Hogwarts: Dumbledore reigned over the wizarding world

Chapter 107 The Showdown Between Vaughn and Harry
Although the twins argued that the time was too short.

However, as the service provider, they still couldn't win against the powerful client, Warn.

What Vaughn was really hoping for was that the twins could come up with a solution to replace electricity with magic.

However, this project is a bit complicated, and it is estimated that it will be difficult to achieve results in a short period of time. Vaughn is also unsure whether the twins' free-spirited nature will allow them to endure the loneliness.

The reason they are having them modify the camera is that Vaughn hopes this Muggle product, which is rarely seen in the magical world, will pique their interest.

So far, the results seem good.

After hearing the progress and assigning the new tasks, Vaughn didn't let the twins leave. Instead, he kept them behind, frowning as he pondered.

His thoughtful expression made the twins exchange glances and look at each other.

After a moment's consideration, he asked, "Can I ask you a question? It might be difficult to answer, but you can just tell me based on your intuition."

The twins immediately shouted:

"Difficult to answer? We're using the word 'difficult' even between brothers... Oh no!"

"You guessed right, George, it's definitely because of the money!"

"Merlin, is it not enough for us to give him half of the Weasley Company to satisfy his greedy appetite?"

"What?" Fred exclaimed in shock. "Give him half of the Weasley Companies? When was that decision made? What gives you the right to make such a decision?"

"What else could it be? Of course, it's because—"

The twins suddenly burst into laughter, exclaiming in unison, "Because he is our benefactor!"

Then the two looked at Vaughn expectantly.

Vaughn asked calmly, "Finished acting?"

"...Why aren't you excited at all?"

"That's right, that's right. We thought about it for a long time before we came up with this reasonable distribution plan. We just haven't told you yet. It's not just one Weasley Studios, Weasley Electric Company, Weasley Pictures or anything like that. It means that you will have half of every one of our companies from now on!"

Fred and George's eyes sparkled. "Are you moved? Surprised? Unexpected?"

"...Tsk!"

He's a born businessman; he's a natural at making empty promises.

Vaughn gave a reserved yet warm smile: "I'm not moved. I've always thought it would be more reasonable for me to own 80%-90% of the company you founded."

The twins: "...Why don't you just rob it?"

"Robbing is too much trouble, it's much easier to suck your blood."

I made a few jokes.

But in the end, the twins said seriously, "Our initial plan is 50% of all companies. If you are not satisfied, we can discuss it in more detail later. We are brothers, and George and I will definitely prioritize your interests in any case."

“That’s right. You’ve been the only one helping us all these years… Fred and I both understand that although you always talk about fair trade and investment, you’re actually helping us in essence. After all, your money didn’t come from thin air. Why invest in us when you could do other things?”

"Yes, over the years, you're the only one who hasn't disliked our mischievousness and has always supported our silly ideas. This time, you even supported our transformation... Are you under financial pressure because you seem to be in such a difficult situation today?"

George sighed. "2000 Galleons. You said you could earn that in less than two months, but Fred and I thought about it, how is that possible? You don't sell Wolfsbane Potion, you're just relying on those beauty potions? What kind of fool in the world would buy beauty potions at such a high price?"

Ah this...

Vaughn hadn't expected things to turn out this way. Looking at the twins whose eyes were starting to redden, he suddenly didn't know how to start the conversation.

He originally intended to ask them how they, as alchemists, viewed the world, or how they viewed the relationship between ether and reality.

Because it was uncertain whether the twins possessed a mature and clear worldview, Vaughn said it might be difficult to answer and hoped they would follow their intuition.

Now, this question is definitely something I can't bring myself to ask, and I don't even know how to respond.

Should I pull out the price list from the pharmacy two days ago and tell them that a bottle of "Vorn Beauty" series is now being sold for 6 Galleons?
Should we tell them that for the past few months, Knockturn Alley has been frantically trying to contact him through Professor Snape, attempting to recruit this newly minted Potions Master? A shop has already offered 50 Galleons for a bottle of high-grade potion that he personally brewed.

