97 Chapter 97: Passionate Quidditch (Part 1)

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After entering November, the gray sky began to snow, and the weather became unusually cold.

Upon waking up from his dream, Albert noticed that the woods surrounding the castle were covered in white snow, and the Black Lake had frozen into a solid layer of ice.

Everyone said that winter came early this year, but Albert himself didn't pay much attention to the changing weather. He had already wrapped himself up tightly in a wool sweater and scarf before the temperature dropped, and he even went to Professor Flitwick to learn how to use the Drying Charm. He was fully prepared for the onset of winter.

But there was something else that everyone was paying attention to rather than the cold weather: the Quidditch season at Hogwarts had begun.

Every morning, Albert could see Hagrid holding a broom and braving the wind and snow to clear the path to the Quidditch pitch, preventing the accumulated snow from covering the way.

As the captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, Charlie entered a state of excitement during this time. He would make use of every training session to explain tactics and coordination to the team.

George and Fred, who were not official players, luckily escaped the rigorous training. They told Albert that Charlie had become incredibly strict, as if possessed by a devil, during the recent training sessions.

Fortunately, the informal players were not required to participate in the recent training sessions.

The first match was Gryffindor against Slytherin. Charlie announced the result of the draw at the dinner table, and the match was scheduled for the coming weekend.

All Gryffindor students hoped to defeat Slytherin and win the Quidditch match. Professor McGonagall even waived all the pre-match homework, showing her desire for victory and her love for Quidditch.

In fact, everyone's desire for a victory was also due to an important reason. Gryffindor was currently at the bottom of the House Cup standings and desperately needed points from the Quidditch match to recover from the embarrassing situation.

If Gryffindor won, they would surpass Hufflepuff in the House Cup standings and move up to the third place, approaching Ravenclaw, who was in second place.

However, the strangest thing was that even Hufflepuff students were hoping for Gryffindor to defeat Slytherin, and the students from Ravenclaw also supported Gryffindor. This clearly showed how unpopular Slytherin was at Hogwarts.

On the weekend, the weather was unusually cold, with sleet falling from the sky.

Albert lingered in his warm bed, refusing to get up. In the end, he was dragged out by the excited Fred and George, who pulled back the covers and took him out of the warm bed.

"It's so cold. I don't want to go out in this weather to watch the match!" Albert quickly wrapped himself in thick clothes and hurriedly cast the Drying Charm on himself, instantly making his previously cold clothes dry and warm, as if they had just been heated in front of a roaring fire.

"Don't be silly. This is a rare opportunity. Let's go cheer for the Gryffindor team together!" Fred hopped in place a couple of times, trying to warm up his body.

"Don't jump, it's making me dizzy." Albert raised his wand and poked Fred, casting the Drying Charm on him.

"Hey, what did you just do? Suddenly, I don't feel cold anymore," Fred looked at Albert in astonishment.

"Young man, magic is power. It won't hurt to learn a few spells," Albert patted Fred's shoulder and said with a serious tone.

Fred was instantly stunned, not accustomed to Albert's way of speaking.

"Me too," Jordan, who had just put on warm clothes and a winter cloak, quickly approached and asked Albert to dispel the chill on him as well.

"And me."

Today was exceptionally cold, with the temperature in the room dropping to eight degrees, thanks to the fireplace. If they took the thermometer from the cabinet outside, it would probably drop below zero.

By the way, when Fred and the others saw the thermometer for the first time, their startled expressions were quite amusing.

Albert thought about the Christmas gifts for the three of them this year and decided to give each of them an indoor thermometer.

With umbrellas in hand, glasses stowed in their pockets, and thick towels knitted by Daisy wrapped around their necks, Albert filled a small silver-plated water bottle with hot water and put it in his robe pocket as a thermos. Then he went to the Great Hall with his roommates.

As soon as they entered the dining hall, they could smell the enticing aroma of roasted sausages in the air. People at the tables were excitedly discussing the upcoming match, and everyone was looking forward to watching an exciting Quidditch game.

However, there was a sense of tension between Slytherin and Gryffindor, filled with an explosive atmosphere.

The two tables were right next to each other, and conflicts were inevitable, although they didn't escalate into an actual fight. It was clear that everyone was restraining themselves, intending to save the real showdown for the Quidditch pitch.

