Days at Hogwarts

Chapter 714 The commentator was changed again.

May 3rd, Saturday.

This academic year's Quidditch final.

The opponent is the Ravenclaw team.

The prelude to this crucial match was far from peaceful. When some students met in the corridors and the Great Hall, they would hurl some harsh words at the opposing college to intimidate the opposing team. The classic nursery rhyme "Weasley is Our King" reappeared in the castle, only the version sung was slightly different.

Ron reacted differently to different versions of the story, either basking in the attention with a smug expression or turning pale with nervousness and his fingers trembling.

Nevertheless, considering the disparity in strength between the two sides, the general consensus among the audience was that Gryffindor would retain their title.

Thanks to Draco Malfoy's departure from the team, Slytherin's new Seeker is mediocre, and Hufflepuff's new lineup is still in the process of gelling. In the first few games of this school year, Gryffindor won by large margins. The field scores were converted into house scores after weighting, making the House Cup almost a foregone conclusion.

Ravenclaw has only one way to turn the tide: win the Quidditch Championship with a 300-point lead.

The chances are extremely slim, since underground betting platforms don't offer odds on winning or losing.

Ravenclaw's team has consistently been at the bottom of the rankings, unable to match the tactical aggression and ruthlessness of Slytherin, the well-coordinated and steady play of Hufflepuff, or the fearless and aggressive style of Gryffindor. Even more fatal is the disastrous transition between generations of players. New players join at the start of the new school year, spend a season integrating them, only to have older players graduate and leave at the end of the year, repeating the same process the following year.

Chambers replaced Samuels, Bradley replaced Ingleby, then captain Roger Davis graduated and left, and before you know it, even Cho Chang is graduating.

The two teams entered the field and greeted each other.

When Harry shook hands with Cho Chang, he was momentarily stunned by the sight of that gentle yet resolute Eastern face.

"Don't underestimate us!"

Cho Chang chuckled softly, loosening his grip on the broom handle with his right hand. His thick black hair was tied into a high ponytail at the back of his head. He was wearing a Ravenclaw team uniform, a mix of blue and bronze, with his robes fluttering in the wind, giving him a dashing and heroic air.

"come on."

Harry gave a sullen reply, after all, their Chaser Ginny was right beside him, smiling at him, though her gaze was somewhat unfriendly.

With Mrs. Hodge's whistle, the two teams took to the air, with Quaffles and darts flying everywhere, and broomsticks carrying players shuttling through the air.

Harry and Cho Chang did not engage in combat, but instead wandered around the arena separately, each searching for the hidden Golden Snitch.

The entire Ravenclaw team was on high alert and in amazing form, with every position performing exceptionally well. For every back pass that resulted in a goal, the team immediately organized an attacking formation to close the gap.

The heavy bat was swung in a wide arc to strike the wandering ball, producing a dull, satisfying sound.

The Quaffle could be seen constantly moving back and forth between the players, with possession changing hands frequently.

The deafening cheers rose and fell like the tides, wave after wave.

"Bang!!"

The Quake ball flew into the scoring ring at a tricky angle.

The fluttering eagle-wing flag looks pretty cool.

Loren, sitting in the back row of the audience, sighed inwardly.

Looking up, the round of attack and defense had ended, and the Ravenclaw players were whistling as they flew back. The Gryffindor players were not discouraged. They gathered near the circle, bumped fists with each other, teased their goalkeeper and captain, and then immediately launched a counter-attack.

"Congratulations to Ravenclaw for scoring again! The score is now 110-110, Ravenclaw has tied the score..."

Loren looked down at Hermione beside him and said, "This new Hufflepuff commentator is so boring. Her voice is bland, and her commentary is utterly uninteresting. Sigh, Luna was doing so well commentating on the last match, how did she get fired? What a pity..."

Hermione ignored him, this commentator who was banned for life.

...In the washroom, sunlight streamed through the stained glass, casting dappled patterns of light on the walls, bright and dazzling.

The cheers from the stadium reached the castle, where only a faint murmur remained.

Draco Malfoy's ears twitched slightly as he faced the mirror, his hands resting on the edge of the pool, his head bowed. His white shirt made him appear tall and slender.

Myrtle's pale blue, translucent head peeked out from behind the wall, her eyes peering at him from behind thick, round white glasses. She asked softly, "What's wrong?"

Water droplets dripped into the pool, making a clear, ethereal dripping sound.

"Don't do this..." Myrtle panicked slightly. She was usually the one crying in front of others; this was the first time someone had cried in front of her, and she was at a loss. "Tell me what happened, maybe I can help you. Even if I can't, I can ask my friends..."

That's enough.

Draco took a deep breath: "My coming here must be kept secret. It must not be revealed."

"All right……"

Madam Myrtle responded softly. She could understand that feeling. When she was alive, she was also bullied and was always alone, only able to talk to herself in front of the mirror in the bathroom.

Draco turned on the tap, scooped up a handful of cool water and splashed it on his face, rubbed off the water droplets, and felt the coolness of the lake water. He gradually calmed down.

Draco looked up at the mirror; a hazy mist clung to its surface, creating a blurry white haze that obscured his reflection. A thoughtful look crossed his face. "Myrtle, you…"

"What's wrong with me?"

Are you familiar with this castle?

Mommy felt a little strange, not understanding why he asked that, but still answered, "Yes, Mommy has been at Hogwarts for decades. Mommy knows every part of this castle well, the towers, the dungeons, the kitchens, the common rooms..."

"Where's the principal's office?"

"Professor McGonagall forbids ghosts from going there, but Headmaster Dumbledore never minds. I occasionally go to him to discuss theatrical lines. Did you see the Halloween performance last time? The hymns in it were written by Mr. Dumbledore. He is very accomplished in this area."

"..."

Draco's breath hit the mirror, causing the moisture to condense into tiny droplets. He spoke very softly, almost in a murmur: "I have a request."

"Is there anything I can do to help you?"

Draco looked at the mirror in front of him. Water droplets streamed down, and the blurry mirror surface gradually became clear. The face reflected in the mirror also became clear, but it was fragmented by the water streaks.

"Is there anything I can do to help you?" Myrtle asked again.

Draco's eyes gradually cleared, and he slowly exhaled: "It's alright now. I was going to ask if Headmaster Dumbledore was in his office, but I don't need to anymore. I'll just go find him directly."

"Oh, are you confused? He's watching the Quidditch final at the stadium."

"Yes, I was really confused, I'm sorry."

"It's okay, we're friends."

"..."

Draco stepped out of the bathroom and walked slowly toward the monster statue.

As I walked down the corridor with the windows open, I heard a long cheer coming from afar; it sounded like Gryffindor had indeed won.

(End of this chapter)