Chapter 44: Chapter 44: Little Malfoy, Tamed!
"This is the Golden Snitch. Once I release it, it will fly at high speed around the field. Whoever catches it first will be the Seeker for the team."
The captain, Flint, who appeared to have troll blood with a stature taller than Snape's, explained while holding a walnut-sized golden metal ball with a pair of silver wings.
"Alright, let's begin!"
Flint released his grip, and the Golden Snitch immediately darted away at an incredible speed. Malfoy and George took off right after it.
The Golden Snitch was extremely fast and agile. Even if you caught up to it, a single sharp turn could easily leave you behind, as was the case with Malfoy.
Due to the broomstick's acceleration, Malfoy couldn't brake in time when the Snitch turned, flying far past before turning back.
George, on the other hand, managed to control his broomstick immediately when the Snitch turned. The magnetic wires controlling the broomstick's inertia forcibly redirected him.
As George fully caught up to the Snitch, he reached out with lightning speed to grab it. The Snitch tried to evade, but George's magnetic control came into play again.
Although the Golden Snitch was a magical object, it was made of metal and naturally affected by George's magnetism.
Directly halting it would have been too obvious, but subtly slowing it down? Who would notice?
Under the influence of George's magnetic field, the Snitch slowed down by a fraction of a second, and that was all George needed to grab it firmly in his hand.
"That was so fast, less than a minute!"
Seeing George catch the Golden Snitch, Snape and the team members below were stunned.
Even though this wasn't an official match, without interference from players, Bludgers, and the Quaffle, catching the Golden Snitch was still a challenging task. Yet George did it in under a minute—unbelievable!
For context, the longest record in Quidditch history for catching the Snitch was three months, highlighting how hard it could be.
"Harry, if George becomes Slytherin's Seeker, you're done for!"
Among the trio secretly watching, Ron sympathetically glanced at Harry, whose face was full of dismay.
However, Hermione remarked, "But if George becomes the Seeker, Malfoy will be furious. That sounds good too."
Hearing this, Ron and Harry's eyes lit up, nodding in agreement. Watching Malfoy suffer was always a mood booster.
"I lost."
Landing on the ground, Malfoy looked at the Golden Snitch in George's hand, deflated like a punctured balloon.
From today onwards, he would be the laughingstock of Slytherin and a disappointment to his father.
His father had spent so much money to make him the Seeker, hoping he could rival Harry, but he had failed miserably.
"If you want to be the Seeker so badly, then you can have it."
George handed the Golden Snitch back to Flint and said to the dejected Malfoy.
Malfoy immediately looked up, staring at George in disbelief. Snape and the others also turned to George, puzzled by his actions.
"I believe that every position—Seeker, Chaser, Beater, or Keeper—is equally important, and I am confident I can bring glory to Slytherin in any role.
But after trying it, I found being a Seeker a bit boring and lacking in challenge."
George shrugged, then glanced at Malfoy with a smirk.
"Besides, I don't like taking away someone else's dream."
The other players' gazes toward George softened considerably.
"Thank you."
Malfoy was silent for a few seconds before thanking George for the first time.
Previously, Malfoy resented George for stealing all the attention and mocking him openly.
But now, he suddenly felt George wasn't as hateful as he thought and even felt a bit of gratitude toward him.
After all, George was truly remarkable. Even in such circumstances, he left Malfoy some dignity and a way out.
"As fellow Slytherins, we should support each other and strive for Slytherin's glory, shouldn't we?"
George patted Malfoy's shoulder, and this time, Malfoy didn't show any sign of disdain.
Little Malfoy, tamed!
This is how Slytherin works—if you're weak, no matter how kind you are, others will only see you as easy prey.
But if you're strong, others will respect and genuinely want to follow you.
Is Malfoy an irredeemable villain?
Of course not. He's just a prideful child, inherently kinder than his two lackeys.
Since Malfoy started the conflict, George deliberately suppressed him.
However, if there's a chance to win him over, why not take it? The Malfoy family holds considerable influence among pure-bloods, and there may be advantages to leveraging this before Voldemort's resurrection.
As for the different positions—Seeker, Beater, Chaser, Keeper—George truly didn't see much distinction between them. In fact, he thought being a Chaser might enhance his reputation more easily.
In regular matches, Seekers receive the most attention.
The game only ends when a Seeker catches the Snitch, earning their team 150 points.
In most cases, unless the teams are significantly mismatched, a 150-point lead is decisive.
Thus, catching the Snitch usually means victory.
But if George, as a Chaser, could lead the team to a 150-point lead before the Snitch was caught, he would outshine the Seeker.
Such feats are exceedingly rare in Hogwarts' Quidditch history.
Of course, George's tactics worked on young Malfoy. Against an experienced manipulator like Lucius Malfoy, they wouldn't be as effective.
Lucius barely showed loyalty to Voldemort.
"Well said. Unity is what Slytherin needs most. Since George willingly relinquished the position, Malfoy will be the Seeker, and George will be the Chaser."
Snape rarely smiled, but this time, he managed a grimace that resembled one.
As the head of Slytherin, seeing such harmony delighted him. His opinion of George rose once again.
At George's age, such magnanimity and insight were rare.
If only, back then, he had George's wisdom and spent less time delving into the Dark Arts, perhaps he wouldn't have lost Lily to that accursed Potter.
"Keep up the training."
After Snape left, the team resumed practice. George, as the new Chaser, showcased his exceptional skills.
Seekers catch the Snitch, Keepers guard the goal, Beaters strike Bludgers to disrupt opponents, while Chasers handle the Quaffle and aim to score.
Scoring could involve hands, feet, or broomsticks, as long as no magic was used.
George's physical prowess rivaled that of Flint, who had troll lineage. Yet George was more agile and wielded unparalleled control over his broomstick.
From snatching the Quaffle to dodging opponents and scoring, his movements were seamless.
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