Illness & Findings
The first three weeks of January were perhaps the hardest weeks for Edgar in a really long time. He fought with about everyone who matters to him and even the more hopeful moments (of lost friends returning) were all overshadowed by war. Edgar began pondering about a new theory: everyone is in one form or another afflicted by an illness. An illness caused by the tension of war which results in unfathomable weight and pain within them and expresses itself by symptoms called coping mechanisms. It is under this theory that he’s begun thinking of and interacting with other people.
1st No More Cakes and Ale? -> Edgar and Fabian are still at the Green Lion after Edgar found Fabian in the snow, drunk and beaten bloody. He realises not only that Fabian is suffering from enough pain (his “illness”) that he wishes to “leave” and copes by drinking. Helpless, Edgar tries to keep Fabian at the Green Lion away from drinks, but all he does is offering a shallow distraction from Fabian has yet to admit to.
2nd Voice -> After the second night at the Green Lion, that is, two nights during which Edgar didn’t tell anyone where he went, Caradoc shows up, suddenly, throwing him the news at his head. 120 people have died -- probably by the Orb. The Orb that the Order failed to steal from the Nott’s last month. Edgar is sent on his mission to collect information from Severus Snape, who seems to know more, but in the meantime he tells Fabian to go to his place and stay there until he returns.
3rd Resolutions -> It’s past midnight when Edgar gets home. He doesn’t find Fabian, though, he finds Amelia. She and Fabian fought, throwing ugly accusations at each other, most of them caused by and attacking Amelia’s fear of Edgar once again dropping her due to being in love with someone else. Due to this fight, the apartment is a mess and upon entering Edgar’s first thought is: someone broke in and attacked Fabian. He makes up with Amelia, but the effects are already showing: he tells her to leave his apartment and never come back, realising that even his hundredfold warded apartment is no longer a warless, safe space. And the idea of Amelia getting hurt causes new anxiety tics to arise.
4th Investigative investigation -> Trying to distract himself and still hoping Fabian comes back, Edgar spends his day at his Daily Prophet office, working. Artem comes to find him, asking him if he could perhaps help them find their old friends from a time they were still active in the Muggle queer spaces of London. Are they dead? Are they alive? Edgar, well aware of the epidemic in the US which is slowly turning into a pandemic, is cautious to promise anything, but he says he will try his best. At least it gives him something to do. Finding someone, anyone, could alleviate the weight of not knowing where Fabian is.
6th Epiphany -> Edgar misses Epiphany with his family. It’s the first time ever. He just can’t bring himself to go home right now, not with Rigby still waiting for an answer about his letter, not with Amelia still annoyed with Edgar. The Daily Rag -> Instead he goes to a local pub to drink (alone, when usually he’d ask Fabian to join him) and finds his old teenage celebrity crush: the infamous theatre fiasco from 1969, Mundungus Fletcher. Star struck and eager to have fun that night, Edgar agrees to join Fletcher on a little robbery. Elated that it works, they make out and have even more fun that night. The morning, upon remembering that Fletcher is an affiliate of the Order, is less fun.
8th -> The Order hears via Emma Vanity about Ryland Greengrass, who disappeared about three months ago and was assumed defected. They learn that instead he is in fact captured and held in his own family’s basement. Emma suggests that since on the 10th the Greengrass house will be empty, they should do their rescue mission then, and the Inner Circle agrees. Voice -> When Ryland first disappeared, Edgar wouldn’t believe it, trusting his old room mate and his loyalty to the Order too much, but upon bringing up the issue again and again, Caradoc told him to stop, to accept the facts and move on. The truth now being out causes even more tension to grow between the two friends, and it only gets worse when instead of instantly loving the idea to rescue Ryland, Caradoc raises the concern that this might be a trap.
9th Voice -> The Inner Circle meets, deciding to keep this mission a secret so that the mole can’t warn the Greengrass, and begin to come up with a plan. James makes great suggestions and while Edgar is grateful for that, he is still to infuriated with Caradoc to join the conversation much.
10th 7 years, 3 months, 1 change -> Once the Inner Circle finally have a solid plan, it’s already evening, and time is running out. They’ve decided on what is going to happen, but not who is going to execute the plan. Edgar, still aggravated by the whole situation and on top projecting his fear about Fabian onto Ryland, storms off without another warning, appointing Emma and Peter who just happen to be at the Head Quarters that day to join.
11th Cori Tauri -> The mission succeeds. Ryland has been saved and after some intense interrogations and a good night’s rest, Edgar takes him for a walk to assess the situation -- as well to reacquaint himself with his old friend. Between Hogwarts and now they had grown apart, but the night is peaceful, friendly, and Edgar finds himself relaxing for perhaps the first time in weeks. Ryland also tells Edgar to just go talk to Amelia already.
14th Doing well/Something -> It would be a lie to say that saving Ryland was enough to fully put Edgar back on his feet. The idea that the same thing is currently happening to Fabian who is still gone, keeps Edgar up at night. However he does manage to focus better on his work now and decides to finally talk to James. In a previous conversation James had complained that the other members of the Inner Circle don’t listen to him enough, and between this and his great suggestions during the planning of Ryland’s rescue, Edgar decides to give him a proper chance. They discuss how to find the mole and find out who in the Ministry might be on Voldemort’s side, and James, slowly warming up to Edgar (who is growing quite fond of him with every passing minute) promises to make a detailed plan that the Order will be able to act on.
