Harry's Denial
Harry, still in disbelief, watched the laughter and applause fill the banquet hall. He would never have imagined that such an event would take place. He, Harry Potter, at the center of this attention... and even more incredible, in the heart of one of the biggest bets at Hogwarts! It was a real whirlwind of emotions.
As the students dispersed, laughter echoed through the corridors, and murmurs were accompanied by amused looks. Some mocked him gently, while others congratulated him, as if he too, in a way, had "won" the bet. But what disturbed him most was discovering that the entire castle seemed to have known about the twins' attempts to seduce him, and had been for much longer than he had imagined.
"Wait... all Hogwarts knew about it? Even foreign schools?!" he exclaimed, stunned, turning to Ron and Hermione.
Ron burst out laughing, unable to hold back his amusement. "Yes, Harry. And I bet you that even the students at Durmstrang and Beauxbatons knew that the twins had their eye on you!"
Hermione, who was watching the scene with a benevolent smile, added, a little teasingly: "I think everyone, except you, knew about it. The rumour has spread faster than the results of the end-of-year exams."
Harry, with an expression of confusion mixed with embarrassment, took a deep breath. He couldn't help but feel... ridiculous. Everyone had played with him without him realizing it. And all the while, he, Harry, thought they were just a little friendlier than usual, but nothing more. And now he realized that he had been at the center of this huge staging, both for the students and for the teachers. How could he have been so blind?
But what assailed him even more was the magnitude of the event. The bet had not only concerned Hogwarts, it had gone beyond the walls of the castle. From what he had heard in the whispers and laughter, other schools had also been aware. It had become a real legend in the wizarding world, a topic of conversation around meals and fireplaces. The students of Beauxbatons had even sent letters, laughing at Harry's apparent ignorance. And Durmstrang's students had bet on a victory for the twins long before him, without him even knowing it.
"I can't believe it," he said, shaking his head. "It's like the whole magical community knows what's going on, except me."
Fred, who had not stopped smiling since the beginning of the award ceremony, leaned towards him with a teasing look. "Oh, Harry, you're a real mystery. But don't worry, the majority of bets have been closed tonight, and we're ready to move on." He winked at her. "Although you are the intruder in this story, I must say that you make a magnificent point of arrival."
George, who was listening to the conversation, added: "It's the best staging we've ever done. If only you knew how many people bet on the exact date you'd eventually figure out."
Harry, still in shock, made a face. "And all this was a plan? You have trapped me from the beginning?"
The twins burst out laughing at the same time, as if they were delighted with his reaction. "Oh, Harry, you were far from alone," Fred replied. "You see, everyone had a role to play. And then, you've been... a little bit in denial, but that's what made it all even funnier."
"And in the meantime, I think we won that bet," George said, glancing at Lupin, who, with a barely concealed smile, had been watching them all along. "You've finally seen the light, Harry."
Harry just sighed, but he couldn't help but smile as he did it. The situation was absurd, but there was something comforting about the idea that it was all part of a plan, some kind of grand spectacle in which he had, unbeknownst to him, played a central role.
And Lupin, who had hitherto shown himself to be in the position of an amused observer, approached Harry with an amused smile. "You see, Harry, even I ended up believing it. I may not have had confidence in this bet, but I had to admit it: somewhere, in all this, there was a form of... magic. A bit like a spell that you cast without really realizing it."
"I guess I should have been more careful," Harry admitted, with a smile on his face. "But I didn't think that a simple bet could become... an event of this magnitude."
Laughter and discussion resumed in the room, but for Harry, it was obvious that this year at Hogwarts would be one of the most memorable. Not just for the magical events, but for the surprises and personal revelations he had to face.
"Truth is like a mirror: it reveals what one would sometimes prefer not to see." — Chinese proverb