章 277: 0276 Preparations and Leaving
The matter of the little black dog was just a small incident for Harry and his friends. They had no idea that the dog was actually Sirius Black. Tomorrow was the first day of school, and most of their classmates had returned to Hogwarts. The castle was buzzing with excitement and anticipation, as the students prepared for the new term. Harry was especially eager to start the Quidditch season, and finally use his own Firebolt. Even if Black stormed into the castle at this time, it couldn't spoil his good mood.
After handing Crookshanks over to Fang, the three of them turned and walked towards the castle. Little Sirius, who was scared by Harry, finally breathed a sigh of relief. He tilted his head to avoid Fang's tongue, and looked at the Forbidden Forest, where distant howls occasionally sounded. His gray eyes showed the excitement of regaining his freedom.
He didn't notice that, a panoramic telescope the same color as the air hovered in the sky above Hagrid's vegetable garden. Seeing Harry return to the castle and Sirius rushing into the Forbidden Forest, the panoramic telescope circled in the air like an eagle for two rounds, and finally, it soared sharply towards the West Tower.
The clouds rolled and the moon rose and set. In the dark castle, the bright candlelight shone through the windows, along with the laughter and joy that lingered in the campus, making the deep night bright. The students and the teachers had gathered in the Great Hall to celebrate the start of the new term.
Tonight, it was the first night since Halloween last term that all the students and the teachers gathered in the Great Hall to celebrate. Dumbledore still hadn't returned, and if someone wanted to sneak into the castle, it was a perfect opportunity for Sirius.
Peter sat early on the live map, showing no interest in the crowded castle filled with names. His vigilant gaze only patrolled around the perimeter of the map. But until the little wizards left the hall one by one, and the lights in the dormitories went out one by one, he still had no gain.
'Could it be that Sirius really gave up on revenge?'
In the quiet night, Peter stared at the full moon hanging high in the sky, his eyes also showing a hint of confusion.
'No, it couldn't be like this!'
But after a moment, Peter said to himself in his mind. He shook his head, and dismissed his doubts.
He knew what kind of person Sirius was, and someone like him would never give up easily in the face of difficulties. The more likely situation in the current circumstances was that twelve years of imprisonment had made Sirius more patient, no longer as impulsive and reckless as before.
And this change in Sirius was undoubtedly dangerous for him.
Peter sighed, throwing away those 'naive' fantasies from his mind, and lowered his head to continue examining the map.
Flich was pacing in the corridor on the second floor, Snape left Remus's office, and was heading to the Slytherin's dungeon from the entrance hall. Professor McGonagall was walking from the staff washroom to her office, and Hagrid and Fang, who were patrolling in the courtyard, were also preparing to return to the hut.
Peter's gaze followed Hagrid and his dog back to the hut, and then he turned his head to look towards the direction of the school gate. But suddenly, a name that appeared behind the hut made Peter's body tremble, and a gleam of light burst out of his small black eyes!
Third Floor of the castle, Student Safety Office
Leaning on the back of the chair, Bryan stared at the wall opposite, where hundreds of small screens spliced out the only picture. His mouth curled up, showing a slight smile.
"So, what are you going to do, Peter?"
<<<<<<<<<<*Scenebreak*>>>>>>>>>>
Perhaps it was because of the excitement and anticipation that had built up during the Christmas holiday, or perhaps it was because of the looming Quidditch match that would determine the fate of the two rival houses. In any case, before anyone could fully recover from the festive season, the first Saturday of the new term had arrived, and today was the day of the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw match.
The weather today was unusually mild for January. There was no gusty wind, and the sky was clear and dry. The sun shone brightly, casting a golden glow over the snow-covered grounds. Early in the morning, when the first rays of dawn jumped into the castle through the doors and windows, leaving lively shadows on the floor of the Great Hall, the professors were already seated at the staff table.
They were the witnesses of the upcoming match.
Professor McGonagall was usually very composed, but today she seemed a bit distracted. While sipping a bowl of pumpkin soup with a silver spoon, her gaze wandered towards the staircase in the entrance hall, not even noticing when the soup spilled onto the table. She was anxiously waiting for the Gryffindor team to show up.
