The train was filled with Edmund frowning and being worried and Hermione being worried but fussing about it. Everytime Edmund would try to make conversation, it would be one-sided. The only thing that could get Hermione out of her fussing was talking about what they prepared in the summer to be ready for their second year at Hogwarts.
Edmund didn't utter a word about the dinner he had attended at the Malfoy Manor, especially after Lucius' and Arthur's public fight. He felt embarrassed as well, the guilt was still heavy on his mind but the embarrassment was worse. If he were to say what he did at the house, everyone would be asking questions. What kind of family friend had brought him to the Malfoy's and such.
The worry was gnawing at him when he noticed that neither Harry or Ron showed up for the sorting ceremony. Along with the Weasley twins, Percy, they and Edmund had clapped the loudest in the crowd when Ginny was sorted into Gryffindor. Neville and Susan whispered comforting words after they picked up on Edmund's worries, due to observing him fidgeting with his necklace.
Edmund sat in his uncle's office, after the sorting ceremony, not staying for the feast. He was lazing around and quite honestly wasn't in the mood to celebrate his birthday with the other Hufflepuffs. He paged through some potions book that his uncle was studying, whistling a tune and eventually sitting back down and fidgeting with his necklace. He had brought a few more memories with him to school, it was the best thing that Edmund could think about to help with coping with all of his increased stress about everything.
He was looking through a memory of his Uncle Remus on Edmund's mother's 17th birthday. It wasn't a quiet affair at all, since it was Uncle James' birthday as well. His father, Sirius had gone all out for them especially since he was the older one of the group, being able to use magic without being traced and reprehended.
Edmund's favourite gift that his father had gifted his mother and uncle were the enchanted fireworks.
His head snapped to the side when the door was pushed open out of nowhere. "Harry? Ron?" He questioned with a confounded look on his face. The two boys were roughed up, hair was a mess and their clothes were slightly torn. "What are you-" he wanted to ask what they're doing here but he straightened his back when Professor Snape walked into the room.
"They are here to be punished for their insolence." His uncle said sharply, but looked a bit curious as he glanced at his nephew. "What are you doing here, Mr. Lupin?" He asked.
Edmund glanced between his friends and then his uncle, "I was concerned, sir." He said, deliberately pausing before continuing, "About my potions homework." He lied. Under the guidance and watchful eye of his uncle he had turned into a potions prodigy.
"Why don't we talk about it later?" Snape dismissed him and turned to his two Gryffindor friends with disdain on his face. "Why don't you wait with your friends, while I get some staff who can do something about this." His uncle snapped and threw a paper on Harry's lap. "Fame wasn't enough, was it Potter?" He questioned, annoyance etched across his face and he swiftly exited through his door.
"Merlin." Edmund blinked as he snatched the newspaper from Harry's hands. "Seriously? Saving Harry from his house in a flying car wasn't enough of a ride, you had to drive across the country as well?"
"The barrier of the platform was broken. We couldn't get in." The ginger explained it all and Edmund sucked in a breath. He wasn't sure what to feel but all he knows is that they won't be expelled, and he said so, explaining that they're underage. He also mentioned that they wouldn't be safe from getting detention for a long time.
"Did you damage the tree?" Edmund asked, his eyes wide.
"That old tree?" Ron scoffed, "I think it did more damage to us than we did to the tree."
Edmund almost let out a relieved breath, the memories of his uncle and mother were all in there. The nostalgia surrounding the tree was big but he couldn't imagine himself being in there in person, but he also can. He shook his head, trying to get the thoughts out of the memories, experiencing them in their eyes can have that effect on him.
The door opened once again and his uncle walked through, looking furious. After him came Professor Dumbledore, closely followed by Professor McGonagall. "It will be for Minerva, to decide the punishments for these boys, Severus." Edmund cringed at the words and could see that his uncle didn't like his authority tested.
"I must return to the feast, Minerva. I have got to give out a few notices. Why won't you join me back to the feast, and you as well, Severus." Dumbledore offered but it really wasn't an offer, rather an order. His Uncle Severus looked quite reluctant.
Edmund gave the two boys a look of pity and followed after his uncle and Dumbledore. "We have missed you this summer, Edmund." The old wise man hummed as they walked along the abandoned halls. It was weird to walk through it without all the chattering. "How is your Occlumency coming along?" He asked.
"Good, Professor. Thank you for the book."
