The remaining days passed quickly, and in the blink of an eye, it was almost time for the holidays.
In the Great Hall, it was the classic gold and red colors of Gryffindor. Thanks to Lady Pabi Swedding's visible involvement, Professor Snape's precise point manipulation was effectively restrained, allowing Gryffindor to take a clear lead with an advantage of one hundred and twenty-four points.
The three houses sat joyfully in the Great Hall, in stark contrast to the somewhat gloomy Slytherin.
Slytherin's Class Prefect, Miss Farley, sat gloomily on the bench, staring unhappily at the Gryffindor Lion banner not far ahead, unable to speak a word for quite a while.
Draco, seeing the saddened Miss Farley, picked up a glass of pumpkin juice and said, "Don't have such a long face, Miss Farley. Here, have a drink."
Miss Farley took the pumpkin juice, stared intently at that lion banner, and drank the pumpkin juice in one gulp.
"We're the champions again."
That's what the Gryffindor students said.
"Slytherin isn't the champion again."
That's what the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw students said.
In opposing Slytherin, the other two houses were actually quite united.
As long as it wasn't Slytherin that got the House Cup, it was acceptable.
Professor McGonagall tapped her glass amid the murmuring in the Great Hall, and the crisp sound echoed throughout.
"Quiet, everyone, quiet," she said.
The buzzing in the Great Hall ceased.
Dumbledore stood up, first placing an amplification spell on himself, and then said to everyone, "As we welcome a delightful summer in the new year..."
"After all, for the children, the happiest days are when there are no classes, aren't they?"
A burst of laughter filled the Great Hall, especially from the two giant brothers beside Draco—Crabbe and Goyle laughed the loudest.
Miss Farley glared fiercely at the two of them for their carefree attitude.
Merlin, Slytherin's House Cup was snatched by Gryffindor, and you two giant brothers still have the mind to laugh?
"During the new school year, we had a few incidents," Dumbledore said loudly. "The Slytherin's Chamber of Secrets was opened, and an unfortunate student, along with a poor kitty, was petrified."
"What you should know is that fifty years ago, the Chamber of Secrets was also opened, but the victim—Miss Elizabeth Warren, known to everyone as Crying Myrtle—wasn't so lucky. She was directly killed by that monster."
"Fortunately, Mr. Harry Potter of Gryffindor bravely dealt with the small trouble in the Chamber, preventing the monsters within from continuing to harm Hogwarts... so, on behalf of the headmaster of Hogwarts and the entire Hogwarts School Board, I would like to present him with the Special Contribution Award to the school!"
The Special Contribution Award to the School is an honor given to those Hogwarts students who have made outstanding contributions to the school; it's a golden medal with the recipient's name on it.
Once, a student received this award; his name was Tom Marvolo Riddle.
In June 1942, he received this award for catching the culprit who opened the Chamber of Secrets, and his medal was placed in a display case in the corner of the trophy room, though the reason for his award was not stated.
The Great Hall fell into a momentary silence, followed by a burst of enthusiastic cheers from the long tables of the three houses.
The Slytherin students were much more reserved; they politely and orderly applauded for Harry.
They had to applaud because Class Prefect Miss Farley had a good relationship with Harry, and that terrifying transfer student seemed to get along with Harry as well—didn't you see? She's sitting at the Gryffindor long table, her narrow eyes squinting as she scans the Slytherin long table.
The meaning was clear—whoever dared not to applaud, would find themselves unable to clap in the future.
"Next, we need to announce the final scores of the House Cup... Hufflepuff, four hundred and forty-seven points!"
The students in the Great Hall applauded together, the Hufflepuff students were happiest, seeming completely unbothered by their last-place finish.
That's the badger's way.
"Ravenclaw, four hundred and fifty-six points!" Dumbledore announced again.
The students in the Great Hall applauded once more, celebrating Ravenclaw.
After the noise in the Great Hall subsided, Dumbledore announced loudly again, "Slytherin, four hundred and seventy-two points!"
This time, initially, only the Slytherin students applauded in celebration, but after Harry clapped for Slytherin, Gryffindor joined in with reluctant applause.
With Gryffindor's lead, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw also started applauding Slytherin.
Dumbledore looked at all of this with satisfaction, giving a nod of approval to Harry's generosity.
Harry didn't hold much prejudice against Slytherin; apart from the misfortune of producing a Voldemort, the house was actually quite good.
Compared to that bastard Voldemort, even Principal Black seemed rather adorable.
Far away at number twelve, Grimmauld Square, Principal Black suddenly sneezed in his portrait, drowsily opening his eyes, rubbing his nose with his hand, and sneezed again.
"Finally, let's celebrate the birth of the champion," Dumbledore said loudly, "Gryffindor, five hundred and ninety-eight points!"