After the attack incident, Hogwarts underwent some changes. Students always gathered in groups of three or five, fearing that if they were alone, they might be attacked. Even the little boys who boasted about their 'courage' went to the bathroom in pairs.
During the day, professors without classes patrolled the relatively secluded corridors. At night, the professors paired up to thoroughly search the castle.
For over ten days, the professors' inspections of the castle yielded nothing. No more attacks occurred, making it seem like Daniel's incident was just an unfortunate anomaly.
Daniel left Hogwarts three days after the attack. During his stay in the infirmary, he was terrified of everything, throwing anything within reach at anyone who approached him, including Madam Pomfrey.
With his condition not improving, Daniel could no longer continue his studies. His mother, Mrs. Bell, had to take him home to recuperate.
The tall and strong Daniel cowered in the petite Mrs. Bell's arms, finding safety only in his mother's embrace.
Mrs. Bell did not make a scene at the school. She remained strong throughout, shedding no tears, simply holding her poor child tightly.
With Dumbledore's help, she took Daniel away from the school, supporting his body with her frail shoulders as they slowly departed in the early November snow.
These days, the professors' search efforts significantly hindered Eda's progress. Her [Night Wandering] task completion remained at five times, only halfway done.
Attempting another night excursion now would be like walking into a trap, akin to seeking her own demise.
Eda now spent her days hanging out with the twins.
When the twins pulled pranks, Eda was responsible for finding targets and keeping watch. Recently, Gryffindor students seemed to "hate" the three of them more than the culprit of the attack incident.
The twins also patiently accompanied Eda to the library, although most of the time the two brothers were either goofing off or meticulously planning their next prank.
Eda even took Fred and George to visit the girls' bathroom on the second floor. Under the care of the three of them, Moaning Myrtle had to retreat and flee from her "lair."
Eda let out a triumphant laugh, resembling a villain from a script, as she reclaimed the bathroom.
She resumed her temporarily interrupted practice plan there, dragging the twins along with her.
This not only helped the twins improve but also served as a review process for Eda.
When there were Quidditch practices, Fred and George would forcibly drag Eda out of the warm castle to watch Gryffindor's training sessions at the Quidditch pitch.
The twins believed Eda needed more fresh air rather than staying by the fireplace all the time.
Since the beginning of the term, the twins had been persistently trying to sell Quidditch to Eda, but her interest remained lukewarm, especially after realizing she wasn't particularly good at using a flying broom.
Every time Gryffindor trained, Eda was forced to attend, but she stubbornly sat on the sidelines reading a book, occasionally clapping to show some respect for Charlie.
However, as the weather turned colder, it became increasingly uncomfortable to read outside. Wearing gloves wasn't very convenient either. Reluctantly, Eda had to put down her beloved book bag and start focusing on watching Gryffindor's training sessions.
Unbeknownst to herself, Eda developed a strong interest in Quidditch. Even she hadn't realized this yet.
Under these circumstances, the Gryffindor Quidditch cheerleader and Hogwarts' first-ever Quidditch Babe was born.
If Eda were willing to take off her robes and wear something simpler, she would be the perfect embodiment of a cheerleader and undoubtedly a crowd-puller for Gryffindor's matches!
However, Eda wouldn't do that—not because the weather was too cold, but because her remaining sense of shame wouldn't allow it.
She always wanted to be a queen, not a pampered princess.
Today was another day when Cheerleader Eda was forced to be active. She stood next to Hagrid, whose large frame made her appear even more petite.
Although Hagrid always supported Gryffindor's matches, he rarely watched their practices. Whenever he showed up at the training grounds, Eda would stand beside him.
It wasn't that their relationship was particularly close, but Hagrid's half-giant bloodline gave him a huge body. This huge body could effectively block the cold Scottish wind for Eda, making him her perfect large-sized tool.
Today, under Captain Charlie's care, the twins also got a chance to play and join the team for a half-court offense and defense drill.
As first-years riding old flying brooms, the twin brothers didn't perform very well as Chasers, naturally attracting Eda's focused attention as the "keyboard warrior."
"George, do you even know how to play! Pass the ball already..." Eda cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted, "Fred, did you skip lunch? Why is your shot so weak, like a..."
Realizing that she was being a bit of a nag, Eda stopped herself mid-sentence and changed her approach, shouting, "Can you two coordinate a bit better? Aren't you supposed to be twins?"
It wasn't that Eda was just picking on the twins because they were easy targets; it was simply that she didn't know the rest of the team well enough yet.
Under the continuous commentary of "keyboard warrior" Eda, the twins finally got their act together and started playing better. With their small universe ignited, they managed to score several goals against the official team's defense, closing the score gap.
Having her criticisms proven wrong, Eda finally settled down, putting away her metaphorical "keyboard" and quietly watching the game.
Hagrid, looking at the small figure beside him, was utterly perplexed. When she wasn't speaking, she was such an adorable girl. Why did she seem like a different person when she opened her mouth? Women were indeed mysterious creatures!
In the end, the twins' team lost the match. Despite their heroic performance in the second half, they couldn't make up for the deficit from the first half. If it weren't for their efforts, the game would have ended much sooner.
Even though they lost, the twins weren't discouraged. They quickly walked over to Eda and asked, "How did we do? Pretty good, right?"
"Hmm, not bad," Eda replied. Now that the game was over, she wasn't going to continue being overly critical. "There's still a lot of room for improvement."
Hearing nothing useful from Eda was entirely expected by the twins. Eda's actual skill was far below average; she was full of eloquent theories, but the moment she got on a broomstick, she was all thumbs, instantly revealing her true colors.
As for Eda's beautiful criticisms, the twins didn't take them to heart. She was still a kid—how malicious could she be?
After saying goodbye to Hagrid, the three left the training ground and headed back to the castle. The sky was already darkening, and Eda could hear the Great Hall calling her name.
Fred and George, one on either side, flanked Eda, clearly as a playful payback for her earlier harsh words. One reason they were such good friends was that none of them held grudges. Any offenses were dealt with on the same day, never carried over to the next.
"I still prefer playing Beater, George," said the Weasley on Eda's left, evidently Fred.
"Fred, I feel the same way. Swinging the bat, hitting the Bludger, disrupting the other team's plays…" said the Weasley on her right, naturally George.
"It's simply wonderful!" they both said together right in Eda's ear.
"Worry about your positions when you actually make the team," Eda said, rubbing her ears. The twins had intentionally spoken loudly in her ear, and being squished between them like a hamburger patty, she could only endure it silently.
"Next year, you'll see our names on the official team roster," George declared, raising the flag.
"And we'll definitely be starting players," Fred added, reinforcing George's statement. "Want to bet on it? A Silver Sickle?"
Though Eda wasn't skilled at playing Quidditch, with the system's help, she was rapidly advancing towards becoming a Quidditch theory master, so she had a keen eye.
She acknowledged the twins' skills were good, but the house team wasn't their family business; they couldn't just declare themselves starting players!
Wait, next year Charlie should still be the team captain. If Charlie trains his brothers diligently, they might actually make the starting lineup!
Eda struggled to break free from the twins' "payback," shaking her head vigorously. Without giving the twins another glance, she sprinted towards the castle.
Eda was starving; her stomach felt like it was sticking to her back. She was still a child, needing to eat on time and maintain her nutrition. Everything else was secondary.
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