Title: In which Ed has his second day
As he watched Ed eating, hurriedly scarfing down biteful after biteful, it was very clear to Harry that Ed had forgotten something that seemed so very important to him the night before. He had forgotten that his white glove was lost in the hall somewhere by Professor McGonagall's office. And that everyone in the school could now see his shining metal hand.
Harry looked to Ron and Hermione, and swallowed.
"He said he fought You-Know-Who.."
"..saw Cedric Diggory die.."
"..wonder what took off his hand.."
"Wait, wasn't he born with it?"
"Stupid..! No one's BORN with a metal.."
"..Bet it was a Dark Wizard..like he said in.."
"Maybe..it's magic metal..?"
Harry watched as Ed scarfed down the last morsel on his plate and, with a swig of the 'yellow' juice to wash it down, turn to Hermione.
"Could you show me vwhere the library is?" Ed said "I vwant to get started in dhere vright avay."
"Um..sure, but the library's closed right now. Ed..uh.."
Ed looked at her in confusion.
"It's not dhat late, is it? Vwhat time is it?"
"It's late. It'll still be there tomorrow, mate." Ron said "Um, Ed."
Ron gestured to his own right hand. Ed raised his eyebrows and glanced down to his own; He saw the metal shining in the candlelight. He entwined
his fingers together, brought them to his chin, making the shining metal hand more prominent than ever. He watched the others around him with
slightly narrowed eyes. After a few moments, he abruptly stood up and walked away from the table.
"Ed..?" Harry said, "you..?"
Harry watched Ed's back as he stalked towards the Griffindor tower, long pony tail swinging with every step.
"Harry, c'on. Let's go, too." Hermione said.
"'Sides, he doesn't know about the trick stairs..!" Ron added.
Harry glanced at the whisperers sitting around, and gave them a good glare.
"Well, not like down here's all that welcoming, anyway." Harry said.
Harry followed Hermione and Ron up the stairs to the common room. When they arrived, Ed wasn't there, but his robe was; it was thrown carelessly
upon one of the chairs by the hearth. Crookshanks was there on the chair cushion, sniffing at the discarded robe as if offended by it's
presence. The room was nearly empty; most of the other Griffindors were still in the Great Hall, eating.
"Well..looks like he made it alright." Ron said, and flopped onto his favorite chair. "You reck'n he's steaming..?"
"Don't know." Harry said. "I know I am. I mean, why don't they believe me now when they did 2 months ago?"
"I'm not sure they did." Hermione said softly. "You don't know what it was like, since you were only on the green and not..oh." Hermione flopped
into her own chair, and a loudly purring Crookshanks immediately jumped into her lap. "Dumbledore made the announcement right after alright,
then the holidays happened, and they only know what the Prophet's been printing about you and Dumbledore this entire time."
"It's like whatever Dumbledore said didn't matter." Harry said glumly as he flopped into his own favorite chair.
"How could Dumbledore let this happen?" Hermione said "How could he let that horrible woman teach us? In our O.W.L. year?!?" She started to
pound the chair's overstuffed arms until dust rose up. It became such a great cloud that it made both her and Crookshanks sneeze nuerous times.
Crookshanks shook his head in his irritation, then left her lap in favor of the sloppily robed chair by the hearth.
"Well, we never really had a good D.A.D.A teacher now have we." Harry said. "It's like Hagrid said. No one wants the job."
"And she wants people to spy for her." Ron said. "'member, she said to tell her if anyone said You-Know-Who is back?"
"'Course she said that. She works for the Ministry!" Hermione snapped.
"Don't start arguing again.." Harry said with a sigh. "Can't we just..Let's just do that homework, get it out of the way..."
Harry heard some clumping sounds, and looked up as Ed came down the stairs from the dormitory. He was carrying a rather large pile of books
before him, and both hands were now gloved. He glanced back to his own bookbag and took out a scroll. Ron already had his out and was busily
writing.
'The properties of moonstone and its uses in potion-making..'
"There." Ron said, and looked expectantly at Hermione. "So what are the properties of moonstones in potion making?" Ron and Harry looked over at
her, and saw she had her attention directed at Ed.
Ed shooed Crookshanks off the chair with a half-hearted push-scoop using one foot. He then flopped down and put his pile of books at his feet.
"Dhe properties of moonstone? Easy. You just use dhe aluminum silicate crystaline structure to base dhe form of.."
"You didn't even do the assignment today. How do.." Hermione began.
"Severus... vwas not liking my metod much." Ed smirked. "It does not change dhe fact dhat it vworked. Next class he vwants me to do dhe same as
dhe vrest of dhe class, vwhich means I get to bring along stoopid cooking pot."
Harry imagined the look of surprise he was sure was on Snape's face at the flash of blue lightning. He had seen Draco's face, and glanced at
most of the class when Ed repaired the cracked table he was sitting at with but a clap of his hands. Harry was facing the wrong way to see just
what was on Snape's face then, but he wished he could have seen it.
"Just..uh.. Call him Snape." Hermione said. "You lost us enough points today on your own."
"I DO know dhat." Ed snorted, and picked up a book. "Dhis Potions class is like a review for me. Like..um.. going back to kindergarden to learn
about different colors in many vays. It is dhe..um..magical.." Ed's nose wrinkled in disgust. "..plants I am unfamiliar vwith. Neville seems to
be liking dhem much.."
"So..um..how do you do that..hand clap thing anyway? I mean..it's neat and all. But.. " Ron said.
"I..um.. Vhat I HAVE been able to find.. ez minor branch of vhat I know, and eben dhat is being filled vith such misinformation.. myths.. uber
garbage... I vas hoping to get to your library today, and see if it vas any better here... but.." Ed shook his head, opened the book, and sat
back. Harry saw it was the 6th year book for Tranfigurations.
"What..what is it?" Harry said. "Could you tell us that much?"
"I dhink... you alvready know dhe answer to dhat, Harry." Ed said, as he turned a page. "..vright now, I am vorking on a dheory."
Harry really tried to figure just what it was Ed was talking about, and only found his temple throbbing from the effort. He looked at Hermione
and Ron.
"Ed.." Hermione began. "What are you..?"
Ed turned a page and continued reading.
"Eeeeddd..heeellll-lo..." Ron said loudly. Ed had to have heard; Ron was nearly sitting right next to him. Harry watched, but Ed didn't respond,
instead, he turned to the next page of the book. Ed's face was like stone, and his golden eyes held such intensity..
"Brilliant..He looks like he did at the castle entrance..." Harry said when he looked to Ron.
"Don't touch him, then. 'Member? He nearly hit you." Ron said.
"No worries there." Harry said as he patted the air. "I want my jaw intact. I'm staying over here."
"He did this..to get through the..?" Hermione said. "Wow. Just..wow."
Harry rubbed his temples, and, after a few moments, though he knew he'd regret it, gave up on doing his homework that night. Especially when
Hermione said..
"I'm not sure..but I think.. I know what he was talking about ..."
:::
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