HP: The Dropout Who Saved the World

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After that day, Draco and Jane returned to their previous state.

Acting as if the other didn't exist.

This had no effect on Jane; in fact, she rather enjoyed the peace and quiet.

However, seeing their conflict, the little snakes of Slytherin began to isolate her again.

Thank Merlin!

Jane felt nothing was more important than a quiet environment.

For someone planning to leave school, she didn't want to form any unnecessary friendships with her classmates.

But after Draco's mockery about her association with the protagonist trio, Harry, Ron, and Hermione trusted her even more.

"Detention tonight at eleven," Harry complained to Jane with a gloomy face. "With Filch."

It was well known that Filch delighted in torturing students. Rumors said he once suspended students by their wrists from the ceiling for days. The trio would surely have a rough time under his supervision.

Jane shrugged, indicating there was nothing she could do.

But she believed Harry's protagonist halo would surely see him through safely.

Meanwhile, she had her own grand plan that she'd been plotting for several days.

She believed that after executing this plan, she would become persona non grata among all professors, and Dumbledore would expel her without hesitation.

Yes, she planned to sneak into the Forbidden Forest at night.

Challenging Dumbledore's prohibition from the opening ceremony.

She had already investigated Hagrid's night patrol schedule, which usually ran from ten to eleven o'clock.

Her plan was as follows:

Plan A: Arrive at Hagrid's hut at eleven o'clock, enter the forest's edge, and get caught by Hagrid returning from his patrol, thus achieving expulsion.

Plan B: If she didn't encounter Hagrid, set fire to the forest, face imprisonment, and still achieve expulsion.

With pleasant expectations of life after expulsion, at eleven o'clock sharp, Jane arrived at Hagrid's hut and followed a narrow path into the Forbidden Forest.

The forest was deep and desolate, with trees growing increasingly dense from the sparse outer edges. Occasional unknown animal calls echoed through the darkness.

She walked for about half an hour, venturing deeper into the forest until the path nearly ended, but there was no sign of Hagrid.

"Well, time for the backup plan," she thought.

Using the Lumos charm, she looked around.

The forest floor was covered with dead branches and leaves, perfect for igniting.

She tested the wind direction - perfect, it was blowing deeper into the forest.

"Incendio!"

The dead branches caught fire, bright flames leaping up and gradually igniting the surrounding dead leaves.

But due to recent rain, the leaves were still damp, making them burn slowly.

Jane had to cast several more Incendio spells.

This time, a pine tree caught fire. Rich in flammable resin, the flames spread along intersecting branches, igniting nearby cypress trees one after another. The fire spread with the wind. Roaring flames danced like fierce monsters, illuminating the night sky.

In the distant Hogwarts castle, windows that had been dark began lighting up one by one.

"The Forbidden Forest is on fire!"

"Quick, notify Dumbledore!" Panicked voices came from somewhere.

Facing the roaring flames, she smiled with satisfaction.

"Albus, the source of the fire is just ahead!"

Minutes later, Jane heard the urgent voices of professors approaching.

She decided to add some flair to her performance.

Might as well end her magical journey with a grand finale, she thought.

Using herself as the center point and a ten-meter radius, she elegantly waved her wand, casting Incendio in a circle around herself. Gold and red flames rose skyward, surrounding her in the center.

Finding the flame color too ordinary, she tapped her wand tip, using a color-changing charm to turn the flames blue-purple.

Perfect.

"I really know how to make a scene!" she thought proudly.

...

Ten minutes earlier, Hagrid had led Harry, Ron, and Hermione into the forest.

Due to Filch's "education," they were quite late.

Hagrid held his lantern high, illuminating their path as he solemnly warned the three:

"What we're doing tonight is dangerous. This week, one unicorn died and two others were badly injured. We need to find them and end their suffering."

He pointed to a silvery trace on the ground:

"See that silvery gleam? That's unicorn blood."

Then he shared some knowledge about the Forbidden Forest:

"Unicorns are very pure creatures with strong magic. They run incredibly fast - almost nothing can hurt them."

"In fact, the Forbidden Forest is home to many ancient magical creatures. Werewolves, centaurs, thestrals all live here, each in their own territory—"

He stopped speaking as they all heard something sliding across fallen leaves, sounding like a dragging wizard's robe.

"Who's there!" he shouted. "Lower your wand, I've got my bow!"

A centaur emerged, human from the waist up with red hair and beard, but with a horse's body below, including a matching red tail.

"Good evening, Hagrid."

The centaur introduced himself as Ronan and knew Hagrid, but when Hagrid asked this forest guardian if he'd noticed anything unusual, he spoke in riddles.

