His father had written to both Harry and Edmund, something Edmund had appreciated given that he had been sticking his head in every offensive spell book he owned, defensive as well. Edmund was not going to be taken by surprise, neither would Harry. The little notes and just bookmarks were basic spells that Harry could use for whatever the first task would be.
The letter from his father had grounded him. Literally and figuratively, he was going to be grounded when he would be back home from a vacation, to not leave the house for a few days and spend some quality time with his father. It was weird to think that being nearly killed has always been in the family, even if some didn't hear correctly and heard 'be killed'. Harry and Edmund have always been threatened at every turn, by death or just by some antagonising source.
Knowing that Edmund had to participate in a deadly competition didn't make him comfortable at all, sometimes, he wished that Cedric had been chosen by the cup instead of him. At least it would be somewhat fair, given that he is only fifteen.
His father had also written to him concerning the article that Rita Skeeter had published, glorifying Harry and throwing in the names of the other champions excluding those of Hogwarts, with Edmund she just wrote down that he was unwilling, eager to leave and wasn't happy. Honestly, when his uncle Snape had opened the paper and read that, it was obvious that he wasn't happy either, by the way he snapped at students the whole day everyone knew. It was also noticeable by the way his eyebrows furrowed and his snarl. It was subtle, to the common student they wouldn't see a difference in his face.
"Stunningly pretty? Her?" Pansy Parkinson, one of the most annoying Slytherins Edmund knew, and he knew a lot of annoying students. Edmund was angry at how she had shrieked it into Hermione's face, not even feeling shame by the way she was sniggering after how Hermione was walking away from her porky laugh.
"Right so." Edmund nodded, "Quite stunning, isn't she?" Edmund wanted to bite down the petty comment but couldn't help himself. "Maybe have a judgement about whoever is pretty when Draco has decided that you are pretty." Edmund checked his fake watch, "Maybe when you grow out of that haircut you would have potential, even though the chances are slim."
Edmund then walked away and had to sit with an unsettling feeling - the unsettling feeling of being so mean to someone - which meant that he was changing, for the worse or the better, Edmund wouldn't know. Annoyance was a prominent feeling that rushed through him when he saw that Ron was refusing to talk to Harry or even look his way. Does the bloody ginger even realise that neither Edmund or Harry had entered willingly. Besides, the only reason Ron would participate in the tournament would be for the money and glory, typical Gryffindor.
Whenever Edmund would be in the library to study for spells to use or potions to summon, Hermione would accompany Edmund and Harry, sometimes on rare occasions Susan would come. For the rest, they'd just drop in if they needed something from the library, say 'hi' and continue with whatever they were doing within the comfort of their common rooms.
"Thank you, Hermione." Edmund's hand lingered over Hermione's as he grabbed the book she had handed over to him. His feelings were a slight mess as he tried to get over her, but somewhere in him he knew that there was no getting over your first love. Many wouldn't consider it love but he does, his heart would race at the mere sight of her, little shine of sweat would appear on his forehead and all the sudden he cares how his hair looks. He cares if he is doing the best he can because all he wants for Hermione to see in him is someone who tries. He hopes that she'd see the potential in him, the potential to have a future.
He knows they're young but Hermione had been known to plan ahead. He knows that Hermione has that habit because he knows everything about her, he couldn't help his eyes straying over whenever they study in the library, how she constantly tucks back that stubborn piece of hair, how her eyebrows furrow when she has to read things twice, on the rare sight, thrice.
"It's no problem," She took a little pause, "Edmund." He knew that his heart had started to beat for her but he knew that it shouldn't be like that. Maybe if she'd show any interest in him Edmund would even try to make her fall in love with him, if he would ever be pushed to that cliff. He'd rather jump than force her to do anything, even if it meant having to love another.
Edmund retracted his hand and gave her a tight-lipped smile before sitting down. He wiped his forehead and opened the book, then the sound of giggles came. With a tick of annoyance Edmund looked around to see two girls giggling, a Ravenclaw and a Gryffindor, which he recognized as Alicia Spinnet.