Young man, there are far more fools in this world than you can imagine...

Seeing the two of them so moved, Vaughn felt that he might... maybe... perhaps he shouldn't feel a little embarrassed?

Vaughn shook his head almost imperceptibly, a very small movement that looked like a nod, yet seemed to carry a sense of unspoken words.

From the twins' perspective, this meant that the younger brother was admitting to recent financial pressure.

The two sighed, "No wonder you always push us to produce results... Sigh, we just called you a capitalist, we really didn't understand your difficulties. Don't worry, little brother, George and I will work hard to get the camera sorted out for you, even if it means staying up all night!"

"Yes, it definitely won't interfere with your important business!"

After saying that, the two of them ran out as if they had been injected with chicken blood, and the frustration they had just felt from having their artistic taste and technical approach rejected by Vaughn completely disappeared.

Watching their figures disappear into the distance, Vaughn rested his chin on his hand and blinked.

It's really...it's quite unexpected, in every sense of the word...

Although I didn't ask about the homework Dumbledore assigned, it was still nice to hear their heartfelt words...

……

From that day on, Fred and George became increasingly elusive.

If it weren't for the pressure of final exams, the two of them would have even considered skipping classes and devoting all their time to research.

Unfortunately, such a thought is absolutely impossible in reality.

It wasn't just the classes that distracted them; Quidditch was another problem.

The two were engrossed in their research for only two days before Wood threatened suicide – it was Thursday, and Wood actually climbed up to the observatory and swore to the young wizards and professors who had come to watch that if Fred and George did not participate in the training, he would jump off the observatory.

Although Malfoy mocked Wood for perhaps forgetting that this was Hogwarts, and that there were a whole bunch of wizards around who could chant "Shock Stop," so no one would die from a fall.

But the twins can't just stand by and watch Wood fall half to his death, right?
Furthermore, they were also responsible for installing cameras on the brooms used in Quidditch matches, something that both Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape had agreed to.

It is also related to Vaughn's "alleviation of economic pressure".

The twins have finally rejoined the team. Harry, who has been thinking about filming lately but couldn't find the twins, has finally seen them again.

Unfortunately, their busy training schedules left them with almost no time to spend together privately, and the days flew by.

Before you know it, Sunday has arrived.

Quidditch arrives on the second Sunday of May; this is the last Quidditch game of the year.

When Hermione woke up in the early morning, the sky in the distance was still dark, without the color of dawn.

In the dark dormitory, the quiet breathing of several other girls echoed. Hermione listened to the sounds, spaced out for a while, and then got up.

After putting on her robe in the dark, she took out her wand, whispered a spell, lit a candlestick with magical flame, and carried it into the washroom to brush her teeth and wash her face to take care of hygiene.

When she came out again, Hermione took a special look at the sky. Although there was a hint of dawn, it was still gloomy.

"The weather isn't very good today..."

She murmured, a hint of worry in her voice.

Today is the last Quidditch match of the school year, Gryffindor vs. Slytherin, which is highly anticipated and captivates the hearts of everyone in all four houses—barring any unforeseen circumstances, it will almost certainly determine the winner of the House Cup a month from now.

Gryffindor, having not won the Academy Cup for seven years, is, according to Oliver Wood, closest to the title this year and has a very good chance of winning.

Hermione, like the other lion cubs, was worried about whether Gryffindor could redeem itself, but unlike the others, she was more concerned about her boyfriend, Vaughn Weasley, who was currently on the opposing side!

She leaned against the bay window and observed the weather for a while. She saw that the dark clouds in the sky did not dissipate at all. In the vast forbidden forest, which seemed to connect with the sky, large swaths of water mist floated like clouds in the forest and in the air. Just looking at it from a distance, one could almost smell the fishy smell of the approaching rain.

Hermione returned to her bed, opened the bedside storage cabinet, and took out the items inside one by one, which were things like rainproof goggles and waterproof linings.

