Chapter 507: Downpour
Chapter 507: Downpour
When the Quidditch World Cup was first held, there was no Secrecy Act, and the relationship between wizards and Muggles, though beginning to grow tense, had not yet reached the point of mutual hostility.
Thus, occasionally, Muggles would accidentally wander into Quidditch fields and witness wizards flying on broomsticks, fiercely chasing and battling in the sky. When they returned home and told others about their experiences, they were often dismissed as having been confused or dreaming.
However, sometimes these encounters left behind some wondrous legends among Muggles.
Today, after centuries of development, Quidditch has evolved into a complex sport with a series of intricate rules and procedures. The actual start of this tournament was about a year ago.
During the preliminary rounds, each match could not exceed four hours, and if the Golden Snitch was not caught by the end, the winner would be determined by points.
The semifinals, like the final, had much more flexibility, with matches ending only when the Golden Snitch was caught. Given that some matches had lasted for several days, there was a three-day interval between each match.
On the second day after Ved's arrival, Hermione and the Patil sisters came to the field. She was staying in the room next to Harry's, and in the evening, they all went to a nearby stream to catch fish.
On the third day, Neville and his grandmother arrived at the field. They had also prepared to camp, so they brought an old-fashioned, pine-scented magic tent. Ved and the others helped set it up.
Then came the match between Bulgaria and Egypt.
These two teams had bad luck, as it started raining in the evening and turned into a torrential downpour by the time the match began. Even the brightest magical lamps could not improve the abysmal visibility.
One of the rules of the Quidditch World Cup is that weather charms cannot be used to change the weather during a match.
People believed that the weather was part of the game, and unless there were extreme conditions like volcanic eruptions or hurricanes, athletes had to strive for victory even in adverse conditions.
While the spectators in the stands could use transparent magical barriers to shield themselves from the rain, the two unlucky teams had to wear goggles and play through the storm.
In such weather, it only took two seconds for a downpour to drench a person completely, even filling their mouths with water. Fortunately, the rules did not prohibit them from casting water-repelling charms on their glasses, though this seemed to offer little help.
Through the heavy rain, a dark figure zipped past. Not far away, two figures seemed to collide, but it was impossible to tell which team they were from.
Harry strained his eyes to see the match, but Ved only managed to watch for ten minutes before he sat down and started reading a book.
His collection of books was no longer limited to those copied from the school library. The magic books from Black, Voldemort, Grindelwald, and Lem were countless and of high quality. Ved could read any one of them with great interest.
Lupin leaned over and patted Ved's shoulder.
"If you don't want to watch the match, I can accompany you back to the tent", Lupin said softly. "At least it's quieter over there."
He had long noticed that Ved was not particularly interested in Quidditch, preferring to observe the spectators and the chaotic but interesting atmosphere in the camp before the match rather than the intense game itself.
Ved thought about it and closed his book. "I'll go back by myself. You can continue watching—after all, I'm not a three-year-old, and I know the way back."
"Alright", Lupin said without insisting, smiling. "Be careful on your way, and get some rest when you get back."
"Sure."
Ved pushed open the door at the back of the box and walked down the lantern-lit corridor. He occasionally heard excited, complaining, or arguing voices from the passing boxes.
Except for a few people who had gone to the restroom, the spectators did not leave the stands due to the bad weather. The corridor was empty, with only Ved making his way back.
After all, such a downpour usually did not last long and might stop after a few minutes, allowing the audience to continue enjoying the exciting match.
Ved reached the entrance at the bottom and raised his wand. A barrier like an umbrella sprang from the tip, shielding him from the rain.
The camp was filled with tents, some as tall as buildings, others like small hills, and some like overturned goblets. In the dark of night, they looked like countless silent monsters standing in the darkness.
Ved instinctively walked more quietly, making no sound as he moved between the tents.
Suddenly, something flickered in his vision, like a scrawny child waving from behind a tent.
Ved's scalp tingled, his breath caught in his throat, and the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end, as if a cold wind were blowing or a cold snake were slithering up his spine.
After a few seconds, he slowly exhaled and inhaled, forcing himself to remain calm, and then walked in that direction.
He could have turned around and gone back to his room immediately, but Ved felt that he wouldn't be able to sleep peacefully tonight if he didn't find out what that strange, small shadow was.
Externally, Ved only paused for a moment before continuing, as if nothing had affected him.
As he approached, he silently cast a Lumos spell with his empty hand. A ball of light appeared in his hand, illuminating the area around him.
The shadow behind the tent revealed its true form—it was a small tree, a beech, with sparse leaves and a height that did not reach Ved's chest.
Ved let out a long breath and chuckled to himself, feeling a bit paranoid.
He walked past the tent, which was patched with animal fur and had a tail hanging from the door, and quickened his pace back to his tent.
The sound of his footsteps splashing through the water gradually faded, and the surroundings returned to silence, with only the continuous sound of the rain.
Suddenly, a "pop" sounded in the darkness, like a large cork being pulled from a bottle.
The young beech pulled its roots out of the ground, shook itself like a person, and then pulled out the other side of its roots, shaking vigorously, its branches and leaves spreading as if welcoming the rare downpour.
Then, using its roots as legs, the beech walked with a crab-like gait, quickly and lightly, toward the nearby forest. The leaves on its head rustled, like a child waving hesitantly.
In the direction it was heading, a figure in a black raincoat stood under a tall spruce, looking up at the tree.
(End of Chapter)
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