"Let me take down Longbottom!"
Malfoy's roar caused the other five Slytherins to hesitate.
However, after a brief hesitation, both Pansy's team and Millicent's team chose to support him. Although some of them were dissatisfied with Malfoy's domineering behavior, no one believed that Malfoy couldn't handle the incompetent Longbottom in a "duel."
"Aren't you a Gryffindor, Longbottom?"
To Malfoy, toying with Longbottom's dignity was an interesting thing. He wasn't in a hurry to "kill," but instead circled Neville on his broomstick, a contemptuous smile on his lips.
"Where is your courage, Longbottom... Oh, did the Sorting Hat throw you into Gryffindor because it spotted your lack of brains?"
"Don't let him look down on you, Neville!!!"
Ernie, in his petrified state, hadn't lost consciousness; it was just that... his presence was temporarily removed from the battlefield, but he could actually see everything happening around him.
Watching Malfoy wantonly humiliate Neville, Ernie's hair stood on end with anger, and he roared desperately at Neville.
Unfortunately, due to the damned "Death Silence" rule, his "encouragement" couldn't reach Neville's ears at all.
"Don't take too long, Draco—"
Daphne, who was watching from the side, reminded him rather unhappily.
"Macmillan is about to respawn."
"That's no big deal—"
Malfoy turned up his nose and said smugly.
"I can kill him again... But fine... ready to make a fool of yourself, Longbottom?"
"Neville, show some backbone, at least struggle a bit!"
Watching Neville raise his wand with a forced smile, Ernie roared until his throat was nearly raw... And perhaps, some of his voice really did reach Neville.
Or maybe Malfoy's relentless mockery sparked some courage in Neville.
Neville, who had been trembling like a sieve with his head down, suddenly let out a strange cry, and then... turned and fled?!
Neville didn't rush towards Malfoy... nor towards the three Slytherin ladies, Daphne, Pansy, and Morag, perhaps out of chivalry. Instead, with his eyes squeezed shut and a pained expression, he drove his broomstick straight at Goyle and Millicent like a reckless fool!
This unexpected change stunned the Slytherins present. For a moment, no one expected that the quail-like Neville Longbottom would suddenly turn into a crazy Nogtail when pushed into a corner.
"Stop him!"
Seeing his easy achievement slipping away, Malfoy shouted sternly at Goyle.
But... Malfoy obviously overestimated his lackey's ability... Neville's somewhat fearless charge scared Goyle into shaking violently. He could no longer control his broomstick and actually fell straight off it!
"You won't get past me, Longbottom!"
Compared to Goyle, Millicent appeared more masculine. With hostility in her eyes, ignoring Malfoy's furious shouts to stop, she waved her special wand repeatedly, emitting red lights... almost all of them hit, but Neville had his eyes closed, would he care about this?
"You—Longbottom—you... stay away from me!"
Watching Neville charging blindly towards her, Millicent also panicked... Although built like a strong man, she was after all just a girl a little over ten years old!
Millicent wanted to dodge out of Neville's path... but the time wasted by her previous attacks had allowed Neville to close in—
Bang!
A fierce impact sound!
The cloaks worn by both of them suddenly curled up a corner, blocking their faces to prevent them from smashing their heads open.
A gentle wave of air pushed both of them back—
Millicent was still stunned by the impact, but Neville didn't care about that...
Or rather, he was focused solely on fleeing blindly. So, once the effect of the air wave disappeared, he didn't stop for a second, driving his broomstick directly past Millicent!
"You let him get away!"
Chasing from behind, Malfoy roared furiously while firing red lights at Neville's back.
The stunned Millicent raised her eyebrows.
"Isn't it trouble you caused yourself, Malfoy!"
"Stop arguing, chase him!"
The other three girls also caught up, Daphne calling out grimly.
---
"We must save Neville!"
Blocked by Zabini and Nott, Ron of the United Houses Team shouted anxiously.
"There's no way Neville can hold off so many people!"
"I don't need you to remind me of that, Ron!"
Terry's shout also revealed his exasperation. The two boys constantly maneuvered in mid-air, adding red curse attacks from their special wands, trying to force Zabini and Nott to give way so they could return to help.
However, Zabini and Nott were indeed skilled broomstick flyers. They relied on their flying skills to dodge the red beams and occasionally found time to interfere with Mandy Brocklehurst... The glowing words on the cloak behind her already read: [Life -3]!
At most two more hits, and Mandy would be finished!
So, Susan had to use her own body to cover Mandy.
"This won't work!"
Susan Bones shouted.
"Of course not, I know we have no time to waste... Neville might be finished any second!"
Terry Boot shouted "desperately."
"But they won't make way... Mandy, how are you doing!"
"Almost—oh, let me think, wrist... right, clockwise rotation... almost there!"
Mandy Brocklehurst was so anxious she was about to cry, flying almost directly above the snorting and roaring Nogtail.
"You've said 'almost there' eight times already!"
Ron didn't have a much better idea either; he couldn't bypass Zabini and Nott no matter what.
"Then let's see if this works!"
Seeing Mandy hit again, determination and heroism flashed across the chubby cheeks of Susan Bones from Hufflepuff. She gripped the handle of her broomstick tightly, raised it slightly, aimed at Zabini, and a chill that frightened Zabini flashed in her brown eyes!
"What are you doing?"
Zabini shouted—the next second, he knew what Susan Bones intended to do!
Susan Bones accelerated her broomstick with full force, crashing straight towards Zabini. The second before they collided, Susan Bones leaped from her broomstick and grabbed Zabini's arm!
Undoubtedly!
Both fell straight from thirty feet in the air... Of course, the cloaks behind them protected them from injury.
"That's a good idea!"
Terry Boot's eyes lit up, and he immediately set his sights on Theodore Nott.
"Who's going for it, Ron?"
"No need, Terry!"
Susan's bold move made even Ron click his tongue, wondering why this girl hadn't been sorted into Gryffindor. Facing Terry's suggestion, Ron's head was muddled for a moment, then cleared immediately.
"He can't stop the two of us alone... Rush past him to save Neville!"
"But Mandy—"
"I did it!"
Mandy Brocklehurst's excited cry suddenly came from behind.
"My Trip Jinx hit it!"
Ron quickly looked back, just in time to see the Nogtail, weighing at least several hundred pounds, tripped by the jinx, stumbling forward uncontrollably... knocking Mandy Brocklehurst, who was flying too low, off her broomstick.
[Congratulations to the Nogtail for the one-hit kill on Ravenclaw's Mandy Brocklehurst!]
...