Chapter 55: A Qualified Ravenclaw
"That's how it is. If Malfoy really wants to curry favor with George—and if the gift is good enough—he might actually become friends with him." Ron looked dejected. He would rather Malfoy be openly detestable than this clever, calculating version who knew how to weigh priorities.
"But…" Hermione opened her mouth as if to say something, yet in the end she held back.
Harry voiced what Hermione was thinking. "George is our friend. He's helped us a lot. But we have no right to make him follow us against our enemies—like Snape, like Malfoy."
"Malfoy really came up with a brilliant move this time." Ron leaned back in his chair and stared at the ceiling. Ever since he found out about it, he had racked his brain for a solution. Now that he had told Harry and Hermione, they were just as helpless.
"Should we go ask George about it?" Hermione didn't want that loathsome Malfoy becoming friends with George.
"That wouldn't be right. We don't have any reason to stop George from making friends." Harry felt that at this moment, Malfoy was even more troublesome than Voldemort. He wasn't afraid of Malfoy's ridicule or insults—he believed he could always defeat him. But Malfoy flattering his friends and trying to get close to George put him in an awkward position.
"So we just wait like this?" Hermione looked at Ron and Harry blankly and sighed, feeling deeply discouraged. They had overcome so many difficulties together. They hadn't felt this frustrated even when facing Voldemort. Yet now they were disheartened by one of Malfoy's petty schemes.
…
In the Mutual Aid Society's activity room, two people sat in chairs by a bookshelf in the corner. On the small round table between them were two glasses of juice.
Kate flipped through a Slytherin-exclusive book and casually asked, "George, did you accept this collection from Malfoy?"
"When I lent Malfoy a thousand Galleons, I was already expecting a generous return. These are only the first installments."
George turned the pages of the distinctive Slytherin volume. Because Slytherin had poor relations with the other Houses, it was difficult for them to borrow resources from elsewhere—and equally difficult for others to access Slytherin's collections. The book left George far from dissatisfied.
Kate looked at the figure before her, who hardly seemed like a first-year student, and asked in confusion, "But your friends… they don't get along with Malfoy at all." After joining the Mutual Aid Society, she had carefully thought things over and realized just how much George had invested in his friends.
That made what was happening even more puzzling. It was obvious, wasn't it? There was no way George would be bought off for such a small profit.
George smiled faintly. "Slytherin has never been popular. But can you drive them all out of the school?"
The four Houses of Hogwarts each had their own characteristics. None was dispensable. People might favor their own House and even hate the others, but every House had its purpose. They were independent yet interdependent, hostile yet mutually necessary.
Kate traced a small circle on the page with her finger, dissatisfied with George's answer. "But you don't have to be friends with them." She understood that every House served a purpose, but not every student was obligated to get along with someone they disliked. Survival needs did not mean everyone had to associate with those they found unpleasant.
Hatred, hostility—even loathing a particular student—were choices one could make.
"The Mutual Aid Society never rejects Slytherin students from the start. In some ways, they're even premium clients. They're ambitious. To win, they'll spare no expense buying anything that might give them an edge," George said casually.
He didn't hate Slytherin, as long as he didn't spend too much time around them. At critical moments, he was perfectly willing to sell them ordinary items at a high price. If necessary, Slytherins were always willing to pay.
"And you?" Kate pressed. She wanted George's personal view, not the Society's stance.
"Ravenclaw—literally, the 'greedy predator.' We are predators of knowledge, greedy collectors. Like eagles, we soar across the vast sky." George lifted his head, his voice trembling slightly.
Kate turned his face toward her and looked straight into his eyes. "Even against your own will?"
"Even if it's a deal with the devil." George met her gaze, and a blazing fire ignited in his eyes.
"You truly are a Ravenclaw," Kate said, turning her face away, unable to meet his burning ambition for long. The flames in his eyes almost seemed capable of scorching her.
"Ravenclaw's motto is: 'Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure.' For us, willpower should never be the foremost entry in our dictionary," George said softly, as if explaining to Kate—or perhaps convincing himself.
A few days later, after the Philosopher's Stone incident had concluded, everyone's schedule remained packed. Harry played another Quidditch match, this time against Ravenclaw.
Although Ravenclaw was often considered a House of bookworms, anyone who truly believed that would quickly discover themselves to be the biggest fool of all.
Harry found Ravenclaw no easier to handle than Slytherin—perhaps even more difficult. Their team was full of formations and tactical discipline. Their flyers might not have been the most outstanding individually, but as a team, they were undoubtedly the best among the four Houses.
Under Ravenclaw's seamless coordination, Gryffindor's teamwork seemed fragile by comparison. Not long after the match began, Gryffindor fell behind, and the score gap widened steadily. Whenever Harry spotted the Golden Snitch, Ravenclaw immediately dispatched players to intercept and block him, making the entire match a struggle for Gryffindor.
Fortunately, Harry was an excellent Seeker. He seized his chance, caught the Golden Snitch, and led the team to victory.
Wood was overjoyed. After seven years, Gryffindor had finally won the Quidditch Cup again. He even shouted slogans about defending the title next year—though no one took him too seriously.
Ron, meanwhile, made the most of his remaining free time while beginning to look forward to more training. During the Philosopher's Stone incident, he hadn't reached the final stage or faced Voldemort himself, and that regret still lingered.
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