Amanda stayed in St Mungos Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries for a full week.
Although she stated on the third morning that she had mostly recovered and could return to Hogwarts for classes immediately,
this proposal was unanimously rejected by the doctors and nurses at St Mungos.
"You were hit by Crucio; at the very least, you need to rest for a week. Don't worry about your studies this week; Hogwarts coursework isn't too heavy, so just stay here with peace of mind."
The nurse said this while pushing Amanda back onto the hospital bed without room for argument, and "tattled" to Professor McGonagall, who came that evening to explain the Animagus to Amanda.
"This child is too studious; she wanted to be discharged and return to Hogwarts for classes during the day. I had to force her back onto the bed. Professor McGonagall, you must persuade her. That was Crucio; she really needs rest."
"Alright, thank you. I will talk to her. You may go about your work."
Professor McGonagall thanked her with a smile, then opened the door and entered the ward.
Entering the ward, Professor McGonagall took off her Wizard hat. "Good evening, Miss Amanda."
"Good evening, Professor McGonagall." Amanda looked directly at Professor McGonagall and nodded politely in greeting.
"I heard from the nurse that you wanted to be discharged today?" Professor McGonagall sat in the chair next to the bed, looking at her gently.
"Yes, my body has recovered. I am the first priority, and studying is the second; I should return to school to continue my studies now." Amanda spoke in a dull, mechanical voice.
Professor McGonagall reached out and stroked Amanda's hair affectionately. "You still don't care enough about yourself. The consequences of Crucio don't simply vanish once the pain stops."
"You need rest to eliminate the negative damage Crucio caused you. It's not just physical, but mental as well."
Amanda blinked, her voice devoid of emotion. "I haven't suffered any mental damage; I don't feel anything in that regard."
"That doesn't mean it isn't there, dear child. It's just that you don't know it yet."
Professor McGonagall shook her head. "Stay for a while. I don't want you to recover your emotions only to be haunted by the negative effects of Crucio."
"As for the Hogwarts coursework," Professor McGonagall raised an eyebrow at Amanda, "I think you'd be fine even if you didn't attend classes."
"Of course, I won't say that at school, lest some students use it as an excuse to skip class."
A thought instinctively flashed through Amanda's mind: Skip class? How is that possible?
Studying and attending classes is a student's duty; the idea of not wanting to attend class couldn't possibly exist among students, no matter the situation.
However, she should still follow the Professor's words, so she nodded without hesitation.
"Alright, Professor McGonagall. I will cooperate with the rest and stay at St Mungos until you and the doctors believe I can be discharged."
"Sigh..." Professor McGonagall rubbed Amanda's head. This child's rigid state was truly uncomfortable to witness.
She hoped Granger would recover soon; only she, along with everyone at Hogwarts, could truly and completely change this child.
"Very well, Miss Amanda. Do you have any questions regarding my Animagus notes?"
After listening to Professor McGonagall's "instructions," Amanda obediently stayed at St Mungos to recover.
It wasn't until a week later that the doctors at St Mungos and the Professors at Hogwarts allowed her to be discharged and return to Hogwarts to study.
A week was enough time for many things to happen, including Harry's arm turning into "rubber" and then recovering.
Amanda patiently finished explaining problems to Harry and Ron, who had come to ask her about their homework.
Perhaps because they felt they shouldn't waste Amanda's hard work, or perhaps because three Ravenclaw seniors were sitting nearby.
This time, the two boys didn't resort to their old tricks, ignoring everything and just waiting for Amanda to give them the final answers.
Instead, they seriously learned the relevant knowledge bit by bit and then wrote it on parchment to complete their homework.
Seeing them finish their homework and confirming there were no issues, Amanda lowered her head to continue reading Professor McGonagall's Animagus notes.
However, her friends, whom she hadn't seen for a week, clearly had many topics they wanted to discuss with her.
"Amanda..." Harry looked at her somewhat hesitantly. "Do you think it's possible for someone to accidentally use a bone-mending spell and have it turn into a bone-removing spell?"
