Chapter 39: Hermione’s Troubles, the Little Badger Wants to Improve Too Much

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The little snakes huddled together, whispering among themselves.

All of them agreed—Malfoy had a point.

More importantly, none of them wanted to endure two more weeks of the dull and repetitive Charms practice. If there was an easier way to get what they wanted, why not take it?

Before long, they had devised several duel challenges and sent them off using Hogwarts' owls.

Just imagining Harry Potter and Robert Sprout foolishly showing up at the dueling grounds that night, only to be caught red-handed by Filch, made the little snakes grin with malicious delight.

Malfoy even whispered a silent prayer in his heart, "If both of them could get expelled, that would be perfect."

Back in the Greenhouse, Robert was absorbed in his work when a bell near his experimental plot suddenly rang out.

Startled, Robert paused. Then he remembered—this must be the magical reminder Professor Sprout had told him about. The bell was installed to notify students working in the Greenhouse that they had received mail.

Apparently, past Hufflepuffs had often lost track of time while tending to plants, even missing important letters. One student had nearly overlooked a message about his grandparents' passing.

Since then, these magical bells had been enchanted so that whenever a student received a letter while in the Greenhouse, the closest bell would ring—louder and louder—until the recipient acknowledged it with a simple "I know."

Robert furrowed his brow in confusion. Aside from Professor Sprout, who else in the magical world would be sending him letters?

But Professor Sprout saw him every day—there was no need to write.

That left only one possibility.

"Professor Sprout mentioned she ordered a Nimbus 2000 broom for me from the Nimbus Company..." Robert thought to himself.

"Could it be that my broom has arrived?"

Considering the value of the broom, Robert didn't dare leave it unattended. And it would be rude not to pick up a gift chosen so thoughtfully by Professor Sprout.

He quickly cleaned up his station and left the Greenhouse.

As he made his way back to Hogwarts Castle, heading toward the Hufflepuff common room, a figure suddenly appeared before him.

"Robert… can we talk?"

It was Hermione Granger.

Robert blinked in surprise. With her bushy brown hair and slightly protruding front teeth, Hermione stood looking at him nervously.

Since the Sorting Ceremony, they had barely exchanged a handful of words, apart from the occasional classroom interaction. Hermione typically buried herself in the library, while Robert spent most of his free time in the Greenhouse. Their paths rarely crossed.

Still, Robert gave a gentle nod. "Of course," he said. "I'm heading back to the common room. Want to walk and talk?"

Hermione's expression softened in gratitude. That's when Robert noticed her eyes—reddened, as if she'd been crying. Her whole demeanor seemed weighed down by confusion and frustration.

"Hermione," he asked gently, "what's wrong?"

His words seemed to flip a switch. Hermione suddenly poured out her feelings—raw, honest, and unfiltered.

"I just don't get it," she said, voice trembling. "Why is it that I work so hard to earn points for Gryffindor, but no one appreciates it?"

"They treat me like I'm some sort of overachiever who doesn't know when to stop. It's like they… dislike me for caring."

Tears welled up in her eyes again, and she quickly covered her face, not wanting to cry in front of him.

She took a shaky breath and explained what had happened.

"The Lumos final test is in two weeks. We all know how important it is—it could earn a ton of points for our house."

"I know I can take first place," Hermione continued, her tone firm with certainty. "But if Gryffindor could secure even one more high ranking, we'd be in the lead for the House Cup."

She hesitated, suddenly looking anxious.

"I didn't mean to underestimate you, Robert."

Robert smiled and waved it off. "It's fine. Our top student Hermione naturally has confidence in her abilities."

He chuckled. "So let me guess—you suggested your classmates use the weekend for extra practice, with you teaching them?"

Hermione's eyes widened, then she nodded.

"Yes! That's exactly what I said. I told them that instead of wasting time sleeping in, playing Wizard Chess, or wandering around aimlessly, it would be better to practice Lumos and earn points for Gryffindor."

She looked genuinely baffled.

"But no one—except for Neville—wanted to listen."

"I don't understand. What are they thinking?"

Robert sighed with a mixture of amusement and sympathy. Children naturally want to play, and Gryffindors—restless, bold, and impulsive—were no exception.

Unless someone charismatic like Harry created a dueling club or something similar, it would be nearly impossible to motivate them to do extra study sessions.

Even Harry didn't have that kind of pull right now. Let alone Hermione.

Trying to lead them was bound to end in frustration.

And yet, a light flickered in Robert's mind.

Maybe the Gryffindors didn't need Hermione's help—but the Hufflepuffs certainly did.

After the previous mini-test, the Hufflepuffs had felt embarrassed by their results.

If it weren't for Robert's strong performance, they wouldn't have ranked at all. The other students didn't want him carrying the burden alone anymore.

They were desperate to improve for the Lumos final.

Unfortunately, Hufflepuffs tended to be late bloomers—steady and methodical, but not quick to act. At this stage, they still struggled to perform consistently.

But with someone like Hermione—a true top student—leading their practice sessions, things could change.

Maybe, just maybe, they could break into the top three.

Turning to her, Robert said earnestly, "Hermione, we Hufflepuffs are always eager to learn."

"If you're willing to guide us in Lumos, I promise everyone will listen. We really want to improve."

Hermione hesitated. Her ultimate goal was still helping Gryffindor win the House Cup. Wouldn't helping Hufflepuff mean directly assisting her house's competitor?

Sensing her dilemma, Robert smoothly pivoted.

"Alright then. Let's not think of it as tutoring. Just come visit the common room."

"You'll get to relax for a bit. Our snacks and tea are the best in Hogwarts."

"Think of it as a thank-you for listening to me ramble."

Hermione finally gave a reluctant smile. "Well… okay."

Robert grinned. Plan successful.

He knew that once she entered the Hufflepuff common room, the rest would take care of itself.

After all, when had the Queen of Know-It-Alls ever been able to resist correcting others?

True enough, once inside the cozy Hufflepuff common room—surrounded by warm light, delicious snacks, and fragrant tea—Hermione tried her best to act like a guest.

But the Hufflepuffs were already practicing Lumos around her, wands raised, concentrating hard.

Hermione sat stiffly, hands clenched on her teacup, struggling not to stare too long.

So many mistakes.

So many things to fix.

Five minutes passed.

Then Hannah Abbott made the same simple mistake for the seventh time.

Hermione couldn't take it anymore.

She shot to her feet, wand in hand.

"Stop!"

"That's not how you use Lumos! Let me show you!"

Robert leaned back in his seat, watching with a content smile.

Mission complete.

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