As the final Quidditch match of the term drew near, so did the last holiday of the term, Easter break. But it was hardly a relaxing one. The amount of homework assigned to third-year students had never been heavier.
Anne sat in the common room with a lollipop in her mouth, hunched over her homework. All five girls from her dormitory were gathered around the same table, and the room was packed with third-years buried in their assignments.
"Anne, what about this question?" Fanny had just asked when the other three roommates immediately crowded around Anne.
Thanks to her abnormal skill in breaking down and solving complex problems, honed through past experiences, Anne had earned the unanimous trust of her dormmates the very first time she showed it.
"Oh, the question about Jupiter ascending?" Anne casually pulled out a blank piece of parchment. "All planetary orbits follow a pattern..."
The sound of flipping pages came immediately from two nearby tables, and more than a few students quietly scooted their chairs closer.
"For example, imagine Point A as Jupiter, Point B as Earth, and Point C as the sun…"
After she finished her simple and vivid explanation, Anne asked, "Got it? Any other questions?"
"Then this bit here, why, " Millicent started gruffly.
"That was from our class two weeks ago. Flip to page 169 in your textbook…"
Anne glanced at her watch, it was already mealtime. "Alright, it's time to eat. Let's meet again at 2 p.m., okay? You can ask me anything then."
As she stood up, the nearby students quickly moved their chairs back into place.
With a small laugh, Anne said in a good mood, "Feel free to come ask me questions later, whether it's one or ten, I'll answer them all. But only between 2 and 5 p.m., outside those hours? Forget it. Fanny, let's go get lunch."
"Why are you being so helpful today?" Fanny asked as they headed toward the Great Hall. "Something good happened recently?"
"Didn't something good just happen?" Anne replied with an easy smile.
"That counts as something good? You hate dealing with people. Being helpful isn't exactly your style," Fanny teased.
Anne made a face. "Okay, fine, I admit it's not really my personality to be helpful. But today I discovered a brand-new business opportunity. I always felt something was off, and now I know what it is, there are no after-school tutoring services in the magical world!"
"Tutoring? What's that? Another Muggle term? Does it exist in their world?" Fanny asked, rapid-fire.
"I don't know about the UK education system, but what I do know is that this thing has one very special trait."
"What's that?"
Anne beamed. "It makes a lot of money."
Fanny was briefly speechless, then asked something she'd been holding back. "Anne, can I ask you something personal? Don't get mad."
"Go ahead," Anne said, still in a great mood.
"Do you need money? I mean, every time something money-related comes up, you get so excited. But your family isn't poor at all!"
"Good question. No, I don't need money right now. But for someone our age, money is something you can never have too much of. You know the saying: any problem that can be solved with money isn't really a problem. Karl Marx once wrote in Das Kapital: 'Given a 10% profit, capital is ready to be employed anywhere; 20% it becomes bold; 50% it becomes reckless; for 100% it will trample all human laws; and for 300%, it will commit any crime, even at the risk of the gallows.'"
She paused, then lowered her voice. "That's the power of capital. It can drive people to do things you'd never expect. Aside from raw power that can force obedience, money is the other way to control people…"
By the end of her words, Fanny looked a little unsettled.
But Anne clapped her on the shoulder and returned to her usual tone. "Just joking, don't worry. All this is theoretical. Whether it's true or not, who knows? Anyway, I've got time on my hands. Might as well do something fun with Fred and George."
"I wasn't worried…" Fanny muttered, still stubborn. "You always talk like a little adult…"
"Hehe, how else can I show off how smart and capable I am? That way when I start bossing you around, you'll listen without question," Anne said with a mischievous grin.
"Oh, so that's what you're up to!" Fanny playfully raised her fist in mock threat.
"Ha! Bet you can't catch me, " Anne said, bolting ahead.
Laughing and chasing each other, they arrived at the entrance to the Great Hall, where Anne quickly sobered her expression before stepping inside. The hall was already filling up, with pearly white ghosts floating through the air.
The Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Slytherin would be held on the first Saturday after Easter break. Slytherin was currently ahead by exactly 200 points in the standings. To win the Cup, Gryffindor would need to not only win the match but also exceed that score gap.
"Oh right, Anne, when do you plan to talk to Fred and George?" Fanny asked as they sat down.
"No rush. Probably over the summer. I want to plan it out carefully. Besides, they still have their O.W.L.s this year, although I doubt their minds are on studying."
Fanny glanced over at the Gryffindor table. "Still, those exams are really important for their future. You should talk to them. Anyway, this time you'll watch the final match, right?"
"Depends on the weather. If it's nice, I might consider it," Anne replied as she piled roasted meat onto her plate.
"Great! It's been ages since we watched a match together. I think this one's going to be amazing!"
"Whether it's a good match or not, I don't know, but it's definitely going to be intense."
"You think?" Fanny asked.
Anne cast a glance toward the Slytherin table. Malfoy was glaring at the Gryffindor team with fire in his eyes, and the rest of the Slytherin players looked ready to explode.
