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“Is that your final answer?”
Amos’ tone is stern and dripping with disapproval. He has always harboured great expectations for his only son’s future—a glorious Quidditch career perhaps, or a few decades of doing worthwhile, not to mention rewarding work at the Ministry.
What the man couldn’t have foreseen, however, and certainly wasn’t prepared for, was that one day Cedric would choose to leave Britain to settle down in France with some girl he’d only met recently.
Life can have some interesting surprises in store sometimes.
Amos gives his son another challenging look and finally the young man replies, “Yes, father. I’m afraid my mind is made up.”
“I see. Your mother will be very disappointed.” It’s the first answer that springs to mind, and it’s only partly true. Amos knows his wife well enough to realise that even though she’ll terribly miss having the boy around, first and foremost, she’ll want him to be happy. And besides, France is only a Portkey away, and wherever this Fleur girl lives might make for a lovely holiday spot this coming summer.
Amos lets out a long, weary sigh. That’s the trouble with raising children, he thinks. You can show them the way, teach them everything you know as best as you can, but at one point they’ll grow up and choose their own path, and you’ll have to let them go.
In Cedric’s case, it seems as though that time has come.
Then again, perhaps this whole thing mightn’t be so bad. A Quidditch player of Cedric’s calibre can build a thriving career pretty much anywhere in the Wizarding World, and the Ministry’s Lyon branch might have some interesting employment opportunities as well.
“All right,” Amos says at last, with a resigned sigh. “You have my blessing, but I have to insist you introduce the girl to your mother before you move to the other side of the Channel, or we’ll never hear the end of this. And you are still planning to finish school this year, aren’t you?”
Cedric nods slowly and for the first time throughout their difficult conversation, he gives his father a genuine smile.