Hogwarts: I Am Such a Model Wizard

Chapter 231: The Twists and Turns of the Award Ceremony

In the end, Diana didn’t show up. Crowded places like Hogwarts weren’t her style. But she still made her presence felt—by sending Dumbledore a Howler.

No one knew the exact contents of that Howler, but afterward, students spotted a Phoenix circling the Quidditch Pitch, and the castle portraits were abuzz with chatter. In particular, a few older figures in the portraits seemed more boastful than usual.

”That girl is awful…” a big-nosed wizard was overheard muttering to a witch beside him as they strolled down a corridor. ”She even insulted us… By Merlinʼs socks, what do we have to do with Dumbledore hiring Death Eaters as professors? Iʼve been dead for over three hundred years!”

Dumbledore? Death Eaters? A passing student, thinking he’d stumbled on a juicy bit of gossip, paused to listen. But when he glanced back, the portrait figures were now chasing a dwarf horse and had gone silent. Nearby, two witches sipped their afternoon tea, and he scratched his head in confusion, wondering if he’d misheard.

That afternoon, Chris did arrive, though he seemed more interested in catching up with old friends than discussing anything serious with Kyle. He chatted warmly with Professor Flitwick, exchanging stories and laughing heartily. Later, Professor McGonagall joined them, and the three seemed to get along so well that they decided to head to The Three Broomsticks for a drink together. Kyle watched them leave the castle in disbelief, giving them an amused, silent thumbs-up as they departed.

Meanwhile, Harry was still lying dejectedly in the Hospital Wing. He hadn’t expected the Dursleys to visit, of course, but he was disappointed for another reason—he wouldn’t be able to play in the final Quidditch match. Madam Pomfrey had refused to let him leave, no matter how much he pleaded, and to keep Oliver Wood from sneaking in, she’d even stationed Filch at the door.

Without Harry as Seeker, Gryffindor’s morale hit rock bottom, and they suffered a resounding defeat at the hands of Ravenclaw. Cho Chang caught the Golden Snitch just seven minutes into the game, ending it before Gryffindor could score a single point. The loss dropped them into a tie with Slytherin, who had also endured a string of losses, for last place.

In the aftermath, Professor McGonagall’s expression was reportedly a terrifying shade of green. Rumor had it that some younger students saw her leading Wood toward the Astronomy Tower, as if planning to hang him from the castle’s highest point to ”reflect on his actions.” However, this turned out to be a mere rumor; Professor McGonagall had actually retreated to her office after the game and hadn’t emerged since.

...

And just like that, the final day before the holidays arrived. That evening, everyone gathered for the End-of-Term Feast.

When Kyle and his friends entered the Great Hall, it was already packed. The hall had been decked out in yellow and black in honor of Hufflepuff’s victory in the House Cup for the second consecutive year. A massive banner featuring the Hufflepuff badger hung proudly behind the Head Table. Their recent Quidditch championship had earned them enough points to narrowly overtake Slytherin and secure first place.

The hall was buzzing with excitement as everyone anticipated the holiday break. Gradually, the noise died down when Dumbledore stepped forward.

“Ah, another year has passed…” he began.

At the Hufflepuff table, Kyle found himself only half-listening to Dumbledore’s speech. He was more interested in seeing if Hufflepuff would actually keep the House Cup this year.

It didn’t take long for Dumbledore to address his curiosity.

“Now, we will first proceed with the presentation of the House Cup. The current standings are as follows: In fourth place, Gryffindor, with 410 points. Third place, Ravenclaw, with 436 points. Second place, Slytherin, with 495 points. And in first place… Hufflepuff, with 500 points!”

Cheers and the sound of feet stomping erupted from the Hufflepuff table. Yet Kyle didn’t join in, knowing full well this wasn’t the end of the tally.

“Yes, yes, well done, Hufflepuff,” Dumbledore said with a twinkle in his eye. “However, recent events must also be taken into account.”

The hall fell into silence, and the smiles at the Hufflepuff table faded slightly as everyone waited.

Dumbledore cleared his throat. “I still have a few points to award. Let’s see… First, to Mr. Kyle Chopper…”

Kyle blinked in surprise, not expecting to be mentioned first.

“…for his exceptional herbology skills, which aided the school by supplying potion ingredients and recovering lost valuables, I award Hufflepuff 50 points!”

Hufflepuff exploded into cheers. Some of Kyle’s friends, like Cedric and Mikel, were so thrilled they began dancing. But Kyle couldn’t muster a smile. Potion ingredients? he thought. No wonder he hadn’t found any trace of Chomping Cabbage when he’d last visited the restricted area…

“Next, to Mr. Ronald Weasley,” Dumbledore continued, “for the most remarkable game of chess Hogwarts has seen in years—I award Gryffindor 50 points!”

Now, it was Ron’s turn to be celebrated, his face flushing as red as a sun-dried carrot. Percy could be heard loudly proclaiming to the other prefects, “That’s my brother! My youngest brother, who beat Professor McGonagall’s giant chess set!”

Once the excitement subsided, Dumbledore continued. “And finally, to Miss Hermione Granger and Mr. Harry Potter…”

Both Hermione and Harry received an additional fifty points each for their bravery, bringing Gryffindor’s total up by a full 150 points, putting them at 560—just ahead of Hufflepuff.

For a moment, there was stunned silence before the Gryffindor table erupted with such energy that it seemed they might lift the table off the floor. Harry, Ron, and Hermione stood up, cheering, while the Weasley brothers climbed onto their chairs, waving their hats and grinning at Kyle with unabashed triumph.

“That means it!” Dumbledore had to raise his voice to be heard over the cheering. “We’ll need to make a few small adjustments to the decorations!”

With a clap of his hands, the yellow streamers shifted to a brilliant red, the black to a vibrant gold, and the giant Hufflepuff badger was replaced by the majestic Gryffindor lion.

After many days of tension, Professor McGonagall finally broke into a beaming smile. Just as she reached out to shake Professor Sprout’s hand…

“Knock, knock, knock!”

The heavy doors of the Great Hall swung open, and seven elderly wizards with gray hair stepped inside, looking weary. The one at the front held an ornate box in his hands.

Taking in the lively atmosphere of the Great Hall, he smiled and said, “Thank Merlin, Hogwarts isn’t on holiday yet. It seems we’ve arrived just in time.”