Unfortunately for Logan, Madam Pince did not share his enthusiasm for "efficient learning."
From her perspective, the situation had become increasingly outrageous.
Originally, she believed Logan had finally come to his senses after abandoning the Shield Charm textbooks. After all, no sane first-year student should have been attempting to master advanced defensive magic in the first place.
But instead of improving, things somehow became worse.
Much worse.
Now the boy had moved on to rapidly flipping through massive magical encyclopaedias, advanced spell theory collections, and even restricted tactical spellbooks normally studied by trained Aurors.
And he was reading them absurdly fast.
Far too fast.
At this point, Madam Pince was convinced he wasn't actually reading anything at all.
Nobody could absorb information by turning pages like that.
Nobody.
She had already attempted to warn him once before, but Logan simply smiled politely and continued destroying her understanding of normal academic behaviour.
Madam Pince leaned back in her chair and narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
In her mental evaluation of Logan Anderson, she had already added several labels.
Ambitious.
Reckless.
And now—
Greedy.
What a waste of such a handsome face.
As for the absurd idea that Logan had stopped studying the Shield Charm because he had already mastered it?
Ridiculous.
If a first-year truly managed to master the Shield Charm after one afternoon in the library, then Madam Pince would personally eat the copy of The Legendary Life of Gilderoy Lockhart currently sitting beside her desk.
Cover included.
.....
Outside the library entrance, Draco Malfoy hid awkwardly behind a stone pillar while secretly peeking inside.
Honestly, even he wasn't entirely sure why he was there.
He had simply… happened to walk past.
And then somehow found himself checking whether Logan was inside.
That was all.
Absolutely nothing strange about it.
After several moments of cautious observation, Malfoy finally spotted Logan buried beneath a mountain of books near the rear of the library.
His heartbeat immediately sped up.
Now came the difficult part.
How exactly was he supposed to repair their relationship?
Malfoy mentally rehearsed several opening lines.
He could explain the misunderstanding from the train.
Or perhaps subtly demonstrate his superiority over Potter and Weasley first.
Maybe Logan simply hadn't realised yet that only someone from a noble pure-blood family could truly stand beside him—
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Footsteps suddenly echoed through the corridor behind him.
Malfoy panicked instantly and pressed himself against the wall.
Someone was coming.
A moment later, Hermione Granger appeared in his field of vision.
Malfoy recognised her immediately.
The insufferably intelligent Gryffindor girl constantly seen around Potter, Weasley… and most importantly, Logan Anderson.
Recently, the girls in Slytherin had been gossiping nonstop about her.
Apparently, Hermione had been spending nearly every evening in the library with Logan lately.
Malfoy had suffered emotional damage upon hearing this information.
Surely that manipulative little witch was attempting to seduce Logan using underhanded tactics.
Disgraceful.
Absolutely disgraceful.
Malfoy immediately stepped into her path.
"Well, well," he sneered. "Where exactly are you rushing off to, Granger?"
Hermione frowned in confusion.
She already knew Malfoy disliked Gryffindor students, but she didn't understand why he had suddenly blocked her way.
"I'm busy," she replied flatly. "Move aside."
Malfoy looked at her with the confidence of someone who believed he had uncovered a sinister conspiracy.
"I already know your plan," he declared coldly. "And I won't allow it."
Hermione blinked.
"…What?"
"You think I don't understand what you're doing?" Malfoy continued. "Trying to stay close to Logan Anderson?"
His expression darkened.
"He's completely different from you and that ridiculous Potter. Logan is destined to become someone extraordinary."
Malfoy raised his chin proudly.
"And only someone equally outstanding deserves to stand beside him."
After several seconds of stunned silence, Hermione finally understood.
Malfoy was insane.
That was the only explanation.
"You want me to stay away from Logan?" Hermione crossed her arms. "Keep dreaming."
Then she brushed past him and headed directly toward the library entrance.
Malfoy froze.
How dare she ignore him?
Worse, how dare she reject his perfectly reasonable warning?
Humiliation and anger surged through him instantly.
Without thinking, he grabbed Hermione's sleeve from behind.
Hermione reacted immediately.
In one smooth movement, she twisted around, seized Malfoy's arm, bent forward slightly—
And threw him directly over her shoulder.
THUD!
The corridor went silent.
Malfoy lay flat on the stone floor staring blankly upward.
Who was he?
Where was he?
What had just happened?
The sharp pain radiating through his back quickly confirmed one horrifying truth.
He had just been thrown to the ground by a girl.
This outcome had not appeared anywhere in his mental script.
Originally, he was supposed to expose Hermione's schemes using his superior intellect and overwhelming noble aura.
Instead…
He got body-slammed into the floor.
Hermione looked down at him smugly, clearly pleased with herself.
"Serves you right," her expression practically said.
Then she turned and continued toward the library as though nothing had happened.
Meanwhile, Malfoy slowly climbed to his feet trembling with rage.
Several passing students had clearly witnessed the entire scene.
Even worse…
Some of them looked like they were trying not to laugh.
The humiliation overwhelmed him instantly.
Malfoy's face twisted with fury as he drew his wand.
"You filthy Mudblood!" he shouted viciously. "How dare you attack a pure-blood wizard?!"
His wand pointed directly at Hermione's back.
"I'll make you regret this!"
At that moment, Malfoy intended to cast the harshest curse he knew.
Even if he had barely mastered it.
But before he could attack—
A strong arm suddenly pulled Hermione backward.
Logan stepped forward between them.
His eyes turned cold.
"Expelliarmus."
A flash of purple light shot forward faster than the eye could follow.
Malfoy's wand exploded from his hand instantly and flew several metres down the corridor.
Everything happened in less than a second.
Hermione stood frozen behind Logan as the reality of the situation finally hit her.
Malfoy had actually pointed his wand at her.
And despite his arrogance and incompetence, he still came from an old pure-blood wizarding family. Who knew what dangerous magic he might have learned growing up?
The thought sent a chill down her spine.
Slowly, Hermione looked up toward Logan with gratitude filling her eyes.
"…Logan?"
.....
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