Hermione patiently waited until the little boy had finished cleaning the entire nearby area. Only then did she pull him over and use a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from his face.
After she had completely tidied up his dirty, unkempt little face, she smiled and said, "You did a really good job. Five points to Hufflepuff!"
As her words fell, a crisp clinking sound of gemstones colliding rang out from the hourglass in the entrance hall.
The little boy left happily.
Ron, however, could no longer hold it in. He said angrily to Hermione, "Are you crazy? I think you're really crazy! You actually gave points to that Hufflepuff kid! Don't you know that he already gets points and pay just for doing that job?"
Harry also quietly looked toward Hermione.
He knew Ron was absolutely right.
As compensation for having lower-year students take on part of Hogwarts' labor, Link had given those positions some point rewards and small financial subsidies.
Although the subsidy wasn't very high, at best barely more than symbolic, it was precisely because of this that older students weren't drawn into competing for those jobs.
That ensured the benefits went smoothly into the pockets of younger students, letting them earn a few house points and some money to buy snacks and the like.
So in principle, Hermione's action was completely irrational.
Unfortunately, Hermione only nodded casually after hearing this and said, "Yes, of course I know. But I just like helping people who contribute to Hogwarts."
"If you went to help with cleaning too, I could give you points as well. Even though giving points to your own house is a little shameless, I guarantee that in situations like this, no one could really say it's wrong."
Ron was so angry he almost laughed.
There was no way he would go compete with lower-year students for those semi-volunteer jobs that barely paid anything. He barely had enough time just keeping up with his classes every day.
So he simply dragged Hermione over to the hourglasses in the entrance hall and pointed at them, saying, "Just take a look! We're about to be overtaken by Ravenclaw and Slytherin!"
"Those two are one thing, but the problem is that even Hufflepuff is almost catching up to us now! And the biggest reason for all this is that there are just too many 'kind-hearted' people like you!"
As soon as he said this, both Harry and Hermione instinctively looked toward the hourglasses.
The gemstone levels in the four hourglasses representing the four houses weren't very high.
This was entirely because, back when Umbridge's Inquisitorial Squad had abused the power to award and deduct points, house points had lost all meaning. So after Link's committee took over, they had simply reset everything.
Harry was actually quite grateful to Link for this.
Because it gave the House Cup system meaning again.
What's more, because George and Fred's outrageously spectacular fireworks show had won first place in the talent competition that day, Gryffindor had received an extra fifty points, putting them well ahead of the other houses for the time being.
Unfortunately, as Ron had said, that advantage was now being steadily eroded.
Unlike Harry, who felt it was a real shame, Hermione remained unconcerned in the face of Ron's accusation and simply repeated her earlier stance.
Ron took a deep breath, then adjusted his tone and said, "Fine then. In that case, work a little harder and earn those five points back in class. After all, you're the one who gave them away. It's only fair that you earn them back, right?"
"Earn them back? So now you want to start counting points with me?" Hermione snapped angrily.
"Fine, then let's really count them! I've attended every class seriously since I enrolled, actively participated, and on average I earn nearly twenty points a day!"
"And what about you?"
"You and Harry not only don't earn points, you're constantly getting into trouble!"
"Over the years, the points Gryffindor has lost because of you two have already almost hit four digits!"
"And you actually have the nerve to say this to me?"
With that, Ron was completely speechless.
Watching his pale face flush red in an instant, Harry sighed.
He knew it was time for him to step in and smooth things over again.
This was always how their arguments went, and he was already sick of it.
However, just as he had finished forming his words and was about to intervene, he saw that Ron and Hermione had both stopped talking and were quietly looking toward the staircase.
The heat from their argument vanished instantly from their faces, replaced by a cold expression filled with intense contempt and hatred.
Confused, Harry followed their gaze.
The next moment, his expression and eyes became exactly the same as Ron's and Hermione's.
Not just them, students who had been lively and cheerful throughout the Great Hall also fell silent at that moment.
Everyone stared viciously at the figures slowly walking into the hall from the entrance.
Because those people, wearing thick winter school robes with black cloth covering their faces, were the very traitors who had previously leaked D.A. information to Umbridge, leading to Dumbledore being forced out.
Under Link's reluctant treatment, their faces had actually improved somewhat and would likely recover eventually.
But while the wounds on their faces could heal, the wounds in their hearts were not so easily fixed.
After Umbridge was driven out, their actions made them targets of scorn and disgust from the entire school.
Those in a similar situation included former members of the Inquisitorial Squad who had once sided with Umbridge.
But the way the two groups were treated was worlds apart.
The former squad members had indeed done wrong.
However, they had acted largely out of self-interest, and their actions hadn't crossed any serious moral lines. They were still within what most people could understand.
So when people ran into them, they might at most throw out a few sarcastic remarks or cutting comments.
Some were even willing to accept them again if they worked hard to reform, start over, and sign special contracts to join the D.A.
The traitors, however, were a different matter entirely.
From any perspective, betrayal is one of the most unforgivable crimes in human history.
And the same was true at Hogwarts.
Wherever they went, these traitors were treated like rats crossing the street, met with merciless disdain and rejection.
As a result, those whose families still had some money, or who had connections, all transferred out of Hogwarts.
Those who had nowhere else to go could only cover their faces and turn themselves into ghost-like existences, doing nothing but eat, sleep, and attend classes, while spending the rest of their time hiding in dark corners, quietly crying like resentful spirits.
