"Cedric!"
The handsome young man who was about to enter the entrance hall turned and looked at Pomona.
"Professor."
He smiled politely, while she beamed at him.
"Why aren't you staying at school over the summer?"
"I'm going to the Quidditch World Cup with my dad. He got two tickets from Mr. Bagman," Cedric said.
"Since when was he so generous?" Pomona exclaimed.
"My dad sort of got him out of a tight spot. He was surrounded by a group of Goblins at the time."
"Oh." Pomona understood. Cedric's father worked at the Goblin Liaison Office, and Mr. Bagman had always had financial troubles.
"My dad thought he'd be on rotation this summer, so he didn't buy tickets. I told him not to accept them," Cedric said helplessly.
"Don't worry about it. Go." She still smiled.
"I have a question, Professor," Cedric suddenly said. "I heard you assigned Longbottom summer homework."
"That's right. I asked him to go to Scamander's to fetch my... to retrieve something for me," Pomona said.
"I was wondering whether it might be possible..." Cedric trailed off.
Pomona looked at him, waiting for him to finish, but in the end Cedric shook his head and walked into the entrance hall.
"Have you considered that possibility?" Snape emerged from around the corner.
"Why do you keep appearing out of nowhere?" Pomona complained.
"Your best student wants to complete the summer assignment you gave Longbottom in his place," Snape continued, ignoring her.
"What... why?" she asked, baffled.
"Because he can use this opportunity to get close to Newt Scamander. He'll be in his seventh year next term. He needs this opportunity more than Longbottom does."
Pomona seemed to understand.
"I truly don't understand why you gave this opportunity to Gryffindor instead of saving it for your own House,"