Hogwarts: I Am Such a Model Wizard

Chapter 384: An Uninvited Guest on the Field

The wind and rain were just as relentless on the day of the Quidditch match as they had been the day before. But as Hogwarts’ favorite sport, Quidditch drew the entire school to the pitch regardless of the weather. Students ran down towards the field, huddling against the fierce wind. Midway there, someone’s umbrella got snatched away by a gust, forcing them to trudge along with their heads down.

Kyle’s waterproof badges proved incredibly handy. The Hufflepuff team stood in the pouring rain at the front of the bleachers, without umbrellas but completely dry—hair and robes untouched by the rain. Their unusual appearance naturally drew attention.

Malfoy soon approached from the direction of the Changing Rooms, still in his green Slytherin uniform. “Kyle… what’s keeping them so dry? Have you invented something again?”

“Sort of,” Kyle replied, pointing to the shiny badge on Cedric’s chest. “It’s a waterproof and moisture-proof badge. Perfect for weather like this.”

“I’ll take one,” Malfoy declared without even asking the price.

“Wise choice,” Kyle said, handing him a badge. “That’ll be ten Galleons.”

Malfoy reached for his pocket, then hesitated, his expression turning slightly awkward—he’d forgotten his uniform didn’t have pockets, meaning he had no money with him.

“As a valued customer, you’re welcome to experience it first,” Kyle offered smoothly. “You can decide on payment after the game.”

Malfoy’s face brightened, and he tried to brush off the situation casually. He muttered something about simply wanting to enjoy the perks of being a “valued customer” and assured Kyle that the Malfoy family would, of course, settle any debt.

After Malfoy left, several other students came over, curious about the badges. However, at a price of five Galleons each, the waterproof badges didn’t sell quickly, though Kyle explained that five Galleons was actually a very low price for magical items. As for the map feature, it was only available as a perk in the welcome pack for new Hufflepuff students.

A few minutes before the match was set to begin, Malfoy returned.

“I’ll take six more,” he said, handing over seventy Galleons. “And as for the one I tried out… it works impressively well.”

At that moment, Oliver Wood walked over, looking interested. “I heard from Professor McGonagall that you’ve got something here that keeps off the rain,” he said. “How much?”

“Five Galleons for the basic badges, ten for the ones with dragon scales,” Kyle replied.

“Two of the regular ones,” Wood said, passing over ten Galleons.

Standing beside him, Malfoy gave Wood a disdainful snort. But Wood simply brushed it off.

“Badges don’t make you any better, Malfoy. You’re still going to lose.”

Malfoy opened his mouth to retort, but just then, Madam Hooch was walking toward the center of the pitch, so he hurried off instead. Wood, with a simple leap, jumped from the bleachers onto his broom and handed the waterproof badges to two younger Chasers.

A few minutes later, Madam Hooch’s whistle pierced the air, and the match began. Cheers erupted from the stands.

“This feels amazing,” said Hufflepuff’s new Keeper, grinning as he came back from the front of the bleachers. “I swear a hundred people were staring at me, and Angelina Johnson from Gryffindor looked this way at least three times. Bet she was smitten.”

“You’re dreaming,” one of his teammates laughed. “She was looking at me.”

They all chuckled and sat down beside Cedric. One of them turned to Kyle, saying, “So… did you really just give us these badges?”

“Of course,” Kyle confirmed. “That’s what we agreed on.”

“This thing’s worth ten Galleons,” the player said, amazed. “If you ever come up with something like this again, let me know. I’d stand out in the rain all day for it.”

“No problem,” Kyle grinned.

At that moment, a new round of cheers erupted from the stands—Slytherin had just scored the first goal, and a few of the Slytherin students, caught up in the excitement, tossed their umbrellas away.

Amidst the noise, Cho and Mikel pushed their way through the crowd to join the others.

“We didn’t miss anything, did we?” asked Mikel.

“Right on time,” Kyle replied with a smile. “Slytherin just scored their first goal. How are you both holding up?”

“Perfectly,” Mikel grinned. “The Sopophorous bean worked like a charm, though I think I hit the table a bit hard on the way down.”

“I took the second half of the Swelling Candy, too,” Cho added. “Madam Pomfrey didn’t notice anything amiss.”

“That’s a relief,” Kyle said, and Mikel added with a laugh, “And that flash of light you conjured up was brilliant, Kyle. I used to think I was the only one who could pull off something like that without keeling over.”

“It was nothing,” Kyle shrugged. “Just a little rune work.”

They settled in, watching the match while chatting—the game was tough to follow in the downpour. The rain made it hard to tell which players were which, and the field was dotted with hazy, moving shapes, barely distinguishable through the mist. Up in the commentator’s stand, Lee Jordan had abandoned his usual banter to focus all his energy on trying to guess which blur held the Quaffle.

”Gryffindor scores ten points... Well done, Angelina—or maybe it’s Spinnet…?”

The sky darkened, and as the first lightning bolt cracked across it, conditions on the pitch became even worse. For once, Lee Jordan was hoping the game would end quickly, but with visibility so poor, spotting the Snitch was next to impossible.

“This game isn’t going to drag on into the night, is it?” Mikel muttered, shivering. “I should have worn warmer robes.”

“If they don’t catch the Snitch, then yes, it could last until nightfall,” Cedric explained. “School matches are simpler than the pro ones, but the rules are the same. I remember hearing about one that went on for two days because both teams had the worst Seekers in Hogwarts history.”

“No,” Kyle interrupted, suddenly looking up at the sky. “I don’t think this one will last that long.”

Another flash of lightning ripped across the clouds, briefly illuminating the pitch—and with it, hundreds of hooded figures lining the stands. Dementors. They were clustered along the perimeter, their oppressive presence spreading a wave of chilling fear over the stadium.

The crowd’s cheers turned to horrified screams.

“Oh no… it’s freezing!” Mikel yelped, leaping to his feet. “Why are those monsters here?”

“The excitement probably drew them in,” Kyle replied, watching the Dementors inch closer. “They feed on happiness, and right now, the energy here must seem like a feast they can’t resist.”

“So… what do we do?” Mikel asked, voice shaky, as he pulled his robes tighter around him, though it didn’t help.

“It’s okay,” Kyle said, keeping his eyes on the Dementors. “Professor Dumbledore won’t let them stay here.”

“But Dumbledore isn’t in the castle!” Mikel said in a panicked tone. “I heard Professor McGonagall mention it this morning when she came to the Hospital Wing to get some Pepperup Potion. She told Madam Pomfrey he left for London and won’t be back until tonight.”