"Have you practised it with your uncle?" He had asked and Edmund's heart stopped. The quiet thickened as Edmund didn't respond at the usual speed that he did.
"We have discussed it before, we aren't comfortable doing that to our family." Uncle Severus answered.
"You're quite talented, Edmund." Dumbledore continued, "We should have some tea again, to celebrate your birthday."
"Of course, Professor. I will be looking forward to it." his uncle Severus stiffened and Edmund gave the man a weird look. Did he not want to spend time with such an accomplished man? The three eventually reached the Great Hall and Edmund swiftly walked over to the Hufflepuff table, where Neville and Susan sat. He was stopped by a few of his quidditch friends and they talked for a bit before Edmund finally reached Neville and Susan.
They ate and drank, laughed and talked. It was then when Edmund realised how much he had missed his friends. He looked up from his cup and looked at how Hermione laughed and threw her head back at something Padma said. "This year is going to be something different." Edmund hummed. Neville and Susan exchanged looks and Susan just shook his head, Neville nodded at that. Edmund didn't mind their secret conversation as he was distracted at how Hermione was laughing at something Padma had said.
—
The first day of classes and Edmund was quite excited, letting the worry for his Gryffindor friends wash away. For breakfast Edmund sat with his Hufflepuff and it seemed like the four of them all had a similar idea. Harry and Ron sat with Seamus and Dean, Ron was making grand hand motions and he stretched his whole arm, most likely imitating the Whomping Willow. Hermione sat with Padma, sharing the same newspaper and reading it. Hermione occasionally looked up at the Gryffindor table with an annoyed look in her eyes.
"Mail is going to be here any minute," Neville murmured as he shovelled a spoon into his mouth. "I think Gran is sending me a few things I forgot." Edmund raised an eyebrow at the boy, knowing fully well Neville could have forgotten a whole bag. Soon enough, the sound of owls echoed through the Great Hall, circling their owners and dropping letters or packages into the room. A big package bounced off of Neville's head.
Edmund gave Neville a small smile, "Any minute now." He teased. Susan laughed and punched his arm.
"Be nice." She muttered and gave Neville a smile. Edmund was just about to defend himself and say that she was laughing as well but quickly looked up when he heard an 'oh no' come from the Gryffindor table. He made eye contact with Hermione before turning around to look at the ginger Gryffindor.
Edmund's eyes widened at the sight of the red volatile letter. "A howler." The Black whispered and looked at the blood red. It was rumoured that the brand uses blood from their receivers who had scared themselves. He swallowed and waited for the incoming explosion as Ron was taking his dear time in opening the envelope. The ginger looked as pale as he would in the winter.
"He better open it soon, it'll be worse if he doesn't." said Neville and looked at Susan and Edmund, "My gran sent me one once, and I ignored it, well. It was horrible."
Edmund frowned, "Open it!" He looked at Ron. The ginger wasn't listening to him, but was rather fixated on the smoking letter. The Hufflepuffs covered their ears as the envelope roared. Oh dear, Molly was mad. "-Stealing the car, I wouldn't have been surprised if they'd expelled you!" The angry voice exclaimed, "You wait till I get hold of you, I don't suppose you stopped to think what your father and I went through when we saw it gone-"
By now everyone was turning around to see which unlucky kid got a howler from their parents. Ron was as red as his hair and was sinking down in his chair. And the silence was loud. So loud that it was ringing through the great ball, the envelope dropped from Weasley's hand and bursted into flames, curling into ashes.
The heads of the houses were walking along the tables handing out schedules, "I love you my dear friend-" Edmund turned back to his friends.
"Yes, you can sit with us for herbology." Susan said and snorted. "As long as we can sit together for charms."
"That's a deal." Edmund smiled at them, he wasn't that bad with plants, the plants are just bad with him. Together they walked to the greenhouse and stood outside, Edmund and Hermione were chatting about wizard customs, such as the envelope.
Susan gasped and Edmund tore himself away from the conversation with Hermione to follow her line of sight. There came striding their head of Hufflepuff, her arms full of bandages, and running after her was Lockhart.
Edmund cringed and shared a look with Harry and Ron. Everything about him said smiley. "Oh hello there. Just been showing Professor Sprout to help a Whomping Willow. Don't want you running away with the idea that I'm-" and he lost Edmund's attention.
"Merlin." He whispered under his breath, Neville was silently agreeing.
But Lockhart beamed at him. "Not quite Merlin yet, but I'm loving the comparison." The man said and Edmund blinked a few times before walking into the class right after Professor Sprout unlocked the door.
