章 200: 0199 Race (Part-5)
The changes around them were not over yet. The clouds and mist that had been floating on the surface of the vast lake like a thin veil quickly gathered under the influence of magic. They formed two towering fog walls that were a mile long and blocked the view of the other side. The center of the fog walls was the narrow track for the final competition, where the boats would have to navigate through the obstacles and dangers.
The injured ones, who had lost their ability to compete, floated up from the cabins or the water one by one, looking miserable and dejected. They drifted to the land at the classroom door, where they were greeted by the concerned faces of their classmates. The remaining five boats returned to the shore and lined up neatly.
Professor Watson, who had not appeared for a while, popped out from somewhere and faced the resentful eyes of the little wizards with a smile that seemed to mock their plight.
"So, what to do next is obvious, right?"
Bryan pointed to the track divided by the fog wall and said cheerfully. His voice echoed across the lake, making it sound like he was speaking from everywhere at once.
"Slytherin has three groups, Gryffindor has two groups. Next, you will race to the opposite shore with all your strength. There will be some of the cute little creatures that you have just seen randomly arranged on the track. They will try to stop you, bite you, or drag you down. At the end of the track, there will be a fork, one leading to glory, one leading to failure. Only by making the right choice will you get the final victory."
"If I were you, Potter,"
Malfoy sneered, after Professor Watson finished introducing the rules.
"I would take that old broom and go to the owl barn to sweep bird droppings. You know,- to avoid humiliating yourself in front of everyone!"
Harry didn't retort immediately for the first time. He supported Hermione, who was trembling with exhaustion and pain, and glanced at the Slytherins who had reached a consensus. They looked confident and smug, as if they had already won. Then he gasped and said sarcastically.
"It surprised me, Malfoy. I thought your loyal servants were only those two idiots."
He pointed at Crabbe and Goyle, who were sitting behind Malfoy and nodding dumbly.
"There's no need to sow discord, Potter."
Unexpectedly, the thin and weak boy on Millicent Bulstrode's boat, who seemed to have a faint sense of alienation from the other Slytherins, Theodore Nott, said sullenly. Harry had hardly paid attention to him before. He had a pale face and dark eyes that looked cold and calculating.
"Longbottom won't pose any threat to us, Potter. As long as we make you fall into the water, Slytherin will win today. And, if you are injured Gryffindor will lose tomorrow's Quidditch match. This is killing two birds with one stone."
Nott's words immediately aroused a fierce reaction from the Gryffindors on the shore who were resting. They shouted insults and curses at the Slytherins, who responded with equal venom. Ron yelled 'despicable' and wanted to rush up and give Nott a punch, but he was forced back by a look from Bryan, who raised his eyebrows and shook his head.
'Not bad, kid, you are clever.'
Bryan didn't say a word, but his eyes showed a faint appreciation.
Most of the descendants of the pure-blood wizard families that had been inherited for hundreds of years were some useless prodigal sons, who relied on their wealth and status to get by. But occasionally there were a few who were outstanding under the nurturing of elite education, who had ambition and were cunning, who knew how to use their resources and allies to achieve their goals.
Harry clenched his lips. To be honest, he knew that Malfoy and his gang had this idea from the beginning, but he was still surprised that these Snakes said it so frankly.
"What should we do, Harry?" Neville, who was soaked by the water, blinked his eyes, looking clueless.
"There's only one way, Harry,"
Hermione, who was still pale, said softly. She looked at Harry with a determined expression, even though her voice was weak and shaky.
"You have to give up on me-"
Harry was about to say something, but Hermione interrupted him.
"If you want to win, you have to do this, Harry. And, Dean-" Hermione looked at Dean, who was also pale. He had been injured by the grindylows, who had torn his clothes and skin with their sharp teeth.
"And you, Dean, you have to give up the game too. We are both in the same situation. Even if we persist, we will only drag our teammate!"
