I, Hogwarts Second Time Around.

Chapter 281 Witnessing a Miracle—The Boys Who Couldn't Sleep All Night

Faced with such a formidable opponent, if she were standing before a human wizard or other intelligent being, she would probably have turned tail and run long ago.

Unfortunately, Hermione's opponent was not a wizard, but a magical puppet.

Those with hearts of steel know nothing of fear.

The sole magical golem watched as Hermione slowly approached. It mechanically completed the action of switching to its longbow; the azure longbow magic dissipated automatically. Then, it picked up the greatsword beside it, unleashed its sword skills, and charged straight at her.

"Disarm you!"

The grapevine wand flashed red light, and the spell struck the puppet's wrist with force, disarming it of its greatsword.

Then, in the same manner, Miss Granger wielded her greatsword, swung it in a wide arc, and decapitated him with a single strike.

"boom!"

The fallen puppets stirred up plumes of smoke.

Simple—brutal—an aesthetic brimming with violence.

Dust scattered the stray hairs on her forehead, and her brown hair danced wildly in the wind.

His long robes were also blowing in the wind.

Everyone stared silently at the witch. Just as Professor Flitwick had insisted, spellcasting should be like a scalpel, precise and ruthless. Hermione perfectly embodied all the aesthetic qualities of a modern wizard.

In her, you can clearly see why ancient sorcerers declined into obscurity.

"Well done." Regardless of how the other wizards judged, Professor Fred would always give Hermione a high score for her performance. Although he wasn't the judge, he could still give Hermione extra points!

Besides Professor Flitwick, other notable figures on the field included Snape and Professor Moody.

As the newly appointed Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Moody's worldview has been completely collapsed and rebuilt countless times during this period, and this time it has undoubtedly collapsed again.

Whether it was Cedric or Koyatl of Iphamoni, the powerful magical abilities of these up-and-coming talents made him genuinely feel absurd, and the surreal feeling made him sincerely think that this might be a dream.

This is actually quite understandable. The young wizards' behavior clashed greatly with his original worldview, triggering a protective mechanism in his brain that left him somewhat confused.

As for Snape—the better Miss Granger performed, the darker his face became.

Because of the four houses of the school, Slytherin seems to be falling to the bottom without anyone realizing it.

This is something he cannot tolerate.

Of course, he wouldn't show his dissatisfaction, especially at a time like this, with wizards from other schools present; however, things might change later.

Finally, it's our Professor McGonagall!

She giggled on the platform, excitedly whispering among herself as she discussed her academy's rising stars with the renowned wizards around her.

Especially Ms. Olem Maxim, the headmistress of Beauxbatons School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

She had heard Hermione Granger's name seven times from Professor McGonagall in two minutes.

Every time she said it, Ms. Maxim's face would darken a little more.

She had foreseen this outcome.

Two years ago, when that little witch, who had just graduated from second grade, could rudimentarily use wandless spells, she knew that Hogwarts was about to produce another great wizard.

It's obvious that Furong is excellent. In fact, the stimulus from two years ago has made her study magic even more diligently, and her progress is visible to the naked eye.

However, the gap between her and that Hogwarts witch was widening rapidly.

It's not that she wasn't good enough; it's just that some wizards are simply not comparable to ordinary wizards.

On the other side, Hermione walked up the slope of the inner city wall step by step.

Her battles, though thrilling, were full of rhythm, and everything was under her control.

It's time to deal with the fire dragon Bakal.

Hermione looked up.

She looked at the giant dragon that was both familiar and unfamiliar to her.

"I thought you'd never grow up!" She gripped her wand tightly, ready for anything.

Then, a sudden whooshing sound made her instinctively turn her head and raise her wand.

"Clang!"

"call out!"

"boom!"

A greatsword grazed past Miss Granger's side.

The longsword was embedded in the rock wall of the pyramid.

The stones shattered and scattered.

The young wizards in the stands turned to look at Hermione almost simultaneously.

In the arena, there were puppets that had been beheaded, those that had been impaled in the ground, and those that had been restrained.

They were all emitting a faint blue fluorescent light.

Then, the metal pieces on the puppet's body seemed to come alive, wriggling with vitality. Then, the puppet, which was kneeling on the ground, slowly got up, and its metal body seemed to spew out the greatsword stuck in it.

As for the decapitated creature, its head turned into countless shattered metal fragments, which then reassembled on its neck, perfectly intact.

Those that were controlled burst forth with dazzling light, followed by a repulsive force that dispelled all the spells on their bodies.

"Don't rush, Miss Granger."

