Hogwarts Emerald

Looking at the word floating in the air, Fred asked, "Twilight House?" The name was somewhat subtle, and he couldn't immediately grasp its meaning.

Eda first pointed to herself and then to the twins. The magically formed letter T flew to her hand, while the letter W split into two and floated toward Fred and George.

"Twilight House or Twilight Cabin—it doesn't matter. All I wanted was the word Twilight," Eda explained to the twins. "The T stands for Twist, and the W stands for Weasley. We are each other's light."

That was Eda's idea—simple yet profound. Whenever she felt exhausted, it was always the lively and mischievous twins who brought her joy and gave her the courage to keep going.

Eda had tried to win over many people in the past, hoping they could be her allies. Yet the twins had never been part of those efforts, and they were the first source of light in her otherwise bleak world.

It might sound exaggerated, but Fred and George were now the most important people in her life. To live a life with one or two true friends is worth more than anything else.

Sweet dreams are often the quickest to end. Even if everything before her was nothing but a dream, Eda knew she would always remember this light that came to her so effortlessly.

Of course, that light had been quite unruly lately—arguing with her and even making her go hungry.

All three name suggestions had their merits, but Eda's proposal felt more meaningful and fitting. After some thought, Fred and George cast their votes for her choice. From that moment on, Twilight Cabin (formerly the Shrieking Shack) became the trio's secret base.

Since the beginning of the term, the twins had been working on small inventions, but they were stuck doing so in their dormitory, always at risk of being reported. Now, they could bring their moneymaking projects to Twilight Cabin, where no one would disturb them. They just needed to make sure they didn't accidentally set the place on fire. 

For Eda, the house held more symbolic value. The things she did couldn't be done here—she couldn't exactly have a sparring match with her mannequins in Twilight Cabin. She wasn't a husky and had no interest in tearing the place apart. 

However, if Eda ever wanted to do something against school rules, like brewing potions, Twilight Cabin was the perfect place. Of course, at this stage, the ingredients would have to come from Snape's private stores. And borrowing them wasn't "stealing"—not for a student of learning, right?

With the storm of emotions settled, the trio's bond not only remained intact but grew stronger. With Eda's help, Fred and George quickly mastered the technique of hitting the knot on the Whomping Willow with a stone. The twins then packed up all their experimental equipment and moved it into Twilight Cabin. 

Eda and the house-elf Winnie reinforced the magical protections around Twilight Cabin, ensuring that any sounds from inside wouldn't reach the outside. Otherwise, the occasional noises from the cabin would undoubtedly alarm the villagers of Hogsmeade. 

Although scaring the villagers wouldn't be too much of an issue, if rumors of the cabin being haunted started circulating again, it might attract some overly curious and idle wizards. If those people came in to explore, the secret of Twilight Cabin would be exposed. 

...

By the end of January, Eda had nearly finished the tasks Snape had assigned her.

Today was the last day to wrap everything up. At 7 p.m., Eda arrived punctually at the small room next to Snape's private storeroom, ready to complete the final touches. 

On the table were three cauldrons.

The one in the middle had a purplish-red hue, primarily containing toxic foxglove and a small amount of unicorn blood. The cauldron on the left used lionfish spine powder as its main ingredient, while the one on the right was pure poison—just a single drop could kill Eda instantly.

Since returning to school, Eda had been preoccupied with these three cauldrons, occasionally needing to brew additional potions to use as ingredients for them.

Fortunately, the ordeal was finally over.

Following Snape's instructions, Eda carefully poured the three potions into three glass bottles of varying sizes. After finishing that task, she set up a new cauldron, lit a fire beneath it, and added wormwood extract and powdered bezoar.

As the liquid in the cauldron began to bubble, Snape pushed the door open and walked in, his timing impeccable. First, he sniffed the contents of the three glass bottles, then waved Eda away from the cauldron.

"Watch closely, take note, and don't ask questions," Snape said. Though he spoke, his hands didn't pause. He took the smallest glass bottle, containing poison, and added three drops into the cauldron.

The liquid, which had been bubbling moments before, instantly stilled, as calm as stagnant water. Shaking the bottle slightly, Snape asked, "Do you know what this is?"

"The River Styx Draught," Eda replied, recalling what she had read in Deadly Potions. "When consumed, it causes a severe burning sensation in the stomach or makes the body feel frozen."

"A single drop could kill both you and me," Eda added, unsure why Snape was brewing such a concoction. Even though the powdered bezoar might neutralize some of its toxicity, she suspected that anyone who drank it would still suffer terribly.

Snape didn't respond, fully focused on the cauldron before him.

This was the first time in over a year that Eda had seen Snape this serious. Though she had frequently observed and learned from Snape's potion-making methods in secret, she had never seen him wear such an intense expression. 

He adjusted the flames under the cauldron, making them roar fiercely. The liquid inside quickly came to a boil, and then Snape added the potion made from lionfish spine powder. 

The previously added River Styx Draught was a lethal poison, while the lionfish spine potion was meant for healing. Eda had no idea what would happen when two potions with such opposite effects were combined. 

Minutes ticked by, and as the liquid in the cauldron darkened from a light color to a deeper shade, Snape added three more drops of the River Styx Draught. Then, he poured the final purple-red potion into the cauldron. 

As he poured, Snape stirred with a glass rod in a clockwise direction. Once all the potion was in, he reversed direction, stirring counterclockwise.

The flames beneath the cauldron were reduced to a gentle simmer, as if he were making soup—but Eda doubted the concoction would taste remotely pleasant. 

"What do you think this potion does?" Snape asked, his right index finger tracing counterclockwise circles above the cauldron. The glass rod mirrored the motion, stirring the liquid within. 

A lethal poison, a healing potion, and a life-saving potion, combined with wormwood extract and powdered bezoar—this synthesis was incredibly complex, and even contradictory in nature. 

"Is it for saving lives?" Eda guessed hesitantly. 

"Hah! You're not entirely hopeless," Snape said with a hint of sarcasm. "It can save lives, but it can also kill. This single cauldron's worth is enough to ensure you spend the rest of your life in Azkaban."

The potion in the cauldron grew darker and darker, resembling a pot of ink. Its scent was familiar to Eda. She had smelled it in Snape's office at the beginning of the term and again by the Black Lake, from the flask belonging to Professor Glover Cecil.

Eda didn't believe Snape would poison Cecil just to secure the Defense Against the Dark Arts position. Cecil had willingly drunk from his own flask, and the scent wasn't something that could be discerned from a mere drop or two. 

"Professor Cecil's health... isn't good, is it because..." Eda didn't finish her sentence. She wasn't entirely heartless, and despite everything, Professor Cecil had treated her well. Knowing about his condition made her feel a pang of sadness. 

"When a healthy person drinks this potion, they'll die within minutes—intestines torn apart, a gruesome death," Snape said, extinguishing the flames and allowing the potion to cool. "But for someone at death's door, it might allow them to keep living." 

"Once they take the first sip, they'll have to keep drinking it, clinging to life in a wretched state until their magic is completely depleted." 

Snape retrieved a box from a cabinet, filled with small glass bottles. He carefully filled the bottles with the cooled potion, closed the box, and handed it to Eda. 

"Since you've already figured it out, take this to Cecil," Snape said curtly.

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