Harry didn't know how Dumbledore and the others were secretly investigating, but two key parts of the school were already secured. The corridor in which Moaning Myrtle's bathroom was located was a restricted area, and Filch loitered around it all day long, locking students in without mercy if they approached, so that everyone preferred to take the long way around the other staircase. The portraits took turns guarding it, and Harry wasn't sure if the Basilisk's glare could hurt them. He probed the direction of the chicken coop from afar and found that there were several triggered spells cast there. Fang's nest had also been moved to the door. Sir Cadogan's portrait was hanging there, and he would occasionally say that he wanted to duel. Well, this was what the so-called chicken and dog chaos looked like. Perhaps because they couldn't find an opportunity to attack, there wasn't a second attack in the school. Everyone had almost forgotten about it.
The first Quidditch match of the year was about to begin, and Harry got up early on Saturday morning. When he reached the dining room, he found that the rest of the Gryffindor team had been up earlier than he had, and had already gathered around the long, empty table for breakfast. Everyone looked nervous, especially Wood, who Harry saw absent-mindedly swallowing several pieces of cream cake that he usually didn't touch, and George and Fred, for once, didn't talk as much as usual.
It was almost eleven o'clock when the team set off for the Quidditch field. Harry looked up at the overcast sky and said to Angelina,"It looks like it's going to rain. Will it affect the game?”
A muffled thunder sounded, and Angelina said indifferently,"It's all right, we've flown in all kinds of weather, but you, Harry, you'll have a harder time finding the Snitch when it rains.”
George patted Harry on the shoulder encouragingly."Harry, I'm sure you're a lot better than that Malfoy, who's playing in this weather for the first time, tsk tsk..."
"How good can you expect someone who bought the team with money to be?”said Wood disdainfully. For a Quidditch fanatic like him, Malfoy's behavior was an insult to the sport.
"The Slytherins have better brooms than us," said Fred triumphantly,"but new brooms always take time to get used to, and they never seem to train in the rain, so we can't lose.”
Wood gave the usual pep talk before the team went on stage, and as the team walked out of the locker room, many Gryffindors hurried over to wish them good luck and then hurried back to the stands. Colin stayed behind, holding the camera and looking at Harry. Harry looked at the captain, and Wood waved his hand." Just take a photo. Remember to leave a few photos for me..."
Harry smiled, pulled out a green crystal bottle, and handed it to a leaping Colin, saying casually,"Then, this is the concentrate of the developing potion. You know how to use it, right? Just treat it as a birthday present."
Collin took the bottle and widened his eyes in surprise. His face was filled with joy and confusion." But, how did you know..."
Harry gestured toward the stands."Your friends told me.”
They had all suggested that Harry send autographs....
Colin carefully put the bottle into his pocket, his face filled with pure surprise and joy.
When the players from both teams went on stage, thunderous applause and cheers rang out. Madam Hooch, the referee, made Flint and Wood shake hands, and Harry felt it better to skip the process as he watched their slightly twisted expressions and their hands tighten.
As Madam Hooch opened her trunk to hurl Bludgers, Quaffles, and Snitches into the air, a ringing sound came from Harry's pocket, and he covered it and said,"Please wait…"
Madam Hooch pressed down on the trunk and looked at Harry disapprovingly. Harry pulled out a delicate bell from his pocket and said innocently,"Madam Hooch, this is a Sneakoscope I was given, it squeaks like that when there's someone or something untrustworthy around..." He pointed at the balls in the trunk, a thoughtful look on his face.”
Madam Hooch looked at the bell in his hand and said lightly,""Alright, the participating team members have the right to make such a request.”She pulled out her wand and cast a few Silent Spells on the trunk. Professor McGonagall and Snape hurried toward them from the stands when they saw the turn of events.
Flint said sharply,"Potter, do you think the Professor didn't check before the match? How can you believe the warning given by that cheap thing?”
Slytherin let out a low laugh. Wood, though he did not seem to believe Harry, sneered back." Who knows what you'll do?”
After a few spells, the box flashed with several different colors. Madam Hooch cast the last spell with a dull expression. The green glow from her wand fell on the box and suddenly turned red. Her expression became serious at once, and the two professors who had arrived changed their faces as well.
Madam Hooch waved her wand darkly, and a Bludger floated up. "Let's see-" With a swift wave of his wand, the Bludger glowed a brilliant red and drew a thin thread around Harry."It'll keep attacking the Gryffindor Seeker throughout the match-"
There was an uproar. The Gryffindor team members looked at Flint angrily. Flint said in a panic,"It wasn't us. Someone must have wanted to set us up." His voice was weak, and he looked suspiciously at the other Slytherin members.
Madam Hooch's cold, flat voice was tinged with anger."We'll find out who did it soon, Wood-go get another Bludger.”
Wood responded and left. Before he left, he glared at Flint.
"Minerva, Severus," said Madam Hooch, turning to the Heads of Houses,"this is a matter between your Houses. We'll have to talk after the match.”
Professor McGonagall waved her wand and conjured a large sack, which she put away the problematic Bludger, and nodded."Well-I'd like to see who's bold.”
"Students are not allowed to come into contact with these props before the competition. Besides, I don't think anyone in our academy has the ability to cast such a curse.”Snape's sharp, cold eyes swept over everyone present, and then he looked at Harry with a cold smile."I'm curious, does Mr. Potter carry a Sneakoscope with him every day?”
Harry looked back at him without flinching, looking very resigned."I didn't like it either, but an elder was so frightened by the accident at last year's match that he insisted I bring it to the group event.”It was indeed a small gift from Tom during the summer vacation, but he had modified it himself.
Snape narrowed his eyes at Harry's bell, snorted, and left with Professor McGonagall.
When Wood returned with the Bludger, Madam Hooch examined it carefully again before she announced the start of the match." On my whistle, three-two-one!”
The game was very intense at the beginning. The players of both teams were very angry and their movements were inevitably out of control. After more than a dozen fouls on both sides, George successfully knocked Warrington off his broom with a Bludger. While he was high-fiving Fred, he was knocked over by Pucey's Bludger. Fred angrily hit the Bludger at Pucey and it flew several times before he fell off the broom. Angelina, Alicia, and Katie, who had been under the protection of the twins, kept throwing Quaffles into their opponents 'hoops. As Fred chased Pucey, Derek, the other Slytherin batsman, began to attack them. After dodging a few times, Katie was injured and withdrew from the match.
It had begun to rain, and Malfoy was darting around the grounds, trying to find the Snitch. Harry flew so high that he had locked onto the Snitch with his Mind, and seeing that ten minutes had passed and that it was a complete mess down there, he did a somersault in the air and flew quickly behind Malfoy. Malfoy, who probably thought he was going to attack him, stepped out of the way. He was bragging about the speed of his new broom when Harry came to a sudden halt and, with a graceful and smooth descent, shot toward the ground, his right hand raised high.
The silver curtain of rain could not hide the dazzling light of the Snitch. As Jordan shouted excitedly, the game ended.
Is this considered cheating? What an unfair victory…After a few seconds of seemingly ashamed repentance, Harry was lifted up high by the excited Gryffindors. Amidst the cheers, he saw Malfoy, who had turned pale from Flint's scolding, in the distance. He smiled sympathetically, and a sentence came to mind.
There was a Snitch right behind me, I didn't go for it....
——
This book is provided by FunNovel Novel Book | Fan Fiction Novel [Beautiful Free Novel Book]