Several colleagues at the staff table noticed Professor McGonagall's distraction, but no one found it strange because they all knew the importance of this match for Gryffindor.
"No need to worry, Minerva," Professor Lupin smiled gently, his eyes still showing dark circles from his recent transformation, "Gryffindor's team is very strong, and Harry now has a brand new broom. In my opinion, they have a great chance of winning."
"Why doesn't anyone want to give the Ravenclaw team a Firebolt?" Professor Flitwick sounded a bit disappointed, as Remus's words implied that Ravenclaw was doomed to lose today.
"Cedric's team is also one of the strongest team of Hufflepuff in recent years, but I don't think they have much chance of winning," Professor Sprout said with a hint of melancholy. She glanced at Professor Snape, who was silent on the side.
"Speaking of which, Severus, Slytherin has won the Quidditch championship for seven years in a row," Professor McGonagall said with a tense face. It was clear that she had been resentful about this for a long time, but had never expressed it.
The professors were all smart individuals, and they could all hear the resentment in Professor McGonagall's tone. After hearing this number, Snape felt a little embarrassed and was about to say something, but at that moment, Bryan walked over from the Slytherin table, casually glancing at Draco Malfoy as he passed by.
Bryan usually sat next to Professor Snape, and when he sat down to enjoy his breakfast, he noticed that everyone's gaze was focused on him. Bryan blinked his eyelashes and smiled casually.
"What's wrong, everyone? Is there something wrong with me?"
"Why are you dressed like that?" Snape squinted at Bryan, who was wearing black trousers and a brown jacket, completely in Muggle attire.
"Oh, it's like this," Bryan seemed completely unaware that his attire stood out among the robes of the staff table. He blinked and looked at Professor McGonagall, slightly raising his voice so that everyone at the long table, including the young wizards who were watching him, could hear.
"I received a letter last night, um… it's an urgent matter. I have to go to London today. But don't worry, Professor McGonagall, if things go well, I should be able to make it back for breakfast tomorrow."
"You're leaving, Bryan?" Professor McGonagall immediately frowned. She pursed her lips and pondered for a few seconds, looking troubled. But in the end, she spoke up.
"While it is your right to come and go from Hogwarts at any time, Bryan, don't you think you should consider it carefully? I mean, you surely know what day it is today. If those creatures guarding the gate lose control again…"
She said cautiously, trying to dissuade Bryan from leaving. Last time during the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff match, the Dementors had collectively lost control due to hunger, almost causing serious consequences. Professor McGonagall still had lingering fears about it.
"No need to worry, Professor McGonagall. I believe the Ministry of Magic and the Dementors know the serious consequences of trespassing on the campus without permission."
This reply obviously did not satisfy Professor McGonagall, but she couldn't say anything because, as she had just said, it was Bryan's right.
There was a slight awkwardness at the staff table. Bryan happily lowered his head to cut a sausage, while Snape and Lupin stared at him with suspicion. They also noticed that their respective points of interest were focused on Bryan, so after their eyes met briefly in the air, they withdrew their gazes.
Just then, there was a burst of enthusiastic cheers from the entrance hall. The professors at the table looked up and saw the Gryffindor team, dressed in crimson robes, finally making a dazzling entrance amidst the anticipation of the crowd. They were followed by a swarm of supporters, waving banners and scarves in the Gryffindor colors.
Perhaps to boost morale, Wood had intentionally placed Harry at the forefront and exposed the prominent Firebolt emblem. And indeed, it had an extraordinary effect. Four tables simultaneously made a crashing sound as chairs were overturned. The students gasped and exclaimed, admiring the sleek and shiny broom that Harry was holding.
"You never mentioned that Harry had a Firebolt before I made a bet with you with ten Galleons!" Penelope's voice sounded desperate amidst the noisy crowd as she shouted excitedly at Percy.
"Believe me, Penelope," Percy said awkwardly, "I only found out about it recently…" He tried to explain, feeling a bit guilty.
Compared to the warm welcome received by the Gryffindor team, the treatment of the Ravenclaw team, led by Captain Davies and Seeker Cho Chang, was much more unfair. When they appeared in the Great Hall, hardly anyone noticed their arrival. They were dressed in blue robes, and they looked nervous and tense.
