Chapter 329: Leading with Virtue
Chapter 329: Leading with Virtue
As Fred had predicted, the incident quickly spread throughout the school. Many speculated about how Albert had magically added a hundred points to Gryffindor, propelling the previously last-place house to first place and knocking down the despised Slytherin house to second.
Slytherin House truly didn't win the hearts of their peers. Their various underhanded schemes had earned the disdain of students from other houses, who didn't want to see them win the House Cup.
As this matter gained traction, several Slytherin students began to point fingers at Albert and hurl insults at him.
On this day, a few older Slytherin students blocked Albert and his friends, berating Albert and calling him a cheater to his face.
Fred, George, and Lee Jordan scowled, ready for a fight as they had been itching to test their newly learned combat skills.
Other Gryffindors, naturally, wouldn't stand by and let the school's hero be wronged. They were ready to join the fray, unafraid of a confrontation with Slytherin as it was not an uncommon occurrence.
The atmosphere grew tense, thick with the scent of impending violence.
However, Albert paid no heed to the rising tension. He looked calmly at his accusers with a resigned expression and said, "As I thought, you are all too young. Hearing a mere rumor, you rush to judge and insult me. How rash of you... Do you have any proof to back up your claims? Don't tell me you consider these rumors as evidence?"
"I..." The Slytherin student was about to retort when he felt Albert's hand on his shoulder.
Albert sighed softly and shook his head. "To be honest, I'm troubled by how you keep spreading these baseless rumors."
The surrounding students began to whisper among themselves.
"I know your intellect isn't your strong suit, but next time, don't believe everything you hear. Your actions show a lack of discernment, and I can't help but question if you are intellectually challenged or if you're deliberately trying to cause me trouble."
Albert glanced at another Slytherin student without any emotion in his eyes and continued, "To be frank, I dislike people causing me trouble, and I'm sure you don't enjoy it either."
The surrounding area fell into an eerie silence.
"So, apologize for your ill-spoken words just now," Albert said softly. "Otherwise... Though I usually refrain from violence, I wouldn't mind hanging you outside the castle. I always keep my word."
"I-I'm sorry!" Faced with Albert's unwavering gaze, the older student ultimately backed down.
Albert patted his shoulder and said meaningfully, "Next time, don't jump to conclusions based on rumors. It only makes you look foolish."
Everyone except the Slytherins burst into laughter, but their laughter soon faded as they realized Albert had just called them all fools for believing the rumors.
"With exams coming up, how do people have the time to pay attention to rumors? Are they bored or just have too little homework that they can't focus on studying?" Albert muttered, ignoring the others as he walked towards the library.
Fred, George, and Lee Jordan shot curious glances at those around them before hurrying to catch up with Albert.
The Slytherin student who had been at the receiving end of Albert's lecture was red-faced, barely holding back his anger. However, he dared not pursue Albert to continue the confrontation.
He would never have imagined that he would be intimidated by Albert's aura, an aura honed from the life-or-death battle with Smith.
Albert had made the decision to kill, and that experience had sharpened his aura.
How could he be compared to the average student?
But what most people found hard to accept was Albert's demeanor throughout the confrontation. He hadn't shown any anger; instead, he had spoken calmly, looking at them with pity.
Yes, pity.
It was the look one gives to the intellectually challenged, and it wasn't just directed at the Slytherin student but at most of the people who had believed the rumors. In Albert's eyes, they were all fools.
"This is hilarious! I can't stop laughing; my stomach hurts."
As soon as they turned into an empty corridor, Albert looked at his roommates, who were laughing uncontrollably, and felt at a loss for words.
"Did you notice the constipated expressions on those Slytherins' faces?"
Albert's words had tickled their funny bones, and the trio couldn't deny that it had been entertaining.
"But how did you do it?" Fred asked, wiping away the tears from the corners of his eyes.
"I just made them listen to me," Albert replied calmly.
"What if he hadn't apologized?" George inquired, curious.
"I would have kept my word and hung him outside the castle," Albert said, narrowing his eyes. "And only taken him down when he sincerely apologized."
The three friends exchanged glances, realizing that Albert hadn't been joking earlier.
Little did they know that the phrase 'leading with virtue' had, since ancient times, not only been about persuasion but also about using one's fists to make others submit.
The incident soon spread throughout the school, but no one mocked the Slytherin student. Everyone calmed down and reflected on the situation.
After all, it had just been a school rumor.
While everyone claimed that Albert had added points to Gryffindor, there was no solid evidence, and even Albert himself had expressed his ignorance about the matter.
It was strange that people knew about it, spread it around, and used it to judge him.
No wonder Albert had said what he did.
To believe a rumor without question did make one seem rather unintelligent.
No one wanted to admit they were foolish, so they kept quiet.
But what was the truth behind this incident?
There were always a few with strong curiosity who wanted to uncover the secret.
However, with Dumbledore keeping silent and Albert, the key figure, also claiming ignorance, there was no way to investigate further.
As for the special contribution award, no one really paid it any mind.
Soon, everyone's attention shifted to the looming exams, forcing them to focus on revision.
Albert also heard that due to the Baruffio Brain Elixir incident, the upcoming exams would be stricter than usual to prevent cheating.
In reality, the Ministry of Magic hadn't changed anything. They simply didn't have the means to monitor large-scale usage of the elixir. Moreover, the Ministry had been actively publicizing the dangers of the Brain Elixir, and the actual victims had only recently been discharged from the hospital, exhibiting some unpleasant side effects. Yet, they never anticipated that someone would secretly use the elixir and achieve excellent results.
(End of Chapter)
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