Chapter 5
J. Finch Fletchley is 12 now, and beginning his second year at Hogwarts.
He’s arguably less scared than this time last year, with no sorting to worry about this time around. He can simply sit back and watch, clapping excitedly for any new Puff while the rest of the school boos. He’s mostly just excited to see his friends again, really. It had been a long summer, and apart from the weekend he went to the ocean with Ernie Mac’s family, he has not seen a single one of them.
Not even Cedric.
Cedric was actually a large topic of conversation in his home during the summer holidays. When he had brought up a joke Cedric made for about the 30th time in the first week, his mum had ruffled his hair. “It almost seems like you’ve got a crush.”
And no, of course he doesn’t. That’s absurd.
But now Cedric is here, and J. Finch beams at him, throwing his arms around the older boy (now in his third year) and asking him how his holiday was, to which he responds “Great! I actually have something for you-” and presses a box of flavored beans into his palm with a smile and nothing more.
Justin is ecstatic, but tries hard not to blush at the fact that he remembered what he had said to him, in passing, about wanting to try every flavored bean at least once before he dies. He fails, and blushes anyway, but Cedric isn’t there to notice, swept off in the crowd that normally accompanies the Puff Prince.
It’s a touching gesture, really- that’s all. Anything a friend would do for a friend- and oh, to be Cedric’s friend.
And maybe it’s because he’s a Puff, or because he’s naturally naive and trusting, or because he’s a child, but it’s really the most special he’s really ever felt. Ever.