Irving's mocking voice drifted on the wind.

He was sitting cross-legged on a protruding rock, holding a wand that shimmered with silver light—an ancient magic invisible to ordinary wizards. He was like a skilled puppeteer, controlling everything with the slightest movement of his wand.

"These puppets are unkillable!" His voice was light and airy, but it easily reached her ears.

Upon hearing the sound, Miss Granger frowned slightly; instinctively, she sensed a danger approaching.

What is that Kyrie Irving guy trying to do!

She didn't know, but that didn't stop her from making preparations immediately!

"A treasure chest is flying in!"

Hermione on the city wall did not hesitate for a moment.

She raised her wand high and shouted.

Suddenly, a box flew abruptly into the arena from the Gryffindor crowd in the stands.

In mid-air, Miss Granger flicked her wand slightly, and the treasure chest opened instantly.

Then a dirty hat, which looked like it hadn't been washed for hundreds of years, fell down.

But that's not what she wanted.

Miss Granger raised her left hand, and suddenly a few points of light flashed from inside her hat. Then, with a "whoosh" and a clear sword whistle, the Gryffindor sword appeared and landed right in her left hand.

Then, with a gentle tap of her wand, the chest began to rapidly transform, turning into an eagle that snatched the Sorting Hat from mid-air.

They returned to the stands.

This was something Professor McGonagall fought for for her.

It is a symbol of her being the heir to Gryffindor.

"What is that?"

On the city wall, Miss Granger stood in the wind, the chilling wind blowing over her body. She held a wand in one hand and the Gryffindor sword in the other, like a Valkyrie from Celtic mythology, the queen of the Shadow Kingdom.

Not all the young wizards recognized the Gryffindor sword.

To be honest, very few people recognize this sword.

Apart from a few mischievous kids who had entered the headmaster's office, such as George and Fred, who else, including Harry and Ron, had seen that longsword?

"It's the Gryffindor sword!" George exclaimed excitedly, his eyes fixed on the sword in Hermione's hand, momentarily mesmerized.

That's the highest honor in Gryffindor; legend has it that only those recognized by the sword are true Gryffindors.

"That's right, we've met in the principal's office."

"I've seen it too, on the shelf on the wall, next to the Sorting Hat." Harry recognized the sword as well.

"Hermione, she—"

Everyone was speechless at that moment.

Despite various rumors that she was the heir to Gryffindor, none of the people who spent every day with her truly believed it.

After all, Hermione—before her third year, she was practically a Ravenclaw.

Wasn't it rumored in second grade that she had gained Rowena Ravenclaw's approval?

But now—with the sword in her hand—all the rumors have become reality, and no one objects anymore.

From this moment on, she is the true heir to Gryffindor.

"jump!"

That was the sound of the earth cracking.

The next second, amidst gasps of surprise, five magical puppets, each wielding a sword, charged straight at the earth from five directions—above, below, left, and right—amidst the earth's wailing cries.

The oppressive atmosphere was so thick it was suffocating.

But not everyone panicked and lost their way.

Courage is a very precious thing, and coincidentally, the girl holding that sword possessed this rarest quality.

"soul--"

Miss Granger, wand in hand, the next second, a dazzling blue light, like falling stars, appeared.

Within that vast, cosmic light, the entire Milky Way shimmered.

Azure danced on the tip of her cane.

It was the Milky Way that extended its inviting hand, gently caressing Hermione's hand, which held the wand.

Then the starlight shone even brighter!

Bright as the sun, a restless magic emanated from her. Her entire body was enveloped in a vast, azure ocean of magic.

"Rapid currents!"

It's just a flat push.

It's like simply pushing open a door.

The next second, the meteor that destroyed the dinosaurs streaked through the air.

As thick as a giant tree in the Forbidden Forest, requiring three people to encircle it, it roared as if it could tear apart all the illusions of the world, and in an instant it devoured the five puppets.

"Buzz~~~~"

The torrent of magic continued to ravage the metal golem, emitting a long, bell-like sound.

Amidst the stunned and numb gazes of countless wizards who were speechless, the reality of the puppet being vaporized and dissipating like smoke was reflected.

quiet--

There were no cheers, no applause, no gasps of amazement.

The only sound around us was the wind.

"Experienced timing."

Looking at the massive chasm, several feet wide and countless feet long, that had been blasted open in the arena, Owen rested one hand on his leg as he sat cross-legged, propping his chin up with a smile as he looked at Hermione.

When Owen taught her Source Magic, he didn't want Hermione to use it as some kind of trump card.

