The whereabouts of the mysterious young wizard remain in question. A Ministry official at the scene claimed no charges were planned to be filed against him at this time.
XXXXXX
Harry swallowed.
"So that's it. That's why Scrimgeour let him go. Dumbledore had to have pulled it for him." Ron said, reading over Harry's shoulder.
"Only Dumbledore doesn't have that much say in the Ministry anymore." Harry said. "I..uh.."
"They're embarrassed. That gives Ed some protection at least." Hermione said. "I wonder what Tonk's supposed to be watching him for?"
"Him using the Dark Arts?" Ron said, and shrugged his shoulders. "Least they've stopped publishing rubbish about Dumbledore."
Hermione glanced over at Ed's area.
"Oh...look at that..."
Harry, having been in the room for hours, looked over, half wondering what she could be talking about. On the nightstand were piled many leather belts, which only slightly covered what looked like a mechanical arm, and something that looked suspiciously like a bentup metal spatula. Hermione walked over to the area, and looked at the large, messy pile of papers, books, and notebooks that nearly took up the entire bed.
'Of course.' Harry thought. 'Should've known.'
Harry watched her as she glanced the the titles of book after book, being surprisingly careful not to touch a thing on the bed.
"You wouldn't suppose he could use some..uh..help?" Hermione asked.
"Ask him. Prat left before we even arrived." FredorGeorge said, and one of them was looking at the newspaper article, thoughtfully.
Hermione looked over at Harry, then Ron. Harry shrugged.
Mrs. Weasley entered the room carrying a rather large pile of robes...
Ed made something of a headway in organising his great pile of research, but his peace in the room he shared with Ron and Harry was soon interrupted. While he took a short break and wandered downstairs to stretch his legs, he noticed the house was a flurry of activity now that Mrs. Weasley had returned from a place called "Diagon Alley". Mrs Weasley herself was beeming with excitment, joy, and what he could only assume was a mother's pride.
"Ron a prefect. That's the fourth in the family..." He overheard her as she did a maneuver he was beginning to call "wanding" that tacked up a rather large banner over the dinner table. He could read that the red banner said "Congratulations Ron and Hermione--New Prefects", and was beginning to suppose the unfamiliar word was some sort of promotion or reward.
"I'd thought we'd have a little party, not a sit-down dinner," she said to Ron, Harry, Hermione, Ginny, Fred and George as they too, entered the room. "Your father and Bill are on their way, Ron, and I've sent them both owls and they're thrilled," she added, beaming.
At the thought of a party, Ed immediately wanted to escape the room. He turned and found his way blocked by none other than Moody. Inwardly he cursed, but held his gaze steady. Moody looked at him with his dark beady eye, the other spinning wildly about.
"Oh, Alastor, I am glad you're here." Mrs Weasley said brightly, as Moody shrugged off his traveling cloak. "We've been meaning to ask you for ages--could you have a look in the writing desk in the drawing room and tell us what's inside it? We haven't wanted to open it just in case it's something really nasty."
Moody narrowed his beady eye at Ed, and frowned. Then looked over at Mrs. Weasley.
"No problem, Molly.."
Moody's blue eye swiveled upward and stared fixedly at the ceiling of the kitchen.
"Drawing room..."he growled, as the pupil contracted. "Desk in the corner? Yeah, it's a boggart..Want me to go up and get rid of it, Molly?"
"No. no, I'll do it myself later." beamed Mrs. Weasley. "You have your drink. We're having a little bit of a celebration, actually.." She gestured at the scarlet banner. "Fourth prefect in the family!" she said fondly, ruffling Ron's hair.
"Prefect, eh?" growled Moody. His normal eye went the where Ron was at the table, the blue fully focused on Ed. Ed held his ground, though it felt as though the eye was looking right through him.
"Well, congratulations." Moody said. "Authority figures always attract trouble, but I suppose Dumbledore thinks you can withstand most major jinxes or he wouldn't have appointed you.." Moody shifted his beady eye back to Ed, and raised a scarred eyebrow.
Ed felt a hand on his left shoulder, and knew he couldn't escape the celebration now. He sighed and looked to who it was. He saw round glasses and a lightening shaped scar on a pale face framed with dark unruly hair: Harry. He handed Ed a mug filled with a yellow liquid topped with foam. Ed sniffed at it uncertainly, and let Harry pull him aside. He settled into a seat near Tonks and Sirius; Harry sat right next to him.
"This is one party I think you really should be at." Harry whispered with a small smile on his face. Ed thought the smile looked forced.
"I..Vvrealie... not goot vvith diz..." Ed muttered while he looked about uncomfortably at the friendly, smiling faces surrounding the table. He glanced at the door. Then he turned back to the table held the mug with both his mismatched hands. There was a toast to Hermione and Ron, and Ed joined in because it was expected, not certain at all at just what he was congradualting them for. They did look happy, and so he was certainly happy for them.
:::
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