Actually, he had wanted to ask this for a long time. He knew Lockhart was a complete fraud.
So when Lockhart wanted to mend his bone, he firmly refused, but unfortunately... Lockhart still "got his way."
With one spell, all the bones in his arm were gone.
To painlessly extract all the bones from his arm—to be honest, Harry felt that should be harder than mending them.
So he suspected that Lockhart intended to harm him rather than it being a simple mistake.
A bone-mending spell accidentally used as a bone-removing spell?
Amanda quickly recalled the bone-mending spell in her mind; there was indeed such a healing spell.
But a bone-removing spell... Amanda reviewed all the books she had read again and found no trace of such a spell.
Her gaze swept over Harry's body. "There doesn't seem to be anything wrong with your bones?"
Amanda's tone was not questioning; she was absolutely certain that all the bones in Harry's body were now normal.
"Now... that's true." Harry nodded with a complicated expression.
He and Ron then proceeded to tell Amanda about his bones being removed by Lockhart.
Amanda listened while thinking and analyzing in her head. After Harry finished his story, she looked up at him.
"What incantation did Professor Lockhart use?"
"Uh..." Harry scratched his cheek, feeling a headache coming on. He had been so focused on the pain at the time that he hadn't noticed what incantation Lockhart recited.
"I remember... it seemed to be 'Arm Repair'?"
Cho Chang frowned beside Amanda, trying hard to recall that non-incantation incantation Lockhart had uttered.
Amanda nodded, her mind beginning to simulate the application of this spell and the scenario of the resulting outcome.
She quickly reached a conclusion. "A Wizard's magic is quite intent-based. So 'Arm Repair', although not an accurate or standard spell, could indeed mend Harry's arm if there was sufficient magic power and professional knowledge."
"Great," Marietta Eckmore whispered. "Lockhart happens to have neither."
"But without sufficient magic power or matching professional knowledge, the 'Arm Repair' spell can easily cause the opposite result."
Amanda quickly spoke the conclusion she had reached in her mind. "Since the problem was with the bones in Harry's arm, without professional knowledge, a non-standard incantation like 'Arm Repair' could very likely result in the problematic bones disappearing in an attempt to 'fix' the arm."
"After all, if the problematic bones are gone, there's nothing wrong with the arm anymore, which counts as 'mending the arm'."
"Merlin..." Ron sighed and turned to Harry. "It's a good thing you didn't break a rib."
The corner of Harry's mouth twitched violently, and he suppressed the urge to slap Ron.
Taking a deep breath, Harry waved his hand. "A stroke of bad luck; at least Lockhart didn't mean to harm me..."
It wasn't that he was being too sensitive; it was just that too many things had happened in the past two years. Just like his arm breaking this time, it was caused by that House-Elf he had seen before, Dobby.
Yes, this time Harry heard its name; it was called Dobby.
Thinking of this, Harry simply told his five friends about this matter as well.
After listening to Harry, Penelope narrowed her eyes. "No wonder. House-elves can Apparate within Hogwarts and can remain undetected by Wizards. If it was a House-Elf, it could indeed tamper with a Bludger without being discovered."
"But why would it do all this just to make Harry leave Hogwarts to protect him? Why?"
Marietta Eckmore spread her hands, expressing her lack of understanding of Dobby's behavior. This was Hogwarts, with Headmaster Dumbledore here; under normal circumstances, it's quite... safe, right?
Amanda's thoughts raced: the warning in advance during the summer break, the identity of the House-Elf, the diary that mysteriously appeared in Ginny's hands, the relationship between Voldemort and the House of Malfoy... Looking up, Amanda blurted out all her deduced conclusions.
"It is known that the one who warned Harry was a House-Elf named Dobby. Except for Pure-blood families in the Wizarding World, ordinary families do not possess House-elves, so the target is narrowed down to Pure-blood families."
"At the same time, Dobby's purpose was to warn Harry that Hogwarts was dangerous. It can be inferred that he knew in advance that danger would occur at Hogwarts, combined with the fact that House-elves can access their masters' secrets."
