Sirius Black was proven innocent, Peter Pettigrew was sent to Azkaban, and the Dementors stationed around Hogwarts naturally became unnecessary.
Almost overnight, the Ministry of Magic recalled them all.
"As I thought, a sunny sky is much more refreshing."
Hermione looked at the clear, cloudless sky, a sincere smile spreading across her face.
Amanda stood beside her and nodded mechanically. "Mm, I think so too."
Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, her third year as a student at Hogwarts was drawing to a close.
A few days ago, the Hogwarts Quidditch final had also taken place.
Without the interference of Dementors or bad weather, Harry led the Gryffindor Quidditch team to an unquestionable victory.
That day, even Hermione went back to join a celebration that lasted until dawn.
Even Professor McGonagall selectively chose to ignore the Little Lions, letting them vent their emotions and energy.
However, as the final exams approached, whether they were Little Lions, Little Eagles, Little Snakes, or Little Badgers, they all quickly focused their minds and threw themselves into intense revision.
Amidst this, Harry's spirits were exceptionally high.
"Amanda! Thank you so much!"
Amanda, who was seriously revising Transfiguration, looked up and gazed at him blankly.
"Why are you suddenly thanking me?"
She didn't quite understand. Had she done anything recently that required Harry's gratitude?
Probably not. Since Sirius's name was cleared, she hadn't done anything except revision.
Hermione also glanced at her best friend, then pursed her lips and gestured toward Madam Pince, who was already looking their way.
"Harry, this is the Library. Don't be so loud."
If Amanda hadn't been sitting here, and if Madam Pince didn't dote on her so much...
Madam Pince likely would have spoken up to warn them long ago, and any further noise would have seen them kicked out of the Library.
"Sorry." Harry realized and quickly covered his mouth, his over-excited mood calming down slightly.
"Alright, tell us. What exactly happened to make you so happy that you need to thank Amanda?"
Hermione sighed, looked down at the book in front of her, then looked back up at Harry.
"Sirius wrote to me yesterday," Harry said, an uncontrollable smile spreading across his face again. "He's been discharged from St Mungos Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries."
"Congratulations." ×2
Amanda and Hermione nodded simultaneously in sincere congratulations, then Amanda tilted her head honestly.
"Then why thank me? I didn't participate in his treatment process."
"Because he also mentioned in the letter that he's my godfather—my godfather!"
Harry whispered twice with excitement. "It was you, Amanda, who noticed something fishy about Sirius's case and helped everyone uncover the truth. So, you helped me find my godfather."
"You found my only family member. Of course I have to thank you!"
If there was one thing Harry cared about most, it was naturally family.
Not family like the Dursley family, but family who truly cared about and looked after him. Clearly, Sirius was that kind of family.
"So that's it," Amanda nodded understandingly, her voice carrying a very subtle hint of joy for her friend. "Congratulations, Harry. You have a real family now."
"That's wonderful, Harry!"
Hermione reacted quickly too, lightly tapping the table. "Does this mean you don't have to go back to the Dursley family for the holidays anymore?"
The way that family treated Harry had long made Hermione feel displeased. If it weren't for the fact that Harry had no other relatives and rashly suing them might lead to him being sent to an orphanage...
Hermione would have contacted a lawyer to take that family to court long ago.
She was more than willing to spend the money she had saved over the years on her friend.
"Sirius asked Headmaster Dumbledore about this," Harry pursed his lips, his expression turning slightly disappointed. "I have to stay with the Dursley family for at least a few days every year."
"Only then can my mother's protection over me continue. Given what we found in our first year—that Voldemort is still alive—this is the most effective means of protecting my safety."
"I see..." Hermione frowned, then quickly thought of a countermeasure. "Then you could totally have Sirius go with you to the Dursley family. With him there, they wouldn't dare treat you badly."
"Exactly," Amanda nodded in agreement, her mind quickly analyzing the possibilities. "To avoid them calling the police, you could also have Sirius turn into his Animagus form and pretend to be a pet you're keeping."
"He only needs to reveal his identity in front of the Dursley family. That way, even if they wanted to sue Sirius for trespassing, they couldn't. I can help you handle the paperwork related to pets."
"Is that... really okay?"
Harry spoke with some hesitation. Mainly, he felt that pretending to be his pet was a bit too demeaning for Sirius; he might not be willing.
"Just ask him," Hermione shrugged. "Since Headmaster Dumbledore said so, we'll assume for now that you have to wait until Voldemort is completely destroyed before you can truly leave the Dursley family."
"Who knows how long that will take? If you can have Sirius by your side, won't you get better treatment?"
"I think Sirius would be willing to do it for you."
"Alright, I'll write a letter to ask him tonight."
"By the way, where's Ron? I'm surprised he's not with you."
Hermione looked around, surprised that Harry and Ron were ever apart.
"Uh," Harry looked slightly embarrassed, "he was dragged away by Fred and George. I don't know what they went to do."
"Oh, poor Ron."
Hermione clicked her tongue. Being dragged away by Fred and George, Ron likely wasn't in for anything good.
"There is a ninety percent probability that they are using him to test new pranks."
Amanda added faintly from the side.
"Well, I won't disturb your revision then. I'm going back to the common room."
Harry couldn't help but chuckle twice, speaking as he prepared to get up and leave.
However, Hermione held his arm down. "Don't be in such a hurry, Harry. Tell me, who ended the Goblin Rebellion?"
"What? Oh... oh, I think it was..."
Harry stammered to stall for time while frantically signaling Amanda for help.
Amanda accurately received Harry's plea for help and analyzed his intent based on his micro-expressions and the current situation.
But, "Harry, I'm sorry, Hermione is the one asking you a question right now. I cannot provide assistance."
