"What's going on?!" Filch said in an agitated voice. "Professor McGonagall, these lying, dishonest Young Wizards... they wanted to go to Hogsmeade even though their permission slips aren't signed."
"That's enough, Filch. They are certainly not that kind of student."
Professor McGonagall countered decisively, while simultaneously giving up on questioning Filch and looking directly down at Hermione.
"Miss Granger, tell me exactly what happened."
"Yes, Professor McGonagall." Looking at Professor McGonagall's gentle yet firm face, Hermione's heart slowly calmed and relaxed. She glanced at Amanda before beginning her explanation.
"You know about Amanda's special circumstances, Professor, so she doesn't have a guardian."
Professor McGonagall paused for a moment, then nodded. "Yes, I know."
"So we wanted to ask Mr. Filch if Amanda could still go to Hogsmeade, since she can't get a signature without a guardian."
"But," Hermione couldn't help but frown as she spoke, "we were just asking, and Mr. Filch immediately started accusing Amanda. I think those accusations were baseless."
"They certainly weren't! You little—"
"Be quiet, Filch." Professor Flitwick glared at him, and Filch immediately shut his mouth.
"After that..." Hermione paused, seemingly unsure of how to put it. After all, the sudden appearance of Rowena Ravenclaw and Helga Hufflepuff's names on the permission slip was indeed too incredible.
It wasn't as if Amanda could be the daughter of the two Lady Founders, right?
Seeing Hermione's difficulty in finding the words, Amanda took over in a flat tone, stating the facts expressionlessly.
"After that, two names automatically appeared on my permission slip: Rowena Ravenclaw and Helga Hufflepuff."
"Two names automatically appeared on the permission slip?" Professor McGonagall asked, astonished.
"Lady Ravenclaw and Lady Hufflepuff?!" This was Professor Flitwick, who was even more surprised and had already snatched the permission slip from Filch's hand to look at it.
As the Dean of Ravenclaw House, no one could be more excited than him upon hearing Lady Ravenclaw's name.
"Yes. I'm not sure why these two names appeared, but Hogwarts should have protective magic on the permission slips to prevent anyone other than a Young Wizard's guardian from signing."
"Correct." Professor McGonagall suppressed the shock in her heart and nodded to Amanda.
"Then I believe that without my knowledge, my guardians must have become Lady Ravenclaw and Lady Hufflepuff, which is why their names appeared on the permission slip."
Amanda narrated logically, her eyes full of dead silence and calm, without a hint of excitement or agitation.
"And with their signatures, according to Hogwarts regulations, I should be allowed to go to Hogsmeade."
"You—you certainly cannot! How could the two Founders... how could they sign for you? They've been dead for who knows how many years!"
"Filch, watch your language," Professor Flitwick warned sharply, and Filch reluctantly closed his mouth.
In his view, these annoying, cunning Young Wizards were very likely pulling a scam like this just to get a chance to go to Hogsmeade.
Who understood the tricks of these Young Wizards better than him, old Filch?
The Young Wizards gradually gathering around also looked at him with disapproving eyes, especially those from Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw, whose eyes were practically spitting fire.
"I don't think anyone could break the protective spells on the permission slip in such a short time. After all, those are generated by Hogwarts Castle itself; they're very complex protective charms."
A seventh-year Ravenclaw boy stepped out and stood directly in front of Filch, looking down at him.
Only after seeing Filch visibly flinch did he turn back to Professor Flitwick with satisfaction and ask politely.
"Professor, I'm right, aren't I?"
"That's right, Mr. Beddic. No Young Wizard could break the protective charms of Hogwarts Castle in such a short time, not even Amanda."
Amanda nodded beside him, her expression remaining indifferent. "Without considering brute-force methods, I would need a week to break the protective charms on the permission slip."
"Then I don't think this was Miss Amanda's doing. The signatures on the permission slip should be valid and in compliance with regulations."
Professor McGonagall spoke before Filch could say anything, cutting him off directly.
