The Result
News of the revelation between Harry and the Weasley twins spread quickly throughout Hogwarts. The castle vibrated with excitement and curiosity, the students gave each other knowing glances and whispered at every corner of the corridor. Harry, although still a little embarrassed by what he had just experienced, could not ignore the wave of sympathy that seemed to invade him from all sides. The twins, meanwhile, beamed with happiness, proud of what they had finally managed to make Harry understand. The teachers, for their part, were divided between satisfaction and amusement.
The biggest event that would follow this revelation was none other than the famous annual "pool betting" ceremony. For several years, students and teachers had made a bet on who would succeed in unravelling the most complex secrets of Hogwarts. This bet was on everything from small rumors to more personal events, and the situation between Harry and the twins was among the most followed bets.
The pool had been launched the previous year, at the start of the school year. Each had bet on events of the year, including the outcome of Harry's relationship with the Weasley twins. Some teachers, such as McGonagall and Dumbledore, had bet that Harry would eventually understand the twins' feelings, but it was mostly obvious that no one had believed that he would make it before the end of the year. One of the biggest skeptics was, unsurprisingly, Remus Lupin.
Lupin, in his role as Harry's mentor and because of his own protective relationship with him, had refused to believe it. For months, he had remained in denial, convinced that Harry, still an innocent teenager and not paying much attention to such subtleties, would never be able to understand the twins' intentions. In addition, the idea of seeing his "little" Harry embark on such a relationship disturbed him deeply. It was a new and confusing situation for him, and he had done everything he could to push back the idea that Harry might one day accept the twins' advances. But as time went on, Lupin realized the facts, and, although reluctant at first, he decided to join those who thought such a relationship would eventually come to fruition.
Laughter and smiles in the teachers' room were omnipresent as the long-awaited moment approached. On the morning of the handover of the pool, the whole school was in turmoil. The banquet hall had been requisitioned for the occasion, decorated with glittering garlands and banners announcing the end of the school year. Students crowded around the tables, and a large clock hung above the stage, marking the last moments before the big announcement.
Dumbledore took the stage with a broad smile on his face and raised his hand to signal the start of the ceremony. "My dear students, my dear colleagues, welcome to the presentation of the bet pool of the year! I see the excitement is at an all-time high, so let's get started without further ado."
All eyes turned to Lupin, who was standing a little further back, looking visibly embarrassed. When the cup containing the results of the bet was handed to him, he blushed slightly and cleared his throat, a slightly nervous smile on his lips. "I must admit that I never believed that this would happen. But apparently... I lost my bet."
The students burst out laughing, some gently mocking Lupin for his prolonged denial. The next moment, Lupin raised the cup, where a small, enchanted inscription shone in gold letters: "Harry Potter and the Weasley twins: A surprising but inevitable bet."
The students screamed with joy and applauded, and Ron, with a mischievous smile on his face, said to his teacher, "Well, Mr. Lupin, who would have thought that you would be the one who was right in the end?"
Lupin smiled, though he couldn't help but make a face as he thought back to his past reluctance. "I guess love sometimes comes as a surprise, even for the oldest wolves at Hogwarts."
The twins stood in the room, surrounding Harry, their excitement palpable. Fred, who hadn't stopped smiling since the revelation, turned to Lupin with a knowing look. "I must admit, Professor, that you have been a surprising gambler. It seems like even you saw the obvious before anyone else."
"I saw Harry's change above all," Lupin replied, smiling as well. "And I guess admitting it was harder than I thought."
The crowd continued to applaud and laugh, and even the professors, from Dumbledore to McGonagall, were amused by the turn of events. "So," said Dumbledore, in a more serious tone, "the bets have been settled, and it seems that this year's biggest winner is... Remus Lupin."
Lupin, though a little embarrassed, stood up and took the cup, holding it proudly in front of him. He raised it to Harry and the twins, before paying his respect. "I guess love is a form of magic that even the oldest teachers can't always predict."
The moment was charged with unexpected emotion, and all of Hogwarts seemed to applaud this turning point in the lives of Harry and the twins. The award ceremony ended with laughter and applause, and the students, happy to have seen their prediction come true, began to leave the room in a light and joyful atmosphere.
"The result is the sum of our efforts and choices." — Aristotle