It is one thing to know that Sirius sent a Firebolt to Harry, and it is another matter to see it with your own eyes.
Evan expressed deep shock at how much Sirius was capable to endure.
In the room, Harry showed Evan and Hermione the shining broomstick.
Unlike ordinary brooms, even if no one touched it, the Firebolt could be suspended in mid air. Without any support, its height from the ground was just right for people to ride.
The top of the broom was engraved with a golden registration number, showing that the broomstick was the twenty-second Firebolt produced in the world.
At the end of the broom was a perfectly smooth, streamlined curve that looked extremely perfect without any need for trimming.
Harry was already Hogwarts’s best Seeker, and now with this international level broomstick, it would be impossible for anyone in school to be faster than him.
With his current level, he could even take part in a professional competition.
Evan could imagine that the future Quidditch match-ups between the various colleges would be Harry’s time to shine, and he suddenly looked forward to Malfoy’s reaction when he would see the Firebolt.
The mood in the room was pleasant, the fire was sizzling. Evan and Hermione were each holding a cup of hot cocoa and sitting on the comfortable sofa in front of the fireplace.
In front of them, Harry held the slightly trembling broomstick and kept talking to them in various technical terms to explain the superior performance of the Firebolt from a professional perspective.
He talked about everything he knew.
It could be seen that Harry had done his homework. Although it was his first contact, he knew everything about the Firebolt.
Unfortunately, neither Evan nor Hermione were too interested in broomsticks and Quidditch.
Besides the initial surprise, when knowing that this broomstick was very expensive, their reaction to the Firebolt gradually faded.
They continued to listen to Harry for a while, until both of them had finished their hot cocoa, and in the warm heat of the fire, a strong sense of drowsiness and fatigue came at the same time. They lost interest in the Firebolt and Harry’s explanation, and did not want to hear it anymore.
Evan and Hermione exchanged a look, and they nodded at the same time with a tacit agreement.
Through eye contact, without even a word, they both knew what was going in other's mind.
"I'm very sorry Harry!" Hermione stood up and stretched out. “I am very glad that you have received a Firebolt, but there have been so many things happening today. It is a bit late now. I want to go back to bed…”
"Oh, yes, it is really too late.” said Harry as if he had noticed the time that was approaching midnight. “Good night, Hermione!”
“Good night, Harry, sweet dreams!” Hermione said happily.
Evan just breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Harry turning his gaze to him.
“Evan, aren't you sleepy? We can continue to discuss the possibility of using the Firebolt to do the Plumpton Pass, which, you know, is almost impossible to pull off with a normal broomstick." Harry continued, “But with the record of the Firebolt, in theory…”
In fact, Evan was not lucid at all.
He was just listening to Harry only to know what he meant by “Plumpton Pass". It is a term move in Quidditch where the Seeker casually scoops the Snitch up in their sleeve.
This action was named after the Tornados Quidditch team’s Seeker Roderick Plumpton, in 1921, used this technique in his famous game of breaking the Golden Snitch’s capture record.
While critics allege his ‘Plumpton Pass’ was an accident, and the Snitch had merely flown up his sleeve, Plumpton insisted until his death that it was intentional.
Anyone who knows a little bit about Quidditch knows that, for a Seeker, pulling off this move is miraculous.
Because the broom's performance and reaction speed can't be faster than the Golden Snitch, unless it is a coincidence, it would be impossible to complete this action.
In fact, the Plumpton Pass had been done only once in history.
But now with the Firebolt, in theory, this fantastic Quidditch movement, for the first time, would be possible for harry.
It seemed that Harry would like to go on talking.
Evan had a headache and hurriedly stood up and said that he had to accompany Hermione back to her room first.
Harry nodded helplessly, and as such, they both left the room in a hurry.
There was no one in the dimly and narrow corridor on the second floor of the Leaky Cauldron pub. The doors on both sides were closed, and the carnival sounds from downstairs were faint.
Evan and Hermione walked slowly and neither of them spoke.
The mood was a bit awkward, and the tacit understanding of the two people disappeared instantly.
This was the first time they'd been alone together after kissing under the Christmas tree.
“Hermione…” Finally, Evan couldn’t help but break the silence.
It was currently an opportunity. He could try to finish what was left unresolved.
“Don’t talk, Evan, I know!” Hermione looked up sharply at Evan. Her face was lovely rosy. She said seriously, “I won’t refuse you, but I hope you can give me a little time. That thing hasn’t happened for the time being, okay?”
Looking at Hermione in front of him, Evan nodded helplessly, and once again, he blamed the vampire girl, Elaine.
If he didn’t get caught up with her, then he would have caught up with Hermione, and things would not have been as complicated as they were at the moment.
Seeing Evan nodding, Hermione breathed a sigh of relief and looked a lot more at ease.
“Merry Christmas, Evan!” she said softly, “And, good night!”
As Hermione turned and walked into the room, the door closed gently, and the brass sign hanging on the door swayed. Evan sighed.
He kept telling himself that this was the normal thing to happen. If Hermione was to accept his confession and let him in to her room, this would be nothing but a dream.
When Evan swayed back to the room, he saw that Harry had not slept yet. He simply washed his face, rinsed his mouth and was waiting for him with his Firebolt.
He could see that he was too excited tonight.
In fact, not just Harry, everyone seemed to be like this.
There were so many things happening today, and he didn't know how many people were sleepless tonight.
Harry was still trying to say something about the Firebolt and Quidditch, and Evan was lying on his bed, not knowing how much he heard.
He could imagine that if Ron was there, he would sit with Harry in the room for a whole day, staring at the broom foolishly, praising it from all angles. He couldn't do that, but he didn't have to worry, because according to the plan, they should visit Ron at St Mungo’s Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries after lunch at five o'clock the following day.
Harry could show off his broom at that time, and if all went well, Sirius would convince Mrs. Weasley to let Ron leave the hospital early.
With that, he could liberate himself.
Evan thought about that. His eyes were getting heavier, and his thoughts gradually blurred.
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T/N: Hey there, this is Translating_Wizard. I hope you like the story so far and are happy with the releases, I just posted chapter 332 in Patreon! If you’re interested in supporting me and reading more chapters, hit the button below ^^
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