"Mars is bright tonight," he said, gazing at the twinkling stars. "Unusually bright."

Hagrid looked annoyed and gave up questioning him, complaining to Harry and the others: "They have divination abilities and good hearts, but they speak in mysteries - you'll never get a straight answer."

But he noticed Harry's face was filled with terror.

"What's wrong, Harry? Don't be afraid."

He thought Harry was frightened by the half-horse creature and was about to pat his shoulder when he saw all three children fearfully looking into the distance.

Then he understood why Ronan had said Mars was bright - because the Forbidden Forest was ablaze!

...

The forest fire alarmed all professors, and Hogwarts castle lit up entirely.

The professors gathered at the castle entrance.

"Albus!" Professors McGonagall and Flitwick hurried to Dumbledore's side, still in their nightgowns. "What's happened?"

Dumbledore looked grave, with an ominous feeling: "I don't know, but I think we need to hurry."

He had been awakened by Fawkes's urgent cries, and the gold and red phoenix had already flown toward the forest, disappearing into the darkness.

At the forest's edge, they met Hagrid and three shaken students.

Hagrid, breathing heavily with his singed hair even more disheveled, stammered:

"Professor Dumbledore, someone's set fire to the forest. I had to get the students out first—"

Dumbledore's expression was stern: "I understand. Our priority is to extinguish the fire. Hagrid, please lead the way."

With several professors in tow, he hurried deep into the forest. Using some unknown spell, they moved incredibly fast, almost as if gliding through the air.

Halfway there, a figure in a black cloak suddenly stumbled toward them. His scarf was askew, and his cloak was burned ragged, revealing his undergarments through the holes.

Recognizing him, Professor McGonagall drew a sharp breath:

"Quirinus?"

Professor Quirrell seemed to see them as saviors. He collapsed against a large tree root, his face full of terror as he gasped:

"Jane Yu! She—she—she—set fire to—the forest!"

All professors looked incredulous.

Professor Snape's mouth twitched as he spoke coldly: "You'd better be responsible for your words, Quirrell."

"Quirinus, you're not well. Go rest first," Dumbledore said quickly. "We'll investigate the situation."

The group continued forward.

They rounded some twisted vines and reached the end of the narrow path.

Everyone drew in a sharp breath.

A small figure appeared before them.

The girl stood amid blue flames, her black and green robes swaying in the fire, shoulder-length straight black hair lifted by the breeze, revealing her fire-lit pale face. Her right hand held a cherry wood wand, which she was idly tapping against her left hand.

While everyone else was urgent and shocked, she appeared relaxed and elegant, as if strolling through her own backyard amid the great fire.

Hearing their approach, she turned and gave the professors a polite smile.

It was Jane Yu!

For a moment, Dumbledore froze, standing motionless, even forgetting to wave his wand.

This scene, this setting - he seemed transported back forty-six years—

That blonde figure, standing in the same blue flames...

"Incarcerous!"

"Petrificus Totalus!"

The professors' spells rang out, binding the girl like a dumpling.

"Albus, put out the fire first!" Professor McGonagall reminded the stunned Dumbledore.

"Atmorm!"

Great thunderclouds gathered, and Hogwarts' sky filled with lightning and thunder. Within seconds, torrential rain poured down, pelting them and flowing to the ground around their water-repelling charms.

The roaring flames gradually diminished in the downpour, revealing charred trees and ashen ground. Finally, only a few sparks remained, flickering weakly in the ashes before dying out.

Only then did Dumbledore turn his attention to Jane.

He turned, his blue eyes devoid of their usual gentleness, radiating an invisible pressure as his half-moon spectacles flashed sharply:

"Your youth cannot excuse your reckless actions, Yu Jane."

"For burning a quarter of the Forbidden Forest, I have no choice but to expel you. The Wizengamot court will be your destination."

As he spoke these words, he felt profound sadness.

The third time... He had misjudged someone again...

Perhaps he truly was getting old...

Beside him, Professor McGonagall's eyes were full of regret and pity. She wiped her eyes but said nothing.

"Merlin—"

Professor Flitwick's small frame swayed as he shook his head, letting out a long sigh, seemingly unable to accept that his most excellent student had set fire to the Forbidden Forest.

Snape's face was tightly drawn, his thoughts unreadable. He gripped his wand so tightly his fingertips had turned white.

Professor Sprout seemed to want to say something, her lips moving slightly, but she found no words to defend Jane.

Everyone fell silent.

The Forbidden Forest was dead quiet.