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Chapter 475: Like a Big Fool
"Oh, Darren—you're here!"
Just when Darren was nearly surrounded by a ring of excited girls, Hermione finally appeared.
Her hair was softened and pulled into a neat high bun.
She wore a pale green gown made of flowing fabric, with a ribbon at her waist matching the color of Darren's robes.
She looked beautiful—unusually so.
Pansy, coming out of the Slytherin stairwell, stared at Hermione in disbelief.
Even Cassandra's lips tightened.
The other Slytherin girls whispered sharply—muttering how a mudblood could possibly compare to them.
Fleur refused to look at Hermione at all; she grabbed a girl dressed in boy's attire and swept out of sight.
"Champions, gather over here!"
Professor McGonagall's voice rang out, high with excitement.
She called Harry to the front, and upon seeing him with Parvati, her eyebrows pinched together.
But when she saw Darren and Hermione arrive, her shoulders relaxed noticeably.
She had to admit it—Slytherin once again outshone Gryffindor.
The only comfort was that Darren, at least, was still a Hogwarts student—and her favorite one.
"Now then—Champions, forward!"
Professor McGonagall guided them into the Great Hall.
A large round table stood at the front for the judges.
As Darren walked in, applause erupted from all sides.
Hermione lifted her chin with pride, her back straight.
She also wrapped her arm around Darren, which immediately sent every girl in the hall into silent, burning jealousy.
They stared at Hermione like they wished they could drag her away and take her place.
But as they approached the judges' section, the professors' presence silenced all of that.
The girls didn't dare glare openly anymore.
The judges and Hogwarts professors sat at the guest-of-honor table.
Darren was positioned directly before Dumbledore, with Hermione beside him.
Dumbledore smiled warmly, his eyes faintly red.
"In the blink of an eye, the children have grown so much… and I have become an old man. What do you think, Severus?"
He looked wistfully at Snape.
Darren glanced at Snape and found the man staring at him with a jumble of emotions—nostalgia, hope, worry, fear—almost as if he would burst into tears the next second.
Darren silently sighed.
Being a loyalty-obsessed man really wasn't easy.
He maintained a worried expression.
"Professor, you…"
[Ding, Holy Father Value +10]
[Ding, Father Value +100]
[Ding, Holy Father Value +10]
Snape was a truly miserable person.
No one appreciated his concern—but he still looked deeply moved.
He inhaled sharply, as if he wanted to say something to Darren.
But in the end, he didn't.
Instead, he glared at Harry.
"Some people put on dress robes and look like complete fools."
He then gulped down the mulled mead in front of him and sat back down as Harry's expression contorted in silent outrage.
Darren was convinced.
Tonight, Snape's only goal seemed to be making Harry unhappy.
Even Dumbledore shook his head.
"Severus, that was uncalled for."
"But I am simply stating the truth," Snape replied, looking quite pleased with himself.
Dumbledore had no retort for that.
He sighed and waved them along.
"Children, find yourselves a seat."
Darren was about to choose a random spot, but Percy suddenly grabbed both him and Harry.
"You two sit beside me!" Percy said enthusiastically.
Darren obliged.
Harry hesitated—Percy sat right next to Snape.
And Snape was looking at Harry like he'd poison him for daring to sit down.
Darren laughed softly.
He switched seats with Harry.
"The professor was joking," Darren said calmly.
And indeed—when Darren sat beside Snape, Snape did not react.
At worst, he pretended Darren didn't exist.
But Darren didn't have time to pay attention to him.
Percy was already talking rapidly.
"I've been promoted! I'm now Mr. Crouch's personal assistant!"
"Congratulations."
Percy beamed and shook Darren's hand formally.
"So—why didn't Mr. Crouch come today?" Harry asked.
Percy shook his head sadly.
"Mr. Crouch is very ill. After everything that happened at the World Cup, he's been under terrible strain. You know how diligently he works. Even his house-elf was accused of conjuring the Dark Mark—though we both know she was framed."
"But Mr. Crouch was so furious he dismissed her. Now he has no one to look after him. He's spending Christmas alone."
Percy straightened proudly.
"But he still has me. I can represent him on such an important occasion. I've practically become his life-assistant."
Harry wanted to ask if Crouch had ever called him Weatherby, but Darren's solemn gaze blocked the attempt.
So Harry lowered his attention to the golden plate on the table.
It was empty, but a menu lay beside it.
He picked it up, unsure what to do.
Then Dumbledore chuckled loudly.
He lifted his menu deliberately, clearly demonstrating for the students.
Then he looked up as if choosing something, tapped the table with his wand, and said firmly:
"Pork chops."
A plate of pork chops materialized instantly.
Dumbledore took a bite and gave a thumbs-up.
Everyone caught on immediately.
Darren ordered a steak.
As he ate, he overheard Dumbledore and Karkaroff speaking.
They were discussing school confidentiality.
Karkaroff insisted that no Durmstrang student could reveal their school's location—as if it were their greatest secret.
Dumbledore argued that it was simple courtesy to visit each other's institutions.
They even began debating over a minor point.
Karkaroff insisted he needed to know every secret of any school he entered.
Darren whispered to himself:
Good grief…
A former Death Eater who wants to be a dictator of a school.
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