Slytherin's much-anticipated crushing defeat quickly became the talk of Hogwarts after dinner.
The unfortunate substitute goalkeeper, Avery, was mocked relentlessly, even though Madam Pomfrey had already repaired his chipped teeth.
Whenever students from other houses saw him, they remembered the Gryffindor catchphrase: "He ran into my elbow and chipped his teeth himself."
No one cared whether Albert's words were true; they simply enjoyed ridiculing Avery for his misfortune.
It was mockery born of dislike.
At least, that was how Albert saw it—otherwise, even he couldn't find much humor in the statement.
This incident solidified Albert's "hate value" among Slytherins, so much so that his panel even registered a new quest.
Albert didn't care. After Gryffindor's victory over Slytherin, animosity between the two houses only intensified.
The atmosphere was tense, nearly boiling over.
Minor skirmishes broke out in the corridors, much to Filch's exasperation. His mouth twitched constantly as rule-breaking skyrocketed, quickly filling his parchment reports.
Eventually, things escalated into a nasty incident.
Several Slytherins cornered Mark, but before they could act, a group of Gryffindors "coincidentally" arrived and joined the fray.
It ended with a Gryffindor sprouting strange scales on his face and a Slytherin's nose producing chives.
Professor McGonagall was furious. Both houses lost a large number of points. Gryffindor dropped back to the bottom, and Slytherin fell to second-to-last.
Naturally, many Slytherins sought revenge on Albert. Being defeated by a Muggle-born first-year was humiliating.
But opportunities were scarce. One student tried to trip Albert by sticking out a leg in the corridor, only to be stepped on and sent to the Hospital Wing—or kicked in the calf, crying from the pain.
What infuriated them most was Albert's calm, innocent expression as he asked, "Are you alright? Why is your leg sticking out?"
The implication was always that he was blameless, and they were at fault.
And they couldn't refute it—because they were.
As for cornering him? Albert was rarely alone. He always had three friends with him, and when he wasn't with them, he was in the library.
He was patient, too. Slytherins tried ambushing him outside the library, but he never emerged.
Worse still, one third-year thought he had an opportunity and followed Albert into the boys' lavatory—only to slip on a wet floor, knock himself out, and be discovered unconscious.
Of course, malicious intent was never limited to one person.
George once walked alone down the empty second-floor corridor near the disused girls' lavatory.
Humming a tune, he seemed unaware of the fifth-year Slytherin stalking him. The older boy drew his wand, preparing a jinx.
But as he raised it, George turned, smiling knowingly.
Before the Slytherin could react, a faint voice whispered from behind him: "Stupefy!"
That was the last thing he heard before collapsing unconscious.
"Another troublemaker!" George nudged the body with his toe and grinned. "Didn't expect that, did you? I've got backup."
"Less talk, more action. Let's drag him into the girls' lavatory and set up a surprise."
Minutes later, several young Hufflepuff girls passed by. They saw a figure sprawled at the entrance, half inside, head covered by his robe, hands clawing at the floor as if trying to crawl out.
Filch arrived, scowling at the puddle of water. His facial muscles twitched.
Did he fall by himself? And what was he doing in the girls' lavatory?
The girls' imaginations ran wild. By the time Filch had two students carry the soaked boy to the Hospital Wing, rumors were already spreading.
Albert's group of four "coincidentally" passed by, struggling to contain their laughter. Their ribs ached from holding it in.
Why had the Slytherin fled the lavatory in such a sorry state? The girls speculated endlessly.
"Next time, if anyone dares trouble us, we'll…" Fred mimed pulling, "…shove his head into the toilet."
"Some jokes shouldn't go too far," Albert cautioned, though he was still laughing. "Better to knock them out and leave them in a stall. The girls won't let him off easily."
"That's a good idea!" George said, eyes gleaming. "I'm suddenly excited."
"They'll be prepared," Lee Jordan added. "But they'll never guess you know the Disillusionment Charm."
That was Albert's greatest advantage. The Slytherins underestimated him completely. With the Disillusionment Charm, he could hide in plain sight, and with Stupefy, he could knock opponents out easily.
Some suspected Albert, but quickly dismissed the idea. A Muggle-born first-year couldn't possibly master such spells so quickly.
Nor could his friends. Few freshmen, even in Slytherin, had ever mastered Stupefy.
So the blame fell on older Gryffindors.
After all, Mark and his friends had a precedent.