'In fact, Slytherin's punishment was harsher than Gryffindor's.'
Maranhao's eyes widened; to her—to everyone—that seemed unbelievable.
A Gryffindor-Slytherin clash, and Slytherin came off worse?
'Poor Hermione cried when Malfoy called her that. Hagrid comforted her and she calmed down.'
Marietta sighed; every Ravenclaw Eagle who heard had vowed to step up their private campaigns against Malfoy.
If the past had been petty skirmishes, the swots were now deadly serious.
He'd used the slur once, then again—once is chance, twice is pattern; would a third follow?
Even if not for Hermione, for Lynn's sake the Ravenclaw Eagles were ready to explode.
Hermione was crying; the realization struck Lynn's mind like a thunderclap.
It left her brain throbbing with dull pain, her vision blurring for an instant.
Hermione had been hurt again—because she hadn't eliminated the threat completely.
Her heart clenching, Lynn rose unsteadily, staggered two steps while gripping a chair, then hurried toward the Gryffindor Table.
'Lynn, watch out!' Maranhao stood up in alarm as Lynn stumbled, steadying the chair Lynn nearly knocked over and saving her from another fall.
But by the time Maranhao reached out again, Lynn was already far ahead.
Marietta Edgecombe, seated on Lynn's other side, also missed her chance to help.
'Lynn must be going to find Hermione,' Marietta guessed, watching her head straight for the Gryffindor Table.
'Most likely,' Maranhao agreed with a nod.
Under their gaze, Lynn walked up behind Hermione and gently tapped her shoulder.
'Hermione…' Lynn's voice was hoarse, so low it was almost unrecognizable.
Hermione, who had been eating, spun around at once; the moment she recognized Lynn, worried words spilled out.
'Lynn, what happened to your voice? Are you sick? Have you been to the Hospital Wing? Here, drink some water.'
She pushed her own cup across the table, too frantic to remember she'd already used it.
Lynn, equally oblivious, took the cup mechanically and gulped.
'Feeling better?' Hermione stood, rubbing Lynn's back.
'Mm.' Lynn nodded, face blank.
'You came because… you heard about this morning?'
Hermione pulled her down onto the Gryffindor bench; the nearby Little Lions showed no annoyance at a Little Eagle joining them.
They even shifted aside to give her more room.
'Yes.' Lynn nodded again.
'I'm fine,' Hermione said, smoothing Lynn's hair. 'Their insults don't touch me; my worth isn't tarnished by their words.'
'It just… hurts a bit—hurt by people's prejudice and discrimination.'
She shook her head and sipped her pumpkin juice. 'We're all human; why treat one another like this? Equality and coexistence should be the norm.'
'Humans are the most complicated creatures,' Lynn replied flatly, quoting a book she'd once read.
'True, the most complicated,' Hermione echoed—so complex that sometimes even one's own self is a mystery.
Catching Draco Malfoy heading for the Great Hall doors, Lynn jumped up, mind racing, and told Hermione,
'I'll head back.'
'Hm? All right.' Hermione nodded, watching her hurry out.
Head lowered again, Hermione smiled at the thought of Lynn coming to check on her.
She followed Draco outside, eyes flicking between him and his two shadows, Crabbe and Goyle.
Threat's followers equal smaller threats; the equation formed automatically in her mind.
For Hermione's safety, threats had to be removed—minor ones included.
Lynn made no effort to hide, trailing the trio openly.
Her steps were light, and the three second-years had no notion of counter-surveillance, especially in safe, familiar Hogwarts.
They never noticed the girl behind them or her emotionless stare.
When they entered an empty corridor, Lynn stopped; time to eliminate the threat.
Failing to remove it earlier had let Hermione be hurt; a little unauthorized magic and injury to classmates—she'd punish herself with a few Crucios afterward.
If that wasn't enough, she could confess to a Professor, but the threat had to go.
She glanced at the wall torches, then wordlessly and wandlessly cast the Levitation Charm.
Just as she had against Quirrell and Lord Voldemort last year, the flames were yanked into two blazing walls that penned Draco's group front and back.
'What the—?!'
'What's happening? Is this some school event?'
'Damn it, Goyle! Are you stupid? Someone's trapped us!'
Draco felt ready to throttle Goyle for suggesting it might be a school activity.
The firewalls rose in an instant; none of the three saw Lynn, so they had no idea who was responsible.
BOOM!
A fiery explosion followed as a Fire-Making spell intensified the heat, forcing Draco back.
They shielded their faces, struggling against the scorching air.
Soaked in sweat, they knew they'd be roasted alive if this continued.
'Aguamenti!' Draco yelled, whipping out his wand. 'Crabbe, Goyle, quick—Aguamenti!'
'Aguamenti!' ×2
Three jets of water shot toward the flames and vanished in steam on contact.
Lynn's eyes narrowed; the two walls of fire began sliding inward.
'Hell! Whoever you are, I'm of the House of Malfoy! Release me if you don't want the family's wrath!'
The threat named Malfoy triggered a cold realization: Lucius Malfoy, Draco's father, was also a danger to Hermione—she should erase every threat before punishing herself.
Pressed toward the floor by the heat, the three boys were nearing shock from dehydration.
The fire was about to close; once it sealed, they would burn until only ash remained.
Just before the flames met, a soft, warm hand covered her eyes.
A gentle voice whispered, 'Relax, Lynn. Stop.'
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