Tamara's lips twitched faintly.
Even though the system was usually infuriating, she had to admit that this time, it had done her a considerable favor.
She drew in a slow breath. The crimson glow in her eyes gradually faded, returning to their usual deep black.
Almost immediately, the strength drained from her body.
Her vision blurred, her knees weakened, and the world seemed to tilt beneath her feet. She swayed, barely managing to steady herself against a nearby tree before collapsing.
"Tamara!"
Draco rushed forward and caught her just in time.
Tear tracks still streaked his pale face, but his gray eyes burned with fervent admiration.
"You… you drove it away!"
He could barely form coherent sentences, his excitement spilling over uncontrollably.
"Merlin—what was that spell? That fire serpent… it was incredible! You saved me! You saved all of us!"
He gripped her arm tightly, as though clinging to the very foundation of his belief.
At his moment of greatest terror and despair, Tamara had stood before him like an unstoppable force, crushing the monster with overwhelming power.
To a Malfoy—someone who revered strength above all else—that kind of impact was nothing short of absolute.
"Cough… cough…"
Tamara coughed weakly, her body sagging as she leaned into him.
"Stop shouting, Draco… I'm tired."
"Sorry! I'll be quiet!"
Draco immediately clamped his mouth shut, adjusting his hold with exaggerated care.
"Are you alright? Are you hurt?"
Not far away, Harry pressed a hand to his forehead as the sharp pain finally subsided.
He pushed himself upright, his movements unsteady, and looked around.
The scorched earth. The shattered trees. And Tamara, supported by Draco.
Even through the haze of pain, he had seen everything clearly.
To protect them, she had stood alone against that terrifying creature—pushing herself to the brink of collapse.
"Tamara…"
He approached slowly, emotions churning within him.
Gratitude. Guilt. Shock.
"Thank you," he said quietly. "If it wasn't for you—"
"That's enough, Potter."
Tamara closed her eyes, her expression tightening with faint irritation.
"I don't need to hear pointless gratitude."
But Harry didn't retreat.
He looked at her pale face, at the slight tremor in her shoulders as she struggled to remain upright. The weakness that followed such extreme exertion was unmistakable.
Something firm and resolute took root in his chest.
"I'll help."
Without waiting for permission, he stepped forward and took hold of her other arm.
"Let go, Potter!"
Draco snapped, glaring at him with open hostility.
"I can manage on my own! I don't need help from a hypocritical scar-head like you!"
"Shut up, Malfoy! Can't you see she can barely stand?"
Harry shot back, equally unyielding.
"She ended up like this because she saved us. It's my responsibility to get her back safely!"
"If you felt responsible, you should've fought instead of lying there whimpering!"
"And you were doing what—running away screaming?!"
The two boys began arguing over her head like a pair of squabbling roosters.
Tamara, caught between them, felt an entirely different kind of exhaustion settle in.
"…Honestly."
She exhaled weakly, attempting to push them away.
"I'm not dead. I don't need to be carried like a corpse in a funeral procession."
"Don't push yourself," Harry said firmly, tightening his grip instead of loosening it.
His gaze flicked to the uneven forest ground ahead—roots, mud, and hidden pitfalls.
"The path's dangerous. And your hands are shaking."
His tone left no room for argument.
"No matter what you say, I'm not letting go. Not until we reach the castle gates."
"That's right, Tamara."
To everyone's surprise, Draco nodded in agreement.
Though he shot Harry a look of undisguised disgust, his grip on Tamara tightened protectively.
"As much as it pains me to agree with that scar-head, he's right. As a Slytherin, I refuse to let you collapse in such a filthy place."
And so, in a rare and bizarre moment of unity, the two boys supported her from either side.
Tamara's feet barely touched the ground as they practically carried her forward.
She stared up at the dark canopy above, feeling an unfamiliar sense of indignity creeping in.
Her dignity—as the Dark Lord, no less—was being trampled into the dirt by two eleven-year-olds.
In the past, anyone who dared touch her like this would have been reduced to pieces and fed to Nagini.
