The news of Jane Yu casting the Imperius Curse on Professor Moody during Defense Against the Dark Arts spread like wildfire across the school.
This explosive piece of gossip quickly made her the talk of Hogwarts, even overshadowing the Triwizard Tournament.
Opinions about her became sharply divided.
Some believed she had been corrupted by dark magic, avoiding her as if she carried a contagious curse.
"Well, she is a Slytherin, you know. Spending all that time with those people... it's bound to rub off on her."
"That was the Imperius Curse! Plenty of dark wizards sent to Azkaban claimed He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named used that very curse on them!"
However, many others thought she had only acted under Moody's coercion, trying to protect her classmates.
Among Slytherins, her reputation soared. Even the fourth-years waited for her to leave the common room first before heading to class.
Meanwhile, the trio from Gryffindor's common room—Harry, Ron, and Hermione—were convinced there was more to the story.
"That day, I was walking with Yu when Moody called her over," Harry explained to his friends. "He said he wanted to clear up some misunderstandings..."
At this, Ron suddenly took a deep breath, glanced around to ensure no one was eavesdropping, and whispered:
"Harry, think about it—what if there's something wrong with Moody? Don't forget her prophecy—"
Hermione's eyes widened as realization dawned. She nodded and said in a low voice:
"She must have discovered something... Yu wouldn't just use the Imperius Curse on someone for no reason!"
The three of them collectively gasped.
"We need to keep an eye on her. There's definitely a reason behind what she did!"
After that encounter, Professor Moody's attitude toward Jane Yu took a complete 180-degree turn. He treated her as if she were his own child, guiding her with patience and care, pouring his heart and soul into her lessons.
He even forbade anyone from speaking ill of her. If he caught anyone bad-mouthing Jane, they'd receive a thorough scolding.
"Come forward! It seems you're eager to learn how to resist the Imperius Curse yourself!"
During one Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson, Moody's magical eye, with its 360-degree range, caught two students whispering about Jane.
The next moment, pieces of chalk shot out, striking their heads and leaving two large lumps.
"Don't let me hear you gossiping about your classmates again!"
"I asked her to assist with the lesson so you could all have a profound experience of dark magic!"
Under his relentless efforts, the rumors about Jane and dark magic gradually died down.
Soon, the upcoming Triwizard Tournament became the main topic of discussion.
A notice in the entrance hall announced that representatives from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang would arrive on October 30th, causing a stir among the students.
For the next week, no matter where Jane went, all she heard was talk about the tournament—who would be Hogwarts' champion, what the challenges might be, and what the students from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang would be like.
The castle was undergoing a thorough cleaning. Dirty portraits were scrubbed clean, their inhabitants wincing in pain as their freshly exposed skin was rubbed raw. The suits of armor gleamed brightly and no longer creaked when they moved.
Perhaps because of the upcoming inter-school exchanges, the professors seemed even more anxious than the students.
"I hope you won't disgrace us in front of the other schools," Professor Snape remarked during Potions class. "How fortunate I am to have a class of students who can't even brew an antidote for Shrinking Solution, turning my dungeon into a monument to mediocrity."
"Put down those fake wands! You're fourth-years, not first-years!" Professor McGonagall snapped during Transfiguration, glaring at two students using fake wands as swords.
Exhausted from dealing with the students, the professors turned their attention to Jane during her private tutoring sessions, repeatedly emphasizing:
"Show some Hogwarts spirit, Yu," Professor McGonagall urged. "The visiting students are the best their schools have to offer—"
Jane cheerfully agreed.
She had already suggested to Dumbledore the idea of inter-school classroom exchanges, such as letting the visiting students experience Hogwarts' unique classes or inviting their headmasters to give guest lectures.
A few days ago, she even received a recommendation letter from the Lemay couple addressed to Madame Maxime, the headmistress of Beauxbatons!
Once she had earned enough goodwill, she could propose an exchange program—
After all, aiding her transfer plan was a mission she couldn't refuse!
...
It wasn't just the professors and students who were on edge; Argus Filch, the castle caretaker, was more high-strung than ever.
If any student left footprints in the corridor without wiping their shoes, he would fly into a rage, scaring two first-year girls into hysterics.
"I can't tell who's more paranoid—Filch or Moody!" they complained.
The Weasley twins, perpetual thorns in Filch's side, found themselves targeted more than ever.
"As you taught us, we're preparing to expand our customer base and break into the European market," Fred said, holding a thick stack of order forms. He marked a few items like Screaming Yo-Yos and Werewolf Whizzing Frisbees.
"We've got a massive shipment ready, just waiting for the Beauxbatons and Durmstrang students to try them out—"
His twin brother George let out a long sigh.
"But Filch's eyes are practically glued to our backs. Whether it's between classes or during meals, you can hear him coughing five steps away."
"Last week, we lost half our Screaming Yo-Yos and Whizzing Frisbees—they all ended up in his office."
Jane calculated the lost Galleons and felt a pang of heartache.
After a moment's thought, she suggested:
"Why not use the Room of Requirement for your handoffs? Filch can't get in there—"
Since gaming consoles were legalized, the club had relocated back to its original 1.0 version, making the Room of Requirement available again for anyone who needed it.
The twins exchanged a glance, and Fred grinned.
"Great minds think alike—we were just planning to sneak in."
George immediately added:
"You're welcome to inspect our setup—and if you could throw in a few more Undetectable Extension Charms on our trunks, we'd be forever grateful!"
Jane couldn't help but laugh.
So that's what they were after—her enchantments!
Carrying a large trunk of joke products, Fred paced back and forth three times in front of the Room of Requirement.
"I need a place to hide joke products..."
The door appeared, and Jane opened it, stepping inside.
The sight before them left the three of them stunned. They stood in a room as vast as a cathedral, with towering walls of clutter piled high. Sunlight streaming through the windows illuminated the chaos—broken furniture, heaps of books, bottles of congealed potions, troll specimens, rusty swords, and bloodstained axes. There was even a grotesque bust of an old wizard.
Fred and George began unloading their goods, adding to the city of discarded items.
It seemed their products already covered more than half of the items prohibited by the school's official list.
They concealed their goods under broken furniture and placed the grotesque bust of the old wizard on top for good measure.
To make it even more conspicuous, Jane added an old, faded crown to the wizard's head.
"Mission accomplished!"
They dusted off their hands and began exploring the room, occasionally letting out exclamations of surprise.
"Look at this winged slingshot! Jewelry! A dragon eggshell! And this hat!"
"Imagine how much we could sell this for—"
There was an undeniable thrill to exploring the room, like opening a treasure chest full of surprises.
But Jane couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.
When she picked up the crown, her palm tingled slightly.
Curious, she examined it again, but the sensation was gone.
"'Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure'?"
The inscription seemed very Ravenclaw.
Perhaps it was something left behind by a Ravenclaw student from years past.
She placed the diadem back on the old wizard's bust.
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