Hermione barely had time to react as Lysithea's first spell came straight at her face. She let out a yelp as a strange, searing sensation passed through every pore of her body. It felt rather like she was tingling, all throughout her pores. It wasn't exactly painful, but Hermione could hear Byleth reprimanding Lysithea.

And then the sensation stopped. Hermione took in a deep breath of air as she stared at Lysithea, who was smugly smiling at her. She felt exhausted: she felt as if she would curl up and die.

"Counterattack, Hermione!" Dorothea shouted. "Do it!"

Hermione raised her hand weakly, and a ball of fire appeared in her hand. Lysithea snorted as the blast fired off her. Hermione rather thought she had done a good job, but Lysithea simply stood as the flame dissipated as it connected.

"Her resistance to magic is really high!" Dorothea explained to her. "You're going to have to overpower her." Hermione gritted her teeth.

"And how exactly am I supposed to do that?"

Even with a wand, she doubted she could have matched the fluid, elegant dance of her movements. This was a girl who had spent her entire life learning how to be an expert duelist. Hermione doubted that anyone at Hogwarts could have matched her speed and precision. And she had real combat experience, if Dorothea's statements about the school's curriculum were any indication.

But this was why she was here, wasn't it? To become a better duelist? She gritted her teeth and got into position. She brushed Edelgard's white hair (Which had been getting increasingly messy) out of her eyes and considered her opponent. Lysithea was smiling. Clearly she was relishing the feeling of being the superior fighter in this situation.

Hermione closed her eyes and tried to think rationally. Magic was not all that dissimilar from the curriculum at Hogwarts. But it was focused more on straight up warfare. So far she had mostly been thinking about how she did not know how the magic here was practiced. But she had neglected to consider what she DID know.

She raised her hand to her face and watched as it magically lit alit. The fire in her palm was bursting with energy. She raised her hand back and stared at Lysithea.

She was already moving. She was so fast, Hermione barely had time to consider her plan as another burst of pain soared through her.

"Lysithea!" Byleth snapped. "Are you trying to kill her?"

Hermione gasped. She felt like bursting into tears. Lysithea snickered.

"The Mighty Edelgard, in tears?" She asked coyly. "How qu-"

Hermione thrust out her hand. "Petrifucus Totalus!"

She had never used a wandless spell in her life. She had experimented, of course, immediately after she had come across the subject. But she had never managed to do simple spells nonverbally. Wandless spells were supposed to be even harder.

But she had been practicing wandless magic all day. And combined with her existing powers and new training…

Lysithea gasped. Her arms and limbs snapped together. She stared at Hermione, as if horror struck, before tumbling to the ground.

Byleth was on his feet in a flash. "What was that?" He asked sharply. "What did you do to her!"

"Nothing!" Hermione said quickly. "Just a… curse…" She looked down at Dorothea, who was looking at her shocked, and then back down to Lysithea. "I can't believe that worked!"

"What's wrong with her?" Byleth demanded. He sounded, if anything, a little bit panicked. Hermione rather thought this was the first time she had heard any real emotion out of him.

"It's a full body bind." Hermione said. "I… uh, cursed her." The two stared at her. She shifted about uncomfortably. "I mean, I should be able to undo it…?"

Byleth stared at her, as if appraising her, before nodding. "Yes, do that." He said. Hermione limped over to where Lysithea was laying down and bent over her.

"Uh…" She had to think to recall the incantation (The last time she had used the spell she had simply left Neville lying there for the Teachers to find) but it eventually came to her.

Lysithea, once unbound, leapt up. "That was a dirty trick!" She shouted furiously. "I had you beat!"

She seemed positively beside her. Hermione was relieved to see that she was not hurt, but a little taken aback by her anger. "I'm sorry." She said quickly. "I didn't mean to offend you… I mean, I didn't know how else to beat you, you were so much better than me…"

"No, you don't need to apologize, Hermione." Byleth said, cutting in. He stared at Lysithea disapprovingly. "You did exactly what you were supposed to do. In fact, I would say that I have never seen magic like that before."

Hermione blushed.

"Lysithea, you need to understand that sometimes enemies will put out spells and techniques that you have never seen before." He went on. "They will try and do everything in their power to crush you, if they can. You must be prepared."

"I don't think I will need to be prepared for something like THAT again." Lysithea said sniffily. She sounded rather like a disappointed little girl. She really did seem quite a lot younger than the rest of the class. "I just want her to fight fair, that's all."

"There's no fair play in warfare." Byleth told her. "The winner takes all, and that's that. I hope you both learned valuable lessons today."

"What lessons was I to learn?" Lysithea asked sulkily.

"That you must never underestimate your opponent." Byleth said. "And you, Hermione… you're surpassing all of our expectations, I think. I am eager to see you grow further."

Hermione preened. "Why thank you."

"I think that will be all." Byleth said. "You may take a break for the rest of the day. I will see you girls in class tomorrow."

He turned, and just like that he was gone. Hermione found herself following him with her eyes as he stepped away. Dorothea giggled.

"He's really something, isn't he?"

Hermione smiled. "Yes." She said. "I think he may be one of the best teachers I've ever had."

"That's not ALL you were thinking." Dorothea teased, as she grabbed her arm. "You have more in common with Edelgard than I thought!"

"And what is that supposed to mean!"

"We'll talk about it over dinner." Dorothea promised, as she gave her arm a squeeze. "Would you like to join us, Lysithea?"

"I think not." Lysithea said, rather haughtily. "I… would like some time to myself, thank you very much."

"It was a pleasure to meet you, Lysithea." Hermione said formally. "I hope we'll see each other again."

