Harry Potter and the Ambitious Girl

This year's "Defense Against the Dark Arts" class was a disaster. Everyone thought so.

The new instructor, Dolores Umbridge, declared practical training unnecessary and forced the students to engage solely in textbook reading and theory.

Naturally, such a class was of no use.

The original purpose of the class was to teach students how to deal with attacks from Dark Magic.

In essence, it required practice, not just theory.

For example, consider a Muggle class in "Music." Of course, such a class would involve some theory and reading materials.

But a music class without playing instruments or singing would be unthinkable.

That's exactly how it was with Defense Against the Dark Arts this year.

However, among the Slytherin students, very few were dissatisfied with this arrangement.

This was because many Slytherin students leaned toward the Dark side, with some even having parents who were Death Eaters.

From the perspective of the Dark side, Umbridge's incompetence in failing to teach students how to defend themselves against Dark Magic was actually welcomed.

As a result, Slytherin students accepted the theory-based approach, and some even cozied up to Umbridge in order to sabotage students from other houses.

What Edith found surprising, however, was Mirabel's passivity.

Knowing Mirabel's intense nature, Edith had half-expected her to fire off a Dark curse or two at Umbridge, saying, "Let's see if theory alone is enough to defend against this."

But surprisingly, Mirabel had remained calm.

Perhaps she wasn't as reckless as she had been in the past.

While the Defense Against the Dark Arts class was a disaster, that didn't mean the other classes were wonderful, either.

This year, with the O.W.L. exams fast approaching, every subject became far stricter than usual, causing immense stress for the students.

But there was one silver lining.

For some reason, Hagrid was absent from Care of Magical Creatures, and Professor Grubbly-Plank took over as a substitute.

Her lessons were the very embodiment of what Care of Magical Creatures should be — rich, informative, and practical.

Harry and his friends claimed to prefer Hagrid, but their faces betrayed them. It was clear they didn't mean it.

As always, Malfoy went out of his way to provoke Harry and his friends during class.

But that was nothing new.

There were far more important matters to worry about.

"'Dolores Umbridge Appointed as the First High Inquisitor,' huh? The Ministry really doesn't know when to quit!"

In the Slytherin girls' dormitory, Edith was fuming as she read the newspaper.

Most Slytherin students supported Umbridge, but there were a few exceptions.

Edith was one of them.

She wasn't aligned with the Dark side, nor did she harbor extreme views.

She was a rational student who found the Ministry's meddling, which disrupted her studies, deeply frustrating.

But that wasn't the only reason for her anger.

**"Harry's been getting punished every day! Why does she assume he's lying without even thinking it through?!

Do they not once consider the possibility that he's telling the truth?!"**

Edith tore the newspaper to shreds in a fit of rage and tossed it into the fireplace.

Watching from nearby, Mirabel chuckled softly, amused by the sight.

"My, my, you're quite worked up, aren't you, Reinagle?"

"Of course I am! Argh, why do they have to be so stupid?!"

"Calm down. No amount of anger from you is going to change things."

With a flick of her wand, Mirabel summoned a cup of herbal tea and placed it in front of Edith.

It was a clear message — "Drink this and cool off."

For Mirabel, who was usually so blunt, this was an unexpected display of kindness.

**"Unfortunately, Potter and Dumbledore will be branded as liars for a while.

Their supporters are shockingly few at the moment."**

"Can't something be done about it?"

**"Something will be done.

Once the Ministry of Magic is overtaken by the Dark faction, even the most oblivious will be forced to recognize the truth."**

"That's not what I meant!"

Bam! Edith slammed her hands on the table, and Mirabel blinked in mild surprise before smiling knowingly.

With grace, she sipped her tea and spoke in a slow, deliberate voice.

**"Heh. You really do care about your friends, don't you?

So much so that I can't even understand how you ended up in Slytherin."**

"Ugh..."

**"Well, in any case, there's nothing we can do right now.

But not everyone doubts Potter's words, you know."**

Edith sipped her herbal tea, still wearing a dissatisfied expression.

The first thought that crossed her mind was, "It's delicious."

They say the flavor of tea depends on how it's brewed, and this was unlike any she'd had before.

