Hufflepuff Uprising

Several older Hufflepuff students stood at the front of the group, looking at the Hufflepuff Common Room ahead. They exchanged glances, then nodded to one another.

One of them stepped forward. Behind him, everyone raised their wands and pointed them toward the entrance to the common room.

As the door to the Hufflepuff Common Room opened, several older students rushed in with their wands raised, and the rest of the Hufflepuffs followed close behind.

Inside the Hufflepuff Common Room, Wentworth, Cedric, and the others stared in shock as the door swung open and countless figures wielding wands poured inside.

"So you were all eating this thing called hot pot, and that's why you forgot to go back?"

One of the older Hufflepuff students looked at the people in the room, his face full of disbelief.

Wentworth, Cedric, and the others could only nod dumbly.

Who could say what it felt like to be eating hot pot and singing one moment, then suddenly have countless wands pointed at their heads the next?

Once the Hufflepuffs realized it had all been a misunderstanding, they sheepishly put away their wands and curiously looked at the steaming, smoking cauldron on the table in front of Wentworth and the others.

A Hufflepuff girl Prefect stepped forward and said furiously,

"You've gone too far! This is just too much!"

Seeing this, Green hurried over and seemed about to explain, but before he could say a word, the girl Prefect stepped past him, sat down in his seat, and gazed at the cauldron before her.

"You had something this delicious and new, and you were keeping it all to yourselves?! This is just too much!"

The room fell silent for an instant, then erupted into a commotion. Wentworth, Cedric, and the others were suddenly accused by the entire Hufflepuff House.

Wentworth couldn't help apologizing again and again, until Green stepped forward.

"Everyone, everyone, listen to me!"

Prefects wielded considerable authority at Hogwarts, and the Hufflepuff Common Room gradually quieted down.

"Come now, don't be like that. After I reprimanded them, Wentworth and Cedric realized their mistake. What's more, Wentworth promised to make sure every one of us gets to eat steaming hot pot, so stop giving him a hard time!"

Wentworth stared in shock at Green, who was speaking so confidently. As expected of a Prefect—politicians had to master the art of being shameless, even if they were Hufflepuffs.

Green continued, giving orders.

"Everyone, follow my instructions. A few of you, go to the kitchens and ask the house-elves to send ten more portions of the same ingredients they brought Wentworth earlier. No, make that twenty!"

"All the first-years, get your cauldrons out. They should be new and unused! Everyone else, follow Wentworth and learn how to prepare the dipping sauces. Today, we're having a hot pot party in the common room!"

"Woohoo!"

Cheers rang out as everyone praised Prefect Green's brilliant decision.

While Wentworth and the others were preparing for the hot pot party in the Hufflepuff Common Room, someone had already rushed to Dumbledore's Headmaster's Office, where the password was giving him a terrible time.

"Percy, what are you doing here?"

The person standing outside the Headmaster's Office was Percy Weasley. The one speaking to him was Madam Hooch, Hogwarts' Flying Class instructor.

Hearing her voice, Percy turned and saw his Flying Class teacher. He hurriedly said, "Professor, I need to speak to the Headmaster!"

Madam Hooch couldn't help saying, "Percy, Headmaster Dumbledore is holding a reception in his office today to welcome the new Professor Ilona. All the professors are there. Unless it's something especially important, you'd better come back later."

Percy had been wondering why none of the professors had shown up for lunch in the Great Hall. Now he understood.

Even so, Percy shook his head repeatedly. "Professor Hooch, this is urgent. I have to report it to the Headmaster right away!"

Seeing this, Madam Hooch looked at Percy, then nodded. "All right. Come with me."

Under Madam Hooch's guidance, Percy finally entered Dumbledore's office. Soft music was playing, and several professors stood around the new Professor Ilona, apparently chatting with her and occasionally bursting into laughter.

Dumbledore stood to one side, quietly watching them, lost in thought.

"Headmaster! Something's wrong! Hufflepuff has rioted!"

As soon as Percy entered the office and spotted Dumbledore, he hurried over and shouted.

The entire office fell silent in an instant, and all the professors turned to look at the flustered Percy.

"Percy, what did you just say?"

Before Dumbledore could react, Professor McGonagall hurried over and asked.

"I think you should teach young Mr. Percy some manners. A good student isn't necessarily an exemplary one," Snape remarked from the side, glancing askance at Percy.

"Thank you. I'll discipline my own student. Percy, what happened?" Professor McGonagall said, stepping between Snape and Percy.

With so many professors watching him, Percy felt a little nervous. He felt better only when Professor McGonagall came to stand beside him.

"Professor McGonagall, Headmaster Dumbledore, professors, Hufflepuff has rioted!"

Percy's words made everyone present frown.

"Hufflepuff? What's happened to Hufflepuff?" Professor Sprout, the Head of Hufflepuff House, hurried over and asked.

Percy quickly recounted in detail everything that had just happened in the Hogwarts Great Hall.

"I always thought only Gryffindor could pull something like this. I never expected Hufflepuff to surprise me too," Snape said sourly from the side.

"No, Headmaster Dumbledore, they're all good children. There must be more to this than we know," Professor Sprout hurriedly said.

"All right, Professor Sprout. I know they're good children. Let's go and see what happened. I'm curious, too, about who managed to gather every student in Hufflepuff House."

With that, Professor Dumbledore headed out with Professor Sprout, and Professor McGonagall followed close behind.

"I'll come along too. Perhaps I can be of some help!" Ilona said, following them.

Seeing this, all the professors followed them out, Snape included.