Being a passerby in HP female protagonist fanfiction

When the Hogwarts Express arrived at the station, I stepped off the train with Hermione's help.

I tried to resist, but one look from Hermione made me shrink back.

Ah, is this life?

I sighed, on the verge of tears, and stepped off the train once again as a patient.

Actually, after arriving at Hogwarts, I felt that I was almost fully recovered; the pain seemed to only occur on my way to Hogwarts.

After much persuasion from Hermione, I finally managed to avoid the process of going to the Medical Wing and ended up going to the Great Hall to watch the Sorting Ceremony and banquet.

A new classmate has arrived, so I'm no longer a junior, but a senior.

The Sorting Ceremony was as lively as ever. The Sorting Hats were all gray and dusty. Everyone cheered as each person was chosen. Hufflepuff welcomed many new little wizards, and I clapped my hands vigorously to congratulate them.

Among the people being sorted, I saw a red-haired girl who looked nervous, a little reserved and shy. She was eventually sorted into Gryffindor.

She is Ginny.

She's another really, really nice girl! I'd like to get to know her sometime.

I smiled and clapped for her.

Having been enrolled for a year, I've become quite familiar with many of the students at Hogwarts. I recognize quite a few people at the tables of all four houses... well, including Slytherin. Not counting Willow, whom I'm not particularly close to, I know a few classmates I can exchange a few words with.

In fan fiction, Slytherin is often portrayed as the epitome of pure-blood and arrogance. However, in reality, Slytherin is quite a mixed bag. While pure-bloods do stick together, they form different groups and are not as united or disorganized as one might imagine.

Slytherin does have mixed-blood students, but they are few in number and, strangely enough, are often overlooked. When Slytherin is mentioned, people only think of the famous pure-bloods.

Not all Slytherin students are arrogant. For Slytherin half-blood students who lack confidence, it is essential to maintain good relations with other houses. As for intelligent pure-bloods, they would not deliberately tarnish their reputation. Slytherin is not an isolated island, and pure-blood wizards are not only found in Slytherin, but are distributed among all four houses.

Draco and his group of purebloods are just one example; once stereotypes are amplified, they easily become representative of the group.

Therefore, in daily life, although people from the other three houses generally do not like Slytherins, they do not refuse to communicate and befriend specific Slytherins.

As I was engrossed in thinking about it, I happened to make eye contact with Willotte in the bustling crowd.

haven't seen you for a long time!

My eyes crinkled into crescents, trying to express my joy with my gaze.

Willotte winked at me and gave me a bright smile.

After the Sorting Ceremony, the new members of the Hufflepuff Table were still quite reserved. Everyone enthusiastically introduced them to the food and thoughtfully reminded them not to easily try anything that looked like Eastern cuisine that they had never seen before.

Several Hufflepuffs gave me a mocking look.

"You might taste something delicious, or you might eat something evil," I said, earnestly trying to scare the little badger.

Kitchen Fairy is still innovating. Although I have persuaded them to remove Mapo Soy Milk from the menu, I still can't guarantee that there won't be any other strange and bizarre dishes.

"I'm Minglai, you can just call me Claire, or senior." After joking with the new badgers to ease the atmosphere, I introduced myself casually, "I'm only one year older than you, so don't be so nervous. Although I really hope you can call me senior, relaxing is the most important thing."

The female prefect glanced at me, looking both helpless and amused.

"Oh, oh," the bewildered little badger replied.

After the banquet, we took the new members back to the Hufflepuff common room. The prefects first taught them how to enter the common room, and then told them they could take one of the papers on the table—it was a map of Hogwarts.

"Actually, these things didn't exist before. This is a simple map that Claire made herself, and she specially used the Copy Spell to make so many copies." The prefect liked me a lot and even mentioned me to the new students. "You can take one if you need it, but remember to return one after you learn the Copy Spell."

I initially drew that simple map for myself, but then I noticed Neville couldn't remember things, so I gave it to him. Then I thought that since many people can't remember the way, I might as well share it with everyone. I even thoughtfully reminded the prefects to give them a copy when the new students arrive, so that they wouldn't have to pay points for being late to class and thus reduce their workload.

