"A book? Couldn't you two e up with a better excuse?" Eda felt like her intelligence was being insulted.

  Although the package in Fred's hand was square-shaped and did resemble a book, Eda was still suspicious. She didn't believe it was something that simple.

  "Stop... Eda, stop..." Gee stepped in front of Fred, signaling him to secure the package quickly.

  Fred was starting tret mentioning a book. Now it only made Eda more suspicious.

  "Shh... Don't grab it, I'll tell you, okay?" Fred said, frantically thinking of a solution.

  Eda stopped trying to snatch the package and sat back down in the armchair, waiting for the twins to e up with a reasonable expnation.

  "It really is a book..." Gee was also thinking fast, trying to find an appropriate way out of the situation.

  Eda poi the twins with her finger and said, "I'm asking you to e up with a believable excuse. What's really in there? Why would you two be ag all mysterious over a simple book?"

  "It really is a book!" Gee tinued, following the story. "But it's not one you look at!" He lowered his voice for the st part, making sure only the three of them could hear. The otion had already drawention of others around them.

  "Gee's right, it's the kind of book... not meant for you to see..." Fred added, bag Gee up with a simirly hushed tone.

  The twins figured that sihey had id things out, Eda would be too embarrassed to try and grab the package from them again.

  They felt they had already given up too much to keep her from seeing what was inside.

  However, the blush they were expeg didn't appear on Eda's face, though she no loried to snatch the package.

  Eda said, "Tsk. Sih of you put it that way… I won't ask what's inside anymore…"

  "We just 't tell you now, but you'll know in a couple of days," the twins said in unison. Though they hadn't pletely fooled her, they had at least achieved their goal.

  Eda waved them off, signaling she was heading to bed, and the twins sighed in relief. Just as they were about to head back to their dorm, Eda called out to them, having turned back.

  "Wait a minute, you two distracted me so much I almost fot what I was going to say. The Quidditch tryouts are open fn-ups, and they officially start Friday. So don't get into any trouble until then. Save anything else for after."

  With that, Eda walked off without gng at the defeated expressions owins' faces. Fred and Gee looked down at the tightly ed "book," shaking their heads and sighing as they trudged back to their dorm, dejected.

  The first-year flying lessons were scheduled to begin at the same time as the Quidditch tryouts, and watg the students in the library with books on flying made Eda think back to herself a year ago.

  On the sed Friday afternoon of the school year, the weather was clear, with a mild breeze and plenty of sunshine—a perfect day for the Quidditch tryouts.

  The twins, Angelina, and Alicia were all still calm, as they had fiden their abilities. But Lee Jordan's nerves were written all over his face; he had been like that sihe m. Eda and the twins had been trying to fort him, but to no avail.

  The group arrived early enough that the twins could take Lee Jordan for a warm-up p around the pitch to ease his nerves. Katie Bell watched them with envy, eager to get on her broom and fly over the Quidditch field.

  On the half of the pitch closer to the castle stood Gryffindor students, while the other half was occupied by Hufflepuffs. Since heavy rain had interrupted Hufflepuff's tryouts earlier in the week, they hadn't finished and had to share the field with Gryffindor for their tryouts today.

  A boy was flying on the Hufflepuff side of the pitch, and his impressive flying skills dres from even the Gryffindor students.

  Eda squinted for a while befnizing the boy as Cedric Diggory. Not only was he in the same year as her, but he also lived in St. Catchpole vilge.

  Eda had a good impression of him. Cedric had excellent grades, ranking just below her in the end-of-year exams st term. He had also been the first to help a cssmate in st week's Potions lesson.

  Cedric was handsome, kied, and well-liked by many of the girls at school, some of whom were eagerly waiting for him to grow a bit older. But if ahought he only had female friends, they'd be mistaken. Cedric was equally popur among the boys at school.

  As more people gathered och, the students trying out for the team arrived as well. Captain Charlie Weasley, along with Oliver Wood, began anizing the tryouts, grouping the applits for the first round of eliminations.

  The initial test was a basie: flying around the pit groups. This helped Charlie quickly weed out the weaker flyers.

  After that, Charlie moved on to testing the applits based on their preferred pying positions, seleg the best of the best.

  The Chasers were tested first, and Angelina and Alicia stood out as the top performers. Charlie had already taken an i i year, and during the tter half of the previous school year, he had ihem to practice with the Gryffindor team. However, sihey were still too young at the time, they hadn't officially joihe team then.

  Charlie whispered to Oliver Wood, who nodded while jotting something down in a notebook.

  Angelina and Alicia, having performed excellently, returo their friends, celebrating with high-fives. Lee Jordan, although not perf as well, didn't seem too disappointed. Instead, he looked relieved, as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

  came the tryouts for the Keeper position. Oliver Wood excelled, successfully defending his starting spot. Wood was a burly and serious pyer, always repeating his mantra during practice: "Win or die och."

  This year, Professonagall had promoted Wood to vice-captain, and Charlie leased with his successor. If only Wood could be a little less intense, Charlie thought, he'd be perfect.

  Fred and Gerinned as they left their group of friends, mounting their brooms for the Beater tryouts. Charlie knew his brothers' skills well, so he seemed rexed. The Beater spots were practically guaranteed for the twins, and the tryout was more of a formality.

  Just as the Beater tryouts ehe Hufflepuff captain approached with Cedric Diggory, exging a few words with Charlie. Charlie couldn't help but feel a little jealous of Hufflepuff's captain for having such a talented Seeker. After all, Charlie had known Cedric far lohan the Hufflepuffs.

  Standio Eda, Fred and Gee ented, "Charlie really likes that Cedric kid. He's pretty good at Quidditch."

  "Smart, with a great personality," Angelina chimed in.

  "Kind, always helping others," Alicia added, praising Cedric further. "Now he's great at Quidditch too. What a fantastic guy."

  "He's also really handsome!" Katie Bell muttered under her breath. No one expected her to say that. Katie had also participated in the Chaser tryouts earlier, perf quite well. Charlie had even reminded Wood to keep an eye on her iure.

  Fred snapped his fingers in front of the three girls, who were clearly swooning. "Hey! Snap out of it, dies. He's going to be our oppo soon, so save your fangirling!"

  "Cedric's just a pretty boy—looks good, but won't be of any use on the field. We'll crush them when it's game time!" Lee Jordan added, clearly displeased. Angelina's admiring g Cedric were starting to make him a bit jealous.

  After bragging a bit to Charlie, Hufflepuff's captaihe rest of his team off the pitch. However, Cedric made his way over to Fred, Gee, and Eda.

  "Fred, Gee!" Cedric greeted the twins warmly. "I heard you guys made the team too. Go easy on us during the match, alright?"

  The twins forced a smile, nodding stiffly. To them, Cedric was that ideal kid from other people's families, the kind they didn't want to be friends with.

  They exged a few pleasantries with Cedric, who kept smiling throughout the versation, exuding a sunny, approachable vibe.

  Ever since losing to Eda in st term's exams, Cedric had wao befriend her, but the opportunity never arose. During the chat, Eda hadn't said a word, so Cedric took the initiative to speak to her directly.

  Smiling, Cedric asked, " I call you Eda, like Fred and Gee do?"

  "Better stick to calling her Esmeralda," Gee cut in abruptly, feeling an ued sense of danger and responding on Eda's behalf.

  ________

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