Pansy had thought her blend of threats, taunts, and sincerity would easily get her into this little group. But she hadn't expected Edward to have conditions.

She'd noticed something off about Edward, Daphne, and Malfoy before Christmas. Maybe Crabbe and Goyle were too thick to pick up on it, and Blaise and Theodore couldn't be bothered, but Pansy was different.

Her interest in the trio had been brewing for a while, though she hadn't found the right moment to act on it.

At first, Edward didn't seem all that special—just a good-looking guy with top marks and a stubborn streak. As for his do-gooder reputation, Pansy figured it was probably an act.

But when she saw Malfoy and Daphne—two of the most headstrong people she knew—actually listening to him, things got interesting.

How did he manage that? Those two weren't exactly easy to win over.

Malfoy, the golden boy of the prestigious Malfoy family, willingly trailing behind someone else? And recently, Pansy had caught him obsessively practicing some complicated spell against a wall—something she'd never seen him do before.

Maybe she should find out what they were up to. There might be something in it for her.

As the only daughter of the Parkinson family, Pansy knew how to play the Slytherin game—always looking out for her own gain. Unlike Draco, who constantly name-dropped his father, or Daphne, with her lofty, standoffish attitude, Pansy preferred a smoother approach.

Threats, charm, flattery—she'd mastered them all at a young age.

But Edward? He saw right through her tactics, completely unfazed, wearing a calm smile as if she were a pet cat overacting its part.

"What, conditions? Let's hear them, then," Pansy said, raising an eyebrow.

"Simple. Just three," Edward said, holding up three fingers. "First, no snitching, in any form. Second, watch your words and actions. Third, be genuine with everyone."

"If you can manage that, I'd be happy to have you join us."

Malfoy squirmed a bit at the second condition.

Daphne rolled her eyes at the third.

"What kind of conditions are those? They're practically nothing!" Pansy scoffed. "I was expecting something like a family vault with a million Galleons. How are you even going to know if I'm 'sincere' enough?"

Edward just smiled at her, saying nothing.

That look made Pansy wonder if he actually could tell whether she was being genuine.

"Fine, I'm in," she said with a shrug.

"Great. So, mind showing me what you're hiding behind your back?" Edward's eyes flicked to Pansy's right hand.

"What? My hand? There's nothing there!" she protested.

"Sincerity, Pansy. You forgot already?"

With a pout, Pansy opened her hand, revealing a few gleaming gold Galleons.

"I figured if I was joining your little club, there'd be some kind of membership fee or something. That's how my parents do things," she said. "But when I mentioned money, you didn't exactly jump at it, so I thought I'd keep them hidden. Happy now?"

Being called out wasn't exactly pleasant for Pansy. Money had been her last resort.

Malfoy and Daphne quickly covered their mouths, trying not to laugh. For once, they were all on equal footing—each having been embarrassed in front of Edward.

As for Edward, he genuinely welcomed Pansy's addition. In fact, he welcomed anyone who wanted to join. With danger lurking around Hogwarts, teaching his classmates some defensive skills was a good thing.

But beyond magic, Edward hoped they'd learn something more—qualities like kindness and integrity. Malfoy, for instance, was making progress. His taunts and foul language toward Gryffindors had nearly stopped, though he still had his moments.

Edward didn't want to squash their personalities or the ambition that ran deep in Slytherin veins. He just wanted to steer that ambition toward something better, not let it turn them into future Death Eaters like some of their parents.

Changing the arrogance embedded in their blood wouldn't happen overnight, or even in a year or two. It would take time, but Edward was optimistic. Hogwarts was a boarding school, after all—students spent more time here than at home being influenced by their pure-blood supremacist families.

The four of them slipped into a secret passage behind a statue. Pansy was buzzing with curiosity—this was, after all, her first time breaking school rules.

One of Filch's precious rules, strongly backed by Dumbledore, was a strict ban on using the castle's secret passages.

Of course, as long as you weren't caught, it didn't count.

"Not bad, though a bit shabby," Pansy said, inspecting the small room at the end of the passage. "So this is where you lot sneak off to practice magic?"

"If you don't like it, the common room's that way," Daphne snapped, pointing to the exit.

"I didn't say I was leaving," Pansy shot back.

"Weren't they supposed to be friends?" Malfoy whispered to Edward. "Why are they acting like they've eaten a Firecracker?"

Edward just smiled. He could guess what was going on—Daphne wasn't mad at Pansy, just annoyed at herself for not noticing she'd been followed.

"Ahem, anyway, since we have a new member today, we might need to tweak our training a bit," Edward said, clearing his throat.

"Wait, Edward, before we start, we have something for you," Daphne said, cutting in and dropping her spat with Pansy.

"That little box? What's in it?" Edward asked, genuinely curious. His sharp instincts didn't include X-ray vision.

"Ugh, we thought you'd remember," Malfoy said, shaking his head smugly. He placed the box on a small table and tapped it with his wand.

With a pop, the box burst open, showering the room with shimmering silver confetti, like a cascade of starlight.

Inside was a beautifully crafted cake, decorated with green icing shaped like a snake and glowing silver words.

"Happy Birthday."

Edward blinked. It hit him—January 15, 1992. A Wednesday.

His birthday.

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