What was Dumbledore carrying?
Oh...
Harry squinted at it, but still couldn't tell what on earth those things were.
Dumbledore didn't linger in the Great Hall; he just walked straight through it with those two objects in hand, then went up the stairs at the back.
"What on earth was he holding?" Ron asked in a low voice. "Why do I feel like that wasn't anything… proper?"
"Keep your voice down, Ron." Hermione jabbed Ron's ribs twice with her elbow. "Do you want to get in trouble again for bad‑mouthing the professors? Do you think having Professor Snape watching you already isn't enough, is that it?"
Ron had always obeyed Hermione's wise words; this time he didn't even bother putting up a front and simply shut his mouth.
She was absolutely right: offending Professor Snape might just cost them some points, but offending the Headmaster and still expecting to walk out of here?
"Maybe Professor Dumbledore is preparing something for… something," Neville guessed. "But that doesn't have much to do with us. What we really need to worry about right now is the homework Professor Snape left us."
"Yeah." Ron sighed. "Snape, that old… old professor, actually gave us so much homework, it's just…"
At that point, Ron hurriedly changed his wording.
"He's just being incredibly considerate of our studies."
As he finished, Ron carefully raised his head, only to lock eyes with Snape.
He shivered instinctively, tightened the shirt he was wearing, and tried to shake off the chill that came from making eye contact with Professor Snape.
"What's wrong with you?" Hermione asked in concern.
"Nothing, just got a chill." Ron replied in an ultra‑small voice.
Before long, Dumbledore came back out again to announce the winner of this year's House Cup.
As expected, the House Cup once again went to Gryffindor; no matter how much of a sore loser Professor Snape might be, it was useless.
Even though Gryffindors had long since grown numb to retaining the House Cup, they still applauded enthusiastically, especially the Gryffindor first‑years.
After one last celebration, they left the school and boarded the train home.
On the train back, they happily traded the latest news, like Percy having passed the highest‑level N.E.W.T.s, and how George and Fred had just barely managed to collect all their O.W.L.s certificates.
The twins sniped at Percy in a mocking tone, clearly implying that Percy's top‑level results weren't as impressive as theirs.
"How about you, Cedric?" Harry asked him with concern.
"Oh, I did fine." Cedric grinned, looking all sunshine and cheer. "My results are about the same as George and Fred's. Anyway, you could say I passed the exams with a bit of a scare but no real danger."
"Oh, give it a rest!" One twin picked his nose while the other clutched his head. "You got an 'O' in every subject! Do you know what that means? Even our star student Percy only got 'O's!"
"But you have to understand something," Ron said, scratching the back of his head. "I don't think Cedric's results should just be an 'O'. He deserves better."
"Listen to you…"
Ron's praise made Cedric a bit embarrassed, but the Gemini didn't care about that. They joined their little brother in loudly praising Cedric, talking him up as if there was no one like him in heaven or on earth.
As long as it meant giving Percy a hard time, the Gemini were more than happy to help hype things up.
Seeing the jokers chatting away so energetically, Harry was in an excellent mood as well. When the trolley witch came by, he bought himself a big lunch, even though there was no chocolate in it.
"I still don't get why you like bread with chocolate filling so much." Ron said loudly, chewing on a Super Blowing Bubblegum.
"Because chocolate tastes good." That was all Harry could say.
"Harry," Hermione suddenly looked toward the back, "what's that outside your window?"
Harry turned to look outside. Above the windowpane, a tiny gray shape was bobbing in and out of sight.
He tilted his glasses down a bit, trying to see what it was—that was a little owl, carrying a letter far too big for it.
The owl was so small that it kept tumbling midair, buffeted this way and that in the train's slipstream.
"Hurry up and open the window!" Hermione sounded anxious. "What if it gets sucked into the train?!"
At her words, Harry quickly pulled the window down and stuck out his arm, neatly catching the little owl as if he'd snagged a fluffy Golden Snitch.
The owl dropped the letter onto Harry's seat, then shot straight up inside the compartment, obviously very pleased with itself for having completed its task.
Hedwig clicked her beak in dignified disapproval, her big eyes narrowing to slits, clearly displeased with this little messenger.
Parrot Jack was the same; his head started bobbing left and right as he opened his beak, looking very much like he was about to bite the owl.
Ron noticed this, grabbed the tiny owl, and cupped it carefully in his hands so it wouldn't get hurt.
"Whose letter is it?" Ron asked curiously.
"It's from Vivi." Harry took the letter out of the envelope. "No idea why she didn't have the Phoenix deliver it and insisted on troubling such a little owl instead…"
"Oh." He read it again and again, then, under everyone's curious gaze, said to them, "Vivi writes that she's successfully joined the Austrian Ministry of Magic, and that during the Quidditch World Cup, she'll be coming to the United Kingdom with the Austrian Minister of Magic to watch the match…"