HP: The Root of Everything - The Magician

Hermione watched as Professor Lupin slowly opened the box containing the Boggart.

As the box was slowly opened, Hermione couldn't help but back away little by little.

Seeing Hermione's legs recoil, her face contorted with fear, and her eyes darting away, Harry couldn't help but worry and encouraged her, "Hermione, what are you doing? You're just facing your fear."

"You were so brave when you faced the Dementors on the train, which terrified me. I admire you and look up to you. You shouldn't be deterred by a little fear. Be brave, you are the genius Hermione Granger."

Harry stepped forward and took Hermione's hand. As a friend, he wanted to encourage her and set an example by facing her fears together.

Ron also stepped forward and stood beside Hermione, his eyes shining with encouragement and determination.

Even so, Hermione was still incredibly panicked. She knew exactly what fear was in her heart.

Hermione shook her head repeatedly at Harry and Ron beside her, saying, "Harry, you don't understand. You don't understand the fear in my heart, the kind of fear I never want to face again, never."

"Ron, thank you, but please don't stop me from leaving."

After saying that, Hermione forcefully broke free from Harry's hand.

Seeing Hermione so timid, the young wizards who had passed through the Boggart defenses began to whisper among themselves, their voices filled with contempt.

"---What? A genius? She got scared like this just by facing a Boggart, how embarrassing, haha."

"—Exactly, exactly, a genius who gets perfect scores in every subject, haha."

"---Hmph, genius? What a misnomer. I think all she can do is take exams. She's a complete waste of talent except for her grades."

There were many more instances of such disdain that came from the young wizard's mouth.

This prompted Harry to reach into his robes and grip his wand tightly.

Amidst these self-righteous and contemptuous insults, even Ron, who was quite popular, became angry. He shouted at the whispering young wizard classmates, proving Hermione's bravery.

Hermione ignored the disdain her wizard classmates expressed towards her.

She didn't even look at Harry and Ron who were protecting her; she stared intently as the box containing Boggart was fully opened.

At that moment, Hermione stopped retreating and turned to run away.

But at that moment, Hermione's gaze met the creature in the dark box as she turned around, and instantly, the black mist Boggart spewed out of the box and began to transform.

Suddenly, the black mist spread out and covered the entire classroom.

Hermione's deepest fears were born and revealed to everyone in the classroom.

Pink, blue, purple... the seven colors of the rainbow filled the classroom. These colors represented Hermione's happiness, and this happiness infected the young wizards in the classroom, bringing smiles to their faces.

But at the same time, it deepened their contempt and puzzlement: [What? Is this her fear? A few colors are enough to scare her like this, how pathetic!]

But the next second, these seven colors stopped flowing with happiness, shattering like glass in a mirror, shattering again and again.

The continuous sound of shattering echoed in everyone's hearts, as if their own hearts were breaking as well.

When the rainbow shattered, a person appeared: Hermione's teacher, Teach Carl.

The illusionary Teach appeared before Hermione, who was trapped in the Boggart's transformation, and said in an unusually cold and ruthless tone, "Hermione, you have disappointed me greatly."

“From this moment forward, I, Teach Carl, hereby rescind my master-disciple relationship with you. You will no longer be my magic disciple, and you are... no longer of any use to me.”

After saying that, Illusion Teach turned and left. Just as Illusion Teach was about to disappear, Hermione, in a dazed state due to her mental injury, chased after her.

All that could be heard was Hermione chasing after them, crying and pleading, "No~ Teacher, please don't abandon me, please!"

"I've worked so hard. From the day I became your disciple, I've studied the magic you taught me so diligently. I'm trying my best every moment to be a help to you on your magic journey. Please don't abandon me, teacher~."

Hermione fell to the ground, clutching tightly to the crimson hem of the illusion Teach's dress, refusing to let go.

No matter how ruthlessly Teach pulled at him, he would never let go.

In the end, the hem of the crimson protective suit slipped from Hermione's grasp, leaving her alone in the illusion classroom, crying her heart out as she watched the illusion Teach leave.

Hermione's pleading cries, which resonated in the hearts of everyone present, were heart-wrenching.

Only then did the disdainful young wizards understand why Hermione Granger, who was hailed as a genius, was so afraid and why she wanted to run away.

At the same time, Lupin deeply regretted why he had insisted on making Hermione, a student, face the Boggarts, when Hermione had already strongly refused.

Nothing is more terrifying and despairing than hearing someone important callously say the word "abandon."

Hermione, who was lying on the ground crying and trapped in the Boggart illusion, suddenly felt an unusually familiar warmth coming from her body.

Teach Carr walked out from the back of the classroom, took off his crimson protective suit from his shoulders, and draped it over the crying little Hermione.

Hermione stopped crying, lowered her head, and sobbed as she clutched her red dress tightly.

No one could take it from her grasp.

Hermione, lost in the illusion, was unaware that Teach Carl was already standing beside her. She mistook his red dress for an illusion, believing that Teach had heard her plea and returned.

So in the vision, Hermione looked up and saw the vision of Teach crouching down in front of her and then affectionately stroking her head as a sign of care.

Hermione's tearful face broke into a smile, and she threw herself into the arms of the illusionary Teach, repeatedly swearing that she would work very hard and become a useful disciple, fearing she would be abandoned again.

Thus, the Boggart illusion changed.

It showed Hermione's second, terrifying scene.

Amidst the bloody smoke of the battlefield, the illusion Teach suddenly stood up and turned around, using its sturdy shoulders and body to shield Hermione from countless spells and attacks from the wizards.

Then the illusion of Teach collapsed in Hermione's arms, covered in blood, and died with his eyes still open.

In the illusion, Hermione stares blankly at the illusion of Teach, who is killed by wizards throughout the wizarding world because of her incompetence and for holding her back. She feels guilty and hateful.

Her mind began to waver, and she began to crumble little by little.

At that moment, Teach Carr quickly drew a spiritual transmutation circle on Hermione's forehead, and then knocked Hermione unconscious with a chop to the neck.

While unconscious, Hermione whispered unknowingly in Teach Carl's ear, "...Master, please don't leave me."

"Please..."

PS: (This plot is a bit heartbreaking for Hermione, but it's written this way to deepen and show Hermione's feelings for the protagonist, Teach.)