⫶⫶⫶ ᴇ ᴅ ᴇ ʟ y ɴ ⫶⫶⫶
― Edelyn Aurélia Black learned
from a young age that h e r o e s
aren't always the ones who win.
They're the ones who fight. And
so, Edelyn fights, until the green
lying dormant beh...
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HARRY ENTWINED HIS FINGERS WITH EDELYN'S as they walked down the hidden portrait passage, Ron and Hermione directly behind them and Neville Longbottom leading the way. Anxiety rose with every step they took closer to Hogwarts, and Harry felt a desperate urge to stop in his tracks; to plant his heels into the earth below, spin around, and walk back into the safety of the Hog's Head, for fear gripped his stomach and apprehension rattled his bones. But he knew that this was the time to be brave, and so he tightened his grip around her hand and continued onward.
A door was found at the end of the passage, and the Golden Quartet all exchanged a look before climbing through after Neville; as soon as they emerged into the room, they were greeted with screams and yells.
"Harry!"
"It's Potter! It's Potter and Black."
"Ron! Hermione!"
"Get the word out to Remus and the others that Harry is back," Edelyn heard Neville say before she and the others were engulfed into a swarm twenty-or-so people; they hugged them, pounded their backs, ruffled their hair, shook their hands.
After what felt like a good half-hour of greetings, Neville finally said, "Okay, okay, calm down everyone."
The crowd backed away and the Golden Quartet looked around. The room in which they now stood was large and filled with familiar faces. Multicoloured hammocks strung from the ceiling; the walls were covered in bright tapestry hangings that represented Hufflepuff, Gryffindor, and Ravenclaw House; bookcases and broomsticks were propped against the walls; a large wooden-cased wireless sat in one corner.
"Where are we?" Edelyn asked.
"Room of Requirement, of course!" Neville replied. "No one can get in here except for us. Now, Harry, tell us what you've been up to!"
But before Harry could respond, the portrait door reopened and Luna and Dean stumbled out; Seamus gave a great roar of delight and immediately ran to hug his best friend. They were followed by Lee Jordan and Cho Chang, the latter of which rushed to Harry, squeezing him into a tight hug. Ron and Hermione both glanced awkwardly at Edelyn, but she was oblivious to Cho and Harry's exchange, for her eyes were set on the two people who came in behind them.
"Fred, George!" Her face illuminated into a bright smile and she ran over, flinging her arms around the twins whom she had not seen in weeks.
"So, what's the plan, Harry?" Neville asked.
Choosing his words carefully, Harry explained that they were looking for some relic of Ravenclaw: something small and easily concealed.
"Well, there's Rowena Ravenclaw's lost diadem," Luna suggested.
"Yeah, but the lost diadem—" Michael Corner rolled his eyes. "—is lost, Luna. That's sort of the point."
