Today's breakfast seemed to have some issue. Although it was breakfast time, the four long tables were not filled with the usual plentiful breakfast. Hundreds of young wizards sat around the empty tables, their eyes wide open, not understanding what was happening. What was even stranger was that there wasn't a single professor in the staff seats, which usually had at least a few. But today, the entire staff section was empty, not a single person in sight.
People began to speculate about what was happening, and a buzz filled the room. However, soon someone provided them with the answer to their questions.
Dumbledore arrived. He was followed by the Minister of Magic, Bones, Madame Maxime, and Karkaroff. Behind these four were all the Hogwarts staff members and Rita Skeeter, the reporter from the Prophet. They were all dressed very formally and had serious expressions, no smiles. If you looked closely at the microexpressions of the professors, it wasn't difficult to see that they were very content inside.
The presence of the headmaster and the professors calmed the restless students in the room. From this scene, they could deduce that something important was about to happen.
Meanwhile, Tom was sitting nonchalantly at the Ravenclaw table, waiting for the start of the award ceremony.
The professors, the Minister, and the two headmasters made their way to their seats in the staff section, while Dumbledore stood in front of the lectern that was in front of them, looking at the students below.
Once everyone was seated, and the room fell silent again, Dumbledore cleared his throat and began to speak with a calm but firm tone.
"Before everyone enjoys breakfast, I have something important to announce!" Dumbledore's eyes swept over the professors and students below the lectern, finally resting on Tom.
"I'm sure you're all aware of the incident that occurred during the Quidditch World Cup this summer, where dark wizards wreaked havoc. Facing the fierce violence of the dark wizards, a brave young wizard stood up and fought alongside the Ministry of Magic's aurors, bravely battling the dark wizards and repelling them. That brave young wizard is Tom Yodel of Ravenclaw house. After unanimous deliberation within the Order of Merlin, Mr. Yodel will be awarded the Order of Merlin, First Class, for his services to the wizarding community."
After Dumbledore finished speaking, the young wizards in the room were briefly silent, needing time to absorb this shocking news.
Many students had already heard about this news through the newspapers and knew about Tom Yodel's accomplishments, but when the medal was presented, their hearts were filled with astonishment. After all, there's a difference between the possibility of receiving a medal and actually receiving it. There have been cases where a nomination was accompanied for over a decade without winning the award. The uncertainty existed until the medal was awarded.
But now, everything was different.
Tom's fellow students looked at him with admiration in their eyes. Tom Yodel was now an important person!
Yes, those who received the Order of Merlin, First Class, were definitely influential people.
As for the result of receiving the Order of Merlin, First Class, Tom could only say it was "unexpected but understandable," as the awarding of the medal has a strong subjective component, and there is no clear evaluation criteria.
The Order of Merlin is divided into three levels. The Order of Merlin, First Class, is awarded for "outstanding feats or remarkable achievements in magic," the Order of Merlin, Second Class, is awarded for "outstanding achievements or efforts that go beyond the ordinary," and the Order of Merlin, Third Class, is awarded for "contributions to knowledge or the entertainment industry." Evaluating these criteria is not straightforward. For example, is Damocles awarded for his contribution to knowledge or for his outstanding achievements in magic? Or is he awarded for his role in improving relations between wizards and werewolves?
All three claims are valid, and in the end, which level of medal one receives depends on Damocles's personal connections.
The upper limit of the Order of Merlin, First Class, is very high. Dumbledore received it after defeating Grindelwald. But the lower limit is also very low. Arcturus Black of the Black family received a First Class medal after donating a large sum of money to the Ministry of Magic. And Cornelius Fudge awarded himself a medal to recognize his contributions to the wizarding society while he was Minister of Magic.
The Order of Merlin, First Class, was like one of those top 100 creators lists on a never-ending website. Some people obtained it to prove their worth, while others obtained it to demonstrate the value of the prize itself.
However, Tom was sure he fully deserved that medal. If the Death Eaters had been a bit slower in their escape, after Voldemort's return, he could only be a leader without followers.
Under everyone's gaze, Tom slowly stood up and made his way to the staff section. A photographer in a corner of the room raised his camera and pressed the shutter all the way down, making a constant clicking sound. A purple smoke cloud rose from the camera, perfectly capturing this scene. At the same time, a thunderous applause echoed in the Great Hall.
Everyone, even the students from Durmstrang and Beauxbatons, applauded vigorously. In the entire Great Hall, only the young wizards from Death Eater families applauded more indifferently. But that was also understandable; after all, their parents had earned those medals.
"Say a few words," Dumbledore looked at Tom, gave him an encouraging look, and took two steps back, yielding the lectern to Tom.
Tom didn't hesitate and walked directly to the lectern, looking at the students below him. It was the first time he had seen his peers from this perspective.
Tom realized today what the view from above was like.
Seriously speaking, the view from above was truly expansive; he could see the entire Great Hall clearly, the faces, expressions, and movements of each person.
Being here awakened an indescribable feeling in Tom. Today, he was only giving a thank-you speech here. If someday he could be here expressing his own ideas, and the people below were willing to act on that ideal...
There's nothing more satisfying than inserting your own thoughts into the minds of others.
He waited for the applause to die down and began his speech. It was the first time he spoke before all the students from the stage.
The students below the lectern also gave him their respect, listening silently to Tom's speech. Tom, under Hermione's supervision, was wearing a completely black wizard robe, elegant and noble, with golden edges on the cuffs. Combined with his handsome face and his achievement of receiving the Order of Merlin, his charm instantly skyrocketed.
