A/N: Hi FanFiction Readers! To be completely honest with you when I first posted Seeing Shadows I had no intention of trying to extend it, but after only a few days this story got so many more views than I expected (over 100!) and such positive feedback that I just had to carry it on :) This chapter doesn't include as much action as the last one did so im sorry, but there's a lot of Edmund angst (we all love a bit of that) and I plan to include a lot more excitement as the story continues. Enjoy!

Warning: This chapter (and only this chapter) may contain hints of implied racism by some of the characters and minor offensive language. This isn't my own personal view. Better safe than sorry.

Disclaimer: Seriously, the only thing I own is the plot to this story, and a certain treacherous Archenlander who will get mentioned at some point...

Edmund heaved a great sigh as they boarded the train that would take them back to Finchley. Peter turned and gave his brother a questioning look, to which his dark haired sibling shrugged and blamed his current condition on fatigue. In truth, however, Edmund knew that when he got back home he would have to face his sisters, who he knew would be frantically worrying about what had happened. He hated it when everyone was fussing over him; he knew that after what he had done to them he didn't deserve it, no matter how long it had been or how many times they had tried to convince him that he had been forgiven. He knew that he had betrayed them all, and so he alone had to deal with the consequences.

"For God's sake stop being so melancholy, Ed!" Peter laughed, and they sat down in an empty compartment as the train jolted and began to leave the station. "I know that Susan and Lucy are going to be right pains when we get back, but it's only because they're worried about you."

"Of course." His brother smiled back at him. Only Peter would have guessed what was bothering him. "I just know that I'm not really worthy of all that fuss."

Peter pulled his brother closer to him and gave him a fierce look of determination. "Edmund James Pevensie," he began, "how many times do I have to tell you? Aslan forgives you. We all forgive you. You just need to forgive yourself. Dwelling on who you used to be isn't going to help who you are now." "Besides," Peter continued, "We've all done stupid things at some point. Susan was moody and possessive, Lucy used to be naïve and put her faith in the wrong people (remember that treacherous Archenlander from our Golden Age?), and I was angry and ignored my little brother, which in turn made him angry at me."

Edmund swore he saw a slight pang of guilt and resentment pass over his brother's eyes, but then it was gone and Peter said, "I think it's best if we stop talking about this for the rest of the journey."

Edmund nodded, and started grinning. "Remember when we were younger? You used to have to get me sweets to eat on the train to stop me from yelling and screaming for Father."

"I remember! You were a right little sap back then, weren't you Eddykins?" his brother retorted as he grabbed his younger brother's hair, ruffling it like he was a toddler before Edmund pulled away, laughing. "Would you like me to get you some now, diddum's'?" Peter simpered in a babyish voice. "Yeah, sure Pete," Edmund smirked as Peter lunged torwards him, attempting to give him a hug, "Seriously, Knock it off!"

"Killjoy" Peter murmured as he got up and opened the door, although Edmund could blatantly see the amusement on his face, "Usually I would get you Turkish delight, but since that's permanently off the menu…" "Just get me Hershey's or some Liquorice, please," his brother answered as Peter left the compartment and headed for the food carriage. He laughed again as he remembered how much fun he used to have with his brother and lay back on his seat, the memories floating back as if from a dream. Why had they not done this for such a long time? He had loved it when he was younger, loved it until…

Edmund realised then when it had all changed; it had started slowly, when Father had decided to join the Army and was summoned to fight in France only a few days later. He had been very close to his two boys, and leaving them was the hardest thing he had ever done. So the day he had to leave, he summoned both Peter and Edmund to his study and said to them "Look after your sisters, children. Peter, I leave you in charge of this family. And above all, let no one come between you." What he didn't understand, however, was that only a few days later his two sons would be completely torn apart.

It was the other boys at school who had changed him. Edmund started at Hendon House the day after his Father had left, and as soon as he entered that cursed place, the other boys saw him and decided to destroy him. They were everywhere, always watching; they would push him when he walked to lessons, punch him and shout abuse and torment. They chose him not because of how he acted but because of his skin, his hair, and his eyes. They called him bastard, illegitimate, a mistake. They even dared to insult his own Father; the man who had always told his son proudly of his Lebanese roots and how he had given him his Grandmother's hazelnut eyes, and who was unknowingly tossed in the dirt by a group of adolescent boys.

What had hurt Edmund most was that for the first time in his life, Peter didn't come to the rescue. When he was being beaten or tormented, he would always see Peter at the edge of the crowd, talking to his friends and trying to act as if nothing had happened. He had it so easy; with his fair hair and blue eyes no one could have guessed that he was even related to Edmund and so he kept it that way, ignoring him both at school and even on the train home until they met up with Lucy and Susan near St. Finbars.

So Edmund had grown distant. He began to talk less and less to his other siblings, and the only time he did they argued or yelled at each other. He joined the gang of boys that had been so cruel to him and bullied other kids, even going so far as to bully his own little sister, Lucy, to the point of tears. But he hadn't understood. It was because he had been so used to his brother being the strong one, the best friend that he had always relied on to stand up for him, that he hadn't noticed.

Peter had been afraid. The amount of pressure that had been handed over to him by Father was too much to bear, and he was disappointed that he had not been able to protect his only brother, the one thing that he was supposed to do. This made him hurt, and angry.

Edmund only knew this because it was the first thing Peter said when they were alone together, after Oreius and his troops had rescued him from the Witch's camp. He had wanted his little brother to understand for the first time in 12 months, and so he had told him everything. It was then that Peter had made a pact with him, to protect him at all costs, no matter what. It had seemed a harmless thing at the time, but as soon as Edmund was stabbed by the Witch at the First Battle of Beruna, all of that had changed.

Peter had become a monster; hurt and angry, he had slaughtered and murdered half of the evil creatures that fought on her side, and it was only by the coming of Aslan and his brother's wound being cured that he had stopped. But since then, Edmund had been scared that one day something like that would happen again, even when they eventually returned home, and that his brother in his rage would do something dreadful and he would be powerless to stop him.

That was why the night they returned to England, Edmund silently crept out of his bed to the window and made a silent pact between him and the night sky. On no account could he ever forget what had nearly happened at Beruna, and at all costs he should stay out of trouble. He knew that if one of the other boys hurt him again they would probably regret it. That wasn't a good thing. He had seen Peter kill before, and he still wasn't sure that he wouldn't kill again.

That was why he had to figure out what had happened back in the Headmaster's office and why he had seen her again for the first time in 15 years, before something bad happened. And as he gazed out of the window and watched his brother's reflection enter the compartment and hand him a Catherine wheel, he knew that however she had managed to possess him, it could mean only one thing.

She was trying to get revenge. The Pevensie children were in danger.

So, what do you think so far? Has the Witch somehow returned? Are the Pevensies in danger?And is the "treacherous Archenlander" even relevant to the story? We'll just have to wait and see! Btw, for those of you who are wondering, I got the idea of Edmund's dad being half Lebanese from actor Skandar Keynes' own ancestry. Don't blame me if it isn't historically accurate, i'm just an amateur :'( R&R if you can please, and if anyone knows how I can get this into a "Community" PM me; i'm still new to this!