Spinnet would come to the library whenever he would, bringing a friend was going to be different. He gave them a short wave and ignored the louder giggling, but he couldn't ignore the falter in them. He turned around when he heard even more giggling, but from a larger group. "Krum." Edmund nodded, "You're bringing your groupies into a library?" Edmund questioned bulgarian.
"You know I can't get away from them." He said, while Edmund still didn't have the tone like a true Bulgarian, he can hear desperation when he hears it. Edmund snorted and nodded, it seemed like he wasn't going to study until Krum disappeared. By the irritated furrow on her eyebrows, Hermione had felt the same. Harry just looked like he always did, a bit lost.
Edmund pulled his eyes away from Hermione when he felt a hand lightly graze his shoulder. "Ready for our lovely evening of drinks, Edmund?" He heard and leant back in his chair to see Katie Bell smile at him.
He smiled back at her, "I should be, I'll see you soon."
"Soon?" Katie raised her eyebrows at him, "We're meeting in half an hour, Black." She looked at their table filled with books, expertly ignoring an annoyed Hermione whose feelings Edmund was oblivious to. "Looks like you're quite busy, don't forget about me?"
"How could I?" Edmund smiled at her one last time before she made her way out of the library, ignoring the piercing eyes of her fellow students. Edmund blinked when he felt a hand clap his shoulder. "Yes, Krum?"
"How do you do it, English?" Victor said with a smile on his face that could be considered jolly. "How do you make girls look at you like that?" Edmund furrowed his eyebrows in confusion and looked behind the seeker, at his groupies.
"You already have those."
Victor waved, "Those are fans, they hold no love." Krum glanced over to Hermione and Edmund's stomach twisted itself for a bit.
"Be yourself, Bulgarian." Edmund stood up and clapped Krum's shoulder, Edmund was a bit taller than the seeker, he noticed, "I have to prepare myself for an evening with a girl, if you'll excuse me." The Hufflepuff and the Durmstrang student nodded at each other and shook hands before splitsing up. Edmund had a friendly relation with Victor Krum, a player who he would be playing against in the Tournament, besides, Edmund was the only one Victor could really talk with.
He got down to the Hufflepuff basement and was faced with Susan, who had her hands on her waist, clearly waiting for him. "What?" Edmund asked.
"First of all," She said and crossed her arms, "What are you wearing, and second of all, you've got to explain to her that you're trying to move on from Hermione." She lectured him.
Edmund gulped and walked over to the boys dorm door, "I will, explain that." He nodded at her, the thing that Susan hates in her romantic novels is when the main character leads someone on to get over their past love. "Black pants and grey sweater." He said and opened the door.
"Good!" Susan said, "And you better!" Edmund smiled at his friend and walked into his dorm, waved at a few boys before he opened the door to his room. He took in a breath and changed his clothes. After making sure that his hair looks good, Edmund walked back out and was met by Susan immediately picking up a strand of hair and bringing it to the other side of his hairline.
"Must you do that without asking?"
"If I did things by asking everything, nobody would get anything done." Susan said and smiled teasingly, "Besides, if I mentioned it, you'd ruin your hair." She checked her watch and that gave Edmund the urge to buy a watch for himself as well, knowing that he will need one eventually. "If you leave now you'll be early by the gates."
Edmund nodded and stood up, only to be once again stopped by Susan who just looked at him and patted his cheek. "We never get over our first loves," she snorted, "Hell, I'd know." Edmund frowned in confusion and she immediately saw the change on his face. "Keeping it a secret because you happen to know nearly everybody, young man." She teased him, whenever she did she always sounded like an old woman.
"Of course." Edmund smiled, "Should I bring something? Flowers are a bit too much, aren't they?"
"Bring your scarf and coat." Susan snorted. "Something tells me she won't." Edmund had already grabbed his coat and scarf from the coat hanger, he looks over at her but she just motions for him to go.
Edmund felt his stomach clenched as he walked up to the front gates, he doesn't know why his stomach is being so weird, maybe it is because the
the butterflies in his stomach are persistent. He doesn't know if it is because he has a date or because it is because of how Hermione had acted earlier. The questions in his head wouldn't stop coming up, wondering if he really was making a good choice.
