Hogwarts: Proficiency Panel

Chapter 390 - 391: A Raucous Great Hall

"And second," Dumbledore continued, his voice projecting easily through the hall, "to Miss Hermione Granger, for solving a mystery of vital importance—I award fifty points!"

The roar that followed was deafening. The sheer enthusiasm of the Gryffindors threatened to blow the roof off the Great Hall; even the enchanted stars on the ceiling seemed to flicker and shake from the vibration.

Amidst the chaos, Justin could be heard shouting his praise. "Brilliant, Hermione! We all know you were the one who tracked down the legend and finally got Professor Binns to cough up the truth about the Chamber!"

Hermione's face was a vivid shade of scarlet. Unlike the quiet, frightened sobs of their first year, this time she stood tall, accepting the glory with a proud nod.

Dumbledore raised a hand. Gradually, the hall settled back into a tense, expectant silence.

"The elderly are often foolish and forgetful when it comes to underestimating the young," the Headmaster said softly. "It is clear that a wizard of the highest order has manifested among us. Indeed, I have been asked how he compares to my own younger self. My answer? I believe he is significantly more accomplished."

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled as he surveyed the Ravenclaw table.

"Therefore, I must award three hundred points to Ravenclaw. One hundred points are for Mr. Sean Green, who, before any of us realized the depth of the danger, solved the riddle of the Chamber and located the monster within..."

Dumbledore was cut off by a collective, sharp intake of breath. Sean felt a dry, Muggle joke about "global warming being caused by wizards gasping" flash through his mind.

A moment later, a slow ripple of applause began, quickly swelling into a rhythmic thunder. At the Gryffindor table, the Weasley twins were bellowing, "THE GREAT GREEN!" The Ravenclaws, meanwhile, were already doing the math—they were wondering if they were looking at the start of a seven-year streak for the House Cup, provided they kept their "Dear Mr. Green" happy.

Even the Slytherins offered a polite, guarded round of applause. Some, like Draco Malfoy, watched Sean with an expression that bordered on fanatical. The Hufflepuffs looked a bit more despondent; rumor had it that young Sean had originally wanted to be sorted into the House of the Badger...

Up at the High Table, Professor Flitwick was vibrating with such joy he nearly fell off his booster seat. He was squeaking something to his colleagues until he noticed the stern, complex expressions on the faces of McGonagall and Snape.

"You really ought to give him a week's detention," McGonagall whispered to Snape.

Severus Snape didn't reply immediately. He merely gave a cold, stiff nod. However, for a fleeting second when he thought no one was looking, his features softened into a look of "I told you he was special."

Dumbledore used a Sonorus charm to override the renewed cheering.

"And the remaining two hundred points... are for Mr. Green's courage. Before a tragedy could strike, he single-handedly faced and defeated the Basilisk. Yes... a truly incredible feat."

The silence that followed was absolute.

Students stared at one another, some literally rubbing their ears as if they had misheard.

"What does 'single-handedly defeated a Basilisk' even mean?" Ernie Macmillan asked, looking at his friends for an explanation. Hannah and Susan could only stare back, their mouths hanging open.

This scene repeated itself at every table. In the space of a heartbeat, the Great Hall had turned from a riot into a tomb.

Professor Dumbledore smiled and clapped his hands.

Inside the giant House Hourglasses, a torrent of blue sapphires began to pour into the Ravenclaw section. The gems surged past the Gryffindor line and continued upward until the other three houses were left in the dust. A three-hundred-point gap had been established in a single evening.

"Merlin's beard..." Roger Davies was the first to find his voice. "Merlin bless us!"

Realizing that the House Cup was effectively settled and their "Secret Weapon" was even more terrifying than rumored, the Ravenclaw table erupted like a powder keg.

The excitement wasn't limited to the eagles. The Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs were equally electrified. No one cared about the points anymore—who could compete with that? They only wanted to know one thing: how? How did a twelve-year-old kill one of the deadliest monsters in the British Isles?

Sean was used to being the center of attention, but having several hundred people staring at him with unblinking, predatory curiosity was enough to make even him feel a bit twitchy. He heard someone near the front start chanting "The Great Green" again, which triggered a mild stress response in his gut.

He looked up at the High Table. Dumbledore raised his golden goblet in a silent toast and gave him a mischievous wink.

The debate raged on long after the feast ended. The corridors were thick with groups of students discussing the revelation.

Members of the Kneazle Society were already busy crediting the "Lucky Black Cat." They argued that since so many dangers had been hidden in the castle yet none had come to pass, it was clearly the guardian's influence. The fact that their Christmas vigil had yielded no sightings was forgotten in an instant.

"I can't believe the Headmaster said that..."

Hermione was still in a daze as the trio stood near a suit of armor in the corridor. Within the Room of Hope, they had all silently agreed that Sean was destined to surpass Dumbledore. But hearing it from the man himself was a different matter entirely. It solidified their resolve.

"Tell us again, Sean. How did you actually beat it?" Ron asked. He was already rehearsing the version of the story he was going to tell the other Gryffindors.

"Yeah," Harry added. "Give us the details."

"I used some Transfiguration, a few targeted Impediment Jinxes, and... well..." Sean began.

"By Merlin..." Ron muttered, looking as though he wanted to bang his head against the wall.

Sean tilted his head, watching Ron.

"Ignore him, Sean. Keep going," Harry urged. He genuinely wanted to learn the mechanics of the fight.

"And the Sword of Gryffindor," Sean added. "The Basilisk's hide is immune to most direct magic, so I used Material Transfiguration to collapse the floor and pin it in place..."

"Transfiguring the floor to cave in?" Ron's eyes were like saucers. "Sean, I've been working my tail off on Transfiguration for a year, but half the time I don't even understand what you're talking about!"

[End of Chapter 391]

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