Chapter 72: A Matter of Recognition

"Sean, congratulations. First place in the grade is yours."

A week after the exams, the results were finally out. With the absolute advantage constructed from his outstanding performance in Potions and Transfiguration, Sean had overpowered Hermione and become the first-place student in his year.

Sean looked at Hermione standing in front of him. Her congratulations were sincere, but the unwillingness on her face was also clearly evident.

At this time, saying any words of comfort to someone like Hermione would be an insult. Therefore, Sean said directly, "I'll be waiting for you at the end of the second year. We'll have a decisive battle then."

Hearing this, a clear desire to win sparked in Hermione's eyes. "Next year," she declared, "I will definitely defeat you and become the number one in our grade!"

"Okay, I'll be waiting."

Hermione turned and left, rejoining Harry and Ron, who were waiting not far away.

Sean nodded at Harry and Ron, who greeted him, and then turned to return to the Slytherin Common Room with Blaise.

At this time, many young wizards in the Slytherin common room were already celebrating their house's anticipated seventh consecutive championship.

Tonight was the end-of-term feast, and the House Cup would be awarded then. Currently, Slytherin was in first place with 436 points, Ravenclaw was in second place with 409 points, Hufflepuff was third with 352 points, and fourth place was Gryffindor with 296 points.

Sean couldn't remember the original scores of the four houses, but he felt that the scores for Slytherin and Gryffindor should both be significantly lower than in the book. After all, at the beginning of the term, Sean and Malfoy had lost 110 points for Slytherin, while Harry and Ron had lost 40 for Gryffindor.

On the Gryffindor side, Sean had heard that Hermione had helped them earn back quite a few points after the Halloween troll incident. On the Slytherin side, Sean had made up for his own lost fifty points and had a surplus, but the points earned back by Malfoy and the others were truly negligible.

Fortunately, if Dumbledore were to add points to Harry and the others because of the Philosopher's Stone, he would also have to add points to Sean. With his own portion of points and Slytherin's original advantage, Sean felt confident about winning the House Cup. It was a pity that Malfoy was such a waste; otherwise, if Slytherin had won the Quidditch match, the seven consecutive championships would have been a certainty.

The entire team had Nimbus 2000s and they still lost, Sean thought with a flash of annoyance. Do they even know how to play?

The sky gradually darkened. As the feast time approached, the young wizards of Slytherin, one by one, beaming with pride, arrived at the Great Hall, which was decorated in Slytherin's silver and green. When they encountered students from other houses, they all looked down their noses at them, especially when they met Gryffindors, almost calling them trash directly, which made the students from the other three houses quite angry.

Glancing at Malfoy, who was habitually provoking Harry without knowing his place, Sean resisted the urge to roll his eyes and break character and sat down at the Slytherin long table with Blaise.

Nowadays, Sean and Blaise could sit in the center seats of the Slytherin table. Things were different now; they were no longer the same as when they had first started school. Both their status and popularity were already quite high, but they were still used to sitting on the side.

Although the house tables were supposed to be seated by year, this aspect was not strictly enforced. Except for the start-of-term feast, the students from each house basically sat wherever they pleased.

As time passed, the various professors arrived one after another and sat down at the staff table.

Dumbledore was the last to arrive. He lightly tapped his cup and began to speak.

"Another year has passed, and I am very happy to see everyone gathered here. However, before you enjoy the delicious food, I must ask you to listen to this old man's platitudes."

"This year has been a very exciting one, and your minds are surely filled with many things. Our holidays will ensure you have time to organize and sort through what's in your minds, making space to welcome the next school year."

"We will now proceed with the House Cup award ceremony. The points for each House are as follows: Fourth place, Gryffindor, 296 points. Third place, Hufflepuff, 352 points. Second place, Ravenclaw, 409 points. And in first place, Slytherin, with 436 points!"

As these words fell, a deafening cheer immediately erupted from the Slytherin side. Some clapped their hands vigorously, while others stomped their feet repeatedly, making thudding sounds.

Sean lightly clapped his hands. He looked at Dumbledore, knowing very well that things were not over yet.

As expected, when the cheering from the Slytherin side gradually subsided, Dumbledore spoke again. "Very well done, children of Slytherin. However, recent events also need to be included, don't they?"

At this point, Dumbledore turned his head to look towards the Gryffindor side, and under the uncertain gaze of the Slytherin crowd, he spoke, "Mr. Ron Weasley, he won the most brilliant chess game Hogwarts has seen in many years. Fifty points to Gryffindor!"

"Miss Hermione Granger, she was able to remain calm and analyze the truth of the situation when facing Devil's Snare and flames. I shall award Gryffindor fifty points."

"Mr. Neville Longbottom, he could still stand his ground when facing his friends. This is undoubtedly a form of courage. I shall award Gryffindor ten points."

Sean listened to Dumbledore's words and silently calculated. Gryffindor now had 406 points. He vaguely remembered that Harry should have been awarded fifty or sixty points. Calculating based on sixty points, Gryffindor would have 466 points. If Slytherin then added his own fifty points, they would have 486 points and still win the House Cup.

Thinking of this, Sean let out a quiet breath. It was at this moment that Dumbledore looked at him and said, "Mr. Sean Bulstrode, when facing an invincible enemy, used his clever mind and indomitable courage to defeat his opponent. I shall add fifty points to Slytherin!"

Hearing this, the students of Slytherin cheered again.

But just then, Dumbledore spoke again. "Finally, Harry Potter. He has fearless courage and extraordinary bravery. He uncovered the truth behind a great secret and protected something valuable. Therefore, I shall add… one hundred points to Harry Potter!"

The cheering from Slytherin came to an abrupt halt.

The faint smile on Snape's lips also froze on his face.

Sean looked at Dumbledore, his mouth twitching slightly.

Fine, he thought. In order for you, old man, to make Harry the hero of Gryffindor, you've completely lost all sense of shame. Adding a hundred points at once… showing such favoritism towards Gryffindor and Harry… it's a bit too much.

Sighing, Sean lowered his head and said no more.

At this moment, Dumbledore looked at the cheering Gryffindors, watching the young students surrounding Harry as their savior. He nodded with satisfaction; his goal had been achieved.

"The points adding is finished. Slytherin currently has 486 points, and Gryffindor currently has 506 points. Therefore, the winner of this year's House Cup is Gryffin—"

Dumbledore's final announcement was already at his lips, but just then, a high-pitched eagle cry suddenly rang out. A magnificent snowy eagle with a wide wingspan, entirely white, flew into the Great Hall and descended directly towards Sean.

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