war and peace

On a Tuesday night in early October, with the Quidditch season approaching, Gryffindor captain Oliver Wood called a meeting of all the players to discuss their new tactics.

"Since Harry joined our team, we haven't lost a single game! Slytherin has won the Quidditch Cup for six consecutive years, but in last year's tournament, this record was broken by us!" Wood said proudly Looking at Harry, he continued his mobilization, "This is my last year at Hogwarts, and I will never be able to play games here again..." He looked around at his players, "I hope I can Leave behind a fantastic team and I hope to see our name in the Quidditch Cup again!"

"It will, Oliver." Fred and George said together, and they could see Wood's determination, which was unusually undisturbed.

"We're going to win, we're going to win," Angelina said.

Seeing the determined expressions on everyone's faces, Wood couldn't help but feel a little relieved. "Harry couldn't have been more suitable as a Seeker from last year's games. Our first game of the year is against Slytherin," he said emphatically. The size is too big, so we must protect Harry, and a situation like last time must never happen again!"

In the last Gryffindor-Slytherin match, the Slytherin Chaser tried to hit Harry on the back of the head with his bat, just as Harry was about to catch the golden Snitch.Fortunately, he heard the sound of the wind when the big stick was swung, and when he caught the snitch, he bent down and turned down the broom, with only one hand still hanging on the broom handle, which was extremely dangerous.

"Although I know it's a bit difficult, Fred and George, as batsmen, you must first pay attention to and ensure Harry's safety. This is the top priority." Wood said, staring at the twin brothers.

Fred and George looked at each other.They know what Wood's so-called difficulty is, and they are very confident in technology alone.But Slytherin's brooms are all the latest Nimbus 2001, and only Harry's broom in the Gryffindor team is Nimbus 2001.The two of them use sweeping, and the performance is definitely not as good as that of light wheels, such as speed, steering precision, handling flexibility and so on.

Harry looked at the twins, then at Wood, who had turned to get his little blackboard, and decided he should speak. "Oliver, I have a suggestion."

"What, Harry?" Oliver Wood set up the small blackboard, and his wand had already touched the symbols on it.

"Fred and George might be able to use my broom, I thought," said Harry quickly. "You know, I have a Nimbus 2000, and a Nimbus 2001."

Wood frowned. "Do you know what you're talking about? Harry, are you going after the Snitch on the school comet?"

"Nimbus! Give it to us?" said Fred and George, deliberately very cheerful.But when they saw that Wood was showing signs of getting angry, they immediately changed their tone in unison: "Harry, we know you are very good, and we are also very touched, but we can defeat those insidious poisonous snakes by riding a sweep, really!"

"Oh, of course not, I have a new broom." Harry explained hastily.

Now the entire Gryffindor team stared at him. "A new broom every year!" enviously says Alicia Spinnett, which pretty much speaks for everyone.

Wood's face looked better. "Is that so? A new Nimbus 2001?" He walked over and patted Harry on the shoulder, "Actually, you don't have to do that, Harry, you are much better than Draco Malfoy!"

They didn't know his new broom was actually... Harry swallowed, "...not Nimbus 2001."

"Not 2001?" Wood frowned again, "Is that Nimbus 2000?"

Harry shook his head.

"Don't tell me, you bought a new sweep?" Wood's face darkened.

Harry continued shaking his head.Everyone was staring at him, Harry swallowed again, and said slowly and clearly, "It's a Firebolt."

There was a sudden silence in the classroom that Wood temporarily borrowed, only the sound of the night wind hitting the window glass could be heard.

"I didn't hear...was it wrong? A fire...crossbow bolt?" Wood seemed to be about to fall, and Harry hurried to support him.

Fred and George jumped up, took one of Harry's arms, and said like a cannonball: "Firebolt! It's a Firebolt! You're only telling us now! Can we see it? Best!" I can touch it again..."

Alicia, Angelina, and Katie were all dumbfounded, and seemed to have no idea what to say.

In the end they unanimously decided to make Harry's new broom their secret weapon. "You should have told us sooner, Harry!" said Wood, before they left the room, "all the tactics I've laid out have gone to waste...Jesus, a Firebolt, our Gryffindor's... I want Make a new set of tactics around this!"

All the team members exchanged glances when Wood was not paying attention.This means that they have to endure Wood's super long tactical explanation again.But regardless, the confident squad started a new round of training, three times a week.They had seen Harry soaring so high in the sky that only a red-and-gold ribbon could be seen, and they felt even more certain of winning the silver Quidditch cup with their names engraved on it.The weather is getting colder and wetter, but none of this can shake their belief in victory.

At the same time, their Defense Against the Dark Arts class has finished teaching several common wild magical animals, about their living habits, etc., and how to deal with them.In addition to the desert for the first time, Professor Roald also created forests, swamps, ice fields and other environments in the classroom, each of which opened their eyes.The most intriguing of all is a Norwegian Venomtooth, the one Harry saw in the Philosopher's Stone level in his first year.But in the end, only Harry and Hermione successfully entered the forest to deal with the dragon. The others were either afraid to go, or were chased by its flames and had nowhere to hide, and they were extremely embarrassed.

