Hogwarts' Great Hall was brilliantly lit, and the feast marking the end of the school year was about to begin.
The students took their seats one after another, the air filled with mingled excitement and tension.
But this time, the banners hanging in the hall were not Slytherin's green, but Hufflepuff's gold and black.
They represented the glory of Susan Bones and her House.
Over the past year, she had almost single-handedly earned a tremendous number of points for her House. Whether in Charms, Potions, or Herbology, she could raise her hand and answer correctly in nearly every class.
Even Professor Snape, who favored Slytherin, had no choice but to award points for her precise answers—after all, his future happiness depended, to some extent, on her "terrifying" cousin.
To help Hufflepuff win the House Cup, Susan had even taken the initiative to ask Ian about Quidditch tactics.
Ian did not refuse. He redesigned her training plan, tailoring each player's exercises to their physical fitness and reaction speed. He also gave the captain a tactics manual—a flying notebook with invisible enhancements.
He had even privately cast a weak enhancement charm on Hufflepuff's brooms, making them lighter and more stable in flight.
Ian appeared calm, but he had nearly devoted all his thought to helping Susan fulfill her wish of "reviving the House."
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The result was obvious.
By the end of the school year, Hufflepuff was in the lead, and the entire House erupted in celebration.
However, just when everyone thought the golden trophy would finally return to their hands, Dumbledore spoke.
"To commend Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley of Gryffindor for their heroic actions in preventing the Philosopher's Stone from being stolen—the House is awarded an additional two hundred and forty points."
The moment his words fell, the