The flames in the common room's fireplace crackled, providing warmth on a cold Hogwarts night despite it being late April. The temperature difference between day and night was still significant, making the evenings chilly.
The centaur Firenze had shared his prophecy with three clueless first-year students. The message he conveyed seemed to have little impact, rendering his efforts seemingly wasted. Why would he do such a thing unless he was out of his mind? However, aside from that segment of divination using the stars, Firenze spoke very clearly and logically, indicating that his mind was sound.
It seemed he was trying to hint at something significant to Eda and the twins. The ones who were confused weren't the well-intentioned centaur but Eda and her friends themselves.
Unable to make sense of it, they decided not to dwell on it, lest they end up overthinking and missing the point. Eda and the twins bid each other goodnight and went to rest, as life had to go on.
With April nearing its end, Dumbledore left Hogwarts once again to attend Fudge's inauguration ceremony in London.
Fudge had been serving as Minister for some time and had been busy managing the affairs of the Ministry, appearing as a diligent public servant of the magical world.
It wasn't that Fudge didn't want to hold an inauguration; such a grand occasion was something few would willingly forgo. However, Dumbledore's constant presence at the school meant he had no time, causing Fudge to delay his ceremony. Fudge had repeatedly invited Dumbledore to London, and the *Daily Prophet* had widely publicized the Minister's gracious invitations, earning him praise and solidifying his position.
Finally, after being courted with such persistence, Dumbledore left the school to support his "puppet." Since Fudge became Minister, rumors had circulated suggesting that he was Dumbledore's puppet, and various actions seemed to confirm this speculation.
A few days ago, the twins had carefully planned a prank on their old 'friend' Filch. However, their plan went awry, and they were caught red-handed by the furious caretaker. As punishment, they had to clean the trophy room again.
With the twins absent, Eda sat next to Angelina and Alicia during dinner, and their conversation revolved around typical girl talk.
The headmaster's seat in the Great Hall was empty, as Dumbledore had not yet returned. Snape's seat was also vacant, and he did not make an appearance throughout dinner.
After finishing her meal, Eda left the Great Hall alone.
Instead of returning to the common room with Angelina and the others, she headed to the kitchens to fetch some food so the twins wouldn't be hungry when they returned from their punishment.
However, just a short distance from the Great Hall, a Slytherin upper-year girl stopped Eda.
"This is from the professor," the Slytherin girl said. "Make sure you're on time."
Eda took the note, which read: "Tonight at eight, in the dungeon classroom."
The note was written by Snape; Eda recognized the handwriting from many previous occasions.
Snape hadn't summoned Eda in quite some time, and while she didn't know the reason for this meeting, she knew that missing it would result in a terrible time during Potions class the day after tomorrow.
"I really don't know what he sees in you. You don't seem particularly special," the girl remarked cryptically.
Eda was startled by the girl's voice. Usually, the Slytherins who delivered messages would drop the note and leave immediately without exchanging a word. So, she was surprised that this girl stayed behind to speak to her.
The senior student's words seemed to imply that she couldn't understand why Snape would choose Eda.
Not just her; even Eda herself hadn't figured it out. With a hint of sarcasm, Eda replied, "Honestly, I'm not keen on this. If you're interested, you can go instead of me."
Eda handed the note back to the senior, but the girl showed no intention of taking it.
"Don't be ungrateful! Mud..." The girl's tone was harsh, nearly letting a slur slip from her mouth.
Leaning closer, the Slytherin girl whispered, "You'd better go early and not keep anyone waiting! I'm not like Avery, that idiot who disgraces purebloods. Even if you don't do as I say, I have plenty of ways to deal with you!"
After issuing this threat, the seemingly erratic senior finally acted normally. She walked away, shooting a look of disdain at Eda before leaving.
Eda was unfazed by the Slytherin girl's threats; such harsh words had little impact. Eda's own threats could be far more intimidating.
She planned to arrive at the dungeon classroom just in time. If the girl dared to cause trouble, Eda would welcome the challenge. The outcome of such an encounter would be uncertain.
Back in the dormitory, Eda chatted with Angelina and the others while completing assignments from various professors. She also wanted to discuss the "unusual senior" from today with the twins, but they hadn't returned despite the long wait.
The twins were well-versed in cleaning the trophy room. They knew Filch's punishment methods all too well, having experienced them many times.
'The twins had been taken away by Filch after classes ended this afternoon. By now, they should have returned.'
Eda glanced at the clock in the common room; it was nearly eight o'clock. She couldn't wait any longer as she didn't like being late. After entrusting the food to Angelina and leaving a note, Eda hurriedly left the common room.
As she walked, Eda felt something strange. Snape had summoned her to the dungeon classroom at eight, which was somewhat late. Usually, when Snape called for her, it was at seven or, at the latest, half-past seven.
Hogwarts had a curfew in place to prevent students from wandering around the castle at night, with an earlier curfew for younger students. By setting the time at eight, Snape left Eda with little time, and she couldn't accomplish much.
There were few students left in the corridors; the warm, inviting common rooms were clearly more appealing than the hallways. Those still in the corridors were mostly older students, while the younger ones had returned to their common rooms long ago.
Students like Eda and the twins, who liked to wander around and break the rules, were in the minority. Most students were obedient; otherwise, Filch would have been overwhelmed long ago, with no time to spar with the twins.
As she arrived at the dungeon classroom, there were no students in sight. People only came here for classes, as few enjoyed the gloomy dungeon classrooms, and no one would choose to idle around here.
In the eerie hallway, the flickering torchlight cast shadows on Eda's face. The dim light didn't slow her down; having been summoned by Snape multiple times, Eda knew the way well and could find the classroom with her eyes closed.
When she reached the classroom door, Eda found it tightly shut, which struck her as odd.
Usually, Snape wouldn't lock the door. He'd typically leave it ajar for Eda, so she could enter after knocking without bothering him to open it.
But today was different. The dark door remained closed, and when Eda pushed it, it didn't budge. When she knocked, there was no response from inside the classroom.
Something felt off today. Eda pulled out her wand and knocked on the classroom door with her free left hand, calling, "Professor? Professor Snape?"
There was still no response from inside, and the corridors on either side remained empty, with only the sound of her knocking echoing in the flickering firelight.
She took out the note again; it clearly stated the time and location. She hadn't come to the wrong place. The handwriting on the note was identical to Snape's and didn't seem like a prank.
Snape wouldn't joke about something like this. Though he had a nasty personality and his caustic remarks often hurt students, he was still a competent professor.
Besides, it was hard to imagine Snape having a sense of humor for such "jokes."
Eda decided to leave. The fact that Snape hadn't appeared at the staff table today was already suspicious.
The scheduled time was eight o'clock, and the locked door of the dungeon classroom added to the strangeness... If there wasn't something fishy going on, she'd wash Snape's hair herself!
Facing the classroom door, Eda cautiously stepped back, carefully observing her surroundings. Getting away safely was her top priority now.
She focused on the situation at hand, leaving the question of who might be setting her up for later consideration.
Just as she was about to leave, she heard a "click" from the tightly shut classroom door. Eda immediately raised her wand as the door opened from the inside, revealing the dark classroom beyond.
"Stupefy!" Eda cast a stunning spell directly into the classroom. The spell, glowing with light, shot into the room but didn't hit anyone; it was blocked.
A figure slowly emerged from the dark classroom, a mocking smile playing on their lips.
"Why is it you?"
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