"I have to cheer them up. It's too early to lose confidence now!" Professor Flitwick couldn't sit still. He jumped off his tall stool and hurried across the hall to speak to the Ravenclaw team. He was the head of Ravenclaw house, and he still had high hopes for his team.
His departure seemed like a signal, and the professors all left the table, some going upstairs, bypassing the students, while Professor McGonagall and Madam Hooch squeezed through the crowd of young wizards, trying to get closer to Harry.
"What are you going to London for, and who wrote you the letter?" Snape asked directly with a serious face, taking advantage of most people's attention being on Harry and the Firebolt. He had been waiting for a chance to question Bryan, and he seized it.
"Lucius Malfoy," Bryan pursed his lips and smiled, "The letter said he found clues about the people who threatened him before and asked for my help in dealing with it."
Bryan spoke without any concealment. After a moment of silence, he took out a key from his pocket and threw it to Snape.
"This is the key to my office. I'll trouble you to keep an eye on it while I'm away, in case someone needs help and can't find me and gets anxious…"
Bryan's words clearly had a hidden meaning, and Snape couldn't figure out what he was planning. After a moment of silence, he hesitated and said,
"In London, huh?" He asked, inquiring about it.
"Don't worry, it's not a big deal," Bryan wiped his mouth with a napkin and said casually.
Snape knew that Bryan didn't want to delve into this topic. He sighed inwardly and left his seat.
"What about our friend?" Lupin, who had been watching for a while, came to Bryan and asked, "I haven't been feeling well these days, and I've been busy with classes. Is he okay at your place?"
Bryan glanced at Lupin and roughly judged his condition from his complexion. His eyes looked strange, and after a moment of silence, he said,
"He's had enough of staying at my place and doesn't want to bother you, so he's been staying in the Forbidden Forest these days. He's been with Crookshanks at night, you know, that cat of Hermione's. Hagrid made a little nest for it. Don't worry about him, Lupin. I think you should go back to your office and rest." He said calmly, trying to reassure Lupin.
"That's what I planned..." Lupin smiled helplessly, "But at least I have to wait until Harry's match is over. We can't guarantee that those Dementors won't cause any problems, especially when you're not at the school, Bryan. I have to keep an eye on things."
"That's true..." Bryan smiled mysteriously, "Well then, good luck to you, Remus."
After saying this, Bryan didn't give Lupin a chance to ask further questions. He stood up and hurried out of the Great Hall, Under Remus's puzzled gaze and Malfoy's dull eyes, he walked out of the castle, and his figure disappeared in the golden morning light.
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章 278: 0277 The Match
Bathed in the bright sunshine, the Quidditch pitch was not as joyful as usual, but rather tinged with a sense of seriousness. The reason behind this was none other than the fact that this match would determine the winner of this year's Quidditch Cup.
Hufflepuff had already lost to Ravenclaw, so their chances of winning the championship were slim. The presence of their students at the pitch was merely for the sake of joining in the excitement. They wore their yellow and black scarves and cheered for both teams, but without much enthusiasm. However, Ravenclaw was different. They were still strong contenders for the championship, and if they defeated Gryffindor today, they would earn the opportunity to challenge Slytherin.
Slytherin, the defending champions, obviously hoped for Gryffindor's loss. Not only were the two houses bitter rivals, but Gryffindor with Potter posed a greater threat than Ravenclaw. Slytherin knew that Potter was the best Seeker in the school, and that his Firebolt broomstick gave him an edge over anyone else. They also feared the power of the Weasley twins, who were notorious for their pranks and tricks on the pitch. For Slytherin, if Ravenclaw won today, their captain, Marcus Flint, could confidently pat his chest and declare that the glory belonged to Slytherin. He had already prepared a speech to mock Gryffindor's defeat and praise his own team's brilliance. The Slytherins, dressed in green and silver, were booing and jeering at every Gryffindor move, hoping to distract and demoralize them.