"You'll see…" Anne said, spearing a piece of meat and taking a bite.
By the time the match was drawing near, tension between the two Houses was at an all-time high. Minor scuffles in the corridors had escalated into serious incidents. A fourth-year Gryffindor and a sixth-year Slytherin both ended up in the hospital wing, with leeks sprouting out of their ears.
Harry was having an especially hard time. Wherever he went, a Slytherin would trip him, trying to take him out. Crabbe and Goyle tailed him constantly, looking disappointed whenever Harry had friends around. Wood had issued strict orders: Harry had to be accompanied at all times to prevent Slytherin from sabotaging his ability to play. The entire Gryffindor House eagerly joined the effort, so much so that Harry was late to class every day because he was always mobbed by a crowd.
Match day arrived. The sky was cloudless, the sun was shining, and the breeze smelled of fresh grass.
Anne took a deep breath, lifted her head to the sky, and walked leisurely toward the pitch. "What a beautiful day," she said with a sigh.
"Perfect weather for Quidditch," Fanny replied, following behind her.
As they approached the stadium, chants of "Gryffindor! Gryffindor!" echoed louder and louder. Nearly three-quarters of the stands were painted scarlet with roses, flags bearing the lion emblem, and signs like "Go Gryffindor!" and "Lions Take the Cup!"
As soon as they stepped into the Slytherin stands, someone shoved two green accessories into their hands, each bearing the house crest.
Spectators waved green flags with silver snakes slithering across them. Professor Snape sat in the front row, a dark, eerie smile on his face.
Fanny happily pinned her badge to her robes. Anne, with a disgusted look, clipped hers to her sleeve. "No way am I letting it sit next to my family crest."
"The Gryffindor team enters!" Lee Jordan shouted. As usual, he was acting as a commentator. "Potter, Bell, Johnson, Spinnet, the Weasley twins, and Wood. Widely considered the best team Hogwarts has seen in years, "
The Slytherin stands instantly erupted in boos. For once, Anne was kind of impressed by Slytherin's house pride.
"Slytherin enters, led by Captain Flint. Seems he's focused more on brute force than finesse, "
The boos grew louder. But Anne silently agreed. Malfoy was now the smallest one on the team, everyone else was built like tanks.
"Captains, shake hands!" Madam Hooch ordered.
Flint and Wood gripped each other's hands like they were trying to crush bones.
"Mount your brooms! Three... two... one…"
Fourteen brooms soared into the sky, Madam Hooch's whistle drowned out by the roar of the crowd.
Anne and Fanny each grabbed a pair of binoculars.
Lee Jordan's voice rang out, "Quaffle in Gryffindor possession, Spinnet heading straight for the Slytherin goal, looking good, ah no! Warrington intercepts! Slytherin's Warrington speeding across the pitch, WHAM! A beautiful Bludger by George Weasley! Warrington drops it, Johnson picks it up, it's back with Gryffindor! Go, Angelina, nice dodge past Montague, she dives, Bludger flies past, SHE SCORES! Ten–Zero, Gryffindor leads!"
Angelina looped through the air, pumping her fist. The scarlet sea below erupted in cheers.
Flint nearly knocked her off her broom. "Sorry!" he shouted. The crowd booed. "Didn't see her!"
A while later, Fred Weasley bonked Flint on the back of the head with his bat. Flint hit his nose on his broom and started bleeding.
"Enough!" Madam Hooch screeched, flying between them. "Penalty to Slytherin for attacking a Chaser! Penalty to Gryffindor for unsportsmanlike conduct!"
"Come on, Madam!" Fred yelled, but she blew her whistle.
Back and forth the score climbed.
"Thirty to nil! Take that, you cheating, "
"Jordan! If you can't be impartial!"
"I am being impartial, Professor!"
With Slytherin falling behind, they began resorting to dirty tricks, but managed to score, bringing some cheers from their stands.
Still, Gryffindor pulled ahead: 70–20, then 80–20.
Fanny tugged Anne's sleeve. "If Harry catches the Snitch now, Gryffindor wins!"
"Yeah, but I don't think Malfoy will let him catch it that easily."
Right on cue, both seekers spotted the Snitch. They dove, Harry's Firebolt was faster, but Malfoy grabbed Harry's broom.
The crowd erupted in outrage. Lee Jordan screamed, "CHEATING! You filthy rat!"
But Harry ducked, pulled up sharply, and rocketed forward, Snitch in hand.
"HE'S GOT IT! Harry's caught the Snitch!" Lee bellowed, nearly exploding with joy. The stadium exploded with cheers so loud Anne's ears rang.
Slytherin stands erupted in curses. Fanny managed not to leap up in excitement, but clutched Anne's arm so hard it hurt.
When Harry landed, he was immediately swarmed. He was hoisted into the air, surrounded by laughing, cheering Gryffindors. A scarlet tide flooded the pitch.
From the professor's box, Dumbledore stood holding a massive Quidditch Cup. He handed it to the Gryffindor team, and another deafening cheer rippled through the stadium.
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