Sirius Black's trail was put on the big screens, for everyone to see and by every means possible. There was a muggle video camera filming everything, there were people using a magical quill to get everything written down with their owls in the corner, ready to send out the latest plot twist in the cruel case of Sirius Black's lack of trial which was at last, finally given.
Edmund didn't know how to feel, at some times he forgets that he even had a father that lived and didn't die like his mother did. Of course, he felt the absence of a father figure but there would always be one of his uncles to fill the shoes.
He didn't jump at the man at the sight of it, he didn't jump up for a hug or anything because at that moment he just felt a slight anger. An anger that simmered because his father didn't recognize him in the shack or that he didn't say anything until it had finally clicked in his head, having been so distracted with the rat.
What was even worse was that his father wanted to turn back to Lupin, maybe run. Edmund told him his mentor had a trial for him that could pronounce him innocent but he still wanted to turn back.
The bag slipped off of his shoulder and onto the ground, creating a little dust circle around it. He looked around the stairs and at the framed drawing that he had made as a little kid. "I haven't been here in a while." Edmund said, quietly.
"It must be hard for you." Dumbledore spoke from beside him. "Don't be afraid to reach out to me, young Edmund." The man put a hand on his shoulder and Edmund took in a breath. "Your father will be released in an hour. Until then I thought it might have been a good idea to settle into your old house."
Edmund nodded. "You're the secretkeeper?" He asked as Dumbledore lifted his hand from his shoulder. Dumbledore nodded at him and Edmund took in a breath. "Thank you for bringing me here, I wouldn't have asked if uncle Remus or Severus weren't busy."
"It is fine. I am your mentor, our agreement is bound to help one another out." Dumbledore hummed and put a hand on the doorknob. "You can at last be Edmund Black."
Edmund gave the man a small smile. "Right." Said Edmund quietly. "When will Harry come?"
"Next week." Dumbledore answered every question Edmund had.
Edmund nodded, he only had a week to get to know and be familiar with his estranged father. That was time enough. His heart jumped and wand gripped in his hand when he heard a sound of rummaging. "Reveal yourself!" Edmund called out as he crept around the corner. His bag was long forgotten.
"Little master?" A voice sounded hopeful. Edmund looked into the kitchen and his breath hitched.
The house-elf that used to only help Edmund, and Edmund only. "Kreacher?" Edmund questioned and kneeled down to look at the elf more clearly. "Oh wow, you've grown old."
"You've grown in general, master Edmund." The house-elf said. "You remind me of master Regulus."
The wizard gave the house-elf a small smile and stood up to his full height again. "Edmund is fine, Kreacher. You might be a house-elf but you still deserve my respect, especially since you're older than I." Kreacher looked like he wanted to fight against Edmund's opinion. "Do you think we can clean up the place?" Edmund asked as he trailed a finger against the hardwood table, picking up a layer of dust on his finger.
"Of course, mas-." Edmund gave him a strict look. "Edmund." He smiled at the house-elf and his heart fluttered as he'd think about how proud Hermione would be of him.
"Leave the master bedroom to it please, I'll clean it up on my own." He clenched his jaw and the habit he so hard tried to fight against came back the moment he thought of the bed his mother had died in. His fingers fidgeted with the necklace around his neck.
He would help Kreacher with cleaning right after he had looked around his mother's room. The staircase made an insufferable noise every time he took a step, it might have been his nerves but everything was annoying him at the moment. The door hinges squeaked and as if he was out of his body he did not feel himself reach out and open the door but he did.
The breath he was holding came out in the form of a choked sob. His throat hurt and his eyes prickled. Everyone wondered why he saw theastrals but he knew it was because of the very room he stood in. The very room where he realised that his uncles were going to stick around and weren't just having a nice visit. The room where he stood in was dusty, just like the rest of the house. It was clear that the house had been forgotten.
Good. His hand reached out and drew a line in the dust that was collected on the bookshelf. A bittersweet smile on his face said enough about how he felt as he trailed a finger over the spine of the books.
Greek books.
There was a lack of things that represented his father. Mostly because he was gone for the remainder of his mother's life. He wondered how it looked if it were both of their stuff, now it would only be his father's stuff. He closed his eyes and shivered involuntarily. A shaky breath escaped him as he looked over to the bed. The bed where his mother had been bound to for a year before she had passed away.
She was buried in Godric's Hollow, beside her brother. He slapped a hand over his mouth to deafen the sob that escaped him.
