From falling off the broomstick to hitting the ground, it all happened in the blink of an eye. Even if the professors had wanted to help, it was already too late—they could only watch as Eda plunged straight down.
Although Eda had prepared herself in advance and used spells to protect her body, the impact when she hit the ground was still enough to knock the breath out of her.
She lay stiffly on the ground, unmoving for a long time.
If it hadn't been for the nearly frantic surge of magic within her body at the moment she landed—automatically working to protect her—Eda's condition would've been far worse. That fall alone could've kept her in the hospital wing for ten days to half a month.
"Esmeralda Twist has caught the Golden Snitch! Gryffindor wins the match and the House Cup—but I'd much rather trade this victory for her to be uninjured!"
Lee Jordan's commentary spoke to what many were feeling. They might not have paid much attention to Eda before, and some may have even sneered at her, but in this moment, everyone was worried for the girl who had thrown herself into danger without hesitation.
Well, everyone except a few—some hearts were truly dark.
The Gryffindor team quickly landed around Eda.
Fred and George knelt beside her, their eyes red as they stared at her lying motionless on the ground. The twins were at a complete loss—blank minds unable to think of anything to do.
Thankfully, they calmed down quickly. Instead of recklessly moving Eda, they gently called her name, trying to wake her up and keep her conscious.
Eda slowly opened her eyes. The sky was such a beautiful shade of blue—though those two big bobbing heads were a bit of an eyesore.
"Do you still remember your name?" Fred asked worriedly as he looked at the now-awake Eda.
"Esmeralda Twist," Eda answered without any hesitation. "Asking that question—you sound like you've got something wrong with you."
"Do you remember what you just did?" George followed up.
"I just caught the Golden Snitch and then fell off my broom," Eda replied. "Asking that question—do you have something wrong with you too?"
Although Eda was a bit dazed from the fall, her brain was clearly intact—how could she forget who she was? She figured the twins must have ten years' worth of brain clots to ask such stupid questions.
Seeing that Eda was awake, not suffering from memory loss, and even sassing them as usual, the Gryffindor team members surrounding her visibly relaxed. It was clear the freefall hadn't caused any serious injury.
In the wizarding world, as long as you weren't dead and your brain wasn't broken, everything else was a minor issue—Madam Pomfrey could handle it.
Professor McGonagall came running over in a rush. She had left her seat the moment Eda fell from the broom.
Pushing the others aside, she began performing some basic checks on Eda. After confirming multiple times that Eda hadn't broken an arm or leg, McGonagall pulled her tightly into a hug. For a moment there, she had truly thought she might lose Eda.
The Gryffindor players quietly turned their heads, doing their best not to look at their head of house in such a vulnerable moment.
They had won!
The last time Gryffindor had taken the Quidditch Cup was back in the 1985–1986 school year—Charlie Weasley hadn't even been captain yet. And now, as they raised the cup again, their former captain Charlie had already graduated.
In the stands, the ones now celebrating wildly were the Gryffindors.
Since Twist, who caught the Golden Snitch, had woken up, nothing could stop their celebration.
They had expected to witness their team suffer a crushing defeat and lose the Quidditch Cup in disgrace—but against all odds, the players fought hard and snatched victory!
Gryffindor were the champions—they had waited far too long for this moment!
On the pitch, Professor McGonagall held onto Eda tightly, refusing to let go. She kept whispering in Eda's ear: "Why are you so reckless? What if something had happened? Can't you let people worry less? Do you always have to play the hero?"
It was hard to believe these words came from Minerva McGonagall—the ever-proud woman who had chosen to keep her own surname even after marriage. And yet, today she spoke such tender, vulnerable words.
Influence works both ways—Professor McGonagall had changed some of Eda's perspectives, and at the same time, she had changed under Eda's influence as well.
"Professor, professor—too tight... you're holding me too tight—I can't breathe…"
McGonagall's embrace was so strong that Eda almost mistook it for a guillotine in a wrestling match.
Hearing Eda say that, Professor McGonagall realized just how hard she was hugging her. She loosened her grip and let the girl lean against her.
