Harry Potter and the Ambitious Girl

Edith's prediction that something was amiss was correct.

Recently, the atmosphere at Hogwarts had been strange.

Incredibly, two incidents of attempted murder had occurred within what was supposed to be the safest place in the magical world.

The first involved Katie Bell from Gryffindor.

While touching a cursed necklace in Hogsmeade, she nearly died.

Although she had touched it through gloves and survived, she ended up hospitalized at St. Mungo's, causing a commotion at school.

The second incident involved Ron Weasley, also from Gryffindor.

He drank a beverage recommended by Slughorn in his classroom, which was apparently poisoned.

Fortunately, drinking a bezoar saved him from serious harm, but without it, he might have been hospitalized.

This led to suspicion falling on Slughorn, though he hadn't known the beverage was poisoned—originally intended as a gift for Dumbledore.

Was the attack aimed at Slughorn, or perhaps at Dumbledore?

The identity of the culprit remained unknown.

However, what was clear was that neither Katie nor Ron had been the intended victims in both cases.

After the incidents, Harry and Edith first suspected Malfoy.

He had been acting suspiciously since the beginning of the school year—skipping Quidditch matches, moving around furtively, and Harry even caught him disappearing frequently on the Marauder's Map, speaking with Snape.

The conversations seemed to imply that Malfoy was guilty.

Moreover, this hinted at a growing conflict between Malfoy and Snape.

"I'm sure Malfoy is up to something," Harry said.

"I agree. Malfoy has been looking more and more haggard lately… I can't believe it's for nothing," Edith added.

"Ugh, let's just beat it out of him!" Ron muttered.

"Ron, shut up! Harry, let Edith handle that. You should focus on getting the memory from Slughorn!" Hermione scolded.

They usually met in the library to discuss these things—Harry and Edith, along with Ron and Hermione—since they were the only ones who could talk freely without their houses getting in the way.

"I know, I know. But he's avoiding me, Hermione.

What's wrong with keeping an eye on Malfoy until I think of something good?" Harry replied.

"That's not the point, Harry. The 'good plan' is the wrong idea. If magic or potions could get it out of him, Dumbledore would have done it already. By not doing it himself, he's telling you to persuade Malfoy."

Harry faltered under Hermione's argument, looking to Edith for help.

But Edith just shrugged as if to say she was powerless.

And Hermione's words were essentially correct.

Harry had been searching for Voldemort's past in special lessons with Dumbledore since the start of the school year, but the memory from Slughorn was crucial.

If he could unlock that, he could potentially uncover Voldemort's secrets of immortality.

Getting his hands on the memory was the top priority.

"I'll take care of Malfoy. You should focus on getting that memory from Slughorn," Edith advised.

Edith's suggestion allowed Harry to concentrate on what he needed to do.

In reality, it was easier for Edith, being in Slytherin, to investigate Malfoy than for Harry in Gryffindor.

Harry reluctantly nodded in agreement, telling Edith,

"All right. I'll leave Malfoy to you.

I'll think about how to persuade Slughorn."

Several days later, Edith stood in front of the eighth-floor wall—the place Harry had mentioned where the Room of Requirement was located.

She had never used it herself, but according to Harry, it appeared when one needed it, depending on the person's thoughts.

And it was already known that Malfoy used the room.

If Edith could reveal the room he was using, then his purpose for being there would also be revealed.

Edith ponders.

Simply wishing for "Draco Malfoy's room" would likely not work. Hermione insists that you must properly envision the room you want, meaning reading Malfoy's intentions and understanding what kind of space he might need.

So, what room would he be looking for?

The clue lies in the information Harry shared. Malfoy had been to Borgin and Burkes and had been forcing the shopkeeper into something. Also, the cursed necklace that almost killed Katie Bell came from there. But those are minor issues.

He's trying to do something here.

If we believe Harry and Snape's words about the two attempted murders, then Malfoy planned them. He is intending to kill someone.

Who? Katie Bell? No, there's no sufficient reason to kill her. Ron Weasley? They are certainly not on good terms, but not enough to kill him either.

That leaves… Horace Slughorn or Albus Dumbledore. Among the candidates, only these two remain. Unfortunately, Edith, with her limited deductive skills, cannot decipher which of these two is the primary target.

However, that doesn't matter much. The critical point is that Malfoy is not capable of killing either of these two by conventional means.

Malfoy cannot kill these two on his own.

That's why he resorted to using tools. If you consider the cursed necklace and the poisoned drink, it becomes apparent—he's trying to commit murder.

But Malfoy should have learned by now that such a clumsy approach wouldn't work. What then? He needs a more foolproof method, requiring a more potent magical tool.

However, he doesn't have such an object, and even if he did, it would likely trigger inspections. Hiding it would be difficult; someone would find it in this school.

He needs a place to hide it—somewhere no one would find it.

"Too simple, though… If it were this obvious, Harry would have tried it long ago."