"It's just that we have no way of knowing how these two names were signed."
Amanda stood quietly beside Hermione and nodded noncommittally.
Hermione reached out and gently pinched her earlobe, whispering, "Don't listen to Filch. Everything he says is wrong. He hates every Young Wizard equally."
Glancing at Filch with an expressionless face, Amanda nodded with a gaze as still as the Dead Sea and responded just as quietly.
"I understand. And based on his attitude of hating every Young Wizard equally, as well as an analysis of his usual micro-expressions..."
"His hatred also contains jealousy, envy, and resentment. Combined with the fact that he doesn't use magic to clean the Castle, there is an eighty percent chance that he is a Squib, which explains his attitude toward all Young Wizards."
"That's no excuse," Hermione said, looking at Filch with dissatisfaction. If he had spoken like that and made Amanda think she had actually done something wrong, could Filch take responsibility for that?
"You have no obligation to bear his negative emotions. You didn't provoke him or bully him."
"I understand. Thank you, Hermione."
Amanda answered softly, a trace of a smile appearing on her face, which was usually as deep as well water.
"Professor McGonagall, I think you should still investigate more carefully. Maybe take a day, or even a week?"
Seeing that his "accusation" wasn't holding up, Filch immediately changed tactics.
Even if he could stop this Young Wizard just once... he really disliked seeing those Young Wizards laughing aimlessly.
And the joke products they brought back every time they went to Hogsmeade, especially those two twin boys from the Weasley family.
Just thinking about them made Filch's teeth ache with anger.
Professor McGonagall frowned irritably at Filch's words. Filch's targeting of the Young Wizards was becoming more and more severe.
Did he not understand that Hogwarts existed for the Young Wizards?
Never mind that Amanda's permission slip now had signatures; even if it didn't... she could have let Granger take Amanda to Hogsmeade secretly.
This child needed to relax, and she certainly had enough ability to protect herself, didn't she?
Before she could speak, a sudden gust of wind blew at the entrance of Hogwarts Castle.
The strong wind, carrying a chill, rushed through the Hogwarts gates. Except for Amanda, Professor McGonagall, and Professor Flitwick, everyone else was blinded by the gust.
Meanwhile, under the watch of Amanda, Professor McGonagall, and Professor Flitwick, Filch's body twisted, and in the next instant, he vanished from the spot.
The flames of the torches on the walls flared up, twisting to form a sentence.
"He has returned to his office. Let their daughter go to Hogsmeade, immediately."
The wind stopped in an instant, but the words formed by the flames on the wall did not dissipate.
The surrounding Young Wizards watched this scene in stunned silence. Professor McGonagall laughed lightly. "This is Hogwarts."
"Miss Granger, take Miss Amanda to Hogsmeade. I hope you have a wonderful time."
"Okay! Thank you, Professor McGonagall, Professor Flitwick."
Hermione immediately responded and pulled Amanda toward the gates. Cho Chang, Marietta Eckmore, and Penelope also nodded to Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick before quickly following.
Watching the backs of the five girls, both Professors wore kind and satisfied smiles. Seeing their students healthy and happy was the most joyful thing for them as Professors.
As for grades and academics, the talents of Young Wizards were varied, and everyone had different strengths; how could they be forced?
"Mr. Potter, you don't need to worry either. Once you have sufficient self-protection abilities or the situation is no longer as dire as it is now, I will let you go out."
With Black lurking outside, it was safer for Harry to stay inside Hogwarts.
"Er, okay. Thank you, Professor McGonagall."
Harry nodded with a polite smile, while silently thinking to himself.
Having sufficient self-protection... surely that didn't mean reaching Amanda's level? If so, he probably wouldn't be able to visit Hogsmeade even once before graduation.
That possibility was too slim. He'd better pray that Sirius Black was caught soon so he could be let out.
After finishing his conversation with Professor McGonagall, Harry turned toward the Library. He had originally intended to go preview Potion Class to prevent himself from losing points in class again.
