Chapter 37: Broomstick Modification

Ritchie handed the broomstick to Tom, and the two of them took to the air, circling the pitch swiftly. After Tom landed, Ritchie nodded in approval and praised, "You're doing well. You really are a genius, just as Professor Flitwick said." Then he glanced at Harry on the other side of the pitch. "Your flying talent is on par with his."

Next, he pulled out a bag of golf balls from his robe, and they both soared into the sky. Ritchie forcefully threw the golf balls in various directions, and Tom had to chase after them. Tom managed to catch about seventy percent of the balls. Ritchie discreetly glanced at Harry and Wood, noticing that Harry hadn't missed a single ball so far.

Harry's talent in flying made Ritchie envious. However, Harry belonged to Gryffindor. In contrast, Tom's catching talent was not as remarkable. Tom scored 70 out of 100, while Harry had a perfect 100. The difference was significant. Moreover, the new Seeker Ritchie was eyeing, Cho Chang, had a catching rate of around 90%, which was higher than Tom's.

Next, Ritchie released Bludgers into the air and took on the role of a goalkeeper. He tasked Tom with trying to hit the Bludgers into the goalposts despite their constant movement. Tom's performance was impressive this time. He often made deceptive moves before throwing the Bludgers, successfully tricking Ritchie. Even when Ritchie didn't fall for the feints, Tom executed the deceptive moves for real, increasing the probability of hitting the target. His accuracy was almost perfect, akin to scoring penalties in football. For a Quidditch newbie like him, this performance was remarkable.

Ritchie stopped Tom after he had taken only a dozen shots. He felt somewhat uneasy when he glanced at Wood in the distance, but he saw Wood was busy with golf balls, and Ritchie breathed a sigh of relief. Ritchie was hesitant about sharing Tom's exceptional talent with Wood; he thought it might not be necessary.

"Let's go back," Ritchie said as he descended from the sky, collecting the items he had brought. He was ready to return to the castle.

"Why are you leaving so soon?" Wood shouted from afar.

"We've wasted too much time; otherwise, we won't finish our tasks," Ritchie replied vaguely, leaving Wood baffled as he hovered in the air. But he soon dismissed these thoughts and continued to feed balls to Harry. They practiced until the sky was completely dark, stopping only after half an hour.

"We're going to put our names on the Quidditch Cup this year," Wood said excitedly on their way back to the castle.

Meanwhile, Ritchie and Tom had arrived outside the Ravenclaw common room. Ritchie handed Tom a Cleansweep Seven.

"Use this broomstick for now. You're our Seeker, and although it's not as famous, it's similar in quality to the Nimbus 2000."

[Received Magical Item: Broomstick - Cleansweep Seven]

While Ritchie said to use it for now, in reality, he was giving it to Tom. Despite being a Cleansweep Seven, the cost of a Firebolt was not to be underestimated, and this could be considered a generous gift. Regarding Ritchie's last comment, it gave Tom some food for thought. Was the relationship between the Cleansweep Seven and the Nimbus 2000 similar to the distinction between Western and Indian medicine?

"Captain, it seems like you're still concerned about Harry's Nimbus 2000?" Tom inquired.

"Of course, it's a Nimbus 2000! But it's not a big problem. After all, the most important factor is the rider," Ritchie said with a wry smile.

Tom thought of Malfoy and felt Ritchie's point was valid. However, he had a bold idea. Hardware still played a significant role. It was akin to esports, where opponents used customized high-end keyboards and mice, while you had a basic set from a local internet cafe. There was undoubtedly a difference.

"Captain, since Professor Flitwick is so skilled in charms, why don't we ask him to modify our broomsticks?"

[Triggered Hidden Quest: You Always Manage to Come Up with Something New

Quest Objective: Successfully persuade Professor Flitwick to help you modify the broomstick

Quest Reward: Magical Creature Hatching Elixir (Ancestral recipe that accelerates the hatching of magical creature eggs)]

Seeing this quest, Tom's eyes lit up. He realized he could make good use of this potion. However, Ritchie frowned. "Is this really a good idea?"

"Why not? Other teams can use advanced broomsticks, so why can't we use broomsticks modified by the Headmaster? As long as they don't have offensive features, it should be fine, right? If they don't allow broomstick modifications, why are other teams allowed to use new broomstick models? Isn't the Nimbus 2000 just an improved version of the Nimbus 1700?"

Ritchie wore a contemplative expression. Clearly, Tom's words had persuaded him. A few minutes later, the two of them were standing outside Professor Flitwick's office.

"Are you sure you want me to help you modify your broomsticks?" Professor Flitwick lifted his head from his books, looking at his two students. "Are you certain this won't violate any rules? If you trust me, and it's within the rules, I can certainly help you modify your broomsticks."

Ritchie thought carefully for a moment and realized there was no specific rule against modifying broomsticks. He nodded, receiving Professor Flitwick's confirmation. Tom and Ritchie then described their requirements to Professor Flitwick and left.

Back in the dormitory, Tom opened the system panel, clicked "Claim Reward," and a message appeared: "Reward distributed. Please visit the Room of Requirement to collect it. Location: Turn left at the first intersection, then right at the second intersection. The first red bottle on the first row, and the first red bottle on the third row."

Tom: What's this?

System: First bottle on the first row, first bottle on the third row! Take the red ones!

Tom: ...

I didn't ask for a recap! I'm saying, why can't you deliver things to me directly? Isn't it normal for a system to give rewards by just clicking "Claim Reward"? Why is it that you can't handle the last mile?

Tom couldn't help but vent his frustration at the system, but the system remained silent, not saying another word. Tom had no choice but to put on his robes and head to the Room of Requirement. What else could he do? There was no option to uninstall the system or contact customer service.

(End of Chapter)