Chapter 176: Gryffindor Loses Ten Points
Chapter 176: Gryffindor Loses Ten Points
As November set in, the weather turned bitterly cold, with frost covering the ground each morning.
A thick layer of ice had formed overnight on the surface of the Black Lake, and many students were already playing on it.
As soon as Kyle and Cedric left the warmth of the castle, they were greeted by a gust of chilly wind.
"Brr... It's freezing!" Cedric shivered. "Thankfully, I changed into my winter robes a few days ago. Otherwise, I'd be catching a cold again in this weather."
He had learned his lesson the previous year when he had stubbornly stuck to his lighter robes, resulting in three days of steam rising from his head like a walking cauldron.
Madame Pomfrey's potions were effective, but they always seemed to come with peculiar side effects.
"We'll probably warm up once we start training," Kyle said, tightening his collar and quickening his pace.
"You're right about that."
...
The two made their way across the grounds to the Quidditch stadium.
They were among the early arrivals, as they spotted Hagrid, bundled up in his long mole skin coat, defrosting the flying brooms.
Upon seeing Kyle, Hagrid waved enthusiastically. "Hey, Kyle! Are ye here for practice today?"
"Yes, Hagrid," Kyle replied, walking over and drawing out his wand.
"Scourgify!"
In an instant, the frost on the brooms vanished.
"That's mighty handy..." Hagrid said, eyeing Kyle's wand with a hint of envy, while also glancing at the pink umbrella tucked away in his pocket.
His own wand was concealed within that umbrella, but for reasons he kept to himself, he refrained from using it in front of others.
"Anything else I can help with?" Kyle offered.
"No, thank ye, lad," Hagrid said, picking up the brooms. "If ye ask me, ye should be practicin' after lunch when it's warmer. This weather's no good for flyin'."
"We don't have much choice," Kyle said with a shrug. "Today's the last weekend before the match, and three teams need to practice. Harris is too nice; he gave away the last time slot without a fuss."
As a result, Ravenclaw had claimed the slot from ten o'clock onwards, leaving Gryffindor with the earlier, colder hours.
"Seems like everyone's takin' this year's match seriously," Hagrid commented. "But I reckon you lot have a good chance. Hufflepuff was last year's champion, after all."
"Of course, I'm counting on it," Kyle replied.
The rest of the team began to arrive, and after bidding Hagrid farewell, they all soon immersed themselves in their training routine.
Since this was a regular training session rather than a tactical one, Professor Harris had left the stadium open to anyone who wanted to watch.
About half an hour later, the stands began to fill up with young witches and wizards who were avid fans of Quidditch. With the stadium accessible, they were eager to get a taste of the action before the official match.
Promptly at ten o'clock, Professor Harris and the rest of the team descended from the air, concluding their two-hour practice session and yielding the stadium to the waiting Ravenclaw team.
Kyle and his teammates returned to the castle.
Soon after, the disappointed spectators on the stands also made their way out, their shoulders hunched and their moods visibly dampened by the cold.
This wasn't the first time such a situation had occurred, and after a few muted complaints, they hurried back to the warmth of the castle, rubbing their arms to generate some heat.
"What do you think about creating a warming device to keep everyone cozy?" Kyle suggested.
"A warming device?"
"Yes." Kyle pointed at the crowd, shivering from the cold. "The temperature has been dropping rapidly these days, and it will undoubtedly be even colder on the day of the Quidditch match. If we can introduce a convenient warming device at this moment, I think it will be well-received."
"Well..." Cedric hesitated, considering Kyle's proposal. "That's a brilliant idea, but there's something you might not be aware of."
"During last year's match, to counter the harsh weather, we used the Hot-Air Charm and the Warming Charm in advance. And those are both third-year spells."
Cedric's concern didn't bother Kyle much.
His target market wasn't the higher-year students anyway; he was more concerned with first and second years.
That would be enough.
With their plan in mind, the duo quickly sought out Conner and the twins to discuss the idea further.
Chou wasn't able to join them due to her training commitments.
The five of them huddled together in an empty classroom, deep in conversation until noon.
"Alright, then, Kyle! It's decided." Fred stood at the door, his eyes sparkling with excitement.
"After waiting for two months... we can finally take action." George waved his hand enthusiastically. "You know, I've been looking forward to this since the start of the term."
"It seems I've stumbled upon something intriguing."
Just then, an ominous voice cut through the air from a short distance away.
Fred and George jumped in surprise and spun around.
Snape and Filch stood at the corridor's bend, their gazes fixed on the twins with less than friendly intentions.
"It's you two again, caught red-handed this time..." Filch glared at Fred and George, relishing their misfortune. "Breaking the rules repeatedly without a hint of remorse."
As he spoke, his eyes shifted to Snape, standing beside him.
"To teach them a lesson, I suggest a stint in the dungeons. Those chains are always well-maintained and ready for use."
Snape remained silent, his eyes narrowing as he noticed Conner by Kyle's side. A dark expression clouded his features.
"Talking loudly in the corridors, Gryffindor loses ten points."
Limping slightly, Snape advanced toward Kyle, his eyes cold. "Now, enlighten me on the foolish idea you've concocted this time."
If looks could cast spells, Kyle would have been facing hundreds of Unforgivable Curses at that moment.
"I believe, Professor, that you've misunderstood."
Kyle rubbed his shoulders, feeling uncomfortable under Snape's intense gaze. "We were merely discussing our anticipation for next week's Quidditch match."
"I hope that's the case." Snape narrowed his eyes. "But if I find out you're lying or have broken any rules, I assure you, you will be expelled."
Kyle forced a smile, feeling a twinge of pain in his jaw.
He couldn't understand why Snape was so fixated on him. Shouldn't the professor be seeking attention from Harry instead? Why couldn't he let go?
"Why aren't you speaking?"
Snape frowned, his displeasure evident as he glared at the silent Kyle. "Disrespecting a professor... Gryffindor loses another ten points!"
(End of Chapter)
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