There is nothing easy at Hogwarts, except for Quidditch matches, where Hufflepuff easily eliminates Ravenclaw.
When Cedric caught the Golden Snitch, Ravenclaw students in the stands were utterly stunned, sitting there in a daze, unable to say a word.
Professor Flitwick came by once around the middle of the match but left after just a few minutes, clutching his chest.
In less than half an hour, 320 to 0...
Although they're used to being at the bottom of the Quidditch matches year after year, the enormous score gap was still difficult for them to accept.
Especially the scoreboard, with that glaring "0"!
Even scoring one goal would be good...
"Cedric, why are you flying so fast!"
Back on the ground, Kael said quietly, "We can already win; catching the Snitch doesn't matter."
"I must always search for the Snitch, there's no time to constantly check the score."
Cedric glanced at Kael unhappily and said through gritted teeth, "And have you ever seen a match where the ball is let go, let alone the Snitch... Abandoning the Snitch means abandoning honor; no Seeker would ever do that!"
"It's you guys, the moment I wasn't paying attention it was seventeen to zero!
This score is too exaggerated, can't you take it easy... What's wrong, don't you want to attend Charm class?"
"I didn't notice either..." Kael said with a bitter face, "It was just too smooth, by the time I realized it, the match was over."
The two exchanged glances and sighed simultaneously.
In the following days, the atmosphere at Ravenclaw was at its lowest point. Initially, their relationship with Hufflepuff was pretty good, but now everything has changed.
Though no fights broke out, the relationship between the two sides was quite tense.
Even when Hufflepuff's young Wizards occasionally greeted them, they turned their heads and walked away as if they hadn't heard.
In this atmosphere, Kael and Cedric have been avoiding Cho these days, too embarrassed to talk to her.
However, Cho herself wasn't too bothered; the little bit of emotion she had dissipated slowly after the match ended.
To her, Hufflepuff had won fair and square, and they lost because of their own lack of strength.
After a Transfiguration Class, Cho watched as Kael was about to dash out of the classroom, and she called out helplessly, "Hey, Kael!"
"Uh..."
Kael immediately froze, turned his head stiffly as if just noticing her, "It's Cho... ahem, I didn't notice you were here either."
Cho laughed at his clumsy excuse, shook her head, and took a deep breath, saying, "I forgot to take notes during class; can I borrow yours to copy?"
"Of course, no problem."
Kael hurriedly took out a black notebook and handed it over.
"Feel free to look at it; return it whenever you want... uh, or not return it."
"Thank you." Cho took the notebook.
Kael laughed awkwardly, "It's nothing, really nothing..."
After Kael left, Cho casually placed the notebook at the back of her textbook.
As a Ravenclaw, she certainly couldn't have forgotten to take notes; it was just an excuse, so Kael and Cedric wouldn't keep thinking about unnecessary things, avoiding her like they avoid You-Know-Who.
Seeing Kael visibly relieved, Cho rolled her eyes and sighed, "Oh, foolish boys."
Beside her, Conna nodded in agreement.
...
On the other side, Kael mentioned the recent event to Cedric while having lunch in the auditorium, then left the castle heading toward the Forbidden Forest.
Dumbledore successfully cured Fluffy yesterday.
Kael visited the restricted area.
As soon as he entered the door, Fluffy excitedly ran over, three big heads eagerly pushing into his arms, not showing a hint of having been tortured by Dark Magic. Its heart is pretty big...
Perhaps that's the advantage of having low intelligence.
This time, Kael wanted to check on Hagrid's situation.
After all, during Fluffy's treatment, he sat at the entrance to the restricted area every day, preventing anyone from approaching, barely eating.
The food Kael brought in recent days was left untouched on one side.
Kael estimated that if Dumbledore had been any slower, the illusion Fluffy saw might have become reality.
When Kael arrived at the wooden hut, Hagrid was brewing something, looking noticeably thinner but quite spirited.
"Kael, you're here!" Hagrid warmly greeted.
"Just finished class, I came by to see you." Kael smiled and asked, "Are you making lunch?"
Saying this, he leaned over to look into the pot.
But Kael regretted it immediately.
It was a pot of oddly colored thick soup, brown mixed with a bit of red, seemingly tinged with purple.
Moreover, the surface of the soup occasionally bubbled. As soon as Kael leaned closer, he smelled a strong, fishy odor.
"Hagrid, are you... brewing a Magic Potion?" Kael asked suspiciously.
After all, he had only seen liquid of this color and consistency in Potion Class.
Or more accurately... in Mikel's cauldron.
"Magic Potion? Of course not, I don't brew that stuff." Hagrid shook his head, "This is for Fluffy, with Dragon Blood, Dragon Liver... all the things he likes to eat.
Poor little fellow must have been terrified these past days, needs a good supplement."
Hearing it's prepared for Fluffy, Kael didn't say more.
Judging by the Three-Headed Dog's taste, this failed Magic Potion... uh, mixed soup is truly a feast.
Hagrid stirred the pot with a big spoon, then fetched Rock Skin Cake and tea, placing them in front of Kael.
"Fluffy is fine, as lively as ever, and there can't be anything better than that."
Hagrid wiped the corner of his eyes, "Poor little guy, if I find out who used Dark Magic on him, I'll never forgive them!"
Saying so, Hagrid crushed the Rock Skin Cake in his hand, larger crumbs flew into the pot, making a series of clinking sounds.
Kael laughed dryly twice; perhaps only Hagrid would call a fierce-looking, several-ten-foot-tall Three-Headed Dog a "little guy"...
Ignoring Hagrid's peculiar adjectives, Kael curiously asked, "Has Professor Dumbledore found out who did it yet?"
"No."
Hagrid sighed, "But we'll surely find out, nothing at Hogwarts can be hidden from Dumbledore, or he wouldn't have placed the Philosopher's Stone at... oh, I shouldn't be telling you this."