She hadn't expected Mirabel to have such skill in making tea.

**"Granger, for instance, understands just how bad things are right now.

I'm sure she'll make a move soon.

And those who believe in Potter will protect him."**

Harry had a knack for gathering allies.

Even in the worst of situations, he always had friends who would stand by him.

Sure, he was suffering right now.

But he wasn't alone.

"And here in Slytherin, he even has you as an ally. Potter's a lucky one, really."

"But I'm not strong enough to be of any help..."

"You can be."

Mirabel softly patted Edith's shoulder, her usual forceful demeanor replaced with a gentle smile.

Her voice lacked its usual commanding edge, but for some reason, it had a strangely calming effect.

**"I told you before, didn't I?

That I'd teach you how to wield power to protect yourself.

With that power, you'll be able to protect those who are precious to you."**

"M-Me? Protect them? Do you really think I can do that?"

"You can. I know you can."

The thought of her protecting Harry and the others...

Edith had never even considered it a possibility.

They were special, brimming with talent. They were on a different level from her.

Harry, Hermione, Mirabel — they were all geniuses. She could never stand on equal footing with them.

Her? Protect Harry?

**"I'm the one teaching you, remember?

In one year, I'll make you a better spellcaster than most of the professors at this school.

But it's going to be brutal training. Think you can keep up?"**

Edith closed her eyes for a moment, as if lost in thought.

But she didn't need to think. The answer was already there.

I want to be stronger.

She was tired of being left behind.

She would never forget the helplessness she felt in her second year.

"Become strong, Edith Reinagle. If you're strong, you won't have to feel that way again."

Mirabel's words echoed in her mind.

Ever since then, she had thrown herself into her studies and magic training.

She had even learned to cast a Patronus, thanks to Mirabel's guidance.

But it still wasn't enough.

She wasn't able to stand at her friend's side as an equal — not yet.

But that's why…

**"With me as your teacher, you'll be stronger than any of the fools running these classes.

But the training will be intense. Can you handle it?"**

Edith opened her eyes, her gaze clear and determined.

Her resolve was unshaken.

She didn't need to think about it.

I'll get stronger. I'll never feel that helplessness again.

"I can do it," she declared, staring into Mirabel's eyes.

Her journey toward strength had begun.

This year's "Defense Against the Dark Arts" class was hopeless—everyone thought so.

Their new teacher, Dolores Umbridge, declared that practical training was unnecessary and forced students to engage in nothing but textbook-based theoretical study.

Of course, there was no way such lessons could be useful.

The fundamental purpose of this class was to teach students how to defend themselves if they were ever attacked by Dark magic.

In essence, practical training was at its core—not lectures.

For example, think of Muggle classes on "music." Of course, some of that would involve theoretical study and learning from books.

But there would never be a music class where students didn't play instruments or sing at all.

That's essentially the same idea.

However, surprisingly few Slytherin students voiced any complaints about this class.

This was likely because many Slytherins leaned toward the side of the Dark forces, and some of them even had parents who were Death Eaters.

From the perspective of the Dark faction, Umbridge's incompetence in preventing students from learning how to defend against them was actually welcome.

Perhaps because of this, most Slytherins accepted these theory-based lessons, and some even went as far as to ingratiate themselves with Umbridge and hinder the other houses.

What surprised Edith most was that Mirabel remained quiet and didn't act out.

Given Mirabel's fiery nature, Edith half-expected her to respond to Umbridge's claim that "theory alone is sufficient" by firing off a spell or two to test that theory.

Perhaps Mirabel had mellowed out a bit compared to her old self.

The Defense Against the Dark Arts class was useless, but that didn't mean the other classes were stellar either.

With the upcoming O.W.L. exams this year, every subject was far stricter than in previous years, putting considerable pressure on the students.

But not everything was bad.

The Care of Magical Creatures class, for example, was far better this year since Hagrid was absent. Instead, the substitute teacher, Professor Grubbly-Plank, taught a proper Magical Creatures curriculum.

Though Harry and his friends claimed that they preferred Hagrid, their faces betrayed their true feelings. It was clear they didn't mean it.

