"Why is Neville with Hermione and them? Wasn't the chubby kid always alone before?"
"Three out of those four learned the Great Fireball Technique! Only Ron, the slacker, didn't!"
"I bet Ron won't be able to keep hanging out with them soon. Birds of a feather flock together!"
"How can Prefect Percy be so brilliant and studious, while this Ron is so hopeless? They're actual brothers!"
"Maybe Ron was adopted by the Weasleys? How else could the gap be this huge?"
Ron's face fell as he listened to the chatter around them.
"Why is everyone targeting me? Is it a crime to be bad at studying? Harry, tell me, is it my fault I'm bad at studying?"
Harry shook his head. "It's not your fault." A slight smile appeared on Ron's face.
"It's the bed's fault! It never lets you leave for class, and the moment class ends, it summons you right back!"
Ron's expression froze. Beside him, Hermione and Neville burst out laughing.
Hermione looked at Ron with a mocking smile. "If you spent less time on Wizard's Chess, would you really be this far behind? Oh, wait, my mistake. It's not your fault. It's the chess set's fault for always making you play it! Haha!"
Neville covered his mouth, struggling to hold back his laughter.
Ron glared at Neville. "You think this is funny, Neville?! Your grades aren't much better than mine! You just got lucky learning the Doppelganger Charm! You'll end up a slacker like me sooner or later!"
Neville just grinned, rubbing the back of his head. That might have been true before meeting Professor Jack, but things are different now!
Harry cut Ron off. "Neville didn't just get lucky. He practiced constantly, even while we were sleeping. Part of the reason I learned the Doppelganger Charm was because he motivated me!"
Ron's jaw dropped. "What? When? I never noticed!"
Harry rolled his eyes. "Every night last week. You didn't notice because you're asleep the second your head hits the pillow! You wouldn't notice if Peeves pulled all your hair out!"
Hermione added her own jab. "Neville might not have natural talent, but he makes up for it with hard work! Hard work pays off, unlike someone who just plays all day. And besides, Neville's 'talent' is much greater now. If you don't start putting in effort, you won't even be able to see his heels, let alone catch up!"
Neville quickly waved his hands in protest. "No, no! Ron's right, I am a bit slow. But I'll keep trying my best!"
No sooner had he spoken than a hand yanked Ron's hair.
"Oiiii, did I hear someone calling for the great Peeves? Was it you? Do you want Peevesy to pluck you bald?"
Floating in the air, clutching Ron's hair, was Peeves—with his broad face, wide mouth, bright round eyes, and garish clothes complete with a tie.
Ron immediately yelled, "Peeves, let me go! Or I'll fetch the Bloody Baron! This is the Great Hall, you can't cause trouble here!"
Hearing the Bloody Baron's name, Peeves instinctively released Ron's hair and floated higher.
"Peeves wasn't coming! Peeves was called! Won't matter if you fetch the Baron!"
With that, Peeves vanished into thin air, disappearing to who-knows-where.
Ron rubbed his head, muttering complaints about the poltergeist.
"Someone really needs to get Peeves under control. He loves causing trouble way too much!"
Hermione laughed as she took her seat. "Haha, even Peeves can't stand it! He had to intervene when you slacked off and then tried to criticize Neville!"
Ron and the others sat down as well. "Alright, alright, enough! Let's eat! We have Snape's class later!"
Just as they were about to dig in, an annoying voice sounded from nearby.
"Well, well! Look who it is! Our dim-witted little chubby boy, hanging out with the Weasel!
Oh, and the famous Harry Potter is here too! What a surprise!"
Draco Malfoy, flanked by Crabbe and Goyle, was passing the Gryffindor table and couldn't resist sneering at the quartet.
Hermione's eyes narrowed. Malfoy didn't insult me? Is he looking down on me, or what?
Apart from the Weasleys, most pure-blood families deeply disliked witches and wizards from Muggle families.
Especially the Malfoys!
Draco had intended to mock Hermione, but then he remembered—she was Professor Jack's class representative.
What if she went and complained to the Professor?
His father had specifically told him to build a good relationship with Professor Jack.
Offending some Mudblood wasn't worth jeopardizing that.
Ron, however, shot to his feet upon hearing the insult. He could not let being called a weasel slide.
"Malfoy! Say that again! Who are you calling a weasel?"
Malfoy spread his hands mockingly. "Why, I'm calling you the weasel, of course! Who else? Right, boys? Hahaha!"
Crabbe and Goyle chimed in on cue. "Yeah! He's talking about you! Haha!"
They expected Ron to fly into a rage. Instead, he calmly sat back down.
"Oh, I see! So the weasel is talking to me! That explains it! You can go now, weasel. I know it's you."
The smiles instantly vanished from Draco Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle's faces.
Hermione and Harry, however, gave Ron a discreet thumbs-up.
Malfoy's face darkened. His hand twitched toward his wand, but he thought better of it.
"Hmph. We'll see you in Potions this afternoon. Let's hope your potion-making is half as sharp as your mouth."
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