After finishing the last piece of ice cream that Senior Cho Chang had helped her get, Amanda put down her knife and fork, certain that she was full and couldn't eat another bite.
Seeing this, Cho Chang, Marietta Eckmore, Penelope, and the other students of Ravenclaw House gave up on their attempts to keep feeding her.
Amanda sat in her seat, staring blankly at the empty plate in front of her, while the contents of tomorrow's Potion Class and Transfiguration Class flashed rapidly through her mind.
She spent the remainder of the start-of-term feast in a continuous cycle of mental recall and recitation.
Once everyone had finished their last bite, the desserts on the four long tables vanished instantly.
Headmaster Dumbledore stood up and walked to the front of the Staff Table, raising his hands to signal for silence.
"Welcome back to Hogwarts."
He looked at the Young Wizards below with a gentle smile. "The first thing I must say is that, as you may have noticed, there are Dementors stationed at the entrance to our Castle and the grounds."
"They are here at the request of the Ministry of Magic to protect everyone's safety."
Marietta Eckmore glanced at Amanda sitting next to her, and remembering the miserable state she was in because of the Dementors on the hogwarts express, her face darkened several shades.
"I don't believe those things being at Hogwarts can protect our safety at all."
"It'll be a miracle if they don't give us a Dementor's Kiss."
Penelope, sitting beside her, also nodded. "Indeed, the Ministry of Magic's decision was rather ill-considered."
"Having Dementors ensure school safety... it's unnecessary and likely to backfire."
In fact, it wasn't just the two of them; upon hearing Headmaster Dumbledore personally admit the Ministry of Magic had sent Dementors to protect Hogwarts, the entire Great Hall erupted into various discussions.
Voices of doubt and curses directed at the Ministry of Magic were heard incessantly.
Amanda, who had snapped out of her study state because the Professor was speaking, also performed rapid calculations in her brain.
Based on estimates, under the premise of Sirius Black's escape, and using the presence or absence of Dementors at Hogwarts as a variable...
The calculations showed that the safety level was higher without Dementors at Hogwarts.
Because Dementors were simply too uncontrollable, with too many influencing factors; any single factor could become a danger factor.
Amanda blinked her eyes stiffly. Since it was clearly more dangerous, why did the Ministry of Magic insist on doing it?
Wasn't this something where the optimal conclusion could be reached with a simple calculation?
However, officials don't make mistakes, just as schools, teachers, and parents don't make mistakes.
They must have some more important, big-picture factors they need to consider.
"All right, all right, everyone."
Headmaster Dumbledore raised his hands again to stop the students' discussion.
"Do not worry, the Professors and I will do our utmost to prevent anything from happening to you."
"Therefore, I also ask you all not to harbor any illusions and not to attempt to leave the Castle without permission."
"Dementors are not like people; they have no compassion, no patience, and they will not listen to your explanations."
"No method can fool them, including an invisibility cloak," Headmaster Dumbledore said, giving Harry a specific look and a slight nod. "Please do not give them an excuse to harm you."
"Now, let's move on to some lighter topics,"
Headmaster Dumbledore changed the subject, gesturing toward Professor Lupin at the Staff Table.
"I am pleased to introduce our defense against the dark arts professor for this year, Professor Remus Lupin."
Professor Lupin stood up and waved to everyone with a somewhat shy smile.
Amanda's gaze lingered on this Professor, observing him closely for the first time.
The shyness on his face, his habitually hunched back—his entire being exuded an air of extreme caution.
He wasn't very popular in daily life, or to be more precise, he was likely someone who was unaccepted and marginalized.
That was why he subconsciously adopted this posture, constantly protecting himself.
Deducing further: why was Professor Lupin marginalized? Amanda did not have comprehensive information on this issue yet, so she could only derive it through hypothetical methods.
On the hogwarts express, although she had just woken up from a faint at the time, she had noticed that Professor Lupin's attitude toward the students was very good.
Furthermore, there were no traces of fake micro-expressions; therefore, it could be concluded that there was an over 80% probability that his personality was truly kind.
Thus, the factor of being marginalized due to his personality could be excluded.
Next was the common ailment among the Slytherins of the Wizarding World: blood purity theory.