"Hey." Edmund turned his head around and looked over at the Gryffindor. What she was wearing was something casual, relaxed jeans and a light blue shirt. "Ready to go?"
The Hufflepuff blinked a few seconds and smiled at her, "Always." He said quietly and held his arm out for her. "You look quite lovely." Edmund said.
Katie giggled and held onto Edmund's arm. "Thank you." Edmund opened the carriage door for them and stepped in after her. The moonlit carriage wasn't filled with the awkward silence that Edmund was expecting, but rather filled with stolen glances to one another. "Glad I found you today, I don't think you'd leave the library." She said with a cheeky smile on her face.
"What? You'd think I would leave you alone, outside in the cold waiting for me?" Edmund asked, teasingly. She shrugged and Edmund squinted at her, "Were you looking for me in the library?"
Katie raised her eyebrows at him, "No." Edmund raised his eyebrows at her, "Yes." Edmund let out a chuckle and crossed his leg over his knee. "It's the place where everybody knows you are, like at all times, do you even go out?"
"Occasionally." They shared a smile, "I don't really go out after you know, getting chosen as the champion."
Katie raised her eyebrows at him, "Ron said that you never leave the library. Said it was most likely that I could find you there." Edmund's smile faltered a bit.
"Oh-" The carriage came to a stop and Edmund stepped out first, then he held his hand out for her to hold onto when she stepped down. They repeated the routine by holding out his arm, her grabbing onto his arm and then walking down to the Three Broomsticks.
Edmund hung up his coat and scarf and was surprised when Katie reached out to hold his wrist and pull him through the crowd of people. It was a festive day in the Wizarding World, most people remember it as the day that Dumbledore had captured Grindelwald. Edmund supposes it is a bittersweet day, having to perform an arrest on his previous love.
"What would you like to drink?" Edmund stood by the bar and looked around at the celebrating people. "Two butterbeers coming up dear, for drinks you've got to come here and pick them up." Madam Rosmerta was talking to Katie. The older woman nodded over to Edmund, who was distracted by observing people. "Finally caught the infamous fish? Good for you dear." He could barely hear them speak to one another. The excited and jolly talking of the wizards was infectious.
He should drop by Dumbledore's office, maybe with a drink from the pub. "What are you thinking about?" A hand snaked down his arm to grab a hold of his hand, without much thought Edmund followed her to a booth in the back.
Edmund gave her a small smile, "Just thinking about the tournament." He said, not wanting to share Dumbledore's serenity of a private life. Her smile faltered a bit when he didn't answer and he straightened his back.
"Right, you got chosen as Dumbledore's apprentice."
"Yes, I did."
"You don't look so happy about it." She noted.
"I didn't really want to join the tournament, but all apprentices were already put in the cup." He shrugged and smiled at Madam Rosmerta as she gave them their drinks, butterbeer. "I'm just glad I can look out for Harry this way."
Kate put her pint of butterbeer down, "You're very close with him, and when I'm not the one for rumours, they are saying that you two are family, is that true?" Edmund raised his eyebrows in surprise, there were rumours?
"We're family, by blood." Edmund nodded, it was up to Harry to say that they're brothers. But he knew that his brother was paranoid by the thought of Voldemort coming after Edmund as well. But as an older brother, Edmund would follow Harry into battle.
"Really?" Katie quipped, "My mother used to be an older student when your fathers were there at school, was the rumour that Sirius Black and James Potter were secret twins true?"
Edmund choked on his butterbeer in surprise and smiled as he put the glass down, "James Potter had a twin, Amanda, my mother." She nodded.
"She was on the Quidditch team with my mother." Kate replied. "Your mother was a great chaser," She put her hand over Edmund's, "Just like you are."
Edmund gave her a small smile and was surprised at Kate's forwardness, sure, she was no Lavender forwardness but it was still enough for his heart to pound in his head. He gave her a small smile but it slightly faltered when he realised it wasn't the warmth of a hand that he wanted to feel. Earlier today, his heart nearly pounded out of his chest when Hermione touched his hand, and now, another pretty girl was touching his hand and only a few beats came from his heart.
