Hogwarts: I Am Such a Model Wizard

Chapter 400: Firebolt

At Hogwarts, the worst day of the year was usually the first day of term. Apart from a few rare exceptions, nobody was ever in a good mood. Not only did it mean the holidays were over, but it also meant staying up all night to finish holiday homework. The common rooms across all houses were usually lit up all night with frantic students.

But this year was different.

On the first day of term, a notice posted outside the Great Hall made everyone momentarily forget about the post-holiday gloom. Professor Lupin’s long-awaited Patronus Charm Club was finally set to begin, scheduled for the following evening at 8:00 p.m. in the Great Hall, just like last year.

“I can’t wait…”

“I wish it were tonight…”

The students buzzed with excitement as they discussed the news. Even though Dementors were no longer a common sight on campus, the memory of the last incident at the Quidditch Pitch—when a Dementor appeared and was chased off by a Patronus—remained fresh in everyone’s minds. They all remembered the radiant, silver Patronus, which seemed almost magical.

“Oh, is it really happening?” Cedric said, clearly thrilled. His Patronus Charm had reached the final step, but he’d been struggling to transform the silvery light into a full, corporeal Patronus.

“Are you going, Kyle?” Kanna asked. “Or would you rather stay in the common room?”

“Let’s all go together,” Kyle replied. “Think of it as advanced study. Besides, there won’t be many people left in the common room tomorrow—it’s no fun going back alone.”

Large events like this were a rare treat at Hogwarts, and none of them intended to miss out.

Just then, Ron’s voice piped up beside them. “Harry, look! Professor Lupin’s finally going to teach us the spell to fight off Dementors!”

“Once you’ve learned it, with the world’s best broom—the Firebolt—you’ll crush every other house in Quidditch…” Ron was practically glowing with pride.

Hmm?

Cedric’s ears perked up as he caught onto something important. He quickly turned and asked, “Ron, did you just say Harry has a Firebolt?”

“Uh, no…” Ron froze, realizing his slip. “You… heard wrong. I didn’t say anything.”

He remembered Wood’s instructions to keep the Firebolt a secret weapon until their next match. Since Gryffindor’s next opponent was Hufflepuff, that secret weapon was meant to give them an edge against Cedric and Kyle.

Thinking fast, Ron scrambled to come up with an excuse, hoping to backpedal without arousing suspicion.

But before Ron could stammer an excuse, Harry spoke up, straightforwardly.

“I couldn’t afford such an expensive broom on my own—it was a Christmas gift,” he explained.

“Hey, Harry!” Ron whispered urgently, tugging on Harry’s sleeve. “Are you sure it’s okay to tell them that? Don’t forget, we’re up against Hufflepuff next.”

“It’s fine, Ron,” Harry replied, shaking his head with a calm confidence. “The Firebolt’s the fastest broom there is. Knowing that won’t change the outcome.”

“Well, if you say so…” Ron sighed, letting it go, though he still looked uncertain.

Cedric, on the other hand, was astonished to hear that Harry had received such a valuable gift. “Wait, so it was a present? I remember you live with your aunt and uncle—they must really care about you…”

“You’ve got it wrong.” Harry’s smile faded, replaced by a dark look. Thinking of his aunt and uncle’s treatment, he explained, “They wouldn’t give me a regular broom, not even a broken one.”

“Not from them?” Cedric looked puzzled. “Then who would give you something that valuable?”

“I don’t know,” Harry admitted, shaking his head. “But Hermione thinks it might’ve been Sirius Black… trying to, well… sabotage me during the match.”

“Rubbish!” Ron burst out, his face red with anger. “Black’s been too busy dodging Dementors to go shopping for brooms! And Professor McGonagall bought into it, too! She said she’d take the Firebolt apart to check. Take apart a Firebolt! Ridiculous!”

Kyle noted that Hermione wasn’t with them—the trio’s rare split seeming to confirm Ron’s irritation.

“It’s not entirely impossible, though,” Cedric interjected with a shrug. “If there’s any doubt about its source, it should be checked out, just to be safe. Imagine if Harry found out mid-air that something was wrong with the broom.”

Ron scoffed, still unconvinced. Muttering, he said, “Well, now that Professor McGonagall’s got the Firebolt, some people are probably hoping it’s defective, just so…”

He trailed off into a murmur, too quiet for anyone to catch his last words.

Harry looked embarrassed. “Don’t take it the wrong way. That’s not what he meant.”

“I get it,” Cedric said, not seeming to pay much attention to Ron’s muttering. “And he’s not entirely wrong—I’d be lying if I said the thought hadn’t crossed my mind. But, Harry, it’s better to lose the match than to fall out of the sky again. And there’s still time. Professor McGonagall should have her inspection done well before the match.”

“Yeah, I know,” Harry replied with a sigh, seeming to take comfort in Cedric’s level-headed approach.

With that, the conversation drew to a close.

Before they parted ways, Kyle suddenly turned to Ron and asked, “But what if that broom really was a gift from Black?”

Ron frowned, but replied, “Then Iʼll apologize to Hermione and Professor McGonagall. But Iʼm telling you, itʼs impossible.”

“I hope youʼre right.” Kyle gave him a nod and walked past, while Harry opened his mouth as if to add something, but ultimately remained silent.

Back in the Hufflepuff common room, Cedric suddenly slapped his thigh and began pacing, looking troubled. Though he hadn’t admitted it, the thought of Gryffindor’s Firebolt was clearly weighing on his mind.

He knew all too well the Firebolt’s capabilities—it could accelerate to 150 miles per hour in just ten seconds and could even reach top speeds of 300 miles. His Nimbus 1700, by comparison, maxed out at 100 miles per hour, leaving him with almost no chance of winning a chase unless he managed to catch the Snitch before Harry even reacted.

But that was unlikely. After three years of facing Harry in matches, Cedric knew Harry’s skill and sharp reflexes; Harry would never make a rookie mistake. Catching Harry off guard would be a lot more likely if the Seeker were someone like Malfoy.

He refused to be defeated so easily.

“Kyle…” Cedric suddenly asked after pacing a few more steps, “do you think there might actually be something wrong with that Firebolt?”

“Probably not,” Kyle replied after a moment’s thought. “Tampering with a broom isn’t easy, especially one as advanced and famous as the Firebolt—it’s built for safety, too. Besides, it wouldn’t make much sense. There’s always a professor present at Hogwarts matches, so even if Harry did fall, nothing serious would happen. And Black went to school here, so he’d know that too.”

“Oh…” Cedric sighed deeply, hearing the logic in Kyle’s words but still restless.

He resumed pacing, determined to figure out some way to counter the Firebolt before the match.