Note : Last chapter, eventually ;)
It was prompted by a friend, who asked me immediatly if I could write a Divination teacher!Tumnus when she learned I was writing this crossover. I obliged because a) the idea was pretty cool b) it reminded of the most awesome X-Men First Class fic I've ever read, the Better Men, in which Charles- aka Mc Avoy- teaches divination at Hogwarts. I hope you'll find this as fun as I did.
I'm glad I finished writing this to be honest, because I have the feeling my philosophy teacher realized I was using his class for something other than philosophy, so well, I'm going to try and keep a low profile for a bit. Thanks for your reading, following and comments, you've motivated me a great deal :D
It's late June, the sun is shinning brightly outside, and Edmund has just finished to pass his last NEWT.
He relishes in this particular feeling of freedom as he climbs up to the north Tower to see Lucy, whose Divination class must have ended by now. He hums distractedly, glad that his month of labor have finally come to an end, and even more that it payed off. He's usually able to tell the outcome of an exam when he steps out of the room, and the way his examiner's eyes glinted when he finished certainly looked like a good omen.
He's so pleased with himself he doesn't even realize he walked all the 150 excruciating steps he used to curse every time he had to go to Mr Tumnus' class. Before he even has time to knock, the professor's voice welcomes him inside. He cautiously steps in the mess than in the room, always cluttered with cushions, book and teapots and finds his little sister and Mr. Tumnus sat at a small table, staring at empty teacups- probably scanning the tea leaves.
"Come in Edmund." the divination professor repeats amiably. He's always called the Pevensie by their first name, even when they were still in his class. Lucy eventually rises her head, a dazzling smile on her face. Divination always has this particular effect on her. She's by far the brightest- not to say the only interested-of the family in this area. Mr Tumnus may or may not have been a key factor in her motivation-Lucy has been head over heels for her professor since she began in third year- but she has an undeniable gift.
"We were reading very interesting things in the lea leaves." Lucy tells him enthusiastically.
"I do not doubt it." Edmund answers amiably as he sits beside her on a cushion, encouraged by one gesture of the professor.
"I'm afraid we'd have to part soon Lucy." the faun says quietly, casting one last look at his teacup. "I've got an appointment with Dumbledore in less than ten minutes."
" No problem." Lucy answers brightly. " Do you want me to help you clean it up ?"
" That would be very kind, thank you." Tumnus smile gently and Lucy stands up, proceeding to take to dishes to wash them.
"Do you need my help ?" asks her Edmund as she walks away, and she returns just to tap him lightly on the shoulder "Nah that's fine Ed, stay sat. You've had a rough day."
"Lucy told me it was your last exam today." declares Mr. Tumnus once they're left alone at the table, facing each other. "Did it went well ?"
"I think so." Edmund answers carefully. He's pretty sure he aced it, but he doesn't want to sound too pretentious. "I'm usually good in Defense Against the Dark Arts, and it was rather easy."
"Good." nods Mr Tumnus. "I suppose you already know what you want to do once you'll have left the school ?"
"Yeah." Edmund declares enthusiastically. "If I've got all the NEWTS I need, I'll work in the Justice Department at the Ministry."
"I remember Lucy mentioned it." answers Mr. Tumnus hesitantly. "I've got to admit I was a bit surprised. I know it's been a while since the time I had you as a student, but I've got to say I always thought of you as a future Auror."
"I kind of hesitated between the two." Edmund admits. "But I realized I'll do more good in this department. My talents will be of better use there, I think."
"You may be right."answers the Divination Teacher with a kind smile. "But is there any way it has something to do with your older brother's choice of career ?"
Edmund doesn't reply right away and for a while, the room stays quiet, except for the clutter of the dishes being washed by Lucy.
"I might have been afraid of living in his shadows, or something like that." he eventually declares. "But I kind of hope I'm more mature than that."
"Your wisdom never fails to amaze me." smiles Mr Tumnus, almost affectionately. "But after all, you were already very mature at fourteen."
"Edmund the Just, that's how we call him." adds Lucy suddenly, a tad mocking as she comes to sit beside her brother and pass a hand around his shoulders. He glares at her, which has the divination teacher chuckling.
"On a lighter note, what are your plan for summer holidays? If you don't mind my asking."
"I'm going to visit Peter in London for a few days in early July. And in August I've planned to go in Dublin with a friend."
Lucy rolls her eyes at the mention of friend and Edmund pinches her lightly. She's the only one to know about Caspian and him. He didn't even tell her-she guessed as soon as he came back from his Eastern holidays last year.
"That's good." Mr. Tumnus answers absentmindedly as he begins to stands up and walks to the door. "The two of you don't want to mess with each other, the headmaster will be here any minute now."
As he pronounces these words, there's a light knock at the door. The divination teacher opens it, revealing Dumbledore standing in the doorway.
"I didn't know you were hosting." The headmaster tells him, smiling, as he walks in.
"We were just about to leave." Lucy and Edmund respond simultaneously, leaving their cushions.
"Mr. Pevensie, Mrs. Pevensie." greets Dumbledore as they pass next to him. Edmund can't help but feel embarrassed-the Headmaster didn't speak to him directly since third year. He salutes politely nevertheless, as does Lucy once Mr. Tumnus has assured her she could come back later in the evening if she wanted to.
"I always feel so small when I'm next to him." Lucy comments idly as they walk down the stairs. "Like I'm eleven again, and about to be sorted. It's so weird."
Edmund nods noncommittally, and her sister jumps from pillar to post, as she so often does.
"What took you so long ? I thought you were supposed to finish at three."
"I needed to send a letter to Caspian. I wanted it to be quick, but my owl was nowhere in sight and I had to add a few things."
"Well, if you were writing at your boyfriend, then..." Lucy smirks, drawling on the end of her sentence.
"Shut up Lucy." Edmund cuts immediately, on the verge of being very immature and kick her. Her smile only widens.
"Is something bothering you ? You know I could do this all day...Edmund has a boyfriend, Edmund has a boyfriend..."
As she sings-song, she begins to hurtle down the stairs so her older brother can't reach her, and Edmund is forced to run behind her, shouting louder and louder to cover her words. He's behaving like a child, but he doesn't care because it's nearly summer and he passed all his NEWTS. His name is Edmund Pevensie, he's a seventh-year Slytherin and he has never been more satisfied with his life.