Chapter 17: Azkaban
Hogwarts, 2018
It was a new year, a new year for Hogwarts, a new year for its student, and another year for Edward and his friends to have an adventure, and the year's particular adventure began at King's Cross Station.
"Tickets please" Asked the train conductor.
"Here you are" Edward gave his and Rosie's tickets for the train.
"Welcome aboard" Said the conductor after checking the tickets.
"Much obliged" Said Edward, he took his and Rosie's baggage as both went to board the train "I hope you won't be trying any mischief while you're at school young lady, now I expect you to have excellent results for this and the following year, and be the best in your house, do I make myself clear?" Said Edward to Rosie.
"That's what mum told you Ed" Said Rosie.
"I know, and that's what I'm telling you too" Said Edward.
"Okay dad" Said Rosie, as they walked, Rosie noticed one of her brother's friends "Isn't that Regulus over there?".
"Salazar's Basilisk eggs, you're right, it is, but who's that with him?" Since there was a man with black hair in a suit with him, but even so, Edward and Rosie went over to meet their friend "Hey Regulus" Greeted Edward.
Regulus turned "Oh, hello Edward, hello Rosie" He said.
"Hi" Rosie waved.
"One way or another, I had a sense I'd meet you first, you were always the one to first arrive to anything, be it at Hogwarts, class, or Hogsmeade" Edward chuckled, patting Regulus's shoulder, Regulus rolled his eyes "Well, aren't you going to introduce us?" He then asked.
"This is my dad, Nicholas Black, dad, this is my good friend, Edward Mystic, and his sister Rosie" Said Regulus.
"Mr Black" Edward shook Nicholas's hand.
"How do you do son?" Said Nicholas.
"Quite well, quite well, if you're here to tell Regulus to have excellent results at school, I can assuredly tell you, Regulus is the smartest of any one of us" Edward placed a hand around Regulus "Mainly, when we got a test coming up, we study from him" Said Edward.
Nicholas chuckled "I have every faith that he is" He said.
"Edward, why don't you go along? I'll come find you at the train" Said Regulus.
"See you then, good meeting you Mr. Black" Said Edward.
"Goodbye son" Said Nicholas.
"Come on Rosie" Edward took their luggage with his sister and headed for the train, when they boarded, Edward searched for every cabin until he found his friends, and the first of them he saw on the train was Jack and Rian.
"There you are guys" Said Edward.
"Hi Edward!" Rian hugged Edward, then hugged Rosie "There's Edward's cute little sister" Rian went to hug Rosie next.
"Hey Jack" Edward hugged Jack.
"Hey Edward" Jack hugged back.
"By the way, I got you a present, in case there's a full moon this year, I got you nightshades, that way you won't turn if you don't see it" Chuckled Edward.
"Shut up" Jack gently punched Edward's stomach, then sat down.
"Where's the rest of us?" Asked Edward.
"Esther with her other friends, she'll see us when we arrive at Hogwarts" Said Rian.
"She has other friends? Oh the betrayal! Of all the betrayals in the world, this takes the top, how dare she have other friends and not tell us? That's it! The next time I see her, I will-".
"Shut up" Rian nudged Edward's chest with her elbow.
"New year, but still the same Edward I see" Said Jack.
"Just the way you love him" Edward placed one leg over the other and smiled proudly.
Just then, Samantha found them "Oh there you guys are" Said Samantha.
"Sam!" Rosie quickly went to hug Samantha.
"Aww Rosie, I'm sad this'll be my last year at Hogwarts, I'm gonna miss you hugging me like this" Said Samantha.
"You can take her home with you if you want, she's yours" Joked Edward.
"Oh come on Ed, I know you'd miss her too much" Said Samantha.
"Why would I? She'll be in good hands anyway" Said Edward.
"Please take me with you, for once I'd like to share the bathroom with a girl" Said Rosie, Samantha giggled.
"Shush you" Said Edward.
"Well,, only Regulus, Arabelle are left before we start this new year, and Edward's shenanigans again" Said Rian.
""Me? Why only me? Haven't all had your mischief making before?" Said Edward.
"Ed, before we met you I never had to go to the Headmistress's office for something I've done" Said Arabelle.
"Or had to study so hard so I'd catch up to what I missed" Said Samantha.
"Or I nearly got one of my friends or myself killed" Said Jack.
"All right all right, you all made your points, but don't say you haven't had any fun" Said Edward.
"Believe me, Edward has done worse at home, when I was only two years old, he nearly burnt the whole house, four times in one month, and one of those times was in my room" Said Rosie.
"You didn't get burned now did you? Besides I was practicing my powers" Said Edward.
"Even though dad and mum told you many times to practice it outside" Said Rosie.