He realised that his heart wouldn't beat for anyone else other than Hermione.
It was so typical of him to have that realisation when he was with someone else. He slowly pulled his hand away and sweated at her hurtful expression. "Sorry Katie." He started and nervously held onto his pint of butterbeer. "It's just, I'm trying to move on from Hermione and-"
"It isn't working." Kate gave him a bittersweet smile, "I noticed." He gave her a confused look. "It was an effort worth trying." He pursed his lips and looked into the drink with shame. "It's fine, you know, I understand. I don't think that I'll get over my first love either."
"Who is your first love?" Edmund asked quietly.
"Roger Davies." Katie sighed, "But his eyes are locked onto the Beauxbatons champion."
"Fleur?"
Katie nodded, "Yeah, looks like hers are locked onto you." Edmund blushed and shook his head. "But you don't want her attention or affection." Katie giggled softly, "You don't want anyone's love or attention, unless they're Hermione. Must be rough when all the girls run after you."
Edmund blushed again, Katie knew the right things to say to make him red. "Not all the girls run after me."
"Well, everyone except for Hermione and Ginny." Edmund smiled fondly, "Ginny is a dear, saying that you're like a brother to her. You have a way of worming into someone's life and being a prominent character in it."
Edmund smiled to himself, the compliment is something he'll never forget. "Thank you." He smiled, "Another round?" He questioned and Katie nodded. He picked up her pint and walked over to the bar.
He double checked, "Harry?" He questioned, "What are you doing here?"
The boy who tried to hide himself looked at Hermione who sat next to him, the Gryffindor looked over at him. "Just uh, nursing a pint." Edmund raised his eyebrows at Harry and glanced over to Hermione.
Edmund motioned for Madam Rosmerta to pour two more pints, he leant down by Harry's ear. "You think that bringing Hermione with you was a good idea? I'm trying to move on from her and here you are."
"Well, she actually was here already." Harry said and motioned to another booth, across the room and parallel to Edmund and Katie. "She heard something about Lavender and Ron's date." Edmund felt the ugly feeling return to his chest when she took her curious eyes off of him and to Ron. He couldn't help it.
Edmund thanked Madam Rosmerta for the butterbeer and gave Harry a small nod before walking back to Katie. By the looks of it, she had been watching Edmund from the booth. "Looks like all of your friends are here." Katie said as she smiled at him, when he handed over her pint. "Harry, Hermione and Ron."
"Ron isn't my friend." Edmund gave her a small smile, "He hasn't been, all he does is being angry for things I can't control."
"Such as being picked as the Hogwarts Champion."
Edmund snorted, "More like getting chosen as Dumbledore's apprentice." He felt his mood getting foul and he straightened his back. "Could we talk about something else?" He asked, timidly. She noticed and smiled, putting a hand over his and this time he didn't pull away.
"I heard that you tutor first-years."
Edmund raised his eyebrows, "Last year, some Hufflepuffs yeah." He smiled, "They are muggle-borns and some of them are still surprised that they are capable of magic, so I mostly tutor them with charms."
"I heard you also helped Colin a lot."
Edmund smiled fondly, "He's a good student." They talked some more until Edmund realised that it was getting far too late, especially when he had his morning run planned for sunrise. When Edmund said that it was getting late, Katie agreed and stood up, linking their arms together as they stepped out to the exit.
Naturally, Edmund paid for everything first before leaving, letting Katie take his jacket because of the cold. He believes they had gotten closer as friends rather than romantically. If they were a couple, it would be a couple of friends. He walked her up to the Gryffindor tower and smiled at her, "Thank you for the lovely evening." He smiled at her.
Katie took off his jacket and held it out for him. "Thank you for agreeing to a date." She smiled, when Edmund reached out for his jacket, her hand held onto his wrist. "Can we? Just one last time."
Edmund knew what she was insinuating and nodded. In another life he supposes that they'd be great together. He leaned in and pressed a soft kiss against her lips.