Lysithea shook her head as she turned away.

"She's always like that." Dorothea confided in her, as they stepped down the hallway, arm in arm. Hermione was beginning to find herself a little uncomfortable with the intimate contact, but hadn't the heart to speak up about it. "She's a little bit… Ah…."

"I know." Hermione said. "She reminds me of myself when I was younger, actually."

"Ooooh, does she? I wouldn't think so. You're so much friendlier than her."

"Well, something changed."

"What?"

Hermione smiled. She thought of a giant club falling on top of a twelve foot tall Mountain Troll. "I met my best friends."

…

Edelgard found herself right outside the Headmaster's office. She had been summoned up by here Owl, and escorted here by Harry Potter himself, who had apparently been up here several times. She stared at the wooden door in front of her, and then knocked.

"Come in."

Edelgard found herself stepping into the office. She found herself admiring the pleasant eccentricity she was beginning to truly admire about Hogwarts: The moving paintings on the wall, the beautiful golden instruments, the bright red beautiful bird, and even the bookcases.

Dumbledore himself was sitting behind his desk. He was looking very grave indeed. Edelgard stood and folded her arms behind her.

"Sir." She said. "How may I be of service?"

Dumbledore considered her carefully. She saw no trace of the polite, friendly old man she had encountered when she had first arrived in this place. He seemed much more analytical and serious. Finally, he spoke.

"I have heard that you have gotten into a situation with Professor Umbridge."

"I did." Edelgard answered. "She seemed to think that I was a student here."

"My deepest apologies." Dumbledore said. "I am having considerable difficulties with the Ministry at the moment and… I felt it best that I not confide in Professor Umbridge regarding your strange situation. Although she has exerted a considerable authority and control over this school, I do not feel that she would have proved of much assistance when it came to your situation."

"I understand completely." Edelgard said. "I did not fully understand this school's political situation when I first came here. And I believe that I may have… gotten under Professor Umbridge's skin, to say the least."

"That is an understatement." Dumbledore said flatly. "She is demanding your expulsion."

"That makes two of us. I have no desire to stay."

Dumbledore stood up.

"And I know that is so." He said. "But you… I do not understand you, Edelgard. You have no ties to this school. You have no history here. You came here via a phenomenon that we are only just now beginning to understand. And yet you feel the need to insert yourself rather aggressively into matters that don't concern you."

"Are you accusing me of something, Headmaster?" Edelgard asked.

"I simply wish to know your mindset."

Edelgard's eyes hardened. "I care." She said simply. "You, this school, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley… all of you have taken me in and treated me not like a prisoner, or a freak of nature, but one of their own. I'm deeply grateful for everything you have done. I'm not sure if I made this clear to you, Headmaster, when we last spoke, but I have been watching and learning everything about this school. About your history, about Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort… about you, and your Ministry. I wanted to get involved."

"That was not necessary." Dumbledore said. He was no longer speaking to her like a child, Edelgard noticed. Perhaps that had been his mistake. He had assumed that she had been around Hermione's age, and not a grown woman about to take her place as Emperor of an entire continent. "In fact, I daresay it was rather dangerous…"

"Is Voldemort not dangerous?" Edelgard demanded. "Is the Ministry's refusal to acknowledge him dangerous?" She raised her hand and flashed the message she had carved into Hermione's hand. Dumbledore stared at her. Edelgard rather thought that he didn't know what to make of her. She suspected that no one had ever spoken to him this way before.

"Lord Voldemort is very dangerous." He said quietly. "Very much so. I am sure that Harry has told you everything he could about him… his terrible powers, the things he would do for power. The people he's enslaved or killed…" He shook his head gravely. "His return has been a blight on our world."

"If that's true." Edelgard said. "We need to do something about it."

Dumbledore looked up at her. He seemed to be considering her words.

"There has been action taken." He said. "Do not mistake the Ministry's current attitude as being indictive of our entire world. I have spoken with many who know that He has indeed returned. We are preparing, step by step."

"I have not observed this." Edelgard noted. "Half of Gryffindor House is not convinced he has returned." Dumbledore nodded.

"I am aware."

"And what's more." Edelgard went on. "Harry himself… is he not woefully unprepared to battle Voldemort? He is a good and kind soul, I can clearly see that, but he is no warrior. He has spoken to me about how lonely and isolated he feels, with the people around him telling him that he's too young to be involved."

Dumbledore stared at her. She could not read that expression. He seemed somehow sad and judgmental of her, all at once.

"I don't." Edelgard went on. "Want to leave this place in a worse condition than I left it. I will crush all Ministry influence from this school and stop their propaganda in its tracks."

"Edelgard." Dumbledore said slowly. "I believe your heart is in the right place, but think of what you are saying. You are in a place that you do not fully understand. You are getting involved with a situation that is way beyond your abilities-"

"That may be so." Edelgard said. "But I will not sit idly by and do nothing. I have already spoken with Gryffindor House, and we are planning a formal demand to the Ministry to have Dolores Umbridge removed from the school. We're planning on getting the other houses to sign it as well."

"Edelgard…"

"Furthermore." Edelgard continued. "Until the students are given a proper, satisfactory Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor, I elect that they should not be forced to attend Umbridge's classes. They should learn and teach themselves, until a satisfactory replacement is found."

"Edelgard-" He said again.

"The future is looking bright, Headmaster." She said, offering him a small smile. "You do not have to worry. I will do everything in my power to fix your school, no matter the cost."

And without waiting to be dismissed, she turned around and opened the door.

"By the way." She said. "Thank you for everything, Headmaster. I hope that I can someday repay you."

She shut the door.