章 198: 0197 Race (Part-3)

The oak boat that came into their sight was twice as big as Harry and Hermione's boat. This was a special favor from Professor Watson to accommodate the huge size of the two young wizards on board.

Slytherin's Crabbe and Goyle!

Harry felt a wave of anger and disgust as he recognized the bulky figures of Malfoy's cronies. Because Professor Watson had said that this was a race, Draco Malfoy had ruthlessly abandoned his two loyal lackeys and chosen Pansy Parkinson, a simpering girl with a pug-like face, as his partner.

Harry's face sank as soon as he saw these two. He turned the rudder and changed direction to get away from them, but Hermione stopped him.

"Wait, Harry, look at their faces."

Hermione blinked and looked at Crabbe and Goyle, who were slowly drifting towards the orange light. She realized right away.

"They seem to be bewitched by Hinkypunk!"

That was indeed the case. Even though their boat was twice as big as the others, Crabbe and Goyle's eyes were still dazed, and they looked silly. They stared blankly at the orange glow, ignoring Harry and Hermione not far away, and just controlled the boat to slowly go there.

"It's not easy for these two big fools." Harry sneered.

"I guess their heads smoked before they figured out how to make this boat move, and that's how Hinkypunk took advantage of them and controlled their minds."

"Don't say that, Harry."

Hermione said in a slightly reproachful tone, then looked anxiously at Crabbe and Goyle, who were sliding into the foggy vortex.

"Do you think we should warn them, Harry?"

"Are you crazy, Hermione?"

Harry's eyes widened in surprise. "These two big fools won't appreciate our kindness, and besides, Professor Watson won't let the young wizards really get into trouble, he just wants to teach them a lesson. Malfoy used such a despicable way to frame Hagrid, and lied to avoid playing against the Gryffindor team. In my opinion, it's just right to let them go down and take a bath!"

Frowning slightly, Hermione hesitated and nodded.

"Alright, you're right."

Splash!

Just as they were about to mind their own business and change direction to continue exploring, a horned, green-toothed, long-fingered monster suddenly jumped out of the pale green mud under the calm water.

The monster grabbed the boat's gunwale with one hand and reached straight for Crabbe's collar with the other, as if it wanted to drown them both in the water! It was a Grindylow, a small water demon with a vicious temperament and a carnivorous appetite.

"Relashio!"

Seeing this scene, Hermione didn't have time to think, and instinctively acted. She took out her wand and pointed it at the Grindylow. After a clear shout, a faint stream of air jumped over sixty feet in an instant, hitting the claw of the thin and long finger that was holding the gunwale. The Revulsion Jinx was effective underwater, as it shot jets of boiling hot water that scalded the Grindylow's skin and made it release its grip and retreat.

Poof!

The Grindylow fell into the water, and when it found out who had ruined its hunt, it immediately bared its teeth and snarled at Harry and Hermione. It looked like a furious crocodile with horns and long fingers, and it was not ready to give up. It swam towards them with incredible speed, stirring up two white waves behind it.

"Well, it looks like Professor Watson has prepared the final exam for Defence Against the Dark Arts for us in advance."

Harry raised his eyebrows and quickly took out his wand from his pocket and held it in front of him. His statement made Hermione a little embarrassed. She felt guilty for attracting the Grindylow's attention.

"Let me do it, Harry, this is my fault. I have a spell, I hope it can scare it away."

Looking at the Grindylow that was like a speeding shark, Hermione came to Harry's side, swallowed nervously, and then gently circled her slender wrist, whispering,

"Canrady LeviOsa!"

CLANG!

On the charred wood not far away, a dangling dead branch made a crisp sound. Under Hermione's control, the dead branch cut through the water with lightning speed and made a sharp scream. In an instant, the calm water surface rose up, and a ten-foot-high wall of water rolled over, directly knocking out the Grindylow that was rushing over.

Bryan, who was floating in the air, withdrew his gaze back from Ron and Parvati, who were desperately dodging the water arrows from the Silverback Fish in the mud. He looked at Hermione with surprise and smiled softly.