Now free, Eda opened her tightly clenched right hand. Everyone had seen her catch the Golden Snitch, but she hadn't actually seen it herself.
The moment she caught it, she had fallen off the broom. Even though she had been mentally prepared, she had still instinctively shut her eyes.
The Golden Snitch hovered above her hand. For the sake of this tiny thing, she had nearly lost half her life. Just a short while ago, such a thing would have been unimaginable to her.
"Professor, look—I caught the Golden Snitch. I beat it, and I beat myself too."
Looking at this girl who could be as open-hearted as the sky one moment, and as petty as the eye of a needle the next, Professor McGonagall was at a loss.
All she could do was adopt a threatening tone and say, "If you act so recklessly again, I'll break your arm so you can never catch the Golden Snitch again."
At that moment, a red wave surged over the barriers and flooded the pitch—excited Gryffindor students had rushed onto the field. They hoisted every player onto their shoulders—except for Eda. Her physical condition was still unclear, and with Professor McGonagall guarding her, no one dared challenge the lioness's authority. Staying alive was preferable.
In the crowd, Hagrid's towering figure stood out clearly. He celebrated the victory with the students.
Professor McGonagall pushed through the celebrating crowd—she was taking Eda to the hospital wing for a proper examination. Best leave professional matters to the professionals.
On the way, every Gryffindor they passed offered words of encouragement like "Well done, Eda," or "You'll be fine, Eda."
Eda didn't say anything in return, but she smiled in response to all the congratulations.
In doing so, she conveyed the fragility of someone injured, helping others better appreciate what she had gone through—while also, imperceptibly, drawing herself closer to everyone's hearts.
The phrase "a smile like a blossoming flower" seemed made for someone like Eda. Even though the fall had hurt a bit and she looked a little worse for wear, it had all been worth it.
As she left the celebrating crowd and looked back from a distance, the jubilant Gryffindors looked like a roaring blaze, while the dejected Slytherins resembled a stagnant pool of green water—still and lifeless.
Taking one last look at the pitch, now half fire and half dead water, Eda stepped into the castle. In that moment, she suddenly felt a bit sorry for Slytherin. What they needed was a true leader—someone to pull them from the mire and guide them toward light and glory.
Instead, they were left to fester in prejudice and vanity, easy prey for a madman obsessed only with killing—doomed to pay the price for his insanity.
Professor McGonagall accompanied Eda to the hospital wing. The nearly deserted room was proof that Hogwarts students were generally quite healthy—aside from the one poor soul lying unconscious in bed: Harry Potter.
Eda wore a pitiful expression as she submitted to Madam Pomfrey's examination.
With McGonagall watching closely, she didn't dare be uncooperative. Fortunately, the magic shielding had worked well—her body had no lasting injuries. She had merely lost consciousness for a short time from the impact.
Kind-hearted Madam Pomfrey didn't insist on keeping Eda overnight for observation and instead allowed her to return to the common room to join the celebration.
Seeing how understanding Madam Pomfrey was, the pout that had been on Eda's face since entering the hospital wing finally gave way to a smile.
Professor McGonagall didn't escort Eda all the way back to Gryffindor Tower. At the door of the hospital wing, they parted ways—Eda was the hero of the day. She should walk in alone and receive Gryffindor's cheers on her own.
Before they parted, Professor McGonagall said, "Eda, the people you care about wouldn't blame you, and the people who would blame you—you don't care about them. Today, you didn't have to go that far. Why did you still choose to do it?"
This question wasn't McGonagall's alone—anyone who knew Eda would wonder the same. The Quidditch Cup came around every year. Everyone had already resigned themselves to defeat this season. No one would have blamed the team. And the honor itself didn't mean much to Eda.
If she simply wanted to repay Professor McGonagall's kindness, there were countless other ways—none of which required risking injury to catch the Golden Snitch.
Eda thought for a moment, then said, "Hmm… probably because… I don't want to hand over this world to the people I hate."
Read 12 Chapters ahead:
Patreon: Dragonel