These are all Muggle products that she recently had her family mail to her. She initially thought that the Scottish Highlands have a humid and changeable climate in the summer, and that she might need them for Vaughn's match sometime.

After putting them into her bag, Hermione glanced at Parvati Petit and Lavender Brown, who were still fast asleep in their dorm room, and tiptoed out without waking them.

The Gryffindor Tower was quiet in the early morning, far from the noise of other times of day. I walked down the stairs, past the empty common room, and through the ever-changing staircases.

When we arrived at the restaurant, breakfast was already laid out on the long table.

Speaking of which, Hermione had always been curious about who made the food at Hogwarts every day. She used to think it was created by magic, but later, in Transfiguration class, Professor McGonagall explained the Gump Transfiguration Law, and she realized that magic cannot create things out of thin air, nor can it change the nature of objects.

Normally, when she got up early like this and no one was around, she would curiously examine it, but today she wasn't in the mood. She sat at the Gryffindor table, slowly eating her food while waiting for Vaughn to come over.

Around 6 o'clock, she waited for Ron and Harry first.

"Hermione, good morning." x2
"Good morning."

Harry rushed to Hermione's side, grabbed two slices of bread, sandwiched a piece of fried cod between them, and stuffed it into his mouth.

Ron, who was standing next to him, wished he could bury his head in the plate.

Hermione then noticed that her two friends didn't seem to have just gotten up; their hair was wet with dew.

"Harry, when did you get up?"

"Uh... around 3 or 4 o'clock?"

"Pre-match intensive training?"

"Yes, Wood said that a quick warm-up on the day of the competition is very helpful in improving performance."

“It wasn’t just us!” Ron finally lifted his head from his plate, his mouth smeared with pumpkin juice. “Slytherin was there too. We almost got into a fight early this morning over who got to use the pitch first. It’s a shame you weren’t there, Hermione, otherwise you would have seen how funny Flint looked when I pointed my wand at him!”

After saying that, he and Harry burst into laughter.

Ron found it very rewarding to be able to defeat Slytherins, something he felt was worth sharing with his friends.

But Hermione looked worried: "A fight? Is Vaughn alright?"

"..."

Ron felt a little upset. "Why didn't you ask me and Harry if anything was wrong?"

“You guys have such good appetites, I don’t see anything wrong with it.” Hermione ruthlessly extinguished Ron’s last shred of hope for friendship.

He said angrily, "I should have cursed him this morning and made him vomit snot all day!"

Then he saw a bright smile suddenly bloom on Hermione's face, followed by a hand patting his shoulder.

Ron turned around stiffly, while Vaughn looked down at him with a smile and asked, "Who do you want to vomit snot all day?"

"..." Ron stammered for a while before whispering, "Nobody... was just kidding..."

Harry, who was glancing sideways at us, tried to hold it in for a long time, but couldn't help it and burst out laughing.

Ron blushed, feeling both ashamed and afraid that Vaughn would cause him trouble.

Fortunately, Vaughn just patted him on the head, then went around to the other side of the long table and sat down next to Hermione. The two began to whisper to each other, oblivious to everyone else.

He saw Hermione, who had been so indifferent to him and Harry just moments before, now busily preparing food for Vaughn with a cheerful smile, and opening her bag to take out goggles and other items, nagging Vaughn on how to put them on.

Ron suddenly felt a spasm in his stomach and felt like vomiting.

"She's never been this nice to us before!"

“They’re boyfriend and girlfriend, we’re just friends, Ron!” Harry also felt that the breakfast setting was a bit too sweet and cloying, but he wasn’t too opposed to it.

"Don't you think she's incredibly disloyal? Anyway, if I ever have a girlfriend, I definitely won't act like her. Our friendship is the most important thing, and you definitely feel the same way, right, Harry?"

"...Uh, maybe..."

"?" Ron stared wide-eyed at Harry's stammering, then glanced at Hermione, who was busy whispering to Vaughn.

My chest suddenly hurts a lot.

After a breakfast that was a mix of pleasant and frustrating moments, as time passed, the dining hall and even the entire Hogwarts gradually became lively.

