The Healer | Part 3: The Survivors

Ten-Second Pimple Vanisher

Edith

I knocked on the door to Pinewood House, my sister and Michael's new home, promptly at eleven o'clock the next morning. The door opened at once to reveal my sister, fresh from her honeymoon. I was taken aback for a moment, she was practically glowing.

'You knocked,' she said, sounding mildly surprised.

'You're a married woman now,' I reminded her. 'I'm not stupid enough to come right into your house anymore.'

'Well, come on then,' she grabbed her bag from behind the door and stepped outside. 'I'm taking you to lunch.'

'I can't stay very long,' I told her as we started to walk into town. 'I have a lot of work to do.'

'There's more to life than school, Edith,' she smirked at me.

'I know that, but for now there isn't,' I rolled my eyes. 'How was your trip?'

'Oh, you know,' she waved a hand dismissively. 'We didn't take in too much of the culture or scenery.'

'Well, I should hope not!' I laughed. 'No point in being married if you can't have any fun.'

I smirked when I saw how red her face turned. It was rare for me to have done something that she hadn't yet, apart from anything in the magical world. Bonnie and Michael had waited to spend the night together until they got married. I might have done the same thing if the circumstances of my relationship with George had been different. There was nothing I could do about that now, though my toes curled at the thought.

'Are you all moved in?' I changed the subject.

'No,' she scoffed. 'We only just got back last night.'

'Then why are you here with me?' I laughed.

'I worry about you, Edie!' She exclaimed and I felt a familiar pang at the use of my nickname. Bonnie was the only one who called me Edie now. Mia had called me Edie all the time, she only used my full name when she was cross with me. I missed her. I would give anything to be able to stay up late talking like we used to. I wish I could go back to those days at Hogwarts where our biggest worry was the Herbology final and when the next Hogsmeade weekend would be.

'You donna need to worry about me,' I said softly. 'I can take care of myself.'

'But you shouldn't have to,' she went on. We were approaching a small cafe.

'How?' I raised my eyebrows at her. 'I'm twenty-years-old, I should be able to look after myself.'

'I know that, but you're still my younger sister,' she replied.

'Well,' I let out a heavy sigh. 'You might not have to worry so much anymore.'

'How?' She asked.

'Erm...' I didn't know where to begin. This was the perfect lead in. And I needed to talk to someone about this, I had been waiting two weeks to discuss this with her. 'George is back.'

'What?' Now it was her turn to freeze, her hand on the handle of the door to the cafe. 'When?'

'The day before the wedding,' I told her. 'I didn't find out until the Monday after, though.'

'Crivvens, Edith,' she breathed. She seemed to come to her senses and pulled the door open, I walked in after her. 'About damn time he did. What happened?'

'I donna really know,' I replied. My mind was starting to reel again. The events of the last two weeks were flashing by quickly. 'I was in class and he started writing to me in that notebook.'

'I thought you said it was faulty,' she said as we took a seat at a table in the back corner.

'Well, turns out it wasn't,' I shrugged. 'I met him for supper that night and we had an awful row.'