*

HOW WILL I FACE HER AFTER THIS?

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31st of December 1992.

-6 Hours before new year-

It was six in the evening, it was snowing outside, the lawn was slowly covered with snow, and Ed was sitting in his studies, a board in front of him, full of runes and calculations, he flipped a book about blood magic, and read the content of it. He thought for a while and had a eureka moment. He tried to project it with magic and do a ‘simulation’ on what he thought about.

“Finally!” shouted Ed excitedly, “If I can find the curse source in the girl’s blood using blood magic, I can contain it, then I have to stop her heart for a few seconds using my ice magic so the curse thought she was dead, after that, I can pull it out…”

Ed then pondered, “Wait, what if I destroy it instead of pulling it…”, he did more ‘simulation’, and found the answer.

“I can’t…” said Ed dejectedly, “I have to bind the curse to another person, then kill that person to destroy the curse, if I destroy it when it is still bound to the girl, her body will rot instantly…”

“That’s a problem…” said Ed, talking to himself, “Who wants to be sacrificed to be the next carrier?”

The silver eyed boy sighed, he wrote what he found in the journal, he jinxed the book, so it won’t be opened by anyone else, and put it in the desk. He got out of his study room and looked at the sky outside.

“It’s tonight I think…” said Ed, “Maybe if I offer the Greengrass this solution, and ask if they could ‘assassinate’ Lucius as their sacrifice for the curse, then they will agree…”

Ed then casts a Patronus spell that turns into an owl, he whispers to his inner animal to send a message to Daphne and his family that he had found a solution, and the owl took off from his house, making the place quiet again.

He looked outside the window again and took a deep breath.

“Okay, I’ll put some traps just in case Dumbledore’s protection isn’t enough.”

-5 Hours before new year-

Hermione was sitting on the Gryffindor long table alongside Harry and Ron, she had just got out of the hospital wing because of the cat hair in her Polyjuice potion, so she feel quite great right now, but there’s something in her gut that’s been bothering her, like the universe itself tried to warn her about something, so she feels a bit anxious.

“You okay Hermione?” Harry questioned, “Do you feel any side effects of the cat form?”

Hermione shook her head, “No Harry, nothing’s wrong, it’s just, there’s something bothering me, but I don’t know what it is…”

Harry looked curious, “Is it Ed?”

Hermione eyed Harry strangely, “No, it’s not Ed, why are you always asking about him anyway?”

The boy shrugged, “Well, I don’t know, you always worry about him, so I guess you’re worrying about Ed.”

Hermione’s ears turned a bit red, “No, it’s not Ed, I know if it’s Ed, this though… I don’t know what it is…”

Harry then shot a reassuring smile at her, “Well, I’m sure it’s nothing.”

Hermione nodded weakly, “Yeah…”

-4 Hours before new year-

Daphne was having dinner with her family, her father, Adonis Greengrass, her mother, Vanessa Greengrass, and her sister, Astoria Greengrass, were sitting with her at the dining table.

“Daphne,” Vanessa said softly, “Did you contact your Aldrich friend about the solution? Has he solved it yet?”

As soon as she asked the question, the mood turned gloomy, the Greengrass were desperate to find a cure for Astoria, they even went as far as the lands of China and the Oceania to find it, but alas, they didn’t

Daphne sighed at the question and shook her head, “No, he hasn’t contacted me yet, I wanted to owl him, but Richard said that he won’t answer if it’s in the holidays.”

Adonis frowned at the mention of Richard’s name, “You’re still befriending that mudblood?”

Daphne instantly slammed the table angrily, “DON’T, call him that in front of me father.” Said the girl sharply, the atmosphere instantly became sharp.

“Do you want to be a blood traitor Daphne? I will disown you if you still continue.” Countered the man.

Daphne chuckled dangerously, “Father, look at what your view brought to our family, Family treasury decreasing because you want to suck up to those death eaters, business failing because of the discrimination in the company, and most of all, you’re too arrogant to ask someone that isn’t a pureblood in terms of Astoria’s sickness.”

