"Wouldn't this be more advantageous for you?" Michael asked indifferently.
"That's true—but I think Cedric and the others would definitely prefer a fair competition," Leian said earnestly.
"Hmm... that's indeed Hufflepuff," Michael remarked.
Leian retorted, "Don't think I don't know you're actually saying I'm dumb."
"Hahaha, how could I?" Michael laughed awkwardly.
If it were Ravenclaw, he knew his house wouldn't pass up such a great opportunity.
"Actually—Vid—I wanted to ask—" Hermione hesitated, then pleaded, "Can Harry join the SSC?"
The air suddenly went silent.
Leian felt uneasy.
He saw the smile on Michael's face disappear as he looked at the brown-haired girl, then at Vid.
Vid's expression didn't change much; he even agreed straightforwardly, "Of course, Harry Potter isn't difficult to get along with. The issue is you—Hermione."
"—Me?" Hermione looked over anxiously.
"Have you forgotten how Ron Weasley made you cry? Potter is inseparable from Weasley. If he joins, he probably won't hide it from Weasley—are you ready to forgive him?" Vid asked gently.
It seemed like he didn't have any opinion; all considerations stemmed from concern for Hermione's feelings.
"Oh, that!" Hermione breathed a sigh of relief and smiled understandingly, "That matter has long passed, and he later wanted to remind his friend, didn't he? Although it wasn't effective—after spending time together recently, I don't find Weasley that annoying anymore. It's unlikely to hold a grudge for a lifetime over a single argument, right?"
"Turning enemies into friends, I think it's quite good," Leian said proactively, easing the earlier tension, "And Ron Weasley's brothers are all very outstanding. He must have some remarkable aspects too, right?"
This point... Hermione might not fully agree.
Once relaxed, she couldn't help but explain, "Actually, I didn't plan to bring them in... Ron noticed Neville's impressive progress and asked multiple times, but Neville didn't say anything... But you all know Harry—if Death Eaters and the Mysterious Man come back, the first person they'll go after is Harry—but he's really not outstanding in academics, his grades are mediocre, and he hasn't mastered the spells taught in class, not to mention frequently going to Quidditch training—"
In Hermione's eyes, Harry Potter was originally a "famous but academically unmotivated failure."
Later he was—"a good but still not hardworking failure."
When she truly realized that Harry Potter had lost his parents to war and was still threatened by Voldemort and his cohorts—
Harry Potter then appeared in Hermione's eyes with a "poor little thing" halo.
—What does it matter if his grades are a bit poor, or if he's a bit playful? Seeing him grow happily and healthily, how relieved his parents must be!
But then, Hermione grew even more anxious—she inherently tended to be anxious.
The thought of Voldemort being close by, Quirrell watching intently, Dumbledore having mysterious unknown plans, and Harry messing around all day, either muddling through assignments or copying others—
Hermione almost wanted to pry open his skull and stuff her bunch of anxieties inside!
Undoubtedly, Harry Potter's future is surely full of great challenges and dangers, which he absolutely cannot handle by copying assignments.
Hermione tried to teach them the spells she learned at Umbrella House, but the problem was—when Vid taught them, she found it very clear and understandable, but teaching Harry and Ron in the same manner felt like teaching brainless trolls, with them not understanding after half a day.
Hermione didn't understand why; she just felt extremely irritable. Sometimes she doubted their intelligence, but seeing Neville's progress, she had to admit her teaching method might be the problem.
To quickly improve Harry's skills, joining SSC seems to be the only choice. The only better option would be for Dumbledore himself to personally tutor Harry...but how can that be possible?
Therefore, despite knowing it's presumptuous, and might make others unhappy with her, Hermione still made the request.
Fortunately, Vid agreed.
Having joined SSC for so long, Hermione naturally understood that as long as Vid agreed, others wouldn't be a problem.
…
"Why agree?" When only two were left, Michael couldn't help but ask.
"About Harry Potter?" Vid asked, knowing full well.
"Of course," Michael said sternly, "Vid, I think you know Harry Potter means a lot of trouble—I thought you wouldn't like such trouble."
"Hmm, I do dislike it," Vid leaned back in his chair and said, "But if it's Harry Potter, then exceptions can be made."
"But—" Michael frowned in puzzlement, "For so long, even Neville should see—he's just an ordinary boy who escaped the Killing Curse for unknown reasons...and for unknown reasons, the Mysterious Man disappeared that night, and the whole world put the title of 'Savior' on him, as if the Mysterious Man was defeated by a baby—I originally thought he had powerful magic power, but—"
Michael hesitated.
"But after starting school, you realize his wisdom and capabilities don't match the reputation of the 'Star of Salvation'?" Vid looked out the window, saying what Michael wanted but hesitated to say.
Michael sighed with relief, "Yes, that's what I mean."
He paused, then added, "You can see it clearly as well, not harboring any special expectations for Potter because of it. But why—"
"But Michael—" Vid withdrew his gaze from the window and looked at his friend, saying, "You shouldn't forget, Potter's parents died fighting the Mysterious Man, bravely battling until the end. On that night, Harry Potter not only became the 'Savior'—he lost his closest family—"
"Yes—yes, that's right—" Michael's face blushed with shame, stammering.
"So regardless of what he did then—or didn't do—it doesn't relate to these at all," Vid sighed, "Harry Potter—is the orphan of martyrs."
"Martyr's... orphan?" Michael chewed over the term, suddenly understanding why when gossiping about Harry Potter with his parents, they wouldn't allow him to speak ill of Harry Potter.
"Indeed," Vid concluded, "All those who were lucky to escape the shadow of war and enjoy peaceful lives now have an obligation to care for him—and for children like him, don't they?"