Many young witches had their eyes light up.
"I hadn't realized before, but is that Yodel guy really that handsome?"
"Oh, it's dreadful! If both him and Krum were chasing after me, who should I choose?"
"Why not keep them both? After all, they're both your admirers (laughs)."
Sitting at the Ravenclaw table, hearing these words, Hermione's heart was filled with mixed feelings. On one hand, she was genuinely proud of her boyfriend, and hearing others praise him made her pleased. On the other hand, a slight sense of alertness arose.
Those lovesick cat eyes didn't sit well with her at all.
This boy already has an owner!
She regretted a bit for "setting free" Tom.
Tom didn't know what was going on in the minds of the people below the stage, but he looked at Hermione and gave a faint smile.
"When I found out I was going to receive a medal, I was filled with excitement and surprise. I never thought I could get the Order of Merlin, First Class." Tom stood on the stage, speaking clearly word by word. His voice was clear, and everyone could hear him.
"I asked Professor Dumbledore if this had some predetermined support; I am just an ordinary Ravenclaw student, how could I become the winner of the Order of Merlin? Professor Dumbledore told me that the Order of Merlin had already made a decision, and that I was the winner of this medal. In the face of this, I can only say that I feel embarrassed, I have only made a small insignificant contribution..."
In response to Tom's modesty, everyone responded with enthusiastic applause.
Tom's speech soon came to an end.
"...Dark wizards are a plague in the wizarding world; wherever we see them, we must eliminate them. If we see them in Diagon Alley, we eliminate them there; if we see them in the village of Hogsmeade, we eliminate them there; if we see them in the bathrooms, we flush them down the toilet and eliminate them... We must completely rid the wizarding world of dark wizards!"
The powerful speech moved the students; they not only applauded but also stood up and cheered, encouraging Tom. The photographers below also captured Tom's speaking appearance and already had the headline and cover of the newspaper for the next day in mind.
Dumbledore looked at Tom with a subtle expression.
Tom Yodel's speech was very powerful.
"It should be a good thing..." Dumbledore thought to himself: at least he wants to fight against the dark wizards, not advocate for blood purity. If Tom had said "let's completely expel the Muggle-borns," Dumbledore probably would have had a heart attack.
After Tom finished his speech, Dumbledore received a box from Minister Bones. Inside the box was a shiny gold medal with a green ribbon, representing Hogwarts' Slytherin house, where Merlin was from.
Dumbledore placed the medal on Tom's chest, and then music and celebrations filled the room, while a plentiful variety of food appeared on the long tables. Once Tom and the dignitaries on the professors' dais shook hands, the award ceremony was officially concluded.
"How about it, my great hero? How do you feel about the award?" After Tom returned to his seat, Hermione rolled up a corn pancake in the shape of a meat cone and brought it to his mouth to interview him.
"I almost pricked myself with the medal pin..." Tom joked and then bit into the pancake in front of him.
Tom took off the medal from his chest and handed it to Hermione.
"Here, take it and play with it."
Hermione was stunned, not expecting Tom to give her something so valuable so casually.
"This is..."
"It's just a medal, maybe it's not even pure gold," Tom said as he waved his hand, "It's not a big deal to me. Sooner or later, people will say that Tom Yodel is the winner of the Order of Merlin, and not that Tom Yodel obtained the Merlin medal."
As he spoke, Tom skewered a sausage with his fork and ate it whole.
"You're a peculiar guy..." Hermione lowered her head and fiddled with the ribbon of the medal, feeling sweetly pleased.
After breakfast, Tom stood up resolutely and headed for the exit of the Great Hall. However, a witch dressed in a scarlet robe with purple fur collar stopped him.
"Tom, I..."
"I don't have time for interviews," Tom rejected the proposal curtly. He moved quickly, without hesitating for a second, leaving the Great Hall without looking back.
Rita Skeeter stood still in the same spot, frustrated. Today, she had really come to do a serious interview!
Tom's hurry to leave was simple: he had to go to Azkaban. There, along with Dumbledore, he would give Voldemort a "little" surprise.
After shaking off Rita Skeeter, Tom headed straight to the headmaster's office, with Hermione following closely.
"Isn't this not the way to the Ravenclaw common room?" Hermione had been at Hogwarts for four years and knew the way back to her common room well.
"Yes, go to the common room for now," Tom replied.
Hermione: ???
"There's something you're not telling me!" She realized instantly: Tom was going out again, without her!
Selfish man!
"I'm not joking, we really have to do something very important."
"We?" Hermione caught the key subject.
Tom pursed his lips, understanding the meaning of saying too much.
"I'm going to find Professor Dumbledore; he'll never let you succeed. If you have the guts, let me know!"
Listening to Hermione's threat, Tom felt like he had been shot with a shotgun in the chest. Guess what? This time I'm going on an adventure with Dumbledore! The Dumbledore you're trying to contact is out of the service area!
Outside the headmaster's office, when Hermione saw Dumbledore and a tall elderly man beside him, a sense of foreboding came over her.
"Professor Dumbledore, are you...?"
"Miss Granger, I need you to help me keep a secret." Seeing that Hermione was also present, Dumbledore wasn't too surprised; he took out a small bottle from his pocket, filled with a sticky potion.
Hermione recognized the bottle; it was Polyjuice Potion.
"Allow me to introduce you to my brother, Aberforth." Dumbledore made the introduction, and Hermione noticed the elderly man beside Dumbledore. He wore glasses like his brother, was tall and slim, with a silver-gray beard that resembled metallic threads. His eyes were identical to Dumbledore's.