Edmund cringed and caught the eye of the head of his house, who looked as disgruntled as he did. He gave her a small smile but frowned when his cousin was taken out of the door by the self-absorbed wizard.
He stood behind a workbench with Neville and Susan and subtly glanced outside of the window. Edmund cringed at the thought of mandrakes. "We'll be repotting Mandrakes today. Anybody able to tell me the properties?"
Hermione's hand flew up and Edmund nudged Neville. The boy was a prodigy in the subject, which didn't surprise him seeing him read a herbology book in the dorms all the time. The boy shook his head, so Hermione answered the question from next to Padma and Lavender Brown. "Excellent. Ten points to Ravenclaw. The Mandrake forms an essential part of most antidotes. It is also, however, dangerous. Who can tell me why?"
Now Edmund had his hand up in the air. He had planted a mandrake with his uncle Snape in the garden that vacation, to make potions. "The cry of the Mandrake is fatal to anyone who hears it," He said as he was chosen to answer over Hermione.
"Ten points to Hufflepuff, well done." She said proudly and Edmund smiled. He put the earmuffs over his ears and snorted when the only one left was pink and fluffy. Draco sent him an amused look but he pointedly looked back at Neville, who also wore a pink and fluffy earmuff. He then looked over at Susan, and laughed out loud when she had one on as well. They listened to Professor Sprout's instructions and Edmund shuddered.
Imagine being young, and being repotted, pulled by the hair. Edmund would rather see them grown up, god, the baby stage was so, ugly. He was being honest here. After the teacher's demonstration, they went back to their table.
By the end of the class, everyone was aching and smelled of sweat. They quickly got back to the castle to wash and immediately headed over to Transfiguration. Draco's jabs at people were getting harsher until they stepped into the classroom.
The class was quite nice, Edmund had studied hard during the summer, to make up for the time he had lost being clumsy with his transfigurations. Ron's wand was just not working at all and Professor McGongall wasn't amused.
Then the lunch bell sounded and Edmund sat by the gryffindor table, waiting for the two with Hermione. They talked about the wand and Edmund even said that it was unfixable. The two talked for a bit before the two joined. "What's for this afternoon?" Edmund asked.
"Defence against the Dark Arts." She answered. Ron reached over his plate and took her schedule in his hand.
"Why?" He started and blinked. "Have you outlined all Lockhart's lessons in little hearts?"
Edmund choked on his drink and was coughing like crazy, heads turned and he blinked a few times. "But his books are-" The plates were taken away and everyone was standing up to go outside.
"Great." Hermione gushed and looked over, "Have you read them?"
"Only 'Break with a-'"
"-Banshee! I love that one!" She gushed and they walked out to the overcast courtyard, Hremione continued to ramble about the book before burying herself again in another. Edmund snorted as it was so typical.
The boys started talking about quidditch before the hairs on Edmund's neck rose, he stopped talking and frowned as he turned to look around. "Who's that?" He whispered to them, motioning towards a boy with a muggle camera. Harry looked and the boy turned red.
The boy stepped forward and introduced himself as Colin Creevey, a gryffindor and he bravely asked for a picture. "A picture?" Harry repeated.
"So I can prove I've met you." Colin answered, and continued to talk about how he learned about moving pictures in the wizarding world.
"I could help you with the potion." Edmund smiled, "Are you a muggle-born?" He asked.
Colin nodded, "My dad's a milkman, he couldn't believe it either. So I'm taking a lot of photos to send back home."
Edmund held his hand out, "Say no more." He smiled and the camera was pushed in his hands.
"Do you even know how to use a muggle camera?" Ron asked, looking a bit annoyed.
Edmund rolled his eyes before holding it up, "Mary forced me to take pictures of her when I'd help out, since she's here on vacation with that job from her uncle and such." He answered the question, "Pictures to send him, right Colin?" He smiled at the boy and counted down before snapping a picture.
"You're giving out photos, Potter?" Draco's voice echoed through the courtyard. Edmund's good mood was dropped immediately.
"Leave it, Draco." Edmund sighed.
Draco looked over at him, it looked like he was hesitating before Pansy called out, "Everyone! Line up! He's giving out photos!"
Edmund took in a breath and closed his eyes in exasperation. "Must you do that Pansy?"
Harry called out, "No, I'm not!" People were looking away again, but some still had their attention on them.
