days at Hogwarts

Chapter 777 Another Year of Quidditch
"A new space transfer device...

"Precisely control the tremendous magic power contained in the Philosopher's Stone..."

Professor Babel listened to Loren's narration quietly, her eyes were blank. As a professor, she was actually kept in class by a student who asked questions to a guy who had not even signed up for the course. She sighed imperceptibly, feeling helpless for some reason.

It turns out that even though they are all seventh-grade students about to graduate, the differences between different individuals are even greater than those in the Nikon script. Some students are still worried about prank items, while some have received invitations from the Egyptian Alchemy Research Center and have begun to explore areas that many old scholars have never set foot in.

It is the consensus of the professors at Hogwarts that Loren Morgan is an excellent wizard with great magical talent.

Potions, Transfiguration, Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts... Loren Morgan achieved excellent results in most of the courses offered at Hogwarts. The reason for the few subjects where he failed to achieve good results was not because of his limited talents, but because he was lazy and did not choose to take them.

Runes are one of them.

Recalling their adventure in Egypt a few years ago, she had already noticed Loren's talent in runes and alchemy. In recent years, she had discussed this with Miss Granger and occasionally teased the girl, saying that her boyfriend was talented but was unwilling to take the runes course just to get rid of the inquiring Miss Know-It-All and to have a little quiet time alone...

A few months ago, the invitation letter from the Egyptian Alchemy Research Center made her pay attention to the mysterious Loren Morgan again. Considering the help of Beauxbatons, she had vaguely guessed who was teaching Loren runes and alchemy.

The professor was the legendary wizard on the Chocolate Frog card. It was normal for his students to be better, but she still found it hard to accept——

You are a student who hasn't graduated yet, so why are you exploring such a profound field?
"The initial idea is to make it into an energy storage material similar to Floo powder, which wizards can scatter when using the device. But I just had a new idea. Professor, can we use the spatial connection between the devices to provide centralized energy, similar to the electricity used by Muggles?"

"..."

These questions sound like a headache.

Professor Babel gradually came back to her senses, rubbed her brows, and said with some embarrassment: "Loren, I am the professor of ancient runes, not alchemy. I may not be able to help you with this problem. Instead of wasting your time here, why don't you go find the teacher who taught you runes and alchemy?"

As he spoke, he studied his expression calmly.

"I've already tried it."

Loren spread his hands, looking helpless. "Fla... that professor thought this was my mission. He was willing to do some boring and repetitive work, but he couldn't intervene in key nodes and important designs. He said he wanted to eliminate some influence. It was weird."

"..."

Prophecy and destiny?

Professor Babel nodded thoughtfully. Seeing that he had just done his best as a teaching assistant, she quickly adjusted her expression and mentality: "I can't give you any useful advice on alchemy, but... if you can point out a specific direction, perhaps I can try to design a rune array according to your requirements, and you will need to adapt and improve it later."

"It helped a lot."

Loren thanked him sincerely.

In the next half hour, Loren briefly introduced the design results of the new space-shifting device, and elaborated on the difficulties in magic power supply and the effect he hoped to achieve.

Professor Babeling didn't waste any time and told him to go back and wait for news.

After saying goodbye to the professor, I turned around and saw that all the other students in the classroom had left. Only Hermione was still sitting by the window, holding the sketch she had drawn in the last class, her wizard robe hanging naturally, and her expression focused.

Loren walked over and patted her shoulder: "Hermione, let's go and eat."

"A new spatial movement device, precise use of the magic stone for energy, and a rune array designed to match it..." Hermione muttered, tidied up her desk, and looked up at him and blinked. "I heard your conversation with Professor Babel, Mr. Morgan, why do you care so much about the new device? It's totally inconsistent with your lazy and procrastinating personality."

"You seem to... No, you are slandering me."

"Don't change the subject, answer quickly."

"To make money, to gain reputation, and to help the ambitious Miss Granger rule the entire wizarding world as quickly as possible."

Loren put his hands on her shoulders, rocked her back and forth, and pushed her toward the auditorium.

"Mr. Morgan has revealed his flaws. I have never thought of ruling the wizarding world. So who wants to rule the wizarding world?"

