a good boi

Gilderoy peered a lot closer towards the marble statuette and tried to make out who it was. “Not a pretty one, is she?” He wrinkled his nose, unable to discern who the marble was supposed to look like. Maybe a deformed banshee? Although why Edgar would have one along with flowers at a party? Gilderoy might never know. For such a handsome boy, Edgar surely was odd.

“Listen, do you think that if - let’s say, I send them a picture of, oh I don’t know -let’s say, me… Do you think they can make one that looks exactly like me?”

"Umm,” Edgar didn’t know how to respond to the comment. Was he mocking the sculptor's work and saying that he was bad or did he not understand that it was meant to be Lily? Maybe he did know it was Lily but just didn’t think she was pretty? But that didn’t make any sense they had gone to the Yule Ball together and everyone knew Gilderoy wouldn’t ask anyone that wouldn’t make him look like the perfect pair. “It’s Lily.”

“I think so, this one was a commission after all. All you have to do is find the right sculptor and have enough money.”

His jaw tightened at the logic Edgar offered. It was true. They knew how to get under Sirius’ skin faster than the rest of them because he truly bore the ties to them that James knew for the most part—he wanted to break. “Believe me, I know it. I think you’re the first person all day who’s approached me not to tell me I deserve to have my Head Boy title stripped.” James was at the point of offering it if it would get people to stop. But there were other factors that stopped him. People who wanted him where he was. “Merlin’s beard, mate, you get it—“ He shrugged his shoulders. “You know, I could deal with them coming after me—“ And James knew how detrimental it would’ve been if they did. “But when they went after the lads I just… I didn’t realize how bad it could get more than it has now.” It felt better to admit that to Edgar than he had easily failed to do so to his friends. “Thank you for—for saying that.” He sighed. “Did you hear? Uh—Marlene’s throwing Evans a party in the Common Room on her birthday. You should come. I think at this point anyone who’s a friend of a friend and doesn’t outright put the Fat Lady in a piss mood is granted an invite.”

"They’re a bunch of wanks,” Edgar told him, honest in his opinion. The mob mentality wasn’t one to easily overcome and unfortunately, much of the population of the castle had fallen for it. What Edgar couldn’t wrap his head around was that people would have the audacity to tell Potter straight to his face that he should lose his position. The half-term that they had gone through already showed how great of a combo James and Lily were in running the school even if their positions had some hard moments. “It’s something I think we’ll all have to get used to. The hardest part of what we’re doing and protecting is being patient, is waiting while they attack and having to be okay with it.” He laughed a little darkly. “I don’t think any of us will be okay with it though.” And then he gave James a genuine smile, reminded that Lily’s birthday was just around the corner.  “That sounds really fun, I think I’ll have to stop by.” His head was already turning, trying to think of anything that would be a good enough gift to give her. Maybe a rose bush in the shape of her cat? Would she like that? “Well, thanks anyway for the invite and we’re all on your side mate. Don’t let them see them get to you.”

END.

          Even if he wasn’t physically doing it, Regulus felt himself shaking. There were very few people he considered close, and Edgar was one of them, the fact that he was now getting involved in rows with Slytherins of all people -not that Regulus’ new ‘friends’ only belonged to the silver and green house, the Dark Lord’s reach spread across all houses- made Regulus worry about what it might happen, considering Edgar’s moral code, it was only a matter of time, he just didn’t expect it would be so soon, or that Amelia would be involved. ❝Listen while we both know she’s more than capable of taking care of herself, I will absolutely keep an eye on her, and do whatever is in my power to make sure she is safe…❞ the last bit was more a promise Regulus had made to himself but it felt good to finally say it out loud, ❝is everything okay? I mean on your end?❞ Regulus felt the need to ask, sure the two had became friends mostly to annoy Amelia, but Regulus had ended up becoming fond of Edgar, ❝it’s just- well you are not the type to anger people.❞

Edgar was rash, something that everyone seemed to pick up on besides him. He made stupid decisions without thinking and spoke his truth when he felt like it was needed. It wasn’t something that usually got him into much trouble but with more and more incidents gracing the halls it seemed like trouble might be something he’d have to be getting used to from now on. “I– I’m glad I can count on you,” Edgar spoke slowly. He felt like he’d just heard a marriage proposal of some sort and he hadn’t exactly expected Regulus to take the matter so seriously right off the bat. Sure Dirk and Amelia weren’t exactly friends which explained why the Ravenclaw had been so hesitant but Edgar kind of expected Regulus to be a little more casual about it. Maybe Regulus and Amelia were better friends than Edgar previously thought. “I’m fine I can handle myself,” he spoke with strength and confidence, an authority pleading for Black not to push further. He didn’t need to delve into the inner workings of his determination and though process right now. “Six years of keeping my mouth shut and it seems I can’t much longer. Call it teenage rebellion.”