Harry, Neville and Dean understood Hermione's meaning. Instead of keeping two people who couldn't play any role, they might as well merge the team and streamline it into a combat-effective team. In this way, they might be able to find a chance of victory in the foreseeable siege of Slytherin. They looked at each other, and nodded silently.
"A very wise choice, Miss Granger-"
Bryan nodded approvingly at Hermione, then turned to look at the little guys who were staggering, and said with a smile that was full of anticipation and excitement.
"Please wait a moment, everyone. I'll take you to the hospital together later."
Bryan said casually, as if he was talking about the weather. He ignored the groans and curses of the young wizards who were lying on the ground or floating in the water, injured and exhausted. He smiled and clapped his hands, signaling the start of the final race.
'Do you hear yourself, is this what a professor should say?'
The young wizards thought so, and tick marks appeared on their foreheads. They felt like they had been tricked by the professor, who had promised them a fun and educational practical class, but instead had put them through a series of dangerous and painful challenges. They wished they could hex him, but they knew that would be a very bad idea.
"Ha, I'll wait for you at the finish line, Potter. I hope you can swim faster!"
Malfoy laughed triumphantly as soon as Bryan announced the start of the game. He didn't waste any time, and quickly steered his boat towards the foggy track. Just as Harry expected, Malfoy didn't intend to entangle him. He knew that he had the advantage, and he didn't want to risk losing it by engaging in a fight. He gave this 'glorious' task to Bulstrode and Greengrass.
"Give Malfoy a taste of his own medicine, Harry!" Ron roared angrily with his face covered in mud, standing on the shore.
"If you can't do it, don't expect to sleep in bed tonight!" He added, trying to motivate Harry with a threat.
Uh– Everyone looked at Ron, including Bryan and Hermione, and they all showed a stunned expression.
"Oh, what's wrong?" Ron shivered a few times, being targeted by so many weird eyes. He felt embarrassed and flustered, and wished he could take back his words. He looked innocently at Hermione, who couldn't help but laugh, and muttered softly,
"I mean, I share a dormitory with Harry. Nothing else-"
He tried to explain, but he only made it worse.
Neville's chubby cheeks were red and transparent. He inexplicably became the hope of the whole house. He felt a lot of pressure. He had never been good at anything, and had always been clumsy and timid. If it weren't for Harry being with him, he would probably collapse.
"What should we do, Harry?"
Neville asked, after Malfoy left. Greengrass and Bulstrode didn't follow him. They sandwiched Harry and Neville on the left and right, staring at them with a fierce and malicious look. It seemed that they had made up their minds to entangle them and let Malfoy win.
"We can't give up, Neville!" Harry gritted his teeth and said. He felt a surge of adrenaline, and he was determined to win. The wind whistled, and the still boat shot out like an arrow off the string. Harry stared at Malfoy's back that was quickly moving away, his eyes burning with determination. But-
"Watch out, Harry!"
Not only Neville, but also many Gryffindors on the shore anxiously reminded him. They saw the danger that Harry and Neville were in, and they wanted to warn them. They felt helpless and worried, and they hoped that Harry and Neville could avoid the attack.
Harry turned his head urgently, but saw Millicent and Daphne, who had a cold smile and a calm look, turning their heads, forming an 'X' trajectory and slamming into his stern!
Crack!
Harry's boat lifted its bow like a pirate ship. It was a violent and unexpected impact, and it almost threw Harry and Neville off the boat. If Harry hadn't grabbed the rudder, he might have been thrown into the water. Neville was even more miserable. He was crawling in the cabin, his right hand pressed on the wooden hemisphere on the side of the boat. The boat accelerated instantly, making his body slide uncontrollably. His face and the boat made close contact. When Harry controlled the boat, Neville, who had suffered a nosebleed, was already covered in blood! He looked like he had been in a fist-fight, and he felt a sharp pain in his nose and forehead.
The Gryffindors on the shore were so angry that they almost overturned the roof. They couldn't believe that the Slytherins would resort to such a dirty and cowardly trick, and they wanted to protest and fight back.