The picture of his smiling mother with a young child in her arms made Edmund sit down on the chair that was in the corner and held the picture in his hands, as if it was going to break. Softly, he wiped away the tears that fell. "Look at us now." He said bitterly. The woman smiled up at the camera, after tickling the baby, making him laugh. "All grown up, aren't I, mum?" He whispered out.
Guilt ate at him as he felt bitter. In what world did a woman, a wife and a mother want to die? Was he bitter because he was left all alone or was it because she had left him. All the memories of her that he had personally, were all fading and turning into a silver hue of light, to be contained in a small vial.
No longer had he had his mother but now he had his father, a father, someone's father. Edmund took in a shuddering breath and held his wand out, casting a cleaning charm that did its job. The room was removed of its dust and the books were placed back onto the bookshelf. The blankets on the beds were folded up and the pillows that looked worn down were puffed up and he faltered. The memories of his time living at the house were blurred but he does remember the smile of mother because it is the smile he sees in the mirror.
He grabbed a hold of the picture and casted a doubling spell on it. He put it under his arm and reached out for a few more books. He tried to keep his head up as he walked out. Then he finally reached his own room, a small plaque with his name in iron. "Thank you for cleaning, Kreacher." Edmund said after he saw the house-elf walk around the hall.
"Of course, Edmund." Kreacher said.
Edmund opened his room and saw that most of his stuff was already brought upstairs. He wondered if his uncle Severus had decided to decorate it for him. The bookshelf was there along with his bed, the old toddler bed wouldn't have fit him. Even the dummy he used to train his offensive spells on was there, lumped in a corner.
He walked over to the desk and picked up the piece of paper with the new foreign item. "If you ever want to have a chat," Edmund read from the letter and smiled. His head was spinning and he didn't know what to do. He picked up the phone and turned to the rotary dial that he knew by heart.
"Jean Granger, how can I help you?"
"Hey Jean." Edmund cleared his throat, normally Hermione would answer. "Edmund speaking."
"Oh Edmund! We've missed you on our little road trip! It would have been so nice to have you with us, tell me, how have you been?" The mother of Hermione gushed . Edmund had a fond smile on his face as he sat down in his leather chair by the phone.
"I've been well." Edmund answered. "How about you?"
"Very good as well." Edmund could already see her nod, in her kitchen by the wall. "Ah, there she is. We'll see you soon yeah, Edmund? Let's get a coffee once in a while." Edmund laughed and voiced his agreements. Jean was a lovely woman, he loved to just talk with her once in a while.
"Edmund?" He could hear the voice of Hermione and his stomach stopped squirming. Her voice already made his heart pick up the pace and put his mind to rest. It didn't help that she always knows how he's doing. "How are you doing, really?"
Edmund let out a heavy breath and sank deeper into his chair. "I don't know. I haven't really thought about living with my father again for years. Thought he was gone for good."
"But he's back."
"Yes he is."
"What are you going to do about it?"
Edmund pursed his lips, "Nothing. I suppose if Dumbledore didn't get him a fair trial all would have been lost, would it? He's now pronounced innocent and my uncle will get his friend back."
"You got Harry." Hermione countered.
"That's a positive." Edmund hummed, "Harry is feeling ecstatic about all of this. I don't think I can feel like that, Hermione. I had a father and he left because he didn't think rationally." He said and then quietly added. "I'm glad that Harry is my brother now but that means everyone on my mother's side except Harry is dead."
"Do you feel angry that he had left that night and confronted Peter?"
"Yes." His chest felt heavy. "I feel so much anger, Hermione-"
"But?" He couldn't get his words out and Hermione knew she was pushing him to talk about it. Just like he had needed her to.
"I feel so many different feelings, but I am both happy and sad that he is back, but I'm still trying to figure out how that could be." He let out a shuddering breath. "Can you tell me how to act differently towards my father in a way that makes sense?"
"I can't." Hermione said, softly as if she didn't want to break the news to him. "These are your feelings and your feelings alone, Edmund. You're allowed to be angry, sad and happy. You have a father now, be a son. You have a brother now, be a brother."
Edmund nodded and cleared his throat, "Thank you, Hermione."
"I'll see you soon, yeah?"
"Of course, and Hermione?"
"Yes, Edmund?" The way she said his name made him shiver. Oh had he missed her. "You're very special." He decided to say, knowing it was forward. "The reason I'm telling you this is because I don't know if anyone tells you that enough." It was quiet for a while and Edmund jumped at the sound of a knock. "Kreacher?"
"Your father has arrived home." Kreached announced.
"Thank you Kreacher." He said and pulled away his hand that was covering the microphone part of the phone. "Look Hermione I've got to-"
"Go, Edmund. Be a son."