Only after these people had grabbed their breakfast and fled did the Great Hall finally return to its previous liveliness.
People resumed discussing their earlier topics, while also directing a few lower-year students to thoroughly clean any places the traitors had touched, to avoid being "contaminated" by the stench clinging to them.
Of course, these instructions weren't free.
After the younger students finished the work, the older students who gave the orders would usually ask their prefects to award them a few points.
A large portion of Hufflepuff's points came from this.
Their students were hardworking and dependable, and anyone who saw them would casually give them a few points, just like Hermione did.
Over time, those points added up, and Hufflepuff finally managed to stand shoulder to shoulder with the other three houses.
After taking one last look at the bustling Great Hall, Hermione turned and said, "It's about time. Let's go to the D.A.'s morning class."
Ron was still a bit angry with Hermione. He muttered a few words under his breath, then turned to Harry and said, "Harry, are you still going to the Room of Requirement to let Link give you extra lessons this time?"
"What do you mean 'extra lessons'? That's such an ugly way to put it!" Hermione retorted. "Link is personally teaching Harry Occlumency to treat his headaches. He's not favoring Harry!"
Ron quickly raised his hands in surrender.
"Calm down, Hermione. I didn't mean to badmouth Link. I just… I just feel a little sad that Harry has to go to class by himself. I'm sure Harry feels the same way. Right?"
Harry nodded, looking a little downcast.
If he could, he really did want to go to the D.A.'s morning reading with Ron and Hermione.
It wasn't just about friendship. With the help of the D.A.'s morning sessions, Ron and Hermione's grades were pulling farther and farther ahead of his, and that made him uneasy.
Unfortunately, Occlumency was a hurdle he simply couldn't avoid.
Even Dumbledore had instructed him, before leaving, to master Occlumency as soon as possible. How could he give up?
Besides, ever since Umbridge was driven out, he felt his Occlumency improving rapidly.
The fact that he hadn't had headaches or nightmares for days was a very clear sign.
Harry felt that before long, he might completely master Occlumency and return to a normal student life.
Thinking this, his heart filled with strength once more.
He smiled and said goodbye to Hermione and Ron, then set off alone toward the staircase leading to the Room of Requirement.
However, he had only taken a few steps when a sharp, needle-like pain suddenly stabbed through his mind again.
Harry's vision went black, and he collapsed on the stairs.
In his hazy state, he could feel a warm liquid flowing from his nose, smearing everywhere.
Hermione and Ron's cries of alarm rang out at just the right moment, but the sound seemed to grow farther and farther away.
Finally, as a series of dark, chilling images inexplicably began to flash before his eyes, Harry lost consciousness.
———
[Number 12, Grimmauld Place, Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix]
Dumbledore leaned against the kitchen table, reading with great interest a letter stamped with Hogwarts' H-shaped crest.
The letter was from Professor McGonagall.
Ever since he left Hogwarts, she had written to him roughly every half day on average.
This frequency was actually a problem.
They had originally agreed that one letter per week would be enough.
But during the days when Link overthrew Umbridge, McGonagall had written him a flood of letters in near hysteria, pushing the frequency to a shocking level.
Still, it was precisely because of these letters that Dumbledore was able to gain a detailed understanding of how Link had taken down Umbridge and of the changes now taking place at Hogwarts.
The only issue was that McGonagall, having never undergone professional Auror training, couldn't report matters from a fully objective standpoint.
Her letters often included subjective personal opinions.
Sometimes, more than half of an entire letter consisted of her own complaints and grumbling.
It was written almost like the letters of a couple madly in love.
For example, in the letter Dumbledore was reading now, aside from reporting the astonishing results of the D.A.'s morning and evening sessions, McGonagall also expressed dissatisfaction and concern over Link privately making books from the Restricted Section available to D.A. members.
Thankfully, Dumbledore had read far too many reports like this.
That experience had honed his reading skills and his ability to sift information.
And because of that, even though McGonagall's letters were heavy with negativity, he still read them with hearty laughter.
"Looks like you're in a pretty good mood," Moody said as he limped into the kitchen, casually picking a piece of fried egg from the plate in front of Dumbledore and stuffing it into his mouth.
"After all, someone got kicked out of Hogwarts, and even lost the position of headmaster."
Faced with Moody's somewhat malicious teasing, Dumbledore's good mood remained unaffected.
He cheerfully set the letter down, carefully slid it back into the envelope, and then smiled as he said, "I wasn't kicked out of Hogwarts, and Link didn't steal the headmaster's position from me. In fact, Hogwarts is now operating under a tripartite committee system."
"What difference does that make?" Moody said dismissively.
"From the intelligence we have, that Percy fellow is basically Link's lackey planted inside the Ministry of Magic. And Cedric, the student council president, goes without saying. Link is the real power controlling Hogwarts now!"
Dumbledore shook his head and continued smiling.
"But he's doing a very good job, isn't he?"
"Especially what Link said to everyone on the day Umbridge was driven out. It was truly wonderful."
"Hogwarts' system really is too old-fashioned, and it's time for some changes."
"Even though the consequences of such changes are completely unknown, and might even be negative..."
"that's still better than doing nothing and watching the entire system rot away."
Moody didn't say anything more. He simply looked quietly at Dumbledore.
He knew very well that Dumbledore had already reached a conclusion and made a decision regarding Hogwarts. No matter what he said, Dumbledore wouldn't change his mind.
He smacked his lips and said helplessly, "Fine then. Let's change the subject and talk about the Department of Mysteries. How does that sound?"