💎 WEEKLY POWER GOALS 💎
🔥 30→2ch | 60→5ch | 100→8ch | 200→15ch | 400→25ch
⏰ Resets Monday!
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When they left the botanical garden, it was already past five in the afternoon. Although dark clouds ominously lingered overhead, the entire afternoon only saw several sporadic light rains from start to finish.
People out for walks also appeared. Gray-haired elderly couples arm in arm, backs bent, slowly talking about household matters. Cool evening breeze blew. Made the student list in Anthony's hand rustle loudly.
"Miss Stinson!" Anthony called. "Stinson!"
"Here, Professor!" Stinson straightened up. Waved. She'd been bending down making faces to amuse the child in the stroller. That young couple stood beside smiling. Their child giggled. Quickly reached out and grabbed Stinson's hair.
"Whoa!" Stinson exclaimed. Rescued her hair from the baby's mouth. "Sorry, this can't be eaten." She'd sprayed half a bottle of Sleekeazy's Hair Potion before departure.
She waved at the couple holding the stroller handle. Quickly ran back among her classmates. Arranged her hair laughing. "He'll be a great Seeker someday."
The classmate beside turned back to look. Said quietly, "They're Muggles."
"I know," Stinson said carelessly. "But who knows if he'll come to Hogwarts in the future. Besides, they also have some similar sports. What's it called... football?"
"Completely different!" A Quidditch fan immediately refuted. Then quickly glanced at Anthony's direction. Lowered voice. "Rules, gameplay all completely different. And they don't have Seeker positions."
Stinson shrugged. "Alright. I'm no football master."
"You don't need to be a football master to know they don't have Seekers and such," the other muttered. "Just watch Quidditch..."
The classmate beside him interjected. "Who are you supporting this match?"
"Ravenclaw!" the fan said without hesitation. "I mean, I know if Ravenclaw wins this match, Gryffindor's chance of getting the Quidditch Cup becomes smaller. But any rational person wouldn't support Slytherin, right?"
"On the contrary, after calculating scores, rational people should precisely support Slytherin," that classmate said fairly.
His Quidditch-loving Gryffindor classmate glared at him. "You're going to support Slytherin, mate?"
"Of course not!" He laughed loudly. "I'm not a rational person!" He waved his fist. Used a rather inelegant verb before "Slytherin."
Anthony reminded across the crowd. "Watch your language, Mr. Umfreville."
"Yes, Professor," Umfreville said. "Crush Slytherin!"
Anthony nodded. Continued leading students toward the station. According to the timetable, the train back to that Muggle town was in an hour. Originally students wanted to stay at the botanical garden longer. But when Anthony hesitantly said "Alright, I was planning to let you freely buy some souvenirs on the street," everyone called out. Said goodbye to Mr. Lind in a jumble of voices.
What Anthony didn't expect was several Gryffindor students even managed to buy alphabet cookies at Marks & Spencer. Used them to spell "SLYTHERIN BREAK A LEG." Proudly carried the plate touring through train carriages for exhibition.
Whenever Quidditch match days approached, students increasingly showed support for certain teams. If one side fighting was Slytherin, then the castle the week before the match was filled everywhere with Weasley twins' Auto-Insulting Paint Tubes. Painted corridors and ceilings colorfully.
Because Anthony was preparing for Thursday's Apparition test—by the way, he passed very smoothly. Just the examiner somehow heard about his Splinching story. Scrutinizingly stared at his neck for quite a while—he also missed some excitement this week.
For some reason, these paint tubes would curse along with people trying to stop their graffiti. So besides concise clear "SLYTHERIN IDIOTS," corridors also had slogans like "GREASY GIT," "DAMN FILCH," "TO HELL WITH YOU CAT," "HAHA, GO TO HELL."
