Regulus Black arrived at the staff table and quietly began enjoying his lunch.
This time, he didn't sit next to Snape but chose a seat beside Professor Flitwick instead. The change of seating naturally drew Snape's attention—clearly, Regulus Black had something to discuss with Flitwick.
"Professor Flitwick, there's something I'd like to consult you about."
After finishing his meal in a refined manner, Regulus Black dabbed his mouth with a napkin, then lifted his wine glass and began speaking cordially to Flitwick.
"What can I help you with, Black?"
Professor Flitwick had also finished his meal and responded with a friendly smile, raising his glass as well.
Back when Dumbledore invited Flitwick to teach Charms, he had initially refused—because of his height, and because of his race.
But once he actually took on the job, he found genuine joy in it.
So, the idea of caring for students was something he took seriously. In fact, all four Heads of House genuinely cared for their students. Professor Snape's way of showing it was just a little… unconventional.
"There's this one student who's incredibly studious. Her thirst for knowledge is rare, even among the students I've seen. Right now, she's already studying material far beyond her age, and in the future, she'll definitely choose to take all the elective subjects. I believe she's more suited to be in Ravenclaw."
Though Regulus didn't say her name directly, Flitwick already knew exactly who he meant. Among all the first-year students at Hogwarts, only Gryffindor's Hermione fit that description. And she had every reason to transfer—Gryffindor wasn't exactly a haven for academic research, while the ever-diligent Hermione was undoubtedly a better match for Ravenclaw.
"I'm not entirely sure—there doesn't seem to be any precedent at Hogwarts for this. But personally, I would be more than happy to welcome a student so passionate about learning."
Professor Flitwick didn't reject the idea outright. Instead, he offered a diplomatic answer. After all, the movies never really addressed whether inter-House transfers were even possible.
"Then I'll take that as your agreement. I'll speak with Dumbledore myself."
Regulus Black raised his glass in gratitude to Professor Flitwick for his understanding. Meanwhile, across the Great Hall, Hermione was walking toward the Gryffindor table. She lifted her water glass and gave Regulus a distant yet radiant smile.
Later, Regulus relayed the same conversation to Dumbledore. After considerable deliberation, the old headmaster finally nodded in agreement.
"Ravenclaw is a remarkable House. Among the four, it's the most united in spirit. It's not the most showy—because Gryffindor already commands the spotlight with its boldness. It's not the most low-key—Hufflepuff tends to quietly take that role. And it's not the most 'pure'—that title goes to Slytherin with its high number of pure-blood nobles. But it consistently has the best overall academic performance. Not just a few standout students—but across the board. That's what defines Ravenclaw: a House that measures everything by knowledge."
Once Hermione's transfer was confirmed, Regulus Black retrieved a special item from Professor Flitwick:
A Time-Turner.
Later on, when elective courses became available, Hermione chose every single one. However, many of those classes were scheduled at conflicting times. Thus, she became the only student in Gryffindor granted this magical device.
Due to the nature of the Time-Turner, if it had ended up in the hands of just any Gryffindor, they might've accidentally destroyed the world before Voldemort even got the chance.
And although Hermione was the only Gryffindor to ever receive it, later on—even in the future—Harry Potter's own children would also gain access to it. After repeatedly tampering with time and enduring the chaos that followed, they were finally so terrified they swore never to use it again.
Thanks to the butterfly effect, even the smallest mistake with the Time-Turner could alter the timeline, potentially erasing people who were supposed to exist.
Only in the hands of Ravenclaw could the Time-Turner serve its intended purpose—a learning tool that helped the Little Eagles study more effectively.
"As for how to use this magical artifact, I think it's best you take Professor Flitwick's and your fellow Ravenclaws' advice once you join the House."
Regulus Black placed the Time-Turner around Hermione's neck. The golden chain was long enough to encircle two people. It had two concentric metal rings with a round metal plate in the center, which held a tiny hourglass.
"Turn the innermost ring—each full turn moves time back by one hour. The second ring—each full rotation takes you back a whole day."
The golden chain looped around both Regulus Black and Hermione, their faces nearly touching. The closeness made the little girl blush all the way down to her neck.
Turning the second ring once represented twelve hours. Suddenly, the scenery around them began to change dramatically.
"I'm telling you! Ron is such a jerk! I was just trying to kindly tell him the proper way to pronounce the Levitation Charm, and he... he actually had the nerve to snap at me like that! Sob sob..."
When Regulus Black and Hermione finally stopped moving, they found themselves in the Room of Requirement twelve hours in the past. The previous version of Hermione was crying to [Zero], once again consumed by sorrow—something that made the current Hermione feel extremely embarrassed.
"If it weren't for Mr. Black comforting me and saving me from the troll, I don't even want to imagine what might have happened to me..."
Hearing this much, the present Hermione hurriedly dragged Regulus Black out of the room. She definitely didn't want him to hear what came next—especially not the part where she confessed her feelings to him.
Things like: The assistant professor is the best!
Or: He's so handsome!
And all sorts of other compliments—there were way too many to count.
"So, as long as there's no direct eye contact, memories won't be retained?"
Just after leaving the Room of Requirement, Hermione started to put the pieces together. Their earlier appearance hadn't been part of her memory, yet somehow it felt familiar—like she vaguely recalled someone else being in the room.
"That's right. As long as there's no direct eye contact, you could even use it while lying in bed—it's totally fine."
Regulus Black was now walking Hermione back to the Gryffindor dorm. Even though his private quarters connected directly to the common rooms of all the Houses, there was already a version of Hermione inside. So he chose to escort the other Hermione back on foot.
"For example, say you have class at 7 a.m., but when you wake up it's already 8, and you still feel tired. At that point, you have two choices."
Waving two fingers, Regulus Black continued explaining.
"One option is to estimate how much more sleep you need and turn back time accordingly. That way, there will be two of you in the bed. One version just woke up, still groggy and adjusting the Time-Turner. The other version is from earlier—you went back a few hours and kept sleeping until fully rested, waking up on time. When you leave, the 'still-sleeping' you is left behind to finish that extra sleep."
"The second option is to just go back to sleep without trying to estimate how much you need. Sleep until you're satisfied, and then use the Time-Turner to send yourself directly to the time you were supposed to wake up. That way, you can skip the guesswork."
Even the slowest walk eventually comes to an end. The two had arrived in front of the portrait of the Fat Lady guarding the Gryffindor common room.
"How can I ever thank you?"
Hermione, who had been silent the whole way, finally spoke. She knew full well that if Regulus Black hadn't helped her, transferring to another House would've been completely impossible on her own.
"Maybe... you could marry me when you grow up!"
Regulus Black said it half-jokingly, half-serious. Who knew what the future held? It wasn't out of the realm of possibility. Right now, he was planting the seed in this little girl's heart.
"I'll think about it."
Hermione replied in a soft voice, her face bright red. She had no idea how many times she'd blushed today—it was impossible to keep track.
"Remember, before lunch, don't have any contact with Professor Flitwick or any Ravenclaws. And during lunch, don't forget to raise your glass to me."
"Yes, sir. I've got it. After all, before lunch, none of this has happened yet."
Hermione promised earnestly. If she did anything out of place before noon, it could alter 'history.' Up until now, everything had gone smoothly, and she was more than willing to follow the rules to keep it that way.
From the inside, the Fat Lady's portrait opened. An early-rising Gryffindor student hadn't expected anyone to already be outside.
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