HP: Those Years Sleeping with the Half-Blood Prince

Kevin took a deep breath, grabbed the broom, and mustered his courage to walk over.

Ian and his two companions stood on the steps of the audience seating area and watched.

The captain of the Slytherin team was a tall sixth-year boy named Theodore Greengrass.

He was discussing tactics with a batter when he saw Kevin approaching and asked, "What's up? The course isn't open for practice right now."

"I'm Kevin Walker, a second-year student!" Kevin straightened his chest, trying to appear less nervous. "I want to apply to join the Quidditch team! Any position is fine! I... I brought a broom!" He held up Comet 260 in his hand.

Theodore glanced at Kevin and the brand-new broom in his hand, his gaze lingering on the broom handle for a moment before his expression softened slightly: "Comet 260? Bought for the family?"

"Yes...yes!" Kevin nodded quickly.

Have you played in any competitions before? On the college team? Or privately?

"No... I've never had a formal competition, but I fly very well! Mrs. Hodge praised me too!" Kevin said eagerly.

A tall, thin ball chaser next to Theodore scoffed, "The people Lady Hooch has praised could line up from the castle all the way to Hogsmeade."

Kevin's face flushed red instantly.

Theodore waved his hand to stop his companions' laughter, then looked at Kevin: "Talk is cheap. See those balloons over there?"

He pointed to several colorful balloons floating in the air above the field, "Get on your broom, fly around the field three times, trying to avoid the balloons, and then try to catch one."

He then pointed to a small rubber ball at the other end of the field, which was tied with a rope and swaying back and forth in the air. "That's a replica of a walking ball. It's slower, but the trajectory is similar. Let me see your basic flying skills, reaction speed, and courage."

"Yes, Captain!" Kevin shouted back, immediately hopping on his broom, pushing off the ground with all his might, and Comet 260 smoothly ascended into the air, carrying him towards the court.

Ian squinted as he watched from the audience.

It has to be said that Kevin's demeanor on the broom is completely different from his behavior on flat ground.

Once he took flight, his nervousness and recklessness seemed to disappear, replaced by focus and agility.

He maneuvered Comet 260 smoothly around the huge stadium, skillfully avoiding most of the balloons. Only on the third lap, in pursuit of speed, did his shoulder brush past a yellow balloon, causing it to shake violently.

Theodore crossed his arms, his face expressionless, but there was a hint of consideration in his eyes.

"Not bad," he scoffed. "A bit reckless, but not afraid of collisions, and his reflexes are pretty quick. What position do you want to play?"

Kevin was taken aback. He had only thought about joining the team and hadn't really considered his position carefully.

"I...I don't know either. Captain, which position do you think is vacant?"

"We have enough Chaser, we have seventh-year seniors for Finders, and for batters..." Theodore looked at Kevin's physique, "You can start training with us, beginning as an alternate batter and Chaser, and see which one suits you better. Training is every Tuesday and Thursday evening from 6 PM to 8 PM, and Saturday morning. Can you stick to that?"

"Yes! Absolutely!" Kevin was so excited he almost fell off the broom.

"That's settled then. Training starts tomorrow night, don't be late." Flint waved to indicate that he could leave, then turned back to discuss things with his teammates.

Kevin floated back to the audience seats, but his legs gave way when he landed, and Ian caught him.

"I...I did it? I made the team? Even as a substitute..." He grabbed Ian's arm, rambling incoherently.

"Yes, yes, you did it, future Quidditch star." Ian laughed and patted him on the back. "Hurry up and put your precious broom away, you're grinning like an idiot."

Aris calmly added, "What he means is that you've passed, but you need to get rid of your impulsive habits."

Severus looked at the rubber ball in Kevin's hand and suddenly asked, "Does that ball have a predictable trajectory?"

Kevin, still excited, paused for a moment upon hearing this: "Huh? It seems... a bit? The left side bounces higher, while the right side tends to bounce close to the ground..."

Severus nodded and said nothing more.

"Who cares! I made it anyway!" Kevin shoved the rubber ball to Ian, clutching his broom like a precious treasure. "Let's go! I'm going to write to my dad when we get back! And, let's celebrate! We have to celebrate!"

Ian was pulled along by him. He glanced back at Flint and the others who were still discussing on the sidelines, then looked at Kevin beside him who was excitedly waving his arms and legs, and shook his head and chuckled.

Severus and Aris followed behind, one remaining silent, while the other had already begun to analyze in hushed tones the correlation between Quidditch tactics data and personal flying habits.

The training day on the weekend was sunny with a light breeze.

Kevin had been restless since morning, repeatedly checking his broom and protective gear, and muttering training points. In the afternoon, he changed his clothes early, grabbed his broom, and headed out the door.

"Wait a minute," Ian called out to him, "Isn't it supposed to start at six? It's only four now."

"I...I'll go warm up first! Get familiar with the venue!" Kevin rushed out without looking back.

Ian sighed and looked at Severus and Aris, "We're just killing time anyway, why don't we go take a look?"

Aris nodded: "Collecting actual training data helps to revise the theoretical model."

Severus remained noncommittal but closed the book in his hand.

When the three arrived at the court, Kevin was already circling in the air on a broomstick; the other team members had not yet arrived.

Upon seeing them, Kevin waved excitedly, then did a rather clumsy roll, nearly losing his balance before quickly regaining it.

Around six o'clock, the Slytherin team members began to arrive. Besides captain Theodore, there were several upperclassmen, all of whom looked strong and capable.

They noticed Ian and his two companions in the audience but didn't pay much attention, continuing to warm up on their own.

Training began with very basic content, mainly focusing on passing, teamwork, and basic tactical positioning.

As a newcomer, Kevin was assigned to learn from a seventh-grade batter, mainly to familiarize himself with the weight and feel of the wandering ball, as well as basic hitting and defensive stances.

Ian and the others sat in the shade and watched.

Kai studied very hard, but he was clearly inexperienced, making several mistakes that nearly hit his teammates, drawing some disgruntled grumbles. The seventh-year batter, however, was quite patient, correcting his movements time and time again.

"Use your wrist, not your arm! Keep your eyes on the ball, not your broom tail!"

"Pay attention to anticipation! The moving ball isn't a sitting duck!"

Kevin was covered in sweat, but his eyes remained focused, and he did better each time.

During a break in training, Kevin flew back to the stands, gulped down a large mouthful of water, his face covered in sweat and grime, but he smiled exceptionally brightly:

"That was so much fun! It's way more interesting than just flying around aimlessly by yourself! But this ball is really heavy, my arm is a little sore."

"A batter needs upper body strength and explosive power, so I suggest you increase your targeted training," Aris objectively pointed out.

"Take your time." Ian handed him a handkerchief. "At least you weren't kicked out."

Severus's gaze fell on Kevin's slightly red wrist, and he suddenly said, "The soothing medicine, diluted and applied topically, can relieve muscle fatigue. I'll give it to you when we get back tonight."