Hermione rushed to Professor Watson's face and shouted indignantly,
"This is unfair, Slytherin is cheating, they are using despicable means to win, is this allowed, professor?!"
"I don't see any problem, Miss Granger-" Bryan said calmly, facing the little witch's accusation.
"Just like you and Mr. Thomas voluntarily quit the game to ensure victory, and let Harry and Neville form a team, Slytherin just chose a tactic that was beneficial for winning. I think their choice is very wise."
Hermione's cheeks swelled red. She tried hard to turn her head and say something to refute, but she realized that she had no argument. Since Professor Watson only forbade the young wizards to attack each other with wands, Millicent and Greengrass's actions were not against the rules.
"How are you, Neville?"
The lifted bow slammed into the water and bounced several times. Harry, who had barely stood firm, immediately looked at Neville. He was worried about his friend, and he wanted to make sure that he was alright. He thought that Neville, who was easily scared, must have been terrified, but he didn't expect that Neville was braver than he thought.
"I'm fine, Harry." Neville said in a panic. He wiped his nose and looked at the blood in his hand. He was stunned, but he didn't say anything. He just wiped it on his robe under Harry's worried eyes. Then he gasped and looked at the boat that was blocking the front, completely blocking the track.
Millicent and Daphne, the two Slytherin girls, had their attention on Harry all the time. They watched his every move with a predatory and malicious gaze, waiting for the right moment to strike. Theodore and Blaise, frowned at the same time. They seemed to sense something uncomfortable in the eyes of the soft-faced little boy who looked at them again.
"You don't have to ask for trouble, Potter and Longbottom." Blaise Zabini said.
"It's more sensible to give up now."
"No–" Harry's emerald eyes were burning with fire. He glared coldly at the Slytherins blocking the track and said.
"I will never give up!"
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章 201: 0200 The Final Winner (Part-1)
"Stupid Gryffindors!, what else can you do, Potter? You are out of options."
As Harry's defiant words elicited cheers from the Gryffindor wizards, Blaise Zabini looked at Harry with undisguised contempt in his dark brown eyes.
He sneered as he saw Harry's boat stuck in front of the narrow river that was blocked by two oak boats lying across, leaving a gap that was too small to pass another boat.
In the distance, Draco slowed down, not only because Parkinson's magic was insufficient to support the whole course at high speed, but also because the randomly distributed Hinkypunks hidden in the fog always brought them some interference. They could only be defeated by a blast of light and a correctly pronounced incantation. Not to mention, in the second half of the course, Professor Watson's silverback-fish were also constantly attacking them. The silverback-fish could swim fast and shoot water arrows that were slightly poisonous and could cause swelling and itching. If they did not want to be hit by those annoying water arrows with a bruised nose and swollen face, they had to prop up a magic barrier, which also further consumed their magic.
Harry withdrew his gaze and said nothing, facing the Slytherin blocking the way, he showed the same sharp eyes. He was not going to give up easily. He had a plan, and he needed to execute it perfectly. He glanced at Neville, who was sitting at the stern of the boat, and saw that he was ready.
At some point, Bryan had gotten himself a high-backed armchair. He crossed his legs, holding a cup of steaming green tea, a leisurely look of watching a good show on his face.
What would Harry do? Not only the wizards behind him, but also Bryan was a bit curious.
Just as everyone was guessing whether Harry would crash into them, or even if he fell into the water, he would also hit the Slytherin's arrogance, Harry slowly took out his wand from his pocket, steadily pointing at Daphne and the others.
"You want to attack us, Potter?" Theo's mouth curled up with a sneer. "You wouldn't have forgotten Professor Watson's rules, would you?"
"Neville!" The moment Theo's words fell, Harry suddenly shouted, and Neville at the stern, who had been silent all the time, but had been prepared, did not hesitate to slap the right side of the boat as soon as Harry called out!
