Orochimaru travels to Hogwarts

Chapter 107 Let's settle this once and for all, Orochimaru!

The news of Harry's selection to the Gryffindor Quidditch team spread like wildfire in spring, covering the entire Gryffindor house overnight.

Ron Weasley was the last to receive the news.

As he stood in the Gryffindor common room, watching everyone celebrate around Harry, he was filled with memories of being chosen as the Gryffindor Seeker just two months earlier.

"Don't look so gloomy, Ron." George Weasley sat down next to his brother and patted Ron on the shoulder. "Even wizards have things they're not good at."

"There's no need to be jealous of your friend, is there?" Fred Weasley added with a smile. "Isn't Harry your best friend?"

he----

is it?

Ron looked up and stared at Harry, who was surrounded by the crowd, and was momentarily stunned.

It took Ron a long time to finally compose himself, pick up a glass of pumpkin juice, and, imitating an adult, walk over to Harry's side.

"Congratulations, Harry!" Ron said softly, though his expression remained somewhat awkward.

He's just a kid, what level can he possibly achieve?

Harry squeezed through the crowd and walked over to Ron in a few steps.

He was prepared for Ron to have a huge tantrum, since becoming the Seeker was going to be very difficult for Ron.

but----

"Thank you too, Ron," Harry said with a smile, mimicking the image of Orochimaru in his mind. "You truly possess great qualities."

"Great qualities?"

Ron was taken aback, but his eyes unconsciously revealed anticipation.

If Orochimaru were here, he would surely be able to see through what Ron desires at a glance.

Recognition, praise, a sense of presence.

This is what the youngest brother longs for.

But Harry can't.

He simply acted according to his nature, just like his fighting style—pure instinct.

Then, Harry, who was as warm and cheerful as the sun, laughed and patted Ron on the shoulder.

"Achieving success is certainly impressive, but being able to celebrate with your friends is an even greater quality! To be honest, I'm not as good as you in that respect."

Harry smiled, raised Ron's hand, and shouted to the Gryffindors gathered around him, "To the unity and friendship of us Gryffindors, to our qualities so different from Slytherin's! Cheers!"

"Cheers!"

"Oh, oh, oh! Drink it all!"

"Crush them on the Quidditch pitch, Harry!"

Cheers and applause rose and fell, turning Gryffindor's common room into a sea of ​​jubilation.

Everyone was laughing, as if they had already won the Quidditch Cup. Even Ron temporarily abandoned his jealousy of Harry and joined the celebratory crowd.

People are different.

Harry also has his unique aspects; in some ways, his leadership qualities are completely opposite to Orochimaru's.

Orochimaru used his power and influence to cast a shadow over everyone, causing them to submit involuntarily, dare not oppose him, and submit to his commands.

Harry, however, is different.

Everyone loves to be his friend, wants to fight alongside him, is inspired by his passion, and is determined to win for him.

If Harry hadn't met Orochimaru and hadn't experienced so much in the first semester of his first year, these traits of his wouldn't have become apparent.

But now—

If Snape were to see Harry now, he would be pained to find that Potter is becoming more and more like that annoying Potter, James Potter.

But it's only natural for a son to resemble his father, isn't it?

As time goes by, and the first Quidditch match before Halloween draws ever closer, this sense of déjà vu grows stronger.

The Gryffindor Quidditch team is increasingly certain that they have truly struck gold.

Harry Potter, he really was a natural Seeker.

Whether it was the team's tactics or the search for the Golden Snitch, he excelled in everything, showing no signs of being a first-year student.

As for the scene of charging towards the golden thief—

"Even a professional Seeker wouldn't do a better job than Harry!"

As captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, Wood felt for the first time that his team could win the Quidditch Cup.

As long as Harry Potter performs normally, they will never have a chance of failure.

As training days increased, this view gained more and more support from the Gryffindors, who were all absolutely convinced of it.

Even Ron has freed himself from his jealousy of Harry.

At first, he couldn't quite accept that Harry would become Gryffindor's Seeker, but after watching Harry train a few times, his opinion changed.

"Harry, compared to you, I'm practically a broomstick novice," Ron said to Harry with genuine admiration. "Which broom will you be using? How about my Sweeper? It's rented, but I've taken excellent care of it; it's definitely a powerful tool."

Harry politely declined Ron's offer.

He was a little willful in this matter.

Although the Potter family's vault was piled high with Galleons, amounting to at least tens of thousands, he still wanted to be frugal, since he still had six years of schooling at Hogwarts.

Quidditch does indeed have a unique charm.

So, on the last weekend before the competition, Harry's mail-order flying broomstick finally appeared in the Gryffindor common room.

The latest flying broomstick, Nimbus 2000.

When the broom appeared in the Gryffindor common room, the entire Gryffindor was in an uproar.

Everyone was circling around Harry's broom, and even Ron stupidly asked a question.

"Can I touch it, Harry?"

Why not?

Harry smiled and agreed, but Ron still didn't dare to reach out. He circled the Nimbus 2000 again and again before cautiously asking the price.

"How much is this broom?"

"One hundred Galleons, plus a broom maintenance kit, that's one hundred and twenty Galleons in total," Harry said softly, secretly reminding himself that he couldn't be so impulsive again.

His tuition fee was only forty Galleons a year, and this flying broomstick was enough to cover his tuition for three years.

This is the last time, Harry.

Harry Potter restrained himself so much, yet his gaze lingered even longer on Nimbus II.

He's not really interested in girls right now, but Harry knows that if he ever wants to find a girlfriend, she has to be like Nimbus 2000.

This is what it feels like for a man to finally get the luxury car he's always dreamed of.

This state lasted for about half a week until the last Saturday before Halloween, the day the Quidditch match officially took place, when Harry finally snapped out of his daze.

He only realized it in the team's locker room before going on stage.

The competition is about to begin.

His first Quidditch match, which was also his first encounter with Orochimaru, was today, just ten minutes from now, on the Quidditch field.

"Our daily training volume is ten times that of Slytherins. If we only use half of what we train at, it will be enough to defeat them!"

Wood pounded the tactical board with his hand, his gaze sweeping over each team member, like a general giving instructions to his soldiers.

"Think of the sweat you've shed, think of the toil you've endured! You are stronger than anyone else, especially you, Harry!"

Wood then changed the subject and approached Harry Potter.

"Don't be nervous. I've seen many Seekers, but none are as good as you! Believe in yourself, the Golden Snitch will definitely be caught by you today!"

Wood talked on and on, so much so that the players, who were initially full of enthusiasm, eventually just wanted the game to start as soon as possible.

Harry is one of them.

When they were told to go on the field, Harry felt like he had been reborn. Carrying Nimbus Two Thousand, he and his teammates, led by Wood, finally stepped onto the Quidditch pitch.

In an instant, the cheers from the Quidditch pitch were like a tsunami, overwhelming Harry.

He felt his mind go blank and his heart pounding.

He felt as if he were on a battlefield without gunpowder, about to fight his enemies to the death.

It was a strange feeling, and Harry was still somewhat dazed when, at Madam Hooch's command, the Gryffindor and Slytherin teams shook hands.

However, he quickly returned to normal.

Because Orochimaru was standing right opposite Harry, reaching out his hand to his partner.

Let's settle this once and for all!

19

Harry looked at Orochimaru's face and said excitedly.

Orochimaru met Harry's excited green eyes with a faint smile and nodded at him.

Let's settle this once and for all, Jiraiya!

This is also what Orochimaru wanted to say.