Now…
Her powerful, elegant serpent had been reduced to a useless cat that could do little more than hiss.
Truly, a fall from grace.
They had only walked a short distance when a loud crashing sound broke through the forest.
Hagrid burst into the clearing, with Hermione and Ron close behind, both visibly out of breath.
"Are yeh all right?!"
Hagrid's eyes fell upon the fallen unicorn, lying lifeless in a pool of blood.
His expression twisted with grief, tears immediately welling in his eyes.
But seeing the battered students, he forced himself to focus.
"What happened here?!"
"It was a monster!" Draco declared quickly, unable to hide a hint of pride.
"It tried to kill us—but Tamara drove it away!"
Hermione gasped, covering her mouth as her gaze locked onto Tamara.
"You… you fought the creature that killed the unicorn?"
Tamara didn't answer, only giving a faint nod.
"Tamara!"
Before anyone could react, Hermione rushed forward like a gust of wind.
She collided with Tamara in a fierce embrace.
The sudden impact forced both Harry and Draco to stumble back, releasing their hold.
Tamara's legs gave out immediately.
Just as she was about to fall—
Hermione held her.
Despite her slight frame, the girl's grip was surprisingly strong.
She wrapped her arms tightly around Tamara's waist, holding her upright with sheer determination.
Unlike before, this hug was firm, desperate, and trembling with lingering fear.
Hermione buried her face against Tamara's shoulder, her voice thick with tears.
"When Hagrid and I heard Draco scream… I thought something had happened to you!"
Tamara stiffened.
The sensation of Hermione's curls brushing against her neck made her uncomfortable.
More than that, the warmth radiating from her—mixed with a faint scent of ink and something floral—felt overwhelming.
Her instinct was to push her away.
But Hermione clung to her like a drowning person clutching driftwood.
"You're always like this…"
Hermione pulled back slightly, her eyes red and glistening.
"Always rushing ahead. Always ignoring your own safety to protect others…"
Her voice trembled.
"Last time it was the troll. Now this…"
She looked at Tamara with unwavering admiration.
"You're the bravest person I've ever seen. Even braver than a Gryffindor."
Tamara froze.
Brave?
Ignoring her own safety?
Being praised like this—by a Gryffindor, no less—felt… strange.
"…Let go."
She turned her head slightly, her voice dry.
"You're getting tears on my robes."
"S-sorry!"
Hermione quickly pulled back, flustered, wiping her face.
But even then, her fingers remained curled into Tamara's sleeve, unwilling to let go completely.
"I was just… really worried. What if you'd been hurt?"
"There are no 'what ifs.'"
Tamara straightened her robes with practiced composure.
"That thing couldn't harm me."
She paused, then added with a faint edge:
"And if I had fallen, were we supposed to rely on the rest of you, who could only stand there and cry?"
The words were sharp—but Hermione heard something else beneath them.
If Tamara fell… who would protect them?
Her heart skipped.
A flush of shame rose to her cheeks.
She lowered her head, her grip tightening.
"I… I know I'm not strong enough yet."
Her voice wavered—but didn't break.
"But I'll study harder. I'll go over Defensive Magical Theory again. And The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection…"
She lifted her head, her eyes burning with determination.
"Next time… I'll be able to help you. At least cast Shield Charms. Or watch your back."
Tamara studied her for a moment.
Then, almost imperceptibly, the corner of her mouth twitched.
"…Do as you like."
Nearby, Ron scratched his head, looking utterly confused.
"Since when did they all get so close?"
At that moment—
[Ding! Mission Complete: Pure Guardian.]
[You successfully repelled the main soul and protected your classmates (though the unicorn still perished).]
[Evaluation: Exceptional courage and decisiveness under pressure.]
[Reward: Courage +10]
[Current Courage: 27]
[Congratulations! Courage has exceeded 20 points.]
[Advanced Reward Unlocked: Spell Mastery — Expelliarmus]
[System Note: Though classified as a defensive spell, in the hands of a master, it can determine the outcome of a duel. Harry Potter's future signature spell is now yours.]
"…I already knew that one," Tamara muttered through clenched teeth
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