As usual, Malfoy poked at Harry and his friends during the lesson, but that was nothing new. It wasn't worth paying attention to.

There were more important matters to focus on...

"'Dolores Umbridge Appointed as the First High Inquisitor.' Ugh, the Ministry never does anything useful, huh!"

In the Slytherin girls' dormitory, Edith voiced her frustration as she read the newspaper.

While most Slytherins supported Umbridge, there were a few who didn't.

Edith was one of those few.

She didn't belong to the Dark faction and was a thoroughly reasonable student. She was irritated by how the Ministry's interference was wasting valuable time for her studies.

No, that wasn't the only reason she was angry.

"Harry's being punished every day, too! How can they be so quick to call him a liar?!

Do none of them even consider the possibility that he might be telling the truth?!"

Tearing the newspaper to shreds, she tossed it into the fireplace in a fit of rage.

Watching her, Mirabel simply chuckled.

"My, my. Someone's fired up, aren't they, Reinagel?"

"Of course I am! Ugh, why are they so stupid?!"

"Calm down. You getting angry won't change anything."

With a wave of her wand, Mirabel conjured a cup of herbal tea and placed it in front of Edith.

It was her way of telling Edith to calm down and take a sip. It was unusual for Mirabel to show such consideration.

"Unfortunately, Potter and Dumbledore will continue to be labeled as liars for a while.

There are surprisingly few allies on their side at the moment."

"Isn't there anything we can do?"

"There is. If the Ministry is overtaken by the Dark forces, they'll have no choice but to accept reality."

"That's not what I mean!"

Edith slammed her hands on the table. Mirabel, momentarily startled, quickly smirked in amusement.

She sipped her herbal tea with elegance, her voice slow and deliberate.

"My, my, you really care about your friends, huh? Makes me wonder how you ended up in Slytherin."

"Ugh…"

"Well, jokes aside, there's not much we can do right now.

But not everyone thinks Potter is lying."

With a look of discontent, Edith took a sip of the herbal tea.

Her first thought was, "It's delicious."

She'd heard that the taste of tea could change depending on how it was brewed, but this was on a whole different level.

She never thought Mirabel had such skill in making tea.

"If anyone understands how bad things are, it'll be Granger.

She'll take action soon, and those who believe in Potter will rally to protect him."

Harry had a strange knack for gathering allies.

Even in seemingly hopeless situations, he had friends who would carve a path forward.

Surely, Harry was suffering right now.

But he wasn't alone.

"And besides, there's one person in Slytherin who's on his side—you. He's got it good, doesn't he?"

"But I'm not strong enough to be of any help…"

"You will be."

Mirabel placed a gentle hand on Edith's shoulder and spoke with a soft smile.

Her tone didn't have the usual forceful persuasion, but it still had a calming effect on Edith.

"Didn't I tell you before? I'll teach you how to wield power to protect yourself.

This time, you can use that power to protect the ones you care about."

"Me? Protect them? Can I really do that…?"

"You can. I guarantee it."

The thought of her protecting Harry and the others seemed impossible to Edith.

They were special students, brimming with talent. She wasn't like them.

How could she ever stand alongside Harry, Hermione, or even Mirabel—those geniuses?

How could someone like her ever protect them?

"Even if it's hard, I'll follow you. So please, Mirabel!

Make me stronger!"

"…That's the answer I was hoping for."

Mirabel's eyes filled with satisfaction as she gazed at Edith's determined expression.

Placing a hand on Edith's shoulder, she chanted a spell.

The scenery around them changed instantly.

The two now stood in a dim, cavern-like space.

Edith blinked in confusion, glancing around.

"Wh-where are we?"

"The 'Chamber of Secrets.'

It used to house a Basilisk and is one of the least known places in Hogwarts.

Perfect for secret training, don't you think?"

"H-hold on! How did we even get here?!

You can't use 'Apparition' on school grounds!"

"Fufu… this school's defenses aren't as perfect as you think."

Edith was stunned.

Sure, nothing humans built was flawless, but this was Hogwarts—protected by Dumbledore's wards.

Yet somehow, Mirabel had bypassed those defenses and transported them here.