Oh, it’s just you. The words made a scoff escape from Dorcas’ mouth as she looked at Edgar with the least impressed facial expression she could manage. “Yes, me, lucky for you.” Dorcas held her grip on his arm, leading him down the corridor and checked a classroom to make sure it was empty. For some reason, Dorcas has taken it upon herself to rally some of the more vocal Order members, to be some sort of moral compass for them to look at. All because she can’t get the notion out of her head that if they start pointing their wands at each other, believing that the four Gryffindor boys could be spies and Death Eaters, it means that the actual Death Eaters win. She can’t have that. “We need to talk about the Gryffindor boys.” She told him as she practically shoved him into an empty classroom, locking the door and nonverbally casting a charm to prevent anyone from overhearing them. “I gotta say, I’m kind of impressed with how you handled Rabastan in Charms.” Even though the idea that Rabastan would try to use Amelia against Edgar set her stomach-turning and her own hand itching to blast the Slytherin to pieces. “We need a plan to keep this up. We can’t let them goad the whole bloody school into a panic with baseless rumors and hearsay.” 

"You know I love you Dorc,” Edgar joked shying away from giving her a playful tap on the nose. She wouldn’t be scared to hex him for that and Edgar didn’t really feel like nursing an injury today. So he followed along as she dragged him through the castle, knowing that Dorcas would only call him away like this if it was for something important. While he was pretty sure that she liked him he was also pretty sure she wasn’t the fondest of his joking nature. Probably gave her more of a headache than anything. He chuckled to himself as she threw him into an empty classroom. “Potter and them?” he asked dumbly as she kept going. “I think going about it logically stopped him for now but I’m scared that they’ll forge some evidence to pull the student body in line,” he admitted. While he had shut Lestrange up temporarily, and only very temporarily at that, they were bond to start their attack again. “I’m hesitant to pull up a plan to make them look better, for now, it could just end up backfiring and I’m sure some others will call us out. With a quick thought, I can only think of making a bigger headline, something to make the castle forget about them for now and then we can work on piling up evidence in their favor.”

The party was buzzing, thriving. She had only scattered her time within them, the Yule Ball had been minimal at best. This was her last year, last moment to make memories, last chance to… well, get to know people. Walking past the threshold of the entrance, the space glittered scarlet and gold—the tapestries on the walls and the thriving heartbeat that filled the tower, it was no surprise it might’ve belonged at one point to Godric Gryffindor. Unsure if it was a drink or to find Lily and wish her a ‘happy birthday’ her path was stalled by a member of her house. “Actually I was looking for her!” She called to Edgar over the music. “Did you get her something for her birthday?” She motioned to the items in his hand. “That was kind of you.”

"Oh yes, a gag gift of sorts.” Edgar laughed lifting his hands a bit to show off the gift that he had gotten for the birthday girl. He wasn’t really sure about who he was talking to, pretty sure it was the exchange student that he hadn’t gotten a chance to talk to but that was only because they had never met before and she seemed older than a fifth year. Someone he should know. “Should we look for her together? With two pairs of eyes we should be able to spot her better don’t you think?”

“Lestrange,” Dirk repeated, wondering why the name made him feel cold. He had only talked to him once, at the Halloween party and of course it hadn’t ended very well, with the older student growing annoyed with Dirk but it hadn’t been that bad. Not enough for him to feel like he had walked through a ghost. He shivered, a frown on his face as he tried to work out why he had such a bad feeling about the Slytherin and where that had come from. “I–” Edgar was not only promising that Dirk wouldn’t be endangered but also offering him a way to call for help. He took the whistle and turned it in his hand, weighing up his reluctance to get involved and the knowledge that he would feel so guilty if he refused and Amelia was hurt. “Okay. I can do that. Just an extra pair of eyes?”

“Just an extra pair of eyes,” Edgar assured him grateful that the Ravenclaw took the whistle from him. Though he was a little uncertain in his decision to choose Dirk as someone to trust with his sister's safety but the more people he had watching the hallways where he couldn’t, the better. Plus he was pretty sure Dirk and Fabian were friends, which had to mean something right? “Well, I don’t want to keep you any longer but hey, I really appreciate your help. If you ever need help or something don’t be afraid to ask. I’ll see what I can do for you.” He gave one last smile to the younger boy before turning back towards the Hufflepuff common room, making his way back through the castle.

There was something lucky in the way she bore nearly the same height as Edgar, the tact that he jumped out of his skin at the mere sight of her and the chaotic bravado she wore like a fanciful cloak, never taking it off. Arms crossed slowly, fluttering her lashes as she tilted her head to the side, stepping closer. He was an inch taller, but it didn’t give him much leeway, not when Marlene’s ego was involved. “I’ll see ‘bout that, love.” She grinned. “You want t’sort out a schedule? You should know I’m going t’claim his attention most nights.” Gaze fell to the present. “Is that a statue of Lily?” She grinned, the laugh bubbling to her lips. “You know she’s practically off the market, mate, you’ve lost your window.”

