Hermione simply smiled at this, just as she had when she heard it.
Olivia laughed and said, "That's so fair!"
However, once Draco confirmed it, the frustration that had been weighing on everyone vanished.
Because he never misses a beat.
The group of Gryffindor looked at each other and couldn't help but burst into laughter.
Once the worries subsided, the green and silver hues in the Great Hall no longer seemed so glaring.
Students poured into the Great Hall, and the Slytherin table was soon filled with smug satisfaction.
Many people crossed their arms and made sarcastic remarks about other colleges, their tone extremely arrogant.
"This year's House Cup is destined to belong to Slytherin."
"No matter how loudly some lions roar, their scores still get terribly deducted."
The Gryffindor lion cubs, who already knew the truth, remained calm and composed.
"Don't be too smug, the real show is yet to come."
"Laugh now, but don't cry later."
The two sides quickly began arguing quietly, and the atmosphere was tense and ready to erupt.
The Hufflepuff table was completely uninvolved and kept to themselves.
Everyone was engrossed in setting out their knives and forks, their eyes shining as they stared at the table full of delicious food.
"It's best to have a cup, but it's okay if you don't. Nothing is more important than eating."
"Quiet down, quiet down, the food will get cold."
Ravenclaw, on the other hand, appeared calm and analytical, observing from the sidelines.
Some were writing down their score deductions on paper, while others were resting their chins on their hands, wondering if Dumbledore would pull a different turn.
There was no jealousy or anxiety in his eyes, only pure curiosity and intellectual pleasure.
More than winning or losing, they were more interested in whether there would be any interesting twists or turns at the awards ceremony.
Soon, the professors took their seats one after another, and the Great Hall gradually quieted down.
Dumbledore stood up and, with a gentle smile, exchanged a few opening pleasantries.
Good evening, my dear children. Another year of Hogwarts school life is about to come to a perfect end tonight. This year, we have had laughter, adventures, growth, and... some small, unexpected setbacks. But in any case, you have all made it to the end safely and bravely.
As he spoke, his gaze gently swept over the four long tables:
" The House Cup symbolizes not only scores and honors, but also the most shining examples of courage, wisdom, loyalty, and ambition. It belongs to everyone who has worked hard, and to everyone who is proud of their college. Now, let us welcome the final results of this year with the warmest applause."
After the pleasantries, the awards ceremony officially began.
Dumbledore picked up the scroll on the table, slowly unfurled it, and announced loudly, "The results of this year's Hogwarts House Cup scoring..."
"Fourth place, Hufflepuff House, 304 points!"
The Hufflepuff immediately clapped happily, completely satisfied, showing no disappointment whatsoever; having food and laughter was enough for them.
"Third place, Ravenclaw House, 358 points!"
The Ravenclaw nodded calmly and applauded politely; for them, wisdom was far more valuable than rankings.
"Second place, Gryffindor House, 401 points!"
Finally, Dumbledore raised his voice and announced the temporary leader, "First place— Slytherin House, 472 points!"
boom--
A deafening cheer erupted from the Slytherin table. Chairs were pushed aside, and many people stood up, waving their fists and wildly raising their eyebrows in a provocative manner towards Gryffindor.
A Slytherin boy who usually likes to target people specifically looked at Draco and said sarcastically:
" Malfoy, even if you join Gryffindor, it won't change the outcome."
Draco didn't even lift an eyelid, completely ignoring him.
Just as Slytherin was at the height of their smugness, Dumbledore gently pressed his hand down and changed the subject:
"I must add some points before I declare the end."
The entire room fell silent.
First up is -- Draco Malfoy.
In an incident concerning the safety of the entire school, he calmly assessed the situation and stepped forward, demonstrating courage and wisdom far beyond his years to prevent a disaster, thus making a great contribution to the college.
After saying this, Dumbledore announced loudly:
I award him 60 points.
The Gryffindor table erupted in thunderous cheers!
A group of lion cubs immediately turned around and defiantly retaliated against Slytherin.
Slytherin's face froze instantly. He retorted dismissively, but inside he was starting to panic.
Draco's friends exchanged glances, thinking to themselves: Here it comes, just as Draco said.
Dumbledore gestured for silence again, his gaze falling gently on Hermione:
"Next is— Miss Granger Hermione Granger. Faced with danger, she displayed astonishing logic, composure, and loyalty."
When faced with the challenge of fire, she used her wisdom to solve a puzzle that even adult wizards struggled to crack.
Knowledge is her most powerful weapon.
Hermione immediately sat up straight, head held high, chest puffed out, her eyes bright and proud.
I award Hermione Granger a score of 50.
Dumbledore when to stop, and never went too far.
But with just these two scores, Gryffindor score has reached 511, far exceeding Slytherin's 472.
In fact, if that's not enough, Old Dumbledore could obviously find a hundred more reasons to add more.
This year's House Cup winner is -- Gryffindor!
boom--
The cheers from Gryffindor literally lifted the roof off!
Although no one knew Dumbledore's basis for this claim, they all knew that the House Cup belonged to Gryffindor!
Everyone's eyes lit up, wishing they could rush up and hug the two of them immediately.
Seeing this, Draco calmly raised his hand. "Stop. Anyone who comes near, I'll use the Levitation Charm to lift them into the air. You'll lose points."
The group could only suppress their excitement, but they still couldn't stop laughing. This time they could finally laugh back at Slytherin.
The entire Great Hall was plunged into shock; the students were in an uproar, and the professors wore various expressions.
Snape's face was as black as the bottom of Potions pot.
The points he painstakingly deducted, both overtly and covertly, were all added back by Dumbledore a few casual words.
Although he never really cared about the House Cup, this feeling of frustration was just too intense.
The noise just wouldn't stop, so Dumbledore had no choice but to laugh and shout:
"This means we need to make some minor changes to the decor here!"
He clapped his hands lightly.
The green and silvery light faded, replaced by vibrant red and gold.
The Slytherin serpent banner slowly receded into the shadows, and a majestic golden lion king burst forth from the curtain, roaring with its head held high.
At this point, the Gryffindor could no longer restrain themselves.
A group of people rushed forward, and without thinking twice, forcibly lifted Draco and Hermione up and tossed them high into the air time and time again.
Red and gold lights shone on the two of them.
Draco Malfoy now seemed to have truly become the Lion King, and of course, the lioness was also very beautiful...