However when a Weasley paint tube scurried into Transfiguration classroom to avoid Mrs. Norris, under Professor McGonagall's stern glare wrote rainbow-colored "CRAZY WOMAN," everyone froze. Professor McGonagall raised an eyebrow. Let this audacious paint tube clatter to the floor. Casually cast a Vanishing Spell.
A day later, everyone found castle corridor walls clean and tidy. Armor polished bright. Floors spotless. Only ceilings remained brilliant. When using paint tubes, they'd whoosh to ceiling sides. Explode a burst of colorful paint. Then start their prophecies about how unlucky Slytherin would be this match.
Mrs. Norris anxiously meowed in corridors. Filch held a mop trying to knock them down. Could only exhaust himself panting. Peeves floated midair. One paint tube in each hand. Cheerfully squeezed them onto Filch's forehead.
Because everyone walked looking up, more students bumped into each other in corridors. Madam Pomfrey angrily treated several students. They rolled down stairs from watching too intently. Slytherin people looked gloomy. Wrapped in robes walking around the castle. Didn't spare a glance at paint tubes above creaking trying to squeeze out last bits of insults.
Filch tried catching culprits. Like an aged hound followed behind Weasley twins. Wrinkled his nose trying to sniff out any possibility of detention. But he couldn't even find evidence proving Auto-Insulting Paint Tubes related to Weasley twins. Even though the whole castle called them "Weasley Paint Tubes."
Gryffindor prefect Percy Weasley was very dissatisfied with this. Whenever he saw Weasley Paint Tubes, his face looked so terrible people who didn't know better might think he was also Slytherin.
"Don't talk nonsense. Nothing to do with us," Anthony heard the twins tell a lower-year beside wanting more tubes when leaving the library. "Hey, maybe Peeves did it?"
"Please, I really need them! Snape gave me detention!" that lower-year begged. "Don't you want to see paint tubes flying in Slytherin corridors too?"
The twins looked at each other. Still shook their heads.
Anthony stopped. Nodded at students hurrying past. Pretended to suddenly develop deep interest in Witch Weekly on the newsstand beside the door. They were selecting Most Charming Smile Award. Over fifty wizards and witches in their small portrait frames smiled warmly and kindly at Anthony. Arranged their hair. Or stroked cheeks with hands. He turned to the next page with goosebumps. Stared at broccoli and prawn recipes.
Then the Weasley twins' younger brother passed with his friends. Just happened to hear.
"Give her some, Fred!" Ron said dissatisfied. "She won't rat you out!"
Hermione disapprovingly told that lower-year student. "Parvati, you'll only make your punishment worse!"
"I don't care!" Parvati said. "Those Slytherins dared say that about me. They'll pay!"
Harry looked around. Took two paint tubes from his bag. Stuffed them into Parvati's hands. "Have fun."
"Harry!" Hermione called.
Harry said carelessly, "Snape hates me enough already." But he still instructed Parvati, "Don't say I gave them."
Parvati nodded. Sneakily put paint tubes in her bag. Walked away looking guilty. As if Harry handed her not paint tubes but dragon eggs.
"You really shouldn't do this," Hermione told Weasley twins. "They're making the castle a mess. Besides, Slytherin's been quite restrained lately. We shouldn't provoke them."
"Restrained!" Ron yelped. "You mean Snape calling you an insufferable know-it-all, or Malfoy calling Parvati a troll with hair but no brains?"
Hermione bit her lip. Didn't argue further. She just said worriedly, "Anyway, you have enough trouble already, Harry."
"Oh, I certainly do," Harry said. Turned to Weasley twins. "But you really need to be careful. Paint tubes everywhere. If something happens to you before the match, Wood will kill you before Filch or Snape does."
Weasley twins said, "God, Wood. He'd kill Filch after killing us." They looked at students hurrying to dinner around. Bent down. Whispered something in three lower-year Gryffindors' ears. Hermione frowned. But Harry and Ron both laughed.
"Professor McGonagall wouldn't do that," Hermione said.
