Seeing Amanda put down the photo album, Cho Chang and Marietta Eckmore looked at each other and walked forward cautiously.
"Good morning, Amanda."
Cho Chang spoke with a slight sense of apprehension. She was looking forward to it, hoping that when Amanda turned back, her tone and expression would be a bit different from usual.
Unfortunately, she was destined to be disappointed. When Amanda turned around, her face still held the same indifference as always.
When she spoke, it was with the familiar lack of emotion, "Senior Cho Chang, Senior Marietta, good morning."
"Good morning."
Marietta Eckmore reached out and rubbed Amanda's head, sighing.
"You look so good when you smile. It would be great if you could smile more."
"Yeah," Cho Chang nodded in agreement, unable to help sighing in her heart as well.
"Smile... I don't know how... Did I just smile?"
Amanda looked at Cho Chang and Marietta Eckmore blankly. She clearly remembered looking at the photo album for a full two hours.
She had memorized every recorded moment of Hermione's life from childhood to now.
But... she had no memory of her own reaction while looking at it.
Smiling... that was the expression Hermione showed in the album, the kind of expression everyone at Hogwarts often showed.
Could she have that kind of expression? Amanda's brain worked rapidly, trying to move that expression onto her own face.
Halfway through the attempt, the stinging pain in her mind returned, and waves of dizziness and chaos filled her head.
She couldn't imagine—or rather, couldn't visualize—what such an expression would look like on her face.
If she couldn't even imagine it, how could she possibly make that expression?
Amanda shook her head at the two seniors. "I'm sorry, Senior Cho Chang, Senior Marietta. I've let you down. I can't make that expression."
Taking a deep breath and smiling with pursed lips, Cho Chang and Marietta Eckmore reached out together to hug her.
"It's okay. One day, you'll be able to smile freely."
"That day will come very soon."
The two seniors hugged Amanda tightly, gently stroking her back.
Amanda's constantly racing brain finally began to slow down.
After a while, Cho Chang and Marietta Eckmore let go of her and stood up.
Cho Chang smiled and took Amanda's arm to pull her up. "Let's go. Time for breakfast."
"Okay," Amanda nodded mechanically, following Cho Chang's lead to get up from the bed.
Marietta Eckmore immediately stepped forward and took Amanda's other arm. The three of them walked out of Ravenclaw Tower and headed straight for the Great Hall.
Upon entering the Great Hall, Amanda immediately spotted Mr. and Mrs. Granger sitting at the Gryffindor Table.
She turned to look at the two seniors. Cho Chang and Marietta Eckmore both let go of her and nodded.
"Go ahead. We'll wait for you at the table."
"Mhm," Amanda nodded and turned to walk toward the Gryffindor Table.
Marietta Eckmore watched Amanda's back as she walked toward the Gryffindor Table. Her eyes darted around, and she suddenly grabbed Cho Chang's arm.
The sudden contact with the soft body made Cho Chang stiffen, forcing down the heat that was about to spread to her face.
Cho Chang turned her head to look at Marietta Eckmore, trying to keep her voice steady.
"What... what are you doing?"
Marietta Eckmore raised an eyebrow. "What? Can't I give my best friend a hug?"
Cho Chang gave a gentle smile, her right hand, which wasn't being held by Marietta Eckmore, twitching slightly.
"Sure, you can hold on."
"Hmph, that's more like it."
Marietta Eckmore nodded with satisfaction and, holding Cho Chang's arm, walked toward the Ravenclaw Table.
Cho Chang smiled warmly and let her hold on. Fine, you're holding on so firmly and happily now.
I hope in the future... you can still hold onto me just as firmly.
Walking up to Mr. and Mrs. Granger, Amanda lowered her head and spoke politely.
"Good morning, Mrs. Granger, Mr. Granger. Thank you for the gift. I like it very much."
The Grangers turned around. Mrs. Granger smiled and took her hand, letting her sit beside her.
Amanda glanced at the students nearby. After all, this was the Gryffindor Table. If she sat down without permission... would it be impolite?
How could the Little Lions nearby not know this "celebrity" of the school? Not to mention, she was clearly someone Granger cherished.
