Hogwarts: My Grandmother is the Queen

Chapter 333 I Want to Stand By Your Side

"Thank you for the invitation," Henry said politely, "but I can't accept it right now; I need some time to think about it."

Catherine's expression remained unchanged: "May I ask what you're considering?"

"I'm considering who would be a better dance partner for me. You know, my family situation is a little special, and I don't want the media to misinterpret my choices, especially the Daily Prophet," Henry said with a smile. "It's not directed at you, and I hope you can understand."

Catherine nodded. "I understand. If you've decided, you can have an owl bring me a note."

"Okay," Henry said. "I'll think about it."

Catherine and her companion left, their footsteps fading into the distance down the corridor.

Theodore stepped forward and stood next to Henry. "Your Highness, this is the first one."

"I know."

"And it won't just be one."

"You don't need to tell me that," Henry glanced at him.

"So what do you plan to do?" Theodore asked curiously.

"No rush," Henry said. "Let the bullets fly a little longer."

"What if there are too many invitations?"

"That makes it even more interesting," Henry said. "When there are too many choices, saying no is more important than choosing."

Theodore didn't ask any more questions, and the two continued walking toward the Slytherin common room. As they passed the window leading to the Black Lake, Henry saw a huge squid slowly swimming across the water.

Back in the common room, several younger students were sitting on a sofa in the corner, playing a game of Wizards chess.

The older students sat near the fireplace, some reading, others whispering amongst themselves.

Henry sat down in the high-backed chair in front of the fireplace, picked up a book about magical contracts, and turned to the page marked with a bookmark.

There's no rush about finding a dance partner; let things play out a bit longer.

The tea party proceeded as usual on Saturday afternoon.

When Henry arrived, there were already several people sitting in the room.

Cedric sat by the window, drinking tea; Harry and Ron sat by the fireplace, whispering about something.

Hermione sat on the other side, with the dark red notebook open in front of her, writing something.

Krum hasn't arrived yet, but he should be here soon.

Henry sat down in the high-backed chair in front of the fireplace and poured himself a cup of tea.

He had just picked up his cup when the door was pushed open, and a sixth-grade Ravenclaw girl stood in the doorway.

She was wearing a light blue sweater and her hair was tied in a ponytail; she looked like she had mustered up a lot of courage to come here.

"Your Highness," she said, her voice a little nervous, "my name is Lina Klein. I would like to invite you to the Christmas ball."

The room was quiet for a moment. Ron put down the biscuit in his hand, glanced at Harry, and Harry shook his head slightly, meaning "Don't talk."

Henry put down his teacup: "Lina, thank you for inviting me. But I can't accept anyone's invitation right now."

17

"Is it because you're considering it?"

"Yes," Henry said. "You know my family situation, and my choices will be watched by many people. I don't want my dance partner to suffer unnecessary pressure because of being with me."

Lina nodded: "I—I understand."

"But I appreciate your invitation," Henry said. "I will seriously consider it."

Lina's expression relaxed slightly, as if she breathed a sigh of relief: "Then—then I'll leave this letter with you."

She placed a letter on the coffee table, then turned and walked quickly out, her ponytail swaying behind her.

After the door closed behind her, Ron whispered, "Your Highness, how many is this?"

"The fourteenth," Henry said.

"The fourteenth?" Ron exclaimed in surprise. "It's only been a few days!"

"News travels fast," Cedric said. "Once someone knows His Highness doesn't have a dance partner, someone will come and ask."

"So, what's your choice?" Ron asked.

"I haven't decided yet," Henry said with a smile.

The door was pushed open again, and this time it was Krum.

When he walked in, his gaze swept around the room first, pausing briefly on Hermione.

He noticed that Hermione was wearing a light blue sweater today, and her hair was neater than usual.

But he didn't say anything, he just walked over and sat down next to Hermione.

"Good afternoon," he said.

"Good afternoon, Viktor." Hermione looked up from her notebook. "You're later than usual today."

