Slipping Through the Fingers

Chapter 5

 "What do you think Edlyn?"

"Hm?" she distractedly replied. She hadn't really paid attention to the conversation Regulus and Barty had been having in front of their breakfast. Regulus shook his head.

"You'll come around to our side, one day."

"Pfft." Barty rolled his eyes. Edlyn ignored them and took another bite of her toast.

"Edlyn?" her younger brother, Calder, appeared behind her shoulder. He was accompanied by a friend. "Can you help us with that?" he showed the parchment he was holding. It was full of equations and calculations.

"Arithmancy?" Edlyn asked, taking the paper. The two boys nodded. "Sit down." she patted the empty space next to her. The third-year boys sat down and perched down to have a good look at the parchment Edlyn was crossing out and circling. "You've made a mistake there. Do it again."

"Thank you." beamed Calder.

"Pleasure." she seriously replied and her brother scurried away with his friend tightly behind his heels.

"Don't you ever smile?" laughed Mary, a girl from Edlyn's year.

"Not if I can help it."

Regulus repressed a grin. Barty looked at Mary and shook his head, closing his eyes. She seemed pleased by this interaction with one of the prettiest boy of the House and vividly started whispering in her friend's ear after smiling at Barty and putting a strand of hair behind her ear. Edlyn tried her best to ignore the scene and resumed proof reading her essay for professor Binns. It was due in two days, but Edlyn put priority in doing her homework as soon as possible. That way, she didn't have to worry about them anymore.

As she put her essay back in her bag, it was time for the first lesson of the day to start. Without a second glance to the House table, she walked out of the Great Hall and into the castle's grounds.

Professor Kettleburn was already waiting for his students. When he pulled the sheet from the cage, the gathered students made a step back. All but Edlyn; she made a step forward. The creature was horrible, with five legs and thick red hairs. It clapped his jaws with pointed teeth. The lesson was fascinating. Edlyn loved to learn about fantastic beasts, the Care of Magical Creatures had always been her favourite class. Some nights, she would dream herself a magizoologist, like Newton Scamander, taking care of those creatures and studying them. Even if it would only stay a dream. This discussion had been closed up last Summer, when the Carrows and the Blacks had gathered for dinner.

"And what would you like to do after Hogwarts, Edlyn?" had asked Regulus's father.

"Do you mean what I would like to do, or what is expected of me-"

"Edlyn, don't." had warned her father. She had looked at him, breathing sharply through her nose. She had been playing a dangerous game. Regulus and her were to be engaged, and this dinner was to make sure the two teenagers were correct suitors.

"I would love to work at the Ministry, Mr Black." she had pleasantly answered, looking back at the host. "I hope to enter the Department of Law Enforcement, alongside my parents." she had forced herself to smile at the prospect, but her hand had clenched her fork a little too hard. If anyone had noticed, no one had said anything.

She should be glad. To have a family like hers, with connections and wealth. To have insurance in her soon-to-be carrier. To be respected by other wizarding families.

But she wasn't. And some parts of her hated herself for that.