HP: She married Malfoy after becoming an exchange student.

After the final exams, all the young wizards from each house headed to the Great Hall of Hogwarts. Since Slytherin had won the previous House Cup, the Great Hall remained a sea of ​​silver-green.

On the scoreboard, Slytherin led by a wide margin with 472 points. The long table was laden with food for the farewell feast, but many people's eyes kept glancing at the gem hourglass above the teachers' table.

Unlike the tense curiosity of other houses, the air in Slytherin was filled with a reserved anticipation befitting a victor.

Draco sat ramrod straight, a confident smile playing on his lips. He occasionally whispered a few words to Crabbe or Goyle beside him, his grey eyes gleaming with unwavering determination. He was already imagining the room filled with silver-green flags and Potter's inevitably crumbling face.

Elias sat beside him, his demeanor as composed as ever.

The silver-haired boy was carefully cutting a baked potato into evenly sized cubes on a plate, his movements unhurried, as if he wasn't particularly concerned about the upcoming announcement. But when he glanced up at the smiling silver-haired old wizard in the center of the teachers' table, a very faint, almost scrutinizing glint flashed in his light silver eyes.

Dumbledore stood up, and the Great Hall gradually quieted down.

"Another year has passed!" His voice boomed, his blue eyes behind his glasses sparkling with delight. "Before we enjoy these delicacies, we must award the Academy Cup..."

Draco adjusted his posture to make himself look more upright.

Everything proceeded as expected, until Dumbledore changed the subject.

"...However, we need to make some final score adjustments."

Draco's smile remained unchanged, only his eyebrows twitched almost imperceptibly. An adjustment? Slytherin's lead was unshakeable.

"Mr. Ron Weasley... won the most brilliant game of chess at Hogwarts in many years... awarded fifty points."

Draco let out a barely audible snort. Chess? He scoffed, unimpressed.

"Miss Hermione Granger... demonstrated composure and wisdom in the face of danger... awarded 50 points."

Draco sat up straighter and tapped his fingers lightly on the table. One hundred plus. He quickly calculated in his mind; his advantage remained enormous.

Elias stopped cutting the potato, his silver eyes gazing silently ahead.

"Harry Potter..." Dumbledore's voice echoed clearly in every corner, "In recognition of his fearless courage and extraordinary bravery... awarded Gryffindor House sixty points."

"What?!" Draco exclaimed, his face paling slightly as he abruptly turned to look at the scoreboard. The hourglass was flowing rapidly, the number representing Gryffindor's rubies climbing steadily, the gap between them and Slytherin's emeralds closing dramatically. He clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white.

"How could this be..." Draco's voice trembled with shock and anger. "How dare he..."

Elias didn't look at the hourglass; his gaze remained fixed on the white-bearded old man in front of him, his jawline slightly taut.

Dumbledore's voice rang out again, gentle yet undeniable: "There are many kinds of courage... and it takes great courage to stand up for one's friends. Therefore, I award Mr. Neville Longbottom ten points."

The last ruby ​​fell.

Gryffindor's total score surpassed that of Slytherin.

A deathly silence enveloped the Slytherin table, only to be completely drowned out by the explosive cheers from the Gryffindor side. The silver-green decorations faded as if from an illusion, and gold and red instantly dominated the entire Great Hall. Cheers, stomping, and whistling nearly lifted the dome off the ceiling.

Draco sat motionless, his lips pressed together, deathly pale, his grey-blue eyes fixed on the glaring, gold-red scoreboard, something within them shattered.

Pansy covered her mouth, Daphne's face turned pale, and Blaise's usual leisurely smile vanished without a trace, his eyes turning cold. A stifling silence hung over the long table, a stark contrast to the revelry across from them.

Elias slowly exhaled, picked up the silver cup beside him, and took a sip of water. When he put the cup down, the bottom of the cup touched the table with a very soft but clear "tap".

He turned his head to look at Draco beside him.

The boy's platinum blonde hair appeared strangely dull against the backdrop of the surrounding golden-red hues. He was taut like a fully drawn bow, as if it would snap at the slightest touch. His delicate profile was a blank expression, a mixture of shock, bewilderment, and the sting of public humiliation.

Elias looked at him for a few seconds, and then, in the shadow of the long table, gently placed his cool palm on Draco's clenched fist, his knuckles white and trembling slightly.

Draco jolted violently, as if burned, and turned his head abruptly, his gray eyes still filled with lingering shock and embarrassment.

Elias didn't speak, but looked at him with his calm, silver-grey eyes, his gaze serene and steady. Then, very slightly, almost imperceptibly, he closed his fingers and pressed them against the back of Elias's hand.

The confusion in Draco's eyes seemed to be slightly suppressed by that brief but firm touch. He took a deep breath, his throat bobbing, and then gripped Elias's fingers tightly, almost fiercely, so tightly that Elias raised an eyebrow slightly. He then quickly released his grip and turned away.

At the teachers' table, Dumbledore clapped his hands happily, and the Slytherin banner of the Serpent vanished, while the Gryffindor lion fluttered in the wind.

Draco closed his eyes, his chest heaving.

The announcement that the banquet had "officially begun" was drowned out by the Gryffindor revelry. On the Slytherin side, most people stared at the suddenly abundant food before them, completely lacking any appetite.

Draco sat there for a moment, then, as if remembering something, suddenly stood up abruptly, the chair scraping against the floor with a screeching sound…