Harry's newly chosen Ancient Rune course also went well.Because he started to learn ancient runes by himself at the end of last semester, and wanted to understand the reference books Voldemort threw to him. Nimagus Basic Theory and Transformation Guidance".

As for the private tutoring, Harry's Animagus transformation skills, which had been stagnant, had finally improved a bit.The first step in mastering Animagus is to truly understand the differences between various species or objects, and the second step is to skillfully transform between various species or objects. After these are done, you can meditate and transform yourself .

I have to say that Voldemort's transformation skills are really amazing.And, if he wants, he can turn any fool into a genius.When their relationship was tense in the second year, Harry fumbled with those transformation techniques by himself, what to say about the result?Looking at a chair with a missing leg, or a dog with eyes closed, he had only one feeling: it was lucky he was casting a spell on a teacup, not himself.These problems were resolved when Voldemort corrected his pauses in accent and wrist position in third year.

"So I can go to the next step now?" Harry asked excitedly to Voldemort, who was rummaging through the bookshelves, after he finally conjured up a normal armchair with four legs.

Voldemort didn't bother to maintain the appearance of Professor Roald when it was just them in the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher's office.His slender fingers pulled out a scroll on the shelf, and he turned his head when he heard the sound, and his eyes fell on the extra chair: "I can't fall this time... But it looks like it must be uncomfortable to sit on it." .”

Harry stared blankly.He was about to say something when Voldemort flicked his wand lightly, and an empty teacup on the table fell forward, transforming into a magnificent jeweled armchair.He flicked his wrist again, and it became a bulging circle sofa chair.With another flick, it turned into a fabric chair wrapped in delicate embroidery...

"Okay, I see!" Harry growled resignedly.His wooden chair has only four legs and a backrest, without any pattern... So the problem is not actually the comfort!What a picky Slytherin, he just wants to learn the Animagus sooner...

Voldemort walked over slowly. "Earlier and sooner, I would like to see that too. But," his eyes fixed on Harry, "I don't need accidents, even just a little, understand? This is absolutely not allowed." He put Harry The hand on the shoulder used a little strength.

Harry was silent, then nodded emphatically.

It's Halloween and the third year students have their first Hogsmeade weekend.Harry successfully handed in the signed application form this time, and Sirius mailed it back to him early.Everyone was in high spirits, including Harry.He had enjoyed a visit to the pure wizarding village with his friends this time, and visited all the places like everyone else.Deweys and Bans, the magic equipment store, Zuko's joke shop, the post office, Honeydukes... They even ventured to the Shrieking Shack. In fact, Harry and Tom both knew what was going on, but they didn't know what happened. Insider Hermione blanched before going in.

When at last they could bear the cold wind no longer, all three agreed to drink a butterbeer to warm themselves up.As soon as they entered the door, they found that Professor Roald was sitting by the bar, and he seemed to be talking with a person beside him, with a concentrated expression on his face.

"The professor is so eye-catching everywhere!" Hermione said with admiration.They had found an empty table and sat down, planning to greet the professor when he was free.

All three ordered a butterbeer each.Just as they were discussing whether the person in the corner covered in black cloth and wearing a steel helmet was a human or a monster, the bell in front of the bar door rang again.Harry didn't think much of it at first, but when he saw who came in, his eyes widened in surprise.

Lucius Malfoy and Draco Malfoy.

Hermione obviously noticed too. "Malfoy will also come with three broomsticks?" She obviously didn't have a good impression of Malfoy, "I thought they would go to some place that is more in line with their aristocratic image."

Tom was noncommittal.In fact, Harry thought, old Malfoy had only been staring at one place since he came in.And Draco Malfoy just lowered his eyes, but Harry noticed that he seemed to be shaking slightly.

Lucius Malfoy looked like he was looking for someone... Harry followed his gaze, just in time to see Professor Roald standing up, looking like he was about to leave.Mrs. Rosmerta, the proprietress, very kindly tried to persuade him to stay, but he refused with a smile.He passed Harry and the others, and the three children greeted in unison.And Lucius Malfoy's gaze followed Professor Roald's steps, and it seemed that he was indeed looking for him.

The people who were sitting next to Professor Roald also left behind him.The man appeared to be in his mid-thirties, stocky, with curly light gray hair and piercing eyes.Harry was sure he had never seen this man before, but he felt that when the stranger's eyes fell on him, there was a flash of first surprise and then deep doubt.

Harry couldn't help wondering. "Who is he?"

"Boggs Chester, the new deputy director of the Auror Division of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement." Tom said succinctly, his voice low.

"But what's the professor doing with the Auror?" Hermione asked incomprehensibly, "The one who can't mention the name is already..." She didn't go on, because Tom and Harry glared at her at the same time.

It seems that he guessed wrong before, and the target that the Malfoys are planning to cut into is not him... Judging from the current situation, Lucius Malfoy must have understood more or less that there is a certain relationship between Professor Roald and Tom and Voldemort. kind of connection.Judging from the previous two Death Eater meetings, Lucius Malfoy was obviously unwilling to be reconciled to having his position taken over by the Lestrange family, and he wanted to regain the trust of the Dark Lord.

Harry wondered what Lucius Malfoy was up to.Just when he was considering whether he could use the bathroom or some other excuse to follow, the wind chime on the door rang again.This time someone came in that Harry didn't expect, "Sirius!"