You must always remember that anything eliminated by the times must have its flaws.

The biggest drawback of source magic is that its casting time is too long.

Don't be fooled by Owen's seemingly effortless ability to cast spells—that's just him. With the enhancement of ancient magic, Owen's abilities as a reference are not universal.

In reality, it takes an ordinary wizard at least five seconds to cast this spell.

Five seconds—Harry can cast four and a half Disarming Charms, leaving half as buffer time for any mishaps.

When you painstakingly learn this spell, you'll find that those five seconds are enough for someone to bite you five times with Avada Kedavra! Five times!!!

That's why these spells eventually disappear.

Owen was worried that if Hermione used these spells as if she were casting a normal spell, she might be interrupted.

But judging from what we just saw, her combat talent is also quite high, and she grasped the timing of her spellcasting very well.

It was precisely the interval between the puppet's resurrection and its charge.

"However!"

Irving raised his hand slightly.

Then came a metallic hurricane that swept up from all around the arena.

They overlap and collide with each other, creating an unnamed symphony.

The next second, the puppet was resurrected, just like before.

"This—" Miss Granger stared blankly at the chasm around the field, where the mountain-like giant had revived once again.

"Oh! My dear Miss Granger, I never lie, they really can regenerate indefinitely."

A boy's light, airy voice reached Hermione's ears at just the right moment, when she was tense and alert.

Will it be resurrected?

Hermione was slightly taken aback.

Then she looked at the puppets that had pounced on her again.

A glint of cold light appeared as the sword sliced ​​through the void.

At this moment, it finally revealed the power of a legendary magical item.

Suddenly, blazing flames erupted, surging towards the puppet like a scorching fiery tornado.

This was the reward she received after passing Gryffindor's first trial, the first reward that guy Lagodrick gave her—a complete set of 'sword skills'.

All I can say is that this is very Gryffindor.

In addition, Hermione also learned some 'truths' about the sword, which finally made her reward somewhat useful.

The Gryffindor Sword, forged by fairies, is a purely magical weapon.

It is based on the legendary sword of King Arthur, the Sword of the Elector, the Sword in the Stone.

The sword and the sword in the stone share certain characteristics, such as the fact that only a true Gryffindor can pull out the sword.

In addition—the legendary sword of the lake, the second sword given to Arthur by the fairy of the lake, is also among the fairies' references.

Legend has it that when Arthur was young, he pulled the sword from the stone to choose a king, but it broke during a duel because he violated the code of chivalry. King Arthur was filled with remorse for losing the holy sword.

Merlin then led him to the sacred lake, where a fairy held a sword and lifted it out of the water.

He received the holy sword Excalibur, known as the "King's Sword," from the Lady of the Lake.

This sword was forged by the elves in Avalon. Its hilt is made of gold and inlaid with gems. Because its blade can cut through iron like mud, the Lady of the Lake named it "Excalibur" (meaning "splitter of steel" in Old Celtic).

King Arthur, who wielded this sword, won twelve important battles over ten years.

Gryffindor himself was also a lover of legends.

The Gryffindor sword also has the effect of enhancing certain special magic.

This is somewhat similar to the Elder Wand. In any case, Godric Gryffindor probably also hoped that his sword would be passed down as a legend, like King Arthur's sword.

And today, he is almost successful.

Flames burned, forming a huge tornado that danced on the blade.

Just like the legendary sword of kings—its Wind King Barrier.

As Miss Granger swung her hand, the tornado cascaded down, annihilating all the enemies in front of her with overwhelming force.

But that was not Miss Granger's goal.

Once she learned that these puppets could be resurrected without warning, she stopped obsessing over killing them completely.

The Gryffindor magic just now was merely used to slow down the puppets.

The real spell she was about to cast was yet to come.

"My God!"

"My mom asked me why I was kneeling to watch the game!"

"Harry, come and see God."

In the stands, the clamor finally drowned out the silence.

Justin is known for his witty remarks, likely a product of Irving's influence.

"What kind of magic is that!" the young wizards stared blankly.

The figure, glowing red in the light of the flames, was held in the hand.

For a moment, they were speechless with amazement.

On the podium, the university presidents and professors fell silent one after another.

That child—where did she learn so many powerful spells?

Especially the Ministry of Magic officials and members of the Federation who were unaware of the truth, their eyes as they looked at Miss Granger had changed from expectation to horror.

Who was the last Hogwarts wizard to be this outstanding?

It seems to be the one without a nose!

But now—they don't think those spells are all white magic.

This black wand is so powerful that it surpasses the number of wizards that Destram possesses.

