💎 WEEKLY POWER GOALS 💎
🔥 30→2ch | 60→5ch | 100→8ch | 200→15ch | 400→25ch
⏰ Resets Monday!
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Ravenclaw's captain came back shaking his head. Audience watching that side let out disappointed sighs. Madam Hooch raised her hand. With a sharp whistle blast, players mounted brooms. Kicked off and took flight.
Ravenclaw's Seeker bent down. Dodged an incoming Bludger—the captain yelled several sentences at the Beater still glancing at the giant snake above—then sharply pulled up the broom. Flew out of the area Slytherin banner could cover. Circled lightly in high altitude.
"Yes, just like that!" Hagrid held binoculars. Said loudly, "Just catch the Golden Snitch. Everything's solved!"
Anthony looked up at the Seeker who'd become a small dot in the blue sky. Shook his head. Turned and met Harry Potter's strange expression. They both felt this scene somewhat familiar.
"What happened to your broom then?" Anthony asked quietly. He only heard Minerva almost dismantled the broom. But didn't know the follow-up result.
Unexpectedly Harry also shook his head. "Don't know."
"You don't know?" Anthony asked puzzled.
Harry shrugged. "Professor McGonagall checked the broom. Nothing wrong."
"I said it long ago. Someone definitely played dirty. Someone put a jinx on your broom," Hermione interjected. Then looked at Anthony. Added, "I guess so, Professor."
"Must be Malfoy," Ron said indignantly. "His face when he heard Harry made the Quidditch team. Ha!"
Anthony frowned. "No. Shouldn't be him."
Not to mention whether first-year Mr. Malfoy had this idea and ability—the banner floating above their heads right now was powerful evidence of exchanging financial power for magical ability—Malfoy had just been punished by him, Professor McGonagall, and Dumbledore (possibly even Snape) for the Black Lake incident. Was being isolated by all classmates. Wished he could turn invisible. If at that time he still thought making Harry fall off his broom was a good idea, he'd truly be stupider than Anthony imagined.
Harry and Ron obviously had different views on this. They nudged each other with elbows. Exchanged a glance. Leaned on the railing and silently continued watching the match.
"Trevor!" Neville shouted. His toad took advantage of his inattention. Nimbly jumped onto front row seats. Was simultaneously pressed down by Harry and Anthony who heard the shout and turned around.
Harry withdrew his hand. Anthony smiled and handed the toad to Neville.
"You could try putting it in your pocket," he suggested. Recalled his own Wraith Mouse.
Watching the Seeker escape its intimidation range, the giant snake flicked its tongue. Lowered its body. Stuck close to banner edges swimming above stands.
Anthony held binoculars. Watched Ravenclaw's Seeker for a while.
She was lying on her broom. Face serious overlooking the pitch. Trying to find that golden little thing that could end the match. Breeze blew. Under sunlight, the Ravenclaw separated from the team glided quietly like an eagle. So steady it seemed somewhat boring.
Hagrid suddenly shouted, "Whoa!"
Anthony quickly put his gaze on the pitch under deep green banner shadow. Score had become eighty to ten—Slytherin was eighty—the player in blue jersey raised a fist. Waved in the air. Slytherin stands let out sighs and groans.
"What happened?" he asked the Gryffindor Seeker beside him.
Harry's gaze didn't leave the pitch. Clapped and shouted, "Ravenclaw scored!"
Without Harry's further narration, Anthony could see who scored. That boy bathed in Slytherin's unfriendly gazes. Smiled at the snake on the banner.
Flint shouted several sentences at his Seeker Higgs. The other nodded. Flew shuttling around the field. While searching for the Golden Snitch blocked opponent's flight path.
However this goal obviously boosted Ravenclaw's morale. Even though the python still tried to open its mouth intimidating when they flew into scoring zones, they just flew swiftly past gleaming cold fangs. Fiercely smashed the Quaffle toward goalposts.
Slytherin's Keeper, Miles Bletchley, caught two balls. But missed the third attack. Precisely speaking, he was startled by his own house's giant snake suddenly darting over. Wobbled on his broom before steadying himself.
In Slytherin's dissatisfied boos, Ron and Dean laughed loudly.
"Snitch!" Harry shouted. Tightly gripped the railing. Leaned out. Anxiously looked at a corner of the pitch.
But Madam Hooch already blew the silver whistle. After Ravenclaw scored, Flint made a timeout gesture with a gloomy face. Anthony saw him carrying his broom. Furiously walked toward Bletchley.
"Did you just see the Golden Snitch?" Ron asked Harry. Blankly scanned the pitch. Tried finding the little golden ball worth one hundred fifty points.
Harry said, "For an instant... I'm not sure if I saw wrong. But now it's gone."
Ravenclaw's Seeker also descended beside her captain. She frowned. Not very certainly pointed at that direction Harry had looked. Shook her head saying something. Captain encouragingly patted her. Other players also gathered together. Praised the Chaser who scored first. The Seeker looked toward stands where her classmates gathered. Suddenly laughed. Gave two thumbs up.
Anthony adjusted binoculars. Searched for a while. Finally saw Professor Flitwick standing on tiptoes at the stands' highest point. Happily waving at his players.
Slytherin's giant snake rested in the banner. Head right above Professor Flitwick. It stared emotionlessly at Ravenclaw's Seeker giving thumbs up in its direction. Slowly raised its upper body.
When the match restarted, Higgs also flew to high altitude. Tightly entangled Ravenclaw's Seeker. By the goalposts, Slytherin resumed their consistently brutal violent style. Indiscriminately crashed into Ravenclaw Chasers.