The spot where Harry and Vaughn sat gradually became the focus of attention for the young wizards.

Today, no one worried about the exams that were just over a month away, and no one hurriedly grabbed a few pieces of bread and ran to the library as usual. Instead, they passed by frequently, offering words of encouragement to Harry and Vaughn and chattering about their ideas.

Everyone's focus today is on one thing: Quidditch!
Amidst all this commotion, it was 9 a.m. when Marcus Flint and Oliver Wood appeared at the restaurant entrance at the same time.

“Mr. Vaughn Weasley!”

"Harry!"

The noisy Gryffindor table fell silent immediately.

The young wizards watched as Vaughn and Harry stood up, and Hermione also stood up, clutching the pile of rain gear in her arms.

The match is about to begin.

Harry and Vaughn exchanged a glance and walked back to their respective groups.

Before parting, Vaughn held out his hand to Harry: "Good luck!"

Harry suddenly had the illusion that time had gone back to a few months ago, when the two of them first competed as opponents, and the scene was similar.

"You too, Vaughn!"

They shook hands, just like they had done months before, and then parted, Harry's eyes gleaming with a burning desire for victory.

No matter how much he tries to accept it, the reality is that he lost a few months ago, but this time, he is confident that he will never lose again!

He's not the Harry Potter he was a few months ago!
At 10 a.m., the sky, which had been overcast for a long time, finally began to drizzle.

The temperature dropped rapidly, and the damp, cold wind, carrying a drizzle, made one feel as if they were back in early spring.

Such weather is undoubtedly very unfriendly.

But neither the participants nor the spectators wanted to back down because of a rain shower, so the Quidditch pitch at 10 p.m. was already bustling with activity.

Lee Jordan's excited voice echoed throughout the entire stadium:

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is your dear Lee Jordan. It is an honor to commentate on this highly anticipated match. As we all know, this match could very well decide the outcome of the House Cup. If Slytherin wins, then unless Merlin rises from his coffin, Slytherin will have secured the House Cup early, which would be terrible..."

"Jordan!"

"Sorry, Professor, I forgot to introduce you all. Today, my dear Professor McGonagall is once again supervising my commentary, which is quite nerve-wracking... Just kidding, Professor, haha... Also, please pay attention to the Gryffindor stands. Look, our beloved Headmaster Dumbledore is here today, holding his favorite sweets."

Dumbledore smiled, bowed slightly, and waved, eliciting deafening cheers from the surrounding stands.

Also in the Gryffindor stands, Ron, sitting next to Hagrid, watched Dumbledore's figure on the other side, and his tense heart finally relaxed a little.

Because Quirrell was sitting not far from him!
God knows how nervous he was when he discovered Quirrell had actually come to his vicinity; according to Hermione's analysis, Quirrell was most likely the Man in Black.

Ron wasn't a magic novice like Harry; he knew very well how ruthless a dark wizard who dared to cast the Killing Curse at Hogwarts was.

Ever since learning Quirrell's "true identity," the trio has generally tried to avoid alerting him, but unfortunately, they were out of luck today.

After confirming Dumbledore's location once again, ensuring that he could quickly and accurately find the old man for protection should Quirrell suddenly resort to dirty tricks, Ron turned his attention to the upcoming match.

When I came to my senses, I overheard Lee Jordan introducing the camera:
"...In order to promote the advancement of Quidditch at Hogwarts, Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape have jointly approved the use of some magically modified Muggle cameras in this match... Yes, yes, it seems some students have already noticed the machines attached to the players' brooms and those floating above the arena; they can record the match..."

Listening to Lee Jordan's explanation, many young wizards from wizarding families, who had rarely encountered Muggle things before, craned their necks in curiosity. Meanwhile, the young wizards from Muggle families, finally seeing Muggle things in the magical world, excitedly explained to their classmates who didn't understand what a camera was.

Although they themselves may have never seen it before.

