Hogwarts: My Grandmother is the Queen

Chapter 119 Am I excited?

Hannah's face fell. She put the plant aside and unconsciously tugged at the lace trim on her sleeve.

"I'm not very good at talking to Slytherins," she whispered. "They all seem so—so arrogant. Every time we meet in the hallway, the way they look at us is like they're looking at something—something—"

"It's worthless," Susan said for her.

Hannah nodded.

"It's not really that exaggerated, is it? They're just—uh—that's how they are." Justin said, "The Malfoys are rich and have been pampered since they were young, so of course they're a bit arrogant."

Susan glanced at him: "Why are you speaking up for him? Besides, when it comes to money, who can be as rich as His Highness?"

Do you think His Highness is that kind of person?

"No, I didn't!" Justin quickly waved his hand. "I just felt that His Highness must have a reason for inviting us. He's such a good person, he wouldn't let the atmosphere become awkward."

Hannah took a deep breath and looked at the note in her hand.

Mercury was still standing on the coffee table, tilting his head to look at her, as if waiting for an answer.

"Okay," she said. "Let's go together."

Mercury flew away with a whoosh.

Meanwhile, in the Slytherin common room, Draco was also looking at the note.

He leaned back in the armchair by the fireplace, legs crossed, holding the parchment in his hand, his eyebrows raised high.

"His Highness has invited us to tea tomorrow," he read aloud. "Honestly, why the sudden urge to use an owl to send a message?"

Pansy leaned closer, her chin almost resting on his shoulder.

She glanced at the note, then at Draco's expression.

"The three Hufflepuffs are going too," she said.

"Hufflepuff?" Draco scoffed. "Those bastards—those guys who spend all day in the kitchen?"

I was going to call him a good-for-nothing, but considering Henry's feelings, Draco ultimately used a milder adjective.

Pansy reached out and tapped him on the head: "Don't say that. His Highness must have his reasons."

"I was just saying." Draco rubbed his head and glared at her with displeasure.

Daphne sat on the sofa next to her, holding a cup of tea.

She didn't read the note, after all, Pansy had already read it aloud, but she knew Draco would react this way.

"Draco," she said softly, "don't say that."

Draco glanced at her but said nothing more.

In the corner, Theodore leaned against the bookshelf, holding a book in his hand.

The note was on the coffee table next to him. He had already glanced at it and then continued reading.

But his finger remained on that page, not turning it for a long time.

The next afternoon, an empty classroom on the second floor.

Henry arrived fifteen minutes early and had Lucy set up a long table. The refreshments were also carefully prepared, all the specialties of royal afternoon tea.

Lucy arranged the seven teacups, checked the sugar bowl and milk jug again, and then reported to Henry in a low voice.

The long table was arranged in a rectangle, and Henry sat in the main seat.

There are four empty seats on the left for Slytherin; the three empty seats on the right are for Hufflepuff.

A short while later, the door was pushed open.

Draco was the first to walk in, followed by Pansy, Daphne, and Theodore.

He was dressed very formally today, his black robe was pressed perfectly, and he wore the Malfoy family's silver badge on his chest, as if he didn't want to tarnish the reputation of a pure-blood family in front of the Hufflepuffs.

He glanced around the classroom, saw the empty seats on the right, raised an eyebrow, and then led his group to sit down on the left.

"Your Highness," he nodded to Henry.

Henry smiled.

"Please sit down."

The four Slytherins took their seats on the left. Draco leaned back in his chair, relaxed, but his gaze kept drifting toward the door.

Pansy straightened his robes, curiously looking around at the furnishings; Daphne sat quietly, her hands folded on her knees, her gaze calmly fixed on the table; Theodore sat down in a chair, this time without a book, simply sitting quietly in place, like a quiet little boy.

After a while, the door was pushed open again.

Hannah was the first to walk in, looking a little nervous.

She had made a point of changing into a clean robe today, and had even retied her hair, but her fingers still unconsciously tugged at her sleeves. Susan and Justin followed behind her—Susan was as composed as ever, while Justin looked around curiously.

Hannah paused for a moment upon seeing the four Slytherins on her left.

Draco's beam swept over them, his expression unchanging; Pansy was also observing them, a hint of curiosity in her eyes; Daphne nodded slightly as a greeting.

Theodore didn't even look up.

Hannah took a deep breath. It was her first time having tea with Slytherins—and she was a little nervous about it, having tea with so many Slytherins—but Henry smiled at her.

"Hannah, sit here."

That smile was reassuring. Hannah walked to the right and sat down next to Henry.

Susan and Justin sat down as well, with Susan to her left and Justin next to her.

"Your Highness," the three greeted in unison.

Henry nodded slightly and said, "Everyone's here, let's begin."

He instructed Ruby to begin pouring tea. Black tea was slowly poured into the bone china teacup, and wisps of steam rose, carrying the distinctive aroma of Darjeeling muscat grapes.

After the seven cups of tea were poured, Henry picked up his teacup.

"Relax a bit," he said. "We're all classmates in the same school, even if we're in different colleges, there's no need to be so tense, is there?"

The group paused for a moment—this opening was not what they had expected.

After taking a sip of tea, the atmosphere became somewhat silent.

There was an invisible river between Slytherin and Hufflepuff, a river that could not be seen or touched, but which everyone could feel as long as they could remember, separating the two houses on opposite banks.

Draco, holding his teacup, glanced at Hannah, then at Susan, and finally at Justin.

Hannah was a little nervous, her fingers gripping the teacup, unsure of what to say.

Justin wanted to say something, but after looking at both sides, he didn't know what to say.

Henry didn't rush to speak; he simply sipped his tea quietly, waiting for them to adjust on their own.

Sunlight streamed in through the high window, falling on the center of the long table and illuminating the tea set.

The aroma of the pastries mingled with the fragrance of tea, slowly spreading through the air.

Occasionally, a few birds chirped outside the window, their calls clear and melodious.

After a long while, Draco finally couldn't hold back any longer.

"Your Highness," he said, "you summoned us here just to sit here and do nothing?"

Henry put down his teacup and looked at him.

What do you think?

Draco opened his mouth, unsure how to answer.

Pansy whispered from the side, "What are you getting so excited about?"

Draco glared at her.

Am I excited?