Soon, it was eleven o'clock.
The Quidditch pitch was packed to the brim. It seemed as though the entire school—students and teachers alike—had gathered in the stands.
Many students even brought binoculars.
To get a better view, the stands appeared to rise high into the air, yet even then, it was sometimes hard to clearly follow the match.
Roger and the other players gathered around Lewis and Cirila as they headed into the locker room.
"Alright, everyone! The glory of Ravenclaw is about to arrive—we are the best team in Ravenclaw history!"
Roger delivered an impassioned pre-match speech.
"Two years ago, when our best Chaser, Miss Rianlun, joined Ravenclaw, our results surpassed Gryffindor, second only to Slytherin!"
"And this year, we've gained a young genius Chaser—Lewis Green! Whether it's Slytherin or Hufflepuff, none of them stand a chance against us!"
"Wish us luck! Tell me—what are we?!"
"Champions!"
The Ravenclaw team marched out of the locker room with high spirits, stepping into the roaring stadium.
At the very front was not Roger, but Cirila—because she was the biggest star.
Lewis followed behind, completely unafraid. If anything, his blood was boiling. Even he couldn't remain unaffected by such a feverish atmosphere.
The scene reminded him of the intense football and basketball matches from his previous life.
At a glance, he spotted the Ravenclaw stands.
Above them floated a massive banner that read: "Ravenclaw Must Win."
Surrounding it were smaller banners bearing the names of all seven players.
All of them had been enchanted with Levitation Charms, allowing them to float above the stands without needing anyone to hold them.
The blue banners swayed in the wind, and the eagle emblem flapped its wings as if it were truly soaring across the sky.
Madam Hooch stood at the center of the pitch, broom in hand.
"Everyone, please pay attention. I expect a fair and honest match from all of you."
Once both teams had gathered, she spoke again.
"Mount your brooms."
Lewis swung onto his Nimbus 2000.
It was a gift from Professor Flitwick.
The Ravenclaw Head of House had no intention of letting his student lose to Gryffindor's Seeker.
"BEEEEEEP—!"
Madam Hooch blew her silver whistle sharply.
Fifteen broomsticks shot into the sky.
The match had begun.
"Good morning, everyone! I'm your commentator for today's match—Lee Jordan!"
Lee Jordan's energetic voice rang out, instantly igniting the crowd.
A Gryffindor student, he was a Black boy with traditional dreadlocks, his speech naturally rhythmic and full of flair, with an exceptional talent for commentary.
[Instant Cast: You can consume additional mana to cast spells instantly. The higher the spell level, the greater the extra mana cost. Typically, spells above 5th-circle cannot be instant-cast.]
[You are in imminent danger. Your instincts awaken psychic power in an attempt to stop your fall. You have comprehended the psionic ability "Psionic Burst."]
"Instant Cast—Frost Armor!"
"Psionic Burst!"
In an instant, invisible frost armor formed around Lewis, protecting both him and Cho Chang in his arms.
At the same time, an invisible surge of telekinetic force erupted outward, greatly slowing their descent.
From the audience's perspective, the two had been tangled in a banner and were falling from over ten meters in the air.
A collective gasp erupted from the stands.
Professor Flitwick quickly drew his wand and cast a cushioning spell, working together with Lewis's psionic force to slow their fall.
The two of them, along with the banner, hit the grass and rolled several times.
Madam Hooch immediately halted the match.
Ravenclaw players rushed down to help them untangle themselves from the tightly wrapped banner.
Even Diggory came over, looking apologetic as he checked on them.
When they finally freed themselves and stood up, surrounded by their teammates, the entire stadium seemed to pause for a moment—then erupted into deafening cheers.
Cho Chang stepped out of Lewis's arms and raised her hand high, the Golden Snitch clenched firmly within it.
It was because of this little golden ball that she had lost control earlier.
But the risk had been worth it.
270 to 20—Ravenclaw had won by a landslide!
It should be remembered that the Hogwarts Quidditch Cup was not decided by match wins, but by total accumulated points across all games.
Such a massive score difference instantly put Ravenclaw far ahead of the other teams.
The stadium had turned into a sea of celebration.
The Ravenclaw players were ecstatic. Roger hugged Lewis tightly, cheering nonstop, completely unconcerned that he had mostly played a supporting role throughout the match.
Cho Chang held the Golden Snitch high, her other hand gripping Lewis's wrist tightly.
Lewis, being hugged and grabbed from all sides, could only smile awkwardly.
Cirila was happy about the victory as well, but for some reason, she felt a bit uncomfortable. Especially when she saw Cho Chang gripping Lewis's wrist, she couldn't help but roll her eyes.
In the end, amid laughter and excitement, Ravenclaw's first Quidditch match came to a close.
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