"Snitch!" Harry suddenly patted the railing and shouted again. Following his gaze, Anthony also saw that little ball flapping wings. It hovered midair. Right in the Slytherin goalpost scoring zone where fighting was happening.
Following Harry's shout, most of the stands noticed the Golden Snitch appearing in the focus area. People stood up one after another. Ravenclaw's Seeker also saw it. Turned the broom. Spun and dove down rapidly—
Slytherin Seeker Higgs froze. Then realized what happened. Lowered his body and followed closely diving down. But he was already too late—
Just as the Seeker in blue jersey entered the banner shadow, golden light suddenly flashed around the stands.
The giant snake raised its tail. Swayed. Its shimmering scales sparkled in sunlight. As if a flock of Golden Snitches flew past.
Then, accompanied by boos, a flock of Golden Snitch images really flew past the huge banner. They flapped wings. Flashed past the banner circling stands. Appeared in various directions. Audience couldn't help being distracted. In a blink already dazzled unable to distinguish where the real Golden Snitch was.
Some people pointed above Professor Flitwick's head exclaiming. Some indicated the opposite corner.
"Where?" Anthony, Ron, and Hermione simultaneously asked Harry. Hagrid tightly gripped binoculars. Roared this sentence in unison.
"Still in place!" Harry said loudly. Pointed at the goalpost edge mixed with green, blue, gold, gleaming iron light. "Right there—wait, Slytherin... Ravenclaw... what are their Beaters doing?"
While he muttered puzzled, Anthony raised binoculars. Following Harry's direction, finally found that very small light spot. It quietly hovered by the goalpost. Waiting for two competitors diving from the air. Fake phantoms darted back and forth behind it. Anthony had to adjust binoculars' magnification larger to properly stare at this Golden Snitch.
Ravenclaw stands let out dissatisfied calls.
"Very close to foul!" they shouted. "Very close!"
With their abilities, Anthony believed if the school didn't intervene, next match they'd see phantom Golden Snitches. Because things had become somewhat uncontrollable, at Professor McGonagall's suggestion, several Heads of House all passed a temporary school rule. Now bedsheets and banners full of slogans only had cheering slogans. Deleted those words learned from who knows where.
On the other hand, this also made Weasley paint tubes especially popular.
But this is beside the point. Now let's focus on the Quidditch pitch.
In the commentator's passionate shouting—and audience boos—two Seekers dove toward the pitch like meteors.
Higgs seemed to know this would happen long ago. Continued rushing toward the Golden Snitch. While Ravenclaw's Seeker just uncomfortably squinted. Then stared at the Snitch without blinking. Flew faster and faster. Maintained spinning posture. Reached out—
"Good girl!" Hagrid roared. Pressed binoculars hard against his eyes. Harry quickly turned his head. Looked surprised at the giant snake hissing above them. Looked left at Ron and Hermione. Looked right at Anthony. Then refocused on the pitch.
Anthony's lens also followed two Seekers. Stared at them falling all the way. The Golden Snitch was already within reach. Slytherin currently had one hundred ten points more than Ravenclaw. But as long as Ravenclaw caught the Golden Snitch, this point difference meant nothing. Their huge Slytherin banner would be useless.
Ravenclaw players' psychological quality was much better than Slytherin imagined. This trick probably failed. Anthony was happy to see this. Although victory in a match was very important, from personal feelings, he didn't appreciate this way of achieving victory.
Suddenly, another player in blue jersey crashed into the lens. A Ravenclaw Chaser. He still had the Quaffle under his arm. One hand tightly gripped the broom. Maintained an expression mixing shock and anger. Uncontrollably veered toward the Seeker's flight path.
In the Seeker's cry, they collided. Brooms violently tumbled. Their robes caught on each other's shoes or brooms. But both firmly held brooms. The Seeker even kicked the teammate's broom while spinning. Separated their tangled seat supports. Higgs close to Ravenclaw's Seeker urgently pulled up his broom. Avoided the fate of three people tangled together.
Madam Hooch angrily blew the foul whistle. But too late.
Ravenclaw's Chaser—Chaser, not Seeker—the arm exposed from sleeves, in the chaos, touched the Golden Snitch flapping wings stopped there.
"He..." In the few seconds before noisy shouts erupted, Harry Potter murmured. "He's not wearing jersey lining."
Anthony said fairly, "I guess today's quite warm."
Harry looked at the professor beside him with ice-cold hands. "I doubt he still thinks so now."
In the shouting and discussion, Anthony took some effort to understand what happened.
According to British Ministry of Magic regulations, qualified Golden Snitches should have flesh memory. Can remember the first person who touched it with bare skin. Before being released in matches, Golden Snitches should be brand new. Not touched by any bare skin.
According to official Quidditch rules, improper Snitch contact—meaning any player besides the Seeker touching or catching the Golden Snitch—is a foul. Teams committing this foul are immediately disqualified.
The definitions follow Ministry standards for what constitutes contact and what constitutes a Snitch.
According to common sense, arms without sleeve covering belong to bare skin.
"But doesn't that Slytherin Beater's... action of treating opponent players as Bludgers count as foul?" Anthony asked. He'd already heard what happened from Neville.
"Of course!" Seamus said. "But that only needs penalty shots."
When Gryffindors were loudly clamoring with shared hatred, Ravenclaw students already thought of a quite novel protest method. Weasley paint tubes shone brilliantly on Slytherin's banner. The emerald snake stuck out blood-red tongue. Occasionally opened its mouth wide trying to eat paint tubes flying before it like flies. Could only crawl futilely in silk.
"Paint tubes adjusted quite timely," Dean said. "Last week they might not fly this high!"
Seamus agreed. "Hogwarts ceilings are quite high."
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