September 1st marked the beginning of term at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Outside, the Black Lake lapped against the rocky shores, the water dark and inscrutable under the night sky. Inside the castle, the stone corridors echoed with the footsteps of hundreds of students.
Among the bustle of the freshmen, the little beauty, Miss Hermione Granger, was facing a spot of trouble.
Being popular had its downsides. Specifically, it meant she was currently being intercepted by a pale, pointy-faced boy in a corridor leading away from the Great Hall.
Draco Malfoy stood in her path, flanked by his lumbering bodyguards, Crabbe and Goyle.
If it weren't for the sudden appearance of the System options moments ago—forcing her into this interaction—Hermione wouldn't have wanted to pay attention to this guy at all. In order to escape danger in this world, Hermione's strategy was usually to avoid Harry Potter. Avoiding the son of a Death Eater like Lucius Malfoy should have been common sense.
"Malfoy," Hermione said, her voice cool. She frowned, her eyebrows knitting together. "What do you want?"
Her expression—a mix of slight anger and playfulness—combined with her delicate features to create a look that was devastatingly charming. It was the first time Malfoy realized that a girl could look so good even when she was annoyed.
Malfoy felt a strange buzzing in his head, like he was going crazy. His heart hammered against his ribs.
"It's an honor for you to know my name, Miss Hermione," he drawled, trying to regain his composure.
Hermione sighed, smoothing the front of her robe. "Mr. Malfoy, as a noble, you should have your own arrogance. You shouldn't have much contact with a little girl born from a commoner family like me. It's beneath you."
Malfoy nodded slowly, his grey eyes never moving from Hermione's pretty face. He took a step closer, smelling the faint scent of vanilla shampoo.
"I just came here to warn you, Miss Hermione," he said, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "Don't get too close to people like Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. There is no future in it."
He straightened his back, puffing out his chest. "As the only son of a noble family, I have organized a high-class circle. You are welcome to join. A beauty like Miss Hermione belongs with the elite."
Hermione's internal monologue was screaming: Who I play with is none of your business! Dogs meddling with mice! Mind your own business!
However, bound by the System task, Miss Hermione held her temper. She forced a grin, her eyes twinkling with feigned innocence.
"Today is the first day of school. I don't want to participate in any circle of influence, and I don't want to offend anyone. I just want to be a dancing butterfly, fluttering at ease. I hope you understand, Master Malfoy."
Malfoy looked at the girl in front of him—so full of personality, so unlike the sycophants he was used to. He had the sudden, irrational urge to seize her as his own.
But Malfoy, after all, possessed the arrogance of a noble heir. He cleared his throat. "I understand. But... I think you have given Harry Potter and Ron gifts..."
His eyes darted resentfully toward the direction the Gryffindors had gone.
Hermione smiled playfully, tilting her head. "Is it possible, Master Malfoy, that you are also interested in that green hat?"
Although Malfoy did not understand the profound cultural meaning of the "green hat" (the symbol of a cuckold), he sensed a layer of teasing in Miss Hermione's wise eyes. But the desire to have what Potter had was stronger.
Without waiting for Malfoy to answer, Hermione continued with a wave of her hand. "Okay, okay, I'm tired. I have to rest. Master Malfoy, when I get another green hat, I will definitely give it to you."
Internally, Hermione felt a twinge of guilt. It wasn't very nice to trick two boys—and now a third—into wearing the symbol of infidelity. But the System options left her no choice.
"It's settled then!" Malfoy exclaimed, pointing a finger at her. He didn't want to think about it anymore; he simply had to have what Miss Hermione gave to others. "You can't go back on your word!"
It was the first time Hermione had seen someone so eager to basically ask to be cuckolded.
Hermione endured the urge to laugh, biting the inside of her cheek. "As long as you don't embarrass me in the future, Master Malfoy, I will definitely send it to you."
"Good."
With that, Malfoy stepped aside to let Miss Hermione pass.
He watched her walk away, admiring her bushy brown hair and her charming, confident posture. In the original novels, Hermione was described as having a "bossy voice, bushy hair, and large front teeth." But here, in this movie-reality hybrid, and because of the soul of Elara Vance inhabiting the body, the people around her began to break the original setting.
They all began to face up to Hermione's beauty.
And a girl attracts boys not only by her celestial face but also by her interesting soul. Hermione's ladylike temperament and big eyes exuding wisdom were extremely charming.
Although Malfoy was still young, the first girl to ever truly fascinate him was undoubtedly Miss Hermione. He looked at her retreating back and felt that the future was promising. Hogwarts was going to be interesting.
...
High above on the marble staircase, Professor McGonagall watched the interaction. She noticed the Slytherin boy intercepting her new Gryffindor student. Although she didn't realize Malfoy was practically begging for a hat, she noted the dynamic.