However, he was called away halfway by Professor Lupin to go to his office and see the "teaching aid" for the next lesson—a water demon called a Grindylow.
Entering Hogsmeade, Amanda's eyes began to rapidly scan the surroundings, her brain quickly working to construct a blueprint of everything within her sight.
Every building and every space appeared in her mind, perfectly accurate.
"It's really lively here."
Caught up in the surrounding atmosphere, Hermione couldn't help but giggle.
"Yes, after all, it's the only village in all of Britain that is entirely free of Muggles. So it's not just Young Wizards from Hogwarts who come here; many people from the British Wizarding World treat this place like a Diagon Alley to relax."
Penelope introduced the area to her two juniors with a smile.
Amanda nodded as she watched the adult Wizards and Young Wizards coming and going; it was indeed very lively.
All the Young Wizards could laugh loudly here, playing and frolicking to their heart's content, leaving things like studying and homework behind.
To the original Amanda, this would have been completely incomprehensible, as studying should be a student's primary duty.
But looking at it now, Amanda seemed to fully understand what Hermione and Professor McGonagall meant by health and happiness being the most important.
Because they were people first, and students second.
"Whew... it's only the end of October, why is it already so cold?"
Marietta Eckmore rubbed her arms vigorously and looked at the other four girls.
"I want to go to the Three Broomsticks for a butterbeer to warm up first. How about you?"
"Agreed." The four girls nodded in unison, including Amanda, who had no objection.
With Hermione holding her arm, Amanda followed the three seniors toward The Three Broomsticks pub.
As they walked, Cho Chang looked back at Amanda and Hermione walking arm-in-arm, turned back, pursed her lips, and also reached out to take Marietta Eckmore's arm.
Her arm suddenly being held, Marietta Eckmore looked down. Seeing Cho Chang's slightly red fingertips, her heart tightened for no reason.
Yet she spoke unhurriedly, "You're cold too, aren't you, Cho? Your hands are frozen red."
As she spoke, she took Cho Chang's hand and tucked both of their hands into her pocket.
To the side, Penelope glanced at her four juniors walking in pairs. Silently looking away, she tucked her own hands into her pockets.
"The atmosphere here really makes one feel happy."
Hermione kept looking around, the smile in her voice never fading.
"What do you think, Amanda?" She looked at Amanda beside her with great interest.
The girl's exquisite face remained calm, seemingly carrying a coldness that set her apart from the crowd, but upon closer inspection, a hint of a smile could still be seen.
Turning to look at Hermione, Amanda's calm expression slowly softened, and the smile at the corners of her mouth grew a bit wider.
"The atmosphere here is indeed happy."
Hermione smiled brightly and nodded vigorously, happy that Amanda finally felt the joy in the surrounding environment.
"But Hermione makes me even happier."
Amanda said this with a faint smile on her face, and Hermione was suddenly stunned.
It took a full two seconds for her to react, cheering as she hugged Amanda and rubbed her cheek vigorously against hers.
Amanda lowered her eyes and hugged Hermione back with a smile, a series of cheerful ripples faint in her usually calm heart.
The three seniors walking ahead stopped at the same time and turned back in unison to see Hermione tightly hugging Amanda and rubbing her cheek.
Exchanging glances, the three of them simultaneously showed a relieved smile, like parents seeing their daughter grow up.
With their junior reacting like this... it seemed she wasn't far from a complete recovery and an emotional awakening.
Though they didn't know how much longer Hermione would have to work for it, it certainly wouldn't be much longer.
After being excited and hugging Amanda for a full minute, Hermione finally calmed down. Amanda reached out and stroked Hermione's slightly reddened cheek.
"Hermione's face is red."
"Pfft, yours too. Your face is red from me rubbing against it."
Hermione giggled and tapped Amanda's slightly red right cheek. She really had rubbed a bit too hard just now, but... leaving a mark on Amanda's face like this was truly a happy thought.
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