Colin retorted in Harry's place and Draco repeated the first year. "Jealous?" Draco scoffed, looking very mad now, "Of that foul scar? Don't think that getting your head cut open makes you that special." Crabbe and Goyle laughed, but it could be compared to the snorting of a pig.
"Eat slugs, Malfoy." Said Ron, angrily. Crabbe stopped laughing and rubbed his knuckles in a menacing way, like Edmund saw in the movies that he watched with Mary.
Draco then sneered at Ron, "Be careful, Weasley. You don't want to start any trouble or your Mommy will have to come and take you away." He then imitated and mocked her voice and Edmund frowned.
Ron held his wand out and Hermione, as if she had a radar, called out that a teacher approached, specifically Lockhart. Great, just great, as if Edmund had to get annoyed even more. The Black just stood up from his spot and walked away to one of the pillars, where it was quiet.
"Are you not enjoying the crowd?" A voice spoke up and Edmund raised his eyebrow at the source.
"Not really." He answered truthfully, "I just wanted to talk about quidditch."
Daphne let out a breath of amusement. "Don't think that that is an option with Professor Lockhart around."
"Have you had him already?" Edmund asked and looked at her.
She grimaced, "Not yet, I believe that we have that hour together." She answered and looked up at the clock. "And that class is starting soon, I think."
"Let's get going then." Edmund said and smiled, the two quietly talked about their dislike to Lockhart, which was surprising to him, since nearly every girl he knew had a thing for him. To think about it, he is slightly weirded out by it. Especially Lockhart's behaviour.
The two arrive at the class and seated themselves, Edmund sat down first and Daphne just sat down next to him. He gave her a small smile, then in front of him, Justin from Hufflepuff sat down, "That Lockhart's something, isn't he?" said Justin happily as he began to take clearly read through books out of his bag, all seven of them. "Awfully brave chap. Have you read his books? I'd have died of fear if I'd been cornered in a telephone booth by a werewolf, but he stayed cool. Just fantastic." He gushed.
Edmund smiled at the guy and just nodded. "Sure." He said, not really wanting to prolong the conversation even more. It might be a bit mean but, merlin, everyone was talking about him. At the side of the windows, Harry, Ron and Hermione sat down, talking about what just had happened, or rather, Harry and Ron. Hermione was very focused on the front.
"Blimey." Edmund whispered as he looked at the test papers in front of him, '1. What is Gilderoy Lockhart's favourite colour?', he read and immediately wrote down the first colour he saw. Then, he shared a look with Daphne as they both cringed.
Then the man started talking about the answers, which were about himself. Ron was staring with an expression of disbelief, Seamus and Dean were shaking with silent laughter. But in the name of Merlin, Hermione was paying rapt attention to the blasphemy of words that came out of Lockhart's mouth.
"Excellent!" beamed Lockhart. "Quite excellent! Take ten points for Ravenclaw! And so — to business-" A large cage was dropped onto the table, it looked like a lot of physical strain on Lockhart's body. "It is my job to arm you against some foul creatures, but these are the worst and foulest one. You may find yourselves facing your worst fears in this room. Know only that no harm can befall you whilst I am here. All I ask is that you remain calm." He said dramatically, and Edmund was actually into the monologue the man gave, as he sat on the edge of his seat.
He then shrugged off the cover, "Yes," he said dramatically. "Freshly caught Cornish pixies."
Edmund blurted out laughing as did Seamus. "Yes?" He smiled at Seamus, not paying attention to Edmund as he was hiding behind the pile of books from Justin. The cage was being rattled by the pixies and made bizarre faces at the people near them. "Right, then," Lockhart said loudly. "Let's see what you make of them!" Then he opened the damn cage.
Everywhere you looked, were pixies, including by Neville's ears since they were lifting him up in the air. Edmund immediately whipped his wand out at them. "Professor!" He called out, "What now?" Ink bottles were sprayed, books were shredded, pictures came off of the wall, a smashed window and Neville swinging from the chandelier.
"Well, you round them up! They're only pixies." Lockheart said and rolled up his sleeves. "Peskipiksi Pesternomi." He waved his wand and nothing happened, not a bit of light showed.
A pixie took his wand and threw them out of the window. The owner of said wand dived under his desk, avoiding the falling chandelier unintentionally. The bell rang and everyone was running to the exit. Everyone but the four of them were held back, Edmund, Harry, Hermione and Ron. "Just round them up, would you?"