"I must keep an eye on inter-house relations," she murmured to herself.
...
Hermione finally reached the Gryffindor Tower. After the portrait of the Fat Lady swung open, she navigated the common room and climbed the spiral staircase to her dormitory.
She could finally lie down.
The girls' dormitory was charming but undeniably ancient. It was a stone room in a castle tower, with four-poster beds hung with deep red velvet curtains. It was atmospheric, yes, but it couldn't match the comfort and climate control of modern cities. The air was drafty and smelled of dust and old wood.
Fortunately, Miss Hermione, who loved a high-quality life, was well prepared.
Checking to make sure her roommates were busy unpacking, she used the scratchy wool blankets issued by the academy as a base layer, and then secretly activated her Space Ring.
Whoosh.
Out came high-thread-count sheets and a fluffy down comforter she had bought in Diagon Alley.
This new quilt seemed to have been enchanted; it carried its own scent of cleanliness and sunshine, a stark contrast to the musty castle air. Sleeping under it would guarantee a better night's sleep.
After all, Hermione had come from across time and space. Her worldview was slightly different from the natives here. A high-quality life was the meaning of life.
Next, she took out some premium snacks from her stash and distributed them to the little sisters in the dormitory—Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil.
"Here, try these," Hermione said with a sweet smile.
There is a saying: Cannibals are soft-spoken. Or rather, bribery is the best policy. The first night was crucial for establishing good relationships. Best to feed them so they wouldn't be jealous that Miss Hermione had such a nice quilt.
As she sat on her bed, the System chimed.
[Congratulations for completing the optional task. Reward: 1 Smart Toilet Seat.]
It's here!
Hermione had just promised to give Master Malfoy a green hat, so the task was marked as complete.
Hermione almost giggled. Naturally, the bathroom at Hogwarts—basically a medieval chamber pot system upgraded with plumbing—could not be equipped with a smart toilet seat.
This reward would be very helpful to improve her quality of life.
However, discretion was key. In order to prevent Miss Hermione from being seen as too unconventional (or a dark wizard creating artifacts), she planned to pack it up and throw it back into the Space Ring after each use.
Otherwise, if outsiders knew about it, it would be a troublesome thing to explain where the porcelain ring that sprayed warm water and played ambient music came from. Besides, hygiene products are private. Although Miss Hermione wasn't a germophobe, she didn't want others using her smart toilet seat.
...
After tidying up her daily necessities, Hermione grabbed her toiletries bag and headed to the bathroom.
She ensured the stall was locked, checked for ghosts, and then retrieved the reward.
She installed it instantly. Sitting down, she sighed in contentment. The seat was heated. A stream of warm water cleansed her. It was luxury. The quality of the system reward was excellent—leverage, durability, everything was top-notch.
"No problem passing this down for three generations," she muttered. "Maybe the person is gone, but the smart toilet seat is still there."
After finishing her business and storing the seat away, she washed up at the basin.
She splashed cool water on her face, then looked into the mirror. She patted her cheeks, applying a fragrant moisturizer. It wasn't makeup; it was simply skin care.
She admired her reflection—the smooth skin, the bright eyes.
"I'm so good-looking," she whispered playfully to the mirror. "Sure enough, no one in the world can match me."
Back in the dormitory, although it was very late, Miss Hermione's original sleepiness was not so strong. The excitement of the day kept her adrenaline simmering.
As a good student, she sat on her bed, the curtains drawn back to let in the silver light of the moon. She picked up the Primary Wizarding Books she had bought at Flourish and Blotts in Diagon Alley.
These things were bought by Hermione with the money she picked up after buying wands with Harry.
She placed them next to the Primary Magic Book rewarded by the System. She wanted to compare the difference.
Outside the narrow windows of the European-style castle, the moonlight was particularly bright, casting long shadows across the floor.
Her roommates, peeking from their beds, saw that Miss Hermione was not only beautiful and generous with snacks, but also eager to learn. She was studying by moonlight at such a late hour.
"She works so hard," Parvati whispered.
Hermione ignored them, focusing on the text. She compared the two.
The difference was stark.
For the same kind of magic—a levitation charm, for example—the magic book rewarded by the System was intuitive. The flow of mana was explained in a way that resonated with her body. It was easier to learn, although still difficult for a novice.
But looking at the standard textbooks bought at the bookstore, the theory was dense, archaic, and difficult to parse. There were nuances that weren't suitable for every magician's constitution.
The Primary Magic Book from the System was completely different. It felt tailored to her. As long as Hermione studied and memorized it carefully, and mastered the incantations, she felt confident she would be able to release magic smoothly.
That being the case, Miss Hermione closed the expensive store-bought book and set it aside.
She would choose to recite the elementary spellbook from the System option.
PLS SUPPORT ME AND THROW POWERSTONES .