Chapter 178: Hermione's Frustration
Chapter 178: Hermione's Frustration
Even before it began, this year's Quidditch match had already caused quite a stir, not once, but twice.
First, there was Kyle's record-breaking performance of scoring twenty-one goals in just ten minutes, which ignited a fever for the sport.
Before the excitement could settle, an even more sensational news broke out—Harry Potter, the wizarding world's acclaimed savior who defeated the Dark Lord, had become the youngest Seeker in a century.
The name Harry Potter was already highly popular, and coupled with his legendary feat, it ensured that this year's Quidditch match would be livelier than ever.
Half an hour before the match, the surrounding stands were already packed with enthusiastic spectators, undeterred by the biting cold wind.
"This is amazing!"
In the Slytherin stand, Draco Malfoy admired the small snake coiled around his arm, its body glowing with a mesmerizing blue light, providing him with a warm and pleasant feeling.
Moreover, whenever he extended his arm, the snake would open its mouth and hiss towards the opposing Gryffindor stand.
The only slight imperfection was that the sound it produced was too soft and easily drowned out by the cheers.
Unlike the deafening lion roars from across the pitch, which could be heard even from within the castle.
"Why didn't we get the premium version this time!" Malfoy muttered.
"Kyle said he didn't have enough time to make them," Blaise Zabini quickly explained, a similar snake wrapped around his arm.
"I heard him, you don't need to remind me," Malfoy snapped, then raised his voice and added, "But he promised me that for the next Slytherin game, he'll bring what I want.
It'll be bigger, more flexible, and in the colors of Slytherin—silver and green."
Many of the young witches and wizards around them immediately showed interest upon hearing this.
Coming from wealthy families, they were more than willing to invest in better cheering equipment.
"Draco, this must be far more complex than the map, right...?"
Someone asked doubtfully, "I mean, Kyle is only in his second year. Can he really pull it off?"
"Of course," Malfoy replied with a raised eyebrow. "In fact, he already promised me."
...
Meanwhile, not far away in the Hufflepuff stand, Cedric Diggory voiced a similar concern.
"Kyle, can you really fulfill Malfoy's request?"
"It's a bit troublesome..." Kyle frowned. "But it's not impossible. It'll just take some time."
The items they had sold previously were merely transformed glass bottles, with some added sound effects at most, and weren't too difficult to create.
However, the list of demands from Malfoy went beyond what a simple Transfiguration Charm could accomplish.
Those were requirements for a genuine magical artifact.
But in the face of a hundred galleons, these troubles seemed like minor issues.
Cedric understood Kyle's implication, and he couldn't help but whistle in admiration.
It was truly impressive that the wealthy Malfoy family was willing to spend a hundred galleons on a toy, an amount exceeding his father's monthly salary.
After a while, the professors made their entrance.
Professor McGonagall, Professor Snape, and even Professor Sprout, who usually stayed in her greenhouse, were all present.
It seemed like the entire school, except for Headmaster Dumbledore, had gathered around the Quidditch pitch, with many students carrying binoculars.
The moment Harry Potter appeared in his team robes, the Gryffindor stands erupted into enthusiastic cheers, followed by deafening roars of the lion.
"That thing is amazing..."
Ron eyed the blue lion heads in Neville and Seamus' hands enviously and said sourly to Hermione, "You really should've bought one too."
"It's not necessary, Ron," Hermione shook her head. "It's just a simple Bluebell Flame Charm and Transformation Charm. Not worth fifteen Sickles at all.
And didn't I make one for you already?"
"It's not the same," Ron said, looking down at the transparent jar in his hand, which was warm but couldn't roar like a lion.
Kyle had said that the lion heads were meant to boost team spirit and liven up the atmosphere. The warmth was just an added bonus so that everyone could enjoy the game better, and he hadn't even charged extra for it.
Seeing Ron's disgruntled expression, Hermione huffed and raised her eyebrows, immediately taking the jar from his hand.
"Give it back if you don't want it!"
A gust of wind blew by, making Ron, who hadn't reacted yet, shiver involuntarily.
"Brr, it's cold!"
"Hermione..."
"Hmph!" Hermione turned away, ignoring him.
In truth, Hermione knew that the warming jar she had made was very different from the ones everyone else had.
On their way here, she had tried several times to cast the spell on her jar, but it was nowhere near as intricate as Kyle's, and she couldn't make it roar like a lion either.
This vast disparity had already frustrated Hermione, and Ron's disdainful expression only added fuel to the fire.
Reluctantly, Ron moved closer to Neville and Seamus, finally feeling a bit warmer.
Meanwhile, with a whistle blow, the game began.
"Look, the Bludger has been seized by Gryffindor's Angelina Johnson..."
The commentator's booth resonated with Lee Jordan's voice. He had successfully passed the selection process and was now the new Quidditch commentator.
However, he soon veered off-course.
"That young lady is not just a brilliant Chaser, but also quite a looker..."
"Jordan!" Professor McGonagall reminded him sternly.
"Sorry, Professor," Jordan replied.
Laughter erupted from the surrounding stands.
Connor glanced at the commentator's booth and whispered, "This year's commentator feels a bit... well, special."
"It's understandable," Kyle shrugged. "Lee Jordan is a friend of Fred and George's. You shouldn't expect him to be too normal."
Cedric, standing beside him, nodded in strong agreement but soon froze.
Wait, wasn't he also friends with Fred and George?
In the stands, Lee Jordan continued his commentary.
Despite his quirks, he had passed the rigorous selection process, and his professional abilities shone through. Though he occasionally made cheeky remarks, his commentary on the game was spot-on and uninterrupted.
The audience quickly grew accustomed to his unique style, and while it lacked the seriousness of previous commentators, it added a touch of fun to the game.
...
(End of Chapter)
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