“ENOUGH!” Adonis shouted, “Don’t talk to your father like that Daphne.” He growled.

“Or what?!” She said with venom laced in her words, “Disown me? Do it then, I’m sick of your attitude father, if this goes on, our house will fall. And don’t even mention if Ed heard that you called his best friend, the one he calls a brother a mudblood, he will definitely don’t care about Astoria anymore, and I can’t even blame him for that, it’s a normal reaction, instead of thanking him with all the hard work he tried to find the solution for OUR family, you insulted HIS family.”

Adonis’s face was filled with rage, but before he could lashed out at Daphne, Astoria intervened.

“Stop!” she shrieked, “It’s new year, I don’t want a fight at the new year dinner…”

Seeing Astoria’s plea, the two calmed down and continued eating, Vanessa also sighed in relief at this, because if the two fought, Merlin knows what mess it will bring.

Suddenly, a streak of blue and white light crashing down on the table, startling everyone, the light then turned into an owl, Vanessa and Adonis knows what it is, it’s one of the uses of the Patronus spell created by Dumbledore, but the children didn’t know what it is.

“What is that?” Astoria asked, looking at the owl curiously,

Before anyone could answer, the owl spoke.

“I have found a solution, but it has a terrible requirement, I will contact you later.”

Vanessa was curious at whose voice was it, “Is that-”

“Ed,” said Daphne, a tint of excitement can be heard in her voice. “Looks like he brought us a new year’s gift.”

-3 Hours before new year-

Ed is placing more traps and wards around the mansion, he was sweaty and tired, the cold weather didn’t help either, he can’t feel his hands because of the constant casting, and he feels really anxious, because it’s getting closer, he can feel it.

He then walked to the front door; he saw Ashbey were scooping the snow out of the pavement.

“Hello Ashbey.” Greeted Ed.

Ashbey looked at the source of the voice, and when he confirmed it was Ed, he greeted him back, “Hello master Ed,” said Ashbey, but he frowned when he saw his tired face, “What happened Master Ed? You look tired.”

Ed shook his head, “It’s nothing Ashbey,” Ed answered, he thought for a while before continuing. “You should go inside Ashbey, it will be a long night tonight, I’ll continue scooping.”

Ed asked for the shovel in Ashbey’s hand, the butler narrowed his eyes and asked again, “Is there something wrong Master Ed? This is unlike you.”

“There’s nothing Ashbey, just please, give me the shovel and go inside.” Ed said softly.

Ashbey gave the shovel to Ed hesitantly before going inside, “Be careful Master Ed.” He warned.

Ed nodded and continued scooping, to take his mind off things.

-2 Hours before new year-

Hermione was sweating right now, she doesn’t know why, but the bad feeling in her stomach hadn’t left, she couldn't sleep, so she sat beside the window, trying to calm down. She cuddled in a blanket to warm herself and convinced herself that everything was going to be okay.

‘Where’s Ed when you need him right?’ she questioned in her mind sarcastically.

She stood up and went out of her dorm room quietly, she walked to the common room, but instead of finding a quiet and peaceful common room, she found a crowded and a bit noisy one.

“What’s going on here?” she asked.

Ron then answered the girl, “Oh, Hermione, it’s new year, we were just having a bit of a drink.”

“Oh.” She said blankly, she thought for a moment, maybe this event will take her mind off things, “Can I join you?” she asked.

Ron and Harry looked surprised, this is not Hermione at all, she will usually scold them for staying out so late. So, they just answered, “O-okay, sure…”

Hermione nodded and sat beside them; they were talking about all the things from this year. Ron told the others about the philosopher’s stone, which is quite reckless in Hermione’s opinion, but she didn’t stop him, because she’s focusing on that dreadful filling in her guts. They continued to talk about random things, but Hermione didn’t listen.

