"...Correct."
Snape reluctantly admitted, glancing at Hermione with a fleeting moment of satisfaction before he appeared lost in thought.
He snapped back to attention, turned away, and let out a disdainful snort.
"Gryffindor, for disrespecting the teacher, five points will be deducted."
However, he didn't mention her reading extracurricular books again, tacitly acknowledging it.
Although Gryffindor lost points, the young wizards could see that it was Snape who was truly frustrated.
This incident also ensured that Hermione Granger's name was etched in the minds of the freshmen, especially the Slytherin students, who felt the sting of their head of house losing face.
Throughout the rest of the class, Snape kept sneaking glances at Hermione, as if unwilling to give up, trying to find some way to catch her out.
Everyone seemed to think so.
But only Hermione knew that Snape wasn't really looking at her.
What captivating eyes, aren't they?
...
In the days that followed, Hermione maintained her usual routine, attending classes on time each day and spending nearly all her free time in the library.
She had already learned all the spells in the first-year textbooks, and as for Defense Against the Dark Arts... Although Quirrell seemed timid and weak, he was skilled and taught sincerely.
Hermione learned many spells from him.
Perhaps because Harry was so famous and linked to the renowned "Boy Who Lived," most freshmen were simply curious about him. In fact, except for Ron, no one made an effort to approach him.
However, neither Harry nor Ron seemed interested in expanding their social circle. As for Hermione, although she was somewhat aloof, she would patiently answer questions if asked for advice.
They were half-friends, with others remaining familiar classmates.
Notably, after Hermione discovered the Potions classroom schedule, she seized an opportunity when no one was around. On a dark and windy night, she quietly opened the classroom door with "Alohomora" and found an old potions textbook in a corner cabinet.
Upon opening the first page, she saw elegant handwriting.
[This book belongs to the Half-Blood Prince]
Seeing this, Hermione smiled genuinely.
The magic book responded once more.
[Dark Magic]
[Felix Felicis lv1 (1/1000)]
[Reparo lv1 (1/1000)]
Half an hour later, after fully absorbing someone's advanced potion recipes and spells, she returned the textbook and left the classroom.
A month passed swiftly, and the first-year students gradually adapted to life at Hogwarts.
Initially, Hermione attended various classes punctually, but when she realized she wasn't learning much by following the routine, she began skipping classes more frequently.
Apart from showing great interest in History of Magic and often engaging in private discussions with the ghostly Professor Binns, she attended the minimum number of other classes.
This left other professors feeling helpless, but they couldn't dislike her.
Because no matter what was taught, Hermione grasped it instantly and never needed a second demonstration. She was a magical prodigy.
Once you get used to it, you forget it.
There's no denying that teachers always prefer and are more tolerant of students who excel academically. This is an unchanging truth in any world.
Because Hermione kept to herself, was mysterious and hard to approach, and especially liked hanging out in the library to read various school histories, two nicknames gradually spread among students.
Library Witch.
School History Enthusiast.
As for the trio in the original book, it transformed from a group led by Harry Potter, the "Boy Who Lived," to "the Library Witch and her two followers."
...
Marvel, New York.
In a dark alley, a petite figure materialized out of thin air.
"Finally back."
Hermione took a deep breath.
She had spent nearly a month collecting all the spells and potions available in the library, maximizing most practical magic proficiency.
Unless she ventured into the restricted section now, her room for rapid growth was limited.
However, these spells didn't progress from level 1 to level 2. She surmised it was because her magic level was still at level 1, capping her current spells' potential.
Regarding traces of ancient magic, there were few clues at present.
After a month of learning and accumulation, she was no longer a novice, with a deeper understanding of wizards.
Take herself as an example. With her qualifications, even if she did nothing, her magic would naturally grow with age, slowing only upon adulthood when it stabilized.
Every time she practiced spells and learned complex magic, she made better progress.
This growth was reflected in the numbers: her magic level and experience in the magic book, with slower growth as experience neared its peak.
If practicing 10 spells previously increased magic experience by 5 points, now it only increased by one.
Wizards don't have a clear mana bar like in games, but overcasting spells will leave them feeling drained, especially mentally, necessitating rest, further limiting Hermione's leveling.
Though she could level up smoothly with persistence, she still found the pace too slow.
Whether in Harry Potter or Marvel, both worlds left her feeling insecure, prompting a need to quickly enhance her strength.
At least she agreed with one thing Voldemort said.
Magic is power.
Fortunately, the magic book in her mind offered another path to rapid advancement.
Unable to experiment at Hogwarts, she returned to the Marvel world after a month of preparation.
"I'm back, but where should I go..." Hermione mused, leaving the dark alley and heading in a specific direction.
It was also night in the Marvel world, the same time as Harry Potter's, differing only in date.
Despite staying here for a few days, she wasn't familiar with New York and hadn't settled on a destination yet.
Just as she passed by a building, she heard a roar from inside.
"Huh?"
Hermione looked up. Wasn't this the place where she worked as a child laborer in the shawarma shop?
On the surface, laws barely prohibited child labor. While there was room for maneuver, it wasn't enough to start working publicly. However, due to the Confundus Charm, Hermione made those around her overlook this fact.
After all, the Marvel year was 2008, and she couldn't use 1991 currency, not to mention she only had pounds. She still needed to earn usable local money.
Uncle Edwin, the barbecue shop owner, was kind to her. He offered a high temporary wage and was friendly, helping her adjust to her new life.
He was a good person she met upon arrival.
But... what's causing the commotion inside?
Tomatoes in the shawarma?
Hermione frowned, sensing something amiss, and quickly entered the shop.