Their gazes were inevitably drawn to the man named Grindelwald, who was sitting next to Dumbledore.

"Is this the legendary Source Magic?" The old headmaster was quite excited. He had seen Owen cast this magic before, but as mentioned above, Owen's spellcasting was not of any reference value.

When spellcasters other than Owen appeared, this piqued Dumbledore's interest.

Research interest.

This is the oldest curse in legend, a magic with a long history, a destructive curse created by human wizards observing shooting stars.

This spell deserves to be studied, both from a historical and magical perspective.

"Aren't you curious how that kid knows so many spells?" Grindelwald's voice reached Dumbledore's ears from the side.

"I'm not curious," he replied with a smile.

"Everyone has their own secrets. What matters is not the magic, but the direction the wand is pointed," Dumbledore continued. "Choosing to be a good person is more valuable than any spell."

"I'm afraid that others aren't as great as you." His grandfather's voice was very calm, but there was a certain suppressive force in his calmness. He looked around.

Finally, their gaze settled on two short men draped in black robes in a corner of the stands.

"Yes!" the old principal sighed. "People always choose between what's right and what's easy."

the other side.

In a corner of the arena, Owen gazed intently at the sword in Hermione's hand.

It's another powerful magical item.

Moreover—"To inscribe ancient spells on a sword, thus canceling out the wizard's spellcasting animation, is truly a brilliant idea."

He praised it.

He can't borrow Hibiscus's Infinity Gauntlet, but he can certainly play with Granger's sword!

Owen then continued to use his ancient magic to control his five knights against the great evil lord Hermione Granger.

"Damn—this Soulslike game is really hard to play, and the bosses are really tough! I've died so many times already."

Irving wore a mocking expression.

Just as he was preparing to press on and take down some Granger bosses in one go.

An anomaly occurred.

It was mist—Miss Granger's grapevine wand spewed out jet-black smoke that shimmered with countless stars.

Azure, darkness, pale.

Soon, the smoke formed a dense cloud, covering the sky above the playing field. It blotted out the sun, blocking out most of the sunlight.

Only a silvery glow, like the moon shining brightly in the sky, remained amidst the smoke and dust.

"What is this now?"

The little wizard in the stands was completely numb!

In a competition, the three questions they asked most often were: What is this?

What is that?

What is this?

We're all just novice wizards, so why are you all so outstanding? Are we just too stupid?

The world is so diverse!

Waaaaaah ┭┮﹏┭┮

Such thoughts are not only deeply rooted in the hearts of ordinary young wizards, but also sprout in the hearts of those wizards who are also warriors representing their school.

At this point, the other warriors, who had finished their respective matches, returned to the stands.

They all had some regrets about their respective battles.

But after watching Hermione's match, their disappointment vanished instantly.

On the city wall stood Hermione Granger, her figure appearing exceptionally tall in the silvery light. Her right hand held aloft her wand, the starlight emanating from its tip like torches illuminating the night sky, casting a shimmering glow on her hair.

The threads binding her hair had broken, and her long brown hair was disheveled by the wind, but this did not diminish her charm much. On the contrary, it added a dazzling, wild charm to her, as brilliant as fireworks.

Her gaze remained resolute, and her very being exuded seriousness.

Her brown eyes sparkled like stars, her nose was straight, her lips were bright red from the rush of blood to her face, and a fine bead of sweat brushed against her temples. She was like a budding flower, exuding an indescribable allure.

The clamor of the wind outlined her graceful figure, her long boots treading on the stone bricks, exuding an invincible aura that made it impossible to look away.

For a moment, the boys in the stands were mesmerized.

To be fair, after Owen opened the door to a new world for Miss Granger several times, she has become much gentler.

After shedding the arrogance and haughtiness of their first and second year years, as well as the seriousness that resembled Professor McGonagall, most of the boys harbored vague feelings for her.

However, due to the presence of a certain person, and because she herself was too dazzling, no one in the castle dared to express that kind of emotion.

But now—

The stars shone brightly above her head.

Gradually, starlight fell from the mist, and meteors crashed down upon the gradually recovering magical puppets.

"Bang!"

"Snap!"

The metal that had just healed suddenly shattered into countless pieces again.

And when they try to reunite, another meteor streaks across the sky, shattering them, even thousands upon thousands of times.

"The Primordial Starfall!"

Her cool, clear voice sounded like she was singing.

The boys' hearts fluttered.

From this day forward, countless boys will toss and turn in the lonely nights, unable to sleep.

(End of this chapter)