However, except for the vast majority of Slytherin, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff had no concept of blood purity.
The Wizarding World was not entirely composed of Slytherins who believed in blood purity; on the contrary, their proportion in the entire Wizarding World was actually quite small.
Therefore, it was impossible for Professor Lupin to be marginalized everywhere in life because of this, to the point of developing such cautious daily habits.
The reason of blood purity could also be basically excluded.
With the first two possibilities excluded, what remained was something that could cause the entire Wizarding World to uniformly loathe him.
The clearest reason in Amanda's mind was: Werewolf.
Werewolves turn into wolves every full moon and have absolutely no consciousness after transforming; they will actively attack others, and those attacked will also be infected with Lycanthropy Toxin, being assimilated into werewolves themselves.
Precisely because of this, werewolves are detested by the entire Wizarding World, and many even wish for every Werewolf in the Wizarding World to die out.
Looking at Professor Lupin's visibly pale and weak face, Amanda immediately recalled that yesterday was a full moon, exactly the day for Werewolf transformation.
After transforming, werewolves have a short period of weakness, and Professor Lupin's current state corresponded exactly to that period.
Professor Lupin is a Werewolf—this guess, with a 55% accuracy rating, appeared in Amanda's brain.
Regarding this guess, there was still no ripple in Amanda's heart; the school would not do anything wrong.
The school choosing Professor Lupin to teach the Defense Against the Dark Arts class definitely had a reason; whatever his identity was had nothing to do with her.
She only needed to attend her classes properly.
After Professor Lupin stood up and waved to all the Young Wizards in the Great Hall, Headmaster Dumbledore officially announced the end of the start-of-term feast.
Amanda stood up along with everyone from Ravenclaw. On the other side at the Gryffindor Table, Hermione also stood up quickly and walked toward the adjacent Ravenclaw Table.
Harry and Ron were both stunned as they watched this, not quite understanding what Hermione was doing.
Was she going to talk to Amanda? But they were about to return to the Dormitory, and the curfew was approaching; surely talking could wait a little bit.
Not just them, but many students from Gryffindor and even the other two houses watched this scene with curiosity and surprise.
The Ravenclaw Eagles, however, proactively made way, facilitating Hermione's "unobstructed path" to Amanda's side.
Feeling her right arm being held, Amanda turned to look at Hermione.
"Hermione, why have you come over?"
Though she phrased it as a question, her tone was certain. Hermione smiled and ruffled Amanda's hair.
"I'm going to stay in your Dormitory in Ravenclaw. Headmaster Dumbledore said it was okay before, and Professor McGonagall agreed. You... should be willing too, right?"
Amanda blinked stiffly and nodded with rigid movements. "I have no problem with that."
Just as the two girls finished these few words, the Ravenclaw Eagles began to head out.
Amanda allowed Hermione to hold her arm as they walked out together.
Seeing this, Harry and Ron both felt a sense of realization and silently looked away.
Judging by this posture, Hermione was clearly going to live in Ravenclaw Tower.
"What's the situation? That Granger is actually following Amanda? Is she going to live in Ravenclaw Tower? That's against the rules!"
Seeing Hermione holding Amanda's arm as they approached the Great Hall doors, an upperclassman in Slytherin House couldn't help but make a sharp comment.
Draco Malfoy immediately rolled his eyes, wishing he could stitch the other person's mouth shut right then and there.
Did they absolutely have to provoke Gryffindor's Granger and Ravenclaw's Amanda?
Were all the other Gryffindors invisible? Why did they have to pick on Granger?!
Even if you provoked that loathsome Potter, it might not necessarily incite the public wrath of all of Ravenclaw.
Wasn't it miserable enough that he hadn't had a single meal without an accident for the entire last school year?
The rest of Slytherin still hadn't learned their lesson and were provoking Hermione while she was clearly standing next to Amanda; how was this any different from enraging the entire Ravenclaw House again?
The corners of Draco's mouth twitched violently, and he silently shrank behind the others to show that this matter had nothing to do with him.
At the same time, it was a signal to The Ravenclaws: if you're going to retaliate, don't retaliate against the wrong person.
