A Thousand Shades of Black

"Edward, I'm not asking you!"

Hagrid lifted Edward off the ground and shook him until he was dizzy and nearly threw up last night's dinner.

"Wait... wait! I remember now! There's something that can locate Ager. Stop shaking me—my brain's about to come out of my skull!"

Satisfied with that answer, Hagrid let go. He followed Edward as he rummaged through his belongings.

A long while later, Edward had accomplished nothing except working up a sweat.

"Edward, you weren't lying to me just now, were you?"

"Of course not! I distinctly remember... Luo Bin! Black-haired, dark-eyed Luo Bin! I remember where I put it!"

Luo Bin, who had just reached the doorway: What now? What's this drama queen looking for?

Two minutes later, Edward pulled a black box measuring four by two by one and a half centimeters from a compartment beneath his bed. Inside was a withered twig.

"What's that?"

"This twig was cut from an ancient tree with wondrous magic. We split it in two, and Ager and I each took half. Wave it, and green mist rises from the tip. The direction it drifts points to the other half."

"And when the mist rises, the other half trembles and grows hot. The person holding it just needs to give it a little shake and a few reassuring pats. Then it settles down, and the mist on this end turns red."

Three minutes later, the mist still hadn't changed color. Ten minutes later, it was so thick inside the house that they couldn't see their hands in front of their faces. Only when Edward plunged the twig into water did it stop producing mist.

"Maybe Ager's busy... All right, he swore he'd always wear the other half, which he made into a whistle, around his neck!"

"Oh, God