Everyone's Reactions

After Li Wei finished speaking, thunderous applause erupted from the young wizards who had come to watch the spectacle in the courtyard!

None of them had expected that they had merely come to see some excitement, only to be fortunate enough to hear such a stirring speech!

All wizards should be equal, no matter how humble their origins!

What a wonderful thing to say!

When many of them heard Li Wei roar those words with such a calm expression, they could no longer hold back their tears!

Professor Flitwick, standing beside Li Wei, was naturally among them!

When he heard those words shouted in Li Wei's youthful voice, he could not help recalling the discrimination and grievances he had endured over the years because of his bloodline.

Muggle-born wizards certainly suffered exclusion, but were Half-Blood wizards like him any better off?

Their circumstances were even worse than those of Muggle wizards!

If not for his formidable strength, and if not for Dumbledore's support in allowing him to become the Charms professor,

he would have long since vanished from the wizarding world, living in isolation somewhere in an unknown wilderness because of the discrimination and exclusion he faced, wouldn't he?!

Yet now, hearing those words shouted aloud by his own student, Professor Flitwick felt that everything had been worth it!

All the grievances he had suffered over the years poured out with the tears he shed because of those words!

To have such an upright young wizard in the House he led, Professor Flitwick felt nothing but pride!

Professor McGonagall had listened to Li Wei's defense from beginning to end, and only she could understand the fear, anger, and unwilling defiance contained within it.

She had personally taken Li Wei out of that orphanage that had treated him like a cash cow.

Small, weak, and helpless—those had been the labels Professor McGonagall associated with Li Wei most strongly at the time.

That was why she had pitied him and could not help wanting to aid him, to adopt him.

She understood that the insults were not the real reason Li Wei had angrily resorted to violence.

Li Wei was afraid. He was afraid of leaving Hogwarts, afraid of leaving this place where he could learn magic, this place he regarded as home.

Because he was afraid, because he was fearful, he became angry. Because he was angry and unwilling to accept it, he chose to resist through magic!

What comforted Professor McGonagall even more was that Li Wei's resistance had not been solely for himself, but for all the students Malfoy had said should leave Hogwarts.

He had bravely stepped forward and chosen to fight for everyone's justice!

When the words, "My magic is not tyranny. My magic is the language with which I defend my origins, a roar of anger for young wizards of the same origins," rang in Professor McGonagall's ears,

Professor McGonagall smiled with relief. She knew she no longer needed to pity Li Wei!

When someone possessed an unwavering belief in their heart, they were already strong enough.

Li Wei already possessed such an unwavering belief. Though he was young, he no longer needed anyone's pity!

Snape was stunned when he heard Li Wei's words!

If Harry Potter had Lily Potter's eyes, then what Snape saw in Li Wei was the spirit Lily Evans had once possessed!

It was the most brilliant spirit in human nature, born from courage and justice!

Speaking up for what was right, choosing to resist unfair treatment, kindness, courage, and utter fearlessness in the face of evil—appearance was insignificant before such a spirit!

"Lily, are you telling me what I should do?"

A voice questioning himself echoed in Professor Snape's heart.

He recalled that afternoon when Potter and his group had bullied him. He recalled the unbearable memory of Lily speaking up for him, only for him to destroy everything with a single filthy word.

Wasn't everything happening now a reenactment of what had happened back then?

Only this time, Lily and he had merged into one, becoming a young wizard like Lee Wickens, who had suffered bullying yet chosen to resist!

"Slytherin loses one hundred points! Malfoy, Goyle, and Crabbe will serve detention for one academic year! Every Slytherin who laid a hand on anyone will write a self-criticism and publicly reflect in the common room!"

Professor Snape announced the punishment for all the Slytherin students involved in a hoarse voice.

He was not merely punishing Malfoy and the others. He was also punishing James Potter and the others who had once bullied him, and even the reckless fool he himself had been back then!

After speaking, Professor Snape sank into his memories and left in loneliness.

Golden sunset rays pierced the clouds and draped themselves over Li Wei in the center of the courtyard, while deafening cheers from students of the three Houses rang in his ears!

What a shame that such a major event had not triggered the MOD!

Facing the professors' relieved smiles and his classmates' cheers of victory, Li Wei thought regretfully.

"Professor, although I do not believe I was wrong, I did cast magic on fellow students within the school, which violated school rules."

"The evidence for that is conclusive. Everyone saw it."

"So please punish me, Professor!"

Amid his classmates' cheers, Li Wei stepped before Professor McGonagall and spoke under everyone's astonished gazes.

He had made enough of a display; now he had to bear the responsibility and punishment he deserved.

Before his strength was sufficient, no one could stand above institutions and rules.

Headmaster Dumbledore had willingly placed himself under the restraints of power. If even he had to do so, then naturally everyone else had to as well.

Li Wei would not foolishly let a moment of glory and victory go to his head, choosing to smugly accept everyone's adoration as though nothing had happened.

"Li Wei, you don't need to..."

Professor McGonagall hesitated, while Professor Flitwick understood even less why Li Wei was voluntarily asking to be punished.

"No one can flagrantly violate school rules and discipline, including me and including anyone else!"

Li Wei said with absolute reason, looking into Professor McGonagall's kind eyes.

Playing political games in a fairy-tale magical world was both simple and difficult.

One move of political correctness had emptied Professor Snape's, Malfoy's, and the others' health bars!

But making others understand Li Wei's actions was equally difficult.

Foolish enemies and useless allies were not hard to find here.

Fortunately, Professor McGonagall did not disappoint Li Wei. She put away her smile, pressed her lips together slightly, and said sternly and seriously:

"Since you, Li Wei, recognize that your actions were improper,

then as your professor, I sentence you to one month of detention in my office and Professor Flitwick's office!"

"However, punishment is punishment, and rewards are rewards. For your just and courageous words and actions, Ravenclaw gains fifty points!"

Everyone fell silent when they heard Professor McGonagall's punishment for Li Wei.

Only when Professor McGonagall added fifty points for Li Wei did they cheer again!

"Wonderful! Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick definitely won't make things difficult for Li Wei!"

Li Wei's roommates, Michael and Anthony, embraced in the crowd and shouted jubilantly.

Professor McGonagall herself did not know how to evaluate Li Wei!

Li Wei's proposal to punish himself had clearly allowed her to give everyone an explanation.

Before that proposal, Professor McGonagall had always suspected that the Sorting Hat had placed Li Wei in the wrong House.

How could such an upright, brave, justice-loving child be an eagle who planned before acting and weighed every advantage and disadvantage?

Listen to those roars—those were clearly actions only a Gryffindor lion cub would take!

But now, after Li Wei had voluntarily chosen punishment for himself, Professor McGonagall suddenly felt that the Sorting Hat had not been wrong. He truly was a wise eagle!

Still, no matter what, this matter was finally over!

Professor McGonagall sighed in relief inwardly, feeling that being Deputy Headmistress was truly exhausting.