Knowing how much their house's darling, Amanda, valued rules, the Ravenclaw Eagles immediately exploded.
Breaking rules? Breaking my foot! Is this something you can just say casually?
What if Amanda, because of that one sentence, felt it was her fault that Hermione was breaking the rules by staying in Ravenclaw and punished herself again?
Would you Slytherins take full responsibility? Never mind that Hermione is just going to Ravenclaw to stay with Amanda; even if Amanda beat up Fudge right now and tore down the Ministry of Magic...
That would be because the Ministry failed in its duties, and Amanda was taking righteous action to impose sanctions! Completely reasonable and legal!
Upholding such thoughts, before Amanda could even turn her head toward the source of the voice, a sixth-year senior who specialized in studying the laws and regulations of the Wizarding World—and incidentally knew the Hogwarts school rules by heart—spoke up furiously.
"Nonsense! Hogwarts school rules prohibit students from entering other houses' common rooms without permission."
"Miss Granger was invited by all of us in Ravenclaw; she is our guest, not someone going there without permission."
"Exactly!"
"That's right, we invited Miss Granger. So what? Are we not allowed to build good relationships with our fellow students?"
Except for the first-year fledglings who looked completely bewildered, the Little Eagles of all other years said in unison and loudly that they, all of Ravenclaw, had jointly invited Hermione.
They forcefully shut down the Slytherin who had just spoken, leaving him speechless.
He had originally spoken up just because he was annoyed by that Gryffindor Granger, plus Ravenclaw had snatched the House Cup championship for two years in a row, so he had taunted her.
Who knew he would poke a hornet's nest of these eagles? He hadn't said anything he shouldn't have.
He hadn't used a single insulting word like mudblood! Merlin be his witness!
How did Ravenclaw get so worked up?
Standing at the Staff Table, Professor Snape took a deep breath, his gaze dark as he looked at the Slytherin who had just spoken.
"Foolish sir, Slytherin will lose two points because of you, to remind you all to always remember to be prudent in your speech and actions."
After speaking, he gave Amanda another subtle look. Seeing her withdraw her gaze and continue walking out blankly with Hermione without any other reaction, he quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall watched him quietly exhale and shook their heads with a smile. If only Severus could be more direct and cheerful.
Seemingly sensing the gazes of his two former Professors beside him, Professor Snape's body stiffened slightly, and then he strode down from the Staff Table without looking back.
His black robes billowing, he walked to the end of the Slytherin Table nearest the door and turned around quickly.
"Now, shut your mouths and follow me back to the common room."
The Little Snakes of Slytherin obediently shut up and followed Professor Snape out of the Great Hall after The Ravenclaws had finished leaving.
Back in the Dormitory, the room that originally held only three beds now had a fourth bed in place, and all of Hermione's luggage had been placed on it.
As soon as Amanda entered the Dormitory, she took her Transfiguration textbook out of her trunk and sat at the desk to begin "reviewing" her reading.
Hermione sighed helplessly at this sight; she had gotten used to it when she lived with Amanda during the summer vacation.
As long as she hadn't asked Amanda to play with her, Amanda would definitely be reading a book, or else thinking about the contents of those books in her head.
Compared to her, her own drive for studying seemed small.
Cho Chang and Marietta Eckmore gave her a 'that's just how it is' look, then went to the washroom one after the other to shower.
After showering, the two seniors also sat on their beds and leisurely began to preview tomorrow's course content.
Hermione, meanwhile, put down her book, took her pajamas, and walked into the washroom.
For a time, the only sounds in the entire Dormitory were the splashing of water and the sound of pages turning.
Amanda, sitting motionless at the desk and reading carefully, was completely unaware of how much influence she was having on her two roommates.
One must know that if it weren't for Amanda, on the first night of the term, Cho Chang and Marietta Eckmore would definitely have had a lively chat all night long.
But now... watching Amanda study, they couldn't help themselves; they couldn't bring themselves to rest while she was working.
It could only be said that fortunately, they also loved reading and studying, so it was a mix of pain and pleasure.
At the same time, there was no doubt that Hermione, having moved into Amanda's Dormitory, would see her grades improve significantly this semester.
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