Chapter 490 First Day Breakfast

Chapter 490 First Day Breakfast
When Harry opened his eyes, it was already the next morning.

He sat up and looked at the other people in the dormitory who were already mostly up. Harry's awakening slowed down their movements.

Seamus quickly put on his clothes and left the dormitory without even looking at Harry. Dean glanced at Harry with concern, but said nothing and quickly followed Seamus out of the dormitory.

"I heard from Fred and the others..." Ron quietly slipped off the bed, grabbed Harry's bedside, and said to Harry, who still lowered his head and seemed half asleep, "Don't take what happened last night to heart. Seamus won't really complain to Professor McGonagall. It was just a misunderstanding, an accident. We talked about it last night."

Harry looked up and glanced at Ron, without saying anything, just nodded. A good sleep did not bring him a better spirit. His heart was like a yellow leaf blown down by the autumn wind, slowly dying bit by bit. Harry was surprised to find that he no longer cared about the fact that Seamus was knocked away by magic yesterday. Even when Ron mentioned this matter, he felt no ripples in his heart.

He just had no feelings, no feelings about the whole thing, let alone emotions like annoyance, anger or even regret. Harry even felt numb to Ron's well-intentioned comfort. What was he doing and where was he going next? These questions seemed like meaningless questions, circling around his head.

"Okay, I understand. No need to comfort me, Ron." Interrupting Ron's chatter, Harry put on his socks and clothes and put on his robe under the surprised gaze of his best friend.

"I was really angry yesterday—" he explained calmly, "but I know I'm not a liar, a show-off, a liar, I know that."

Ron looked at Harry, wanting to say something but stopping himself. He really wanted to point out that his shirt collar was not straightened and that he looked sloppy and untidy, as if he had never combed his hair or taken care of himself. But after saying that, Harry was actually planning to go out like this.

"What happened?" Harry and Ron hurried to breakfast. As they walked into the common room, Hermione caught up with them. "Harry, you look very pale - oh, my God."

Hermione looked at the notice board in the Gryffindor common room in surprise. There was a large notice on it. It was more like a naked plea letter than a notice, and even the ink had some smudges, as if the writer's hand was shaking.
-
Gryffindor Notice Board -
Money! Money! Money! We need money!

You may have heard of the Wesley twins, and you may know that we are always humorous and full of tricks, but please believe us, we are not joking this time -

We need jobs! We need money!

If you have any dirty work to do, no matter how menial, no matter how obscene, no matter how disgusting, as long as you are willing to pay, we are willing to do it!

Do you find cleaning the toilet too dirty? We don’t!
You don't want to clean up the poop of the strange beasts in the Forbidden Forest? We do!
Want to add a little extra "spice" to someone's nasty potion? Don't worry, we guarantee professionalism and confidentiality!

Even... you need someone to take the punishment for you? We are willing to do that! As long as the price is right, we can take the blame for you, be scolded, or even be put in solitary confinement!
Please contact us, we will not refuse any job! As long as we can make money, we are willing to do anything!
—Fred Wesley & George Wesley

PS If you really can't find a job for us, please consider making a donation, even if it's just a copper knut, we will be very grateful!
-
End of notice board -
Hermione's fingers trembled slightly with anger, and she tore off the notice, her eyes full of incredible shock and anger.

"They are crazy." She clenched her teeth, her face looking ugly as if she was looking at something disgusting. "This is not like them... This is really too - too -" She couldn't find the right words to describe it for a moment.

She raised her head and looked at Ron angrily, "We need to talk to them, Ron."

Ron's face turned pale instantly. He swallowed stiffly and stammered, "Why?"

"Because we're prefects!" Hermione said angrily, waving the notice violently. "We have to put a stop to this! They've completely lost their minds!"

Harry stood aside, watching this scene silently, and he couldn't help frowning. Indeed, this was not like Fred and George's usual style. Although they were always keen on playing pranks and looking for opportunities to make money, they were never the kind of people who disregarded dignity and did whatever it took. Where was their self-esteem? Where was their humor?