One of the four houses hufflepuff had no stake in the matter, while the other two hoped for Gryffindor's defeat. This atmosphere of watching the match was not exactly friendly towards Gryffindor. However, Gryffindor, known as the house of courage, was not afraid of such a situation. Most of the students from this house were shouting at the top of their lungs, hoping that their team could feel their determination to support them. They wore their red and gold colors with pride and chanted the names of their players.
"Oh, sorry, Remus–"
Hagrid walked up from the stairs behind the stands, eyeing a seat behind Hermione and Ron. He tiptoed carefully past Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick, but accidentally bumped into Professor Lupin, nearly causing him to fall off the stands. Lupin, who looked pale and tired, had been watching the match with a faint smile, but now he gasped and grabbed the railing to steady himself.
"It's alright, Hagrid–"
Remus rubbed his almost dislocated shoulder and smiled bitterly. He was about to ask Hagrid why he arrived so late when a small black puppy suddenly popped out from Hagrid's messy hair on his shoulder. The puppy had a shaggy coat and bright eyes, and it looked around with curiosity and excitement.
In that instant when their eyes met, Remus recognized the true identity of the black puppy. He opened his mouth in surprise, and the response he received was a slightly smug look.
At that moment, Hermione, who had been attracted by the commotion behind her, turned around and also saw the small Sirius perched on Hagrid's shoulder.
"Why did you bring it here, Hagrid? What about Crookshanks?"
"He's catching gnomes in the vegetable patch with Fang. It's not like I didn't want to bring him here, Hermione."
Hagrid poked the cheek of the small black dog with his finger and said irritably.
Remus smiled bitterly. He had heard from Bryan that Sirius was living in the Forbidden Forest, but he didn't expect that he had become so familiar with Hagrid.
"Oh, damn!"
Ron suddenly exclaimed in regret, and the nearby young wizards also showed the same reaction. Professor McGonagall clenched her fists against her chest, holding her breath nervously.
"What just happened?"
Hermione asked anxiously, looking at Harry who was quickly stretching his distance from one goalpost to another.
"Harry almost caught the Snitch, but Ravenclaw's Beater hit the Bludger towards him, interrupting his chance!"
Ron said angrily. He had seen the Ravenclaw Beater, a burly boy named Davies, swing his bat and send a black iron ball, the Bludger, flying towards Harry. The Bludger almost hit Harry's broomstick, making him dodge it and the Snitch was lost again.
The pace of the match was extremely intense. Less than twenty minutes had passed since the start, and the score between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw had already reached eighty to zero. Gryffindor's Chasers, Angelina Johnson, Alicia Spinnet, and Katie Bell, had scored eight goals in a row, passing the Quaffle, the red leather ball, to each other with remarkable coordination and accuracy. Ravenclaw's Keeper, had tried her best to block the goals, but she was no match for Gryffindor's offense. Gryffindor's Beaters, Fred and George Weasley, had also done a great job of protecting their team and attacking the other, using their bats to hit the Bludgers towards the Ravenclaws. Ravenclaw's Chasers, a trio of boys named Bradley, Chambers, and Boot, had barely touched the Quaffle, as they were constantly dodging the Bludgers and the Weasleys.
However, the match was not over yet. The only way to end the match was to catch the Snitch, which was worth one hundred and fifty points. Moreover, Ravenclaw's Seeker seemed to have found a way to deal with Harry. She had given up the competition with Harry to catch the Golden Snitch first and was now flying around him, trying to interfere with him.
However, she soon realized that Harry was too fast and too focused for her to catch up with him. She decided to change her strategy, and instead of looking for the Snitch herself, she followed Harry wherever he went, hoping to distract him or block his view.
"That's a despicable move!"
Hermione figured out what Cho Chang was trying to do and said angrily, "Why can't they just have a fair match?" She thought that Cho Chang was being unfair and unsportsmanlike, and that she was ruining the game for Harry and everyone else.
"Your statement is not very objective, Hermione–"
Remus glanced at Sirius and smiled. He had noticed Hermione's reaction, and he found it amusing. He also understood Cho Chang's tactic, and he thought that it was clever and effective.
"Miss Cho-Chang's choice is quite wise, isn't it? She can't compete with Harry's Firebolt in terms of speed. She has to use her wits to try to throw him off his game."
