Chapter 120: Ugh! I'll Be Late For Dinner!

Eda did leave the playground. She wasn't familiar with Harry Potter—why should she care whether he got soaked or felt cold? 

But after walking for a bit, she still ended up turning back. 

Harry Potter would definitely attend Hogwarts, and they would see each other often in the future. Leaving him here alone in the rain today seemed a bit unreasonable. 

For the sake of their shared green eyes and the fact that they were both orphans, Eda decided, out of the kindness of her heart, to take Harry Potter home. 

"Number 4, Privet Drive. It's not far from here," Harry said. He hadn't expected her to return after leaving. 

Eda nodded. Of course, she knew where Privet Drive was—did he really need to tell her it wasn't far? 

However, she didn't take Harry away immediately. Instead, she used magic to dry his soaked clothes before motioning for him to follow her. 

As for casting spells in front of Harry, Eda wasn't concerned at all. The system could block the Trace, so no one would be able to detect that she had used magic here. 

This was a secret known only to the heavens, the earth, her, and Harry. As long as the Boy Who Lived didn't go around blabbing, no one else would ever know. 

Besides, Harry would be starting school soon. Consider this an early lesson from his senior, so he wouldn't be too shocked when he received his Hogwarts acceptance letter. 

Harry watched in amazement as steam rose from his clothes. 

The girl had only waved her small wooden stick, and his soaking wet clothes became dry and warm. He hesitated for a moment before pointing at the stick and gathering his courage to ask, "What is that?"

The words "fairy wand" almost slipped out of Eda's mouth, but she managed to hold back the impulse. Instead, she said, "A wand. It's for performing tricks. Are you coming or not? If you don't want to leave, I don't mind leaving you here."

Harry quickly ducked under Eda's "umbrella." Sure enough, this invisible, untouchable umbrella completely shielded him from the rain—he didn't get wet at all.

Harry was full of curiosity about everything related to this girl. If only he had abilities like hers! Oh, right—he didn't even know her name yet.

"I'm Harry. Harry Potter. What about you?" he asked.

Of course, I know you're Harry Potter. I even know your parents' names.

Eda's urge to make sarcastic remarks had never been stronger.

Still, she wasn't the type to mock someone she was meeting for the first time, so she answered truthfully, "Esmeralda Twist."

The two of them left the playground and walked through a long, dark alleyway—the kind of place perfect for shouting: This tree was planted by me! This road was paved by me!

"Did you just move nearby?" Harry asked. "I've never seen you before."

Looking at Harry Potter, who seemed like a walking encyclopedia of endless questions, Eda felt like coming back for him had been a mistake. She should have just left him to get drenched in the playground.

"I don't live here. I live in Ottery St. Catchpole. I came here to take care of some things," Eda replied.

"Don't ask what things!" she immediately added, cutting off the topic completely. Even if you're a blue robotic cat with a thousand questions, you better hold them in.

"Oh…"

Harry actually had a lot more questions. He was incredibly curious—he had never seen abilities like Eda's before and wanted to know how she did all of it.

But Eda's blunt response shut him up completely.

Passing through the alleyway—an ideal spot for an ambush—Eda and Harry turned onto Wisteria Walk. 

At this moment, Harry was still just a little kid who had never seen much of the world. He finally couldn't hold back his curiosity any longer and asked again, "You… how do you do all these things?" 

Harry wasn't sure how to phrase his question in a way that wouldn't make Eda angry. In the end, he just blurted out this somewhat hesitant and vague question. He lowered his head, thinking that he was doomed now—he had asked about something so secretive, she was definitely going to be mad. 

Eda didn't respond right away; she hadn't yet decided how to answer. Should she say it was something she was born with? Or claim that it was something she had learned? 

If she said it could be learned, would Harry Potter keep asking where she learned it? Would he ask if he could learn it too? 

Not getting a reply, Harry assumed that Eda must be angry—so angry that she didn't even want to talk to him anymore. 

"Only one in ten thousand has the right to master this ability," Eda finally said, her eyes flashing with a silent warning. If he dared to keep asking, she would abandon him right here and let him get drenched in the rain. 

Harry wisely stopped his questions, even though he still had countless things he wanted to ask. 

Finally, they arrived at Privet Drive and slowly walked up the garden path to Number 4. 

The "distinguished guest" was still there. Through the window, Harry could see Uncle Vernon grinning happily—it seemed like he had successfully secured something important through this visitor. 

Harry didn't enter the house right away. Instead, he moved to a spot where no one inside could see him. That way, once Eda left, he could continue hiding from the rain. 

"I live with my aunt and her family," Harry explained on his own. "I'm home now, so you should hurry back too."

It was obvious at a glance that Harry's aunt and her family didn't treat him well. Otherwise, they wouldn't have kicked him out just because there was a guest at home, nor would they have dressed him in these tattered clothes or left his broken glasses in such a terrible state without repairing them.

Eda cast a Waterproof and Drying charm on Harry. The spell would keep him dry for a while, but once it wore off, he'd have to fend for himself.

"What you saw today—meeting me, and all these little tricks—bury them in your heart. You must never tell anyone!" As she spoke, Eda made a throat-slitting gesture to threaten him. "Got it?"

Harry nodded furiously. Even if he wanted to talk about today, who would believe him? Everything that had happened was too surreal, too unbelievable. If he hadn't witnessed it himself, he wouldn't have believed it either.

Having delivered Harry Potter safely home, Eda considered her task complete. Now, she had to return to the orphanage—hopefully, in time for dinner.

Just as she was about to leave, Harry hesitantly asked, "Will we meet again?"

Probably not, he thought to himself.

Esmeralda Twist was someone with special abilities, while he was just Harry. How could they ever meet again? His disappointment showed plainly on his young face.

"There's an old saying," Eda said, her back still turned to him. "It goes: If two people are fated, even if they are separated by a thousand miles, they will meet again. But if they are not fated, even if they sit face to face, they will not recognize each other."

"I think we're somewhat fated," she continued. "So who knows? Maybe we'll meet again."

Hearing her words, Harry's eyes lit up with excitement. Did this mean they would meet again? Did this mean he, too, had a chance to become someone with special abilities like Eda?

When Harry looked up, Eda was nowhere to be seen on Privet Drive. The only things left behind were her words and a loud crack—like the sound of a gunshot.

After finishing her sentence, Eda had Disapparated straight off Privet Drive. She could successfully cast any spell recorded in the system, though the effects weren't always perfect and required her to keep improving her proficiency.

This was her first time using Apparition—she hadn't gotten hurt or Splinched, but she had materialized several dozen meters away from her intended destination.

Fortunately, she had chosen a wide, open space, sparing herself the embarrassment of getting stuck in a tree due to her imprecise landing.

Holding her invisible umbrella, Eda walked back to the orphanage.

Even as she ate dinner, her mind lingered on the day's events.

She had originally been thinking about Cecil, but a sudden downpour had led to an unexpected encounter with Harry Potter. No wonder Professor McGonagall had stared at a house on Privet Drive for so long that day—this was where Harry lived.

What a shame, though.

She had completely forgotten to ask for Harry Potter's autograph. It could have made the perfect birthday present for Ginny.

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