The first notable instance of her ruthlessness occurs at the conclusion of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Journalist Rita Skeeter wrote sensationalised articles about Harry and his friends throughout this book. This drew Hermione’s ire, and Hermione became determined to put an end to Skeeter’s intrusive journalist tactics. Skeeter was getting Hermione’s privileged information because she was an unregistered Animagus, Hermione eventually realised.

Rita Skeeter

Skeeter, like the Marauders, became an Animagi and failed to register with the Ministry of Magic, which is technically illegal. Skeeter could turn into a beetle, so Hermione trapped her in a jar from the end of the Triwizard Tournament until the start of the following school year. Hermione treated a human woman like an insect, and she was proud of her vengeance.

Rita Skeeter may not be Hermione’s most sympathetic victim, but she isn’t the only one. Harry and his friends form Dumbledore’s Army to learn Defense Against the Black Arts in order to fight Dolores Umbridge in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Harry’s crush Cho Chang and her friend Marietta Edgecombe, as well as students from Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff, all attend.

Harry Potter Dumbledore’s Army

The students signed a register when they signed up for the DA. They weren’t signing just any piece of parchment, though. No, Hermione had jinxed this parchment so that anyone who revealed the club to Umbridge would suffer the consequences — as Marietta had discovered the hard way. When Marietta transformed the group into Umbridge, horrible pimples erupted across her face. Spelling out “Sneak,” causing her great embarrassment and distress. Marietta never really wanted to join in the first place (she was only there out of loyalty to Cho), and Hermione never told the group they were signing a jinxed document, so it’s unlikely she would’ve signed in the first place.

Hermione was a hero in the Wizarding World. She is portrayed as a little more perfect in the Harry Potter movies than she was in the books. She was more well-rounded in the books, with both positive and negative characteristics. It was not only intelligent, but also ruthless. Her intelligence and skill were put to good use, but she also used them to harm others. As a result, the films overlooked Hermione Granger’s less appealing but arguably more intriguing side.