Chapter 404: Kanna’s Patronus

The rematch between Gryffindor and Slytherin took place in the second week of school, with Slytherin emerging as the victor.

According to Fred and George, Harry had tried to ask Professor McGonagall for his Firebolt, but she turned him down. Despite the match's importance to Gryffindor's chances for the Quidditch Cup, Professor McGonagall wouldn't allow Harry to use his Firebolt, prioritizing his safety. With his Nimbus 2000 still undergoing repairs, Harry had no choice but to ride a Shooting Star out onto the pitch—a relic from the Hogwarts Broom Cupboard, typically reserved for first-year flying lessons.

The Shooting Star's main merit, as Harry saw it, was that he wouldn't feel bad if it crashed. When Kyle spotted the broom in Harry's hands, he knew Gryffindor's fate was sealed.

And just as he predicted, Slytherin won in a landslide. By the time Malfoy caught the Golden Snitch, Harry was still trailing far behind, gasping for breath. The Slytherin stands erupted with thunderous cheers, while the Gryffindor side sat in stony silence.

Oliver Wood avoided looking at Marcus's smug expression, leaving the pitch quietly, his broom slung over his shoulder, with the rest of the Gryffindor team trailing after him.

As unfortunate as it was for Gryffindor, it was actually good news for Hufflepuff—and, in fact, for the other three houses. With a Firebolt in play, Gryffindor would have been practically unbeatable. But today, with only thirty points on the board, Gryffindor had effectively played a man down, giving the other teams a precious chance to catch their breath.

"The next game is key. We can't let them pull too far ahead of us!" Cedric declared excitedly in the common room. "One loss doesn't ruin the season. As long as we beat Gryffindor in total points, we can still win the championship!"

"Captain, don't you think you're stressing a bit too much?" Mikel replied casually. "I mean, isn't there something wrong with their Firebolt? They're still stuck with an old Shooting Star… Gryffindor will be at the bottom for sure this year."

"It's not exactly a problem; it's a suspicion. And the professors are investigating it," Cedric corrected him. "I saw Professor McGonagall today, and she didn't look happy. My guess is they'll wrap up the investigation soon. By the time we play Gryffindor next month, we'll probably have our answer—and it'll likely be revealed on the field."

Mikel sat up slightly, intrigued. "Is that reliable information?"

Cedric gave him a look. "Think about it—Professor McGonagall, Professor Flitwick, Madam Hooch… what kind of curse or charm could slip past them? If there were an issue, it would've been discovered by now. The professors are just being thorough."

"So…" Mikel frowned thoughtfully. "Should I keep Potter occupied and distract him from the Golden Snitch?"

"No!" Cedric shook his head. "That might have worked against his Nimbus 2000, but not with the Firebolt. The Bludgers are no match for that broom's speed. As I understand, they've already developed new Bludgers and Snitches for the Quidditch World Cup to keep up with brooms like the Firebolt, but those are for professional matches. The school won't have anything like that."

"Then what are we supposed to do, just let him snatch the Snitch?" Mikel thumped his fist against the sofa.

"My plan is for everyone but me to ignore the Golden Snitch. You and Will…" Cedric looked to the other Beater and continued quietly, "You two don't need to worry about me. Focus on protecting Kyle and helping him score. No matter what, keep the Bludgers the other team sends at least five feet away from him."

Abandon the Snitch…

When their Seeker, Cedric, uttered those words, everyone went silent. His strategy meant they would be forfeiting control of the game's pace, handing the initiative to Gryffindor and putting themselves in a wholly defensive position.

If they managed to gain an advantage, it might work. But if they didn't, Gryffindor could take control of the match entirely, potentially even securing victory with a single high-scoring game.

If that happened, they could hardly bear to imagine the consequences…

"Isn't this a bit risky?" Beater Will frowned.

"It's the only way we can win," Cedric replied. "I trust Kyle—he's the best Chaser at Hogwarts, no question. I'm willing to take the risk."

The team fell silent again.

"I hope there's something wrong with that Firebolt..." Grace, the new Chaser, whispered.

Sitting at the far end, Kyle took a deep breath, staying quiet. The pressure was intense.

This pressure meant he couldn't skip any of the three weekly training sessions, and with the Charms and Transfiguration Clubs added to his schedule, his time was completely booked. He even had to reschedule his special training sessions for Kanna's Patronus Charm to early weekend mornings.

Cedric joined the training after hearing about it, though as Kyle had mentioned, the Patronus Charm was not helpful to him at the moment. After a few attempts, Cedric eventually gave up.

February came and went without much notice. The cold, biting weather lingered, and the Gryffindor match drew nearer. Professor McGonagall still hadn't given Harry his Firebolt back, but she hadn't confiscated it, either.

Third years Hannah and Susan had managed to gather some information: every time Harry finished Transfiguration class, he would ask Professor McGonagall about the Firebolt. They'd eavesdropped on her responses, learning that most of the standard Charms had already been tested, and only one Hurling Hex remained to be checked. This was hardly reassuring news.

Meanwhile, Kanna's training was going surprisingly well. Her progress with the Patronus Charm was swift, and by the fourth session, she had caught up to Cedric.

In the Room of Requirement, two silver shapes circled each other above: one larger and unmistakably Kyle's Patronus, and the smaller one, Kanna's. Her Patronus was only the size of a fist, but even as an outline, its wings and antennae were clearly visible.

"It looks like a butterfly..." Kyle remarked. "Though, of course, it could be some other kind of insect, maybe even something like a ghost moth—"

Before he could finish, a book came flying toward him. Kanna was glaring at him, clearly annoyed.

She'd read about that creature in a book. With its ghostly appearance and skull-like markings, it seemed as ominous as a Dementor. Just the thought of it made her queasy. If it really were such a creature, she'd rather have a toad or caterpillar as her Patronus.

Kyle chuckled, having only meant to tease her. Judging by its shape and size, it was unmistakably a butterfly.

By this point, the month-long special training was coming to an end. Kanna now faced the same challenge as Cedric—transforming the outline of her Patronus into a fully formed one. This was the hardest part; Cedric had been working on it for a month without much progress.

But for now, even an incomplete Patronus was enough to repel Dementors. The light alone would be sufficient to send them fleeing.

Satisfied, Kyle let his Patronus fade and left the Room of Requirement with Kanna by his side.