Expressionless, Amanda stepped out of the Dormitory, drew her wand, tapped it against herself twice, and cast a Disillusionment Charm.
The Disillusionment Charm is a spell only taught to upper-year students at Hogwarts; it demands exceptional magical power and precise casting technique.
Even though Amanda's incantation, wand movement, and magical strength perfectly matched the textbook, her Disillusionment Charm still fell short in places.
After all, she was only a first-year Young Wizard; her foundation was too thin. While walking, faint mottled patterns flickered around her—anyone looking closely could trace her outline.
She reached the Astronomy Tower without hindrance and, as expected, did not meet a single Professor along the way.
Even Madam Norris had been carried by Hogwarts' shifting staircases to the tower's farthest corner.
Standing motionless atop the Astronomy Tower, Amanda stared with lifeless eyes at the door, waiting for Harry and Hermione to arrive.
She raised her right hand: eleven-fifty. Barring accidents, they would appear in ten minutes.
Her brain reacted automatically; she lowered her hand and leaned against the wall, gazing vacantly ahead.
Ten minutes later, the door creaked open.
Nothing seemed to enter, yet if one looked carefully, two pairs of half-visible feet hovered just above the floor.
Slowly, Amanda drew her gaze back from the floor and remained still; neither Harry nor Hermione noticed her.
She watched them pull off the invisibility cloak, a good-sized wooden crate clutched between them.
A soft call sounded from the air behind her: "Harry? Hermione?"
"We're here!" Hermione called up to the figure on the flying broomstick.
"Hello, I'm Charlie. Is this Norbert?" the stocky boy asked, pointing at the crate.
"Yes," Harry nodded. "We'll have to trouble you to take him."
"No problem." Charlie waved, dismounted with a friend, hoisted the crate, and together they kicked off into the sky again.
"We're off, then." Charlie nodded to Harry and Hermione and soared away with his companion.
With Norbert gone, Harry and Hermione exhaled in relief; their steps turned light, almost giddy.
So carefree that the usually meticulous Hermione forgot to pull the invisibility cloak back on; the two strode openly down the Astronomy Tower stairs, chatting as they went.
From her spot against the wall Amanda stepped forward, picked up the invisibility cloak, and followed at a distance.
She didn't interrupt; her brain had already decided that cutting into their conversation would be impolite.
When Harry and Hermione reached the bottom of the Astronomy Tower staircase, two voices rang out.
"Professor, you must believe me—Harry Potter really has a Dragon and they're moving it tonight!" Draco Malfoy said urgently to Professor McGonagall beside him.
"That's absurd, Mr. Malfoy," Professor McGonagall replied sternly. "A Dragon? Impossible."
Still, she set off toward the Astronomy Tower with Draco; if Harry Potter was out of bed, detention and point-loss were in order regardless of Dragons.
By the time Hermione and Harry heard their voices it was too late—they had already reached the foot of the stairs.
Realising the cloak had been left behind, they braced themselves to be caught—until Amanda whipped the invisibility cloak over Hermione, hiding her completely.
Harry glanced at the suddenly empty space beside him, then at Amanda's faint outline, and understood instantly.
Without hesitation he stepped forward, exposing himself to buy them time.
"Mr. Potter!" Professor McGonagall's eyes widened as Harry appeared on the stairs.
Her breath caught. "You really were out of bed!"
Assured that Amanda and Hermione were hidden, Harry relaxed and looked guiltily at the Professor.
"Yes, Professor. I'm sorry—I've disappointed you."
Professor McGonagall drew a sharp breath. "Then Mr. Malfoy's Dragon…?"
"Huh?" Harry gave her a perfectly blank stare.
"What Dragon? We've got one at Hogwarts? I've never seen it. Does Headmaster Dumbledore keep it?"
Professor McGonagall's mouth twitched. "No, Mr. Potter, Hogwarts has no Dragon. Mr. Malfoy claims you were carrying one tonight."
"What?!" Harry gaped at her, then at Draco, and spread his arms.
"I—I'm not carrying anything. How could I get a Dragon? I mean, that's illegal, isn't it?"
"Indeed, Mr. Potter." She nodded, turned to Draco, and said coldly, "Mr. Malfoy, for lying and for being out of bed, you will come with me to Professor Snape."
"What?" Draco blinked. "But Professor, I was reporting Potter…
"You were still out of bed." Professor McGonagall took Harry's arm and turned to leave.
As she stepped forward her gaze fell on Amanda, still under the Disillusionment Charm beside Hermione.
Amanda's spell could fool every Hogwarts student and most adult Wizards—but not an elite like Professor McGonagall.
She saw through it at once. Amanda stood motionless, her eyes as dead as stagnant water.
She knew she had been spotted and awaited the inevitable reprimand.
Yet events did not unfold as her brain had predicted. Instead, Professor McGonagall's expression softened; even her gaze toward Harry became gentler.
If little Amanda was here, and Potter as well, then Granger must be nearby—had they taken the child on their night excursion?
Had it been any other student, Professor McGonagall would have acted without favour.
But Amanda was different; every one of the Professors could feel the crushing pressure the girl placed on herself, her life swallowed by study.
So if another student could take her along to play and make a little mischief—even bend a few school rules—they would gladly allow it, provided everyone stayed safe.
