Hogwarts: My Grandmother is the Queen

Henry paused for a moment, then continued.

"I believe the world—and not just the wizarding world—is facing change. The development of Muggle technology, the challenges facing the Secrecy Act, the new dynamics in the relationship between wizards and Muggles… At times like these, it is unwise to cling to prejudice and division. We need more dialogue, more understanding."

These words were somewhat profound for the three first-year students, but they could feel the sincerity in them.

"So," Justin asked tentatively, "you hope there will be more interaction between the colleges?"

"Yes," Henry said affirmatively. "It doesn't necessarily have to be like me; everyone has their own comfortable way. But at the very least, we should maintain an open and peaceful mindset and be willing to understand those who are different from ourselves."

He leaned back in his chair, and the atmosphere relaxed again: "But today, we're just having tea and chatting. Lucy has prepared some very nice snacks; we shouldn't waste them."

The conversation then shifted to a more relaxed tone.

Henry inquires about school life in the Muggle world from Justin, listens to Hannah talk about her family's business of magical plants, and discusses the difficulties of the history of magic class with Susan.

He also shared some interesting anecdotes about his life in the royal family—all of which, of course, could be made public.

"The strangest thing is," he said, "that for every formal occasion, I have to wear a specific uniform, specific badges, and follow a set of complicated etiquette. Sometimes I think learning magic spells is easier than memorizing all that formality."

This made the three Hufflepuffs laugh.

They suddenly realized that the prince was actually just an eleven-year-old boy with the same worries as ordinary people.

The tea party lasted for more than an hour. When the snacks were almost finished and the third pot of tea was empty, Henry signaled to Lucy that she could start cleaning up.

"Thank you for coming today," he said, rising to see them off. "I enjoyed the conversation. If you'd like, such tea parties can be held regularly—perhaps weekly? Of course, it's entirely voluntary."

The three Hufflepuffs exchanged glances and then nodded in unison.

"We'd love to," Susan said on behalf of everyone.

"That's great." Henry smiled. "Then, we'll arrange a time for next time. Now, let Lucy take you back to the common room."

Led by their house-elves, the three Hufflepuff students left the classroom.

On the way back to the Hufflepuff basement, they were almost silent, each processing their own experiences from the afternoon.

Justin finally breathed a sigh of relief when he entered the common lounge and sat on the warm, comfortable sofa.

Wow.

Hannah nodded, her face still flushed, but this time it was from excitement: "He's completely different from what I imagined."

Susan laughed and said, "He's very smart; he knows how to put people at ease and how to guide the conversation. But I don't think he's faking it; at least I feel his sincerity is genuine."

"Did you notice the way he spoke?" Justin said. "Every word was carefully chosen, yet so natural. My mother said that's real manners."

"I think he makes a good point," Hannah said softly, "about the problem of division within the House. We Hufflepuffs are always ignored, but if we don't take the initiative ourselves..."

"Perhaps we can start small," Susan suggested. "For example, collaborating with students from other colleges in class, or sharing materials in the library."

"As His Highness said," Justin concluded, "we don't necessarily have to hold some kind of tea party like His Highness did, but at least we should keep an open mind."

That afternoon, the three first-year Hufflepuffs each gained insights beyond their years.

Henry did not leave immediately in the empty classroom on the second floor.

He stood by the window, watching the sunset cast a golden veil over the Hogwarts towers.

Lucy had already tidied up the tea set, and the classroom was back to normal, as if a tea party had never taken place.

As he left the classroom, he encountered Draco, Pansy, and Daphne at the door.

Clearly, they had been waiting nearby for the tea party to end.

"How did it go?" Draco asked eagerly. "Those Hufflepuffs... they didn't say anything offensive, did they?"

Henry gestured for them to walk as he spoke, "On the contrary, they were very polite and sincere. We had a pleasant conversation."

Pansy's expression was somewhat complicated: "But I've heard that the Hufflepuffs are very ordinary; they don't value tradition and lineage like we do."

“Everyone has things they value, Pansy,” Henry said calmly. “Hufflepuff values ​​loyalty and hard work, and those qualities are equally worthy of respect.”

Daphne asked softly, "Does Your Highness really believe there should be more interaction between the houses? But... according to Slytherin tradition, shouldn't we keep our distance?"

The four walked slowly down the corridor, their shadows stretched out by the torches on the wall.

"That's a very good question, Daphne," Henry said. "Let's look at it from another angle. What do you think Slytherin's goal is?"

Draco immediately replied, "To maintain the purity of the pure-blood tradition and preserve our status and influence."

"Correct." Henry nodded. "So, to achieve this goal, should we remain stagnant, only associating with our own kind, or should we understand others and even influence them?"

After hearing Henry's words, the three Slytherin students fell into deep thought.

“If we remain closed off from our own circles,” Henry continued, “then our understanding of other colleges will be limited to prejudice and rumors. We won’t know what they are thinking, what they are worried about, or what they desire. And understanding these things is precisely the prerequisite for influencing them.”

They came to a fork in the road, and Henry stopped.

"This afternoon, I learned that Hufflepuff students often feel underestimated and neglected. They admire Gryffindor's courage, Ravenclaw's intelligence, and even Slytherin's ambition, but they are also proud of their house's values. This mentality, if we make good use of it..."

He didn't finish, but Draco's eyes lit up: "We can be the first House to truly value them! Recognize them when they're ignored, help them when they need support… and they'll side with us!"

“Very perceptive, Draco,” Henry praised. “But it’s not just about exploitation. True alliances are built on mutual understanding and respect. If I were only pretending to be interested, they would have figured it out sooner or later. So my interest had to be genuine. And I’ve found that when I truly get to know them, I’m actually able to appreciate many of the Hufflepuff’s qualities.”