Hermione leaned back slightly to adjust her center of gravity, leaning half of her body weight on his hand, and asked symbolically.

Although she was curious about the new device, it was not her area of ​​expertise, so she did not ask any questions, nor did she have to get any answers. A few years of companionship was neither long nor short, but the trust accumulated was extremely solid. If Loren was doing something that would have a profound impact on the future, she unconditionally believed that it must be a good influence, and looked forward to such a future.

Even if some mystery is retained on this basis.

……

The second weekend in October, on the Quidditch pitch.

Loren hooked his finger with Hermione's and mingled with the audience in the back row of the stands.

The first Quidditch house match of this school year was also the first Quidditch match in recent years without any scruples. It was completely free of Voldemort's shadow. The players didn't have to worry about professors being controlled by a host casting curses in the dark, or Dementors floating in the sky, or their loved ones being murdered at any time...

Excluding all off-field factors, the players and spectators were able to enjoy the game together without reservation, making the atmosphere particularly warm.

"call!"

"call!"

Three or four students rolled up their sleeves and waved it vigorously. The Gryffindor flag fluttered above. The golden lion on the flag seemed to be running and jumping, looking very majestic.

As autumn deepened, Hogwarts gradually entered the rainy season, and the weather became cooler. Students changed into autumn clothes and put on thin sweaters under their wizard robes. The seats in the stands were set at a height of more than ten meters. The north wind blew the moisture and coolness of late autumn into the seams of the audience's clothes without reservation, which was cold and aroused a layer of fine goose bumps.

Loren and Hermione were also wearing standard wizard robes. They could feel the cold wind brushing against their skin, which was chilly but not uncomfortable.

In a trance, Hermione seemed to remember the year she first entered school. It seemed to be such a late autumn morning and such a weekend. She was sitting alone in the back row of the stands, watching the match between Gryffindor and Slytherin. When the match was over, Harry almost fell off his broom, and she set fire to the back of the professor's robe.

"..."

Hermione secretly glanced at the professor in the Slytherin area and couldn't help but smile slightly.

"Hey, hey, ahhh——

"Can you hear?"

The resonant voice of the commentator's audition echoed in the stadium. A Hufflepuff student, whose grade he was in, could not be called out by name. Suddenly remembering something, he turned his head and saw Loren straightening his back and looking at the new commentator beside Professor McGonagall.

Yeah, Loren was sitting in the commentary booth at that time.

At that time, Professor McGonagall had not yet seen through his true face, so she was tricked by him into assisting Lee Jordan in commentating the game, which provoked the Slytherin students to the point that they almost started a riot.

That was his first broadcast, and he was banned shortly after.

I vaguely miss it.

Hermione sat quietly beside him, tilting her head to watch him as he squinted his eyes to study his explanation, clicking her head and shaking her head from time to time, with a look of emotion on her face from time to time, and she couldn't help but chuckle softly a few times.

A loud voice came from the commentary booth in the distant stands: "Welcome to the 1997 Hogwarts Quidditch match, this game is between Gryffindor and Slytherin! This season will be the last season for Gryffindor's legendary seeker Harry Potter. Since he joined, Gryffindor has won the championship for six consecutive years. The last such winning streak can be traced back to one hundred and thirty years ago. He will leave school in June next year and embark on a new journey of life. Goalkeeper Ron Weasley is also the captain of the team... Let us applaud the players who are about to graduate and Gryffindor!"

The audience in the stands suddenly burst into deafening cheers and screams. "Gryffindor!!"

"Weasley is our king!"

"Come on Harry!"

"..."

The commentator spoke again to drown out the noise in the audience: "The Slytherin team's experience is equally legendary. Before Harry Potter joined, Slytherin dominated the game for seven consecutive years. However, all the former players have graduated, and the new players need to be run-in... Seeker Draco Malfoy is back on the field. Can they continue the interrupted legend? Let us applaud and look forward to it!"

The stadium was silent for a few seconds, and then there was a uniform shout: "Glory to Slytherin!"

