Snape's words didn't faze the students sitting below.

  In fact, this was Snape being le—he had said far worse before.

  When it came to the mastery and usage of the English nguage, no o Hogwarts, even bined, could matape's sharp, cutting wit.

  The number of students who'd fantasized about strangling him could stretch from the school's castle all the way to Hogsmeade.

  Sinape had shown some restraint today and hadn't torn anyone apart with his words, the students wisely kept quiet. After all, who would willingly invite more insults?

  Sapped the bckboard with his wand, and words began to appear line by line on the previously empty surface.

  Today's lesson was on a pest-trol potion, which could also be deadly if ed by mistake.

  The students lined up to collect their ingredients from the et, f three orderly rows without a single person cutting in line or joking around.

  Eda pced her cauldron oand and added the first ingredient. She used her wand to light the fire, beginning the heating process, then turo prepare the remaining materials, arranging them in the correct order for ter addition.

  After some time of heating, the liquid in the cauldron began to turn red, resembling a hotpot broth. Eda then started adding the subsequent ingredients.

  As the students worked on their potions, the once-quiet grew noisier. The sounds of cauldrons being moved, fires being lit, and knives slig ingredients echoed throughout the room.

  At first, everything was fine, but as more ingredients were added, things started to g. Keowler from Gryffindor had overheated his cauldron, causing it t a leak. The potion began to spill onto the table, and then down to the floor.

  , a Hufflepuff student made a mistake. A girl's potion began to erupt from her cauldron like a volic explosion.

  Cedric Diggory, who was standing near her, quickly stepped in to help mahe messy situation.

  The desded into chaos, with the two unfinished potions releasing an unbearable stench, as if a jar of rotten eggs had been opehe entire room was enveloped in the foul odor, making it hard for ao breathe.

  Eda had to cover her nose and mouth with one hand while tinuing her potion-making with the other. Luckily, her focus kept her from adding to the disaster.

  Fred and Gee, however, showed no iion of helping.

  They were too busy enjoying the chaos. They didn't like Towler, and had almost fought him on several occasions. Plus, it wasn't every day they got to see Snape looking so grim.

  Snape ed up the spilled potion on the floor and vahe remaining potion from the cauldron of the Gryffindirl. Although the stinky potions were gohe foul smell lingered in the dungeon.

  The Hufflepuff girl avoided being scolded, likely because she'd been burned by the spshing potion and was rushed to the hospital wing by her friends. Keowler wasn't as lucky—he was tasked with ing the after css.

  Due to the acts, very few students mao plete and submit their potions. Snape's expression grew even darker as he looked at the pitifully small number of gss vials on his desk.

  After css, students fled the dungeon in a rush, desperate to escape the stench. Even outside, the smell g to them, making everyoink as though they'd been dipped in manure.

  There were only three people left in the : Keh, who was stuck ing up, and Eda, who had also been asked to stay behind.

  Eda stood in pce, c her nose and mouth, her brows furrowed in frustration.

  She would rather fae of Hagrid's 'cute' pets than spend another minute in the dungeon .

  "Put your hand down, Twist. That is very rude," Snape said, standing in front of her, his expression much improved.

  Eda quickly lowered her hand. She realized it was indeed impolite, but the overwhelming sten the had made her fet her manners for a moment.

  "Your foolish cssmate Keowler's cauldron had a mishap," Snape said with disdain, gng at Towler. "But you didn't lend a hand, so Gryffindor loses one point..."

  The sten the room couldn't stop Eda from widening her eyes in shock.

  Even a bull terrier wouldn't believe such a thing could happen—how could her eyes grow se?

  Snape squi her as he stepped back. "I hope you'll remember this lesson."

  Eda's mind raced with a sihought: This is ridiculous! It's only the third day of school and I've already lost points. Magall will have my head if she finds out!

  The only relief was that Snape had shown mercy, dedug just one point. If he'd started with ten or twenty points, Eda knew she'd have to spend the rest of the month frantically raising her hand in css to make up for it.

  "And, tonight at seven, in this , you'll serve detention to refle your as," Snape added. "Not at eight, not at eight-thirty. Seven o'clock sharp. Is your braiy as Towler's cauldron—able to remember that?"

  "Tonight at seven, in this dungeon , I'll be here for detention to reflect," Eda repeated, her eyes locked on Snape, silently protesting with their exaggerated size.

  Snape waved his hand dismissively and said, "Now, you may leave Mr. Towler."

  Hearing this, Keowler wasted no time bolting out of the , eager to rid himself of the lingering stench. But the momeepped outside, he was immediately intercepted by the twins waiting at the door.

  "Where's Eda?" Fred grabbed Towler and asked.

  "Still inside. Snape docked her points for not helping me up," Towler replied, "and now she has detention too."

  "Points aion?" Gee asked, w if he had misheard.

  What did any of this have to do with Eda?

  Plenty of people hadn't helped Towler, but it was clear Snape ig on her.

  Towler, now blocked by the twins, looked annoyed. He'd messed up in Potions css and now had to deal with being held up by them after. He was furious.

  "Yeah, you heard right. Twist lost us more points! She's always getting Gryffindor into trouble, that orphan troublemaker! And you two—you're er! The three of you are nothing but trouble!"

  That set the twins off. Furious, they grabbed Towler, ready to fight. Last year, he had badmouthed Eda, and they hadn't fotten or fiven him for it.

  Tred at the twins defiantly.

  He was daring them to hit him. If they id a hand on him, he'd ght to Professonagall.

  "Gentlemen, what do you think you're doing?" Snape appeared at the doorway, with Eda right behind him. Both had heard every word Towler had just said.

  "You go on, I won't stop you. I'll just deduct points when you're done," Snape said.

  Eda walked over and separated the three of them, with Sanding nearby. It was clear that the twins shoulde things now, no matter how angry they were; there would be time to hahis ter!

  The twins, having calmed down, no longer seemed ined to fight. But they still pulled Eda behind them, shielding her protectively.

  Eda said, "Let's go. I hope Angelina and Alicia have saved me a spot ihroom."

  With that, she pushed past the twins blog her way and started walking toward the stairs. As she passed Towler, she deliberately bumped him hard with her shoulder.

  The twins followed Eda's lead, mimig her a. As they passed Towler, Fred and Gee each gave him a hard shoulder check, sending him stumbling.

  Keowler turned, gring angrily at their retreating figures. When they disappeared around the er, he spat on the ground and muttered under his breath, "That stinking Mudblood orphan, and those two cursed..."

  "Mr. Towler! For insulting your fellow student, and for dirtying the castle, Gryffindor loses twenty points!"

  _______

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