Neville and Harry's boat was like a sharp ice knife, suddenly cutting open the water surface and stirring up rolling waves. They went straight to Millicent and Theo's boat, as if as people expected, ready to fight one for one, but….
"Glacius!"
Just when the two sides were still twenty feet apart, Harry's wand suddenly drooped and pointed at the water surface and shouted. A cold air hissed out, rippling the water surface and instantly forming a hard layer of ice. Harry's wrist lifted, the ice layer immediately slanted up and spread, forming a ramp! He had used a freezing charm to create a slope that would lift their boat over the obstacle.
Splash!
Time seemed to stretch at this moment. The four Slytherin wizards slowly looked up. The crystal-clear beads splashing in mid-air reflected their astonished and ridiculous expressions. Everything was like a dream. They could not believe what they were seeing. Harry and Neville's boat had soared into the air, flying over their heads, and landing on the other side of the river.
Boom!
The small boats that fell again and hit the water surface made a thunderous sound. Time resumed. Ron and Hermione on the shore cheered up instantly.
"Well done, Harry!" Ron shouted, and the other Gryffindor wizards who were a beat slower also laughed and shouted like they were under a happiness spell. They were ecstatic to see Harry's brilliant move.
In contrast, the Slytherin wizards immediately fell into gloom. Crabbe and Goyle covered in mud looked viciously as if they wanted to rush over and throw Ron into the water, but they were held back by Bryan's slightly cold eyes.
Harry and Neville left them in a dust. Three seconds later, the two Slytherin boats reacted, quickly turned the boat around, and chased after them. They were furious and embarrassed, and they wanted to catch up and get revenge. But they had lost precious time and distance, and they knew it would be hard to overtake Harry and Neville.
When they were fully focused, the naturally grown Hinkypunks were not easy to mislead. Not only Harry and Neville, but also Bryan's set of mud traps did not cause much trouble to Millicent and Daphne.
The three speedboats glided flexibly on the water surface, and in no time they had run a third of the course. They avoided the false lights and the mud pits, and used their wands to light up the Hinkypunks and make them disappear.
Just when the six wizards were feeling a little tired, the silverback-fish came out to make trouble again. They swarmed around the boats, snapping their jaws and shooting their water arrows.
Under the light green water surface, a few water arrows that came unexpectedly grazed Harry's cheek. Harry, who was staring at Malfoy's gradually clear back, jumped in fright. His steering hand also shook, almost hitting a jumping orange lamp near the shore! The lamp was one of the Hinkypunks' lanterns, and if Harry had touched it, he would have been lured into a bog. He quickly swerved to avoid it, but he lost some speed and balance.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
The constantly interwoven water arrows were like a transparent net covering the two people. Neville squatted in the cabin. Because of the angle, the silverback-fish's water arrows could not attack him. But Harry was not so lucky. In order to ensure that the view was not obstructed, he could only control the boat and dodge desperately. But even so, a stray arrow that hit above his eyebrow made him dizzy, and then his forehead swelled up. He felt a sharp pain and a burning sensation, and he knew that the arrow was slightly poisonous. He hoped that it would not affect his vision or concentration.
"Harry, should we open the barrier!"
Neville noticed the abnormal shaking of the boat and saw Harry's miserable appearance. He wanted to consult Harry's opinion, whether they should use their magic to create a protective shield around their boat. It would block the water arrows, but it would also drain their magic.
"No, Neville!" Even though one eye could not see clearly, Harry still decisively rejected Neville's proposal.
"Magic is more precious to us. We don't have extra magic to protect ourselves!"
He said, remembering Professor Watson's words. The magical boat race was not only a test of speed and skill, but also of strategy and resource management. The students had to use their magic wisely, and save some for the final stretch. Harry knew that they would need their magic at that time for something more important than opening a barrier.
Looking back at Harry's back that did not waver at all, Neville blinked, as if he was greatly touched.
