LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 14: Burning Youth
The incident in Potions class didn't cause much of a stir. Snape, triumphant, didn't continue to bully the "drowned rat," and Eda sat back in her seat under the twins' comfort.
It was just a matter of mutual disdain between Eda and Snape, nothing more.
In the following days, Eda repeated the routine of attending classes, leaving classes, and spending time in the library, slowly improving her skills.
The Gryffindor common room often witnessed scenes of Eda playing around with the twin brothers.
One day in late September, the Gryffindor common room bulletin board was crowded with first-year students.
Their flying lessons were officially starting on Thursday, a class everyone had eagerly anticipated since the beginning of the term. Everyone was thrilled.
They would have been even happier if it weren't for the fact that they had to share the class with Slytherins.
Thursday finally arrived amidst the eager anticipation of the first-year students. Eda sat in the Great Hall, eating breakfast while flipping through a book titled "Practical Guide to Flying Broomsticks." Beside her on the bench was another book, "Quidditch Through the Ages." Eda hoped to get some guidance and help from these books. Doing some last-minute cramming was better than doing nothing at all.
The morning classes felt especially long to the excited first-years. Even the excellent Professor Flitwick couldn't keep the children from dreaming of flying in the sky.
Finally, at three in the afternoon, the Gryffindor students hurried down the steps to the flying lesson field.
The weather was clear and sunny, with a gentle breeze causing waves to ripple across the lush green lawn.
From the lawn, one could see the towering castle, the Forbidden Forest, and the tall metal rings of the Quidditch pitch.
The broomsticks were laid out neatly on the grass, old and shabby, looking barely fit for sweeping, let alone flying.
After a while, the Slytherin students arrived noisily, their loud discussions about flying audible from a distance.
Madam Hooch, who taught flying lessons, had short silver-gray hair and yellow eyes. Her gait resembled that of a soaring hawk.
"Alright, what are you all waiting for?" Madam Hooch shouted. "Everyone stand by a broomstick. Quickly, quickly, move!"
Eda stood next to a broomstick, looking down at it speechlessly. "Shabby" didn't begin to describe it.
Some branches stuck out haphazardly, making it look more like a club than a broomstick.
Although Eda hadn't ridden the broomstick yet, she already felt the discomfort.
"Extend your right hand over the broomstick," Madam Hooch called out from the front, "and say: 'Up!'"
"Up!" everyone shouted.
Eda's broom didn't budge. She looked around and saw that some people were in the same situation as her, while a few others,
like the four little complainers, had successfully grasped their broomsticks. The arrogant Cody Avery also succeeded, proudly boasting to those around him.
"Up!" Eda repeated several times, but the broomstick still refused to jump into her hand. However, there was some progress; at least this time, the broomstick rolled a bit on the ground.
Madam Hooch walked among the students, correcting their postures.
After several attempts, Eda finally managed to get the broomstick into her hand, though it seemed somewhat reluctant.
"Alright, when I blow my whistle, you will kick off from the ground with force," Madam Hooch said, having already demonstrated the correct riding position. "Hold the broom steady, rise a few feet, then lean forward slightly to return vertically to the ground. Listen for my whistle—three—two—"
However, one Gryffindor student shot into the air before Madam Hooch could blow the whistle, soaring upward like a champagne cork.
Eda recognized the student. His name was Campbell, and like Eda, he was Muggle-born. This was also his first time handling a flying broomstick.
Campbell let out terrified screams as he ascended, clearly unable to control the broomstick!
With a loud crash, Campbell, who had just been screaming in the sky, was now lying painfully on the grass. Madam Hooch rushed over, and the Gryffindor students quickly gathered around to check on him.
"Alright, it's not too serious. I'll take him to the hospital wing to see Madam Pomfrey," Madam Hooch said, helping Campbell up. "None of you move! Put your brooms back in place, or you'll be out of Hogwarts before you can say 'Quidditch.' Let's go, dear."
The gathered Gryffindor students quickly dispersed, making way for Madam Hooch as she supported Campbell, who hobbled towards the castle.
"Did you see that? What an idiot, what a stupid fool!" Cody Avery laughed loudly, clapping his hands as he bent over with laughter.
The Slytherin students were also laughing, enjoying the moment.
"Shut up, Avery!" George shouted.
"If you don't want a punch!" Fred added, stepping forward to give the annoying boy a lesson.
However, the other students began pushing each other, making it difficult for Fred and George to get through.
From a distance, Cody Avery pointed at the twin brothers, flashing his annoying trademark grin. "What's wrong, Weasley? Are you defending that stinky Campbell? Or does his stench remind you of home? Tarnishing the name of pure-blood traitors, Weasley!"
"Shut your filthy mouth!" Eda squeezed through the crowd and stood in front of Cody Avery. "Apologize! Now!"
The curse words Eda had learned over twenty years in her previous life surged in her chest.
Unfortunately, the people from the 90's wizarding world couldn't understand the slurs she knew from the previous world and that meant that even if she managed to explain them, they would lose their original flavor and fail to deliver the precise impact she wanted.
It was truly regrettable.
"Oh, I almost forgot about you," Avery said. "I saw that pitiful broom rolling around at your feet. Of course, I'm talking about that shabby broom."
"Apologize to the Weasley brothers, Avery!" Eda instinctively clenched her fists. "I don't want to say it a third time..."
"Even a broom despises you, yet you dare speak to a noble pure-blood like Avery!" Avery ignored Eda's words and shouted back, "The school should snap your and Campbell's wands and lock you both in Azkaban..."
Before Avery could finish his sentence, Eda kicked him right in the philtrum. Before he could even scream, Eda's fists rained down on his face.
Avery, caught off guard, had no chance to fight back.
The other Slytherins around him couldn't stand by and watch Avery suffer, so they quickly intervened, blocking Eda.
Avery, temporarily free from Eda's assault, collapsed on the ground, curled up like a shrimp, groaning in pain with blood on his face.
Seeing that Eda might be in trouble, the Weasley twins forcefully pushed through the crowd to protect Eda, who was now surrounded.
After nearly a month of pent-up frustration, everyone's anger exploded at this moment.
The boys swung their fists at anyone wearing different colors, driven by their surging hormones; the braver girls joined in, pulling hair and fighting fiercely.
Everyone was in a brawl, and the scene looked chaotic.
Except for a few timid ones who didn't dare to get close, everyone else was pouring their youthful energy into the fight. This was far more passionate than anything in Boruto.
Eda, being a girl, naturally had a weaker physique compared to the boys.
However, she compensated by fighting dirty and going for critical hits, making up for her physical disadvantage. Moreover, with the Weasley twins protecting her, she had much of the pressure taken off her.
Fred and George had remarkable resilience and were among the top fighters in this group of first-year kids. As members of the loyal and brave Weasley family, their quality was indeed guaranteed.
The fight continued, and Eda's mouth was bruised from an unnoticed punch, and she had some footprints on her clothes. But compared to her achievements, her injuries were insignificant.
With the help of the twins, Eda finally found an opening and appeared in front of the fallen Avery, kicking and punching him.
She knew the importance of finishing off an opponent, and for Avery, already injured, this was adding insult to injury.
Eda's personality had always been all or nothing.
If she chose to stand up for the Weasley brothers, she intended to make a significant impact, at least ensuring that Avery wouldn't dare to act up again.
As Eda continued her assault, two angry voices rang out, one male and one female.
"Stop it!"
"Stop!"
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