"Harry Potter and the Shadows of Merlin"

Hermione – Rolling Herself to Death – Granger

Hogwarts' first-year curriculum included Astronomy, Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Herbology, History of Magic, Potions, and Transfiguration. Seven demanding subjects packed into a single school year, each with only thin textbooks. No wonder the professors cleared the first afternoon—ostensibly to let students "familiarize themselves with the Castle," but more realistically, because those same professors also taught upper years and simply couldn't fit everything into their schedules.

They couldn't risk using Time-Turners too much—after all, that aged a person unnaturally fast.

Harry had invited Dana to explore the castle, but Dana declined—aside from first-years, nobody was allowed to be noisy. So the Castle tour was silent and pointless. Dana would rather return to the dorm and begin his Charms assignment: a one-foot-long essay on the uses of the Lumos Charm.

Dana didn't see how anyone could have much to say about Lumos, but he tossed out two quick ideas:Applying the Lumos Charm in combat—adding a blasting effect to mimic a Muggle stun grenade.Adding colors to Lumos for tactical deception.Thirty minutes later, Dana had filled the parchment with these ideas, deemed the task done, and packed his things. His destination: the library. He had no time to waste. Neither Avery nor some powerful Ministry official from Azkaban would be easily overcome—he needed knowledge and strength. Merlin's notebook was his key; deciphering it might make him unstoppable.

The library on the second floor looked grand but the door was unexpectedly petite. Dana brushed it open and found strict, white-gloved Madam Pince guarding it.

"Someone is already reading," she said sternly, pointing at the patrons. "Keep quiet and above all—don't damage the books!"

"Of course, Madam," Dana replied with a nod. "May I ask where the Ancient Runes section is?"

Madam Pince blinked—Ancient Runes was a third-year elective. Still, she relented: "Between these shelves, count three, turn right at the armillary sphere, you'll find it there."

"Thank you, Madam," Dana said respectfully.

By the bookshelves, Dana found sturdy tomes: Ancient Script and the Link to Magic, Introduction to Runes, Lost Language Magic… and finally, Complete Collection of Ancient Runes of Britain, bound in bronze and barely opened, the pages pristine.

He carried it to the reading tables by the window—and saw a familiar figure: Hermione Granger.

Indeed, no afternoon classes meant Hermione would naturally be here. Dana sat opposite her, hoping her presence would banish the loneliness he'd felt since escaping Azkaban.

Hermione looked up, saw him, and then quickly refocused on her own work. Dana placed a finger to his lips in a silent shush. Hermione nodded and returned to her work—she already had six reference books spread out.

Dana pulled from his pocket a scrap from Merlin's notebook and cross‑referenced it with the Runes text—line by line, word by word. Hermione scribbled furiously, but maybe Dana's presence spurred her on. He felt a familiar pull, like returning to a past life of dedicated study. The library's hush and the pages turning reminded him of who he'd been—and could be again.

Soon Hermione slipped him a note: "You finished your Charms assignment already?" Dana traced the paper with his hand, slid his fingers under, and it transformed: "Yes, already done." Hermione's eyes grew wide—then wider—through sheer disbelief. Dana had used Transfiguration in the common room all by himself?

She scribbled another line: "What book are you reading?"

This time, Dana made no reply—he simply held up the bronze-bound book for her to see.

Hermione, the "Study Queen," felt a surge of competitive pressure. She believed Muggle-borns like her had to outperform wizard-borns to prove themselves—but here sat Dana, breezing through assignments and independently studying advanced subjects.

She fixed her gaze on the book, her page-turning quickening—at least double her previous pace.

Dana, however, stayed focused on his own quest. But even geniuses have limits. Before long, Madam Pince came around to close the library. Dana closed his book—he still hadn't cracked the script in Merlin's notebook, despite reading the tome twice.

The two left side by side, Dana disappointed that he'd learned nothing new, Hermione frustrated at unfinished assignments.

"Dana, you're amazing," Hermione said softly.

He looked surprised. "Me?"

"Yes," she replied sincerely. "You got points in Charms, finished your assignment fast—not to mention self‑studies Ancient Runes!"

Dana shook his head. "You're exaggerating. The essay on the Lumos Charm? I wrote that off the top of my head. No research."

She stared. "That worked?"

He shrugged. "Why not? After dinner in the common room, you'll see—they're all struggling. I just wrote down my thoughts and handed it in."

Hermione frowned, unconvinced. She returned to the common room loaded with books after dinner. There was chaos: Ron, Harry, and Neville were tangled in their essays."Ah—Hermione! How do we write this?"

"I don't know either, Hermione."

"Neville? Any ideas?"

"N-no…"

"Maybe play Wizard's Chess first?"

"Better finish the essay, Ron," said Harry. "But Flitwick won't read them all. Just slap something down.""One of them said," Hermione thought, "if only Dana were here—he'd know what to write."

She felt strangely relieved—maybe she was still the brightest among them?

Among the first years, maybe only Dana surpassed her. But he said he'd written casually? That meant she might have done well after all. That thought lit a spark in her resolve.

Two weeks later, Professor Flitwick delivered surprising news: Dana's essay—titled "On the Application of the Lumos Charm in Combat: Can We Add a Blasting Effect to Simulate a Muggle Stun Grenade?"—had been accepted by Modern Charms magazine and would be published in two weeks. Gryffindor was awarded ten points.

Hermione felt a pang of envy. That liar—even lied that he wrote it casually!

But that was a problem for later.

For now, Dana was heading to Professor Bathsheda Babu Ling, the Ancient Runes professor, to finally begin decoding Merlin's notebook.

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