when he could be doing other things like flying or having sword practice, he had come to understand the benefits of reading and acquiring knowledge about all kinds of magic, spells, and many other things that would help him in the future.
Furthermore, to become a Jedi, he had his master to teach him. But to learn more about being a great wizard, for now, he could only rely on his family or trust the books he read until he was old enough to attend a magical school.
Cedric had also inherited Anakin's great ability to learn things practically before learning them theoretically.
'Too bad my master is stubborn and won't let me implement my knowledge of magic practically yet,' Cedric thought with a sigh.
And his parents didn't help either. He had asked for permission to practice magic, but they had refused, saying he was still too young.
So, for now, he had to settle for reading about magic, meditating, and taking his sword and Force lessons.
...
...
Cedric cherished every moment he could spend with his family, and they pampered him quite a bit, especially his father, Amos.
He received everything he wanted; if he asked for it, they gave it to him... especially his father.
Although his master had taught him not to be greedy just because he could, he generally limited himself to asking for basic and necessary things like books on magic topics he knew little about.
Many of these were very boring to him, but Qui-Gon always insisted. The Jedi master knew how to convince young Cedric.
And his parents didn't suspect anything about his strong interest in these particular magic topics. After all, with his master's help, he always gave a good excuse or reason for his interest in learning more about the subject.
Amos Diggory was delighted with the idea that his son was so self-taught at such a young age. He never stopped praising him and expressing how proud he was.
Yes, at the age of seven, Cedric was already a budding prodigy.
From an early age, his parents, Amos and Barbara, noticed something special in him. At the age of five, while his friends played with toy broomsticks or dragon plushies, Cedric was immersed in books.
His parents realized that their son was exceptionally talented, far beyond his age.
And Barbara Diggory didn't want her beloved son's unique abilities to go to waste in a standard education with other children who would only hold him back.
Therefore, Cedric's mother concluded that her son didn't need to go to magical tutors to learn the basics of magical society because he was much more studious than most children his age and sought knowledge on his own.
In the magical society, each family could choose what kind of initial education to give to children under 11. Some took them to magical tutors, while others simply let them be homeschooled.
Although usually, pure-blood and wealthy magical families tended to send their children to the same magical tutors to get acquainted.
But despite being from a well-off pure-blood family herself, Barbara Diggory didn't see much importance in these magical tutors. In fact, unlike Amos Diggory, her husband, she firmly believed that sending Cedric to a tutor along with other children would only slow down his learning. She was convinced that her son's self-taught education at home was much more enriching for him.
Of course, she didn't neglect Cedric's basic studies, and that's why she occasionally administered tests to see if he was really learning everything a child his age needed to know.
Naturally, Cedric passed all the exams and his mother's questions with ease. Only two years later, Barbara Diggory stopped asking him questions or giving him exams because he was already so advanced in his studies that he could even start learning topics from his early years at Hogwarts, and Cedric did just that.
Suddenly, someone knocked on Cedric's room door, interrupting his thoughts.
"Young master, the Mistress requires your presence," the voice of the house-elf, Nixie, came from outside the door.
"...Alright, I'll go right away."
After putting away the book he had just finished reading, Cedric opened the door, stepped into the hallway, and, after a few turns, reached his mother Barbara Diggory's study.
When he entered, he found his mother sitting in front of her fireplace in a large armchair, writing on a parchment with the Diggory seal.
Yes, she was the polar opposite of his father.
While Amos was a friendly person with a warm, relaxed personality, full of energy, and always with a smile on his face, who was both passionate and fully involved in whatever he did, his mother Barbara was more like an analytical, shrewd, and reflective mind. She always sought to understand situations from different perspectives before making decisions. She was somewhat conservative in her beliefs and actions, so she tended to choose the most beneficial or safe path, which was very helpful in managing the Diggory family's business.
But despite her serious appearance, Barbara Diggory had a tender heart and a deep love for her husband and son. Although she didn't show her emotions as easily as Amos, she was willing to do anything for those she cared about.
"Ah, Cedric, my son, please have a seat," she said in a low voice with a soft smile that quickly faded into her usual composed expression.
"What's going on, mom?" he asked as he sat down calmly.
"How is your studying going? How are the books I got you?" Barbara asked, showing a lot of interest in Cedric's progress, as she, like his father, considered him a genius and was extremely proud of her son, but she didn't go around shouting it.
Unlike other children his age, Cedric had shown a keen interest and commitment to learning about all sorts of magical knowledge from an early age, thanks to his master's influence.
As a result, Barbara, noticing her son's talent and enthusiasm for magic, personally started teaching him some things privately and instructing him. However, she didn't allow him to perform any actual magic.
She naturally had high expectations for her son, to the point where she spent a large sum of Galleons on books about various topics he could start tackling now, topics that were not usually taught in magical schools or were only briefly mentioned.
"Well, good. I still have some books to read, but most of the ones you gave me last time I've finished"
"As expected of my son," she nodded very satisfied, once again allowing a slight smile to briefly grace her face.
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