With a rueful smile, Edith starts to pace in front of the wall. According to the information Harry gave her, you need to walk around three times here and wish for the room you need.

Despite thinking it's too simple, she decides it's worth trying what comes to mind. Edith wishes for "a place to hide" and successfully conjures the room.

"Well, it actually worked. But of course, Malfoy wouldn't be in some straightforward room…"

Mumbling to herself, she opens the door to find a vast, cathedral-like room, towering walls like a cityscape, filled with tools hidden for centuries, piles of ancient books, and Draco Malfoy, blue-faced, staring at her.

"…Hi? Uh, how's it going, Malfoy?"

Malfoy's already pale face turns even whiter, his eyes widening. Clearly, he doesn't want to be found.

He swiftly draws his wand and points it at Edith. At the same moment, Edith leaps, moving out of the wand's line of fire. A curse just hits the wall behind her, causing a slight scorch.

"What are you doing all of a sudden!?"

"Shut up! Now that you've seen me, I have no choice but to eliminate you!"

Malfoy begins firing curses rapidly, but they have no effect on Edith, who has been trained for a year by Mary. Without a word, she conjures a shield charm, deflecting all his spells.

Next, Edith mentally chants a spell and shoots a bolt of lightning from her wand. It's an unstoppable hit if it lands, but its purpose is lost if it veers off course. Unfortunately, Edith's inexperienced lightning spell misses its target and hits a nearby cabinet, igniting it.

"A… aahhh!? What did you do!?"

Malfoy turns pale, forgetting their duel entirely as he rushes to the flaming cabinet. Desperately trying to extinguish it with water magic, the flames stubbornly persist.

Edith notices his reaction. "This is a chance!"

Without a word, she casts a Petrificus Totalus spell, rendering Malfoy immobile. She further binds him with magic, taking his wand. Then, she splashes water on the burning cabinet, but it's already too late. The cabinet has completely lost its shape, turning into a charred mess.

Seeing the tragic state of the cabinet, Malfoy's eyes widen and his face falls. It's clear that the cabinet was precious to him. Malfoy crumbles like a puppet with cut strings, breaking down into tears.

Edith is taken aback, horrified.

"Is… is it over? Everything…?"

Seeing his spirit crushed like that, Edith breaks into a cold sweat. "Did I… just do that?"

"Ha, ha… So I really get 2,000 galleons for this, Miss?"

"Oh, don't worry. I'll keep my promise."

In the shadowy alleyways of Knockturn Alley, where only shady characters gather, a meeting is taking place out of sight. One participant is Mundungus Fletcher of the Order of the Phoenix. The other is a beautiful young girl, out of place in this alleyway, Mirabel Bellesforth.

Mundungus is a thoroughly despicable man, seemingly without any redeeming qualities, who will betray even his comrades for money or steal from them to trade for gold. Now, he's brought something here—an object he stole from a Black family estate, a locket that was supposedly Sirius Black's property. (Though Sirius himself doesn't seem to care much about Black family heirlooms, considering them junk.)

"Hmmm, this ominous aura… This must be the real thing."

Looking at the golden locket embedded with a green gem in an S-shape, Mirabel is convinced that this is the real Horcrux. Since seizing the fake locket, she has returned to Britain, capturing a random Death Eater—Fenrir Greyback, she thinks—who had been roaming and attacking children.

Underestimating Mirabel's appearance, this foolish werewolf was captured, tortured for information, and eventually killed. From the information obtained, Mirabel learned that R.A.B. was actually Regulus Black. She quickly set her sights on Black's estate.

However, Black's home—i.e., the headquarters for the Order—is protected by protective spells, making it impossible for Mirabel to enter or find anything inside.

But luck was on Mirabel's side. She discovered Mundungus Fletcher, the greatest fool in the Order, and contacted him to steal the locket for her.

"Good job. Here's your 2,000 galleons as promised."

"Heh heh heh… Thanks, much appreciated."

Mirabel hands over a bag of gold coins, then tosses the locket into the air. In the next moment, she unleashes a curse of dark flames that obliterates the locket into nothingness. Mirabel smirks as she watches a piece of Voldemort's soul, trapped within the Horcrux, scream its last and disappear from the world.

"What are you doing!? You're destroying the locket you just gave me…!"

"Hm? What I do with what I bought is my business, isn't it?"

"Well, yes, but… once I've sold it, you can't ask for the money back! It's mine now!"

"Oh, don't worry. The money is yours. Besides…"

Mirabel grins cruelly and turns towards Mundungus.

"Hell's toll requires more than that, doesn't it?"

"Eh? What do you…?"

Mundungus Fletcher is the type to drag his own allies down, someone Mirabel finds utterly detestable.

Actually, there's a way to use this man without killing him. With enough money, Mundungus would do whatever was advantageous for her.

But a man who betrays for money will betray for more money. He is useless as a pawn then.

Therefore, there's no reason left for Mirabel to keep him alive.

"I have no use for you anymore."

A flash of green light erupts in the desolate alleyway.

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