Hagrid craned his neck, straining his small, dark eyes to widen them, and exclaimed, "Ron, is that the camera you told me about last time? It's amazing! Muggles can actually make movies with such a tiny thing. I've been to the Muggle community to see movies before, and apart from the seats being too small to fit in, everything else was fantastic!"

Ron was about to answer when he saw Hermione squeeze through the crowd. She had been with the Slytherin team the whole time, so her arrival meant the match was about to begin.

Sure enough, just as Ron winked at Hermione, warning her to watch out for Quirrell and not to say anything out of line, he heard Lee Jordan yell:
"Now, let's welcome the two teams for this match, Slytherin, and—Gryffindor!!!"

The entire stadium erupted in thunderous cheers.

The massive roar of thousands of people seemed to momentarily deflect the trajectory of the falling rain.

The lively atmosphere completely dispelled the damp chill of the rainy season. Some people set off fireworks, while others waved magic wands to summon huge monster projections—snakes and lions.

They roared in the air and pounced on each other.

More young wizards were either in their seats or rushed to the fence, shouting for their preferred team, Gryffindor or Slytherin, but even more were shouting for Harry and Vaughn!

Ron couldn't help but shout at a slowly rising red figure in the arena, tearing at his hoarse voice that was starting to change as he yelled, "Go Harry! Take down Slytherin!"

Perhaps his voice was too loud, because Harry, riding on his broomstick and rising into the air, waved in their direction.

This move drew even more enthusiastic cheers from the Gryffindor stands.

On the other hand, Vaughn's treatment was equally impressive. He had a wider range of supporters, not only from Slytherin, but also from Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, who were already out of the House Cup.

Of course, this only applies to him personally; nobody likes Slytherin House.

Hearing the cheers rising higher and higher all around, Lee Jordan's voice became more and more passionate and excited: "Listen, these are the two strongest and most popular teams at Hogwarts, and the two best Seekers who have served them in recent years!"

“Harry is undoubtedly a savior. I’m not saying he defeated the Void, but he saved Gryffindor. It’s because of him that Gryffindor has been able to achieve such outstanding results this season.”

"And Vaughn... while I'm not entirely comfortable with a Slytherin, I have to be fair, he's a great guy. That damn Sorting Hat must have malfunctioned, I..."

"Jordan!"

"Excuse me, Professor... Well, Mrs. Hooch has blown her whistle. The match is about to begin. Will Vaughn Weasley and his Slytherin continue their reign, or will Harry the Savior pull off a stunning comeback? It's something to look forward to!"

Lee Jordan was so flattered by Harry that he blushed.

But a sense of mission also subtly surfaced in Harry's mind.

Gryffindor finished last for seven consecutive seasons, while Slytherin dominated the top spot during those seven years.

The three houses have been suffering under Slytherin's thumb for far too long!
He embodies everyone's expectations and hopes.

Must win!
The wind and rain intensified.

At Madam Hooch's loud whistle, the Quaffle was tossed high into the air, flying against the rain curtain. Harry gripped the broom handle tightly, wiping the rain off his face as he watched the Quaffle's trajectory.

At one point, he noticed Vaughn across from him.

That's a completely different art style—

Everyone was in a sorry state in the rain, soaked to the bone, and had to curl up to resist the cold wind.

Only Vaughn, wearing goggles and a waterproof lining, sat upright on his broom, his robes fluttering in the wind.

For a fleeting moment, Harry suddenly understood Ron's jealousy...

Perhaps it was her appearance and looks that made her unlucky.

Gryffindor lost on the first goal of the game.

"Angelina failed to steal the ball, and Flint, with his gorilla-like arms, easily scooped it into his arms. Derian Pursey reacted quickly, swiftly closing in on the burly captain to help him alleviate the attack from Angelina and Arya... Merlin! They knocked Arya away, those two rude bastards—"

"Jordan!"

"I'm sorry, Professor, please forgive my indignation... Fortunately, the Weasley twins reacted quickly. Fred... George... well, never mind, one of the twins stayed behind to hold off Derek and Boll (the batter), while the other swung his bat and charged into the fray."

