章 47: CH47 - Summer Plans
Tensions had steadily been escalating between the blood purists of Slytherin and the vast majority of the rest of the school. Most had been anticipating another fight to break out, as there seemed to be no other way to resolve things.
However, one day, everyone woke up to find that the friction between the two parties had simply vanished. Without any explanation, several of the foremost perpetrators of blood purity seemed to have suddenly given up on harassing those they considered beneath them.
The end of the hostilities was confusing, and many remained cautious for weeks after what seemed like a deceptive ploy. Those people were in for a pleasant surprise.
While still maintaining a smug, holier-than-thou attitude, Malfoy and Bletchley had stopped interacting with 'mudbloods' entirely. They still acted snooty and disgusted whilst in the presence of their objects of disdain, but no bigoted rhetoric spewed from their mouths as it would have only a few days prior.
For some incomprehensible reason, the group had come to a private ceasefire agreement.
Edmund was the only one who knew otherwise...
That was not to say that things were perfect. While others may not have noticed, Edmund had caught a number of pained looks on the faces of those he had visited that night. Grimaces would grace their features for a split second, only to be replaced with blankness, and then complete disregard once more.
Edmund's magic was working. In fact, it was probably working overtime to create the degree of results that were being seen. The side effects of this were subtle but clearly discernable.
Miles and Draco, in particular, had shortened the length of time they spent in public places to alleviate their chances of suffering. Apparently, their thought processes were causing them such agony that they had been reduced to implementing measures to stop them from occurring altogether.
Edmund likely would have felt bad if it weren't for the knowledge that they possessed such little control over themselves that they were in such a situation. As it was, he felt no reason to intervene any further. Perhaps they could rectify their behaviour with time, given their circumstances. Or maybe it would only make their hatred grow.
Either way, it was of no concern to Edmund.
*-*-*-*
- (Scene Break) -
*-*-*-*
Easter break was quickly approaching, and Edmund knew the rest of the school year would likely fly by just as fast. Before then, he would have to solidify his plans for the summer and get his affairs in order.
He had discussed the topic at length with Marvolo, and the two had agreed that it would be wise for Edmund to find an official place to reside within the magical world rather than join up at Voldemort's location. The chance of someone noticing something amiss with a cover story was slim, but there was no reason to take any risks.
The arrangments were finalized on an early March morning when a tawny owl dropped a thick roll of parchment onto Jeremy's head with a smack.
The boy massaged his scalp with one hand as the other went to pry open the wax stamp keeping the letter sealed. As he read the contents of the missive, his eyes widened, and a grin formed. Whooping with joy, Jeremy leaned across the table and handed the message to Edmund's hands, who skimmed over it eagerly.
"My man! We're gonna be living it up over the summer. Todd style!" Jeremy cheered happily.
Edmund smiled, trying and failing not to show his excitement. "At least when we share a room at your house, your mum won't let you turn it into the pig sty you've made our dorm," he admitted with an exaggerated sigh of despair.
Jeremy chuckled, far too thrilled to bother getting offended at his friend's joke. "I've done my part! Now you go do yours," he shooed him towards the High Table.
"Right," Edmund said determinedly. "Game face on!"
He walked towards McGonagall's spot at the dais, his look of seriousness morphing into the most pitiful puppy eyes he could form. The skill was not a magical one, but its results could be no less miraculous when wielded effectively.
The professor's eyes narrowed as soon as she caught sight of him. She was familiar with Edmund's antics and was knowledgeable about the tricks he liked to employ.
"Can I help you, Mr. Cole?" she said as sternly as she could, aware of the eyes on her at the moment.
"Well, Professor, you see, the thing is..." Edmund waffled.
"Spit it out, Mr. Cole," McGonagall demanded exasperatedly.
"Jeremy's parents have given me permission to stay with them over the summer," the words tumbled out of Edmund's mouth quickly, "and I was hoping you could help me get permission to leave the orphanage for that time?"
McGonagall made to respond, but Edmund was on a roll.
"Please, please, please, professor. If I ask the matron, she's definitely going to say no," Edmund pleaded. "But she likes you! If you ask on my behalf, there's no way she'll refuse!"
"Mr. Cole, such a thing goes far beyond my duties as a prof—" McGonagall began protesting before being cut off by Edmund clinging on to the sleeves of her robes.
"C'mon, professor, please don't say no!" Edmund appealed once more.
McGonagall looked around, flustered by the amused gaze of the other professors watching the interaction. She pursed her lips, looking at Edmund with annoyance, before leaning in next to his left ear.
"You little rascal," she hissed. "You think you're clever? Don't think you're going to get away scot-free with this. Do you remember I mentioned that I needed a test subject to demonstrate for my seventh-year human transfiguration class? Thank you for volunteering for the position."
Edmund shivered, trying to draw away from her grasp, but the professor held him steadfast.
"No ifs, ands, or buts!" McGonagall forged on as Edmund squirmed. "That's the price you pay! Deal?"
Edmund nodded slightly, and McGonagall released him immediately.
She smiled at him tightly, enjoying his fidgeting.
"Alright, Mr. Cole," she said, audible for those nearby to hear. "I'll see what I can do."
Edmund bowed jerkily before dashing back to his seat. The woman could be terrifying sometimes, and she made sure to remind him of it when he pushed too far.