How she did it, Edith had no idea.

But she wasn't surprised.

Mirabel Beresford was a girl who could make the impossible look trivial.

Even after five years of knowing her, Edith still found herself amazed at her absurdity.

"Here's the plan. I'm not going to teach you the spells they normally cover at this grade level."

"Wait, what?!"

"Because it's too slow.

Instead, I'll teach you four essential spells for real combat—one attack spell, two defensive spells, one movement spell, and the art of silent casting.

That's all you need to face most situations."

Just four?

Edith looked puzzled. Shouldn't she learn more spells to have more strategies in battle?

Mirabel noticed her expression and chuckled.

"I get it, Reinagel.

You think the more spells you know, the better, right?"

"Y-yeah."

"That's not wrong. But you lack the foundation to wield that many spells."

With a flick of her wand, a whiteboard appeared, filled with branching arrows leading to countless "?" marks.

"This is what happens without a proper foundation.

You'll freeze, unsure which option to pick."

"A master of many spells is only a true master after years of failure, experience, and training."

That was the hard truth Mirabel laid before her.

"Still… I'll turn you into someone who can stand by my side in just one year."

Those words ignited a fire in Edith's heart.

"No matter how hard it gets, I'll follow you. So please, Mirabel! Make me stronger!"

"…That's the answer I wanted to hear."

Mirabel's face lit up with a satisfied smile as she gazed into Edith's determined eyes.

While still gripping Edith's shoulders, Mirabel began to chant some kind of incantation.

Suddenly, the sensation of being pulled washed over them, and the scenery around them changed completely. They found themselves in a place that looked like a cave.

Caught off guard, Edith blinked in confusion, her eyes darting around the area.

"Wh-where is this?"

"It's the 'Chamber of Secrets.' It's a place where a basilisk once lived—a spot in Hogwarts that hardly anyone knows about.

Perfect, isn't it? A secret hideout where we can train without interruptions."

"Wh-what?! How did we even get here?! Apparition is supposed to be impossible within Hogwarts!"

"Fufufu… It just means the school's defenses aren't as perfect as you think."

Edith's face went blank with astonishment.

Well, it made sense. After all, nothing made by humans is truly perfect.

But even so, Hogwarts was protected by barriers set up by Dumbledore himself.

To bypass that and teleport in was something else entirely.

Yet, this was exactly the kind of unbelievable thing that Mirabel Beresford could pull off.

Even after knowing her for five years, Edith was once again struck by how utterly unpredictable and extraordinary Mirabel could be.

"Now, as for what I'm going to teach you... I have no intention of covering the same spells you'd be learning this year anyway."

"Wh-what?!"

"It's too late for that. Instead, I'm going to teach you only the essential spells you'll need to actually survive in battle.

Specifically, one offensive spell, two defensive spells, one movement spell, and finally, the use of non-verbal magic.

These are the absolute basics you must master. I've selected them as the spells most crucial for fighting Death Eaters.

Everything else can wait since most of the spells you've learned so far are enough to handle situations outside of battle."

Only four spells.

Hearing Mirabel declare them as the "bare minimum," Edith frowned in doubt.

Was that really going to be enough?

Wouldn't having a broader range of spells give her more options and make her strategies more flexible?

Noticing Edith's expression, Mirabel let out a small, knowing chuckle.

"I get it, Linagel. You're thinking, 'Shouldn't a true wizard have as many spells up their sleeve as possible to be prepared for every situation?' Am I wrong?"

"Y-yeah."

"You're absolutely right. The ideal wizard is one who has mastered countless spells and can respond to any scenario."

Wizards who know more spells are better prepared.

That's the common belief held by nearly everyone, and it's also the truth.

Mirabel acknowledged this with a nod.

"But… let me be clear. You're not at that level yet."

"!?"

"Even if you had a hundred cards in your hand, you lack the 'foundation' needed to quickly choose the right one in the moment.

A deck of cards only becomes a strong weapon when the player has the thinking speed and knowledge to use them effectively.

But holding a hand full of cards you can't play is nothing but dead weight."

With a flick of her wand, Mirabel summoned a whiteboard out of nowhere.