Harry thought of what Ron had mentioned before - Arthur Weasley was fired by the Ministry of Magic and even fined a huge sum of money, which caused the family's situation to plummet and even the most basic food and clothing became a problem. Mrs. Weasley even had to sell the valuable items in the house in exchange for living expenses.

So they have fallen to this point?

Harry clenched his fists and looked at Ron. His friend lowered his head, his face flushed, his fingers clenched the hem of his robes, and he looked like he wanted to find a hole to crawl into.

Hermione was still muttering indignantly, "I can't believe they're willing to do those... those vile things! Just for a few Galleons?"

Ron suddenly raised his head and glared at her fiercely, with a flash of anger in his eyes. "A few Galleons? Hermione, you have no idea what money means to our family." His tone was full of self-mockery. "Do you know? When the book list for this year's school year came out, Mom cried all night. She didn't know how to raise money to buy new textbooks for Ginny."

Hermione choked and opened her mouth. The anger on her face gradually turned into a trace of guilt. Ron took a deep breath and whispered, "Do you think they are willing to do this? They are prouder than anyone else, but they have no other choice."

Harry stared silently at the notice that Hermione had torn off his hand, feeling mixed emotions.

The Weasley twins, the ever-joyful, mischievous duo, were now willing to sell their dignity for a few Galleons?

At this moment, he finally realized what poverty is - it is not just an empty wallet or wearing old clothes, but it forces a person to bow his head, give up his pride, and even be willing to do anything as long as it can be exchanged for a little money.

Harry closed his eyes, his heart aching. Although he was an orphan, he was a rich second-generation. His parents left him a large fortune, so he always treated money like dirt. He despised those who relied on their wealth, such as Malfoy, and thought they were superior to others. Little did he know that they just understood the cruelty of reality earlier than him.

Strength, money, and power, these worldly things that he had despised in the past, were taken seriously by him for the first time and occupied a very high position in his heart.

"By the way, what's the matter, Harry?" Hermione asked as they descended a staircase lined with portraits of old wizards, all too busy talking to each other to pay any attention to them. "You seem quite cross about something."

"Seamus thinks Harry lied about You-Know-Who." Ron said succinctly when Harry didn't answer.

Harry expected Hermione to side with him and react angrily, but she just sighed.

"Yeah, Lavender thinks so too," said Hermione gloomily.

"You've been having a nice chat with her about whether or not I'm a lying, publicity-seeking liar, haven't you?" Harry said loudly.

"No," said Hermione calmly. "In fact, I told her to shut her big fat mouth and stop saying anything bad about you. Harry, I really wish you would stop making these accusations against us, because Ron and I are on your side, unless you haven't noticed."

There was a brief silence.

"I'm sorry," Harry whispered.

"It doesn't matter," Hermione said arrogantly, then shook her head. "Don't you remember what Dumbledore said at the end-of-term banquet last term?"

Harry and Ron looked at her stupidly and Hermione sighed again.

"About You-Know-Who. Dumbledore said he was 'very good at creating conflict and hostility. We can only demonstrate the same unbreakable friendship and trust -'"

"How can you remember words like that?" Ron asked, looking at her in admiration.

"I listened carefully, Ron," said Hermione, a little roughly.

"I have heard it, but I cannot tell what it is--"

"The thing is," Hermione said loudly, very ungraciously, "that's what Dumbledore was really saying. It's only been two months since You-Know-Who's returned and we're already fighting among ourselves. The Sorting Hat's warning was the same: stick together -"

"Harry's right," Ron retorted, "If it means we're going to make friends with Slytherins - which is unlikely."

"Well, I think it's a shame that we can't do something about unity between the houses," said Hermione angrily.

They reached the bottom of the marble staircase and a group of Ravenclaw fourth years were filing through the entrance hall, huddling together as soon as they saw Harry, as if they feared that Harry might do something to anyone who lagged behind.

"Yeah, we really should try to make friends with people like that," Harry said sarcastically.

Then they followed the Ravenclaws into the Great Hall, where the enchanted ceiling reflected Harry's mood: grey and gloomy.