"Charlie, good luck!" Albert joined his friends by Charlie's side and offered their blessings to this familiar group.

"By the way, Charlie, have you found substitutes?" Mark suddenly asked.

"Substitutes?" Albert asked in confusion, "Does that mean the match is going to last a long time?"

"There are exceptions. We have a history with Slytherin, and even though some of the players graduated last year, the relationship between the two teams is still very hostile. It's inevitable that conflicts will occur on the pitch," Jake glanced at the Slytherin table and explained to Albert, "So we need some substitute players. Of course, the opposing team will need them too."

Albert felt something was off about this. He remembered that in Quidditch matches, player substitutions were not allowed.

"We've found them," Charlie patted Mark's shoulder and reassured everyone, "Don't worry, Madam Pomfrey will also be there to watch the match. If anyone gets injured, they'll be treated quickly."

Hearing this, Albert's mouth twitched involuntarily. It gave him the feeling that they were going into battle or something.

Are the two teams going to have a big fight on the pitch? By 11 o'clock, all the students and teachers of the school were carrying umbrellas and braving the weakened sleet to head to the Quidditch stadium.

The spectators were not just Hogwarts students and teachers, but also some wizards who loved Quidditch. Despite the harsh weather, they came to Hogwarts to watch the Quidditch match.

Yes, Hogwarts sold tickets for Quidditch matches to the public.

When Albert arrived at the Quidditch stadium, he saw some wizards from outside the school. They were wearing thick cloaks, holding umbrellas, and carrying binoculars. They sat in the seats of their respective alumni houses, waiting for the game to begin.

It can be said that there aren't many entertainment options in the wizarding world, but there are quite a few Quidditch enthusiasts. It is said that tickets for each match sell quite well.

Of course, these external activities were limited to the Quidditch stadium, and the distance from the Quidditch stadium to Hogsmeade was not too far.

Fred and George chose seats not far from the Gryffindor changing room, which puzzled Albert. If they wanted to get a clear view of the match, the top seats would undoubtedly be the best.

However, the Weasley brothers simply replied, "Perhaps, we might be able to be of use too."

Albert understood this statement as meaning that they might need to substitute as Chasers during the match. However, he thought the likelihood of that happening was low.

Although the weather was a bit unpleasant, watching the match with everyone created a great atmosphere. It was different from watching a movie or a match on a computer; it had a unique feeling compared to going to the cinema or the stadium.

Amidst the cheers of the crowd, the Gryffindor team, wearing their red Quidditch robes, entered the field, immediately igniting a wave of enthusiastic applause and cheers. When the Slytherin team, dressed in green Quidditch robes, entered, they were met with a mix of boos and applause.

"It seems like our Slytherin team isn't very popular!" the Ravenclaw commentator teased loudly, holding a microphone.

In response, a chorus of boos came from the Slytherin stands.

Albert never doubted that if the school didn't separate the seating for the four houses, the match might have sparked a chaotic brawl.

Madam Hooch, the Flying instructor, would serve as the referee. She stood in the center of the pitch, holding her broomstick, waiting for the players from both teams to enter.

"Listen up, I expect everyone to participate in the match fairly and honestly," Madam Hooch said loudly as the players from both teams gathered around her.

Her words were magically amplified, allowing all the spectators on the field to hear them.

In fact, Madam Hooch's statement was specifically directed at certain individuals from both teams.

"I feel like both team captains are trying to crush each other's hands during the handshake," Albert adjusted his monocular and focused his gaze on Charlie, who was shaking hands with the opposing team. He couldn't help but find it amusing.

A firm handshake with a test of strength, it was a game that people liked to play no matter where they were.

"Charlie specifically asked me earlier about how to exert force during a handshake," a familiar voice sounded beside him. Hagrid, holding a large umbrella and a pair of binoculars, sat down next to the group.

Even before the match began, Albert could sense the tension in the air. It seemed that the match wouldn't be as simple as he had imagined.

Fifteen brooms soared into the sky as the whistle blew.

The match officially started.

A few minutes later, Albert, wide-eyed and stunned, could guarantee that this was absolutely the dirtiest game he had ever witnessed, no doubt about it.

