Chapter- 74.
But this moment felt quite different to everyone else in the room.
"Dudley, you're really something!"
A playful voice from the Gryffindor side mimicked Hermione's tone, teasingly.
Though it wasn't loud, it carried through the classroom, sparking a ripple of quiet laughter among the students.
The sarcasm was clear as day.
The Slytherins quickly hushed up, and a thought crossed the minds of many: "Wow, Gryffindor, you sure are bold."
This wasn't a compliment; it was more of a jab at their recklessness.
They sat back, waiting for the drama to unfold.
Surely, they couldn't be the only ones getting picked on.
Dudley glanced over at Gryffindor, his expression blank as he searched for the source of the comment.
Class was still going on, and it was just a single remark; there was no way they'd get into trouble for that.
From the way it was said, it was clear it came from a younger student.
Dudley noticed Hermione subtly shake her head at him, signaling that she could handle it.
He could see her determination shining through.
That girl had always been stubborn, just like back at Oxford Primary School.
Harry looked a bit annoyed; Dudley was his brother, and Hermione was his friend. Malfoy, on the other hand, was staring at Gryffindor with a frown, lost in thought.
Professor Flitwick, blissfully unaware, continued with his lesson on spells.
Oh, wait.
Ron was still poking at a feather on his desk with his wand, completely oblivious to the earlier exchange. He looked around, confused by the sudden quiet.
The strange vibe lingered until class finally ended.
Everything seemed calm, which left the Slytherins feeling a bit let down.
After assigning homework, Professor Flitwick hurried off; he had to rush to teach the fifth-year students, and today was outdoor spell practice.
Just as Hermione packed up her books and was about to stand, someone suddenly rushed out from behind her, colliding with her shoulder. She lost her balance and fell, her books scattering everywhere.
"Sorry, Ms. Know-It-All! You okay?"
The apology felt insincere, more like a taunt.
"Who told you to be in the way, blocking my path?"
Three Gryffindor students, arms linked, looked at Hermione with smirks, while two girls stood behind them.
"We warned you, Ms. Know-It-All, not to get too close to certain people."
"Next time, it won't just be about lost shoes or textbooks."
"Ms. Know-It-All shouldn't have too many clothes, right? It's normal for there to be mice in the castle that ruin other people's things."
Shoes can be replaced, and textbooks can be borrowed, but if clothes get ruined...
One of the girls leaned down to whisper a warning to Hermione, tossing her hair back with a proud look, while the others giggled.
"Look, her hair is like a messy bird's nest!"
"Her two big front teeth look just like a beaver's!"
"Right, Ms. Beaver, hahahaha!"
The girls laughed loudly at Hermione, and the boys joined in with their jabs.
Just as they were about to leave, they turned around and bumped into something solid.
"Ouch!"
The boy in front stumbled back and fell, causing the others to tumble down like dominoes, all because they had been focused on Hermione just moments before.
'How could there be a wall here?'
But there was no wall; it was Dudley's body.
He stood over them, looking down.
From their earlier conversation, Dudley pieced together what was happening.
This was school bullying, wasn't it?
Just like when he first started at Slytherin.
The only difference was that he had been bullied for crossing the "powerful" Malfoy, while Hermione was being picked on for not fitting in with Slytherin like he did.
In the end, it was all the same.
"What are you going to do?"
One of the Gryffindor boys squeaked, sounding like an angry little dog, nervously addressing Dudley.
But we all know that little dogs can bark loudly but don't really bite.
"That's exactly what I want to know. What are you going to do?"
Dudley replied casually, inching closer to the group.
He had noticed Hermione had changed into a different pair of shoes, but since she hadn't mentioned it, he figured she just wanted to switch them out.
"First, you should apologize. Second, we need to talk about those shoes."
Dudley spoke each word clearly.
"Third, you really should learn to respect others."
He had never called her Miss Beaver before.
"Dursley, are you really going to stand up for her?"
"Don't think we're scared of you; there are five of us!"
The last part lacked any real confidence.
From a distance, most thought Dudley was just a strong-looking first-year, but up close, a chill crept into the hearts of the five.
It was more than just his strength.
Dudley merely shot a disinterested glance at the girl's words.
Just a glance. Only a glance. Merely a glance.
It felt like being targeted by a fierce storm or a wild beast, ready to pounce.
In that moment, she felt trapped in a freezing nightmare, her blood running cold, and even her breath felt stolen away.
The presence he exuded was something else entirely.
Like Snape, many Gryffindors thought of him as a greasy old bat, but his quiet voice had a way of commanding attention and respect.
Even the most reckless Weasley brothers wouldn't dare to cause trouble in his class.
Under Dudley's gaze, the two girls and three boys trembled, and this was still in the classroom; if they had encountered him alone, they might not have had the courage to stand up at all.
Courageous Gryffindor, huh?
"Yeah, this is a classroom, and it's full of Gryffindors!"
The earlier girl rolled her eyes and raised her voice, shouting, "Slytherin, what are you going to do? Are you going to bully Gryffindor?"
A clever move indeed.
Gryffindor might be a scattered bunch, but they always came together when it mattered.
Especially when it came to standing up to Slytherin.
Hearing her call, Gryffindor students who were about to leave or had already left stopped in their tracks, turning their attention to Dudley and the others.
Before long, a crowd of Gryffindors had gathered.
"Look, we have so many people; now you see how powerful we are!"
With so many gathered, the fear in the hearts of the five began to fade, and their lost 'courage' started to return.
But the real question is, does having more people really help?
In my opinion, there are bullies everywhere, no matter the school, profession, or even country.
A certain James was a bully; even if he targeted Snape, who was in Slytherin, if Snape had been in Gryffindor, do you think he wouldn't have been picked on for being close to Lily?
Of course, if you argue that Gryffindor has no bullies, then you might be right.
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