novelcrest Chapter 196 Percy's Green Hat
Chapter 196 Percy's Green Hat
Chapter 196 Percy's Green Hat
The next day.
The sky seemed to be shrouded in a thick gray curtain, and gloom enveloped the entire Hogwarts.
The castle-like architecture appeared even more mysterious in the hazy light, with its towering towers and winding corridors casting long shadows in the dim light.
This added an unusual atmosphere to the magic school.
A sense of oppression hung in the air, as if even the casting of magic was affected by the gloomy weather, becoming slow and heavy.
As a result, many young wizards failed to complete the tasks assigned in Professor McGonagall's Transfiguration class.
After countless failed attempts to turn a feather duster into a ferret, Wood dejectedly threw the feather duster aside, his mood unusually low.
He had been in this depressed state ever since the Quidditch match was unexpectedly canceled that day.
Whenever he recalls that match, his heart is filled with regret and disappointment, as if a huge rock is pressing on his chest, making it hard for him to breathe.
Bored out of his mind, he turned around, seeking a sliver of solace.
So he lowered his voice and tried to break the awkward silence by sharing his observations with Percy, who was sitting intently to his side, "Have you heard...?"
Percy was about to complete his spell when Wood's words interrupted him. He frowned, looking somewhat displeased, but since they were roommates, he put down his wand and replied, "What's wrong?"
"I heard Professor Sean is going to try out some kind of professor satisfaction rating system," Wood tilted his head and thought for a moment, then added, "It's said that this system will affect professors' salaries and benefits. Think about it, if students don't like a professor, then his rating will be very low, right?"
Since Sean has only been the headmaster for a short time, many young wizards still subconsciously refer to him as professor rather than headmaster.
Percy frowned even more upon hearing this. "How come I didn't know about this?"
Percy's words carried a hint of doubt and dissatisfaction. It was unbelievable that the first person to receive news of such a major event was not him, the prefect, but Wood, who always carried a flying broom.
Wood noticed Percy's mood, and he shrugged, indicating that he had only heard about it himself. "I don't know why you didn't receive the news either; I heard it from someone else."
"However, I think the authenticity of this news still needs to be verified. After all, the school should make an official announcement about such an important event, rather than spreading it through rumors."
Then, he paused, steer the conversation back to the evaluation system itself, "This is a good thing for us, right? In that case,
The professors will certainly work hard in their teaching to earn the students' praise.
"For example... Snape?" Wood said hesitantly.
"I don't think Professor Snape would care about this so-called evaluation," Percy shook his head. "Besides, I don't think it's reliable. Student evaluations can determine a professor's salary and benefits? That's absurd. How can teaching quality be measured by simple grades?"
Before Wood could say anything, Penelope, who had been listening to their conversation from the back seat, retorted, "I know your concerns, Percy."
"But I think this system might incentivize professors to improve teaching quality from another perspective. It's not that grades can completely measure a professor's teaching level, but at least it gives students a feedback opportunity, letting professors know where they have done well and where they need to improve."
"In this way, professors can better understand students' needs and expectations, and thus adjust their teaching methods accordingly."
This morning, Sean said this to McGonagall and Snape, who were opposed to his views.
Percy was silent for a moment after hearing Penelope's words.
This was the first time Penelope had spoken to him in the past two weeks, and Percy couldn't help but feel a pang of disappointment.
But lately, Penelope has been very quiet. Percy has tried to talk to her many times, but he never gets a response, as if there is an invisible, sadly thick barrier between them.
Now, when she finally spoke, she was refuting his point of view.
Percy felt somewhat incredulous and hurt.
He had assumed that even if their relationship had become distant, they would at least share similar views on some fundamental issues.
But now it seems that even that cannot be guaranteed.
Percy tried hard to hide his disappointment, not wanting Penelope to see his inner turmoil. He took a deep breath and then slowly said...
"I think..."
Percy had barely begun to speak when the school bell rang at that inopportune moment. His words were interrupted.
He could only shut his mouth in resignation.
The students began packing their things, preparing to leave the classroom.
Percy also stood up, but instead of leaving immediately, he looked at Penelope.
Penelope was also looking at him, and their eyes met in mid-air.
Percy wanted to say something, but in the end he just shook his head slightly and turned to leave the classroom.
He felt a strange sense of unease and agitation, unsure whether it was from the refuted viewpoint or from the unspeakable sense of alienation between him and Penelope.
Percy naturally had an outing pass, and normally he would work with the professors to maintain order and lead the students back to their respective college's common room.
However, feeling agitated, he quietly slipped away from the group and wandered aimlessly around the campus alone, as if this would bring him some relief.
However, as he walked through the long and silent corridor, the scene before him suddenly struck him like a bolt from the blue, leaving him utterly ashamed.
The girl from Slytherin was now doing that to Penelope in an unbelievable manner.
Penelope's cheeks flushed unusually, and her eyes flashed with complex emotions, yet she surprisingly did not make any move to resist.
This scene, like a sharp dagger, silently pierced his heart, causing him an indescribable pain and shock.
What he found even more unacceptable was that a feeling of betrayal and humiliation washed over him like a tidal wave, as if he could feel a bright green hat being silently placed on his head.
This feeling is sharper and more profound than any direct insult.
At this moment, all of Penelope's previous unusual behavior, those subtle changes and elusive emotional fluctuations, were like pieces of a puzzle, each finding its rightful place, piecing together a truth he was unwilling to face but had to accept.
His heart felt as if it were being gripped tightly by an invisible hand, the pain almost suffocating him.
The only saving grace is that the person who cheated on him wasn't a man, but a woman.
This gave him some comfort, after all, if it were a man, it would have been a much bigger blow to his male dignity.
However, this is also what makes him angry.
As an outstanding male class leader, he has always been the focus of attention. He considers himself to be exceptional in both academics and leadership skills.
But now, he couldn't even compare to a little girl, and was even betrayed and humiliated by her so easily.
How can it be repaired?!