"Not bad, Miss Granger.."

"Professor Watson's Improved Levitation Charm?!"

Harry exclaimed in astonishment, his green eyes wide as saucers. He stared at Hermione and asked,

"What the hell, when did you master this spell?"

"Just recently."

Hermione smiled shyly, but she felt a surge of pride with the awe shown by Harry. She had been practicing the charm in secret, hoping to impress Professor Watson with her skills.

"Potter–"

As Harry and Hermione were amazed by the power and applicability of this spell, the water wall stirred up by the Improved Levitation Charm fell down, and the cascading waves caught up with Crabbe and Goyle's boat, waking up the two people who were in a daze.

In the oak cabin, the two big fools looked like drowned rats. They struggled to turn their walnut-sized brains, trying to figure out what was going on, and then they noticed Harry Potter not far away.

They looked at each other happily, and Goyle pointed at Harry and showed a silly smile. He had a row of yellow teeth and a pug-like nose, and he looked more like a troll than a human.

"You're in trouble, Potter, Draco told us–"

"Malfoy?" Harry's eyes became alert. He looked at the two big idiots who had escaped by Hermione's kindness, and asked harshly.

"What did Malfoy tell you?"

But Crabbe and Goyle were unexpectedly smarter than Harry thought. They glanced at each other maliciously, and the next second, one rushed to the bow and the other to the stern.

"Damn it!"

Harry was quick-witted. He figured out what Malfoy had told the Slytherin gang of stinky snakes.

"Go to the stern, Hermione!" He shouted. "I guess Malfoy gave them orders, as soon as they see our boat, they'll attack!"

He knew that Malfoy was a coward, who would never face Harry himself, but would use his minions to do his dirty work.

"But, Harry!" Hermione stumbled back to the stern, injecting magic to make the oak boat move.

"Professor Watson clearly said that we are not allowed to attack each other!"

She was a rule-abiding girl, who always respected her teachers and followed their instructions. She did not want to get into trouble, or worse, lose points for Gryffindor.

"Professor Watson only said that we are not allowed to use our wands to attack each other, Hermione!" Harry said. Since last year, when he was tricked by Professor Watson in dealing with the 'Inferi', he had learned to listen carefully to his instructions.

As Harry said, Crabbe and Goyle drove their boat straight at them, and this was no fun. Their boat was twice as big as normal, and once they hit it, they would be superior to others. Due to its mass, there was no way Harry and Hermione's boat could survive the damage. It would be smashed to pieces, and they would be thrown into the water, where they would face the dangers of the Grindylows, the Silverback Fish, and the Hinkypunks.

Clang!

It was just a slight collision. As Hermione screamed, the two people's boat shook violently from side to side, and Harry and Hermione might have been thrown out of the cabin if they hadn't been prepared enough. They held on to the gunwale tightly, and tried to balance the boat.

"I thought their boat would be slow!" Harry gritted his teeth.

"Professor Watson probably put a spell on this boat, ignoring the weight factor, and only considering our magic!" Hermione screamed.

She realized that Professor Watson had enchanted the boats to match the magic level of the occupants, and that Crabbe and Goyle had an advantage over them. They had not used much magic, while Harry and Hermione had used a lot to deal with the obstacles and the creatures in the water. Their boat was slower and weaker, and they had to find a way to escape.

In the process of dodging the Silverback Fish just now, Harry and Hermione had consumed a lot of magic. Harry and Hermione had to use their wands to deflect the water arrows, and to stun the fish that came too close.

Because of the fast speed, Crabbe and Goyle's boat drew a huge arc when turning on the water surface, and taking advantage of this time, Harry and Hermione barely stabilized the boat and ran in another direction, but Crabbe and Goyle chased them up with a grin.

"These two stupid fools probably never had such a glorious moment in their lives!" Harry thought angrily. He felt like he was riding a Nimbus 2000 and competing with a Firebolt, being crushed in a straight line, and could only rely on constantly flexible turning to avoid Crabbe and Goyle's repeated collisions.