If there was one fault that Edgar Bones might have it was definitely his short stature. It made tall women like Marlene all the more intimidating when he was nearly looking her eye to eye and he had to fight back the urge to shrink down further in her presence. Not that he disliked being shorter or disliked tall women, he just felt like a small bunny trapped in the corner by a hawk. “I’m willing to share, but I request Valentine's day. Want to take him out on a fancy date.” He blatantly ignored her implications and instead held up the statue in his hand. “Isn’t it great! A commission and I’ve got to say it came out better than expected. Anyways, I don’t think that matters she’ll find it funny yeah?”

          Everything around him was chaos, Regulus felt as if he had been caught in a riptide, all he could do not to drown was keep focusing on school work. That had been his plan, to sign up for as many classes as possible, to spend every break at work, that way he wouldn’t focus on his feelings and could continue to live in denial. He hadn’t had time to process Sirius leaving, or taking the mark, or having to kill one one of his friends. He did not expect to be hit by the one thing in his life he wanted to think about the least. ❝Hey Edgar❞ Regulus said trying his best to give Edgar a convincing smile, Edgar was of the few Regulus liked and trusted, thus someone that had been protected from the grasp of Regulus’ new ‘friends’. ❝Umm yeah, I’m pretty sure I’m in all her classes…❞ Regulus said recalling the topic coming up during the yule ball, ❝I did tease her about me taking more courses than her❞ he shook his head, obviously Edgar wasn’t interested in that, ❝why?❞

Maybe if Edgar hadn’t been so worried about his sister he would have noticed that the young Black seemed a little off. His smile was tighter and there was a tiredness that may not be under the explanation of one to many classes but ever since the seventh-year charms class Edgar had only one thing on his mind: his sister. He and Amelia were still under tense terms, they hadn’t really solved much from their greenhouse talk. That’s particularly why he had to go about this in such a sneaky way. “i seemed to have angered some older kids in your house,” Edgar began carefully. He didn’t really know if Regulus was friends with any of them, he must be for the sake of house loyalty and bonds, but Edgar certainly hoped he wasn’t. “And it seems they think the best way to get back at me is through Amelia. I was just hoping you could keep your eyes and ears open? In case she gets into some trouble, maybe help her, or grab me if something happens. I’m worried.”

Dirk’s eyes widened then narrowed into a confused frown as Edgar explained the situation to him. “Oh. Um. I don’t know if I’m the best person for that? I didn’t even take Defence Against the Dark Arts. And–” And something had happened at the Yule Ball but he didn’t know what and was trying not to worry people. He frowned and shook his head. “I can try but she’s probably better at defending herself than I would be at defending her.” He blinked at the whistle. “And you’ll… hear it from wherever you are?” he asked. Maybe that could work. If he didn’t have to actually try to stand up to people more powerful than him but could call for backup if needed. “Who do you think might try to hurt her?”

Edgar had resorted to puppy dog eyes, trying to plead silently for Dirk to agree with his request. He was trying to emphasize the whole, not having to do much bit about his favor more looking for sixth years that would be in her vicinity without much notice. “She is but I just need extra eyes, to be sure. If she get cornered by a few of them, I don’t know if she could handle a duel like that.” Even he himself didn’t know if he could come out of a duel with more than two of the seventh year Slytherins and he hardly doubted they would play dirty. Yes, he needed someone to look after her. “It’s enchanted, I seemed to have pissed off Lestrange and his friends. It won’t put you in danger I swear, but if you see him I need to know.”

Marlene had no qualms when it came to throwing a party. It wasn’t a Bagman extravaganza, but it was good enough to quell the strain settled among many of their friends in the wake of the drama that followed. So much, as she could weave through the packed Common Room, keeping a keen eye on the entrance from the table she stood on. Edgar’s voice caught her, as Marlene jumped off, only a small wince she hid well enough from the bruises she obtained from the most recent Quidditch game, as her hands settled on her hips. “Why? What do you want with the birthday girl, Bones?” She asked defiantly, raising her brows. “I think I should be more worried you constantly seekin’ out my boyfriend…” Marlene settled into the silence, snatching a bottle from a passing fifth year and lifting it to her lips slowly, letting Edgar put the pieces together himself. 

Merlin, he knew he’d run into her at one point. Edgar had spent the better half of seventh-year explaining to everyone around him how terrified he was of Marlene McKinnon. But now that she was a thing, apparently a slightly more serious thing, with his best friend he tried to wipe those feelings away. If she actually liked Gideon then she’d have to at least semi like him. They were both the same type of idiot after all. “Oh is he your boyfriend now? Sorry McKinnon hate to break it to you but he happens to be my husband.” A bold first interaction to start off the party but he was holding a marble statue of the birthday girl. He was more than a little reckless tonight. “I have to give Lily her present, a genius gift in my opinion.”

