Chapter 1. The Worst Day.

                                    

                                          
Woken up by the sunlight that had crept into her room, Hermione remembered yesterday's incident. With fleeting hope, she looked at the desk, and her heart skipped a beat – the charred sheet of math homework was still there. She buried her face in a pillow and thought in despair, 'This wasn't a dream. But how? What's wrong with me?' Her mind was once again flooded with anxious thoughts.
Last night, Hermione had been working late on her math homework. For a determined and gifted ten-year-old girl like her, the task wasn't hard; she got through it pretty quickly. However, she couldn't shake off the nagging thoughts about Barbara Grayson, her blonde classmate who made Hermione's life a real nightmare. Their feud had gotten worse over the last year, with Barbara's taunts turning meaner, her smirks more poisonous, and her teasing became a daily challenge for Hermione. If there was anyone Hermione truly couldn't stand, it was Barbara.
Grayson was smart too, and it made her even more annoyed that Hermione was at the top of their class in everything. Barbara, the mayor's daughter, was born to be a leader. She wasn't used to being second to anyone. Since she couldn't beat Hermione in class, Barbara made her life tough in other ways. The worst part was that Barbara had a bunch of friends who backed her up in everything, including in her bullying of Hermione. Last day her hairstyle became a new target for their teasing. Hermione didn't pay much attention to styling her bushy chestnut hair, considering it not important. But Barbara and her friends turned it into a joke, calling her hairstyle 'country-like' and comparing her to a shaggy horse. Then, they began mocking Hermione's slightly protruding teeth, 'horse-like' ones as they called them, and things went downhill from there...
Sitting at the desk with her homework ready in hand, Hermione thought about her despised classmate. Her thoughts were far from friendly; she was seething with anger and a desire for revenge... But an unexpected twist pulled her out of this whirlpool of dark thoughts — the homework suddenly caught on fire right in her hands. Fearful, Hermione threw it on the desk and quickly slammed a book over the homework, trying to extinguish the flame. After the fire was out, she sat there, stunned. How did that happen? Why did the paper suddenly catch fire? Questions swirled in her head, but there were no answers. Unable to find an explanation and feeling exhausted from the tough day, Hermione decided to go to bed, leaving the investigation for the morning.
Now, upon waking up, Hermione tried to put her thoughts in order. 'It couldn't have caught fire by itself,' she reasoned. 'So, something must have ignited it. Now, I just need to figure out what.' Getting out of bed, she approached her desk and examined it even more carefully. To her, the only explanation seemed to be the desk lamp. Though it was at a safe distance, Hermione couldn't find any other explanation. 'Maybe, lost in thought, I didn't notice how close I brought the sheet to the lamp, and it caught fire,' she concluded. Hermione was always skilled at finding logical explanations for even the weirdest things, and she was proud of her analytical ability.
Hermione's thoughts on last night were cut off when her mom, Emma Granger, walked in. They had a lot in common: the same messy chestnut hair and similar facial features. Emma gave Hermione a smile filled with the kind of warmth and love only a mom can give. But seeing Hermione still in her pajamas, her smile turned into a worried look.
"Hermione, is everything alright? We will be heading out soon," Emma asked, sounding a bit puzzled, "Why aren't you dressed yet?"
Emma was used to her daughter always being ready on time, so Hermione's current state was a sign that something was wrong. Hermione froze for a moment, realizing that she was late, and responded quickly:
"Sorry, Mom... I just got sidetracked..." she said, trying to hide her confusion. "I'll be ready in a sec" she hopped away from the desk and made her way to the bathroom.