"The tackling is fierce! The addition of one of the twins compensates for Angelina and Arya's lack of strength. It seems the Gryffindor team has been training specifically after their last defeat... That's it! Using numerical superiority to surround Flint, constantly pressing him... Wait, what am I seeing—"

Amid gasps from Lee Jordan and the other spectators, a streak of dark green lightning mixed with silver suddenly cut into the battlefield from high above.

The swift momentum created air currents that immediately disrupted Gryffindor's pressing formation.

Arya, who was at a disadvantage in terms of size, was almost pulled off the broom.

At the same time, cheers erupted from the Slytherin stands.

"It's Vaughn Weasley! That handsome guy who's the envy of everyone, just like a few months ago, using the broom's excellent performance and his own superb reflexes to weave and disrupt the Gryffindor formation. Bole has also caught up, hitting the wandering ball to coordinate with him. This is Slytherin's infamous disruptor tactic..."

"Jordan!" Professor McGonagall roared in fury.

Lee Jordan quickly apologized: "Sorry, Professor, I was just too excited, and 'troublemaker' isn't a derogatory term..."

But Professor McGonagall clearly didn't want to hear his explanation: "If you continue like this, I'll disqualify you from commentating!"

Ron in the Gryffindor stands wholeheartedly agreed.

"Professor McGonagall should kick him out right now, that big mouth!"

Hermione looked at Ron in surprise: "How strange, you're actually speaking up for Vaughn?"

“How could that be? I would never speak up for him in my entire life.”

"Then why did you..."

Ron snorted: "Think about it, if Vaughn is a troublemaker, then what are Harry and the others?"

Hermione: "..."

This perspective... was something she hadn't considered...

As he spoke, cheers erupted again from the surrounding stands.

Thanks to Vaughn's aggressive attack, Flint and Pryce were able to break free from Angelina and Arya's clutches, and the two exchanged possession of the ball back and forth, taking turns attacking the Gryffindor goal.

Even if Wood tried his best to block, with the defense in front of the goal collapsing, he, as a goalkeeper, had no chance of stopping the Slytherin team's attack unless he had three heads and six arms.

"Goal! Slytherin leads 10-0... It's a real shame that Gryffindor executed their tactics very well at the start. They were trying to make up for their weaknesses from a few months ago and learned from Slytherin's strategy of having a numerical advantage, but they still suffered a setback because of Vaughn Weasley."

"That's the impact a good Seeker can have on the game. So the question is, where's Harry? Where is Harry?"

Harry's fighting too!
After their previous defeat, the Gryffindor team carefully analyzed the reasons for their loss.

While Angelina Johnson and Arya Spinnet certainly bear some responsibility, Harry's share of the blame is equally significant. It's clear to everyone that Gryffindor completely lost to Vaughn's flanking maneuvers in that match.

Throughout the match, Gryffindor faced the predicament of Vaughn drawing away the ball and disrupting their formation, both offensively and defensively.

Therefore, in the post-match review, everyone agreed that in order to break down Slytherin's powerful offensive capabilities, they needed to find a way to limit Vaughn.

But the chances of that happening are too slim. Even if Harry is very confident, he doesn't think he's a match for Vaughn. In their first match, they were both newcomers to the team. Harry could only watch from the air, while Vaughn was able to participate in the team's attack.

The difference lies not only in physical athletic talent and broom performance, but also in Warn's superior ability to read the game.

Since the Seeker's one-on-one, head-to-head approach isn't working, let's try a different method—for example, have Harry join the flanking battle and work with his teammates to reduce the number of Slytherins!

Just as everyone's attention was focused on the battle ahead, Harry, just like a few months ago, soared high into the sky at the start of the game and quietly swooped down towards the batters' battlefield.

"Harry... what is Harry doing? My God, he's diving at Derek! Slytherin has been tricked! During the attack just now, Boole stayed behind to help Derek in order to coordinate with Vaughn Weasley. Now he's all alone, while on the Gryffindor side, it's Harry and one of the twins, two people!"

