Hogwarts: My Grandmother is the Queen

Henry listened quietly, without showing any displeasure on his face.

He put down his teacup, spoke slowly, his voice calm and normal.

"I understand. An argument that started with an accident in class eventually led to something about the previous flight lesson."

He didn't immediately judge who was right or wrong, but instead sighed softly.

"Small mishaps in the classroom happen in every house, and they're bound to happen again in the future. It's not uncommon for spells to go awry under pressure; the important thing is to learn from them and correct them." He looked at Justin. "I believe Mrs. Pomfrey has restored Mr. Smith's health, and that in itself is a profound lesson, more effective than any ridicule from others, isn't it?"

Justin paused for a moment, then nodded. The slight grievance in his heart seemed to be soothed by those words—yes, Zacharias was alright, and he himself had firmly remembered that he had to concentrate when chanting the incantation.

"As for bringing up the flight lesson in the argument..." Henry paused, his gaze sweeping over the three of them, "I think Ernie's intention might not have been to praise Slytherin, but rather to try and find a foothold in the conversation. When people are arguing, they tend to grab onto anything that seems powerful to retaliate, sometimes without really thinking about what that thing actually means."

He didn't say whether Ernie was right or wrong, but calmly analyzed the other person's possible mindset.

"Gryffindors value courage, and sometimes this directness can make them impulsive in their speech." He chose a less subjective, neutral term. "Hufflepuffs, on the other hand, value fairness and loyalty, and standing up for their companions when they feel they have been treated unfairly is also a manifestation of this quality. Neither trait is inherently wrong, but when they collide in this context, they can easily spark conflict."

He picked up the teapot and refilled everyone's teacups, a thoughtful gesture that eased the tension considerably.

"Headmaster Dumbledore would probably be pleased to see different houses interact over something, even if it's just a debate," Henry said with a wry smile. "But the real barriers are often more stubborn than we think. People have different ideas and value different things, so it's inevitable that some friction will arise when they study and live together."

“The important thing,” he looked up, looking intently at his three Hufflepuff friends, “is how we view these frictions and whether they affect our judgment. To label the entire house because of a single unpleasant argument, or to assume that someone belongs to a completely different group because they did a good deed—both of these views are perhaps biased.”

He picked up a small pastry, his tone becoming more relaxed.

"For me, in flying class, the person I needed to help was a classmate in danger, and he just happened to be a Gryffindor. The house is our home at Hogwarts; it shapes us, but it should not define each of our characters and virtues, much less become a barrier to goodwill."

These words neither belittled Gryffindor's impulse, nor elevated Hufflepuff's retort, nor placed the speaker on a moral high ground.

He simply broke down the conflict into specific behaviors in specific situations and gently brushed away the academic prejudices that shrouded it.

Susan nodded thoughtfully, and Hannah smiled with relief.

Justin scratched his head: "You're right...it seems there's really nothing to be angry about."

Henry laughed too: "When the wind blows down the sycamore tree, others will have their say. Hogwarts is so big, there are all kinds of people there. We have a long time to get to know each other. True friends will come to you over time. Don't let a few arguments hold you back."

He skillfully steered the conversation to a broader level, rather than focusing on the temporary verbal battle between the two academies.

"Um..." After chatting for a few more minutes, Justin finally couldn't hold back and asked the question that had been nagging at him for so long, "You...you really joined Slytherin's Quidditch team? I mean, as a reserve player?"

Henry nodded: "Yes, Professor Snape thinks I can offer some other possibilities in training, but I probably won't actually play this season."

"But you'll still participate in training?" Susan asked.

"Three times a week, with the team," Henry replied. "Captain Flint is strict, but he's a good captain. He cares about the team's overall performance, not individual glory."

"Are you really that good at flying?" Hannah asked softly. "You saved Neville in class that day; that must have taken a lot of skill."

Henry did not boast, but simply described the situation calmly.

"The situation was urgent, and there wasn't much time to think. Fortunately, I had learned horseback riding as a child, and that sense of balance and spatial control is similar to flying. And," he added, "Mr. Longbottom also had a strong survival instinct; he grabbed my outstretched hand, which was crucial."

He subtly praised Neville, affirming his courage, which made the three Hufflepuff classmates even more fond of him.

Halfway through the tea party, Henry casually asked, "What do you think of Slytherin? To be honest, it doesn't matter."

After a brief silence, Justin spoke first.

"The students all say that the Slytherins are very clever, sometimes too clever."

Hannah hesitated for a moment: "My grandmother was a wizard, and she told me that Slytherin values ​​lineage and tradition. But she also said that you can't judge a person by their house."

Susan's answer was the most thoughtful: "I've read 'Hogwarts: A History,' which says that Slytherin and the other three founders were initially friends, but later disagreed on admission standards. So I think each house has its own value, just with different focuses."

Henry listened carefully to everyone's answers, then said softly, "I admire your honesty and your naiveté that hasn't been misled by popular stereotypes. In fact, that's one of the reasons I invited you here."

He put down his teacup and leaned forward slightly.

"I think one of the biggest problems at Hogwarts is the deep divisions between the houses. Gryffindor and Slytherin are hostile to each other, Ravenclaw sometimes seems aloof, and Hufflepuff is underestimated by the other houses. It's a shame, because every house has something to offer."

"Then why did you host a tea party like this?" Susan asked bluntly. "I mean, you're a Slytherin, why did you invite Hufflepuff?"

“There are several reasons. First, I believe friendships shouldn't be confined to the school.” Henry smiled, looking at the three of them. “Second, you were the first people I met at Hogwarts, and we had a pleasant conversation on the train. Finally…”