Hogwarts' Golden Glory

Harry turned away without saying a word. He went back to the dressing room, changed out of his robes, folded them neatly, and went out to pay.

Sirius was waiting for him at the door. Watching him come out, he said, "Want to go get another butterbeer?"

Before Harry could answer, the shop door was pushed open.

Cedric stood in the doorway, holding a roll of parchment. He paused slightly when he saw Harry: "Harry? You're picking out robes too?"

"...Yes. I just bought it," Harry said.

“Me too.” Cedric held up the parchment in his hand and smiled. “I ordered a dark blue one, which won’t arrive until next week. They said the other one will take three days.”

"That would look great."

Harry said.

Cedric nodded, then, as if remembering something, took a step closer to Harry: "By the way, there's something I wanted to ask you—do you think Cho Chang...would like those dark blue robes?"

Harry felt his heart skip a beat.

I plan to invite her to the Christmas ball.

Cedric said, with a hint of uncertainty in his voice, as if he were talking to someone for the first time, "Do you think she'll say yes?"

Harry stood there, clutching the black robe he had just bought, the edge of the pocket digging into his palm.

He looked at the serious expression on Cedric's face, as if he had rehearsed it many times in his mind.

"...You could try," Harry said, "but I think she might be too busy."

Cedric chuckled. "Busy? Everyone's busy during the Christmas ball. But there's always time."

"Yes, that's true," Harry said.

"I'll be going now." Cedric patted him on the shoulder. "By the way, that black robe suits you very well."

He turned and walked out of the store.

Harry stood there, still clutching the robe in his hand.

Sirius stood beside him for a while, watching him intently. "...You've already invited Cho Chang?"

"Yes," Harry said.

"Then why didn't you say so earlier?"

Harry lowered his head and remained silent. He stood in the shop's doorway for a moment before whispering, "Because I should have told him."

You should tell him.

"I didn't. I feel like I'm a bad person."

Sirius looked at him for a moment, then said, "You're not bad, you're just afraid. Afraid that if you tell Cedric, he'll know you're his rival, worried that Cho Chang will hesitate, and then you might lose her. You're afraid you're not her only choice."

Harry did not deny it.

Sirius patted him on the shoulder: "Let's go, the butterbeer's on me."

When Harry returned to the Gryffindor Tower that evening, Hermione was still reading in the common room.

He walked over and sat down, taking Sirius's words to heart.

"I asked Zhang Qiu, and she agreed."

"I know. You told me."

"I ran into Cedric in Hogsmeade today," Harry said. "He wanted to invite her too. He said he was going to ask her to the ball and asked if she would say yes."

Hermione put down her book: "...You told him?"

"No. I said she might be very busy."

Hermione stared at him for a while: "What do you think that is?"

“…I’m scared,” Harry said. “I’m afraid she’ll hesitate if she knows there are other invitations. I’m afraid she doesn’t really want to come with me, but just doesn’t have a better option.”

Hermione was silent for a moment, then said, "So what do you want her to do?"

Harry thought for a long time: "I want her to choose me decisively. Not because I asked before anyone else, but because she wants to choose me."

Hermione looked at him without saying a word. It started snowing outside, and the snowflakes fell on the windowsill, melting into drops of water.

Harry said, "But Cedric is better than me; he's very popular with girls."

"If you truly feel you've wronged Cedric, then let Cho Chang make her own decision. She accepted your invitation, and as long as she continues to accept, you haven't done anything wrong."

Harry looked up. "You mean I don't need to tell him?"

"If you tell him, it will seem like you're making the decision for her," Hermione said. "Let her choose for herself."

Harry was silent for a long time, then said, "What if she chose Cedric?"

"Then accept it." Hermione's voice was calm. "At least you know she made her own choice."

Harry nodded without saying a word. He looked out the window at the falling snow and murmured, "I'll ask her out for a walk tomorrow. Then I'll tell her Cedric wants to invite her too. The rest is up to her."

Hermione looked at him and then said, "Then go ahead and do it."

The following afternoon, Harry and Jothu Chang met in the garden outside the castle.

There were few people in the garden. The winter wind blew from the direction of the Forbidden Forest, ruffling the ends of Qiu Zhang's dark hair. She wore a thick coat and a scarf wrapped tightly around her neck, revealing only half of her face.

"Harry?" she said. "What's wrong?"

Harry stood in front of her and said, "There's something I want to tell you. I ran into Cedric in Hogsmeade yesterday. He said he's planning to invite you to the Christmas Ball."

Qiu Zhang's eyes widened slightly: "...So?"

“I haven’t told him you said yes,” Harry said. “I think I should tell you that Cedric likes you too. You deserve to know that others are also inviting you. Think about it, whether you want to choose again or continue with me.”

Qiu Zhang looked at him for a long time, and then she smiled.

"So you've come to remind me—I have another option?"

"It's not a backup plan," Harry said. "It's to let you know that you can choose after you understand the situation."

Qiu Zhang was silent for a moment: "Are you finished speaking?"

"...That's all."

"Then my answer remains the same."

She looked at him, her eyes shining brightly in the winter sunlight. "I'd like to go to the ball with you. If you don't want me to go with Cedric, then you can invite me yourself. I've already said yes, and I won't change my mind."

Harry stood there, feeling a weight lift from his chest. He didn't say anything, just smiled.

Qiu Zhang smiled, turned and walked towards the castle, took two steps, then turned back: "Oh, by the way, remember to pick me up then."

Harry watched her retreating figure, stood in the wind, and exhaled a puff of white breath.

That evening, Cedric stopped Cho Chang in the corridor. He was wearing the new dark blue robe he had just received, and he looked very formal, as if he had been preparing for a long time: "Cho, there's something I want to ask you."

Qiu Zhang looked at him and already guessed what he was going to say, but she didn't interrupt.

"Would you like to come with me to the Christmas ball?"

Cho Chang looked at him for a moment, then said, "Thank you, Cedric. But I've already accepted someone else's invitation."

Cedric's smile faltered for a moment: "...Is it Harry?"

"Yes."

Cedric paused for a few seconds, then nodded. "He's faster than me. Well... have fun at the ball."