"It is reasonable to conclude that this danger was brought to Hogwarts by the House-Elf's master's family."
"The danger that has already appeared at Hogwarts this year is the Basilisk, which was released this year by Ginny Weasley after she was possessed by Voldemort's diary."
"A diary capable of possession is highly likely to be a rare item even among Dark Arts objects; Voldemort would only have given it to a trusted inner-circle family."
"The scope of Pure-blood families narrows further. Considering the victim was Ginny Weasley, and narrowing down the Pure-blood families that are also Voldemort's inner circle, there is a ninety percent probability it is the House of Malfoy. That is, the House-Elf's master should be the House of Malfoy."
"From a comprehensive analysis, the conclusion is drawn," Amanda looked at Harry with dead eyes, "Lucius Malfoy plotted to secretly give Voldemort's diary to Ginny, intending to use it to strike at the Weasley family and Hogwarts. His plan was discovered by the House-Elf Dobby."
"Given Harry's antagonistic relationship with Voldemort, Dobby believed Harry would be in danger because of this, so he tried everything possible to prevent Harry from coming to Hogwarts or staying there, in order to protect Harry's safety."
With the analysis of the entire matter complete, Amanda closed her mouth again. The other five people present looked at each other in dismay. Was... was it really this easy to find the mastermind?
These deductions, these associations—how were they all made?
Shaking her head, Cho Chang was the first to snap back to her senses. "If that's the case, Dobby is in great danger now. Lucius Malfoy's plan failed, and once he finds out that Dobby betrayed him..."
Before she could finish, Harry stood up abruptly. "I'm going to find Headmaster Dumbledore for help."
With that, he rushed out of the Library. Regardless of everything, Dobby had wanted to save him, and he couldn't just watch Dobby be in danger.
Ron also quickly stood up and followed. Cho Chang and the other two looked at each other, thinking that since they were just going to inform Headmaster Dumbledore, it didn't require so many people, so they remained seated as calmly as Amanda.
Amanda lowered her head and earnestly read Professor McGonagall's Animagus notes, while on the other side, Cho Chang and Marietta Eckmore were chatting in low voices.
"Speaking of which, wasn't the Basilisk already dead during the last match? Why did Dobby still try to force Harry to leave Hogwarts?"
Cho Chang turned to her friend, who was momentarily dazed, and explained in a low voice, "Don't forget, the last match started on the day after the Basilisk died."
"Oh! Information lag!" Marietta Eckmore realized instantly.
Sitting on Amanda's other side, Penelope saw that the book she was reading seemed to be handwritten and couldn't help but lean over to take a look.
Then she saw the Animagus content throughout the pages. Thinking back to Amanda's pronunciation just now... her pronunciation used to be perfectly standard, but today it seemed a bit muffled. So, was she holding a Mandrake leaf in her mouth?
"Amanda, are you practicing to become an Animagus?"
As soon as Penelope asked, Cho Chang and Marietta Eckmore immediately shifted their gaze to Amanda in unison.
An Animagus?! Amanda was practicing such a difficult and dangerous Transfiguration?
"Yes," Amanda nodded honestly. "Professor McGonagall is teaching me."
"Oh." The three older students were relieved at the same time. Since Professor McGonagall was supervising, then it was fine.
Over the next month, Harry and Ron ran to the Headmaster's Office from time to time, hearing from Headmaster Dumbledore that he was prepared to rescue Dobby.
For such a kind and brave House-Elf, none of them wanted anything bad to happen to him.
During this month, Amanda completed the first step of becoming an Animagus. On the full moon after exactly one month, she spat the Mandrake leaf from her mouth, mixed with a mouthful of saliva, into a crystal vial.
After letting it fully receive the moonlight that night and adding a series of ingredients, she buried the crystal vial underground, ensuring it would not be touched by even a sliver of sunlight.
Following that, at every sunrise and sunset, she pointed her wand at her heart and recited the incantation.
As the days passed, gradually, she felt a second heartbeat.
