Edmund felt is legs going under his weight. He tried to hold on to the column, but didn't manage to. He fell on the ground, strengthless. Charlie dashed to him.
"Hey! Are you okay?"
"I'm not feeling good. I'm thirsty..."
"Water. Yes, right away."
He got up and tried to fill the basin with water, but it disappeared immediately. He swore. The water from the lake was clearly not an option. He knelt beside Edmund. The young man was experiencing a high fever.
"Can you hear me?" He asked. "Listen, I can't give you water, for now. We have to go back to Grimmaurd place. Can you get up?
"All those things... It wasn't me. I didn't do that."
Charlie hissed out of frustration, and, as well as he could, charged Edmund on his shoulder, and brought him to the boat. He then started roaming, and got them across the lake.
"You hold on, right?"
"I didn't do all that..."
"Yeah, I don't doubt it."
The already complicated situation nearly turned to utter chaos when, while disembarking, Charlie lost his balance and nearly fell in the water. He got his balance back at the last second, and supporting a semi-conscious Edmund, went back to the door, removed the bandage from his hand, which he rubbed against the door to open it again, and then, as soon as he could, apparated. They were soon back in front of Sirius' house. In his hurry, Charlie rang the doorbell to be let in. he was able to distinctively hear Mrs black yelling insults when George came to open the door.
"Sorry." He said.
"It's okay. She's been doing that all day."
"I need a hand." Charlie said, waving at Edmund.
His brother understood. He took the young king's arm and passed it around his neck, and they both supported him to the lounge, where he was laid on a sofa.
"Lucy..." He called in a faint voice.
Hermione dashed towards him, and tried to cast healing charms on him.
"That's beyond what I can do." She said after several attempts. "We need Remus."
Sirius looked up at her.
"I'll do my best, Hermione." He said.
And he took his wand, and apparated. He ended up in the forbidden forest, where he knew he would find the werewolf. Remus had indeed made a home of the forest in order to keep an eye on Hogwarts, under Dumbledore's ordered. The death of the headmaster, killed by Severus Snape a year earlier, had not ended the mission. Sirius easily found his hiding place, and anxiously waited for his return. When Remus finally came back, he jolted as he noticed him, and then talked to him with a cold voice.
"What are you doing here, Sirius?"
"I need your help."
"You can't be serious!" Remus said with a dark laugh.
Sirius didn't say anything.
"You've got some nerves, Padfoot!"
"It's not for me, Moony. I've been horrible and unfair with you, and I understand why you hate me. And it's okay that you don't want to help me, but a kid is dying, and only you can save him. He shouldn't have to pay for my mistakes. You still want to be part of the resistance against you-know-who? That's how you can help. Save the kid."
"So now, you're a resistant? I thought nothing mattered anymore."
"Things have changed."
"What has changed?"
"Hermione is back. The Order of the Phoenix is reforming, around her. She's with the sick boy, and they have a plan to get rid of Him."
"What plan?"
"I'll tell you everything I know. Well, she'll tell you. But if the kid dies, it's over, and there's no other shot. We need your help."
Remus gave Sirius a long look, trying to judge how sincere he was. He then sighed.
"Where is he?"
Sirius offered him his arm, and after gathering some stuff, Remus apparated with them. When they arrived in the lounge, Edmund's state had become worth. He was sweating heavily, convulsing, and his eyes were revolving. Hermione was completely panicked, and was crying in Molly's arms.
"What happened to him?" Lupin asked.
"He drank a potion." Charlie explained. "He drank a potion, and he started having hallucinations."
"What did it look like?"
"I... erm..."
"Think, boy. Was it transparent?"
"You could see through it, but it was not transparent."
"What colour, then?"
"Greenish."
"Green? How much did he drink?"
"I don't know. I'd say about two litres. He asked for water after the last cup."
"Did you give him any?"
"No, we didn't dare to."
"Smart move."
"Please, Professor!" Hermione implored. "Can you save him?"
"Did he say anything, after he drank the potion?"
"Yes." Charlie said. "He said something like "I didn't do all that." and other variations."
"Has he ever been possessed?"
"I... I'm not really sure." Hermione answered. "Another version of himself has been possessed by a dark entity. He fought this entity, and he defeated it."
"Why did he drink that potion?"
"To recover a horcrux."
Lupin gave the young witch a long look, and then started making a potion with the stuff he had gathered. He gave the potion to the young man, who seemed to calm down for a moment, and then started laughing of a devilish laugh.
"All these things he saw, that is what we've done!" He said in a raucous voice. "I didn't have to be possessed by the entity to do it."
"Who are you, who speaks through his mouth?"
"I am him! I am what he could have become. He kept me locked inside for his whole life, but now, I'm finally free. We are a traitor, and we always will be, no matter what he does. Oh, all the things I have done, when the entity kept the lion away! I took so much pleasure. Why should I deny who I truly am? I was born to be an absolute monarch!"
"Tell me these things you have done."
"I took the power. I took control of Narnia, and I got rid of the witch when I didn't need her anymore. I got rid of every single obstacle. Jadis thought she could control me, but all she did was making me crave for more power. Peter and the girls refused to understand. I would have kept Lucy by my side, but this idiot ran away from my wolves. This was an unfortunate accident. But for the others... they tried to stop me, so I had to stop them first. Peter never wanted to understand me. He always tried to bring me down. But I've proven him, I was stronger than him. I am Edmund, the Victorious."
"Victorious? What victory did you win?"
"Narnia is at peace, old fool! I destroyed Telmar. I killed every last Calormen. I bent Archenland to my will, and the giants from the north have been vanquished. They all fear me! They all respect me! I killed Jadis, and I brought an end to the Narnian winter!"
As he kept on going with his world flood, talking louder and louder, Lupin discretely asked Hermione to come closer.
"Talk to him." He whispered.
So she knelt by his side, and took his hand. He looked at her like he didn't understand.
"Edmund..." she said in a soft voice. "I know you're in there. I know Edmund the Just can hear me. You have to fight. This is not who you are. Yes he is a part of you, but... the secrets inside us does not define who we are. The only thing that matters is the choices you make. You chose to become the Just. You chose redemption. You have to fight. Fight for Lucy. You know she won't come back unless we restore balance."
Edmund took back his hand, and let out a scream of rage.
"Shut up!" He said. "Shut up, shut up, SHUT UP! SHUT UP, YOU FILTHY WITCH! I WON'T LET YOU GET INSIDE MY BRAIN!"
"FIGHT, EDMUND!" Hermione yelled. "YOU'RE GONNA FIGHT FOR ME! I WON'T LET YOU KILL HARRY FOR GOOD! I SAVED YOUR WORLD, SO NOW YOU'RE GONNA SAVE MINE, YOU STUPID... SELFISH... TORTURED KING OF MY ASS! WAKE UP! WAKE UP, OR I'LL SLAP YOU TO DEATH!"
And she violently slapped him. He let out a scream of rage, and a green smoke suddenly came out of his mouth.
"Stop breathing!" Lupin ordered.
And he cast an unformulated ventus on the smoke, driving it to the chimney, where it disappeared completely. Edmund fell back on the sofa, as he had sat up to let the smoke out. He slowly took his breath back.
"Ouch...!" He complained, passing his hand where Hermione had hit him.
He tried to sit up, but Lupin pushed him back.
"Stay down, young man." He said. "And drink this."
"What is it?"
"Revigorating potion. You'll recover faster."
So Ed gingerly drank his potion, and then laid on the sofa, let out a sigh, and closed his eyes.