"I was stopped on the street by a Durmstrang student," Krum said. "He asked me why I was wearing a SPEW badge."

"What did you say?"

I said—because I agree with your ideas.

Hermione's expression brightened: "He really asked that?"

"right."

"Then how did you explain it?"

"I said that house-elves should be respected. He didn't quite understand what I meant, but he didn't say much. He just said that I had changed."

"What does 'changed' mean?"

Krum shrugged and said, "I guess I wouldn't have done this kind of thing before."

Halfway through the tea party, the door was pushed open.

A girl stood at the door, her coat was neatly tailored with straight shoulders, and she wore a white turtleneck sweater underneath.

Her dark green plaid skirt reached just to her knees, with thick black stockings underneath, and low-heeled Chelsea boots on her feet—a combination common on Oxford campuses but completely out of place in the corridors of Hogwarts.

She stood at the door for a moment, then stepped in, her boots making a crisp sound on the stone floor.

"Your Highness." She nodded respectfully.

Henry put down his teacup, stood up from his chair, and reached out to shake Miss Farley's hand: "Welcome back, Gemma."

Pansy recognized her first, her eyes widening slightly: "Miss Farley?"

"Parkinson's." Miss Farley nodded to her, then turned her gaze to the others in the room. "Long time no see, everyone."

Then, her gaze returned to Henry: "I'm late. The ship was an hour late, and the train was also a bit late when I came from King's Cross, but I made it just in time for the tea party."

Henry looked at her; Miss Farley was more capable than he remembered, even after several months apart.

Her hair was tied in a high ponytail, revealing her well-defined bone structure and jawline. Clearly, she was the quintessential English rose.

It's the prickly kind.

"Sit down." Henry gestured to the empty chair beside him. "The tea is still hot."

Miss Farley sat down in the chair with a deft movement, gathered the hem of her coat, crossed her legs, and her black stockings gleamed finely in the firelight of the fireplace.

She took the teacup Henry offered and took a sip.

"Still Darjeeling," she said with a smile. "Your taste hasn't changed."

"You've changed quite a bit, Gemma," Henry said.

“I’ve changed,” Miss Farley said with a smile. “I learned a lot at Oxford. For example, how to use a fax machine, how to find Muggle books in the library, and how to explain to professors that the school I attended before was a boarding school without electricity.”

Ron couldn't help but chuckle, then immediately covered his mouth.

Cedric spoke up from the side: "Miss Farley, you've come back this time to—"

'

"For Christmas," said Miss Farley. "Oxford courses end a week before Christmas. I could have stayed in London, but I heard that Hogwarts has the Triwizard Tournament this year, so I thought I'd come back to see it."

"How long will you be staying?"

"I'll stay until the ball is over," said Miss Farley. "Professor Dumbledore has arranged a room for me next to the Slytherin common room."

"So you live in Slytherin?" Pansy asked.

“Yes,” Miss Farley said. “It feels a little strange to come back and stay in a guest room after graduation, but it’s better than sleeping in a tent.”

Hermione, who had been listening quietly, finally spoke up: "Miss Farley, you just said you were studying Muggle stuff at Oxford—what were you studying?"

"Public policy and administration," Miss Farley said. "The Muggle world has a very complex system of government operations—cabinet, parliament, civil service, local government. They don't use magic, but their governance structure is far more sophisticated than the Ministry of Magic. They have a complete civil service training system with clear paths and standards from entry to promotion."

Hermione's eyes lit up: "I've been thinking about this! Most of the people in the Ministry of Magic are directly appointed; they understand magic, but they don't necessarily know how to manage a department—"

"Hermione," Ron interrupted her, "are you discussing civil service matters with Miss Farley?"

"Yes," Hermione said. "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing," Ron said. "I just feel this topic is a little—a little serious."

"Isn't being serious better?"

“No, being serious is fine,” Ron said. “I just didn’t expect to discuss this at the tea party.”

