They had only seen descriptions of similar space magic in the Ministry of Magic's top-secret files.
Those were records of a battle decades earlier between Dumbledore and an exceptionally dangerous Obscurial wizard.
But even then, Dumbledore had already been a powerful wizard renowned throughout the world, and he had been middle-aged.
And how old was Hermione?
A third-year student had invented such terrifying space magic?
This was no longer genius. This was a monster!
Someone swallowed involuntarily as a thought struck them.
In a few more years, wouldn't she become a female Dumbledore?
Snape looked at the Ministry of Magic, which had been all but reduced to rubble, his face livid.
"Stop! Hermione! Stop right now!"
Hermione turned a deaf ear and continued her relentless bombardment.
Helpless, Snape could only stop in his tracks and abandon his approach.
Although his personality clashed with Hermione's, he knew who was on his side and who was an outsider.
He could hardly side with these Ministry idiots against his own student, could he?
Besides, Snape knew perfectly well that even if he intervened, he might not be able to stop Hermione.
The girl was absurdly powerful.
At that thought, Snape simply stepped aside. Out of sight, out of mind.
Fudge sat slumped on the ground, staring at the apocalyptic scene before him, and finally came to his senses.
Only now did he understand what Snape's earlier words had truly meant.
Snape hadn't come to protect Hermione at all.
He had come to protect the Ministry of Magic!
Faced with death, Fudge finally lost his composure.
Forgetting all dignity as Minister for Magic, he scrambled toward Snape.
"Professor Snape! Make Miss Granger stop! She's going to tear the Ministry apart!"
Snape gave Fudge a cold glance.
He leisurely brushed some nonexistent dust off his