“What about you Hermione,” questioned Harry suddenly, snapping Hermione’s thoughts.

“Hm? What?” questioned Hermione.

“We were just asking about our favourite things that happened this year.” Informed Ron.

“Oh.” Hermione thought for a while, “I guess summer vacation? I learned a lot this summer.”

“Really?” Ron teased a bit, “Or is it because you’re living with Ed this summer?”

Hermione’s ears turned red, and her face was flushed, “Both, I guess…” she answered.

The crowd laughed and continued their conversation, making Hermione take her mind off the feeling.

-1 Hour before new year-

Ed is really anxious right now, the killer hadn’t come, he was scared that the killer had some kind of method to bypass all the magic, he was an expensive assassin after all. So, Ed was currently patrolling the mansion, wand in hand, and alert at all times, occasionally he threw a space fluctuation to scan the area, like an echolocation, but with space magic, but he didn’t find anything, which is quite odd.

‘Where is the killer? Did he break the contract?’ thought Ed.

He continued to patrol the area, it was now dark, so he used a Lumos spell to brighten up. 

-30 Minutes before new year-

Ed was scared right now, there were no signs of the killer, he scanned the area again and found nothing, his parents sleeping and Ashbey watching from the inside.

‘Is this guy really skilled or something? I couldn’t find him at all!’ Ed thought he was frustrated, his hands were a bit shaking right now, the thought of his foster parents dead because of his arrogance is simply unbearable, he continued to search, looking for some kind of clue from the killer.

-5 Minutes before new year-

Ed was livid, he thought of the possibility of where the killer is, he thought hard and long, he thought about Nicolas’s question about the plot and he realised something, which makes his heart sank to the very bottom, scared that this possibility was actually possible, that he had made a miscalculation.

He ran to the mansion to meet Ashbey, he slammed the front door open.

“ASHBEY!” said Ed in panic, “ASHBEY CALL THE GRANGERS HOUSEHOLD!”

Ashbey instantly popped out and called the Granger’s household. But nothing, they didn’t pick up, seeing the possibility, Ashbey asked Ed.

“Master Ed no one answers, what’s going on?” asked the butler.

As soon as Ed heard that no one answered, he felt that he could collapse from despair at any second. He ran outside, ignoring Ashbey’s questions, and blinked to the front of the Grangers' house.

-1 Minute before new year-

Ed was in front of the house, it looked calm, the living room was lit up, and the bedroom was dark from the outside, Ed walked slowly, scared of his thoughts turned out to be true, he pulled out his wand and tried to open the front door, it was opened, a sense of dread can be filled in Ed’s heart, he felt like he wanted to cry now.

“TEN!” he heard a muffled sound from the tv. He got closer to the place slowly.

“NINE!” the voice continued, but apart from the counting, there was no noise whatsoever.

“EIGHT!” Ed was sweating, he just prayed to whatever god that exists in the multiverse to not let his thought be true.

“SEVEN!” Now, he can hear the sound of dripping water from the kitchen, echoing through the house.

“SIX!” The counting was a bit louder now, anticipating the new year’s event.

“FIVE!” Even before the new year, he can already hear some fireworks outside, probably from kids.

“FOUR!” he neared the tv now, but there was no one around.

“THREE!” He was in front of the TV, he looked around the tv, and saw a mess, broken glass, messy rug, but there was no blood.

“TWO!” he continued to search the living room, walking slowly every time.

“ONE!” There he found it, a body of two humans, laying on the floor, there was no blood at all, just their pale bodies.

“NO!” he shrieked helplessly. Ed then heard the sound of loud fireworks outside, but he didn’t care, he dropped down on the floor, crying, a feeling of immense guilt was in Ed’s heart, he slammed the floor desperately, he tried to use lighting spells to restart their hearts, but it didn’t work, nothing worked, he just sat there dreading, an empty look in his eyes, with tears around it.