In different social settings, the definition of formal attire varies significantly.
On the list of first-year Hogwarts students, the required clothing was clearly stated; three plain work robes, a pair of protective gloves, a winter cloak, and a plain pointed hat for daytime wear.
Indeed, formal wear at Hogwarts included wizard hats, but in daily life, no one particularly enforced it.
Especially now, with summer just over, hardly anyone was willing to wear the slightly warm wizard hats.
Among the students in formal attire, William recognized some of them; seventh-year students who had just attended his class that morning.
As a professor who had just finished teaching, William vividly remembered what he had said during the lesson.
"Don't wear a hat… Wear a hat…"
At this moment, he felt an urge to slap himself. Why on earth had he used hats as an example in his lecture?
Without needing much prompting, William pieced together the entire situation…
After his class, while he was heading to the library, the Gryffindors, who had returned to their common room during the break, were grumbling about the points deducted earlier. Though upset, they also found William's reasoning somewhat convincing. Then, flipping through the schedule, they saw their next class was Potions with Professor Snape.
In less than a week since arriving at Hogwarts, William had already heard several stories about Professor Snape's favoritism toward his own house students. Students from other houses evidently hadn't forgotten either. The seventh-year Gryffindors, nearing graduation, had endured six years of Snape's point deductions. Coupled with the lecture they'd just attended, it seemed they impulsively organized a collective protest.
William's earlier lecture provided perfect fodder for their plan. It wouldn't have been ideal to carry banners in protest, but wearing hats as a form of silent dissent? No one could argue against that. The message was clear, especially since the same-year students had all attended his class. A little word of mouth was enough for everyone to understand the symbolism behind wearing the hats.
Thus, the students who attended both advanced classes donned hats and went off to Potions. They had likely been suppressing laughter throughout the entire class.
Afterward, it appeared that the Slytherins who had attended the same class reported back to their Head of House. Otherwise, Snape's face wouldn't have looked so grim.
As for the crowd of Gryffindors in formal attire, it seemed they had found the classroom stunt effective and rallied friends after class to show up in their formal wear for dinner. After all, dressing formally was something no one could criticize.
Applying lessons to real life, huh?
Looking at the Gryffindors, William felt a faint throbbing at his temples.
That's a professor you're dealing with! Today, you wear hats in protest; tomorrow, will you release Nifflers into the office? The day after, set off fireworks to celebrate?
William had only used hats as a thematic entry point to help the students understand that bullying doesn't happen because of anything they've done wrong but because the bully is simply looking for an excuse.
But now, a group of students wearing hats to protest against a professor? What even was this?
He knew Gryffindors were the boldest and most daring of students, and seventh-years, nearing graduation, could be impulsive. But the combination of the two was proving to be a bit too potent.
***
"What's on your mind, William? Dinner's served. What are you thinking about?" Adams's voice pulled William back to the table.
"Nothing much. I was just wondering about Professor Snape's reaction."
"What else? Last year, when Professor Snape got bitten by a dog, his expression was worse than this, and he still got through it peacefully."
"Bitten by a dog?!" William was taken aback.
After all, Snape was a formal professor at the school. Even for someone like him, who had sneaked into the position, such an embarrassing incident was unthinkable, let alone for someone like Snape.
At that thought, William opened the system and turned to the card archive he hadn't accessed in ages. The last time he drew a Dumbledore card, the experience had been so disheartening that he hadn't looked at the specific stats of the characters in the archive for a long time.
[Severus Snape (Dislike): Magic 2, Potions 2, Learning 2, dark magic 2…]
The entries following… referred to undeveloped talents since William's own panel now displayed "dark magic 2" as an active talent.
Judging by this alone, it seemed impossible for Professor Snape to have been bitten by a dog.
"Why are you so surprised? It was a three-headed dog. One bite, and Snape was limping for several days," Adams added as he noticed William's astonished expression.
"A three-headed dog? A hellhound?"
"I don't know. It seems Hagrid brought it in. I'm not particularly interested in magical creatures; they're too dangerous. If they accidentally break into the greenhouse… it's a disaster waiting to happen." Adams shook his head, signaling that he wasn't too sure either.
"Professor Snape is coming. Keep your voice down." Professor Singed discreetly reminded the two not to discuss the matter further. Barely moments after the warning, Professor Snape stormed over with a face as dark as a thundercloud.
To William's relief, Snape didn't seem intent on settling scores with him. Offending a senior colleague in his first week on the job would've been an inauspicious start.
But things didn't settle down as William had hoped. Or rather, he had underestimated the Gryffindors' sheer determination.
***
Although dinner had just been served, students from the Gryffindor table began leaving one by one, heading back to their common room.
At first, William didn't pay much attention, but about seven or eight minutes later, when the doors to the dining hall opened, the returning students had changed into formal attire.
By the middle of the meal, William noticed some students wearing casual clothes while awkwardly donning mismatched hats. The result was that nearly half the Gryffindor table ended up wearing hats of some kind.
At this point, anyone with functioning eyesight could tell that something was amiss.
"What are they doing? Celebrating something?"
It was rare for Professor Singed to initiate conversation. Clearly, he had no idea what was going on either.
In reality, the staff at the teachers' table were less informed than the students. Those who had attended William's class were eagerly filling in the others on the morning's events.
Finally, noticing the odd atmosphere, Professor McGonagall stood up. "Nymph, Conan, you two, come with me."
McGonagall led the two seventh-year prefects out of the hall. The Gryffindors, who had been on the verge of leaving their seats, immediately quieted down.
A short while later, Professor McGonagall returned with the two prefects. She cast a sharp gaze over the students before issuing a resigned command. "Everyone, take off your hats."
McGonagall's authority prevailed at that moment, and the students obediently removed their hats.
However, it was clear the matter wouldn't end so easily. This incident would undoubtedly spread, and every student would hear the story in the coming days.
[You have earned deeper recognition (Hostile) from a magical creature, gaining 1 treasure chest.]
"…"
At that moment, William felt like he was living out a tragic drama. He hadn't meant to stir up the students' emotions at all, yet things had spiraled into this chaos!
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