Remus said calmly, trying to sound impartial. Sirius snorted, and gave Remus a look that said he was not fooled by his tone.
Although he said that, Cho's actions were clearly not likable, especially for the Gryffindor wizards. They could accept being defeated head-on on the pitch, but in their eyes, strategies and tactics were not much different from conspiracies and tricks.
"Harry, now is not the time for you to be a gentleman!"
On the pitch, Wood shouted at Harry, who was at a loss, "If necessary, knock her off the broom!" Wood as the captain and the Keeper of the Gryffindor team, was determined to win the match and the Cup at any costs.
"I understand, Wood!"
Harry responded nervously. He turned his head and saw that Cho was still not far behind him. Her beautiful face was framed by her flowing hair, fluttering in the golden sunlight. She had clearly noticed Harry's gaze, and she smiled at him.
In that moment, Harry's heart skipped a beat, and an inexplicable sense of suffocation rushed to his mind. He even felt a slight numbness in the hand holding the broomstick!
'This feels so weird!' Harry thought, but now was the time for the match. He didn't have time to dwell on why he felt a bit disappointed when he shifted his gaze away from her smiling face. He forced himself to focus on the match.
Of course, he couldn't do what Wood suggested and knock Cho directly off her broom. If it were Malfoy, he wouldn't mind doing so.
But he had to shake off Cho-Chang. If he let her continue to stare at him like this, he wouldn't be able to accomplish anything in this match.
After a brief thought, Harry came up with an idea. He pressed down on the broomstick, causing himself to dive towards the ground at an incredible speed. As expected, Cho thought he had spotted the Snitch and hurriedly followed him.
Everything in his line of sight became blurry as the two of them plummeted through the air at an exaggerated speed. The wind whipped their faces and hair, and the ground rushed up to meet them. The spectators gasped and screamed, as they watched the two Seekers dive towards the earth.
When they were about thirty feet from the ground, Harry suddenly leveled out the broomstick. After a brief deceleration, he shot back up into the sky. He had pulled off a spectacular maneuver, known as the Wronski Feint, which was named after a famous Polish Seeker. He had faked a dive, and then quickly changed direction, leaving his pursuer behind. Cho, caught off guard, slid on the grass for a while before regaining control of her body.
And that was exactly what Harry wanted to see. Otherwise, with his flying skills, he could have compressed the distance for "braking" by half! He had deliberately extended the dive, to make sure that Cho would follow him all the way down. He had also made sure that she would land on the grass, and not on the hard ground.
Harry shot up into the sky like a bullet. Taking advantage of Cho still trying to control her broomstick, his gaze swept across the entire pitch. And then, he saw it. The Snitch was shining in the sky above Ravenclaw's side of the pitch. It was a tiny golden ball, with silver wings, and it was the most important thing in the world to Harry right now.
The world quieted down at that moment. The only sound Harry could hear was his own heartbeat. He felt a surge of adrenaline, and a burst of joy. He flew towards the Snitch, with all his speed and skill. He reached out his hand, and felt the cold metal ball in his palm.
He closed his fingers around it, and held it tight.
He had done it. He had caught the Snitch.
Madam Hooch's whistle resounded throughout the pitch, and Harry finally heard the thunderous cheers that shattered the clouds.
Since losing the match due to the Dementor's interference, the Gryffindor wizards had been holding onto their frustration for two whole months. It was only at this moment that their pent-up emotions were finally released. They erupted in joy and celebration, as they congratulated Harry and his team. They also taunted and mocked the other teams, especially Slytherin, who had been hoping for their defeat.
Many people crowded around Harry to express their excitement. Harry looked around and found Ron and Hermione, who were desperately trying to push forward, as well as Hagrid, who stood like a wall. At the same time, he also noticed the small black puppy perched on Hagrid's shoulder.
The behavior of the black puppy was extremely strange. It sat on Hagrid's shoulder, patting him with its front paws like a person would, and its eyes were filled with tears.
This scene was incredibly bizarre. Harry rubbed his eyes and almost thought he was dreaming. But the fact was that the dog was behaving like a human, celebrating his victory.
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