For these two reasons alone, no one would stop her from sitting down.
Not only did they not stop her, but a string of Little Lions squeezed together, managing to clear a fairly large space for Amanda.
"Thank you, everyone."
After thanking them formally, Amanda sat down next to the Grangers.
"Good morning, Amanda," Mrs. Granger said, holding Amanda's hand affectionately. "The gift you sent us is also very exquisite. Thank you."
"You're welcome."
Amanda shook her head with an indifferent tone. The gifts she had prepared for the Grangers were also different from the others.
Because she clearly remembered that the Grangers were dentists, so obviously, sending them Honeydukes candies wasn't appropriate.
And another very important point... they were Hermione's parents. A voice deep in her mind told her she should send something different.
So she gave Mrs. Granger a silk scarf and Mr. Granger a suit.
They weren't very expensive, but they were elegant and practical.
Mr. Granger reached across his wife and handed a small box to Amanda.
"The gift we sent this morning was on Hermione's behalf. This is a gift from us. Open it and see."
Amanda blinked and took the gift box. "Thank you, Mrs. Granger, Mr. Granger."
As she spoke, she opened the gift box, and inside was another photo album.
Taking out the album, Amanda opened it. The first page was actually a photo taken during her first dinner at the Granger Residence.
In the picture, she and Hermione were both looking down at their dinner. Hermione was leaning her head over from the side, looking as if she were telling her to eat slower.
But... when was this taken? Amanda had no memory of this moment.
She was usually quite focused when eating, so it was normal that she hadn't noticed.
Flipping through page by page, the photos all recorded the moments she spent with Hermione at the Granger Residence.
As she looked through the album, Amanda's originally expressionless face softened, and she actually smiled again.
This time, it wasn't just Cho Chang and Marietta Eckmore who saw it.
The Ravenclaw Little Eagles, who had been watching her since she entered the Great Hall, all saw it.
Screech... Clatter... A sound of chairs moving rang out. The Little Eagles at the Ravenclaw Table all stood up excitedly, their eyes fixed on Amanda, who was smiling at the album in her hands.
Not going home for Christmas, and yet they got to see such a wonderful thing!
The Little Eagles clenched their fists excitedly, cheering silently where they stood. This was the first time, the very first time, Amanda had shown an expression other than indifference in front of them.
And it was a smile! They were going to write to others later; they would surely be envious that they got to see this smile.
The Professors at the Staff Table were also startled by the sight of the entire Ravenclaw house standing up.
Following their gaze to the Gryffindor Table, they saw Amanda smiling at the photo album. Professor Flitwick's knife and fork slipped from his hands, and Professor McGonagall clutched her collar, unable to contain her excitement.
"Merlin bless us, finally... Oh Merlin, the child's smile is so beautiful."
"Undoubtedly, a smile full of youth. How wonderful."
Headmaster Dumbledore chuckled and stroked his beard. He guessed that the photo album must contain pictures of Miss Granger.
What a wonderful pair of girls. They would make excellent partners, good enough to face the obstacles and temptations of life's path together.
Professor Snape gave a cold snort, but he quickly interrupted when Lockhart tried to say something.
"Professor Lockhart, you'd better hurry up and eat your breakfast. I believe you still want to take advantage of the Christmas holidays to finish your lesson plans for next term."
The expression on Lockhart's face stiffened, and he nodded awkwardly. "Yes, yes, I'd better be quick. After all, time waits for no man."
"Teaching the children more knowledge sooner is for the best." After saying that, he lowered his head to continue eating, while secretly resenting some unknown Young Wizard in his heart.
If it hadn't been for that student reporting to Headmaster Dumbledore that he was having them perform "stage plays" in class, why would he be forced to make lesson plans under supervision?
No one would have cared what he taught, but now he had to make lesson plans.
He didn't even know those spells himself, so how was he supposed to make a lesson plan... he didn't know how much longer he could keep this up.
Damn it, he came to Hogwarts for greater and better fame, not to be exposed.
On the other side, Amanda was still immersed in the photo album, her brain rapidly memorizing every detail within.
