"Together?"
Hermione repeated the word silently in her head.
Her face immediately turned red.
Together?
What exactly did Liam mean by that?
Did he mean they would stay close in the future?
Work side by side?
Continue sharing secrets and adventures?
For someone who secretly had a growing crush on him, those words were dangerously powerful.
Hermione lowered her head and tried to hide her expression.
Unfortunately, her imagination had already begun running wild.
Compared to the Gryffindor classmates who constantly excluded her, sneaking into a professor's office under a Disillusionment Charm with Liam had been far more exciting than anything she'd experienced at Hogwarts so far.
She genuinely enjoyed spending time with him.
Studying together.
Talking about magic.
Getting involved in mysterious investigations.
Even breaking rules felt strangely fun when Liam was involved.
For perhaps the hundredth time, she regretted ignoring the Sorting Hat's recommendation.
If she had chosen Slytherin instead of Gryffindor, she could have spent every day beside him.
The thought only made her regret it more.
The truth was that all four Hogwarts founders would likely have welcomed Hermione.
She possessed talent, intelligence, and determination in abundance.
But when she had read Hogwarts: A History before arriving at school, she had become fascinated by Gryffindor's history and traditions.
That fascination had ultimately decided her choice.
Now there was nothing she could do.
Hogwarts didn't allow students to transfer Houses.
No matter how much she regretted it, she would remain a Gryffindor.
Caught between excitement and regret, Hermione barely paid attention to the rest of the walk back.
By the time Liam escorted her to the Gryffindor common room, her thoughts had become a complete mess.
She didn't even notice that most of the conversation had been carried by Liam.
After watching her disappear through the portrait hole, Liam turned and began walking back toward the Slytherin dungeons.
Unlike Hermione, his thoughts were focused elsewhere entirely.
The reason he had revealed his time in Azkaban had never been simple honesty.
Part of it had been a test.
A test to see whether Hermione could accept parts of his past.
Another reason involved Lockhart.
Since Liam intended to make use of Lockhart eventually, he couldn't allow Hermione to drag the man directly to Azkaban.
A disgraced Lockhart could still be useful.
An imprisoned Lockhart was worthless.
So Liam had subtly redirected the conversation.
Fortunately, it had worked.
There was another matter occupying his thoughts.
Hermione herself.
Today had confirmed something important.
She represented a different future for the wizarding world.
If someone like Hermione eventually became Minister for Magic, the magical world would almost certainly become far fairer than it currently was.
And if Liam maintained a strong friendship with her...
The benefits would be considerable.
In many ways, he was already arranging pieces on a chessboard.
Hermione possessed extraordinary talent.
She struggled socially in Gryffindor.
She trusted him.
Perhaps he would eventually become her closest friend.
The foundation for a strong relationship was already forming.
Liam felt a slight sense of guilt about viewing things this way.
Only a slight one.
His values had been forged in places where Dark Wizards and Death Eaters walked openly through the streets.
Trust without benefit was a luxury he had never been able to afford.
That didn't mean he intended to exploit Hermione.
Quite the opposite.
If he gained something from their friendship, he intended to repay it equally.
That was simply his way.
As he walked through the castle corridors, Liam found himself reviewing his long-term plans.
The first objective was obvious.
Destroy Voldemort completely.
After that...
Things became more interesting.
Liam hoped to continue researching advanced and forbidden magic while simultaneously cultivating several important allies.
Cassandra was one.
Hermione was another.
He envisioned a future where each occupied a different position within the wizarding world.
Cassandra, in particular, fascinated him.
Unlike Hermione, she possessed the personality necessary to rule.
Proud.
Confident.
Fearless.
Dominating.
The world of Dark Wizards respected strength above all else.
Kindness alone would never control them.
But someone like Cassandra?
Someone powerful enough to command fear and respect?
That was different.
Her pure-blood heritage also gave her advantages that a Muggle-born witch like Hermione would never possess in certain circles.
Meanwhile, Hermione represented the opposite side of the world.
Justice.
Order.
Reform.
The future Liam envisioned was surprisingly simple.
Voldemort would fall.
Cassandra would rise among the darker elements of magical society.
Hermione would rise among the respectable institutions.
And Liam would stand somewhere in the middle.
Studying magic.
Avoiding paperwork.
Enjoying the benefits of both sides while leaving them to handle their own internal politics.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
It sounded absurd.
But he genuinely believed it could happen.
Both girls possessed exceptional talent.
Given enough time, they would become extraordinary.
Then there was Draco.
The boy was slowly becoming easier to influence.
And behind Draco stood Lucius Malfoy.
In many ways, father and son were remarkably similar.
With the support of the Malfoys, Cassandra's family influence, Lockhart's fame, and Hermione's future potential...
The important pieces on the wizarding world's chessboard were slowly moving into place.
Satisfied with that thought, Liam finally returned to the Slytherin common room.
After greeting a few students, he headed straight for his dormitory.
The rest of the evening was spent studying.
Specifically, he continued examining the notes he had copied regarding Severus Snape's modified combat spell, Sectumsempra.
Liam already possessed numerous offensive spells.
Still, learning more was never a waste of time.
More importantly, studying Snape's modifications offered valuable insight into the structure of magical theory itself.
Every improvement revealed new possibilities.
Every innovation expanded his understanding.
The deeper he looked, the more fascinated he became.
The following morning, Liam arrived at the Transfiguration classroom before anyone else.
As expected, Professor McGonagall was already present.
Or rather...
A tabby cat was already present.
The cat sat calmly atop the teacher's desk.
The moment Liam entered, it transformed into Professor McGonagall.
"Good morning, Professor."
"Good morning, Mr. Hale."
Liam immediately retrieved a notebook from his bag.
"This contains the complete explanation regarding the improved wound-healing spell."
He handed it over.
"Would you be willing to discuss it with St. Mungo's?"
McGonagall accepted the notebook.
A quick glance through several pages caused her eyes to brighten.
"Certainly."
Her voice was warm.
"I'd be happy to."
Then she looked at him with obvious pride.
"Liam, you are becoming one of Hogwarts' finest students."
The praise was genuine.
Not only had he exposed Voldemort's scheme, but he was now contributing to the advancement of healing magic.
Few students could claim achievements remotely comparable.
Liam smiled politely.
"I'm honored to be considered a credit to Hogwarts."
McGonagall nodded approvingly.
With that matter settled, their discussion shifted naturally toward Transfiguration.
Specifically, Animagus transformation.
Liam had become increasingly interested in the subject recently.
One aspect fascinated him more than anything else.
After transforming into an animal, an Animagus gained many characteristics of that species.
Enhanced senses.
Instincts.
Methods of communication.
Certain natural abilities.
That raised an intriguing possibility.
"What are you thinking so deeply about?"
McGonagall asked.
Liam looked thoughtful.
"I was wondering about the upper limits of Animagus transformation."
Her eyebrow rose.
"Oh?"
"For example..."
Liam tapped the desk lightly.
"If someone could somehow become a phoenix..."
He paused.
"Would they gain the phoenix's regenerative abilities?"
McGonagall froze.
Liam continued.
"If so, then entering a phoenix state during fatal injuries might allow complete rebirth."
His eyes gleamed with interest.
"In theory, that would be a form of immortality."
....
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