This and That Thursday--Strong Heroines

Once again I'm participating in Terri Bruce's This and That Thursday meme. This week, the topic is strong heroines.

Although in recent years urban fantasy has become swamped with snarky badass women, I prefer reading about women who are strong in terms of intellect, principle, and will, not just firepower. So, after a lot of thought, I choose Hermonine from the Harry Potter series and Cassie Scot from Cassie Scot: ParaNormal Detective, and Secrets and Lies.

Hermonine probably needs no introduction. She's more intelligent and hard-working than either Harry Potter or Ron. (Personally, I think she should have been in Ravenclaw, but I think Rowling put her into Gryffindor so she could help Harry.) As a witch born to Muggle parents, she is familiar with our world and the wizarding world. She stands up for others who have no rights, such as the house elves. She's my favorite character from the series, the one I identify with, and even though she does get a lot of screen time, I would have loved for her to be the star.

In contrast to Hermonine, Cassie has no magic of her own despite being born into a magical family. But she doesn't let that slow her down. Rather than sit around and let her parents support her (since they can literally make money) or agree to marry someone she's attracted to so he can protect her, she seeks employment in the real world. She starts her own business, using common sense and training to solve crimes, but she's willing to work menial jobs to support herself when she needs to. Like Hermonine, Cassie stands up for others, such as her friends and other women in the magical community.

Who are your favorite strong heroines, and why?