This heartbeat was powerful and vigorous; Amanda could feel the strength contained within it, which made her mind feel uncontrollably relaxed.
Finally, two days before Christmas, Amanda encountered a thunderstorm.
Professor McGonagall stood in advance at the spot where Amanda had buried the crystal vial, feeling the surrounding storm and couldn't help but sigh with emotion in her heart.
In a short amount of time, Amanda had mastered the Animagus transformation almost thoroughly, and she had encountered a moonlit full moon the first time she completed the first step.
Just as she was almost ready and had fully grasped the Animagus transformation, the thunderstorm arrived immediately.
Such talent combined with such luck... even Professor McGonagall was a bit envious of her student.
Perhaps the suffering she had endured in the past had all turned into the sweetness of the present.
Accompanied by Cho Chang, Marietta Eckmore, and Penelope, Amanda walked out of the Castle. After politely greeting Professor McGonagall,
As the first bolt of lightning streaked across the sky, Amanda dug up the crystal vial, which contained exactly one mouthful of red potion.
Amanda drew her wand, pointed it at her chest, and recited the incantation.
"Amato Animo Animato Animagus."
After reciting the incantation, she opened the crystal vial's cap without hesitation and swallowed it in one gulp.
A intense sensation of pain and an extremely distinct second heartbeat rose within her body.
The pain did not affect her much; her expression did not change in the slightest.
"Don't resist it, accept it," Professor McGonagall instructed while leading Cho Chang and the other two back, "but at the same time, maintain your own consciousness. Don't let the animal instincts consume you."
Listening to Professor McGonagall's words, various instincts like tyranny and bloodlust constantly arose in Amanda's mind.
The image of the animal she was to become also grew clearer and clearer in her mind.
"What I need is an Animagus form that is dangerous enough, powerful enough, and capable enough of protecting Hermione and everyone, not to be consumed by animal instincts."
Amanda's consciousness was firm and clear, her eyes sparkling in the dark thunderstorm.
In the next moment, her vision suddenly shot upward. The four people watching from not far away gasped in unison; if she hadn't known it was Amanda, Professor McGonagall might have attacked on the spot.
Cho Chang and the others were about to turn and run immediately.
Huge claws stepped on the ground, the second toe claw held high, the thirteen-centimeter-long sharp talons glinting with a cold light.
It left no doubt that it could pierce straight through a person's chest and heart in a single blow.
The powerful tail lashed out fiercely, swatting away countless raindrops. The flexible front claws clenched and unclenched in front of its chest, the sharp appearance also striking fear into hearts.
Whoosh... two jets of hot air puffed from its nostrils, and within the gaping maw below were about sixty sharp teeth.
Amanda walked slowly toward Professor McGonagall and the three older students. Professor McGonagall raised her wand warily, looking at the prehistoric creature over two meters tall and three meters long in front of her.
"Miss Amanda... are you still conscious?"
Stopping in her tracks, Amanda slowly nodded her head, indicating that she was still herself.
Professor McGonagall breathed a sigh of relief and lowered her wand.
Amanda turned her head, following the thoughts in her mind, and let out a roar in the storm.
"Roar!"
Powerful enough, dangerous enough.
This was the best choice her subconscious, in coordination with her magic, could make for her.
Her own meticulous mind, combined with the Deinonychus's claws, speed, and strength, posed an extremely potent threat to any Wizard who might threaten Hermione and everyone at Hogwarts.
A Wizard would have a high probability of missing the Deinonychus that Amanda had become, but as long as Amanda was given one chance to attack,
even a single strike from a front claw would be enough to kill a Wizard.
After all, they weren't those prehistoric creatures; they didn't have skin thick enough to resist those claws.
Extreme speed, ultimate threat—this was the choice Amanda made for Hermione and for her friends.
---------------------------------
I hope you're enjoying the fanfiction so far! If the story has you hooked and you can't wait to see what happens next, you can unlock 30 chapters in advance over on my Patreon: patreon.com/TLHimejima1
Every bit of support means the world to me so if you're loving the ride, don't forget to drop a Power Stone and let me know.