Some souls are forged, not born. 

His was hammered into shape by the weight of responsibility that stole his childhood, turning it into a battlefield he had to survive, not a garden he could play in. 

Emotions became a liability, locked away behind a mask of jaded clarity, leaving him a ghost in his own skin: isolated, observant, and bone-weary.

And when that life came to an unexpected end, he finds himself with a second chance.

And the one rule he lived by – to survive quietly – is the first one he's going to break.

He is going to live his new life to the fullest, with no regrets.

The Wizarding World is expecting a bookworm. They are not prepared for the strategist who won't let anyone get in her way.

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This is Harry Potter fanfic with Hermione as the lead. There won't be any romance, at least no plan for it so far, bcz I am not sure how to handle it, given the unique nature of the plot. 

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**Concept artist: thank you, but no thank you

Chapter 11 - 3 hours