Edmund let out a breath and nodded. "Bye Hermione. I've missed you." He had minimal contact with his friends the moment the trials started, which was right after school. Many were sending letters that he just didn't feel like responding to due to the stress of his father's trial.
He put the phone back down on its handles and stood up. "Edmund?" A voice called out and Edmund walked over to the staircase. He wondered what he would call his dad upon first glance.
He looked down at the front door and saw that he had changed, from looking worn down to more full in his face, not malnourished. He had looked more like the pictures and memories that Edmund had seen. "Father." Edmund nodded, "Welcome back home."
The house-elf had a slight sneer on his face as he looked to the ground, "Welcome home, master."
"Thank you Edmund." He beamed at his son and Edmund swallowed, raising his eyebrow towards the house-elf. "You as well, Kreacher." The house-elf grumbled and walked away. "Edmund, have you settled in nicely?"
He went down the stairs and just stood there, "Uncle Severus has set up my room for me." He nodded.
"Right." His father nodded, "It is nice to be here."
"It is." Edmund agreed.
"It feels empty without your mom bossing me around."
Edmund let out an amused breath, "It does, doesn't it?" He nodded.
Many interactions later and it wasn't that awkward anymore. He tells his father about the different things he had done in his life, Edmund answered every question he had about him and it felt as if they were father and son again, but he couldn't ignore the angry feeling that swirled around in his stomach. The thoughts of why his father even had to ask the questions was already enough to make his mood switch.
They sat by the dinner table and his father set his glass cup down again. "Would you like to join me to Diagon Alley, tomorrow morning?"
"I will." Edmund nodded. It was an opportunity to be a son until he finally felt like one, just like Hermione had told him.
—
There were a lot of stares, a lot of people avoiding and only a few walking up and congratulating his father on being pronounced innocent, Edmund suspects that some just wanted to ask his signature and make money off of it.
It was already the first week of august and Edmund was already itching to prepare himself for the school year. "Oh excuse me." Edmund said and helped up a man. "Minister Fudge." he blinked at the man, the last time he had seen the man was on the last day of his father's trial.
"Mr. Black." The man said and Edmund shook the hand he had held out. "A nice day to be outside, isn't it?" Edmund nodded silently.
"Yes it is." His father agreed.
"Ah, Mr. Black, senior." Minister Fudge said and held his hand out to shake his father's. "A huge apology once again, from the Ministry of Magic for your mistrial." The man glanced over at Edmund and back at his father. "Do you think we could, perhaps, talk?" The minister motioned over towards the Leaky Cauldron.
Edmund just nodded at his father, "I'll be fine." He said, "I'll just head over to buy my school books." His father nodded at him and turned towards the prime minister as the many only closed his mouth for their short little conversation. Edmund watched them walk off and he walked towards Flourish and Blotts.
Edmund snorted when he saw a familiar bookshelf. "What's so funny?" A voice asked and Edmund turned to look at a familiar Gryffindor.
"Ah, Lavender." He blinked, "Just a memory." He said.
Lavender nodded, "I want to apologise." She suddenly said, Edmund froze in his spot before he could speed walk away like he was planning to. "For ruining your friendship with Ron."
Edmund's face softened up considerably and he gave her a small smile. "You don't have to be sorry." He said, "Ron ruined it for us himself by reacting as he always does."
"But he's a really sweet boy." Lavender countered. "Maybe you can be friends again."
Edmund felt a bit of contempt filled him and gave her a tight-lipped smile. "I don't think so." He shook his head, "We don't need to be friends, Lavender. I just need to be friendly with him and he'll be friendly with me, but we won't be friends."
Lavender pursed her lips and nodded. "I just feel bad, it happened because of me."
"It happened because of Ron." Edmund said, "Has he asked you out yet?"
"Still waiting for it." She smiled and Edmund chuckled.
"Tell him that he needs to hurry up." Edmund said, "There are enough boys for you at the world cup."
Lavender giggled and nodded, "I will! Bye Edmund!" She said and waved before running over to what Edmund assumed were her parents. He continued his way to look between the bookshelves.
His list was in his hand and his hands were full with books."Just these, thank you." He said as he gazed off at the bookshelf where his favourite books were.
"You know that it's rude to not look someone in the eyes when you're talking." A teasing voice said and Edmund's grey eyes snapped up.
"Susan?" He smiled instantly and reached over the counter to give her a short hug. "You work here?"
She nodded, "My aunt said that it was a good job for making connections. A lot of officials come here, did you know that?"