"Remind me to never invite you into my house again" Said Rian.
"Oh come on Rian, you know how much I love being in your house, your parents are lots of fun" Said Edward.
"I'll tell them to move" Said Rian.
"Suit yourself, I'll just go to Jack's house inste-".
"Don't even think about it Ed" Said Jack.
"What, I'll burn it down too" Said Edward.
"I think it's you who should be afraid if you're locked in a place with me" Jack and Edward chuckled.
Around that time, Arabelle and Regulus passed through the cabin "Oi, Regulus, Arabelle, over here" Called Samantha.
Arabelle and Regulus entered "I thought I heard Edward's evil laugh somewhere" Said Arabelle.
"Excuse me, I don't have an evil laugh, I have a menacing laugh, there's a difference" Said Edward.
"What's the difference? They both happen after you've made a prank" Said Rian.
While the friends were chatting, Regulus was still leaning on the cabin door, speechless, expressionless, and motionless "Regulus, Regulus?" Arabelle snapped her fingers in front of him and he woke up "Won't you sit down with us?" She asked.
"...In a few, I think I'll go fetch some sweets, I'll be back" Said Regulus, and he left.
"That's strange, normally I don't see Regulus eating sweets often" She said.
"Might be something his dad told him when at the station" Said Edward.
"Mr Black? Yes, now that you mention it, I saw him with Regulus before we came, I think he told Regulus something...concerning or worrying" Said Arabelle.
"I'll go ask him" Said Edward.
"No" Jack placed his hand on Edward "Best let him be for now, let him clear his mind" Said Jack, and Edward sat back down.
"Well, I'm sure he'll be back, come on now, I want to hear all what you guys have been doing during the summer" Asked Samantha.
They arrived at Hogwarts station very much later, the students grabbed their baggage and left the train, but before Edward entered the school, he saw Adelaide, the one he loved to see most apart from his friends.
"Edward, you coming?".
"Yea, yea I am, you guys go on, I'll meet you inside" Said Edward.
"But my luggage" Said Rosie.
"I'll bring it later, I promise, now go on, don't miss out on Headmistress's speech" Said Edward.
Rosie then saw whom Edward was looking at before she left "Edward's in love" She teased.
"Shhh Rosie, let your brother have his moment" Said Samantha, she took Rosie and walked with the rest inside.
When Adelaide was finished talking to her friend, petals of green flower began to drop on her like raindrops, she looked up and around to see what was causing it, and there he was, Edward holding his wand.
"That's how you look like when I'm thinking about you" Said Edward, Adelaide shook her head and giggled "Hi Ade".
"Hi Ed" She smiled and went to kiss him, Edward and gave her a longer one.
"I missed you, you know, I really missed you" Said Edward.
"We met last week" Said Adelaide.
"And that week passed on like years of agony to me" Said Edward.
"Quiet you Pepe le Pew" She giggled.
Edward chuckled "How are you Ade?" Said Edward.
"I'm all right, how about you?" Said Adelaide.
"Well enough, still can't get over that this will be my last year in Hogwarts" Said Edward.
"Yeah, I'll miss this school too, it was a second home to me" Said Adelaide.
"You know, we can stay here longer after we graduate, you can be a teacher, Like Jack" Said Edward.
"Maybe, but I doubt that a wandmaker is a considered a teacher at Hogwarts" Said Adelaide.
"Aye, if only Hogwarts had its own wand store".
"Let's go inside, we best not be late for our seventh year's first day" Said Adelaide.
"Let me carry your bag Ade" Edward took Adelaide's luggage along with his and Rosie's.
"It's fine Ed, I can carry it" She said.
"Oh no, not while I'm around, there see? Nothing to it" Said Edward as he carried the luggage and headed for the school with Adelaide.
"Are you sure? They seem heavy" Said Adelaide.
"Listen Ade, I'm going inside carrying either your luggage or you, make a choice" Said Edward.
Adelaide laughed "Ok, then my luggage, thanks Ed" She kissed his cheek.
"Besides, I get that whenever I help you" Edward said.
After entering Hogwarts and Mcgonagall's welcoming speech, the seven friends went to sit at their usual table, Edward and Adelaide joined them later.
"Well if it isn't Romeo and Juliet" Said Rian.
"And just where were you Mr. 'I can't wait to see my friends'?" Said Esther.
"Hey, did I talk when you were with your other friend at the train?" Said Edward.
"Yes you did" Said Rian, Jack, and Samantha.
"...I'm here now aren't I?" Edward and Adelaide sat down with them "But really everyone, it's been a long time, I really missed you all" He said.
"Ed, we all hung out last week" Said Jack.
"Please, let me be nice to you for a bit before my evil self takes over and I start pranking everyone again" Said Edward.