Professor McGonagall gave a small cough and cleared her throat. "Mr. Potter, we'll deal with your punishment when we're back. Come with me."
With that she pulled Harry away without sparing Amanda so much as a glance, as though she hadn't noticed her at all.
Watching Professor McGonagall leave, Amanda's mind froze for a second.
Professor McGonagall had seen her, yet hadn't seized her; no puzzlement—just a single question popping into her head.
Why…? Amanda blinked mechanically. Perhaps Professor McGonagall was waiting for her to own up… Yes, that had to be the answer; her brain supplied the most logical explanation.
Only when Professor McGonagall was far away did Hermione, still under the invisibility cloak, dare exhale the breath she'd been holding.
"Haa…" Hermione slowly stroked her chest, then turned toward where Amanda had been standing.
"Amanda… is that you?" Apart from her, Hermione couldn't think of anyone else who knew they were seeing Norbert off tonight—and who would help her dodge Professor McGonagall's "capture."
"It's me." Amanda's emotionless voice sounded; as she nodded, the outline of her head appeared to Hermione.
"Wow… is that a Disillusionment Charm?" Hermione's eyes brightened with curiosity as she stared at the spot Amanda occupied.
"Mm."
"That's amazing! The Disillusionment Charm is an upper-year spell!" Hermione gazed at the sight in admiration.
"No, my Disillusionment Charm is badly flawed; I haven't mastered it." Amanda shook her head, stating the fact without a trace of feeling.
"You're already terrific," Hermione murmured. "Don't put yourself down."
"And thank you for helping me just now—otherwise I'd have been caught by Professor McGonagall and Gryffindor House would've lost points."
"It's nothing." Amanda gave a faint, indifferent shake of her head.
Hermione tilted her head, a vague hope rising inside. "Why did you come? I mean… were you worried about me—about us?"
Hearing the word "worried," Amanda considered its meaning, then shook her head. "I don't have that emotion. I have no emotions; my brain simply told me I should come, so I came.
Hearing the familiar line again, Hermione felt no fear this time—only heaviness and pain.
Drawing a deep breath, Hermione steadied her voice, pulled the invisibility cloak open and motioned Amanda inside. "Come on, I'll take you back to Ravenclaw."
Amanda nodded blankly and slipped under the cloak. "Thank you."
While Hermione escorted Amanda to Ravenclaw, Professor McGonagal—after handing Draco to Professor Snape—took Harry to her office.
Harry stood with head bowed, bracing for the scolding he expected.
But the expected reprimand never came; instead, Professor McGonagall comforted him.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Potter; since I caught you, I must deduct points—fifty from Gryffindor."
Harry stared, bewildered, wondering why she was apologizing.
"I understand why you and Miss Granger took Miss Lin out at night—you wanted to help her loosen up and relax."
"I'm proud to have students like you, unafraid of difficulty or consequences, bravely helping a friend. You've shown the true courage of a Gryffindor!"
Harry opened his mouth but found no words. Only then did he fully realize what remarkable Professors he had met at Hogwarts.
Students first wasn't a slogan; they lived by it.
"Still, perhaps you could be a bit more careful next time?" Professor McGonagall smiled with the same sly glint as the Gryffindor Little Lions.
Harry couldn't help grinning. "Of course, Professor McGonagall. We will."
She nodded approvingly. "Good. But remember not to doze off in class tomorrow, or I might change my mind."
"Understood." Harry nodded vigorously.
Professor McGonagall opened the office door. "Off you go, Mr. Potter. I'll escort you back; I'll inform you of your detention later."
"Yes, thank you, Professor McGonagall." Harry gave an obedient nod and stepped out.
Back in Ravenclaw, Amanda had barely entered the Dormitory when two older girls fixed her with pointed looks.
"Back already?"
"How was the fun?"
Cho Chang and Marietta leaned from their beds, curious.
Amanda paused, surprised they were still awake.
Then, mechanically, she said, "Professor McGonagall saw me, but she didn't catch me—she's waiting for me to confess."
"What?" Cho frowned; every word made sense alone, yet the sentence baffled her.
Marietta looked equally lost.
Under their insistence Amanda recounted, step by step, how her Disillusionment Charm had been seen through yet she hadn't been seized; her mind automatically edited out Hermione and Harry.
After hearing the tale, Cho and Marietta first exclaimed that she could already use a Disillusionment Charm, then guessed why McGonagall had let her go.
Cho pulled Amanda to sit on her own bed. "Don't over-think it, Amanda. Professor McGonagall didn't mean for you to turn yourself in."
"Not that meaning?" Amanda's tone stayed flat, yet it was clearly a question.
"Exactly." Cho nodded.
Marietta added, "She probably just wants you to be happy—more cheerful, less tense. Even if you sneak out at night, that's fine."
Amanda's mind raced, but lacking emotions she couldn't grasp their words; she only felt a burning behind her eyes and in her chest.
"Breaking rules deserves punishment; confessing might lessen it," she concluded, voicing her brain's analysis.
Cho pressed her lips, crouched and gripped Amanda's shoulders. "Stop thinking like that. You don't need to confess."
"Or… go if you want," Cho raised an eyebrow, "but I guarantee the result will be absolutely, completely different from what you expect."
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