The widening score gap, combined with Goyle and Crabbe's relentless marking, left Cedric Diggory looking increasingly flustered.
Still, as the one hailed as Hufflepuff's beacon of hope, Cedric was not someone to underestimate. After forcing himself to calm down, he set aside his pride and focused on confronting Goyle and Crabbe head-on.
Once composed, Cedric's true skill began to show. Though he didn't have much of an advantage in raw strength against the two Slytherin beaters, his superior speed and precision gave him the edge.
As the match went on and he began to read their rigid flight patterns, Cedric slowly managed to break free from their constant harassment. Though they occasionally blocked his path, he finally had enough breathing room to start scanning for the Golden Snitch.
Then, just moments before the game reached the point where even catching the Snitch wouldn't secure a win, both Cedric and Pansy caught a flicker of gold at the same time from the corner of their eyes.
"Found you!"
"Don't even think about stopping me!"
In an instant, two streaks of light tore across the pitch—one green, one yellow.
Cedric leaned forward, gripping his broom tightly as he dove straight toward Pansy's position.
The crowd of young wizards, who had moments ago been cheering for Draco's spectacular play, fell completely silent. Every gaze locked on the two speeding figures, afraid to even blink for fear of missing a second of the chase.
"A showdown! It's a duel between the two Seekers! Whoever catches the Golden Snitch first wins the match... Wait! Draco hasn't stopped! He's completely unfazed—he scores again!!... And he's still going! The moment the play resets, Draco's already moving!"
It was clear to everyone that Cedric's broom wavered for just a second. Draco's latest goal had widened the lead by 150 points, and that single moment of hesitation shook Cedric's focus.
And in Quidditch, a single instant decides everything.
"Quite the show, isn't it?"
"You're right, but Albus, we have more pressing matters, don't we?"
"I think you'll like my sweets."
As Dumbledore led Cornelius Fudge away from the Quidditch Pitch, the match reached its conclusion.
The result was both expected and surprising.
Expected, because Draco had once again overwhelmed his opponents through sheer skill.
Surprising, because the one who caught the Golden Snitch wasn't Cedric Diggory—the confident Hufflepuff everyone had pinned their hopes on—but Pansy Parkinson, who proudly held up the Snitch as if presenting a treasure to Draco himself.
Watching Pansy puff out her chest in triumph, Draco's expression turned faintly complicated.
It marked a rare victory for the Slytherin team—one secured not by brute dominance, but by catching the Golden Snitch.
...
No one had expected that just as Draco widened the score gap to 150 points, it would be a girl who ended the match.
From that day on, the glow surrounding Cedric Diggory dimmed noticeably. The friendly greetings and admiring glances he used to receive wherever he went now felt like nothing more than a fleeting dream.
For the young wizards who had long hoped to defeat Slytherin, it was nothing short of a sudden disaster.
Fortunately, the approaching holidays eased much of that frustration.
On Christmas Eve, the skies suddenly cleared, revealing a brilliant, pearly white. That morning, even the muddy ground was coated with a thin layer of glittering frost. Inside the castle, students buzzed with excitement as they discussed their plans for Hogsmeade.
"We can get all our Christmas gifts there!"
"We'd better hurry, or the queues will be endless."
"Oh, stop talking strategy for once, Wood—it's the holidays."
But these conversations didn't include Harry Potter.
"Harry, are you alright?"
"Don't worry about me, Seamus. I'm just... a bit jealous, that's all."
"Hmm... maybe George has something that could help? Like one of those enchanted quills that can copy your aunt's handwriting?"
Seamus's idea made Harry's eyes brighten.
But just as he began seriously considering finding George and Fred, Hermione, who had been standing nearby, spoke up sharply, her tone edged with irritation.
"Don't be ridiculous. I heard from Professor McGonagall that she uses a charm to verify real signatures. So, Harry, you'd better stay here at the castle. More importantly, don't forget what you said before."
"...You're right, Hermione."
Harry wasn't sure why Hermione's mood had been so unpredictable lately, but her words reminded him of something important.
Not long ago, he had told Hermione and the others what the Minister of Magic had once said to him—back during that encounter in Diagon Alley, when they'd run into Draco.
Still uneasy, Hermione lowered her voice again.
"You said it yourself—Sirius Black's target is probably you. So don't do anything reckless."
"I haven't forgotten. The Minister did say that."
Even so, while Harry agreed aloud, his gaze couldn't help drifting toward the Weasley twins. Clearly, for someone like Harry Potter, giving up so easily wasn't an option.
Hermione noticed the guilty look on his face but chose not to press further. Whether or not it worked, she doubted Professor McGonagall would be fooled by any of the twins' prank inventions anyway.
So she let the matter drop.
Or perhaps it was because she simply didn't have the energy to care.
The fatigue in her eyes and the way she kept rubbing her temples didn't escape Draco's notice as he passed by. It was hard to imagine this was the same girl who always jumped at every chance to criticize Slytherin.
And beside her, Ron Weasley's unusual silence caught Draco's attention even more.
Still, seeing Hermione like this reminded Draco of something he had meant to speak with her about earlier...
...
If you'd like to support my work and unlock advanced chapters, you can follow me on P@treon.
[Upto 50 chapters ahead for now]
[email protected]/BlurryDream