"Once a dog bites you, you can't bite the dog back."
Harry's statement was simple, but it was poisonous in its accuracy. It hit its mark instantly.
Malfoy's pale face flushed a blotchy red, clashing horribly with the vibrant green hat perched on his head.
"You— Harry Potter, you just wait for me!" Malfoy spat the words, but there was no bite behind the bark.
Having just been chastised by Professor McGonagall and docked house points, Malfoy didn't dare to cause another scene. The older Slytherin prefects were already glaring at him from their table; if he lost any more points before the first day was over, his life in the dungeons would be miserable.
Malfoy spun on his heel and slunk away, muttering curses under his breath.
Harry didn't bother to waste any more energy on the villain. He patted Ron on the shoulder. "Come on, Ron. Let's finish eating."
They returned to the Gryffindor table. The tension of the confrontation began to bleed away, replaced by the clatter of silverware and the roar of hundreds of hungry students.
However, Ron wasn't eating. He craned his neck, searching the bustling auditorium. His eyes darted from the entrance to the corners, clearly looking for a specific beautiful figure.
"She's not here," Ron muttered, disappointed.
"Eat," Harry urged, pushing a plate of potatoes toward him. "She'll turn up."
Children are prone to forgetfulness, and the unpleasantness of the hallway was quickly replaced by a new, cheerful dining atmosphere.
The Gryffindor table was lively. In addition to Neville Longbottom, who was still clutching his Remembrall, they were joined by Seamus Finnigan. Seamus was an energetic boy with sandy hair, a half-blood wizard who shared a dormitory with Harry, Ron, Neville, and Dean Thomas.
Harry and Ron had hit it off immediately, while Seamus and Dean seemed to be forming their own close friendship. Neville, unfortunately, was often the odd one out due to his clumsiness and traumatic background, though Harry and Ron did their best to include him.
"Eye of rabbit, harp string hum, turn this water into rum," Seamus chanted, waving his wand theatrically at his goblet.
Seamus was trying to turn his water into alcohol, eager to prove his magical prowess. He frowned, focusing intensely, muttering the incantation again.
"Eye of rabbit, harp string hum..."
He looked into the cup. Nothing happened.
"Turn this water into rum!" Seamus shouted, jabbing his wand downward.
BANG!
A flash of light blinded them for a second, followed by a sharp crack.
It wasn't the dining table that exploded, but the goblet—and Seamus himself. Smoke billowed up. When it cleared, Seamus sat there, his hair singed and standing on end, his face covered in black soot.
The students nearby jumped, startled, before bursting into laughter. The smell of sulfur and burnt eyebrows drifted through the air.
In the shadows near the entrance, Hermione watched the scene. She had been hiding in a corner, debating whether to leave and avoid any more drama.
However, the System had other plans. The blue light curtain shimmered into existence again.
[Option 1: Take the initiative to go to Harry and Ron's side, triggering the news about the theft of Gringotts from the Daily Prophet. Reward: Basic Attribute +1]
[Option 2: Talk to Malfoy, associate with bad guys. Reward: 1 Rolling Pin.]
[Option 3: Go take a bath, rest and relax. Reward: 1 Pair of Pajamas.]
Ok!
Hermione hesitated for two seconds. She felt a bit shameless. She had just reported Ron and Malfoy to the teacher, causing Ron to lose points, and now she was supposed to waltz over and join them for lunch?
However, Hermione was a pragmatist. She had called the teacher to solve the problem to avoid getting her own hands dirty. "Hanging up high"—staying out of the mess—was her motto, but stats were her currency.
In order to add that +1 Attribute, Hermione had to choose the most favorable option.
Working with Malfoy was impossible. Even if the reward was generous (and a rolling pin certainly wasn't), Hermione had moral limits. You can be a survivor, but you can't lose your bottom line. As for the bath... pajamas were dispensable.
Hermione smoothed her robes, took a deep breath, and stepped into the light.
She walked gracefully toward the Gryffindor table. As she approached, the faint, clean scent of vanilla and expensive soap drifted ahead of her.
Ron, who was poking at a sausage, looked up. His eyes went wide.
There she was. Fair skin glowing in the candlelight, features delicate and touching. In a school full of children, Hermione Granger carried herself with an understanding of life and hygiene that set her apart.
Ron was immediately elated. His little heart gave a violent thump against his ribs.
"Miss Hermione..." Ron stammered, his face turning as red as his hair.
