Chapter 23

After discussing with Hermione, the two of them read for a while, then wished each other good night and went to their respective dormitories to sleep.

The next morning, during breakfast, Albert received a note from Harry. Hermione, who was sitting next to Albert, inquired about the note.

Hermione: "What's that you have in your hand? Is it a notice of expulsion?"

Albert: "Do you remember when Professor McGonagall took us to learn about flying that day?"

Hermione: "Yes, I remember that day well."

Albert: "Well, on that day, Professor McGonagall took Harry and me to meet the Quidditch team captain to see if we could join the Gryffindor team."

Hermione was surprised: "Really? But didn't the school notice say that first-year students couldn't join the Quidditch team?"

Albert: "I don't know exactly. I heard that two players who were Seekers and Chasers for Gryffindor graduated from Hogwarts, so the team needs new players before the match starts."

Hermione: "Oh, I see. So, what position did you choose—Seeker or Chaser?"

Albert: "Well, the professor asked Harry first, and he chose Seeker. As for me, I was left with Chaser, so I had no choice but to go with that position."

After discussing with Hermione, Harry and Ron arrived at the table where Albert and Hermione were sitting.

Harry: "Albert, the captain wants us to go to practice together. Will you come?"

Albert paused his breakfast to reply, "Sure, I'll come. Go ahead to the practice; I'll catch up with you."

Harry: "Alright."

Albert finished his breakfast and went to his room to change into his Quidditch gear provided by the team captain. After changing, he headed quickly to the pitch for practice.

Upon arriving at the pitch, he saw Harry talking to someone from the Gryffindor team. Albert recognized the person Harry was speaking with.

Harry was talking to Oliver Wood, the Gryffindor team captain. Oliver Wood, who was a Keeper for Gryffindor and had been the team captain since 1988, was now in his fifth year at Hogwarts and was the youngest player to become team captain in the school's history.

Oliver was known for his exceptional goalkeeping skills, making it rare for goals to be scored against him. For this reason, Gryffindor had won the Quidditch Cup for three consecutive years.

As Harry turned to see Albert, he greeted him.

Harry: "Oh, Albert, you've arrived."

Oliver Wood: "Alright, now that you're here, let me explain a bit about the game first."

Oliver Wood: "The game involves two teams, each with three goal hoops elevated fifty feet above the ground. Each team consists of seven players: one Keeper, one Seeker, two Beaters, and three Chasers. The Keeper's job is to defend the goal hoops and prevent the opposing team from scoring. The Seeker's role is to catch the Golden Snitch, a small, fast-moving ball with wings. If the Seeker catches it, the game ends and the team earns 150 points.

The Beaters use bats to hit Bludgers at the opposing team's Chasers to disrupt their scoring attempts. If a Bludger hits a Chaser holding the Quaffle, they must return to their team's starting point, and the Quaffle goes to the opposing team. The three Chasers aim to score goals by throwing the Quaffle through the goal hoops while avoiding Bludgers and the opposing team's Beaters.

Oliver Wood: "Now that you know the basics of the game, go practice with the team in your positions. Harry, practice with Alexander on catching the Snitch. Albert, stay here—I need to talk to you about something."

Harry and Albert were surprised by Oliver's words. After Harry went to the designated spot, Oliver addressed Albert.

Oliver Wood: "Since you're a Chaser now, let's practice together. As a Keeper, I need to show you the weaknesses of goalkeepers so you can score more goals. Agreed?"

Albert: "Alright!"

Everyone practiced in their respective areas on the Quidditch pitch. Harry focused on learning techniques and tricks for catching the Snitch, while others practiced hitting Bludgers to disrupt Chasers.

Albert listened intently to Oliver Wood.

Oliver Wood: "When attacking a Keeper, first observe where the Keeper is positioned—center, left, or right. This is crucial because if the Keeper is in the center, the chances of scoring are very low, especially if the Keeper is tall like me. To score on the left hoop, for example, the Keeper might simply extend an arm to catch the ball. Therefore, use a feint to make the Keeper think you're aiming for a different hoop. Another effective tactic is to lure the Keeper out of their area, allowing you to score. This must be done quickly because your opponents will close in on you fast. Agreed?"

Albert: "Yes!"

Oliver: "Now that you know, get ready to face me and use what you've learned!"

Albert backed up on his broom, noticing that Oliver was not going easy on him and was positioned in the middle between the three hoops. Albert anticipated that this practice would not be easy.

Albert thought to himself, "Alright, Oliver is positioned in the middle, so a feint won't work. He's the best Keeper in the school, so scoring on him as a beginner like me is going to be tough unless I use magic. If I use magic, things might be different."

Albert took a deep breath to calm himself.

He then moved towards Oliver at full speed, holding the Quaffle in his right hand and aiming for the right hoop to see how Oliver would respond. As expected, Oliver easily caught the ball.

Oliver: "Alright, try again."

Albert took the ball, smiling.

Albert to himself: "Okay, it's clear that scoring on him without magic is impossible. According to the rules, using a wand is not allowed, but I can use magic without a wand, which makes me nearly unbeatable in this game."

Albert smiled again, causing Oliver to feel a sudden sense of tension.

Albert placed his empty left hand on his broom and whispered, "Wingardium Leviosa."

This spell made anything it touched as light as a feather, significantly reducing its weight.

With the Quaffle now as light as a feather, Albert used the spell again on the Quaffle, saying, "Wingardium Leviosa," allowing him to control the Quaffle from a distance and guide it through the air.

Oliver: "Come on, attack!"

Hearing Oliver's command, Albert charged at Oliver faster than before, surprising him with his increased speed.

Oliver remained focused, not letting himself be distracted, and prepared for Albert's attack. He saw Albert aim the Quaffle at the left hoop and extended his arm to catch it.

But just before Oliver could catch it, the Quaffle's path changed, heading towards the right hoop and going through it. This meant Albert scored a goal on Oliver, equivalent to ten points in a match.

Oliver and everyone watching the practice were stunned. The crowd clapped for Albert, praising his abilities.

"Well done, new guy! We're really impressed by your skills. This means we have another strong player besides Oliver."

"Yes, this will help us win the next Quidditch Cup."

"Fantastic! I'm excited for the match."

Everyone celebrated, pleased to have a strong new player like Albert.

Harry, who had focused intensely on catching the Snitch, was unaware of the practice session between Oliver and Albert. He finally caught the Snitch after putting in maximum effort.

Oliver: "I'm really surprised. How did you make the Quaffle maneuver and change direction?"

Albert was unsure how to respond, but before he could speak, a voice announced, "Alright, students, practice time is over. Return to your dormitories."

Everyone descended from the pitch and headed to their respective common rooms.

Albert and Harry talked about their practice session, with Harry sharing that he caught the Snitch, while Albert mentioned his successful goal against Oliver.

Time passed slowly as they talked, and finally, as darkness fell, Hermione and Ron waited for Harry and Albert to change their clothes and leave. They then went back to the common room to get their school books before heading to the Astronomy Tower for their Astronomy class.