Disclaimer: I do not own HP series or CN series.
The train station was packed. There were plenty of parents hugging their children and wiping away tears that resembled that miserable day in which Mrs. Pevensie had to send away her own children for their safety. Three years after coronation, Edmund Pevensie still owned a quite clear image of his mother's tearful face in his head. Sitting inside the train, looking out the window, the image became ever crisper, causing him to grunt in guilt and annoyance.
"Edmund, smile. We aren't here for our own good, you know. You'll be handling future negotiations so you need to focus and learn what I do here today." Susan scolded from the opposite seat.
"I can't help it. Train was never a trigger of good memory for me." Edmund muttered.
"Alright. But promise me that you'll get rid of that scowl once we get there." Susan offered a finger for him to lock.
When Edmund reluctantly made his promise, Susan made her trademark, a gentile smile, appear on her lips. She stood with her royal cloak on her arms.
"I'm going to be out for a second."
"Where?" Edmund looked up with desperation. He tried to get that message in his eyes as much as he could. Please don't leave me here by myself! But Susan simply shook her head and exited, leaving a short comment.
"Don't ever ask a lady where she goes."
Edmund, with a deeper scowl, crossed his arms and looked outside again. A few moments later, there was a knock on the door. He turned around to find a girl his age with bushy, ruddy-brown hair staring at him quite meanly.
"Hello there." She greeted.
"Hello."
"How old are you?" She asked quite frankly.
"Why does that matter to you?" Pretty offended by the girl's outright interrogation, Edmund snapped back.
"This part of the train is not for the first year students, you know. Only sixth to seventh year students or special guests are allowed in here. You look about my age so you should quickly exit and find another seat before it's too late." The girl restlessly spoke.
"Who are you to tell me what to do?" Edmund was now on the full grumpy mode.
"I'm Hermione Granger, soon to be the brightest witch of the age, I'm proud to say." To prove her point, Hermione stuck her nose in the air in an arrogant gesture.
At that moment, somebody called her name from the outside. She quickly turned and shouted some words like "I'm coming!" Before she left, she gave another authoritative glare toward Edmund.
"I've warned." Then she was gone.
This was her first encounter with the great King Edmund the Just, one that she will greatly regret later on.