To his absolute delight, Hermione didn't sit across from them. She slid onto the bench right next to him.
In the original story, this behavior would have been impossible; at this stage, they were practically enemies. But here, the time-traveling Miss Hermione was so charming that Ron, who had never seen much of the world, was instantly fascinated.
He was nervous for a moment, his tongue tied.
Hermione pretended to be natural, picking up a fork. "I saw you and Malfoy having a conflict just now. Don't be so impulsive next time."
Her tone was gentle but firm. Malfoy was not a good person to antagonize. If Ron pushed him too far, the butterfly effect might cause Malfoy to do cruel things that hadn't happened in the original plot. Hermione had to be cautious.
Hearing Hermione's words, Ron felt aggrieved, but her proximity gave him courage. He immediately asked the question that had been burning in his chest all lunch.
"Hermione... why did you give Malfoy a green hat?"
There it is, Hermione thought, suppressing a laugh.
She leaned in, lowering her voice conspiratorially. "Malfoy is very jealous. He saw that you and Harry both had green hats. Out of envy and hatred, he cornered me and demanded one. I didn't want to offend a pureblood noble on the first day, and I wanted to get rid of him early, so I gave him one to shut him up."
Hermione patted Ron on the shoulder reassuringly. "The green hat is nothing. It's not a valuable item. Don't worry about it."
"Really?" Ron asked, hope rising.
"Really," Hermione lied smoothly. "It's a big deal to him, maybe, but to me? I'll give you a few more in the future if you want."
Given the nature of the System options, Hermione estimated she would be drowning in daily necessities soon. Giving Ron a few extra hats wouldn't hurt.
Ron was instantly elated. The feeling of betrayal vanished. Even if he had been wronged, even if he had lost five points, it was nothing. The worst fear—that Hermione liked Malfoy—was gone.
Now that the misunderstanding was resolved, Ron smiled through his relief. "On the train, I gave you the scarf. Do you still keep it?"
Hermione reached over and speared a piece of steak from Ron's plate. "I kept it."
The color was too earthy and ugly, and she would never wear it, but it was safely stored in her Space Ring.
Ron noticed that Hermione liked meat. Without hesitation, he pushed his plate towards her. "Here. Take all of it."
Harry, sitting across from them, watched this interaction and smiled. Although he also appreciated Hermione's beauty, he wasn't possessive like Malfoy or infatuated like Ron. He was just glad the team was getting along.
Hermione wasn't polite. She ate the steak. Harry and Ron were good partners to have, and although she wanted to avoid trouble, the System kept pushing them together.
She swallowed a bite of beef and glanced at the table. An owl had dropped a newspaper near Ron's elbow earlier, but neither boy had touched it.
Time to advance the plot.
"Ron," Hermione asked, feigning curiosity. "What did your owl give you?"
Ron jumped, remembering the paper. He immediately, graciously handed the Daily Prophet to Hermione. "This is today's newspaper. You can read it."
Hermione took it, feeling a little embarrassed at her own manipulation. She snapped the paper open.
The wizarding newspaper was amazing. The pictures moved on the page—a goblin bowing, a wizard shaking his fist—looping endlessly like gifs on a screen.
Hermione pretended to scan the headlines, then gasped softly.
"Look at this," she read aloud to Ron and Harry. "It happened last night. There was a break-in at Gringotts in Diagon Alley..."
"What?" Harry sat up straighter.
Hermione continued reading. "But the goblins at Gringotts insist that nothing was stolen. The vault in question had in fact been emptied earlier that same day."
She looked up, locking eyes with Harry. "The vault that was searched was Number 713."
Then, she asked intentionally, "Harry, do you know Gringotts?"
Harry didn't hide it. A spark of recognition flashed in the pupils behind his round glasses.
"Hagrid and I went to Gringotts yesterday..." Harry murmured. His mind raced, connecting the dots. "We went to Vault 713. Hagrid took something out of it. He said it was Hogwarts business."
He suddenly regained his energy, leaning over the table. "Hermione, can you show me this newspaper?"
Hermione smiled, a successful glint in her eyes. "Of course you can."
She handed the Daily Prophet to Harry.
[Congratulations on completing Option 1 task. Reward: Basic Attribute +1]
Harry began to read the article voraciously, his brow furrowed. Beside her, Ron was still just looking at the little beauty Hermione, thinking she looked more and more beautiful with every passing second.
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