Jack was the first to grab the Snitch, the agile Seeker skillfully using a reverse pass tactic with the cover of his teammates, securing ten points for Gryffindor.

However, in an attempt to prevent Gryffindor's Chaser from scoring, the Slytherin Beater chose to collide with Jack, causing their brooms to veer off several meters.

"Foul! Foul!" an angry wave of noise erupted from the stands, drowning out the sleet falling overhead.

"Slytherin intentionally ramming, it's a foul!" the commentator shouted, "Unfortunately, their scheme didn't succeed, and Gryffindor has gained the Snitch. Now, Madam Hooch awards the Quaffle to Gryffindor."

The match continued...

"Is this situation normal?" Albert shouted loudly to Hagrid beside him, ignoring the loud cries of his cheering housemates.

"Not normal," Hagrid turned his head and replied to Albert, "But in recent years, Gryffindor vs. Slytherin matches have been filled with fireworks."

As the commentator announced Gryffindor's score, Hagrid clapped vigorously.

"Fireworks?" Albert refocused his gaze on the pitch. He didn't think it was just fireworks; it felt more like a bundle of dynamite, ready to explode at any moment.

"Gryffindor scores again, taking a twenty-point lead." The commentator clearly wasn't impartial, but Albert liked this guy's bias towards Gryffindor.

Gryffindor's sudden twenty-point lead infuriated the Slytherin team, and they began using any means necessary to snatch the Quaffle.

When Mario was preparing to pass, someone kicked his broom, causing it to violently shake. He had to grip the broom with both hands to prevent himself from falling off, but in the process, the tightly held Quaffle was snatched by a Slytherin Chaser.

However, as retaliation against Slytherin, when Mark passed by Marcus Flint, the Slytherin Seeker, he suddenly made a feinting motion that went awry, landing a punch directly on the other's nose. The unfortunate Seeker's head snapped back, and blood started to flow from his nose.

Both Gryffindor and Slytherin were penalized by Madam Hooch with penalty shots.

The match continued amidst this chaos, with Madam Hooch blowing her whistle every few minutes to announce another foul by someone.

This almost drove the referee mad.

Albert took out his water bottle and took a sip, joining everyone in condemning the Slytherin students.

There was no way around it. Slytherin's Locke had actually hit Erin on the back of her head with a bat, and he cunningly argued that he thought her head was a Bludger.

Madam Hooch blew her whistle again, and the Snitch landed back in Jack's hand. The skillful Seeker dodged the intercept and swiftly charged towards Locke. The Snitch slammed into the bewildered Beater's face at high speed, rebounded, and was then caught by a teammate flying from below.

"Oops, sorry, my vision isn't great, mistook you for someone else, my apologies." Jack offered a fake apology to Locke and promptly flew away without waiting for a response.

Although the Slytherin students below shouted foul, Madam Hooch did not blow her whistle, deeming it a normal pass.

However, the pass was directed at the Slytherin Beater. It could be said that the Gryffindor Seeker willingly gave up their advantage, so it didn't seem like a foul.

As for getting hit in the face with the Snitch, that was Locke's own failure to dodge.

By this point in the match, even Professor McGonagall was too busy to stop the biased commentary. The Gryffindor Head of House was visibly furious, waving her fists at the sky.

Just moments ago, when Charlie was about to catch the Golden Snitch, Slytherin's Seeker, Montague, suddenly charged at him, nearly causing Charlie to fall off his broom and miss the opportunity to catch the Snitch.

Although Gryffindor gained ten points as a result, this outcome did little to appease the Gryffindor supporters. Some started throwing things onto the field in protest.

Gryffindor also fought back. When Montague, with the Snitch, entered Gryffindor's scoring area, Wood slapped him across the face, leaving him dizzy and nearly falling off his broom.

"Penalty shot!" Madam Hooch was enraged, shouting at Wood, "I don't recall any rule allowing the attacking of a Seeker."

"Sorry, I got carried away, it was an accident." Wood wore a remorseful expression, as if the incident had been a mere mishap.

In the stands, Albert felt that there was something seriously wrong with this match. It was definitely the rudest game he had ever witnessed.

Could this be the legendary Quidditch spirit?

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(End of this chapter)