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The three exchanged glances.
One of them seemed to waver slightly, but was immediately stopped by the other two.
"Looks like you don't intend to confess."
Hermione sighed.
She had already given them a chance.
If they honestly admitted their mistake and sincerely repented, they could receive a lighter punishment.
In truth, Hermione had originally only wanted to use the shoes as a starting point to severely punish those who tormented other students at school.
But she had not expected Luna to be so insistent about that pair of shoes.
That made Hermione look at her in a different light.
In terms of persistence, she felt that Luna was very similar to herself.
Of course, that was as long as Luna did not mention those so-called Crumple-Horned Snorkacks.
"We didn't do anything. We don't know what we're supposed to confess."
Audrina had a proud expression on her face.
She believed Hermione was only trying to trick them.
Without proof, it did not matter whether you were Granger or even Dursley.
Besides...
Even if they proved I did it, what can you do?
Would you dare cast a spell at me?
I'm not like those inflexible Gryffindor idiots.
If you dare raise a hand against me, I'll have my family file a complaint with the Ministry of Magic.
And if they wanted to use force...
Audrina cast a subtle glance at her brother in the middle of the crowd.
A sixth-year prefect of Ravenclaw.
How many spells could three second-year students possibly know?
Both the situation and the crowd were on my side.
I don't even know how I could lose.
Thinking this, Audrina became even more confident.
"Miss Granger, before you say these things, I would like to ask you something. Do you have proof?"
"Since you want proof, then I'll give you proof."
Hermione had already decided to make them pay for this.
"Trying to act mysterious."
Audrina curled her lips in disdain.
"I thought you could at least wait a day or two. I didn't expect you to lose patience on the very same day."
Hermione was not affected by the other girl's attitude.
She continued speaking in a slow, unhurried tone.
"Perhaps you don't know this..."
"The shoes stolen from Luna were lent to her by me. And those shoes were a gift from Dudley to me. There is a spell on them. A curse. Anyone who touches that pair of shoes without my permission will receive a severe punishment."
Indeed, casting spells at students on the spot, even if the professors did not investigate, still carried the risk of the other students' parents filing a complaint with the Ministry of Magic.
Not everyone was like Gryffindor.
When they lost a fight, they only thought about finding a way to win back their honor on their own, and they would never do something as shameful as running to their parents.
But if someone messed with another person's belongings without permission and triggered a curse, then they deserved it.
Complaining to the Ministry of Magic would be useless.
Even if they took the case to the Wizengamot, it would be the same.
Wizards took their personal belongings very seriously.
Because a simple mistake in pronouncing a word could cause irreversible consequences.
Or even lead to death.
Pandora Lovegood, Luna's mother, had died precisely in an accident during a spell experiment.
Hermione's words left the three full of doubt and uncertainty.
"Want to try?"
Hermione took a step forward as she spoke.
The three stepped back at the same time.
"You dare study Dark Magic in secret?"
One of the girls beside Audrina, thinking she had discovered the key point, asked in a sharp voice.
"Stupid."
Hermione looked at her with a cold smile.
Her gaze was full of mockery.
Mockery toward the other girl's ignorance.
A curse was not the same as Dark Magic.
Casting spells on one's own belongings was completely normal.
Even some Aurors did that.
For example, the famous retired Auror, Mad-Eye Alastor Moody.
There was even an old saying in the wizarding world.
"Never touch a wizard's belongings without permission, unless you're prepared to pay with your life."
"Is that so? Then I'd like to see what kind of spell it is!"
Audrina remained stubborn.
In truth, she was already only trying to look strong while losing her nerve inside.
"Is that so?"
Hermione's tone gradually grew calmer, as if she were merely describing some insignificant matter.
"In truth, it's nothing serious."
"Do you feel... swelling and itching on your arms?"
The three unconsciously pulled their arms back into their sleeves.
If Hermione had not said anything, it would have been fine.
But now, they really did feel a little itchy.
"That's only the beginning. First, on the arms... then your neck will gradually start turning red... then it will spread to your face... countless pus-filled pimples will cover your entire face. But that still won't be much. At that point, you must be very careful. Your movements must be gentle. Very gentle. You must not pop those pimples. Otherwise, your face will go... boom."
Hermione's expression was practically that of someone telling a ghost story.
Not only the three girls, but even the surrounding students shrank their necks without realizing it after hearing that.
In truth, it was only a simple spell that made pimples appear on the body and face.
And it had not even been cast by Dudley.
Of course, that "simple" was only relative to Hermione.
"Stop talking, stop talking..."
The girl who had started wavering from the beginning was directly frightened to the point of collapsing on the spot.
She covered her ears, trembling as she collapsed to the floor.
"We... we were only playing a joke on her."
She was scared.
At that moment, she truly felt fear.
There was not a single young witch who did not care about her own appearance.
Her collapse not only confirmed the shoe theft, but also frightened another of the girls so badly that she too collapsed to the floor, powerless.
They were young witches who had only recently entered school.
What kind of psychological resistance could anyone expect from them?
With only a few words, their defenses had crumbled.
"A joke? When everyone laughs, that can be called a joke. If only you are laughing, then it isn't a joke at all."
Hermione showed no intention of softening.
Could everything be explained with a single sentence saying it was a joke?
Putting aside whether the joke had gone too far, some people simply did not want to joke with you.
If you dragged them into it by force, then it was no longer a joke.
"It was Audrina! Audrina told us to do it!"
One of them pointed at Audrina and shouted.
Selling out your teammates was normal.
Never expect their friendship to be that firm.
"You... have you all gone mad?"
Audrina's face turned pale with anger.
She had not expected her companions to be so useless.
Looking at the three members of the disciplinary group approaching step by step, a sense of helplessness immediately rose in her heart.
It was then that a stick-thin figure walked out from the crowd.
"Children, this farce ends here. Now everyone go back to class. I'm speaking as a prefect."
Hearing that voice, Audrina's expression improved again.
She knew she was saved.
Because her brother was going to act.
Alex Shaffer.
A sixth-year prefect of Ravenclaw.
"This matter ends here. Everyone, disperse."
Alex said this to the other students.
As soon as he appeared, he started clearing people out.
As long as there were fewer people, a major issue could be reduced to a minor one, and a minor issue could simply disappear.
But that would greatly affect the authority of the disciplinary group.
So it had to be stopped.
It was at that moment that Ron, who had remained silent until then, finally found a chance to speak.
"Prefect Shaffer, what impressive authority you have."
The moment he opened his mouth, he imitated Malfoy's mocking, sarcastic tone.
In truth, Ron had wanted to speak in that tone for a long time.
It felt really satisfying.
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