The Black Sky: OC x Hermione

Chapter 29

"You should go back out." Madam Pomfrey said quietly, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Everyone has been concerned about you." He could understand why they would be concerned about him. He hadn't shown up for class in days.

Edmund just looked out over the bustling courtyard, he could clearly separate all of the students. The first-years wore their ties correctly, while the older ones barely wore it. He could see the fur coats from Durmstrang and people swarming around a single fur coat. That would be Viktor. Then there were the Beauxbatons students, they never ran. "I'm not ready." His voice was hoarse and he put the bishop down, knocking over the king. "Checkmate."

"It's just another step." His uncle said and started to reposition the chessboard. "You should've told Madam Pomfrey here to get rid of the scar on your face." The man huffed as he looked closer. "You don't want to start looking like me, not a lot of women like scarred men."

"Not a lot of women like werewolves." Edmund retorted, he accepted the pieces that his uncle held out to him. They put them back on the black and white wood, on the place they belong in order to begin yet another game.

He glanced back out to the courtyard but caught a glimpse of himself instead, the scar under his eye was still pink, barely healed. He shouldn't have gone out to visit the maze again after everyone had abandoned it. He shouldn't have tried to get a glimpse of his mother while it was just a boggart. He shouldn't have done it at all and he paid the price for it.

The words of his mother echoed inside of his head and he turned back to his uncle. Immediately he countered the first step his uncle had made in the game. "Here." His uncle said and placed a glass vial on the table, beside the chess board. It shone with the light of a memory.

Edmund took a hold of it and looked at it. "Is it yours?" He asked quietly. It taunted him, screaming at him to already project it and look at it, but he didn't dare look at the sight of what he presumes would be his mother.

"It is mine." Remus nodded. "It's a memory that I cherish dearly. It was a moment that I could never forget." The look in his eyes made Edmund want to push it back into his hands and just force his fingers around the frail tube of glass. But after his uncle had seen his fingers tense, he gave a stern look. "You need it more than I do, Edmund." His uncle said and he put the pawn at an obvious place, the only place where the game can be won in only a few steps. "Someone's coming." The man hummed.

"So what," Edmund protested as he moved his pawn to win the game. "Why are you forfeiting, they can wait." He protested but his uncle continued to move his pawns as a way to surrender.

"Checkmate." Edmund murmured as he threw over the king, winning the game. "You know that I don't like to win games like this." His uncle had a habit of letting him win, and playing an expert game to challenge him. A soft knock at the door simmered the annoyed feelings that were starting to arise. The door opened only a bit and the feelings of annoyance disappeared immediately.

"Edmund?" She called out and blushed when she saw his uncle. "Professor Lupin." She greeted the former figure of authority. Edmund snorted when his uncle bashfully smiled.

"No professor Lupin anymore, just Lupin." The man said and stood up, grabbing the jacket from his chair. "Watch that memory, Edmund." He put a hand on his shoulder and softly squeezed it. "Don't hesitate to visit me again!" The man called out as he walked past Hermione and out of the door, "The boggart in the grandfather clock is getting lonely."

Edmund let out a breath of amusement as his eyes locked onto Hermione's figure. "Hey." He said softly. The girl crossed her arms.

"Hey yourself," She said and walked over to him. He expected a hug but instead felt a punch to his shoulder. "No-one has seen you in days!" She exclaimed. "You think you can come out wounded like that and not let anyone know where you disappeared off to!" She huffed out an annoyed breath. "I had to ask Susan!" She looked at him and nodded, "You know that Susan isn't exactly fond of me."