Hearing Cedric's words, Harry felt even more downcast.
Yeah, so...
Does Cassandra really hate me that much?
Harry had always had this feeling, but it still hurt a bit to have Cedric point it out directly.
But he didn't expect Cassandra to like him anyway—think about it, he's just a poor kid who lost his parents, penniless, and has to rely on scholarships to attend school—whereas Cassandra? She's the Malfoy family's heiress.
The little thrill he felt because Cassandra came through time to find him was quickly disrupted by Cedric's words, leaving him tangled in his thoughts again.
Better to wait and find Cassandra to ask her in person—just to see what she truly thinks.
After all, Kathy gave up her most beloved family for him...
"But Ron is really such a jerk," Cedric added with a chuckle, "you see, it's rare for a young wizard to use a magic spell to take off a little witch's socks..."
"Indeed," Harry nodded heavily, "he's truly a jerk."
These words weren't actually commenting on Ron, but on Harry himself.
After a while, Ron was finally released by an enraged Hermione.
He rubbed his arm, grimacing and taking sharp breaths.
"Look at this," he rolled up his sleeve, "look here! It's all bruised! She's really violent!"
The group gathered to look, and Ron's arm was pinched with seven purple stars—this particular pattern they found oddly familiar.
"Oh, isn't that Orion?" Seamus suddenly pointed out the seven purple stars, "look, four stars up and down, left and right, and three stars in the middle form the belt..."
You know, when Seamus described it like this, it really did look like Orion.
"I didn't expect a Gryffindor girl to be so artistic," Cedric critiqued sharply, "you see, our Hufflepuff girls... well, Hufflepuff girls are still very gentle."
"Yeah, Ravenclaw's girls are intellectual and elegant, Slytherin's girls noble and reserved—" Seamus also chimed in.
"What about Gryffindor?" Neville asked naively.
"Gryffindor girls really hit hard!" Ron blurted without thinking, still inhaling sharply from the pain burning in his arm.
Hearing Ron's comment, everyone burst into laughter—even Hermione couldn't help but laugh.
It was because Ron's words were the most honest critique after all, he had just been hit by a Gryffindor girl.
"I hope you find a Gryffindor girlfriend in the future," Hermione raised her fist, "and let her hit you every day! Taste the iron fist of Gryffindor!"
Ron sniffed, retorting sarcastically, "Oh, better look at yourself, Hermione, with a girl as violent as you, who would want you as a girlfriend?"
The two stared at each other for a while, feeling quite annoyed with each other.
Finally, they turned their heads away with a synchronized "hmm".
Harry couldn't help it and laughed out loud again.
After the little episode, they continued practicing in the Room of Requirement until after nine o'clock, officially concluding the first organized activity of the Dueling House after its recruitment.
"We have class tomorrow," Cedric said, "tomorrow morning it's Magic Potion class... honestly, I'm really scared of attending Magic Potion class."
"Hufflepuff is not Gryffindor after all," Ron critiqued sharply, "Professor Snape always hates Gryffindor the most, not Hufflepuff."
"In his eyes, our heads are stuffed with Cheek Pouch Grass," Cedric said.
"In his eyes, we're little giants without any learning," Ron echoed, then pointed to Hermione, "except Hermione, she's Miss Omniscient."
"You're doing it wrong," Harry tugged Ron, imitating Professor Snape's greasy, drawn-out voice, "it should be like this—Hermione raises her hand and says, 'Professor, I know this one', then Professor Snape says, 'Miss Omniscient answered first—Gryffindor loses ten points'."
The imitation was so lifelike, it was just like Professor Snape's tone.
Hearing Harry's imitation, everyone laughed together, even Hermione wasn't an exception.
"Oh my God, Harry, oh my God," Hermione held her waist, laughing, "if Hogwarts held a competition for imitating Professor Snape, he would definitely win second place."
"Then who would be first?" Neville suddenly asked.
"Of course, it would be Harry," everyone responded in unison.
Harry gave them a slight bow, smiling modestly, "Thank you all for your recognition—"
Luckily, they were in the Room of Requirement, so they wouldn't get caught imitating Snape by the old professor suddenly appearing behind them.
After leaving the Room of Requirement, Cedric invited them to the Hogwarts kitchen for some food.
But Hermione said it was already late and it would be best to return to the dormitory to rest—she didn't want Gryffindor to lose points for getting caught by the professors wandering at night.
Miss Omniscient's school spirit and sense of collective honor are strong, everyone knew this.
Moreover, they weren't hungry, so they all declined Cedric's invitation and returned to the Gryffindor Common Room together.
"Ronald!" Hermione said in a low voice, "I don't allow you to talk about what happened today with anyone—and the rest of you, definitely don't leak it! Do you understand?"
"Rest assured, I won't even tell my mom and dad!" Ron nodded like a pecking chick.
"What's the big deal?" Neville glanced fearfully at Hermione's furious expression, swallowed hard, "I won't even tell myself—"
"Better be that way, Neville," Hermione huffed as a warning and turned toward the girls' dormitory.
Neville swallowed, saying to Ron, "Oh my God, Ron, I think you were absolutely right—Gryffindor girls do hit hard!"
"I never lie!" Ron rolled his eyes, once again rolling up his sleeve to show off the Orion constellation of bruises Hermione gave him, "Look, it's still purple... Oh my God, I really wonder whether these seven purple stars will disappear by Christmas..."
"Alright, Ron," Harry patted Ron's shoulder, "hurry up and go to bed, don't forget—we have a Magic Potion class tomorrow."
At the mention of Magic Potion class, their faces immediately fell.
Oh, Magic Potion class...
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(The next 4000 words include an additional update for last month's 11500-12000)