Chapter 510: Punching Bag!!
No matter what Snape was thinking, Harry finally felt relieved.
After all, Darren had struck first, and Harry had genuinely been afraid that Darren might be expelled.
Fortunately—
Darren was still a Triwizard champion.
Of course, that relief didn't last long.
Professor McGonagall was already staring at them.
"Two hundred points deducted from Gryffindor!
Yes, that's right. I am deducting points from my own house.
Think carefully—did you vent what just happened through personal grudges?"
She had seen everything clearly.
Gryffindor absolutely bore part of the responsibility.
Especially Fred—blowing off Sterling's ear had crossed the line.
The Gryffindor students fell silent.
Honestly.
But once all the professors had left, they immediately became lively again.
Points had been deducted, but they felt great.
The only thing that really upset them was—how could they have lost so many points?
Couldn't Professor McGonagall at least learn a little restraint from Professor Snape?
After that, they surrounded Darren, comforting him as he apologized to everyone again and again.
They didn't think he needed to apologize at all.
Truth be told, they'd wanted to beat up the Slytherins for a long time.
They were downright happy about the fight.
But after chatting excitedly for a while, they hurried off.
Their afternoon exams were about to begin.
The Great Hall emptied almost instantly, leaving only Harry and Darren behind.
Only then did Harry finally feel calm enough to read the newspaper.
As he read, he sneered.
"So this was meant to drive a wedge between us. No wonder you were so furious, Darren. If we hadn't just fought, I'd absolutely go punch Malfoy right now."
"Another beating?"
Darren raised an eyebrow.
"I don't think Gryffindor has any points left for you to lose."
Professor McGonagall's voice cut in coldly.
She was still clearly angry, lips pressed tight.
"That's enough. Stop thinking about hitting people.
Both of you—go to the meeting room next to the Great Hall. Immediately."
"But… the task doesn't start until tonight!"
Harry tensed instinctively.
Even Darren unconsciously tightened his grip on his wand.
Professor McGonagall let out a breath, calming herself.
"Tonight, yes. But the families of the champions have already been invited to watch the final task.
I think you should go meet them now."
"Our families?" Harry blurted out.
"Mine and Darren's?"
Professor McGonagall looked at him as if he were slow.
"Of course. Go—now."
Harry froze.
Then it hit him.
Lupin was Darren's godfather. Maybe… maybe Lupin would come.
Darren didn't think so.
The news of Lupin being a werewolf had already spread throughout Hogwarts.
If he showed up, it would cause an uproar.
Dumbledore wouldn't invite him.
And even if he did, Lupin wouldn't come.
So the people who would come could only be—
"Darren! Harry! Oh, my two children!"
Mrs. Weasley exclaimed.
She pulled both of them into her arms and kissed their cheeks.
"I couldn't wait! I kept wondering when I'd see you. I was worried sick—what if you two had a fight…"
Bill, standing nearby, quickly shrugged and shut up under his mother's glare.
Mrs. Weasley snorted.
"I know things wouldn't really be like Rita Skeeter wrote," she said softly, then looked at Harry.
"Right, Harry? You didn't bully Darren, did you?"
"Of course not, ma'am," Darren answered immediately.
"You have to trust my brother. Even if he hurts himself, he'd never let me be hurt."
[Ding, Father value +100]
[Ding, Father value +100]
[Ding, Father value +100]
Mrs. Weasley laughed warmly.
"Of course, of course. I know that.
But Darren… you did faint in class before…"
"Ma'am, I was genuinely sleepy," Darren said helplessly.
"I really didn't expect it to turn into rumors like this. If I'd known, I would've been more careful that day."
It was obvious—Mrs. Weasley truly thought Darren had been bullied.
If not by Harry, then by someone else.
"All right, all right," Bill said with a smile.
"Mum's just worrying too much. She was afraid you two had fallen out—and she worries about you the most."
Darren looked embarrassed.
"Sorry for making you worry. I should've confronted Rita Skeeter sooner—she's seriously affected our lives.
But Headmaster Dumbledore said Triwizard champions can't leave Hogwarts.
So I'll deal with her in the summer. If she keeps this up in fifth year, I'll beat her up properly."
[Ding, Father value +100]
[Ding, Father value +100]
[Ding, Father value +100]
[Ding…]
He said it through clenched teeth.
Everyone listening could only look at him helplessly.
Honestly—if they had been smeared like this, they might have strangled Rita Skeeter outright.
"Forget it," Mrs. Weasley said.
"Harry, Darren—let's go for a walk."
They stepped out of the meeting room.
Just as they did, Cedric passed by, eyes red.
Darren grabbed him.
"What's wrong? Are they bullying you again?"
Ever since Darren's name had come out of the Goblet of Fire, people had been targeting him nonstop.
As far as Darren was concerned—if he saw it, he had to step in. Holy Father or not.
"No… no," Cedric shook his head.
"Thank you, Darren. Because of you, they hardly bother me anymore.
Professor Sprout just told me—my father's missing. My mum asked me to come home."
Mr. Diggory… missing?
Darren froze.
That wasn't supposed to happen.
In the original events, Cedric died—but neither of his parents ever went missing.
A chill ran through him.
Could Voldemort have taken Mr. Diggory?
Using him as leverage… or worse.
It sounded outrageous—but the more Darren thought about it, the more plausible it felt.
After all, Voldemort had suffered losses because of the Diggorys.
If he wanted a target to vent his rage on—
Mr. Diggory was neither insignificant nor powerful enough to resist.
A perfect punching bag.
This was just—
Darren couldn't help silently complaining that Mr. Diggory really had terrible luck.
Back then, if he hadn't argued with him, hadn't spoken so sarcastically, hadn't been so sharp—
Maybe none of this would have happened at all.