Edmund swatted away a pixie from his hair and cringed. "Can you believe him?" He heard Ron roar.
"He just wants to give us some hands-on experience," said Hermione, using the freezing charm to stuff them in the cage.
Before they could continue to complain, Edmund lifted his wand up and casted the slowing spell on them all, "Arresto Momentum Omnis." He muttered and the pixies slowed down, not being able to move at their normal pace at all. "Just get them and put them in the cage." He said quietly, already so done with Lockharts antics.
Edmund kept the spell going as they quickly put the pink pests back in their cages.
—
They were up at the crack of dawn after Ron struggled out of bed and got them by knocking frantically at their common room door. Edmund at that moment, felt like his heart was about to explode with concern only to find out that Harry just has training.
He doesn't want to impose, honestly.
Then they went up to the ravens nest. Ron was clueless when they got a riddle but Edmund just racked through his mind. "Well, in flames appears a phoenix, and from the phoenix comes flames. Ron, could you maybe help?"
"I think the answer is that a circle has no beginning." A voice said and Edmund looked over.
'Well reasoned.' The knocker said and let them inside. Edmund turned to the girl and smiled. "Thank you."
"Well, it's no problem." The blonde girl said. Edmund had seen her around at the school, she was always looking as if she had her head in the clouds. Sometimes when she wouldn't be paying attention, Edmund would motion for incoming people to move aside for her.
"Ron? Edmund?" A voice said and they turned to face Hermione, her hair in pigtails. "What are you lot doing here?"
"We're gonna watch Harry's training!" Ron said, excitedly.
Edmund just held up his book. "I don't like watching other houses train." He admitted. "Makes me feel like a spy."
"Oh bugger off, Wood said that he doesn't mind that you're there." Ron said.
"Yes, I know." Edmund smiled, "He lets me watch because he was convinced that Hufflepuff doesn't even stand a chance. To be quite honest, we won the cup last year."
"That's just-" Ron started, "That's just because you're a new addition!"
"Because I'm a new addition means that I don't pose a threat?" Edmund smiled, "Let's just let Hermione get ready." He looked over to the girl, who smiled at them and walked up the stairs. "Good morning Padma." He hummed, "Who happened to be the girl who helped us in?"
"That's Luna Lovegood." She answered. "She's a bit peculiar."
"She has a great way of thinking." He complimented. "How has your morning been?"
"Quite good actually," Ron was distracted by all the things that were in the Ravenclaw tower, "I have noticed something." Edmund raised his eyebrows at her, curiously. "I saw that you sat down together with Daphne Greengrass." She had an expression that he couldn't read on her face.
Edmund nodded, "In Defence Against the Dark Arts, yes."
"Do you like her?" Padma asked and Edmund was a bit confused.
"She's just a new friend of mine." He answered. "I don't like her like that."
"Sorry for asking." Padma smiled at him, "It's just, I've never seen anything more than a blank expression on her face."
Edmund frowned and opened his mouth to tell Padma more about Daphne but was interrupted when Hermione walked past them, pulling him and Ron with her. "Later Padma!" Hermione called out.
Up in the stands they sat as Hermione and Ron were watching Harry have their quidditch practice. While Edmund was just reading his book. It was about legilimency, quite interesting but he doesn't like the thought of being able to read someone's mind. Sometimes the gift sounds like it's too good to be true but intruding on someone's mind is something that he doesn't wish for anybody.
His eyes got distracted from the letters when he saw a figure run around down on the fields. He frowned and looked at the brown hair that he has seen a lot of ever since Hogwarts had opened its gates for students again.
Edmund remembers how excited Colin was when he gave him the potion to make the pictures move around. Even then, he was invited to help him develop the pictures. Of course Edmund agreed.
Collin was a nice boy who was just excited about magic.
He blinked when Hermione pulled on his arm to drag him along, crossing the field together and heading for the red and green. As soon as he saw the blonde between the crowd and the new broom in their hand he began shaking his head, "No Hermione." He said quietly, "I don't want to get between all that."
"Too late mate." Ron said and before they know it, they're in front of the group, "What is happening?" The ginger asked Harry, "Why aren't you playing, and most of all, what is he doing here?"
Edmund just took in a breath, tired of the constant feuding where he is put in the middle of, especially the Gryffindor and Slytherin feud. The three listened to Malfoy as he bragged about the new brooms that he has got. "-father wanted to buy one for Edmund, but he was surprised to find out that he already had the new Nimbus." Draco revealed that Edmund had gotten one from his werewolf uncle as a start of the school year present, as some kind of motivation.