As Madam Hooch blew the whistle, fifteen brooms, including the two teams and the referee, rose from the ground.

The commentator passionately explained the exciting moments. The two Seekers fought closely from the beginning to the end of the normal game, marking each other without revealing any flaws, until the Golden Snitch appeared. Gryffindor immediately adopted a feint tactic. All the players pretended to hit the ball while helping Harry to shake off Draco...

After one hour.

Slytherin lost.

Madam Hooch directed the two teams to shake hands and exchange ideas. Several players on both sides had their noses and eyes red from the cold wind, their throats were tight, and they could hardly speak.

……

The Head of House of Gryffindor and Slytherin, and currently the only two Vice-Headmasters of Hogwarts, Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape sat next to each other, watching the two teams shaking hands in the middle of the court, one with a gentle smile on his face, the other with a stern expression.

Professor McGonagall glanced at Snape beside her and said with a smile: "Time flies so fast, what do you think, Severus?"

"..."

Snape looked away and didn't want to talk.

No one knows better than him what it feels like to win championships for many consecutive years.

Professor McGonagall said to herself, "It has been seven years. Harry and the others have grown up. I still remember that sunny afternoon when they had their first flying lesson and made a lot of jokes."

"Yeah, it's been seven years."

Snape nodded expressionlessly. "I think you should consider the replacement of players. They will graduate and leave in a few months. I hope Gryffindor can play normally next year without recruiting new students as seekers."

"This group of kids is very considerate. They completed the recruitment last year, so even if they graduate and leave, the team will not be interrupted."

Professor McGonagall smiled, her face full of kindness and she was in a very happy mood: "What a group of smart and kind children."

"..."

Snape glanced at the players on both sides, slowly realized that something was wrong, and fell silent.

Compared to Gryffindor, whose players are of relatively uniform age and include people from all grades, it seems that Slytherin's players are more concentrated, basically students in the sixth and seventh grades. It can be foreseen that there will be a gap in graduation in the near future.

Snape began to think in his heart, but his face remained expressionless: "Slytherin will also start training new players. I hope your competition will go so smoothly next year."

"You too, Severus."

"..."

Professors Flitwick and Sprout next to them remained silent, only occasionally looking at each other inadvertently, revealing a tacit understanding of helping each other.

……

That night, in the corridor outside the basement kitchen.

The wide stone corridor was quiet. The warm yellow candlelight illuminated the oil paintings on both sides of the wall. One of them depicted a silver bowl full of fruit, with a vivid pear in the center of the painting.

Draco walked back along the corridor, looking down as he passed the painting, at the pear that all seventh years knew, if you tickled it, it would giggle and then turn into a large green handle, which opened the door to the Hogwarts kitchens.

But he had no appetite for a midnight snack at the moment, so he just stayed here for a few seconds and then continued to walk deeper into the corridor. Just as his figure was about to disappear in the shadows, a noisy sound came from behind.

One of the voices sounded particularly familiar.

After struggling on the court for several hours during the day, he had no doubt that it was Harry Potter.

Draco glanced around and quickly walked behind the armor at the corner to hide his figure. He looked through the gaps in the armor and quietly observed the group of Gryffindors who were gradually approaching.

It was time for lights-out curfew, and the students who were out at night were unrestrained and approached the portrait at casual steps. Some were waiting on both sides of the aisle, some had anticipation in their eyes, and some were pushing Harry to the portrait, urging him to tickle the pear, pull the revealed handle, and go into the kitchen.

All that could be heard next was the sound of chirping.

"It's so dark in there."

"The house elves haven't rested yet."

"They volunteered, so they don't need to rest."

"Are you a dummy?"

"What creature doesn't need rest..."

"In the past, George and Fred would come to the celebration party to get food and drinks, and they would always find alcohol."

"Butterbeer?"

"..."

"Stop talking."

"Harry, it's up to you now!"

"..."

The chaotic sound came from the kitchen, echoed in the closed corridor, and reached behind the armor in the corner, where it was attenuated to the point of being almost inaudible.

Draco stared at the dim kitchen silently, with a gleam in his eyes.

I really want to win once.

……

(End of this chapter)