Would Edmund learn not to antagonize her again?
A smirk tugged at his lips. 'Probably not.'
*-*-*-*
- (Scene Break) -
*-*-*-*
Jeremy may not have explicitly mentioned it, but Edmund had figured it would be a good idea to gain employment over the summer to make the time go by faster. Loitering around inside the Todd household would only make him more of a hassle, and Edmund did not wish to inconvenience the family any more than was necessary.
For that purpose, a long list of potential applications was written before him, although many had been crossed out by those beside him.
"You have to understand that there are some unspoken rules to this kinda thing!" Cedric gesticulated wildly.
"Yeah?" Edmund responded. "Like what?"
"Well, you're sorta lucky this year, considering most of the shops in Diagon are hiring," Cedric explained. "With Sirius Black on the loose, not many parents are keen to let their kids work out in the open. In fact, even some full-time workers have left their jobs in fear of Black."
"So there are lots of openings," Edmund surmised. "I don't see the problem here."
"The problem," Cedric emphasized, "is that there are lots of jobs that you aren't qualified for, some who wouldn't hire you, and even those that wouldn't be safe for you."
"I know about the Leaky Cauldron," Edmund shrugged. "I'm not old enough to be serving alcohol, so they probably wouldn't want to hire me anyways."
"The Leaky Cauldron is the only place where there's a legal problem involved with hiring you," Cedric agreed. "But take Quality Quidditch Supplies, for example. I've worked there for three years, and all the student employees are on the Hogwarts quidditch teams. They only take in those who know how to handle the equipment properly or those they know will help boost sales. The owner even has a whole wall full of pictures of Quidditch stars who used to work at his shop before they became famous."
"Alright, I get that. But it doesn't exactly apply to a quill shop, does it? Why did you eliminate Amanuensis Quills from the list?" Edmund questioned.
"No chance, mate," Jeremy dismissed. "That's a luxury goods store if anything. They've got feathers of phoenixes, thunderbirds, occamies, and who knows what else stored in there. They're not letting an eleven-year-old handle their supply no matter what."
"Fine," Edmund conceded. "Why have you crossed out Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour, then? What special qualities do I need for that?"
Cecilia, sitting off to the side, laughed at that. "You need a different gender. Old man Fortescue only ever hires young girls. Are you still interested?"
Edmund blushed, swiftly moving on without giving her a response.
"What about Flourish and Blotts, then?" he asked curiously.
"Flourish and Blotts is the cushiest and most popular job out there. You get paid well, there's not much work to do, and you get to read the books there for free in your spare time. You could try, but I guarantee you all the spots were filled by Ravenclaws months ago as soon as the applications opened," Cedric lectured. "And don't even mention Obscurus Books. It's way too close to Knockturn Alley for you to think about."
Edmund huffed. "Well, what am I supposed to do then if you guys are going to be so picky?"
"We're picky?! You're the one who immediately got rid of all the easier shops that you have a shot with," Cedric said incredulously. "What's wrong with them?"
Edmund held up his fingers, listing off the options he had removed. "Eeylops Owl Emporium and Magical Menagerie are not for me. They're unbearably loud, messy, and chaotic. I was tired of them in the two minutes I spent inside during my first trip to Diagon Alley. No way am I going to spend months in there. The only other one I've gotten rid of is Gambol and Japes. I don't want to become the test sample for all the pranks they've got there, alright?"
"Then there's nothing else left!" Cedric threw his hands up. "We've gone through all the offers in the Daily Prophet."
Edmund sighed, rubbing his temples to soothe his developing headache.
"What about this one?" Ben asked hesitantly. "You guys didn't even mention it."
Cedric took a look at what Ben was pointing at before scoffing. "They've been trying to find someone for that for years. The job hasn't been taken because no one wants it."
His curiosity stoked, Edmund glanced more closely at the advert.
"ASSISTANT REQUIRED FOR KNIGHT BUS. RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE: DISTRIBUTING BEVERAGES, GIVING BACK CHANGE, AND MORE. APPLY NOW!"
"Hmm," Edmund stroked his chin in deliberation.
The job was uncomfortable in many aspects. No one rode the Knight Bus unless they absolutely had to, and even then, it was a real endeavour. Edmund could not blame anybody for not wanting to spend more time on it than was necessary. The fact that Ernie and Stan Shunpike were available as a driver and a conductor was a miracle in and of itself.
However, the occupation would also have its bonuses. The Knight Bus was ministry regulated, which ensured its safety. The lack of interest in the job also meant that it would pay well, far beyond any other opportunity that Edmund would come across. Money was not a significant issue for him, but having a legal source of income that he could openly spend without suspicion would definitely be handy.
These perks also paled in front of the prospect of being able to spend time aboard one of the greatest inventions of spatial magic in wizarding Britain. For such an infrequently used service, the Knight Bus was incredibly magically advanced. Its capabilities to expand and shrink at will, maintain a relatively steady interior, and speed through the streets while making maneuvers that defied the laws of physics were awe-inspiring.
Being able to examine such an artifact would undoubtedly be a big advantage for a novice spatial manipulator like Edmund.
With a decisive exhale, he grabbed a piece of parchment and a quill.
"I think this will work out just fine," Edmund smiled as he began filling out a letter of interest.
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