“Well, you see—I love to know where the filth of this school lingers, so I don’t have to continuously burn my clothes from exposure. You, your kind—those you take too—“ He spoke in low tones, suggestive words enough to allow Rabastan the open to let Edgar think—without ever having the motive to be accused. The sweet spot where they all squirmed because they didn’t get what they wanted, it was glorious, really. “He wanted to be a Potter—did you hear that, lads?” Rabastan spoke to the others around him. “That’s fucking embarrassing, to want to be a Potter of all people in this world. From the sounds of it, Potter might be just as dark. I can’t believe that’ll be the name we fear for the time to come, knowing where his loyalties lie. Possibly yours too, Bones, look at how fast you jumped to protect him. Hogwarts is truly no longer safe, isn’t it?” He goaded the wizard before him with a smug smile—but as Edgar continued on, Rabastan took heed. “Yes, sir, do continue on. If anything, help us be able to navigate these tricky waters with such potential murderers sharing the same space as the innocent.”

        Gideon was still trying to get rid of the glitter from the birthday cards his nephews had made Lily, Molly had sent a dozen gifts and insisted she got a detailed account of the festivities. As soon as Marlene had said the word party, Gideon was already offering help, so far everything had been running smoothly. There was however a small part of Gideon who worried about the amount of people currently in the Gryffindor common room, as someone who had costed the red and gold house a good amount of points, he could not believe he was getting concerned, what had become of him? Before he could spiral any further a sight interrupted his thoughts. He kissed Marlene and hastily made his way towards his best friend. ❝Hey mate❞ Gideon said taking a good look at what Edgar was carrying, ❝whatcha got there?❞

Edgar almost jumped in shock when he heard the sound of his best mates voice right next to him but he turned around to face him none the less. “Merlin, Gid looking amazing as usual. I’d like to say these flowers are for you but unfortunately, you’re not a red-headed Head Girl.” He smiled knowing that Gideon would probably think his combination of presents was probably the most ridiculous but amazing gift that Edgar’s one brain cell could think of. “I found this sculptor that made me this little statue of Lil. Isn’t she cute?” Edgar propped up the statue, showing it off to Gideon. “Can’t wait until she sees it, she’s going to think I’m absolutely nuts.”

Lily perked up and started nearly skipping over at the sight of Edgar speaking to one of the 6th years at the party. She could see the flowers in his arms and playfully pushed at his arm when she got to his side. The 6th year pointed to her and grinned as they walked off. Lily scoffed at her friend.

“What is this, Edgar Bones?” Lily had been referring to the flowers, her tone amused and joyful at the sight. But she only now started to realize that was not the only thing Edgar was carrying.

Edgar beamed as Lily approached him, quickly handing off the bouquet to her and excited for what was about to come next. He had thought he was genius for sewing Gideon a blanket with his own face on it but nothing, nothing could compare to this marble statue. 

“Just a little birthday gift for you Lil, you know I couldn’t not go all out for my special lady.” He was honestly very excited to celebrate such an important friend's birthday and see the look of shock at how ridiculous his present was. “That’s why I got you something unique.”

Theo was buzzing with joy, eating up the Gryffindor eagerness to cut loose and forget about the Quidditch match and the Dark Mark’s appearance with the birthday of their Head Girl. She’d lost track of Marlene in the sea of people, happy to help with refills and doing what she did best which was getting people rip-roaring drunk. Spotting a familiar tall frame of blonde hair, Theo navigated her way over. “Lily’s–” Her eyes dropped to the statue and she snickered. “Is that a punchline to a joke? D’you want me to say she’s right there cause I don’t think people’re gonna be too happy the Lady of Honor’s been turned into a small statue. Makes her easy t’pass around though. And she’s even cuter that way.”

"You know I hadn’t even thought about that,” Edgar laughed, mentally smacking himself on the head. How had he missed such an ingenious punchline joke? It had been only the second time he’d really spoken to her and already Theo was prooving how much smarter she was compared to him. “I’m sure half these people won’t even notice, there are way too many people here.” He gestured to the room around them noticing the mixture of younger Gryffindors along with those from other houses he wasn’t even sure knew who Lily was. “She’s quite heavy though, solid marble, I think she might get a chip or two if we treat her too carelessly. Got to be careful of who we trust with her, but I suppose that you’ll take good care of her.” Edgar kept the lighthearted smile on his face so she could tell he was joking. He could feel butterflies in his stomach, a little nervous she might take it the wrong way. “Want to try holding her?”