𝐄𝐃𝐄𝐋𝐘𝐍 ⦊ 𝘩. 𝘱𝘰𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 ✓ {editing}

― iii. liquorice wands and ferrets

"We — we're just happy to see you."

"Awe...did Ickle Ronniekins miss me?" Edelyn smirked and leaned over, pecking Ron on the cheek — a peck which was instantly wiped off. "Uck!" Ron grimaced. "Lyn!" 

"Who were you getting away from?" Harry asked.

"Cedric," she groaned. "He hasn't let me leave his sight all summer after the World Cup. I think he feels guilty that we got separated that night. Amos got really upset...but I tried to explain to him it wasn't Ced's fault."

"So, how are you — um...coping with what happened?" Hermione hesitantly asked.

Edelyn shrugged. "Well, I can't really blame Crouch for what he did, can I? He was right...I am a Black, and I'm—" Her fingernails dug into the seat. "I'm his daughter. Blimey, I hate him," she spat. "If I ever see that man, I'll—" But Edelyn halted as she saw her friends all exchange an odd look.

"Lyn, you've never met him. You can't really say you hate him," Hermione reasoned.

Edelyn's expression hardened. "He's the reason my mum's dead, Hermione. That's grounds enough to hate him." She watched as Ron and Hermione turned to Harry. His eyes widened with a stare that unmistakenly said: "Just drop it." Edelyn furrowed her eyebrows. "What's going on?" she asked. "Why are you all looking at each other like that?"

"We...We just..." Ron began, but before he could finish, the compartment door slid open again and the Trolley Lady asked, "Any sweets dears?"

"Oh, yeah," Ron eagerly replied, glad for the interruption, for he hadn't a clue what he would have otherwise said. He pulled out some bronze coins from his pocket. "I'll grab a pumpkin pasty and a liquorice wand." Then, counting the coins in his hand, added, "On second thought, just the pumpkin pasty."

"And anything for you, dears?"

Harry and Hermione shook their heads. Edelyn reached into her pockets. "Two liquorice wands, please."

"Here, I can go grab them," Harry offered. Taking the coins from Edelyn and Ron, he stood up and left to pay the Trolley Lady. As she handed him the sweets, a very pretty girl with long, shiny dark hair and a freckled nose swept over.

"Oh. Hi, Harry," Cho Chang said sweetly. 

"H-hi, Cho," Harry spluttered. 

She smiled at him, cheeks slightly flushed, then peered into their compartment. Seeing Edelyn, she gave her a small wave.

"Hi, Edelyn. Had a good summer?"

"Brilliant," Edelyn replied and a spark of mischief glinted in gunmetal blue. "We went to Tutshill to visit Cedric's grandparents. While we were there, we saw Brevis Birch."

Cho's eyes widened. "You mean the Brevis Birch, Captain of the Tornados?"

"That's the one," said Edelyn brightly. "He let us take a photograph with him. Signed it too! Ced probably has it somewhere in his pockets. You should go find him and ask to see it."

At this suggestion, Cho's cheeks glowed bright red and a rather giddy smile played her lips. "Yeah, I might just do that," she said, then with a wave goodbye, she hurried off, leaving Edelyn feeling fairly pleased with herself. Perhaps, after two years of pining over the girl, Cedric would finally have a shot. Well, if he stopped ogling at her and made a move already, that is.

When the compartment door closed behind Harry, Ron opened his mouth and out spewed a tirade on how the Chuddley Cannons were far better than the Tutshill Tornados — a rant which instantly turned heated when Edelyn began to defend Cho Chang's favourite Quidditch team.