But for the two Slytherin boats, their determination could not compare with Harry and Neville. And besides, Millicent and Daphne, the two little witches, obviously cared very much about their image. They did not want to be like Potter and those unlucky ones on the shore, walking out of this classroom with a head full of bumps.
After the first round of attack by the silverback-fish, they both ordered the boys behind them to open the magic barrier, blocking those sharp water arrows. They did not care about the cost of their magic, as long as they could keep their faces intact. They thought that they could rely on Malfoy to win the race for them, and they only had to support him.
And this also meant that Theo and Blaise's magic would be consumed at twice the speed. They had just caught up with Potter's boat with the help of the silverback-fish, and they would soon fall behind, and never catch up with Potter and Longbottom. They felt their magic draining, and they knew that they had made a mistake. They should have listened to Malfoy, who had told them to conserve their magic and not to use the barrier. But they had ignored his advice, and now they had to pay the price.
So, for the two Slytherin boats, there was only one way to continue to help Malfoy. They had to stop Potter and Longbottom from reaching the finish line, even if it meant sacrificing themselves.
Across Potter and Longbottom's boat, Millicent and Daphne looked at each other, and they both thought of this method. They nodded, and signaled to Theo and Blaise. They did not need to say anything, they knew what they had to do.
Clang!
In an instant, the three oak boats that were side by side squeezed together. In Harry's angry eyes, Millicent Bulstrode's thick chin shook, and she mockingly said,
"We won't let you easily steal the spotlight, Potter!"
She taunted Harry, trying to provoke him and distract him.
"What are these despicable snakes trying to do!!!" Ron roared at this time, and Hermione said nothing, but her face was ugly, obviously guessing the reason why Millicent and Daphne did this.
'Yes, this could indeed send Potter out of the game–'
Bryan sipped the bitter tea, his expression unchanged, but his heart was smiling. He was impressed by the Slytherins' cunning and ruthlessness, and he was curious to see how Harry would react.
"What do you want to do!" Harry's face was pale, he tried to control the rudder, gritting his teeth. He felt the pressure from both sides, and he knew that he was trapped.
"You don't need to think about it, Potter." Blaise said arrogantly, "In the end, there is only one winner, and that is Slytherin!"
"Be careful, Harry, there's a trap ahead!"
Harry thought they just wanted to drag him down, but the reminder from Neville made him realize Blaise's real intention–to ensure Malfoy's victory, they wanted to drag the only Gryffindor boat to die together! He looked ahead, and he saw a cloud of fog looming. He knew that behind the fog, there was a mud pit, one of Bryan's traps. The mud pit was a deep and sticky pool of mud, that would slow down any boat that fell into it. It would be almost impossible to get out of it, and it would take a lot of time and magic.
Whoosh!
The next thing that happened was as expected. Millicent and Daphne, one on the left and one on the right, clamped Harry and Neville's boat tightly. And then, the three boats together, whizzed and smashed a cloud of fog, and fell into the mud pit together!
The sudden deceleration to a standstill of the small boat made the six people on board roll over, but fortunately they were all mentally prepared and no one was thrown into the water. They were covered in mud, and they felt the sticky substance clinging to their clothes and skin.
Despair spread with the silence. Looking at Harry and Neville who tried so hard to bring glory to Gryffindor, Hermione sobbed directly among the classmates with gray faces.
Ron opened his mouth slightly, looking at Harry who struggled to get up and stood in the cabin in disbelief, and then at Hermione who had tears in her eyes. He finally raised his hand clumsily and patted Hermione on the shoulder, trying to comfort her and himself.
"Professor Watson!"
The Slytherin wizards couldn't contain their excitement. They cheered and clapped, celebrating their victory.
Crabbe laughed stupidly, his face smeared with mud and his eyes gleaming with malice. He shouted,
"You can announce Draco's victory!"
"That may not be the case, Crabbe–"
Bryan held the teacup, smiling calmly. He looked at Neville, who was in the boat, and said,
"There is no winner at until the end, Longbottom?"
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