Chapter 507: Tournament
Chapter 507: Tournament
The next morning, as they ate breakfast, the enchanted ceiling of the Great Hall showed a clear, azure sky without a single cloud. This was good news, as the lighter and more agile Gryffindor Quidditch players would have an easier time showcasing their advantages against Slytherin in such weather.
The atmosphere in the Great Hall matched the beautiful weather outside. At the Gryffindor and Slytherin long tables, the players, already dressed in their Quidditch uniforms but without their protective gear, were enjoying their breakfast, replenishing their energy before the upcoming Tournament.
Of course, enjoying breakfast applied to most people. When Liam sat down at an empty seat, he noticed Ron sitting there with a pale face, his eyes vacant, and his fork and knife aimlessly moving on his plate. Harry, meanwhile, poured a glass of milk from a pitcher and placed it next to Ron.
"What's wrong with Ron?" Liam asked Harry as he walked over. "I heard he's been doing well in practice."
"Most of the time, yes", Harry nodded, looking somewhat helpless. "But during the last practice session last night, he only caught about a third of the balls he should have. He even talked about quitting the team. He's the type who can save any ball when he's on form, but when he's off, he can't do anything."
Hearing this, Liam glanced worriedly at Ron, who was about to pour milk into his nose. "Yeah, I think his state isn't just bad today; it's terrible."
Harry's expression fell. "Do you have any way to help him? I've tried everything since this morning, but nothing seems to work."
"Harry, I have potions and spells that can boost Ron's morale", Liam said, seeing the hope in Harry's eyes. "But they're all banned by the Quidditch Tournament rules. However—"
"However, what?" Harry asked eagerly. This was his first Tournament as Gryffindor's Captain, and he couldn't afford to lose, especially since he had strongly advocated for Ron as Keeper. If the Tournament failed, he would be blamed for favoritism and ruining the team. So Liam's words were like a lifeline, and he instinctively wanted to grab onto them.
"There's a Muggle method I think we can try", Liam said, rubbing his chin. "But I have to warn you, I can't guarantee it will work, only that it won't make things worse than they are now."
"That's good, that's good", Harry smiled. "Do you need any help?"
"No", Liam replied and walked over to Ron, who was sitting across the table, looking ashen and drinking milk. "Ron, you look pretty nervous. But I have a way to help you relax. Do you want to try it?"
"It won't work. I'm going to lose today, and this will be my last Tournament", Ron said dejectedly, but Liam quickly interrupted him. "How do you know it won't work if you don't try? Don't forget, I'm an Alchemist."
"But using Elixirs or Magic during the Tournament is against the rules", Hermione interjected, appearing beside Liam. "You're not thinking of breaking the rules, are you? If you do, even if we win, the victory will be soulless."
"Of course not", Liam turned to Hermione and explained, regretting a bit that he had taken her to the Twilight World recently. After two months of internet use, Hermione now knew more memes and references than any typical mid-90s person. "The method I'm using doesn't require any magic power", Liam said firmly.
After saying this, he pulled out a golden pocket watch and said to Ron, "Now, relax and focus on my watch. This is an ancient Muggle technique, and I promise it will solve the problem you're facing."
"Hypnosis?" Hermione suddenly understood, and a few Muggle-born wizards around them also showed signs of comprehension.
"What are you going to do?" Ron asked, somewhat uneasy, especially when he noticed a few classmates nodding and smiling at Liam's approach, which only made him more confused.
"This is a treatment method used by people who can't do magic, and it's very effective for those who are overly nervous", Colin Creevey added. "I once saw it used in the Hospital Wing to treat excessive nervousness or post-battle trauma, and it worked well."
"Good to know." Ron then looked at the golden watch as Liam began to speak in a gentle, rhythmic tone. "You can relax. You can definitely stop the ball—"
After a few minutes, Ron's eyes glazed over, and he entered a semi-conscious state. At this point, Liam put away the pocket watch and snapped his fingers in front of Ron. Ron immediately snapped back to full awareness.
"I feel—different somehow", Ron said, rubbing his chest. He then raised his voice to the people around him. "I think I can do it this time in the Tournament."
"Cheer up, Ron!" Lavender shouted from the side. "I know you're great!"
"Thanks!" The color slowly returned to Ron's face. He waved at Lavender and then turned to Liam with a big smile. "Thanks, mate. I feel fantastic now."
"It looks like the hypnosis worked well!" Hermione, sitting in the stands next to Liam, said. By this time, the Tournament had been going on for several minutes. Ron was effortlessly saving one ball after another, almost as if it were second nature. He even had a smile on his face and pretended to conduct the crowd's cheers from high above, despite Zacharias's biased comments earlier.
"—Weasley saves the ball again. Yes, everyone has their lucky days..." Zacharias continued to broadcast through the microphone, and Liam frowned. He thought a commentator shouldn't be so biased, let alone engage in personal attacks.
Finally, after ten minutes, Harper spotted the Golden Snitch, which was gleaming brightly against the clear blue sky. As Harper was about to grab the Snitch, Harry's hand was still a few feet away. Fortunately, Harry cleverly asked Harper a question about Malfoy, which startled him and caused him to lose his grip on the Snitch, letting it slip through his fingers.
Harry seized the opportunity, dashing toward the Snitch and catching it. He then quickly descended to the ground, holding the Snitch high in the air.
"Today's Tournament was really great", Liam said with a smile, watching as Ginny pushed through the crowd of Gryffindor team members to kiss Harry passionately. This war was bound to be long, and a positive attitude was the best weapon against Voldemort's dark terror.
As the Gryffindor Quidditch team emerged from the changing room and walked toward the castle, many people shouted and cheered for them. It wasn't just about celebrating their victory in the Tournament but also because the recent news had been increasingly oppressive, and everyone needed an excuse to relax.
(End of Chapter)
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