Chapter 232: Sleepless Christmas Night

It's one thing to know that Sirius sent a firebolt at Harry, it's another thing to see it with your own eyes.

Ivan expressed deep shock at how much Sirius was capable of enduring.

Back in the room, Harry showed Ivan and Hermione the glowing broomstick.

Unlike ordinary brooms, even if no one touched it, the firebolt could hover in the air. Without any support, its height from the ground was just right for people to climb on.

The top of the broom was engraved with a golden registration number, showing that the broom was the 22nd firebolt produced in the world.

At the end of the broom was a perfectly smooth, streamlined curve that looked extremely perfect without trimming.

Harry was already the best Seeker at Hogwarts, and now with this international level broomstick, it would be impossible for anyone in the school to be faster than him.

At his current level, he could even participate in a professional competition.

Ivan could imagine that future inter-house Quidditch matches would be Harry's time to shine, and he suddenly looked forward to Malfoy's reaction when he saw the firebolt.

The atmosphere in the room was pleasant, the fire crackling. Ivan and Hermione each held a cup of hot cocoa and were sitting on the comfortable sofa in front of the fireplace.

In front of them, Harry held the broomstick slightly shakily and continued to talk to them in various technical terms to explain the superior performance of the firebolt from a professional perspective.

He talked about everything he knew.

You could tell that Harry had done his homework. Although it was his first contact, he knew all about the firebolt.

Unfortunately, neither Ivan nor Hermione were too interested in broomsticks and Quidditch.

Besides the initial surprise, upon learning that this broomstick was very expensive, their reaction to the firebolt gradually faded.

They continued to listen to Harry for a while, until they both finished their hot chocolate, and in the warmth of the fire, a strong feeling of drowsiness and fatigue came at the same time. They lost interest in Harry's explanation and the firebolt , and didn't want to listen to it anymore.

Ivan and Hermione exchanged a glance, and nodded at the same time with unspoken agreement.

Through eye contact, without even a word, they both knew what was going through the other's mind.

"I'm so sorry Harry!" Hermione stood up and stretched. "I'm so glad you got a firebolt , but there's been so much going on today. It's a bit late now. I want to go back to bed..."

"Oh, yes, it's too late," Harry said as if he had just realized the time was approaching midnight. "Good night, Hermione!"

"Good night, Harry, sweet dreams!" Hermione said happily.

Ivan only breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Harry looking his way.

"Ivan, aren't you sleepy? We can continue discussing the possibility of using the firebolt to do the Plumpton Pass, which, you know, is almost impossible to accomplish with a normal broom." Harry continued, "But with the firebolt log, in theory..."

In fact, Ivan was not lucid at all.

He was listening to Harry just to find out what he meant by Plumpton Passage." It is a term move in Quidditch where the Seeker takes the Snitch up his sleeve.

This action is named after Tornadoes Quidditch team Seeker Roderick Plumpton in 1921, who used this technique in his famous record-breaking game of catching the Golden Snitch.

While critics claim that his 'Plumpton Pass' was an accident, and that the Snitch had simply flown up his sleeve, Plumpton insisted until his death that it was intentional.

Anyone who knows a little about Quidditch knows that, for a Seeker, performing this move is a miracle.

Because the performance and reaction speed of the broom cannot be faster than that of the Golden Snitch, unless it is a coincidence, it would be impossible to complete this action.

In fact, the Plumpton Pass had only been done once in history.

But now with the firebolt , in theory, this fantastic Quidditch move, for the first time, would be possible for Harry.

It looked like Harry would like to keep talking.

Ivan had a headache and stood up hurriedly and said he had to escort Hermione to her room first.

Harry nodded helplessly and as such they both left the room in a hurry.

There was no one in the narrow, dim hallway on the second floor of the Leaky Cauldron. The doors on either side were closed, and the sounds of the carnival below were faint.

Ivan and Hermione walked slowly and neither spoke.

The atmosphere was a bit awkward, and the unspoken understanding of the two people instantly disappeared.

It was the first time they had been alone after kissing under the Christmas tree.

"Hermione..." Finally, Ivan couldn't help but break the silence.

Currently it was an opportunity. He could try to finish what was left unresolved.

"Don't talk, Ivan, I know!" Hermione looked sharply at Ivan. His face was very pink. She said seriously, "I won't turn you down, but I hope you can give me a little time. That thing hasn't happened for the moment, okay?"

Looking at Hermione in front of him, Ivan nodded helplessly and, once again, blamed the vampire girl, Elaine.

If he hadn't reached her, he would have reached Hermione, and things wouldn't have been as complicated as they were right now.

Seeing Ivan nod, Hermione breathed a sigh of relief and seemed much calmer.

"Merry Christmas, Ivan!" she said quietly, "And goodnight!"

As Hermione turned and walked into the room, the door closed softly, and the brass sign hanging on the door swung. Ivan sighed.

He kept telling himself that this was the normal thing to do. If Hermione would just accept his confession and let him into her room, this would be nothing more than a dream.

When Ivan returned to the room, he saw that Harry still hadn't slept. He simply washed his face, rinsed his mouth and was waiting for him with his firebolt.

He could see that he was very excited tonight.

In fact, not just Harry, everyone seemed to be like that.

There was so much going on today, and he didn't know how many people were sleep deprived tonight.

Harry was still trying to say something about the firebolt and Quidditch, and Ivan was lying on his bed, not knowing how much he had heard.

He could imagine that if Ron was there, he would sit with Harry in the room all day, staring dumbly at the broom, praising it from every angle. He couldn't do that, but he needn't have worried, because according to the plan, they were to visit Ron at St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Ailments and Injuries after lunch at five o'clock the next afternoon.

Harry could show his broom at that time, and if all went well, Sirius would convince Mrs. Weasley to let Ron out of the hospital early.

With that, he could free himself.

Ivan thought about that. His eyes grew heavy, and his thoughts gradually clouded.