Chapter 237: The Fury
The Slytherins sang even louder: Weasley was born in a rubbish bin, he lets every ball go in...
"—Gryffindor regains control of the Quaffle! Katie Bell is speeding down the field—" Lee called valiantly, though his voice was nearly drowned out by the deafening singing.
"This kind of tactic in a match," Augustus's tone darkened slightly, "is this what Slytherin's pride has come to? A match should be played with dignity. If all we do is rely on disgraceful tricks, it would be better to admit defeat early."
Lillian noticed Augustus's displeasure and felt a twinge of fear, choosing to remain silent.
"Whose idea was this?" Augustus turned to Loki, Sol, and the others, his expression grim.
Loki shrugged helplessly, raising his hands in innocence. "If we'd known something like this would happen, we would've sought your guidance first. I suspect it wasn't one of us."
Augustus gave a faint smile but said nothing, leaving Loki and the others increasingly uneasy. Sol mustered his courage and suggested, "Mr. Augustus, should I go over to intervene?"
"No need," Augustus replied curtly, his tone calm.
"Pass to Pucey, Pucey dodges Spinnet, Angelina's chasing hard—oh no—she's blocked! But Fred Weasley—or was it George?—who cares! One of the twins has hit a brilliant Bludger toward Warrington! Warrington fumbles the Quaffle, Katie Bell—oh—loses it too?? Now Montague, Slytherin's captain, has grabbed the Quaffle and is heading for the goal! Come on, Gryffindor, stop him!"
"Pucey evades Alicia, heading straight for the goalposts—go for it, Ron!"
The singing resumed: Weasley is our King...
Suddenly, the loud chant was abruptly silenced, as if the air over the Slytherin stands had frozen solid.
A wide-range Silencing Charm enveloped the section, muting the voices entirely. Across the field, only Lee's commentary echoed.
"What's going on?" Lee and many teachers, along with students from the other three houses, looked curiously at the Slytherin section. Many Slytherins were moving their mouths, but no sound emerged. Gradually, most singing students fell silent, their faces tinged with fear, as if they knew exactly whose magic was responsible.
"Mr. Augustus, won't this dishearten everyone? After all, they only wanted to support the team and secure a victory for our house," Loki whispered, glancing worriedly at the silenced Slytherin students.
"Nonsense!" Augustus snorted coldly. "Winning at any cost? Have I not taught you to always act with integrity, whether in life or in competition? What does this behavior achieve? This time, it's merely a warning. If I see such underhanded actions again, I won't be so lenient!"
Loki lowered his head, silenced by the reprimand.
"I understand your eagerness for Slytherin to win the House Cup," Augustus softened his tone as he looked at Loki. "But the path of magic has always been one of righteousness. If we tolerate such behavior even once, it may lead to dangerous paths in the future. To succeed, you must first learn to act honorably. I hope you take this as a lesson."
Loki and the others nodded, guilt bubbling up within them for their earlier approval of such tactics.
"Since we are all from the same house, there's no need for excessive punishment," Augustus sighed. "Loki, look into this matter personally. Once you identify those responsible, issue a stern warning."
Loki nodded firmly.
Harry didn't know exactly what had happened, but the sudden cessation of the relentless singing caught his attention. Though he couldn't be certain, he had a good idea of who might be responsible. It seemed joining Julius's faction had been a wise choice—there were areas where even Dumbledore's influence couldn't compare.
Feeling buoyed, Harry ascended higher on his Firebolt, scanning the field from a broader vantage for the Golden Snitch.
"Warrington," Lee shouted enthusiastically, now uninhibited by the silenced crowd, "passes to Pucey—Pucey avoids Spinnet—Angelina's chasing hard—ah, she misses! But Fred Weasley—or maybe George?—hits a spectacular Bludger toward Warrington! Warrington drops the Quaffle, Katie Bell—oh—loses it too?? Now Montague has the Quaffle! Slytherin's captain is racing toward the Gryffindor goal! Come on, Gryffindor, block him!"
Pansy, sitting high in the stands, grew increasingly uneasy as she noticed the nervous expressions of the Slytherin supporters and their accusatory glances toward her. This entire charade, orchestrated under Draco Malfoy's name, had been her idea. She hadn't anticipated that Augustus would so decisively put a stop to it.
The students had gone along with her scheme, largely out of respect for Malfoy—and, by extension, Augustus. Many had assumed that Augustus himself had sanctioned it through Draco, so they had thrown themselves into it with extra enthusiasm. After all, earning Augustus's favor before graduating would significantly boost their status in the wizarding world. But now, with one spell, their illusion was shattered.
Pansy bit her lip, dreading the consequences. Beyond the blame she would face from her peers, she wondered if she could withstand Augustus's inevitable wrath.
Encouraged by the cheers from the Gryffindor stands and the comedic roar of Luna's lion-shaped hat, Harry felt his spirits lift. Only thirty points down—no problem; they could catch up easily. Dodging a Bludger shot straight at him by Crabbe, Harry resumed his frantic search for the Golden Snitch, keeping an eye on Malfoy to see if he had spotted it. Like Harry, Malfoy was scouring the field, but so far, neither had any luck.
"Pucey passes to Warrington—Warrington to Montague—Montague back to Pucey—Johnson intercepts! Johnson has the Quaffle, passing to Bell—it's looking good—no! Bell is hit by a Bludger from Slytherin's Goyle! Pucey recovers the Quaffle—??"
Want to read the chapters in Advance? Join my Patreon
https://patreon.com/Glimmer09