HP: The Dropout Who Saved the World

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Jane, who had been unconscious, found herself in a forest.

It was somewhat similar to the Forbidden Forest, yet not as dark and deep. The sun had just risen, with soft morning light filtering through the leaves onto the grass, casting dappled shadows. The towering trees intertwined their branches to form a vast green dome.

She felt as if she stood beneath a mysterious green canopy.

Unlike the deathly silence of the Forbidden Forest, this place was alive. A clear stream trickled through the woods with a melodious sound; Augureys, Snidgets, and many magical birds she couldn't name sang joyfully in the treetops. Nifflers with glossy black fur leaped between branches, chasing a Fire Crab they had mistaken for jewelry.

How strange, these creatures shouldn't inhabit forests, Jane thought.

Then several Cornish pixies discovered her. These electric-blue, mischievous creatures played around, grabbing her ears and carrying her forward through the air.

Jane felt no pain in her ears. Her body felt light as she floated through the air, guided by the pixies to a wide clearing.

In the clearing stood an elderly man with white hair and beard. His back was turned to her as he fed leaves to a massive Erumpent, speaking to it in a language she couldn't understand.

She had read that these creatures were ill-tempered, with deadly explosive fluid in their horns. But under this old man's care, it behaved like a gentle calf, quietly eating the leaves.

Hearing the pixies' playful laughter, the old man turned around.

Jane could now see him clearly. He wore an ancient medieval-style robe, his white beard was half a meter long, and his eyes were bright and clear, seeming able to peer into any creature's soul.

He leaned on a staff and looked toward Jane with surprise:

"A soul from another world?"

Before Jane could answer, he continued in a gentle, steady voice:

"Fascinating... truly fascinating... the power of fate has changed everything."

His voice held an inexplicable magic that instantly calmed her.

The old man tapped his staff lightly on the ground, sending out colorful ripples that gathered before Jane and flowed into her body.

"Since this is so, I give you a gift... you shall have a pure and powerful soul."

"Enjoy it, child, for you must know that the most precious thing in the world is an imperishable soul..."

Suddenly the old man's other hand gripped something, his long eyebrows twitching:

"Ah... so it's this little thing..."

He opened his fingers, smiling as he showed Jane.

She looked closely and saw something red, like a jewel...

—It was the Philosopher's Stone she had found in the forbidden third floor corridor, which Dumbledore had confiscated!

"This stone... defies the connection between soul and body... it should not exist in the mortal world..."

"Your body is calling you... child... it's time for you to return."

Jane felt the forest world growing dark again, and heard English voices in the distance...

She reached out, trying to grab something, but caught nothing. She asked urgently:

"Who are you really?"

The old man's face showed a mysterious smile:

"They call me Merlin."

Before darkness fell, she heard the self-proclaimed Merlin say in frustration:

"Please tell your classmates that I don't like wearing baggy underwear, and my beard is quite tidy..."

...

"Merlin's baggiest pants! She's awake!"

In her hazy state, Jane felt as if she had slept for a very long time.

Hearing these words, she reflexively objected:

"No, he doesn't like wearing baggy underwear."

The people around her burst into giggles. She could recognize Harry and Ron's voices among them.

Then she heard Madam Pomfrey fiercely chase away the noisy crowd, followed by three sets of hurried footsteps approaching her bed.

Bottle after bottle of potions that tasted like three-day-pickled toads were poured into her mouth. If she could move, she would have spent three days and nights vomiting!

These potions must have been, without a doubt, brewed by Snape!

She thought angrily.

Soon, she found she could open her eyes and move her limbs.

Sure enough, the first thing she saw was Snape's sallow face and greasy hair.

His lips were tightly pressed together, the lines around his hooked nose twitching as he fired off a string of adjectives:

"An eleven-year-old student, dueling a Dark wizard, how brave and fearless, putting all the professors to shame."

"Arrogant, conceited, reckless, foolish."

"Why didn't you go to Gryffindor, to stop tormenting your poor old professor."

Jane blinked, looking blankly into his eyes.

Why was he scolding her?

She was still dazed, completely confused.

Dumbledore's voice came from beside the bed:

"Severus, don't be too harsh with the child."

Snape snorted coldly and fell silent.

Dumbledore cast a few detection spells on her body, then relaxed and winked at her kindly:

"Come, child, let's talk in my office."

At these words, Jane became fully alert.

Talk in the headmaster's office?

About attacking a professor?

Was she going to be expelled?

Nice!

...

In the headmaster's office.

Dumbledore made Jane a cup of honey tea.

She sat in a soft chair at the desk, with Snape standing beside her like a grim guardian statue.

From their conversation, she learned she had been unconscious for a full month, and tomorrow would be Christmas. The black soul fragment behind Professor Quirrell's head - Voldemort's remnant - had struck her, knocking her soul from her body.

She had only meant to set Snape's robes on fire, how had she ended up encountering the final boss?

Suddenly she felt Snape's scolding wasn't undeserved.

After all, she had nearly killed herself with one Incendio!

The thought made Jane shudder.

Dumbledore announced that for the foreseeable future, she would need to take Soul Stabilizing Potions daily to improve the compatibility between software and hardware, keeping her soul properly housed in her body rather than wandering about.

It seemed her expulsion plans would have to be put on hold for the entire term while she focused on treating her weakened body.

"Heaven is against me!" Jane wailed internally.

Not only had her expulsion plan failed and been postponed, but she'd also wrecked her body!

She would have to behave and be a good student to earn her Soul Stabilizing Potions.

How like a caged Demiguise she felt!

Writhing, twisting, crawling in darkness!

But clearly Headmaster Dumbledore couldn't sense her anguish.

His blue eyes looked at her earnestly as he solemnly thanked her:

"Miss Yu, on behalf of all students, I thank you for everything you've done for the school."

"You discovered him and thwarted his plot to steal the Philosopher's Stone. The entire wizarding world owes you its gratitude."

What? The Philosopher's Stone!

Jane started, suddenly remembering the red stone in Merlin's hand, and quickly asked:

"That stone... what happened to it?"

But Dumbledore just smiled, his blue eyes full of amusement as he spoke in riddles:

"Fate is a curious thing, isn't it?"

"You met on the first day of school, and it called your soul back before Christmas."