At this very moment, as she was memorizing the album, a sentence suddenly popped into her head that she could never have thought of on her own.
I watched and participated in your past through photos, I stepped into photos and participated in your present, and in your future, I will participate in even more ways.
Her mind suddenly dazed for a moment. Amanda didn't understand why she had suddenly thought of such a sentence.
However, she fortunately remembered that it was breakfast time. She couldn't delay for too long and affect the Grangers' breakfast.
Closing the album, Amanda stood up and nodded to the Grangers. "Thank you, Mrs. Granger. Thank you, Mr. Granger. I like the gift very much."
Seeing Amanda's face return to its expressionless state, Mrs. Granger patted the back of her hand affectionately.
"You're welcome. Go and have your breakfast."
"Mhm."
Amanda nodded, walked quickly back to the Ravenclaw Table, and began eating her breakfast at a steady pace.
The Little Eagles at the Ravenclaw Table looked at each other, but in the end, they didn't disturb Amanda while she was eating.
They cautiously suppressed their excitement about Amanda's smile.
After breakfast, Amanda parted ways with Cho Chang and Marietta Eckmore and went alone to the Hospital Wing.
The Grangers were still eating breakfast in the Great Hall, so at this moment, there were only her and Hermione in the Hospital Wing.
Even Madam Pomfrey had found a random excuse to leave after seeing Amanda come in.
Anyway, there were no other students in the Hospital Wing right now, only a petrified Hermione. She wasn't really needed here.
Sitting by Hermione's bed, Amanda took out the Christmas gift she had prepared for Hermione from the inside of her robes and placed it next to Hermione's pillow.
"Christmas gift, for Hermione," Amanda said in a mechanical voice. She wasn't sure if the petrified Hermione could hear her.
As for whether a person petrified by a Basilisk remains conscious, the books she had read didn't mention it in detail.
But even if Hermione couldn't hear... a voice deep in her mind was still urging her to speak.
"A quill made from the feathers of my Animagus form. I've tried it; it works very well."
Amanda fell silent for a moment, then reached out tentatively to hold Hermione's cold, petrified hand.
She didn't know why she was doing it, but she did it anyway, just as she couldn't stop the words that followed.
"Mrs. Granger and Mr. Granger gave me a photo album of your childhood on your behalf. It's very beautiful."
"They also gave me a new album taken last summer on their own behalf. It's very... you are very beautiful."
Amanda changed her words halfway through, excluding herself from the category of "very beautiful."
"I... I watched and participated in your past through photos, I stepped into photos and participated in your present, I... I..."
That sentence in her mind was on the tip of her tongue, but she could only say half of it. The last half was stuck firmly in her throat, and she couldn't say it no matter what.
Withdrawing her hand, Amanda sat on the chair with her head lowered. Her face was still expressionless, but her slightly trembling hands revealed her abnormal emotional state.
"I... I'm waiting for you to wake up."
As if forcing the words out, Amanda only realized after saying this that sweat had already soaked her clothes.
She stood up, her legs feeling as heavy as lead. After looking at Hermione twice more, Amanda turned and walked toward the door of the Hospital Wing.
With every step she took, the sweat on her body gradually faded, and her leaden legs slowly became lighter.
Her mind felt as relieved as if a giant boulder had been removed. Leaving the Hospital Wing, Amanda walked quickly out of Hogwarts Castle.
Today was Christmas. She had promised Senior Cho Chang and Senior Marietta that she wouldn't read books or study—she wouldn't even think about it.
So she decided to leave the Castle and sit outside for a while.
Waving her wand to clear the snow from the ground, Amanda sat down and looked at the frozen Black Lake nearby.
Before long, a figure with long blonde hair sat down gracefully beside Amanda.
Amanda looked sideways and greeted politely, "Luna, good morning."
"Good morning, Senior Lin Yue. It's a very beautiful black gem, isn't it?"
Luna spoke in her characteristically ethereal voice, pointing toward the Black Lake.
"Yes, very beautiful." Amanda turned back to look at the Black Lake nearby and nodded with a calm expression.
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