The cat meowed and leaned into his touch. Ed scratched under the cat's chin for good measure, then sat up. By the light filtering through the windows, it was nearly noon. He looked down at himself and snorted in disgust, noting that he didn't even manage to get out of his boots. He scratched the back of his head with his left hand, yawned and climbed the rest of the way out of bed.
He dug out his trench coat and spares: complete with their associated belts, and set all aside on top of the nightstand. He chose to ignore the the many many letters he had stuffed in his pockets that spilled to the floor. What he wanted right then was simple enough..his own change of clothes, his own towel, and other toiletries. With them in hand, he headed down the hall.
He emerged from the shower soon after, (and thankfully not attacked this time by a certain House Elf), dressed in his own dark brown slacks, watch and chain attached to belt, and simple black muscle shirt. Long hair, dyed black, hanging loose about his shoulders. He didn't think he'd need to cover up his metal right arm, as he wasn't planning on going outdoors. Afterall, he still had the task of unpacking ahead of him. With a quick pit stop back at the room to toss the dirties in a pile on the floor by his bed, he headed off down the stairs to get a semblance of breakfast.
When he entered the kitchen, Mrs. Weasley was there, assembling sandwiches for her brood. She greeted him with a smile.
"Hello there, Ed, dear. How are you?"
"Vwell enough." Ed replied with a smirk. "I vwas expecting your sons to vwake me like dhey usually do."
"Uh, well. They.." She blinked and looked down. She looked very uncomfortable to Ed. "They had other tasks to do today."
"No vorries." Ed smiled, and waved his left hand. "Anyvay, I came down for food, and a bowl. Den I plan on unpacking. I vill not be disturbing anyvone by doing dese tings, vill I?"
He watched her carefully. She was at the meeting the previous night. She had heard what he had done though Lupin and a bit through Tonks. And he could only guess at what Moody had seen him do. He was now certain Moody followed him about without being seen. Sure, she had let him sleep in the same room as Ron and Harry last night, but that was when he had just finished with his side of it. She had ushered him out herself as soon as he could no longer contain his yawning.
He was sure there would be some sort of change..once she learned just a tiny portion of what he was capable of. Would she consider him that? A danger?
"No. No that will be fine." Mrs. Weasley said brightly. She handed him a sandwich on a plate, with a small tight smile on her face. He accepted them, and the trust the words implied, with a small nod. She then fussed a bit over his bandage, taking her turn with the hourly change it needed, and left him to dine in peace. Tray of sandwiches held aloft by the very tip of her wand. He had the energy now to marvel at the feat, and a few arrays that might do the same thing occurred to him as he watched her go.
He finished eating, washed his plate, then grabbed a bowl and headed back to the room he shared with Ron and Harry. He was in the middle of sorting though his various research notes and books when Harry came back in and began to sweep up after his owl, who was perched, as usual, on the large wardrobe against the wall. Harry didn't so much as say a word to him, merely nodding to him that he existed. Ed thought he saw a slight flash of fear on his face, but chose to ignore it.
Ron ran into the room suddenly, two envelopes in his hand.
"Booklists have arrived!" he said, and threw one of the envelopes up to Harry. Ron then looked over to Ed, and he saw his eyes widen with obvious fear. Ed sighed.
'May as well do this now.' He thought as he grabbed the bowl on his bed, and headed to the hall. He went once again to the bath, and filled the bowl with water. Then to the toilet, flipped the lid down and sat with the bowl of water balanced on his thighs. He then draped his artificially black hair over his shoulder.
There was a knock on the door.
"I'm in here." Ed called.
"Decent?" Lupin's voice.
"Yeah. Vwhy?"
Lupin opened the door, and looked at Ed. He looked more sickly than ever, pale and even a bit flushed on his cheeks. But Ed refused to believe the man was as sick as he appeared, especially not after the blow Remus took from his right: The man had managed to stay standing. Remus looked first at the bowl with his kind eyes and then to Ed's draped hair. Then his eyebrows raised.
"Whatever are you up to?"
"Just changing it back." Ed pictured the array in his head, and it shined--beautifully balanced. He lowered his long hair to the water of the bowl, clapped his hands together, and touched the sides of the bowl. Blue lightning flashed, and Ed watched as the water got steadily darker from the dye leaving his locks. "It is vanity. I could vwait for it to fade, but I am liking my hair it's original color best."
"That's... alot like something an old schoolmate of mine did. With a wand of course, not.."
Ed smirked. And removed his hair from the water. He then lifted the bowl with his right metal hand, and looked over at Lupin.
"You vwouldn't happen to need anyting dyed black?"
"Uh..no. I just..uh..it's my turn with your bandage."
Ed nodded, and got up. He dumped the dye into the sink, and rinsed out the bowl. He then quickly ran his fingers through his now golden hair and braided the bulk of it into a rough braid down his back. As he completed his simple tasks, Ed watched Remus in the mirror, apparently searching through his pockets. His..well he guessed they were robes, looked quite worn and patched. As he watched Remus did take out one vial, but what ever it contained, it looked rather greenish.
"Blast..I forgot it..the last of the cream's in the kitchen, could..?"
"Sure. Got to return dhis anyvway." Ed blinked. "Vwait..'last of dh.."
"Don't worry. Severus let us know he will be by tonight to drop more of your cream off..."
"Ah. Dhat's good."
Remus stepped aside as Ed passed him, then followed in step behind. Ed heard "A Prefect!? Ron?!?" from the room he shared with Harry and Ron. It sounded like one of the twins were disgusted by the notion. He raised an eyebrow and blinked, but kept walking towards the kitchen, Remus just a step or two behind him.
:::
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