"Fool! Crybaby! Dregs! Twist!" Murphy suddenly repeated Dumbledore's pre-dinner speech.
"In Ravenclaw's eyes, they alone were the smartest, and everyone else was a fool. But in reality, everyone else only thought they were bookish nerds."
"In Gryffindor's eyes, they were incomparably brave, and everyone else was a sniveling coward. But in truth, everyone else thought they were stubborn and reckless—troublemakers and walking disasters."
"In Slytherin's eyes, only they understood ambition, and everyone else was a muddleheaded, mediocre waste. But in reality, everyone else thought they were gloomy and selfish, a pack of bad seeds."
"In Hufflepuff's eyes, they were loyal and hardworking, always keeping their feet on the ground, while everyone else was too showy. But in reality, everyone thought they were dull and had no personality."
"Our wise headmaster saw this long ago, and so he reminded everyone to unite as one and learn from one another's strengths." As Murphy spoke, he gave Dumbledore a slight bow. "Thank you for your great wisdom."
Dumbledore smiled, but behind those half-moon spectacles was a pair of thoughtful, bright blue eyes.
As Minerva had said, this child was indeed extraordinarily clever.
And yet even he did not know what Murphy was trying to do at this moment.
"Some of you may know this, and some of you may not have heard," Murphy said, "but aside from being the professor of Practical Studies, I am actually also a school governor. I came to the school because I was entrusted by the school board to help the school improve and raise the quality of its teaching."
"Therefore, what may make me different from all of you is that when I look at the school's various affairs, I do so with an examining eye. I think one layer deeper about everything."
"Take today, for example—this