Hogwarts Emerald

The next morning, Eda was woken up by the commotion from the ghoul in the attic. It always made a racket when the house was too quiet, either by shrieking loudly or banging on pipes. As long as the ghoul felt it was too quiet, no one else could enjoy any peace. 

Yawning and with her hair down, Eda went downstairs. Her outfit was tidy, but the mirror on the kitchen mantle still yelled at her, "Fix your hair! What kind of mess is this?" 

Mrs. Weasley was busy cleaning the kitchen. Cups, bowls, and utensils washed themselves in the sink, clattering together like they were playing a lively kitchen symphony. Hearing the mirror's voice, Mrs. Weasley turned and asked, "Did it wake you up, dear?" 

"Good morning, ma'am," Eda replied, casually tying her hair into a bun, exposing her fair and slender neck. 

Back in the orphanage, only the very young girls had someone help them with their hair. Older girls had to manage it themselves, and no one ever taught them how to style it properly. 

Eda never spent much effort on her hair, so she usually wore it down. Occasionally, she would tie it into a single ponytail or, like today, twist it into a bun. 

While other girls at school were focused on their appearances, Eda always had her nose buried in thick books. It was only her natural beauty and tough personality that spared her from being labeled a nerd. 

Mrs. Weasley placed freshly cooked eggs and bacon onto Eda's plate, piling it high like a small mountain. If Eda hadn't stopped her, Mrs. Weasley would have likely made it even taller. 

Eda had originally planned to head to Ottery St. Mary near the River Otter after breakfast. It wasn't for fun but to send a letter to Mrs. Mary. However, Mrs. Weasley informed her that she could send mail directly from the village and didn't need to go all the way to the town. 

The villagers were early risers, and none of them gave Eda, a stranger, any odd looks. With Christmas just around the corner, they merely assumed she was someone heading to town for a performance. 

Some children were playing in the village, and the braver ones curiously approached Eda, asking if she was an actress from the town and what kind of performances there would be for Christmas. 

Annoyed to no end, Eda finally escaped the group of noisy kids when she entered the post office. Though called a post office, it was just one person working there. Eda arrived just in time; if she had been a little later, the postman would have already left. 

When she returned to the Burrow, Ginny was following Mrs. Weasley around in the kitchen, while the boys were helping Mr. Weasley decorate the house.

In the corner of the living room stood a Christmas tree that Mr. Weasley had just brought in. The twins were busy hanging bells and ribbons on it. 

Eda went into the kitchen and stood by the sink, peeling potatoes with a knife. At that moment, she really envied Charlie, who could already use magic outside school. Eda had to resort to sneaking in some magic use, careful not to let Mrs. Weasley catch her. 

With so many hands helping, the Burrow was fully decorated by noon, exuding the festive spirit of Christmas everywhere. Pleased, Mrs. Weasley allowed the children to go out in the afternoon. They could play Quidditch as long as they ensured the Muggles in the village below wouldn't see them. 

The boys, carrying their broomsticks, led the way, with Eda and Ginny following behind. The seven of them headed toward a paddock on a hill near the Weasley home. Surrounded by trees, the spot was well-hidden from the village below. 

Except for Ron, who was still young, the Weasley boys all used Cleansweep-series broomsticks. The twins had Cleansweep Fives, slightly old but still functional. 

Since Eda didn't own a broomstick, Charlie picked out an old one for her from the broom shed before they left the Burrow. Little Ginny also wanted to grab one, but Charlie and the others didn't agree. 

After arriving at the paddock, Charlie was the first to mount his broomstick and take to the air. The others followed, starting a game of tossing and catching an apple. They couldn't play real Quidditch since it would risk being seen by Muggles, and they kept their flying low to avoid attracting attention. 

The apple passed back and forth between the boys, who had been playing this game since childhood. Even Ron, the little boy, handled it well, though his slower broomstick made him look less graceful than his older brothers. 

"Come on, Eda, stop dawdling down there!" Fred began urging her impatiently. Everyone in the family knew she wasn't great on a broomstick. 

The other boys joined in, especially Percy and Ron, eager to see Eda make a fool of herself. But they were destined for disappointment.

While Eda's natural talent might have been lacking, the countless hours of practice she had put in weren't for nothing. 

"Good luck!" Ginny whispered encouragement before stepping aside. 

Eda mounted the broomstick, pushed off the ground with her feet, and rose steadily into the air. The boys stared in disbelief, and the twins' jaws dropped, letting in a gust of cold wind. The twins, who spent the most time with her, had no idea she had improved so much—they remembered her barely being able to stay aloft before. 

Eda wasn't suited to being a Quidditch player, but for basic broomstick flying, she could manage just fine. She was a bit slower and needed to be more cautious, but she could hold her own. 

Once the rookie flyer joined the game, however, their smooth apple-tossing became much less coordinated. Either Eda couldn't catch the apple, or her throws were too off-target, making it harder for the others to catch. 

If it weren't for Charlie's skill as a Seeker and his quick reflexes, the apple would have been smashed multiple times thanks to Eda's fumbling. Seeing this, Charlie called a pause to the game and reorganized the teams. He paired the twins with Eda, while he teamed up with Percy and Ron. 

It was now three versus three, with roughly equal strength. On the twins' team, Eda was a clear weak link, while on Charlie's team, neither Ron nor Percy were on their house Quidditch team.

The twins positioned Eda in the middle, ensuring they could cover for her if she missed the apple. 

With the new arrangement, Eda started to enjoy the game more and even managed to catch the apple a few times.

As the sun dipped lower on the horizon, the seven of them finally left the paddock and made their way back home. 

"When did you get so good at flying, Eda?"

George asked. If he had asked anyone else, it would have been mockery. But with Eda, it was genuine praise, considering how poor her flying skills had been at the start. 

Fred and Charlie turned to look at her as well, equally curious about her "sudden progress."

They still vividly remembered how terrible she was at broomstick flying in their first year. 

"I've always told you, Fred and George, I'm a fast learner," Eda replied, keeping the secret of her system to herself. It was something she couldn't share with anyone. "Remember Exploding Snap cards from our first year?" 

The twins shuddered, recalling the sheer terror of being utterly dominated by Eda at the game. It had been both a mental and emotional humiliation. 

"How about a game tonight?" Charlie suggested. "Don't worry, Eda. I won't bully you." 

The twins shook their heads vehemently, trying to dissuade Charlie from walking into a disaster. But brimming with confidence in his card-playing skills, Charlie insisted on challenging Eda.

A fierce battle of Exploding Snap seemed inevitable. 

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