"Show them what you just did, Hermione, or we'll end up feeding the fish."

Harry said. He was referring to the Improved Levitation Charm that Hermione had used earlier, to knock out the Grindylow that had attacked them.

"Oh, no, Harry!" Hermione stubbornly said with a sweaty cheek.

"You said it yourself, Professor Watson doesn't allow us to use magic to attack each other!"

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章 199: 0198 Race (Part-4)

Sometimes, Hermione's stubbornness really gives Harry and Ron a headache. Just like the matter of Scabbers, there were so many ironclad evidences in front of them, but she still insisted that Scabbers' death had nothing to do with Crookshanks, her fluffy ginger cat, even though she couldn't produce any proof to show Crookshanks' innocence. She claimed that Scabbers had run away, but Ron was convinced that Crookshanks had eaten his pet.

"Well, let me see what else I can do–"

Harry gasped, his eyes darting around, hoping to find something to help them.

"Uh!" Suddenly, Harry's eyes lit up. He spotted something in the distance that gave him an idea.

"Ha, there's a way, Hermione, we can make Malfoy's two little minions suffer a bit!"

By then, Hermione's sweat-drenched cheeks had turned a bit pale. The magic power she had consumed to shield their boat from the Slytherins' attacks and Harry's continuous control of the boat to make sharp turns at the critical moments made her head a bit dizzy. Hearing Harry say he had an idea to get rid of Crabbe and Goyle, she couldn't even squeeze out a happy expression. She just nodded her head weakly while suppressing the nausea. She trusted Harry, but she hoped he knew what he was doing.

"Hey, you two!"

With an idea in mind, Harry felt like he was back on the intense and exciting Quidditch pitch. He kept adjusting his position, sending out false signals. Like restraining the opponent Seeker, he restrained Crabbe and Goyle. He pretended to be scared and confused, luring them into a trap. He wanted them to think that they had the upper hand, that they could catch up with them.

And finally, after half a minute, the turbulent water surface of the two boat's relative position made Harry feel satisfied. He shouted at Crabbe and Goyle who had overshot because of the high speed. They had fallen for his trick, and now they were in trouble.

"Can't you be smarter?" Harry mocked and laughed. "Without Malfoy, you seem to have degenerated into savage trolls!"

"You dare to say that, Potter!" Crabbe roared. "I think you're the troll!"

Then, Crabbe and Goyle really looked like two small trolls. Their eyes only had Harry's mocking smile, and they ignored everything around them. They were blinded by rage and stupidity.

"Speed up, Hermione!"

Seeing the menacing two, Harry's heart beat faster. He held the rudder tightly, asking Hermione to inject all the magic power into the oak boat under them. He needed to get away from them, and from the place where he had led them. In an instant, the boat was hurtling forward like a car stepping on the gas pedal, speeding forward, directly hitting a cloud of mist floating on the water surface. The mist was thick and cold, obscuring their vision. But Harry knew what was behind it, and he hoped they could make it. It was a risky move, but he was willing to take the chance.

The familiar wind whistled in his ears, flying the boat. Harry unexpectedly found a bit of the thrill of riding his beloved Nimbus 2000 in the air.

But even so, the distance between the two boats was still shrinking at an alarming speed, and it looked like they would collide heavily in just a few seconds! Crabbe and Goyle had not given up, and they had increased their speed as well.

"Harry!" Hermione, who was lying on the stern, looked at the shadow behind her and reminded him nervously. She hoped Harry had a plan, because she didn't. She was out of magic, and out of ideas.

Whoosh!

"Hold on, Hermione!"

Suddenly, Harry crouched down and hit the rudder hard. The whole boat kept jumping on the water and in the air, like a stone skipping on the water!

At first, Crabbe and Goyle didn't care, thinking that Potter was just repeating his old tricks. They thought he was trying to dodge them, to avoid them. But when they turned in the same direction, the oak boat under them drifted forward on the water. They noticed something was wrong, because the direction in which the boat lost control was the mud pit where the Hinkypunk that made them lose their minds lived!