Amanda apologized with a sincere attitude for her inability to help him. Harry's face fell into a look of total despair.
Meanwhile, Hermione had already raised her hand high and gave Harry a sharp rap on the head.
"I knew it! I knew you and Ron wouldn't revise on your own while I was gone. You even dared to ask Amanda for help?"
"Hermione, Hermione, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Harry quickly put his hands together in apology. "Can I start revising tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow?" Hermione narrowed her eyes at Harry and pointed quite imperiously at the chair opposite her.
"Sit down. Sit properly. Start revising from today. I'll watch you revise, and tomorrow I'll go catch Ron to keep you company."
"You two really won't learn unless I'm staring at you!"
Harry wanted to cry but had no tears. Ultimately, knowing Hermione was doing it for his own good, he sat down obediently and began to revise.
The next day, as soon as Ron opened his eyes, he saw Amanda and Hermione sitting by his bed, each holding a book.
"Merlin's floral curtains!"
He pulled the duvet up to his neck with force. "Hermione, Amanda, what are you doing here?"
Shouldn't they be sleeping in Ravenclaw Tower? Why were they in Gryffindor Tower, and in the boys' Dormitory no less?
Nothing was even happening in the boys' Dormitory right now.
"To find you, of course, Ron." Hermione put down her book and gave a "gentle" smile.
Amanda nodded in agreement from the side and pointed to Harry, who was also holding a book and reading on the other side. "We're here to help you and Harry revise."
"Oh, oh... thank you."
Ron's expression stiffened for a moment before he obediently thanked them.
Final exams eventually passed in a tense atmosphere. Unsurprisingly, the top spot for the third year at Hogwarts was taken by Amanda.
As for second place, that was undoubtedly Hermione's.
Harry and Ron also achieved decent grades. They might seem lazy, but when they had Amanda and Hermione supervising them...
They could actually study quite well.
As for the other years, it was also no surprise that basically all the first places went to Ravenclaw.
Cho Chang and Marietta Eckmore became the first and second in the fourth year at Hogwarts by a very narrow margin.
Penelope achieved exceptionally excellent results in her O.W.L.s. According to her, this year's exam questions were exactly the same as the ones Amanda had predicted for her.
And so, amidst the laughter and joy of the Young Wizards, this academic year at Hogwarts drew to a complete close.
Stepping onto the hogwarts express, Amanda had just put away her suitcase when she was pulled into a hug by Hermione.
She was now used to Hermione's occasional "intimate" gestures. This is how friends are, Amanda's brain told her.
And Hermione was a very special friend to her.
Gently rubbing her chin against the top of Amanda's fluffy head, Hermione said in a small voice.
"Every time an academic year ends and we leave Hogwarts, I feel like a fantasy dream has reached its conclusion."
"This isn't a dream; it's real."
Amanda's voice calmly refuted Hermione's statement. She looked at her sideways, not quite understanding. Since all of this was real, why did Hermione think it was a dream?
Scanning Hermione up and down, she didn't seem to be under a Confundo or any similar spell.
"Pfft," Hermione chuckled, looking down to affectionately nuzzle Amanda's cheek. "I didn't mean I actually thought everything around me was a dream. It's just... everything is so wonderful, a perfection without a single flaw."
"So wonderful that I can't believe it's real."
"Like what happened this year: Sirius's name being cleared, Peter Pettigrew being thrown into prison... everything was so smooth and so wonderful that I feel like I can't believe it's real."
"It's as if... everything wasn't supposed to be this wonderful originally."
"Everything is just this wonderful," a smile slowly appeared at the corners of Amanda's mouth, her tone absolute and decisive. "Hermione, don't doubt it, don't be in disbelief. This is the truth."
"Yes," Hermione smiled, patting Amanda's back. "In life, things can be this perfect."
"Mm."
After staying in the compartment for a short while, Harry, Ron, Cho Chang, Marietta Eckmore, and Penelope all came in together.
The seven of them split into two groups and sat on the seats on either side. Harry spoke first.
"Amanda, Hermione, do you have any plans for this summer holiday?"
Hermione paused for a moment, then shook her head. "Not yet."
Amanda also shook her head. She was going back to the Granger Residence with Hermione. If Hermione had no holiday plans, it meant she didn't either.
"Then let's go see the Quidditch World Cup Final together. Sirius said he wants to invite you as a thank you for helping clear his name and for helping us sort out the paperwork in the Muggle world."
"It was nothing," Amanda said in a flat voice. "Sirius doesn't need to go to any expense for this."
"No, no, it's only right. Don't refuse, you two."
Harry looked at the two girls expectantly; he really wanted to thank them too.
Amanda opened her mouth, then closed it again.
Actually, she wanted to say... none of them needed to buy tickets if they wanted to see the Quidditch World Cup Final.
The Quidditch World Cup Final was being held in Britain. The construction of the stadium, the procurement of flying broomsticks, and a whole series of other matters couldn't escape her hands.
So at least ninety-five percent of the revenue from the Quidditch World Cup Final ended up in her hands.
Therefore, if her friend bought a ticket to invite her to the Quidditch World Cup Final, for her, wasn't that just the ticket money moving from her left hand to her right?
But since Harry had put it that way, it would be impolite for her and Hermione to refuse again.
So both girls smiled, sincerely thanked Harry, and accepted Sirius's kindness.
"Great! Then we can all go see the Quidditch World Cup Final together! Dad said he can get tickets too," Ron added excitedly.
Beside him, Cho Chang and Marietta Eckmore also nodded, indicating they would be going.
Since her friends were going and Amanda was going, Penelope didn't need to hesitate at all and immediately stated she would go too.
Anyway, for some reason, the ticket prices for this year's Quidditch World Cup Final had plummeted; she could afford it.
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