"Harry! Harry! That cunning fellow, he's going to knock Derek off his broom and reduce the number of Slytherins!"

"It's so bloody! So cruel! It's downright morally bankrupt! But I really love it, keep it up, Harry Potter—"

The wind and rain howled past me, and at their maximum speed, even the smallest raindrops stung my face.

In footage captured by cameras around the stadium, Harry swooped down like a red shooting star.

"Oh--"

The violent wind distorted everything, and the deafening cheers around him were stretched into strange noises. Harry struggled to keep his eyes open, even though his vision was already warped.

He could barely make out two figures, one orange-red and the other dark green, intertwined in the rain below.

Whether it was Fred or George, they had already contained Derrick. All he needed to do was rush over and ram him hard, knocking him off his broom and eliminating him from the team. Even if it meant incurring a foul, it would be worth it.

As the red shooting star rapidly approached, cheers erupted from the stands, and Slytherin, who had just scored, finally realized what was happening.

But to the Gryffindor players' surprise, they remained calm and showed no panic. In fact, when Vaughn whistled, Flint, Puse, and Bool rushed at them like madmen.

Vaughn then swooped down diagonally.

Meanwhile, Harry had already rapidly approached Derek!

Just as he was struggling to control the broom, preparing to adjust its direction and knock Derek down with the broom's tail.

A faint whistling sound came from afar, and then something unexpected happened.

Derek, who had been eager to get away, suddenly jumped off the broom and pounced on one of the twins.

Poor broom, how could it possibly support two people?

To Harry's astonishment, it suddenly flipped over, and the two who were embracing each other plummeted downwards.

broken!

Just as Harry was filled with terror, Lee Jordan's exclamation echoed throughout the stadium: "Oh no, Derek is a trap, a trap to lure Harry into participating in the attack!"

Harry's mind went blank.

Under the intense shock of terror, his perception of time seemed to stretch out, and everything in his field of vision slowed down. He saw raindrops streak past his eyes, and he saw Fred or George being held tightly by Derek, tumbling and falling in mid-air.

I also saw myself reaching out, trying to grab them, but it was all in vain.

Everything was a replica of last year, except that back then, it was he who fell off the broom.

Why did things turn out this way?
A sense of confusion surfaced amidst their chaotic thoughts. Everything had been progressing well before. Over the past few months, in order to defeat Slytherin, they had reviewed their previous failures over and over again, including their subsequent matches against Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw.

Everyone on the team knows that Slytherin is very strong!
The strength here refers not only to Vaughn, but also to the overall quality of the Slytherin team.

Based on the head-to-head analogy, apart from the twins who are batters and the goaltender Wood, the other three members of the Gryffindor team have no confidence in competing with their opponents in the same position.

To defeat such a strong team with superior overall quality, we cannot engage in traditional offensive or defensive battles. Instead, we must find a way to achieve victory by taking a surprise approach and weakening their advantage!
So Wood later devised a tactic of attrition warfare.

This was designed based on the Slytherin team's style.

Wood had been studying the Slytherin team for a long time and he discovered that the Slytherin team loved to attack and rarely played defensively.

Since Vaughn joined the team this year, he has further intensified the Slytherin team's offensive tactics. He has practically turned the Seeker position into a super libero, relying on high-performance brooms and quick reflexes to support his weaving tactics, like a shuttle weaving through cotton thread.

That relentless attack was incredibly oppressive and seemed impossible to counter.

However, in Wood's view, there is no truly perfect and unsolvable tactic in the world; it also has weaknesses. While Vaughn's fast-paced offensive waves are indeed intimidating, they also force his teammates to accelerate at full speed during the offense in order to keep up with his pace.

In other words, once a targeted arrangement is made, even a slight obstruction to one of them will disrupt that person's rhythm, pull them out of Slytherin's attack sequence, and effectively isolate them.

The tactic of attrition warfare emerged as a result.

In fact, today's match initially went as they had anticipated, with Slytherin displaying a strong offensive from the start.

Angelina lost the fight to Aria, which was expected.

