Rewards and punishments

By the time the four of them huddled together in an embrace, Neville had landed safely and joined the other young wizards gathering around them.

He said through his tears:

"Zhang, you were such an idiot. It wasn't worth it. Not worth it at all."

The other young wizards had no such complicated feelings. They enthusiastically slapped the boys on the shoulders and cheered. In truth, they didn't even know what they were cheering for. They just wanted to shout.

"Gentlemen, do you believe you've accomplished some great feat?"

A slightly breathless voice rose above the young wizards. Everyone instinctively ducked their heads like frightened little quails, fell silent, and stood still.

Professor McGonagall walked through the crowd with a stern expression. Her blue eyes fixed sharply on the four boys through her glasses, her chest heaving. Her bun had come undone, and her flaxen hair lay loose over her shoulders.

None of them had ever seen Professor McGonagall like this. She looked furious.

"Fifty points from Gryffindor! Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley, fifty points each! Fifty points from Slytherin! Your recklessness is simply outrageous!

"The school brooms are not the ones you're accustomed to riding at home. If another broom had malfunctioned, we would have had three more people to rescue!"

"Oh, no! Professor!" Harry and Ron had come down from the exhilaration of saving their friend, and their fear of the school rules took over again.

Professor McGonagall ignored the two of them and addressed Madam Hooch instead:

"Rolanda, I will report the matter of the broom to the headmaster. I would also like you to inspect the school's brooms-all of them! We must prevent another accident like this."

Madam Hooch nodded. "Of course."

"As for you, Mr. Longbottom!" Professor McGonagall looked at him. The corners of her mouth seemed to rise a little, but when everyone looked more closely, her face was as stern as ever.

"Although you were not the principal cause of this accident, I must still deduct twenty points, because you bravely leapt from your broom in an attempt to save your fellow student.

"I must say that this was an exceedingly foolish act. I hope these twenty points will teach you to trust your professors to keep you safe.

"The same penalty applies to Zhang. I hope he, too, will remember what I have said."

Neville lowered his head in dejection as well. He choked back a sob and tried to say something, but Zhang Xiao gave him a tug.

"Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Neville Longbottom, and Draco Malfoy! I will discuss your further punishment with Headmaster Dumbledore. I also hope that you gentlemen understand that whatever you do, you must be prepared to face the consequences!

"Furthermore..."

The boys all raised their heads to look at Professor McGonagall.

A smile suddenly appeared on her lean face.

"One hundred points to each of you! Your courage deserves everyone's utmost respect. Gentlemen, I must admit that you have indeed accomplished a great feat!"

The young wizards froze for a moment and exchanged glances. Then understanding finally dawned, and they leapt into the air with a shout. Enthusiastic applause erupted around them as the other students clapped with all their might.

"And twenty points to Miss Hermione Granger! She was the first to notice Mr. Longbottom falling from the sky and resourcefully applied what she had learned in an attempt to save her fellow student's life."

Hermione's little face immediately flushed scarlet. She shyly lowered her head and said, embarrassed, "It was only a little quick thinking."

Zhang Xiao watched the others cheering with a broad grin. Neville was especially delighted. He had always been one of Gryffindor's main sources of lost points-mostly thanks to Snape-and had never earned Gryffindor any points before.

"Mr. Zhang."

Hmm? Was it his turn? Zhang Xiao raised his head to look at Professor McGonagall.

In a rare gesture, the stern, upright professor gave him a thumbs-up.

"Your decisions throughout this incident were faultless, from reporting the problem to Madam Hooch the moment you noticed it to attempting to hold on to Mr. Longbottom. I believe that, had the conflicting spells not caused the broom to unleash power beyond its limits, the entire incident would have been resolved perfectly.

"Even more admirable was that, when Mr. Longbottom attempted to give you his chance of survival, you did not abandon him. Instead, you chose to face the threat of death. Although that, too, was foolish, I must admit that it was very brave."

Professor McGonagall began to clap softly.

"One hundred and fifty points! This is the largest single award of points in Hogwarts history, in recognition of your noble character and fearless courage. I greatly regret that you are not a Gryffindor student."

Harry, Ron, and Neville immediately nodded in agreement. Zhang really did seem more like a Gryffindor.

"Minerva, there is more to my student than mere courage." Snape brushed aside the greasy black hair hanging by his ear. His expression remained dark as he drawled:

"Courage without intelligence only makes matters worse. I noticed that Mr. Longbottom suddenly slowed during his fall... which means that my student retained a cool head even at the most critical moment.

"He did not jump merely because he let his emotions get the better of him. He was confident that he could save... Mr. Longbottom, who had let his emotions get the better of him.

"Thus, Zhang was an exemplary Slytherin from beginning to end. I therefore consider the deduction of points inappropriate..."

Zhang Xiao blushed. In all honesty, he had simply charged in without thinking, just as he had recklessly thrown himself in front of a gun in his previous life.

There was no denying that Snape was a master at killing the mood. The moment he spoke, it was as though a bucket of cold water had been thrown over the excitement.

All the young wizards hunched their shoulders and kept silent.

Professor McGonagall pressed her lips together and gave a soft huff. Clearly, she did not quite agree with Snape's remarks, but she offered no rebuttal. She snapped her fingers, and her hair rose of its own accord, obediently winding itself into a bun. She was once again her usual immaculate self.

"Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, come with me."

Snape swept his cloak around and glanced at Malfoy and Zhang Xiao, seemingly somewhat surprised by Malfoy's actions. Then he, too, left without another word.

Madam Hooch then announced that Flying Class would be suspended until she had finished inspecting every broom.

The excited young wizards raced joyfully toward the castle like puppies let off their leashes. They could hardly wait to share the afternoon's string of events with the other students.

"You're saying Professor McGonagall made you Gryffindor's new Seeker? And Ron's the reserve Keeper? You're going to train with the team?"

Zhang Xiao asked in surprise as he munched on a beef pie. He hadn't seen that coming.

Harry had become a Seeker after all, and Ron had joined the school team ahead of time as well.

That evening, everyone had been so eager to hear what those involved thought about the incident that Zhang Xiao, Harry, Ron, Neville, and Hermione had been forced to take some food from the dining hall and find an empty classroom.

Otherwise, they wouldn't even have been able to eat.

Malfoy hadn't come. He was thoroughly enjoying being the center of attention and was giving his classmates a vivid account of the afternoon's events.

In his version, however, Potter had acted on his advice. His own circling around the edge had been a brilliant display of foresight, intended to ensure that he could step in at any moment if Potter's broom suddenly broke.

Harry and Ron nodded excitedly. Ron waved his treacle tart and mumbled through a mouthful:

"Professor McGonagall said Harry flew brilliantly! Especially after she found out it was his first time ever touching a broom. She believes Gryffindor's sure to win the Quidditch Cup with Harry's help!"

Then his face reddened slightly, and he added excitedly:

"Professor McGonagall's right, mate. You've got incredible talent. As for me, she said I made a very clean catch when I grabbed Zhang Xiao at the end, and that I had the makings of a Keeper. So she's letting me train with the team, ready to fill in whenever Wood's busy with his schoolwork."

"Harry, didn't you know? Your talent is something you were born with. Your dad was one of the best Seekers at the school."

Hermione chimed in as well. This incident had brought the young witch considerably closer to the others. Loneliness was unpleasant, and she was so happy that even her little face glowed pink.

Harry stared blankly at her, and the food in his mouth fell straight to the floor.

"My... dad?"

That day, Harry leaned against the glass display case in the House Trophy Room, unwilling to leave for a long, long time.