ENCHANTED !
( hp-narnia    &&&    edmund pevensie x reader )

CHAPTER FOUR : welcome home

AUGUST SLIPPED AWAY INTO A MOMENT IN TIME, silently, and so unseemingly fast, that it made you question whether or not those precious moments had even been yours to begin with. Sooner than you had anticipated, you were back at King's Cross Station, making your way around the busy Muggles who boarded their respective trains.

You gazed mindlessly as lovers parted, as men and women rushed toward the steaming contraptions for work, and as families split. You briefly met the gaze of a pair of siblings who had been parting from their family, and while you offered the disheartened young girl a little smile, you couldn't help but squint at the strange familiarity of her brother's dark hues. Something about the way he feigned disinterest, yet exhibited an undeniable amount of disappointment seemed to tug at your heartstrings.

But quick as your eyes met, had you gone.

You weren't there long enough to see him craning his neck for any trace of you, nor see the way his younger sister visibly brightened upon your little gesture — clutching onto her stuffed puppy a little less tight. You were unable to hear his brother's teasing, his elder sister scolding the said brother, nor see the way the boy's parents had exchanged a silent gaze.

You had disappeared into Platform 9 ¾, where immediately, you were hit with the brimming nostalgia of returning to Hogwarts for the great remainder of the year. The sight of parents bidding their children goodbye, the squealing echoes of steam, and the distance between your trolley and the train entrance shortening — it made you all too aware of your father's arm wrapped around your shoulders. You felt how it tightened, then went loose, as though he were debating with himself whether to let you go, or pull you into an everlasting hug.

Instead, you decided for him, pulling out of his grip, wrapping your arms tight around his frame, and breathing him in for a final moment. You would miss him dearly. The smell of coffee at daybreak, the rustling of his morning copy of the Daily Prophet, the stern, yet affectionate looks he would send you (and Bowie). You would miss one another dearly; that was a firm fact for you both.

As the train let out another blow of steam, he sighed into your hair, planting a kiss along the crown of your head. He gave you a familiar smile, the same one he sent you the previous year, the same one he gave waving you goodbye nights ago, and the same one his husband had sent you both that final moment a decade back. It was genuine, reaching his teary eyes, but filled with promise. Silent utters of "see you later"s and "I love you"s swirling the crescents of his eyes. It wasn't much, but it was your family's way of parting — silent, meaningful, but with the promise of return.

The train ride to Hogwarts was unusually peaceful for the most part. Initially, you thought nothing of it, assuming that the boys might have changed their minds and preferred spending time with their dorm mates. However, your friends soon revealed that this was not the case, arriving — a few feet away from your window — with Harry dangling out of the Weasleys' flying car.

Harry, the boy who lived, was risking his life recklessly and foolishly ("and in the most anticlimactic of means!" you added to Hermione's furious muttering). You could only hope that the pair of them wouldn't find an even more half-witted way to endanger themselves. But knowing them, and Hogwarts, that was unlikely.

The incident caused a commotion among the students. Some were cheering them on, while others were not as pleased.

Exhibit A: your distant cousin, Draco Malfoy, who was particularly vocal about the pair's apparent expulsion from Hogwarts.

Even upon the train's arrival at Hogsmeade Station, the uproar remained — it was consistent throughout the Sorting ceremony, where Ginny Weasley joined you and her brothers at the Gryffindor table, all the way until the welcoming feast. It wasn't long before the students dispersed to their respective houses, utters of the boys' escapades bouncing the age-old halls. By then, it was a sure fact that everyone had caught the whispers of their idiocy, with the dungeon bat, Minnie, and Dumbledore's momentary disappearance only adding fuel to the fire.

As your housemates filed into the Gryffindor common room, you and Hermione kept to yourselves, lingering by the mouth of the entrance, hopelessly wishing to Godric your friends weren't actually expelled.

Hermione Granger was furious, of course, muttering obscenities (you had to translate her pristine rants into vulgarities, as always) and questions to their sanity as you fanned the flame, only encouraging her. Bowie chittered continuously as you spoke, giving just as much, if not more, comments as you had.

"Indeed, the daft fools, they are!"

"Couldn't bother sending an owl to warn us, could they?"

"You know, Sir Nicholas told me over supper that they crashed into the Whomping Willow! Imagine their luck!"

The latter, to which she responded, although sounding doubtful of herself, "We've yet to know [for sure] if they actually flew here! And by Rowena, if they did, I swear. . !"

It was unfortunate she cut herself off, and right as she was getting to the good part too. But it was then that you heard the click-clack of shoes along the pavement. By then, the pair of you were the lone occupants of the empty hall. But upon the approaching sound, you turned around to see the talk of the town — Harry and Ron, quickly approaching.

"There you are! Where have you been? The most ridiculous rumors — someone said you'd been expelled for crashing a flying car!" Hermione dashed to their side, still clinging to the hope of the rumors being false.

"Well, we haven't been expelled," Harry reassured, although that didn't seem to help.

"You're not telling me you did fly here?" said Hermione, sounding almost as severe as McGonagall had. You did nothing to help them, despite their pleading expressions, instead doing quite the opposite, tutting at them half-heartedly, "Sir Nicholas tells me you've crashed into the Whomping Willow too! Don't tell me you wrecked the poor thing?"

Bowie jumped up and down from his perch along your shoulder, earning an eye roll from the redhead.

"Skip the lecture," Ron sighed hastily, "and tell us the new password."

He wouldn't admit it, and neither would Harry, but the sight of your little bowtruckle sticking its tongue out and teasing them pushed them beyond their breaking points.

The Fat Lady had yet to swing open for you, and despite Harry and Ron's desperate gazes, the lady in pink remained firm, requesting the password.

"It's 'wattlebird'," said Hermione as impatiently as Ron, "but that's not the point—"

Her words were cut off by the portrait swinging open, the pair of boys dashing for their dormitory, knowing fully well they would be lectured 'til daybreak if given the chance. Harry bid you a quick goodnight (ignoring your waving green bean) before disappearing after Ron, ignoring his other friend's calls.

Left behind with a disgruntled Hermione, you watched as she huffed, beyond irked by their ignorance. But you knew this wasn't the last you would hear of her lectures, her determined expression silently ensuring she would bring it back up the next morning.

How exhausting it was, to be back at Hogwarts. But then again, this was the adventure you so missed over summer break. The unpredictability and surprises you craved.

If only you knew, how in the coming weeks, you would be eating your words.

LONG STORY SHORT !

fun fact: september 1, 1992 (the date this chapter takes place) marks your first unofficial meeting with the pevensies :))

extra fun fact: bowie will forever be protective over you, especially with suitors seeking to steal your love and attention off him :(

it would take a grand gesture, or something that truly demands his respect, for bb bowie to show one of those fools any ounce of respect and liking !!

bonus headcanon: edmund definitely had to work for your hand. you, being the wonderful leader you are, heavily prioritized your duties to narnia — that includes forming connections and building relationships with the neighboring kingdoms.

however, being young as you were, and holding the immense influence you had, you were heavily sought after by the lords and ladies you met. you charming fucker, you 😘

that was a given though, being the daughter of THE sirius black and remus lupin <3

long story short, you'll get jealous edmund smh

anyhow, hi everyone! i know this was a short chapter, but, i promise, this is building up to the main plot of the story!

i'm actually seriously considering skipping over the howlers & cornish pixies chapter just to get to the narnia bits sooner. . .

let me know your thoughts on this and the chapter today!! drink water, rest well, and i hope you have a great rest of your day/night!  <3

xx, celine