The week after the exams ended, Hogwarts' holiday began.
Slytherin won the House Cup by an overwhelming margin. It was their seventh consecutive victory, but the first time the other three houses had acknowledged it.
Because this time, Slytherin had won fair and square. They also received the only round of applause the other three houses had given them in years.
The young snakes of Slytherin suddenly found themselves thinking, So it can be like this, and So this is what glory really means. Glory wasn't something one person or a group of people could enjoy by locking themselves in a little room. Only when others recognized it could glory truly deserve the name.
Because that was what glory meant.
Some of the seventh-year Slytherins who were leaving Hogwarts that year even felt like crying. They regretted that this was their last chance to embrace true glory, but were also glad that they had finally understood what true glory was in their last year—and proud of it, because they had put their own sweat into winning that trophy.
With that simple award ceremony, Slytherin completed its final transformation.
"See you in two months, then, Ezio!"
Harry waved goodbye to Ezio. Not far in front of him stood a burly man with a gloomy expression. That was Harry's uncle, but Ezio had no intention of going over to greet him. He simply nodded at Harry, then pulled up his hood.
Ezio's figure vanished into the crowds at King's Cross Station.
"Have I been spotted?"
Ezio moved calmly through the crowd, using the passing people to conceal his movements. But rather than shake the several pairs of eyes following him, he deliberately led them together, then took them away from the station.
To be honest, he was rather nostalgic for this feeling.