"Let's just leave," Edmund said, "They've got their permission from Professor Snape and you'll have to share the field."
"Easy to say for you 'puffs." Flint said and Edmund raised his eyebrows at the captain of the team. "You've got no game at all."
"And yet Edmund was called out the most valuable player of last year's quidditch cup, when they won it." Hermione stepped up. "Besides, no one on the Gryffindor team had to buy their way in. They got in on pure talent." Hermione said sharply.
Flint looked mad and Draco looked insulted. Edmund frowned, Hermione didn't really know what she was talking about considering Draco's past experience in quidditch. "No one asked your opinion, you filthy little Mudblood." He spat out and the reactions rose up immediately.
"Draco!" Edmund spit out and immediately leaped forward to push him at the ground. Fred and George couldn't get their jump in on the Slytherin because Flint had just managed to dive in front of them.
Before he knew it his head was snapped back with a punch to his eye. Edmund held a hand up to his swelling eye. "You blood traitor! You should be ashamed of yourself!" Draco shouted out.
Edmund looked at the boy, "You're a moron, Malfoy!" He shouted before pulling his arm back to punch him, only he was being held back by someone. Ron then started to pull him away by his arm and Edmund sneered as he looked at a pristine smug face of Draco.
Edmund didn't see the face of regret when he turned away.
"Are you okay, Edmund?" The voice of Colin said and he closed his eyes, his head was throbbing behind his eyes.
"Could be better, Colin." He managed to crack a smile but winced as his head felt like it was stabbed. The boy disappeared with his camera and suddenly he was pulled behind a bush. Then he heard the irritating voice of Lockhart and would rather stay behind the bush.
Harry pulled him up, carefully. "Been wondering when you'd come to see me-" He heard Hagrid's voice and then "Oh what happened to you lad, come on inside." He sat down in a chair.
"You're bleeding." Hermione said quietly.
"Oh." Edmund said as he felt the warm liquid go down the side of his face, quickly from out of his pockets, he pulled out a familiar handkerchief and pressed it up at the wound. "I know I said that I wouldn't bleed on it anymore." He said, with a small smile.
"But you just couldn't help yourself." Hermione rolled her eyes and reciprocated with a small smile before she sat down on the couch, next to him. "Blimey, that'll scar up, it won't if you'll just go to Madam P-"
"No." Edmund said, "I don't want anyone to know of this."
"A bruised eye will certainly tell a lot." Harry said and snorted.
"We should've just turned back-" Hermione said.
"Nonsense, we wouldn't be in this situation if it weren't for Draco-"
Hagrid spoke up, jerking his head towards Edmund. "Malfoy? Out of all people, he did that to you? What for?"
"For pushing him." Harry said. "Malfoy called Hermione something, must've been bad because everyone went wild, even Edmund. Who pushed Draco."
"It was bad." Ron said, his eyebrows were still scrunched up and his expression mad. "Malfoy called her a 'Mudblood', Hagrid-"
"He didn't!" Hagrid protested and looked over at Hermione. The cold steak in his hands as he handed it over for Edmund to take. The boy grimaced at the raw steak and put it against his closed bruising eye.
"He did." She confirmed, a frustrating look on her face, "I don't really know what it means. I could tell it was rude-"
"It's about the most insulting thing he could think of." Edmund said.
"He also called Edmund a blood traitor," Ron spat out, "Told Edmund that he should be ashamed of himself." The ginger then looked over at Hermione, "Mudblood is a foul name for someone who is Muggle-Born. Wizards, like Malfoy's family, think they're better than everyone else because they're purebloods."
"And blood traitors?" Harry asked, quietly from his chair.
"Blood traitors are pureblood families who side with the muggles and hang out with them." Edmund averted his eyes on the ground, ashamed of Draco's words. A week ago, the Black was at the Malfoy household eating dinner with other Slytherin's because of an apology.
He sure won't take any apologies anymore, he just closed his eyes and let the cold meat rest against his eye as they continued to talk about the pictures and Lockhart. He grimaced whenever his name came up, and most of all, whenever Hermione defended the man.
He remained inside when they went out to talk about the pumpkins. He thought about his actions and decided that he didn't regret pushing Draco. Nor did he regret ending the friendship over it, he was tired of constantly feeling the need to defend the Slytherin. The mixed feelings that always arise about the boy were messing with Edmund's head.