Chapter 37: Quidditch Match
Wade had no idea that after just one brief meeting, Professor Murray had placed great expectations on him. He was simply thrilled that his alchemy studies, which felt like fumbling in the dark, could now receive professional guidance.
When he entered the Great Hall, all four long tables were nearly empty, with only a few students slowly eating breakfast. It was Sunday, and most students wouldn't wake up early, so breakfast time had been extended by half an hour.
Wade casually grabbed two sandwiches and noticed West Moore, the Ravenclaw sixth-year prefect, sitting at the end of the long table. He walked over and sat beside him.
"Good morning, West."
"Morning, Wade," West said lazily. "It's rare to see you sleep in."
Wade leaned forward and asked quietly, "West, do you know who the school's alchemy professor is?"
"Of course, it's Professor Terrence Murray," West replied. "I'm taking his advanced class this year—why do you ask?"
"Because I'm really interested in alchemy, and I wanted to learn more about it in advance." Wade didn't mention his encounter with the Professor and instead asked:
"Which one is Professor Murray? I don't recall anyone mentioning him during the opening ceremony."
"That's because Professor Murray is rarely at school. You wouldn't see him at the opening ceremony or the Halloween feast," West explained as if it were obvious.
"He's a renowned alchemist, and his skills are said to be second only to Nicolas Flamel. Of course, there are at least five or six people who are called 'The Second Nicolas Flamel,' but Professor Murray isn't the type to chase fame.
He's the real deal."
West leaned in closer, lowered his voice and said with admiration:
"Did you know? Professor Murray even has shares in the Nimbus Racing Broom Company and Wizarding Wireless.
He's a close friend of the famous singer Celestina Warbeck and collaborates with several Ministries of Magic, and has contributed to the renovation of at least three of them.
This past Halloween, he was in France attending the Carcassonne Alchemy Conference, which only the top alchemists in the world get invited to."
"So, given how busy he is—" West returned to his normal volume and said:
"The fact that he takes time every week to teach us is amazing. He can't stay at the school like other professors, and you'll almost never see him eating in the Great Hall.
But starting to study alchemy now is a very wise move. By the time you get to sixth year and start learning directly from him, you'll really stand out. Who knows, you might even become his apprentice and skyrocket to success!"
"Skyrocket to success?" West's friend Benson suddenly chimed in. He appeared out of nowhere, his hair was a mess and there was still some toothpaste foam on his face.
He grabbed a pie from the table and, without waiting for West to answer, urged, "Hurry up! If we're late, we won't get a good seat."
"Hold on!" West waved his wand, casting a Scourgify (cleaning charm) on him before saying:
"What's the rush? The Gryffindor vs. Slytherin match doesn't start for another half hour! And since they'll be flying in the air, it doesn't matter where we sit."
"How could it be the same? If all that's left are the seats behind the pillars, we won't be able to see anything exciting! Plus, I don't want to sit next to Slytherin..." Benson grumbled as he pulled West along, striding toward the Quidditch pitch.
West called back, "Wade, you'd better hurry too—"
Before he could finish, he was dragged out of the Great Hall.
Wade then realized that the reason the hall was so empty wasn't because students were sleeping in but because most of them had already gone to the Quidditch pitch.
With everything that had happened since last night, he had completely forgotten that the first Quidditch match was today.
After Benson urged West out, the few remaining students in the Great Hall seemed to suddenly become aware of the time and hurriedly ran outside.
Wade finished a cup of hot water that had magically appeared in front of him, then made his way toward the Quidditch pitch.
Nearly the entire school had gathered at the pitch. Many students were holding binoculars to get a better view of the game.
The stands were packed, layer upon layer rising into the air. Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff students mingled with Gryffindor, while Slytherin sat together in their own section.
At the top row, the Gryffindor students had hung a massive banner that read "Potter for the Win," with the letters flashing in different colors. Someone had even drawn a lifelike lion on it.
The players from both teams emerged from the locker rooms, and the entire crowd erupted in cheers and applause.
Although there were only a few hundred people, they roared with the intensity of a stadium packed with thousands. The players, like NBA stars, basked in the support and cheers from their respective houses.
Wade climbed to the top row of the stands and quickly spotted his target—several professors had gathered in one area, likely to avoid being crowded by the students. Professor Snape, with his dark, crow-like appearance, was particularly easy to find.
Soon, Wade spotted Professor Quirrell as well—he was sitting close to Snape, with his head wrapped in a large scarf, and he was staring intently at Harry Potter, who had just mounted his broom.
Quirrell's pale face had a faint blush, as if he, too, was caught up in the excitement of the match.
With a sharp whistle from Madam Hooch, the players from both teams soared into the sky, quickly becoming small black dots. The students in the stands instinctively stood up, craning their necks to follow the action, gasping as the game unfolded.
Wade slowly made his way through the crowd while listening to Gryffindor student Lee Jordan's energetic commentary: "Flint misses the goal! Gryffindor's keeper, Wood, makes a brilliant save—"
As the two teams battled back and forth, Wade finally reached the area near the professors' stand. With the students on either side providing some cover, he discreetly pulled out his wand and quickly waved it!
Quirrell was clapping for Gryffindor's goal, smiling along with the other professors, completely ignoring Snape's scowl nearby.
Just as he was about to secretly cast a curse on Harry Potter's broom, his body suddenly lurched forward, and he tumbled uncontrollably down the stands, even knocking over several students along the way.
To everyone, it appeared as if Professor Quirrell had just gotten too excited watching the match and accidentally fallen.
A group of students rushed to help him up, and when they did, they saw Quirrell holding his nose, with blood streaming down in two lines.
"Are you alright, Professor Quirrell?" Professor Sprout asked, concerned.
At the same time, Lee Jordan's ecstatic voice echoed across the stadium—
"Harry Potter has caught the Golden Snitch! Gryffindor wins by 170 points to 20! This is a tremendous victory! The great Harry Potter! He defeated the Slytherin team in his first game as Seeker!"
Quirrell, with his face smeared with blood, suddenly turned his head and stared blankly at the celebrating Gryffindor team, completely forgetting to mask his now twisted expression.
Fortunately, everyone around was cheering wildly, so hardly anyone noticed his change in demeanor.
'Hardly anyone' because Professor Snape, with an equally livid face, was staring at him gloomily.
Behind Quirrell, several rows away, Wade discreetly lowered his wand. After casting one last glance at Quirrell, he blended into the excited crowd of students and returned to the castle.
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