𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐇 (1) || 𝘙𝘦𝘮𝘶𝘴 𝘓𝘶𝘱𝘪𝘯

𝐈𝐈. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐇𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐔𝐬

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"Edith, Harry, can I have a quick word with you two?" Arthur had spoken to the girl, interrupting the reading she was doing on Harry. She looked over her shoulder, seeing the concerned expression on his face.

"Yeah, of course." Harry nodded, and Edith followed as they stood, the latter shuffling her cards away as she went.

Mr Weasley started conversation, turning to Harry over his shoulder as they walked towards a quieter corner of the pub. "Looking foward to the new term?"

"Yeah, it should be great."

"Harry, there are some within the Ministry who would strongly discourage me from divulging what I'm about to reveal to you." Mr Weasley started, a hand behind Edith's back as he guided the two towards a pillar. "But I think that you need to know all the facts."

"You, Harry, are in danger. Grave danger." Arthur whispered, his hands finding both of Harry shoulders, looking the boy straight in the eye. Edith stood beside Arthur, her arms crossed casually as she listened.

"Has this anything to do with Sirius Black, sir?" Harry asked, taking a glance at the moving wanted poster, taped to the pillar.

Edith watched the man inside the photo move, screaming at the camera, hair stuck in wild curls, rage flooding him as he struggled against the guards holding his arms.

Arthur laced his hands at his front. "What do you know about Sirius Black, Harry?"

"Only that he's escaped from Azkaban." Harry replied.

"Do you know why?"

Harry remained silent, glancing over his shoulder towards Edith, who shook her head slightly.

Mr Weasley went on to explain. "Thirteen years ago, when you stopped.."

"Voldemort."

"Don't say his name." Mr Weasley spoke quickly.

"Sorry."

"When you stopped... you-know-who, Black lost everything. But to this day, he still remains a faithful servant, and, in his mind...you are the only thing that stands in the way of... you-know-who returning to power. And that is why..." Mr Weasley paused, brining the kids into a quiet and dark hallway, keeping his voice to a whisper.

"..he has escaped from Azkaban. To find you." He clarified.

"And kill me." Harry added solemnly.

"Harry, I want you to swear to me that whatever you might hear, you won't go looking for Black."

"Mr Weasley, why would I go looking for someone who wants to kill me?"

"That's why I'm here." Edith spoke up, her gloved hands slotting in her pockets.

Harry looked between the two. "I...sorry, I don't follow."

"Edith has offered to watch over you this year, just until Black is back in Azkaban."

"Don't think of it as babysitting, I'm not here to ruin anything. I'm just there to make sure nothing happens to you, same as I've done over the past few years. The teachers at Hogwarts have been asked to do the same, but you didn't hear that from me." Edith muttered, brushing a stray hair away from the boy's eye.