"Actually Ed, we just discussed that this year, we'll be doing the pranking" Said Esther.
"You? Pranking me? The whole year?" Edward exploded into fits of laughter he almost fell off the table "I know I'm the usual one for telling jokes, but I'll give this one for you this time, prank me, ha, priceless" Said Edward, wiping a tear away.
"Don't underestimate us Ed, we've known you long enough to know how to prank you" Said Arabelle.
"Please don't make me laugh again, I still can't help it" Said Edward, holding his stomach and sniggering.
"Let him be, it's better this way, he won't see it coming" Said Jack.
"Be serious, I always know when you guys try to pull something on me, let's see, for the past year I've had 107 jokes played on each of you, and you lot's count is...0" Said Edward.
"Laugh all you want, but we're serious this time, and to show it, Adelaide is going to help us" Said Esther.
Hearing that only made Edward laugh louder and pounded the table "I'm begging you, please stop before I turn into a ghost, now why would Adelaide do that? As far as I remember, I never played one practical joke on her once" Said Edward.
"And that spider in my book?" Said Edward.
"Oh come on, it was Halloween and it was made of chocolate, which you ate, but still, you won't prank me would you Ade?" Said Edward.
"Of course not, mon cherie, I'd never prank you" Adelaide hugged him, and winked behind Edward's back.
When Edward turned, he saw Regulus in the same state from the train "Hey Regulus, something on your mind?" He asked.
"Hm? Oh it's nothing" Said Regulus.
"Look, you don't have to hide it from us, we're your friends, you know we'll help you if there's trouble" Said Edward.
"Really it's nothing, it's not worth bothering you about" Said Regulus.
"If I listened to you every time you told me that, I wouldn't be your friend or your girlfriend" Said Arabelle, kissing his cheek.
"It's something your dad told you this morning, isn't it?" Asked Edward.
"Well...yes, my parents don't usually come see me off before I take the train, but my dad drove me to the station himself" Said Regulus.
"You're dad wants to say his goodbyes before he saw you off, what's strange about that?" Asked Edward.
"What he told me before I got on, 'best you don't write us this year'" Regulus quoted his father.
"Why would he say that?" Asked Arabelle.
"That's what I've been pondering about lately" Said Regulus.
"It's ok, it's not like he told you to never write them again" Said Esther.
"Yeah..." Edward thought.
"Maybe they were going away somewhere?" Suggested Adelaide.
"I doubt it, anyways, forget it, it's not that important to spoil our day, I'd rather spend it with all of you, and what you did before the start of our seventh year" Said Regulus.
"Well, now that you asked" Edward smirked.
"Oh no..." Esther rolled her eyes.
The Next Morning
"Ed, Edward wake up" Esther kept shoving Edward out of his bed, though without success in waking him, so she took his pillow and whooped him with it.
"Ow! What?!" Edward woke up, annoyed.
"Come to the Great Hall" Said Esther.
"You go on, I'll meet you guys in five minutes" Said Edward, placing his on the pillow again.
"Now, Headmistress Mcgonagall called for an immediate assembly, it's urgent" Said Esther.
Edward sat up "Why, what's going on?".
The Great Hall
"Students..." Mcgonagall hesitated in her shaken words to let out what she's about to tell "I have terribly shocking news...I was informed only moments before that...that there has been an escape by prisoners...prisoners from Azkaban".
There was worried chatter among the students.
"Thankfully, not as many escapees as the Second Wizarding War in Voldemort's time, but we have been told they are among the most dangerous dark wizards in the Wizarding World, in other words, Death Eaters".
An even louder worried chatter began to fill the Great Hall.
"The Ministry has put forth its best Aurors to capture those that are loose in the Wizarding World, but until further information. I advise all students to stay indoors at all times, there will be a curfew starting from this day, and being outside the school is strictly prohibited from now on".
"Oh no...not Death Eaters" Said Rian.
"You guys don't think they'll come to Hogwarts, will they?" Said Samantha.
"Let them come, I've been waiting to try my spells on someone anyway" Said Edward.
"Don't be stupid Ed, You're only a student that knows a few curses, they have created some of their own" Said Esther.
"So what? Don't think I'm afraid of them even they're the most dangerous, I can handle them with one spell" Said Edward.
"Let's just hope the Aurors will catch them before that" Said Adelaide.
"Regulus, you're shaking, what's wrong?" Said Arabelle, she started caressing him.
Regulus's eye were wide open, his hands began shaking uncontrollably, his breathing grew heavier and heavier, he wasn't scared, he was beyond terrified, from a dreadful thought entered his minds of which Death Eaters could have possibly escaped Azkaban.
"Uncle Castor...Aunt Helena".