Under an overwhelming sense of competition and an unrelenting drive to keep up, Hermione pushed herself beyond reason.
She studied harder, sacrificed sleep, and ignored her own well-being just to bridge the ever-widening gap between herself and Ted.
In barely over a week, the toll was evident—dark circles ringed her eyes, her once meticulously neat hair had become a tangled mess, and she moved through the castle in a daze.
She had hoped that the magical boost from "Arcane Wisdom" would give her an edge, but instead, it only made her realize just how far Ted had pulled ahead.
The most frustrating part? The things Ted was researching now weren't even in any of the school textbooks—not even in those for second or third years.
Some of it was so complex that even her sharp mind couldn't grasp it.
It was as if he had left the traditional path of learning entirely and forged ahead into uncharted territory.
And despite her maturity and relentless work ethic, Hermione was still just a twelve-year-old girl.
The stress she put on herself was far beyond what she could handle.
In less than two weeks, she cracked.
That evening, after staying in the library until the very last minute, she tried to make her way back to the dorm but felt dizzy.
The world spun, her books slipped from her hands, and she collapsed onto the cold stone floor.
Sitting there, drained and overwhelmed, she broke down, sobbing uncontrollably.
The stress, exhaustion, and frustration had finally caught up to her.
Clumsily gathering her books, she stumbled back to her dorm, crying the entire way.
Ted only learned about it later—when Professor McGonagall pulled him aside for a serious talk.
Hermione hadn't even washed up before collapsing onto her bed, lying there motionless, staring blankly at the ceiling.
Her roommates, frightened by her eerie silence, worried she had been cursed.
Then, a paper crane fluttered into the room and landed gently on Hermione's chest before unfolding into a note.
She sniffled, her red eyes scanning the words.
Slowly, she wiped her face, muttered something under her breath, and finally dragged herself out of bed to wash up.
Moments later, she found Ted waiting for her in the common room.
"Come on, I'm taking you somewhere special," Ted said with a grin. "No one else knows about it."
Despite her exhaustion, Hermione followed him.
Ted led her through the castle corridors with an exaggerated sense of mystery, pausing dramatically in front of a blank stretch of wall.
"Ta-da! The Room of Requirement! The most magical room in the castle!" He struck a pose, waving his hands theatrically.
"I need a place to relax~
I need a place to relax~
I need a place to relax~"
Right before Hermione's eyes, an ornate wooden door materialized.
Ted pulled it open with a flourish, revealing a cozy room filled with soft couches, warm lighting, and a small table already set with food.
"I asked the house-elves to send up some treats. First rule of feeling better: eat something delicious!" He guided her to a seat and passed her a plate.
Hermione hesitated at first but then took a bite.
The sweetness melted on her tongue, easing some of the tightness in her chest.
As they ate, Ted began recounting his Christmas adventure—the truth about Helena Ravenclaw, the hidden history of Hogwarts, and the Room of Requirement itself.
"So, the reason you're so good at studying now is because of Ravenclaw's legacy?" Hermione asked, her voice still hoarse from crying, but now tinged with curiosity.
Ted shook his head.
"Not exactly. Ravenclaw left behind research, sure, but most of it is way beyond us right now. The simplest part of her work involves ancient runes, and we don't even take that subject until third year. My learning speed? That's another matter."
He met her gaze seriously. "But Hermione, the real question is—why are you pushing yourself so hard? What's your goal?"
Hermione blinked, caught off guard.
"My goal?" she echoed.
No one had ever asked her that before.
"I've read something from a book once, it said: 'Life is finite, but knowledge is infinite. To pursue the infinite with the finite is foolish.'" Ted leaned forward.
"You're studying so much, but to what end? Is it for grades? Mastery of spells? Potions? Transfiguration? Or is it just for a sense of accomplishment?"
For the first time, Hermione hesitated.
She had always studied because it was what she did best—because it felt like the right thing to do.
But she had never stopped to question why.
Ted smiled. "Having a clear goal makes studying easier. It gives you direction. Instead of feeling like you're endlessly trying to keep up, you can focus on where you actually want to go."
Between his words and his psionic persuasion, Ted helped Hermione break free from the crushing weight of competition.
Instead of chasing after an ever-moving target, she began to look inward—to find her own path.
The next morning, Ted woke up early as usual, stretching before heading out for his daily run.
Down by the Black Lake, Neville was already warming up.
Ever since they started exercising properly and eating better, their physical development had skyrocketed.
Neville, once shy and awkward, was now one of the most physically imposing first-years.
Ted was just about to start when Hermione arrived, much to his surprise—and Neville's.
