68
Chapter 68, "Orphan":
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"Wouldn't this benefit you more?" Michael asked casually.
"I suppose so—but I believe Cedric and the others would prefer a fair game," Ryan replied seriously.
"Well...it is Hufflepuff after all," Michael sighed.
"Don't think I don't know you're calling me naive," Ryan retorted with irritation.
"Haha, how could I?" Michael chuckled dryly.
But if it were Ravenclaw, he knew his house wouldn't miss such an opportunity.
"Actually, Wade—I wanted to ask..." Hermione hesitated, her tone pleading, "Could Harry join SSC as well?"
The air grew tense all of a sudden.
Ryan shifted uncomfortably.
Michael's smile vanished as he looked from the brown-haired girl to Wade.
Wade remained impassive, then nodded simply, "Of course, Harry Potter isn't hard to get along with. The issue, Hermione, is you."
"—Me?" Hermione looked anxious.
"Have you forgotten how upset you were with Ron Weasley? Potter and Weasley are inseparable. If Harry joins, he won't hide it from Weasley. Are you prepared to reconcile?" Wade asked gently, showing concern for Hermione's feelings.
It seemed he harbored no objections, his considerations centered around Hermione's emotional state.
"Oh, that!" Hermione breathed a sigh of relief, smiling, "That incident is water under the bridge. Besides, he did try to make amends later, didn't he? Although it wasn't entirely successful—after spending time together, I find Weasley isn't as irritating anymore. You can't hold a grudge forever over a quarrel, can you?"
"I think turning enemies into friends is a good thing," Ryan interjected to ease the tension. "And with Weasley's brothers being so exceptional, he must have his own strengths, right?"
Hermione didn't quite share Ryan's sentiment.
Once she felt more at ease, she couldn't help but elaborate further, "Actually, I hadn't intended to include them... Ron noticed Neville's progress and asked him several times, but Neville said nothing... But you all know Harry—if the Death Eaters or You-Know-Who return, Harry will be their primary target. However, his academic performance is mediocre, he hasn't learned most of the spells taught in class, and he must attend Quidditch training regularly—"
To Hermione, Harry Potter seemed "a slacker who coasted on his fame without applying himself."
Then, he evolved into "a decent slacker with a good heart but still not applying himself enough."
Only when she truly grasped that Harry Potter lost his parents in the war and continued to face danger from Voldemort and his followers did Hermione view him with pity.
"—What's the difference between poor grades and a carefree attitude? How happy his parents would be to see him grow up healthy and happy!"
Yet, Hermione's anxiety intensified—she was prone to it.
With Voldemort looming, Quirrell's suspicious behavior, and Dumbledore's secretive plans, Harry spent his days seemingly carefree, either scrambling to complete homework or copying others'.
Hermione almost wished she could crack open Harry's mind and stuff in her own worries!
Clearly, Harry faced significant challenges ahead, ones he couldn't tackle simply by copying homework.
Teaching them all the spells she learned at the Umbrella House proved daunting for Hermione. When Wade taught, everything seemed clear and understandable, yet when she tried to teach Harry and Ron the same way, it felt as if they were facing an insurmountable barrier.
She didn't know why, but it left her frustrated. Sometimes she wondered about their intelligence, but observing Neville's progress forced her to consider her own teaching methods.
Joining SSC seemed Harry's best chance for improvement. The only better option would be Dumbledore himself tutoring Harry... but that was wishful thinking.
Despite realizing it was presumptuous and might displease others, Hermione made the request.
Luckily, Wade consented.
Having been part of SSC for some time, Hermione understood that if Wade agreed, no one else would object.
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"Why did you agree?" Michael asked, once only the two of them remained.
"What about Harry Potter?" Wade countered knowingly.
"Of course," Michael replied seriously. "Wade, I didn't think you'd welcome trouble like Harry Potter."
"I don't particularly enjoy it," Wade reclined in his chair. "But if it's Harry Potter, I'm willing to make an exception."
"But—" Michael frowned, perplexed. "After all this time, even Neville should realize—he's just an ordinary boy who miraculously survived the Killing Curse... and for some reason... the same reason the you know who vanished that night, and the entire world hailed him as the 'Boy Who Lived,' as if you know who was defeated by a baby—initially, I thought he was born with exceptional magical talent. But—"
Michael hesitated.
"But upon starting school, he discovered his intelligence and abilities didn't match his 'Chosen One' reputation?" Wade gazed out the window, voicing what Michael struggled to articulate.
Michael breathed a sigh of relief, "Yes, exactly."
He paused, then continued, "You must see this clearly, so why do you have any expectations for Potter?"
"But, Michael," Wade shifted his gaze from the window to his friend, "you shouldn't forget that both Potter's parents died fighting you know who —they fought bravely to the end. That night, Harry Potter not only became the 'Chosen One' but also lost his closest family members—"
"Yes, that's right," Michael flushed with embarrassment, stumbling over his words.
"So whatever he does—or doesn't do—it's unrelated to any of that," Wade sighed. "Harry Potter is the orphan of heroes."
"The... orphan of heroes?" Michael mulled over the phrase, suddenly understanding why his parents forbade him from speaking ill of Harry Potter.
"Yes," Wade concluded. "Those of us who've escaped the shadows of war and enjoy peaceful lives now have a duty to look out for him—and others like him, don't we?"
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