Harry, who was out on the sidelines, saw the twins holding off Derek and Boole, saw Vaughn once again employing his flanking maneuver, saw Boole abandon Derek to help Vaughn, and saw one of the twins holding them off almost imperceptibly.

Everything went according to plan and rehearsal over the past few months, but... why did something suddenly go wrong at the last minute?

Harry couldn't figure out what the problem was; he hadn't even realized it yet.

He didn't know what to do if the enemy suddenly decided to commit mutual destruction during the execution of the tactic.
With his mind blank, before he could even grab one of the twins, he instinctively slammed down the broom and swooped down!

Gryffindor will never abandon their teammates...

He wants to save people!

"Good heavens, Harry didn't catch Fred... George... Ah—damn, which one is he? Never mind, it's obvious that Harry and Wood's tactics failed, Slytherin figured out their tactics and planted Derek as bait."

"Oh—Harry swooped down to save someone… Damn it, Derek was sacrificed; he was clinging tightly to one of the twins. If Harry wants to save someone, he'll have to save both of them, which will obviously slow him down significantly!"

"Vaughn? Where is Vaughn Weasley?"

As the question was asked, Lee Jordan and the others on the court had already caught a glimpse of a dark green figure flashing with silver patterns as it sped past.

He was so fast that the rain was parted, leaving ripples in his wake.

It quickly stopped below and raised its head.

Hermione's gift of rain goggles allowed Vaughn to have a clear view without being disturbed by wind and rain.

He noticed Harry overhead, like a fiery shooting star, chasing after Derek and one of the twins who were falling together, and a smile crept onto his lips.

Everything is going according to plan—Flint's poisoned bait plan!
He wanted to retract his previous assessment of Flint. The guy was indeed ugly and stupid, but in Quidditch, Flint was truly a genius!
Wood discovered Slytherin's weakness, but Flint had noticed it even earlier. However, the cunning Slytherin captain had never changed his tactics in previous matches.

Instead, in game after game, they attacked, kept attacking, and even deliberately strengthened Vaughn's tactical position, making the pace faster and faster, creating the impression that the Slytherin team had gone mad on the offensive end.

If Gryffindor takes this impression seriously, then the only tactic they can use with the highest success rate is "fouls and eliminations".

Flint had long since developed a two-headed offensive formation (Flint and Pryce handling the ball, Vaughn setting screens), in which Derrick and Boll were largely ineffective, thus naturally becoming the bait.

This attracted Harry to join the ambush!

Of course, in the original plan, Derek or Boor was responsible for taking Harry down with them, but in the actual game, things can't always go according to plan.

Success is achieved as long as you can drag someone down with you.

The most important aspect of the poison bait plan was that it accurately predicted the reckless, impulsive, and loyal nature of the lion cubs. Both Flint and Vaughn knew that it didn't matter whether Harry or the twins were dragged into it.

The Gryffindor team will never abandon their teammates; they will definitely find a way to save them!
"What is Vaughn doing? Is he trying to save Derek? Or is he going to save Harry or his brother like last time?"

"He moved... no—Vaughn brushed past them!"

The wind whistled in my ears.

The reactivated Vaughn was like a bolt of lightning streaking across the sky!
They passed by Derek and one of the twins, who were falling and still struggling, as well as Harry.

Then it turns around and spirals out of control!
From a distance, it looks like a giant python, dark green and silver, circling the falling meteor.

Lee Jordan roared passionately, "Vaughn Weasley, what is he doing? He doesn't seem to want to help his teammates, Harry, or his brother. He's waiting, waiting... Look, someone's coming from the other side too, one of the twins, and—"

Soon, Lee Jordan will no longer have to worry about which of the twins is who.

Because they were now almost at the height of the stands, everyone could vaguely hear the guy who had just flown in shouting, "George—Harry—I'm here—"

“It’s Fred, and Bohr is following behind him… Merlin, I really hope he didn’t catch up. I already know what Vaughn is waiting for!”

Lee Jordan said in despair.

(End of this chapter)