Edmund shrugged, "I didn't." He wanted to ask her how she's been, but she had already cut him off.
"Were you just talking to Lavender?" She asked and leaned forward. "What did she say? Did she flirt with you? Doesn't she like Ron?" Everyone had seen how she was taking care of Ron after he had broken his leg, except for Edmund. Edmund was allowed to leave the castle early due to his father's trial starting immediately.
Edmund chuckled, always firing off questions. "I was just talking to Lavender." He confirmed. "We were just talking about Ron. How we don't need to be friends but just be ok, you know?" Susan nodded, "She does like Ron, she also apologised."
"Apologised for harassing you?" Susan asked bluntly, Edmund snorted and nodded.
"She did, it was nice of her."
"It is decent of her." Susan corrected. "She harassed you, Edmund."
"Right." Edmund nodded. "Are you going to the Quidditch World Cup?" He asked, excited about it. "Did you manage to get a hold of tickets yet? I think father and I were going to buy some today but he got distracted and now I'm here doing my school shopping." He rambled.
Susan shrugged, "I think so, but maybe not. My aunt said that it was going to be very busy."
"Well, it is the World Cup." He grimaced, "But I know that you don't like the crowds." He leaned on the counter, there was no crowd since he had gotten his list of books in advance, along with a small list that Dumbledore had compiled for him. "We'll have to go to a small town quidditch match, yeah?"
Susan smiled brightly, "Let's do that." she nodded. Her face faltered a bit, "How is your father doing?"
Edmund had seen Susan at all the trials, alongside her aunt. He thought it was nice of her aunt to bring her to ministry places and advise her on what positions there are, a caring aunt who just wanted a bright future for her niece. "Well, he missed being outside so after he was released yesterday, he suggested we'd go to Diagon Alley."
Susan nodded, "He was looking far better at the end than the beginning."
Edmund snorted, "True."
The bell rang and the two Hufflepuffs turned around, his father stood by the entrance looking around at the books. "Edmund." His father breathed out in relief, as if he was thinking that his son had disappeared from his life at an instant once again.
"Father." Edmund stood up straight. "How was the minister?"
"He was fine. Apologised and bought me some food." Edmund nodded, "He also gave me tickets for the World Cup top box."
Edmund's eyes widened. "No way."
His father grinned, "Yes." He nodded, "I need to do a few things before we head to the tournament next week. So we're picking up Harry today."
"Now?" His father nodded and Edmund turned to Susan who just looked happy for him. She gave him a bag with his books, "We'll see you soon!" Edmund paid and walked out waving over to his friend.
"Is that your girlfriend?" His father asked. "I've had a few in my time."
Edmund raised his eyebrows and chuckled, "Mother used to say that you had more than just a few. Besides, she's not my girlfriend, I think she does like a Slytherin." His father cringed and Edmund clenched his jaw.
—
"Welcome home, Harry." Edmund grinned as he put down two suitcases in the hall. "Our House-Elf is called Kreacher and we have a painting of grandmother who will scream at you, I think." He saw Harry cringe and he shrugged, "She doesn't like anyone but purebloods, she can be lovely until you tell her that you're a Hufflepuff." Harry laughed.
"Have you gotten an invite from the Weasley's as well?"
Edmund pursed his lips, "No, don't think so." The two walked into the kitchen, where Kreacher would always be. "Kreacher? Do we have any mail?"
"Yes, Edmund."
Edmund frowned, "Why didn't you tell me?"
"They're blood traitors!" The house-elf was throwing a tantrum now and Edmund gave the elf a strict look, which made him settle down immediately, fearing what his master would do. At the sight of the house-elf making himself small, Edmund's glare softened up.
"May I please have my letters?" Edmund asked politely.
With a crack, the elf apparated away and with another crack, Kreacher stood in front of him holding out letters. "Here, Edmund. I apologise."
Edmund smiled. "Don't do it again, Kreacher."
The elf disappeared away and Edmund supposes that the elf was going to bring Harry's suitcases up to his room, next to Edmund's. The Hufflepuff opened the letters that were undoubtedly Arthur Weasley's handwriting, they like to share their muggle discoveries.
"I am invited." Edmund hummed and walked over to the study to pull out a piece of paper. He quickly confirmed that he was coming with them. "Hoping to see Ginny there, or Cho this time?" Edmund teased his brother.
Harry blushed, "I don't know what you're talking about."
Edmund laughed. "Of course you don't." He tied it to the new family owl's leg and let it fly away. "I'm quite excited to see Hermione though."