Chapter 114: Bad News

Mr. Weasley had sent a letter, yet Professor McGonagall hadn't come looking for the twins but for Eda instead. Even if McGonagall said nothing, Eda could already guess the reason.

Eda had always kept the fact that she was a witch a secret from Mrs. Mary. She was afraid that, as a nun, Mrs. Mary wouldn't be able to accept such a shocking revelation. The idea was simply too much of a clash with her worldview. Because of this, Eda had never used an owl to contact her.

Since she had decided to keep it a secret, she did so thoroughly. Whenever Eda wrote to Mrs. Mary, she sent her letters through the Muggle postal service, disguising herself as a student attending a strictly managed Muggle school.

During the Christmas holiday, Eda had sent a letter to the orphanage through the post office in St. Catchpole, assuring Mrs. Mary that she was doing well and spending the holiday at the home of a teacher named Weasley. For this, Eda had even specially asked Mr. Weasley for his help.

If Mrs. Mary ever wanted to contact Eda, she could only send her letters to the return address. Mr. Weasley would then receive them and have them delivered to Hogwarts by owl.

It was a bit troublesome, but it was effective—Mrs. Mary and the people at the orphanage still had no idea about Eda.

Even though Eda had always wanted to cut ties with her past, the thought that something might have happened to Mrs. Mary still made her feel sorrowful. The kind-hearted woman had cared for this body for twelve years—such a bond wasn't something she could sever just like that.

Eda felt a slight sting in her nose as she tried hard to keep her emotions in check. Yet, when she spoke, her voice still trembled uncontrollably.

"Professor… did something happen to Mrs. Mary?

Being urgently called out of class, this was the only reason Eda could think of. Besides, during Defense Against the Dark Arts class, the illusion conjured by the Hinkypunk had shown her a scene where Mrs. Mary was sick. 

For some reason, Eda seemed to have the uncanny ability to predict unfortunate events—good things never came true, but bad ones always did. This only made her even more certain that something had happened to Mrs. Mary. The Hinkypunk's illusion had been a warning. 

And as it turned out, Eda was right. Someone from the orphanage had written to her so-called "teacher," Mr. Weasley, informing him that Mrs. Mary didn't have much time left. They hoped Eda could return to see her one last time. 

Professor McGonagall looked at Eda, who was struggling to hold back her tears, with a heartbroken expression. In a gentle voice, she said, "Go pack your things now. I'll take you there…" 

...

In the Gryffindor girls' dormitory, Eda changed into Muggle clothing, packed her toiletries into her school bag, and set aside a set of black clothing. Other than that, she took nothing else. 

Since they had left the History of Magic classroom, Professor McGonagall had remained silent. She understood what it felt like to lose someone important in one's life.

At times like these, any words of comfort seemed meaningless.

McGonagall also knew that no matter what she said now, she wouldn't be able to ease the pain of the young girl beside her—on the contrary, she might shatter the last bit of strength Eda was holding onto. Rather than speaking empty words, it was better to say nothing at all. 

Once Eda finished packing, the two of them left the castle and walked toward the school gates. She pulled her clothes tighter around herself. It was already May, yet she felt cold. The sunlight she usually loved so much no longer brought her any warmth.

The two of them stopped outside the school gates. Professor McGonagall would be using Apparition to take Eda directly to the orphanage. 

McGonagall was aware that the orphanage had relocated, so she wouldn't make the mistake of taking Eda straight to London. However, she didn't know the new address, so she asked, "What's the new location?" 

Eda gave her the address. Upon hearing it, McGonagall asked again in a slightly puzzled tone, "Surrey?" After Eda confirmed it, McGonagall's expression turned serious. "Hold onto my arm tightly—do not let go!" 

Eda obediently grasped McGonagall's arm. A moment later, a loud cracking sound echoed through the air, somewhat similar to the backfire of a Muggle car. Their figures disappeared from the empty space outside the school gates. 

The wizarding world truly lacked comfortable modes of transportation.

Apparition felt like being forcibly squeezed through an extremely tight rubber tube. Many people vomited the first time they experienced it. While uncomfortable, Apparition was undeniably convenient, and it could also be used in combat to catch an opponent off guard. 

Of course, Apparition had its drawbacks as well. If used improperly, it could lead to catastrophic consequences. There were also distance and location restrictions—the farther the distance, the greater the risk. One couldn't simply Apparate anywhere at will. 

Snap~!

On an empty street, two figures—one older, one younger—suddenly appeared. It was Professor McGonagall and Eda, having just materialized from Apparition. Since McGonagall had never been to the new orphanage, she couldn't take Eda directly there. Instead, she brought Eda to a place in Surrey that she was familiar with.

On either side of the street stood neat, identical houses. This was a model neighborhood—clean, orderly, and picturesque. A street sign by the road read: Surrey, Little Whinging, Privet Drive.

The new location of the orphanage was near Little Whinging, not too far from Privet Drive. It was close enough for them to walk there directly.

Eda wasn't in the mood to take in the houses or the streets around her, and as they left Privet Drive, she didn't spare it a second glance. Professor McGonagall, however, lingered for a while, staring at one particular house before finally moving on.

After walking for about an hour, the orphanage finally came into view.

Compared to the one in London, this orphanage looked much better.

Trees and flowers surrounded the yard, the outdoor play equipment was well-maintained, and a large group of children in matching uniforms were playing happily under the watchful eyes of three young women.

Not far from the orphanage's entrance, Professor McGonagall bid farewell to Eda. Pulling her into a gentle embrace, she reminded her, "Dear, I will send an owl. If you need anything at all, write to me, and I will come immediately."

"Thank you, Professor." When she had first received the bad news, Eda had lost control of her emotions. Now, she had managed to steady herself—at least on the surface.

What she didn't realize was that the way she looked now, holding back her emotions, only made her seem even more heart-wrenching to those who saw her.

"Go do what you need to do," McGonagall said softly, running a comforting hand through Eda's long hair. "Once you've taken care of everything here, I will come and take you ...home."

After bidding farewell to Professor McGonagall, Eda walked into the orphanage alone.

A few children who had come from London recognized her immediately. They huddled together, whispering among themselves—nothing but meaningless words like "monster," "cold-blooded," and "what is she doing back here?" Their gossip piqued the curiosity of the other small children, who didn't know Eda but now turned their eyes toward her with interest.

The three young women overseeing the children quickly put an end to the chatter. One of them, who appeared to be the leader, stepped forward and approached Eda.

"Hello, may I ask who you are?" she inquired.

"Hello, I'm Esmeralda Twist," Eda replied. "I used to live here with Sister Mary. Is she… is she doing alright?"

"Come with me. The headmistress and Sister Mary have been waiting for you."

The young woman led Eda inside to meet them.

As soon as Eda and the woman disappeared into the building, the children in the yard resumed their whispers. The ones from London continued to badmouth Eda, painting her as some kind of freak, a bringer of misfortune, an irredeemable villain.

Outside the orphanage, Professor McGonagall had not left immediately after parting with Eda.

She had lingered, quietly observing the scene.

She could hear the children's cruel words—words she had already heard before from Sister Mary. But McGonagall knew the truth: Eda was no monster, no cursed child. She was simply a fourteen-year-old girl who had endured more than most.

Watching Eda disappear into the building, McGonagall finally turned away. With a sharp crack, she vanished into thin air, leaving behind only a soft whisper in the wind:

"Hogwarts is your home. There, you have your best friends Fred and George, and your other classmates. You will never be alone again."

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