Miss Farley glanced at Ron: "Weasley, you've been at Hogwarts for four years. You've talked about everything from Quidditch and house-elves to Defense Against the Dark Arts at tea parties. Public policy isn't any stranger."

Ron wanted to argue, but then realized that Miss Farley was right, so he shut up.

Henry had been quietly observing Miss Farley the whole time. He noticed that when she discussed the administrative system with Hermione, her focus was exactly the same as when they discussed the Silver Serpent's meeting. She was serious, methodical, and possessed a firm conviction that this issue deserved serious attention.

She has indeed changed; she has become more composed than before, and more like someone who knows what she wants to do.

"So what are you planning to do after that?" Hermione pressed. "Go back to work at the Ministry of Magic?"

"Not necessarily," Miss Farley said. "I'm considering two paths: either join the Ministry of Magic and reform its bureaucracy using the Muggle civil service system, or join the Office of the Coordinating of Royal Affairs to assist with liaison between the wizarding world and the royal family."

When she said her last sentence, her gaze naturally swept in Henry's direction before returning to her own.

The movement was very light, as if it were just a casual remark.

But Henry understood.

The tea party continued, and Miss Farley spoke a few words to everyone. She discussed the underwater mission of the second project with Cedric, talked about Quidditch with Harry, discussed the changes in Slytherin with Draco, and discussed the Muggle civil service examination system with Hermione.

Her conversation was fast-paced and precise, like someone who had been away for a while but still knew this land inside and out.

As the tea party was drawing to a close, Miss Farley set down her teacup and turned to Henry: "Your Highness, may I speak with you alone for a few minutes?"

"Okay." Henry stood up. "Let's talk in the hallway."

The two walked out of the tea room, and the door closed behind them.

Miss Farley leaned against the windowsill, her hands in her coat pockets, watching Henry.

"Your Highness," she said, "I've come back not just for Christmas, I—well, I have another little ulterior motive—I've come back to invite you."

"Inviting me?"

"The Christmas ball," Miss Farley said. "I heard you haven't chosen a partner yet."

"Not yet," Henry said.

"Then I hope you will consider me," Miss Farley said. "I know you will receive many invitations, and I know you will not make a decision easily, but I hope you will put me on your list."

Miss Farley looked at him, her beautiful eyes full of sincerity.

She took a half step forward, standing even closer, close enough that Henry could smell the faint, cool fragrance emanating from her.

"Your Highness," she said, "I know you received many invitations, and I know the reasons you gave for turning them down. Those reasons are true, but they are not the whole truth."

Henry looked at her but did not interrupt her.

"Your real concern is that you're not just choosing a dance partner; you're choosing someone who will stand by your side. Someone who will still be there for you after the ball, after the media has left, after all the lights have dimmed."

Miss Farley paused, as if to confirm whether she was really going to say her next sentence.

"I want to be that person."

The corridor was quiet for a moment. She met Henry's gaze without flinching.

“Your Highness, I spent a few months in Oxford. What I learned during those months was not just the logic of Muggle government and the civil service training system. I learned something else—when I was there, I wasn't thinking about how to become a better wizard, I was thinking about how to be worthy of the path you have laid out for me.”

She lowered her head slightly, then raised it again.

"I'm thinking that you arranged this path for me because you trust me. And I want to prove that you didn't place your trust in the wrong person."

"Your Highness, I haven't come back for Christmas. I've come to tell you that whether you're at Hogwarts or not, no matter how many people want to stand by your side, I'm the one who chose you from the very beginning."

Henry looked at her and remained silent for a moment.

He could feel the weight of her words, and he could also sense the frankness with which she laid herself bare before him when she spoke them.

"Gemma," he asked, "did you think these words through carefully, or did you just decide on the spur of the moment?"

"I wrote drafts all the way on the train," Miss Farley said. "But when I got to Hogwarts, I scrapped them all and finally decided it was best not to write anything at all."

"Why did you stop writing?"

"Because writing makes me look like I'm giving a work report," Miss Farley said. "And all I want you to know is that I want to be there for you, nothing more."

>