Weasley twins said, "First, the match is day after tomorrow. Second, we're very careful, okay? We left no evidence. What can she punish us for."
This weekend, weather fine and sunny. Quidditch pitch crowded. Weasley paint tubes shone brilliantly on Quidditch stands. Slytherin side also made corresponding counterattack: circling the stands, a huge Slytherin banner floated high. Shimmering snake swam around the Quidditch pitch. Greedily stared at Quidditch players flying before it. If Ravenclaw players, it opened its mouth wide on the banner. As if to swallow them. When Slytherin flew past it just flicked its tongue.
Anthony sat with Gryffindors together with Hagrid. He didn't see that girl called Parvati. So specially asked.
Harry was surprised he even knew Parvati's name (Hermione dismissed this. Ron pointed out to her when Harry spoke that was because she always thought all professors were omniscient). But still told him Parvati got a whole month's detention from Snape. Now probably already polished the five hundred sixty-eighth badge medal.
Anthony asked, "Which team are you supporting?"
Hagrid said surprised, "Ravenclaw!"
"But I heard from scores, if Ravenclaw wins, Gryffindor's probability of getting this year's Quidditch Cup becomes smaller," Anthony said.
Ravenclaw already beautifully beat Hufflepuff in previous matches. If they beat Slytherin again, not good for Gryffindor who already had one draw.
"We don't care," Seamus said. Shouted toward the distance, "Ravenclaw must win!"
Dean looked enviously at the banner overhead. It floated high in the sky. Surprisingly huge. In its comparison, those colorful slogan bedsheets under the big snake all seemed dim.
"Can we get one of these things?" Dean pointed up asking. "We could have the lion bite off the snake."
Anthony held binoculars. Carefully looked at its scales. "Very exquisite magic. At least I think I can't do this. They definitely spent much effort."
"They definitely spent much money," Ron corrected. "They absolutely directly commissioned someone. Oh, that huge package yesterday morning!"
Hagrid said, "We wouldn't use tricks in this place. We'll beat them fair and square. Right, Harry?" He patted Harry's shoulder. The thin boy almost got patted under the seat. "Oh, sorry!"
Seamus said disdainfully, "Slytherin people like these things."
But no matter how Gryffindors belittled that huge Slytherin banner above, its effect on Ravenclaw players was obvious. Anyway, hearing snake hissing from that distance, or seeing from peripheral vision a python with teeth as big as people lunging at you, was a big test for anyone.
After Slytherin team scored five goals consecutively, Ravenclaw captain decisively called timeout. Anthony saw this group in blue slowly descended. Gathered around their captain. From binoculars could see captain's face somewhat tired. He was saying something to his Seeker. Pointing at the high sky.
Other players all somewhat indignant. Gestured at Slytherin banner circling the field. Complained to captain. Several minutes later, captain came beside Madam Hooch. Pointed at Slytherin banner. Protested.
"Does this violate rules?" Anthony asked. Looked up. Slytherin's giant snake coiled above him. Over ten times bigger than a Basilisk. "Are there any related regulations?"
"No violation," Hermione answered him unenthusiastically. "Rules are can't block players' sight or obstruct broom flight paths. Also can't prevent audience in stands from seeing the Quidditch pitch."
Anthony remembered they once made a cheering banner for Harry at the first match. This girl must've checked all related regulations then.
He looked up. Banner floated high. Couldn't block anyone's sight. He'd originally wondered why they didn't directly let the snake swim across entire Quidditch stands. Now seemed Slytherin when custom-ordering it definitely also checked regulations thoroughly. Maybe checked even clearer than Hermione.
Maybe even hired lawyers, Anthony thought. Looked at Slytherin stands. They calmly looked toward Ravenclaw captain and Madam Hooch's direction. Lips hung with mocking and smug smiles. A senior said something. So people around him all laughed.
"This is just the beginning," from lip-reading, he said this.
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