HP: The Dropout Who Saved the World

The new chapter is now available!

Additionally, the latest Patreon early-access chapters have been updated to Chapter 94.

Thank you all for enjoying this work!

patreon.com/DarkGolds

————————————————————————————————————————

In the Slytherin common room.

Almost all first-year Slytherins were crowded there, along with many upperclassmen. The news of Jane Yu's recovery had spread rapidly throughout Hogwarts, and they had all gathered to await her return.

Despite the late hour, not a single person had retired to bed. When Professor Snape escorted Jane back to the common room, this bustling scene greeted them.

Snape cast a cold glance over his young snakes, let out a contemptuous snort, and swept away with his robes billowing dramatically behind him.

All the Slytherins rose as one. They turned toward Jane in perfect unison and broke into synchronized applause.

Prefect Gemma, tears glistening in her eyes, pushed through the crowd and clasped Jane's hand firmly.

"Yu! You're our hero!"

She raised Jane's hand high in triumph, gesturing to the others:

"Behold! The hero of Hogwarts! A true Slytherin!"

"Glory to Jane Yu! Glory to Slytherin!"

For the first time, Jane realized that Slytherin cheers could be as thunderous as during Quidditch matches!

The older students had smuggled butterbeer from the Three Broomsticks. They enthusiastically conjured large glasses and filled them to the brim for Jane.

Prefect Gemma wrapped an arm warmly around her shoulders and raised a toast:

"To Jane Yu, for her extraordinary service!"

Someone set off magical party poppers, and the common room erupted in cheers once again, so loud they nearly disturbed the Giant Squid in the Black Lake. The curious creature pressed its enormous eyes against the windows to peek at the celebration inside.

The Slytherins took turns toasting with her. Their keen instincts told them that Slytherin House would produce a great witch, and she was standing right before them!

Marcus Flint, the Quidditch team captain, showed his prominent teeth as he shouldered through the crowd to reach Jane:

"On behalf of the Slytherin Quidditch team, I thank you for your assistance."

It transpired that during the match, not only had Harry been affected by the curse, but several Slytherin players had also been struck by Quirrell's unstable spellwork. When Madam Hooch halted the match and inspected their brooms, she discovered traces of dark magic.

When Madam Hooch arranged a rematch between Slytherin and Gryffindor, Flint had adamantly insisted, against all opposition, on waiting until Jane recovered so she could witness their victory. Oliver Wood, the Gryffindor captain, had agreed, considering it a fitting tribute to the heroic student who had saved Harry!

For the first time in history, the two houses had reached consensus on something.

Then, a cart materialized, laden with gifts - originally intended as Christmas presents for Jane but repurposed as get-well presents under Prefect Gemma's organization.

Jane maintained a composed expression as she thanked her enthusiastic housemates one by one. In truth, she was fighting exhaustion. Still recovering from her illness, her eyelids were growing increasingly heavy, and all she wanted was to return to her bed.

However, the Slytherins interpreted her demeanor as evidence of her unflappable nature and immense power.

What a paragon of humility!

This is what true greatness looks like!

They watched reverently as Jane disappeared up the stairs to the girls' dormitory.

...

The Christmas feast arrived swiftly.

The Great Hall was decorated in quintessential British fashion, with festive streamers adorning the walls and holly and mistletoe growing abundantly. Massive Christmas trees stood in the four corners, decorated with enchanted snowflakes and crystalline icicles.

The Gryffindor table at the far end was particularly boisterous - their laughter and chatter carried across the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables. They were pulling wizard crackers, which produced firecracker-like explosions. At the staff table, Dumbledore beamed cheerfully beneath a flowered bonnet, while Professors Flitwick and McGonagall shared amusing anecdotes.

However, with almost all Slytherins having returned home for the holidays, Jane sat alone at the green-draped table.

Thank Merlin everyone's gone, she thought.

Nothing could be more pleasant than having some peaceful solitude.

She had no desire to perform the so-called "noble etiquette" or maintain an "elegant manner and tone," engaging in meaningless social pleasantries!

Suddenly, she felt strong hands under her elbows, and her perspective shifted upward as she was swiftly carried through the air.

Two tall, lanky boys were carrying her, one on each side, rushing toward the Gryffindor table!

They had identical faces and flaming red hair, wearing red and gold striped scarves, with mischievous glints in their eyes. Feeling Jane's struggling limbs, one of them whistled:

"Look what we found - a poor little serpent -"

"All alone in her snake pit -"

"A lone snake is bound to get snatched by lions -"

The twins deposited Jane into an empty chair at the Gryffindor table.

Before she could steady herself, Harry leaned across the table, speaking with nervous urgency:

"Sorry... I saw you were alone over there... thought you might like to join us."

Ron, his cheeks bulging with food, thrust his red head forward:

"Fred and George... they reckoned this was the quickest way, you know."

The two boys hastily gathered a pile of wizard crackers before Jane. They also pulled over platters of roast chicken, sausages, roast meat, a bowl of buttered peas, various gravies, and cranberry sauce, placing everything within her reach.

Harry watched her with almost maternal expectancy, while Ron loudly commented that Harry's expression mirrored his mother's when she looked at little Ginny.

Jane strongly suspected these two were plotting to stuff her to death to inherit her beauty potions.

She hesitantly picked up a wizard cracker, curious about this magical world's version of a surprise box.

With a blast like a cannon, dozens of white mice erupted from the cracker and scattered across the Great Hall.

She dropped the remains woodenly, her face draining of color.

The plague!

The Black Death!

The Great Medieval Pandemic!

She couldn't stomach another bite now, imagining all the food contaminated by scurrying rodents.

Clearly, she was cosmically incompatible with the protagonist group!

This must be a warning to maintain her distance from the main characters!

Harry, seeing the mice explosion, suppressed a laugh and tried to console her:

"I got mice earlier too. Try another one? There are sparklers and hats and other nice things inside."

Jane cast him a haunted look:

"No, you'd better beware of rats."

She made an excuse about feeling unwell and needing rest, practically fleeing from the Great Hall.

She needed to immediately shower and disinfect her robes with at least ten Scouring Charms!

Harry was visibly disappointed but wished her a Merry Christmas as she left.

After Jane's figure disappeared through the doorway, Ron nudged his friend with his elbow:

"Mate... haven't you forgotten something?"

Harry looked at him puzzled, while Ron spoke through a mouthful of chicken:

"I mean, you didn't give her the Christmas present!"

Harry inhaled sharply, suddenly remembering the set of "Practical Defensive Magic and its Counter-Dark Arts" books by his feet. The collection had cost him 40 Galleons, containing advanced spells he was confident she could master with her abilities.

Clearly, he had been so excited by Jane's presence that he'd completely forgotten about the gift.

Harry slumped back into his chair dejectedly.

He could have sent it by owl, but he had wanted to present it personally and thank her properly - after all, Jane was his savior, having now rescued three Gryffindors: Neville, Hermione, and himself. But then he remembered the Invisibility Cloak he'd received that day.

His eyes suddenly brightened with possibility.