I felt a little nervous being stared at by so many people with bright eyes.

Is this what it feels like to be a senior student?

?(???)?grace.

I was invigorated. After returning to my dorm and tidying up my things, I washed up and decisively climbed into bed. I slightly closed the bed curtains, cast a silent spell, and then took out my classmate Xiaoming and a pen.

Now for today's main event.

I'm determined to get to the bottom of this.

"Think quickly about what you want to tell me," I said, getting straight to the point.

【…】

Xiao Ming popped up six dots.

Please believe me, if I could tell you, I would tell you everything.

I fell into deep thought. If it can't tell me directly, can't I at least ask?

"We know each other before, right?"

【Yes. 】

"And there was a happy time?"

【Yes. 】

"Then, due to some unforeseen event, I had to lose that memory, and that's how I ended up like this?"

"Yes." Xiao Ming hesitated for a moment.

"You are not the same person you were before. You were human before, weren't you?"

【Yes. 】

"...Did you become like this because of me?"

【……yes. 】

"Was everything I am here prepared by you?" I use "you" here.

【…】

I brainstormed, and all sorts of melodramatic plots and conspiracy theories flashed through my mind.

"What a classic trope!" I really wanted to complain. "Anyone who didn't know better would think I was the female protagonist in a fanfiction."

The thought that someone was watching me all along made me feel awkward. From before I transmigrated to after I transmigrated, I never imagined that I would be the center of everything.

Of course, I've had all sorts of fantasies, like whether I could be the protagonist... but then I think about my own character and realize it's unlikely.

"Don't worry, don't overthink it," Xiaoming comforted me.

I will tell you, but at least until you remember my name.

"Oh, no need then, because I already know." I said a beat late. "Also, remember to add a punctuation mark."

[?] Xiaoming was shocked by me. A big question mark immediately appeared on the page. While shocked, he didn't forget to add a period at the beginning.

“Astra,” I chuckled, “right?”

Xiao Ming remained silent, and even the pages of the book trembled slightly, as if a strange connection had been established between us the moment I called his name.

“We used to be friends,” I said, “but unfortunately we aren’t anymore.”

Before I could recall any of my previous memories, Xiaoming always played the role of a book sprite, an encyclopedia, and a teacher who guided me. We could learn from each other, but we couldn't confide in each other.

Having no memory of it, I instinctively became wary of Xiao Ming, a classmate from an unknown background.

And what about Xiaoming?

He also seemed unwilling to establish a deep connection with me under such circumstances.

They are, of course, the same person, always the same person; Claire has never changed.

But without her memories, would Claire really still care about them?

Astra thought.

He sensed Claire's resistance first.

In this quiet space, my gentle tone seemed to dispel the fog.

"So now, is there anything you want to say?"

"This is much faster than I imagined," said Xiaoming—Astra. "I can almost picture a person frowning and muttering to themselves."

“Astra,” I said, “that’s all I remember, but that’s enough for us to be friends again.”

"No wonder I named you Xiaoming, it turns out I really did call you Xiaoming before." I smiled. "I must have taught you Chinese."

From those fragmented memories, I see a little boy who is sensitive and eager to learn. In his view, there is nothing else worth doing except pursuing knowledge.

“It’s a bit late to say that now,” I said. “But—it’s been a long time, Astra.”

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small theater:

Claire: Astra, it's been a long time.

Astra: CPU is burning out.

Astra: Damn it, this is much faster than they planned. Will it have any impact? It must be that damn system's fault. If it hadn't encouraged Willotte to get close to Claire, Claire wouldn't have gotten too involved in the plot and triggered her memories.

Claire, who regained her memories: Of course, the reason I recovered so quickly is because I'm amazing!

System: ? To be fair, Astra, you really know how to shirk responsibility. I'm working diligently on my business, and you're talking about me behind my back... What! Oh, I did talk about it too. Never mind then.

Leona: ...Weren't these all pre-ordered? What's the big deal?

(Several original characters are here; I've finally gotten to the point of revealing this foreshadowing. I've been holding back for so long!)