She had never shown much interest in physical activity before, preferring books over workouts.
But now, she stood beside them, ready to join in.
Ted grinned.
Seeing her up and moving again was a relief.
After their morning run, they entered the Great Hall for breakfast, only to find the entire student body buzzing with excitement.
Upper-year students were especially restless.
"What's going on?" Neville asked.
Ted listened in, then sighed. "Oh. It's Valentine's Day."
Neville shrugged. "Guess it doesn't really matter for us first-years."
"Yeah… except—" Ted suddenly stiffened as a familiar chime rang in his head.
________________
[Ding! Mission Triggered!]
[Break Up a Pair is a Pair (Green)]
Hogwarts is a school of magic! Students come here to study, not to waste time on silly romances! Give them a little cosmic reality check!
Objective: Try to dissuade students from falling into young love's distractions.
Reward: 250 XP and [Strong Love Repellent Doll (Green)].
________________
Ted knew exactly what he was doing.
Disrupting the romantic aspirations of his fellow students and calming their raging hormones?
Been there, done that.
In his past life, he had been through enough breakups and relationship drama to last several lifetimes.
So, during lunch, he began spreading cautionary tales of love gone wrong.
Betrayal, heartbreak, love triangles, catastrophic misunderstandings, tragic accidents, and dramatic ultimatums—
"Who would you save first, your mother or your girlfriend?"
"Do you think he would still love you if you were a worm?"
—he spun the kind of stories that made relationships sound like a one-way ticket to hell.
Rumor had it that someone even suggested to Professor McGonagall that the school should increase the amount of homework to keep students too busy for romance.
Whether that someone was Ted or not was up for debate.
The fourth, fifth, and sixth years were not happy.
Some were so buried under homework that they barely had time to eat.
Others got into arguments over absurd "relationship" issues.
Some couples mysteriously broke apart over the week, and certain students started avoiding each other like they were cursed.
By dinnertime, Ted's mission was complete.
Of course, this also meant he needed to keep a low profile.
If anyone found out he was behind it, he would probably wake up to several nasty hexes and find himself on the receiving end of a dozen Howlers.
He checked his reward, hoping it was worth the risk:
________________
[Strong Love Doll (Green)]
Item Type: Item Card
Effect: Summons an exceptionally durable magical training dummy that can be used for practicing various spells.
Duration: 60 minutes
Cooldown: 2 hours
Note: It will fight back!
________________
Curious, Ted tested it out. The doll was no joke—it could take a hit! He used it to practice his Disarming Charm and defensive spells.
The best part?
It had incredibly high magic resistance.
He hit it with five or six consecutive Fire Blasts, and it barely had a scratch.
Finding such a well-functioning training dummy was rare.
Most of the ones he scavenged from abandoned classrooms were old, fragile, or had only one function before breaking down.
Thanks to that, he had unintentionally mastered the Repair Charm just from constant use.
As February neared its end, Professor Quirrell started seeking Ted out more often.
At first, their discussions revolved around advanced magical theory, but soon, Quirrell began introducing more "esoteric" subjects, touching on taboos and experiments involving magical creatures' blood.
The shift was subtle, but Ted noticed the way Quirrell carried himself.
Gone was the timid, stuttering professor that most of Hogwarts knew.
In private, he was composed, confident—practically a different person.
By the end of the month, Quirrell even invited Ted to study the Greek three-headed dog.
"In essence, magical creatures' power lies in their blood," Quirrell explained, his voice steady and sure.
"Unlike wizards, their magic is innate, embedded within their very being. This is why so many wizards throughout history have attempted to create new species, whether through hybrid breeding or higher ritual magic."
His tone was filled with authority, his confidence in his research unshakable.
If it weren't for the purple turban wrapped around his head, Ted might have struggled to associate this version of Quirrell with the meek professor seen in class.
He had stopped pretending.
"Now then," Quirrell continued, "I have an assignment for you—just between us, of course. Write a paper on the potential hybrid evolution of canine magical creatures."
He listed several possible subjects: the spectral Barghest, the flickering Blink Dogs, the fierce Winter Wolves from distant lands.
But then, with a gleam in his eye, he added, "Of course, if you wish to delve into more well-documented creatures, the French Telescopic Bulldog or the Greek three-headed dog would be excellent choices."
Quirrell's gaze held something unsettling—an intensity, an expectation.
He truly believed he was guiding Ted toward a greater understanding.
But Ted wasn't so easily swayed.
Not by Quirrell.
And certainly not by the dark presence lurking literally behind him.
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Word count: 1725
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