Harry and Ron exchanged a look, seeing unspeakable complexity and a hint of fear in each other's eyes... the door to the Hospital Wing closed behind them.
The noisy chatter in the corridor came to an abrupt halt.
As soon as Harry, Ron, and Hermione stepped out, they felt like three sheep thrown into a pack of wolves. Gazes from all directions, a mix of awe, jealousy, and blatant hostility, clung to them.
Rumors had already twisted their experience of passing the trials into a myth. Gryffindor saw them as heroes, while Slytherin viewed them as thorns in their side.
Hermione held Lia, looking straight ahead with her chin slightly raised. She needed a target to test the "reins" she had just acquired.
And the target had delivered itself.
"Look, the savior and his loyal sidekicks."
A drawling, malicious voice rang out. Draco Malfoy, accompanied by Crabbe and Goyle, blocked their path.
His pale face was full of mockery, and his gray eyes swept over Harry before settling on Hermione and the pure white Ragdoll Cat in her arms.
"I've heard, Granger," Malfoy's lips curled into a contemptuous sneer. "Where did you pick up this little monster? I heard it was found in some Dark Wizard's lab, a failure. No wonder it can mimic dead people's voices; what a disgusting talent."
He lowered his voice and laughed wickedly, ensuring everyone around could hear: "But it makes sense. Defective creatures always need to find an equally lowly master. You're a perfect match—a mudblood and a half-blood."
"half-blood."
The word was like a poison-tipped needle, accurately piercing Hermione's sore spot.
Hermione's face darkened instantly.
But in the next second, her gaze turned cold. She held Lia tighter and took a step forward, looking Malfoy straight in the eye: "How pathetic, having to use words to show off your insignificant sense of superiority."
Malfoy was startled by her cold gaze and then turned angry from embarrassment. He actually drew his magic wand.
"What? You want to stand up for this beast? I'll use 'Eat Slugs' to make you..."
His spell was not finished.
The moment Malfoy said "half-blood," Lia's Danger Intuition had already shrieked.
A white shadow exploded from Hermione's arms!
A storm of white fur and silver hair, moving in a trajectory that defied the laws of physics, slammed into Malfoy instantly.
"Ah—!"
A short cry escaped Malfoy's throat as his magic wand flew out of his hand, and he clutched his other hand tightly.
Three deep gashes, showing the bone, tore across the back of the hand he had used to hold the wand. Blood instantly stained his pristine white cuff.
Crabbe and Goyle stepped back in shock, dumbfounded.
Harry and Ron were also stunned.
But what horrified them even more was that the white light that had caused the injury didn't land.
It unfurled in mid-air in a twisted posture.
The petite Ragdoll Cat had vanished.
A silver-haired Cat-girl with bare feet landed steadily in front of Hermione, shielding her.
Having experienced her fourth death, Lia's figure had grown a size larger and become more shapely, but her aura was now so sharp that one didn't dare look at her directly.
She slowly bared her sharp canine teeth at the terrified and pained Malfoy, a continuous low growl rumbling deep in her throat.
In those pure blue eyes, there was no longer any trace of soft cuteness or dependence.
Only cold, pure killing intent.
And deep in her pupils, a ring of ominous ghostly green was burning fiercely.
She raised her hand, which was still dripping blood and had nails as sharp as knives, and tilted her head to lick a bead of blood from her fingertip.
Then, she looked at Malfoy, her voice clear and cold.
It was no longer an imitation of anyone's tone, but her own coldness—a blend of innocence and cruelty.
"Your blood tastes terrible."
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