Whoosh!

The raging wind scattered the weird smoke in an instant. A mud pit vortex with a diameter of about twenty feet suddenly appeared in Crabbe and Goyle's terrified eyes. And with them, there was also a Hinkypunk, the size of a house-elf that changed between real and unreal like a mist. It had been hiding in the smoke, waiting for its prey. And now it had found it.

This Hinkypunk, holding a swinging 'will-o'-the-wisp', stared blankly at the huge boat that was like a giant to it. It had never seen anything like it before, and it didn't know what to do. It was confused and scared, and it wanted to run away. But it was too late. And before it could scream, it was hit and 'scattered'!

The boat crashed into the Hinkypunk, and the Hinkypunk dissolved into nothing. The reason why the mud pit vortex where the Hinkypunk lived had such a strong suction force was that it harbored a kind of fish widely found in the Indian Ocean - the Ramora fish. This fish had a strong magic power. In the Middle Ages, the sailing wizards would use them as anchors for their ships.

This was a tragic thing for Crabbe and Goyle.

The sudden halt of the boat was a catastrophic event for the two burly boys who had a tremendous amount of inertia. They were flung into the air with a burst of ear-piercing screams, drawing a beautiful arc across the sky, and finally smashing into the water with a loud splash like a depth charge. The impact created huge waves that rippled across the lake, startling the nearby creatures.

Harry, who had managed to stop his boat not far away, laughed out loud at this ridiculous and hilarious scene. He couldn't help but feel a surge of satisfaction at seeing Crabbe and Goyle get their karma. Even Hermione, who had been feeling drowsy and listless, couldn't help but curl up her lips into a faint smile.

But Crabbe and Goyle's tragic fate was not over yet.

When they had just come to their senses, a large group of Silverback fish swam over from somewhere. They were vicious and predatory fish that had razor-sharp teeth and powerful jaws. They circled around the two boys, constantly spraying water arrows at them, hurting them so much that they howled in pain and fear. This time, even Hermione didn't have any pity for them.

"Congratulations to all of you for successfully passing the first round of competition–"

A familiar voice suddenly echoed over the vast lake. It was clear and authoritative, and it carried a hint of amusement.

"Then, the remaining warriors, will compete for the glory on the track!"

"It's Professor Watson's voice!"

Harry, who had helped Hermione up, reacted immediately. Before he could think about the meaning of Professor Watson's words, the space around them boiled like water. It was a strange and dizzying sensation. Then, Harry felt a rapid rush to the sky, and the earth was quickly moving away from his sight. He held on to Hermione tightly, hoping that she was alright.

And when his vision cleared, he swept over the unmasked space, Harry's face darkened.

He saw three hundred feet away, Ron and Parvati, who had bruises on their faces, were using the oak boat that was stuck in the mud pit as a shield to avoid a group of silverback fish's water arrows. They looked exhausted and desperate. Lavender and Seamus, who had used up their energy, resignedly leaned on the boat's side and didn't move. And many other Gryffindors were also roughly in the same situation, only Neville and Dean looked similar to him and Hermione. They had managed to evade the silverback fish and conserve their magic power.

And Slytherin, Harry glanced over them roughly. Malfoy and Parkinson's group were laughing at the two Gryffindors they had sent into the mud pit. The one who had a grudge with Hermione, the tall and sturdy Millicent Bulstrode, was staring coldly at him. She looked like she wanted to eat him and Hermione. Behind her, Theodore Nott was silent, looking like he hadn't consumed much energy.

In addition, Slytherin had another group of people, a girl who looked pretty aloof, Daphne Greengrass and her teammate Blaise Zabini. They were discussing quietly according to the current situation. They looked calm and confident, as if they had a plan. It had to be said that for such a game with no prior information, the Slytherins, who were more calm and cautious, had an advantage over the Gryffindors.

"Three against two, and we've consumed more magic power!"

Harry was good at analyzing the game situation as a Quidditch ace. After a few glances, he had already foreseen what would happen next.

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