Just to be clear, my views are not the same as my characters'.
It was time for the Leaving Feast at last. The first-year Slytherins were gathered around one end of the table, all grinning.
"We've won the House Cup!" said Draco triumphantly.
"The year technically isn't over yet," pointed out Leo.
"Oh, come on, it's not as if anyone's going to overtake us, is it?"
"Well, no, not realistically, but it's theoretically possible."
Draco rolled his eyes as Professor Dumbledore got to his feet to announce the results of the House Cup. Leo didn't listen to the exact numbers, but Slytherin were leading by a long way. Draco banged his goblet up and down on the table.
"Yes, yes, well done Slytherin. However, I have a few last-minute points to give out."
Leo and Marisa shared a nervous glance. Surely it couldn't be enough to take the Cup away from Slytherin?
"Firstly, to Ronald Weasley, for the best-played game of chess that Hogwarts has seen in fifty years, I award Gryffindor house fifty points."
The Gryffindor table cheered.
"First?" mouthed Draco to Leo across the table.
"Secondly, to Hermione Granger, for cool logic in the face of fire, I award Gryffindor house fifty points."
Marisa was saying something, but whatever it was, it was muffled by the sound of the Gryffindors going absolutely wild.
"How many?" asked Theo briefly. Leo knew at once what he meant. "We're still sixty up. It's all right."
"Thirdly," said Professor Dumbledore when the noise had died down, "for sheer courage and daring, I award sixty points to Harry Potter."
"Oh," said Leo somewhat sheepishly. The noise from the Gryffindor table was so loud that no-one could hear themselves think.
Professor Dumbledore raised his hand for silence. "There are all kinds of courage," he said. "It takes courage to stand up to your enemies, but it also takes courage to stand up to your friends."
The Slytherins were shooting puzzled looks at each other, trying to work out what Professor Dumbledore was up to.
"I therefore award ten points to Neville Longbottom."
Shouting, screaming, everyone jumping to their feet. Outraged faces all around the Slytherin table. Draco screaming "What?" Marisa catching Leo's eye, the silent message she sent him: there would be ranting later, once it was quiet and they were alone.
Leo was angry. It was completely unjust that Gryffindor should overtake Slytherin just like that, no matter what heroics they had performed. The house point system was designed to reward hard work, not heroics. Then again, if it was really fair that would mean Professor Snape couldn't be so biased and Ravenclaw would probably win.
Dumbledore magically changed the flags behind the table from green and silver to red and gold and silence fell. Then everyone began to talk at once. Draco began to rant, something about Dumbledore's blatant favouritism.
"Shut up," said Leo, shovelling some spaghetti and meatballs onto his plate, "I'm hungry."