Recently, the weather has been getting colder, but the school's atmosphere has quietly become heated — because the Quidditch season has begun.
Michael is a devoted fan of Quidditch. Last year, he even watched the Quidditch World Cup live — that match lasted a full five days and nights. Michael talked about seven times how the Scotland Team missed out on victory and how the Canada Team thrillingly won the championship.
Thanks to his endless commentary, even Vid became familiar with many famous teams, such as Germany's Heidelberg Hound Team, Bulgaria's Vratsa Vultures, the United States' Fitchburg Flyers, and the no longer glorious Chudley Cannons. There are also various Quidditch moves, like the Hippogriff Attack Formation and Pulunton's Rebound Technique.
But don't be fooled by Michael's extensive knowledge of Quidditch's difficult moves and his detailed accounts of thrilling performances on the field. Once he gets on a broom, it's as if he steps on a landmine, becoming all tense, cautious, and only going slightly faster than a running pony, and he absolutely will not fly higher than ten meters.
Vid has always suspected that even in the second year, when they can bring flying broomsticks into school, Michael might still have to use the stairs to get back to the dormitory — because the height of the Ravenclaw Tower is several times over ten meters.
Because Michael can't help but talk about Quidditch, and the topics he discusses are parts Vid neither knows nor is interested in, he has recently started to avoid Michael — perhaps Michael will only become normal again after the match between Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff.
Hermione has also become busier lately, with a few Quidditch-related books added to her desk — because Harry is about to participate in his first-ever match, and he's been so nervous he can hardly eat. Their relationship has been getting better recently, and Hermione shows her concern for friends by trying to find ways to help him from books.
Vid thinks Michael could completely chat more with Hermione — one likes to talk, and the other is willing to listen, they're perfect for each other. It's just a pity the time between the two houses isn't entirely synchronized, so most of the time, Vid is forced to receive the "Quidditch match recap broadcast." But recently, Padma has also joined, and when she's chatting enthusiastically with Michael, Vid finally gets a bit of peace.
Hogwarts Castle is a vast complex, and finding a deserted corner here is incredibly easy. Vid found an empty classroom near the library on the sixth floor. Crawling out the classroom window leads to a small platform, which Vid recently discovered as a secret spot. The platform is surrounded by taller buildings, making it both hidden and sheltered from the wind, without being visible from any other window, and it offers a good view — one can see the distant Quidditch Pitch and the Forbidden Forest.
Several tiny figures were flitting about above the Quidditch Pitch, looking like busy bees from afar. Judging by the flashes of gold and red, it should be the Gryffindor team practicing.
Speaking of which, yesterday Hermione mentioned something at the Umbrella House — recently, the Gryffindor team's captain, Wood, got angry in the common room because he'd previously asked the entire house to keep Harry Potter joining the team a secret, wanting to keep it as a secret weapon. But now, it seems the whole school already knows. Wood is convinced someone leaked the information, and he scrutinizes the young lions every day, trying to find the "spy," which has resulted in a few girls crying — because they're dating people from other houses.
But in fact, it's apparent. Gryffindor team practices three times a week, regardless of the weather. Every time, Harry Potter suddenly disappears, reappearing exhausted after practice. After repeating this a few times, anyone would guess he joined the Gryffindor team by special exception. Moreover, they fly so high that one or two students with good eyesight would spot them.
Vid stared at the distant field for a while, feeling the flying figures looked chaotic and couldn't make out any "figure eight loops" or "Hippogriff Attack" formations, shook his head, wondering if it was his eyes or the players' skills that were lacking.
Compared to that, Alchemy is much more interesting.
With a wave of the magic wand, several small blue fireballs appeared out of thin air, radiating warmth. Vid took out "On the Diversity of Species," which he borrowed from the library, from his backpack, and turned the stone pillar on the platform into a cushion, leaning against the wall to read.
He didn't know how much time passed before he suddenly heard footsteps. Vid didn't pay attention at first, but after reading two lines, his heart suddenly thumped.
A faint smell of garlic wafted through the air.
Before his brain could react, Vid instinctively canceled the Flame Magic and Transfiguration, silently and swiftly stood up, and pressed himself against the wall behind a protruding brick.
"What are you looking at..."
A sharp voice was speaking, very softly but with a gloomy and irritable tone, as if it was speaking right next to his ear.
Vid almost thought that he was seen, and this sentence was directed at him. Fortunately, when he hesitated for a moment, another timid voice responded —
"It's Harry Potter, master." That voice said, "He's practicing with his teammates on the Quidditch Pitch."
Vid immediately understood; it was Quirrell and the accessory on the back of his head, Voldemort — they were just on the other side of the wall from him!
He held his breath, instinctively shrinking back, not daring to make a sound.
"—Harry Potter?" Voldemort uttered the name with hatred, whispering, "Yes, the Boy Who Lived... the Savior of the Wizarding World... when I was reduced to nothing but a shadowy ghost, he stepped over my corpse and became a big star, is that right? I bet Dumbledore has high expectations for him!"
Quirrell's mood was probably similar to Vid's; he shrank and dared not speak.
"Kill him! Quirrell." Voldemort commanded icily, "When he's in the limelight, kill him!"
"But, but master — with Dumbledore around, I can't do anything — didn't you say we must not attract Dumbledore's attention —" Quirrell stammered, sounding extremely frightened.
"Are you questioning me, Quirrell? Do you dare to defy my orders?!"
Voldemort seemed to do something, and Quirrell immediately let out a groan of pain.
"No — I dare not — I obey — I obey — master, I will follow any order from you — spare me —" Quirrell groaned and pleaded, rolling on the ground.
But Voldemort didn't immediately stop. The torment continued for a while before Voldemort "mercifully" let him go.
"Use your brain, fool." Voldemort finally said with a voice full of malice, "He's going to participate in a Quidditch match... flying 50 meters in the air... even if he falls off the broom, no one would suspect you, a coward who can't even speak properly, they would just think it was his own lack of skill — what's so strange if a kid who hasn't even mastered a few spells falls to his death?"
"Yes — yes — I understand — I will do it —" Quirrell, covered in mucus and tears, trembled as he lay on the ground.
After a while, Vid finally heard the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor get up from the ground, shuffle his clothes quietly, probably wiped his tears too, and then left with heavy steps.
Only then did Vid let out a long breath, as cold sweat instantly soaked his back.