The fireplace in the common room was about to go out, leaving only a few points of scarlet charcoal glowing fitfully in the darkness.
The chill on Lia's body was even colder than the air after the fire had died.
The coldness and killing intent she had just absorbed from Tom Riddle's memory clung to her like a curse, not yet fully dissipated.
It was as if an arrogant ghost had moved into her body, causing her original light fragrance to be mixed with a dangerous aura like winter iron.
She stood before Hermione, and deep within those azure eyes, a faint green light swirled.
Unconsciously mimicking the tone of the soul fragment in her mind, her voice was low, carrying an unfamiliar, condescending coldness.
"He taught me a lot of things, Hermione. Very interesting... knowledge." Lia licked her lips, her movement like a cat that had tasted blood. "That pink thing is just the beginning. I'll make her understand that some things are scarier than death."
This was no longer the soft, death-fearing Lia.
This was another shadow, tainted by Dark Arts and nurtured by Tom Riddle's malice.
Hermione watched her quietly, her chestnut eyes showing neither reproach nor panic.
She simply reached out and gently cupped Lia's cheeks.
Then, under Lia's stunned gaze, Hermione lowered her head and gently bit the tip of Lia's slightly trembling cat ears.
The fur on the cat ears puffed out instantly. Lia's body stiffened, and the green light in her eyes flickered violently before being replaced by chaos.
"I know, Lia," Hermione's voice was calm. "But you did the right thing."
Without waiting for Lia to organize her words from the confusion, Hermione pulled her arms in and, in a standard princess carry, picked her up and strode toward the girls' dormitory.
Lia's body was small and soft, yet it was stiff with shock and shyness.
"Wait! Hermione... you..."
Waves of danger mixed with sweetness hit her.
No... No-meow!
Hermione kicked open the dormitory door, placed Lia on the soft bed, and then leaned over, supporting herself with her hands on either side of Lia's body, completely enveloping her in her shadow.
"Dark Arts, is it?" Hermione's fingertips brushed across Lia's neck, finally stopping at the silver bell collar that could soothe her emotions, giving it a gentle flick that made a crisp sound. "Voldemort, is it?"
Lia's breathing became erratic.
She was wrapped in the scent of books and determination emanating from Hermione, and the dark thoughts in her mind were washed away completely.
Her whole head was dizzy, and she couldn't muster a single thought.
"You want to learn more?" Hermione's tone carried a dangerous smile as she leaned down, her nose almost touching Lia's. "Very well. But before that, let me teach you something else."
A hearty "education" began.
Hermione used her actions to show Lia who the true dominant one in this relationship was.
She irresistibly explored every inch of Lia's sensitivity, using kisses and touches to melt away the coldness and violence she had picked up from Tom Riddle bit by bit.
Lia soon collapsed completely, going from struggling at the beginning to whimpering, and finally to intermittent pleas for mercy.
"Hermione... I can't... I was wrong..."
"What were you wrong about?" Hermione stopped her movements and looked at the pink-flushed Cat-girl beneath her.
"Still want to do Dark Arts?"
"I... I shouldn't have..."
"No." Hermione interrupted her, saying each word clearly, "You weren't wrong. There's no use reasoning with a mad dog."
Hermione untied the hair tie that had bound Lia's wrists at some point and gently took out a soft towel to wipe her body.
"Your power belongs to you, not Tom Riddle. You can be angry, you can vent," Hermione's voice returned to its gentleness as she kissed away the tears at the corners of Lia's eyes. "Leave the rest to me."
"I will hold your reins."
Lia raised her watery eyes. In her Eye of Truth, a magnificent phantom composed of countless precise runes and scorching light appeared behind Hermione—a Towering Library made of light.
That was Hermione's wisdom and will, completely materialized at this moment when she decided to take the initiative!
"So, go ahead and do it. I will be your backup."
As she spoke, she took the limp Lia into her arms and gently stroked her head, giving her a soothing touch before sleep.
After Lia fell into an exhausted sleep, Hermione turned and pulled a piece of parchment from her bag, slowly unrolling it.
On it, in her elegant and rigorous handwriting, was a plan she had long conceived—the framework and philosophy for a Mutual Defense Group.
From the selection criteria for members to the training subjects, and then to the strict secrecy regulations, everything was in perfect order.
However, while they were savoring the afterglow, they completely failed to notice the two pairs of eyes at the dormitory door half an hour ago.
"Lavender, did you hear that? It sounded like Lia was crying..." Parvati's voice was uncertain.
"I heard... She said 'I was wrong'... Oh my god, did she upset Hermione again? We'd better not go in; Hermione is terrifying when she's angry," Lavender said with lingering fear.
"Alright, let's just go for a night walk..."
With that, the two closed the door and left.
The sound of their footsteps gradually faded, and silence returned to the room.
The next day, Hermione and Lia had just arrived at the common room and sat down.
Heavy footsteps came from the staircase.
Harry and Ron walked down.
Harry subconsciously hid his injured hand behind his back, but the scent of 'blood and humiliation' on the back of his hand couldn't be hidden from Lia's nose.
Lia's cat ears twitched; she smelled a new change in Harry.
That fiery aura belonging to a 'leader,' though still weak, had been forcibly ignited by the smell of angry rust and unyielding rock, and was slowly but firmly taking shape.
The four sat around the fireplace, which was about to go out.
Hermione calmly analyzed the current situation: "Umbridge is a hand the Ministry of Magic has extended into Hogwarts. Fudge wants to use her to throttle Dumbledore's throat and, by the way, shut your mouth, Harry."
Harry looked at the back of his hand in pain: "I tried, and Professor McGonagall tried too, but nothing worked. Dumbledore... he won't even see me."
"Then we'll find a way ourselves!" Ron shook his fist angrily. "We can't let that old hag have her way!"
A consensus was reached in silence. They had to build their own strength.
"I've drafted a list," Hermione pointed to the parchment. "These are all people we can trust. But we need an absolute constraint to prevent betrayal." She looked up, her eyes bright. "An Unbreakable Vow or a magical contract."
As soon as she finished, Lia's cat ears shot up. She looked warily toward the dark corner of the staircase leading to the dormitory and lowered her voice.
"Someone is eavesdropping."
Hermione patted the back of her hand reassuringly, but her gaze had become as sharp as a blade. She spoke clearly toward the empty darkness.
"Colin, stop hiding and come down."
A thin figure walked out of the darkness trembling; it was Colin Creevey.
He was clutching his camera tightly.
There was no surprise on Hermione's face; she even showed a smile.
"We need your camera, Colin."
"To record a beginning."
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