A pen floated up and began drawing arrows on its own.

The arrows branched off into countless smaller arrows, each of which led to a "?" at the end.

It was clearly a visual representation of a person facing too many choices without knowing which one to pick.

"Normally, to prevent this from happening, you're taught to build a solid foundation.

This is done through endless classroom lectures and practical lessons that drill concepts like 'What to do in this situation' and 'Which spell to use in that scenario' into your brain and body.

This is the whole point of magical education. You with me so far?"

"Y-yeah."

"After graduation, most wizards continue to build on this base, learning from senior mentors and gaining experience from real-world situations.

Over the course of several years, through trial and error, they eventually master the use of all the spells they've learned.

That's how the 'Aurors'—the elite combat wizards—are made.

You, however, are still five years away from reaching that level."

Her blunt assessment hit like a hammer.

Hearing that she was five years behind, Edith had no choice but to agree.

But then... what was Mirabel?

After all, Mirabel was in the same grade as her.

…Well, knowing Mirabel, she'd probably just say, "Because I'm a genius," and leave it at that.

The more Edith listened to this explanation, the more she realized how much of a monster Mirabel truly was.

"Still, as I said earlier, we don't have the luxury of time.

You need to close that five-year gap in less than a year, and be able to defeat Death Eaters."

"H-how am I supposed to do that?!"

"Don't panic. Listen carefully.

After all this long explanation, I'll tell you this: a wizard's duel ultimately comes down to speed.

If you hit your opponent with a spell before they can cast theirs, the battle is over."

No matter how many spells you knew, you couldn't use them if you were unconscious.

It was obvious—so obvious that anyone could understand it.

In other words, as long as you could "hit with a spell" and "render the opponent unconscious," you had already won.

"This is why, ultimately, the 'Killing Curse' is considered the strongest.

It has no counter-curse, and if it hits, it's instant death.

If you have that spell, you wouldn't even need 'Disarming' or 'Stunning' spells.

Ideally, I'd have you learn it… but…"

Edith shook her head violently.

"Absolutely not," she thought.

A spell that would guarantee death if it hit? She didn't even want to think about using something like that.

Mirabel, seeming to expect this reaction, laughed in amusement.

"…Well, I figured you'd say that.

You're too kind to wield that spell properly.

A card you can't play is just dead weight, so we'll throw that option away.

Instead, I'll teach you something of my own creation."

Mirabel pointed to a distant rock, and Edith's eyes followed.

"What is she going to teach me now…?"

Actually, she just casually said she made her own original spell.

Is she really in the same grade as me?

As these thoughts swirled in her mind, Edith stared at the rock.

"In a duel, you need to hit 'faster than the opponent,' use a spell that 'can't be dodged,' 'can't be blocked,' and one that can 'render them unconscious' for certain.

If you can do all of that, nothing else matters.

Therefore—"

The tip of Mirabel's finger flashed with light.

The next moment, a golden bolt shot out and pierced the rock.

The air crackled with the scent of ozone, and the charred rock stood as proof that the attack had happened.

"—This is 'Lightning Strike.'

It's the one and only attack spell I'll be teaching you."

Edith stared in shock.

Mirabel's grin widened as she continued.

"Humans can lose muscle control with just 0.02 amps of electricity.

At 0.05 amps, breathing stops.

If it hits the heart, the heart stops too.

At 0.1 amps, death is guaranteed."

"…"

"That's why if you cast this faster than your opponent can finish their spell, there's no time to block it, no way to dodge it, and no chance of survival.

With precise control, you can make it knock them out instead of killing them.

Although… sometimes, even low voltage can kill if you're unlucky."

"J-just wait a second!!"

Edith grabbed Mirabel by the shoulders and shook her violently.

"You can't teach me something like that! I don't want to kill anyone!!"

"Then adjust the voltage. Simple, right?"

"Didn't you just say they could still die even if the voltage is low?!"

"Same goes for stunning spells. People can die from those too."

Grinning as if she'd made an excellent point, Mirabel calmly pried Edith's hands away.

"Don't hesitate to pull the trigger. Not for your own sake—but for the sake of the people you want to protect."

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