15th Calendrical -> During the conversation with James, Edgar also tries to find out if he’s aware of Remus’ periodically returning injuries, and what he thinks of it, but James doesn’t seem eager to share any opinions on that, so Edgar approaches Mary. Mary takes into consideration the facts Edgar lays down for her (that Remus is hurt after every month, that he tries to protect the werewolves living in the forest by the McKinnon Farm, etc), and suggests they talk to the Marauders as well as Emmeline Vance who might have had a closer look at Remus’ injuries in the past. Neither of them dares to speak what they think: is Remus perhaps a werewolf? Voice -> Still at the Potter Estate, Edgar learns that Ryland is planning on finally moving out of the Potter Estate, moving back into his own home. Edgar panics, his tics consuming him fully until Caradoc finds him and makes him stop. Unfortunately, Edgar still doesn’t take Caradoc’s apology (nor wants to listen to what Caradocs wants to tell him) and leaves. Leaves, however, not without a thank you.
16th Reunion -> Edgar understands now that he too is afflicted by this war illness, and that he is not coping well at all, finally finds Amelia. Overjoyed to have each other back, the two spend the night together -- Edgar well aware that Amelia is his coping mechanism, and it’s yet another reason to keep her away from this war. If she joins and becomes ill as well, who will be able to save her?
17th Voice -> The next night, Edgar receives a letter from Caradoc, warning him that something happened at the Potter Estate. Edgar tells him he can handle it and goes alone. x -> Upon arriving there, it’s very late already. In a hushed whisper he’s told that Daisy has returned from her year-long sabbatical, and Edgar’s heart beats fast. Daisy is one of his oldest friends and he hasn’t seen her in a year. When finding her in a make-shift room, though, she’s already asleep and so he just joins her, nestling up and happy that one by one, he’s finding all his friends again.
18th Back -> Not only do the two of them spend a lovely morning together, trying to catch up, but Daisy also gives Edgar a photo camera. While talking, Edgar has to realise though, that going away (like Daisy did) might be the only way to escape this war. And that contrary to Daisy some might do it deliberately, for no academic reason, only to free themselves of their illness. Thus, Edgar decides that he needs to talk to Caradoc.
19th Voice -> Is his friend really as cold-hearted as Edgar accused him to be? Does he have to learn how to be warmer to find a war where the rarest resource is warmth and compassion? Or is he perhaps not in the wrong for being cold-hearted? Is it perhaps Edgar who has to toughen up to fight this war properly? These are the things Edgar plans on finding, but upon arriving at Strongarm Cottage, it is not just Caradoc he sees: Fabian! Shocked, confused, helpless, Edgar demands Caradoc explains. And he does. And Edgar learns that his friend is not at all cold-hearted as he always acts. Never Did Run Smooth -> Fabian admitted to being an alcoholic. Admitted this to Caradoc, along with a plea to take him in, help him. Therefore, instead of confronting Fabian or even addressing his disappearance directly, Edgar shows him Caradoc’s old room. The room of a normal teenager, full of pleasures and joys and life -- frozen in time. What happened? How has Caradoc become this chiseled shell everyone knows him to be? Edgar explains Fabian that everyone is ill because of this war in their own way, that they’re all just trying to cope. That Fabian isn’t weak for having found comfort in alcohol, but strong for admitting it. Stronger than Edgar who cannot let go of Amelia in a healthy way, stronger than Caradoc who picks his mind apart to be free of all emotions.
22nd Talk -> It is during a random talk with Gideon that Edgar learns that Gideon doesn’t know where his brother is. This weighs heavy on Edgar as he understands the bond twins have well, and the idea that Gideon wasn’t there for Fabian when it was needed most, displeases him. He cannot assume yet whether Fabian just refused to tell Gideon about what was going on, or if Gideon refused to acknowledge it. Either way, when Edgar hints to the fact that Fabian might need his twin now more than ever, Gideon seems offended more than concerned.
24th x -> Edgar finds one of Artem’s friends living in a suburb outside London. He has no time to tell his friend about it yet.
25th Sunny Morning [not yet available] -> Edgar joins Caradoc and Fabian at Strongarm Rehab, catching up on everything they missed. He tells Caradoc about Remus, and they discuss if the him perhaps, allegedly, being a werewolf would affect their plans moving the werewolves to the House of Bones as previously planned. Edgar doesn’t know if he’s relieved that their plans are frozen until they know more about Remus, because using House of Bones for the Order would first require him to accept Rigby’s decision. Upon going to say hi to Fabian that morning, Edgar also realises that he’s not even sure if his friend is going to return to the Order or not. While he doesn’t want to lose Fabian, he’s also afraid that returning to the war could worsen his illness...
29th Gryffadorian Surprise -> Fabian does want to remain in the Order. Is in fact quite puzzled that Edgar would think he could just leave. He agrees to participate in the polyjuice mission, where he and Emma have to find a Pureblood’s hair or so to go as them during the Rosier Engagement party next month. For the first time in a long time, Fabian goes into a mission sober, and Edgar and Caradoc are quite anxious. When Fabian returned victoriously though, they’re overjoyed and Edgar is reassured that Fabian staying in the Order is not a bad idea. That his friend is indeed much stronger than most.
