"Malfoy," Kate suddenly called out, "I just heard you say you once rode a broomstick and dodged a Muggle airplane?"
Startled by his name being called, Malfoy twitched and turned around with a somewhat unpleasant expression. "So what if I did?"
Do not fear; he now had Crabbe and Goyle to protect him. He reckoned this Kate wouldn't dare do anything to him.
He lifted his chin arrogantly. "All children born into wizarding families—including you—should have ridden a broomstick, right?"
"I haven't," Kate answered honestly. "But I'm curious, how did you avoid Muggle radar and get close to the plane without being detected?"
Radar—this term was truly unfamiliar to young wizards who had never been in contact with Muggle society.
Malfoy vaguely felt she wanted to prick his bubble of boasting. He anxiously gripped the broomstick in his hand. "What? You don't believe me? Or do you want to compete with me?"
Kate frowned and looked down at the broom at her feet. "Up."
The broom remained indifferent.
She tried calling it two more times, but the broom gave absolutely no reaction. She heard the sounds of ridicule coming from Malfoy and the others.
So she simply gave up. "It seems I'm really not suited for riding broomsticks."
"Exactly. Admitting you're inferior to others earlier saves you from losing face."
Malfoy laughed loudly and, as if to give her a demonstration, mounted his broom.
He flew quite well, effortlessly hovering at a height parallel to the top of an oak tree.
"See that? This is how a broomstick flies!" he shouted provocatively.
Kate sighed and looked up. "Madam Hooch forbade us from riding brooms without permission before she left. You should come down."
Her tone was incredibly nervous, yet her expression was so calm she didn't even bother to feign it.
Anyway, from that distance, the little dragon-boy couldn't see clearly.
"Are you a coward, Kate!" It was as if he had already forgotten the experience of fleeing from her in a panic just that noon.
Malfoy felt he had vented his frustration fiercely in front of everyone. His mood was incredibly beautiful; how could he possibly listen to her advice?
Being mocked like this in front of the new students from both Houses, although Kate's own expression hadn't changed, it was clear that the people behind her wouldn't stand for it.
"Kate, don't pay attention to him." Hermione stepped forward and grabbed her hand tightly, afraid she might be upset.
Compared to Kate, Hermione's broomstick skills weren't much better.
Behind her, Harry, who had just decided earlier that Kate was a good person, finally couldn't help but shout out, "Malfoy, don't go too far!"
"Oh! Potter! Aren't you Gryffindors? Why are you so close to a Slytherin student?"
Malfoy looked down at them from above, his inner arrogance swelling to the extreme along with his altitude. "Hey, Kate, how about you go tell the Headmaster to let you join Gryffindor!"
As soon as the words fell, Harry angrily mounted his broom, kicked off hard, and flew up.
Malfoy laughed heartily, turned his broom around, and flew forward. "Catch me if you can!"
"You just wait!" Harry leaned forward and accelerated.
It was only at this moment that he dazedly realized he seemed to be able to control this broom without a teacher.
With just a little time, he could catch Malfoy and make him apologize to Kate.
When that happened, Ron could also take the opportunity to apologize to her. Under those circumstances, there was a high probability Kate would forgive him.
Holding onto these simple thoughts of helping a friend, he accelerated with all his might, chasing after Malfoy.
Meanwhile, the 'friend' he was so bent on helping, Kate, was currently thinking:
Finally tricked someone onto the broom.
Old Man Dumbledore better not come looking for trouble with me again!
As for Malfoy's childish and rude behavior, she saw it all, but her heart didn't waver in the slightest.
It could only be said that he lived up to his reputation as the famous little villain of the original works; his ability to annoy people was indeed quite good.
Looking at the entire adventure of the first year, many events were indirectly facilitated by Malfoy. It would be a pity not to make full use of such a useful fellow.
However, provoking him on purpose every time might be too obvious. Should I consider improving my relationship with him later?
"Kate, don't be sad," Hermione whispered comfortingly from the side.
She thought Kate's continued silence meant her self-esteem had been stung by Malfoy.
"Ah..." Kate snapped back to reality and forced a smile. "I'm fine."
But in Hermione's eyes, such a forced smile was ironclad proof of her heartbreak.
Her small fists clenched tightly, Hermione looked indignantly at the blond fellow still darting around in the sky.
If looks could kill, Malfoy would have been pierced through several times already.
"Um... Student Shafiq, don't be too sad either." Ron walked over with a hesitant look. "Harry has almost caught up with him."
He had been unable to lower his pride to apologize to a Slytherin, but seeing Kate being the isolated one even within Slytherin, he was momentarily stirred with compassion.
As they spoke, Harry, possessed by the protagonist's halo, dragged Malfoy off his broomstick.
"Let go of me, Potter!" Malfoy roared, still unconvinced.
Yet Harry, relying solely on his small arms and legs, forcibly dragged the person in front of Kate. "Shafiq, I brought him here!"
Ah, this...
Kate's face twitched as she stared silently at Malfoy, whose face was full of unwillingness, and then glanced at Harry Potter beside him.
Having the Savior personally drag the little villain over to apologize to her—why does this give me a White Dark Lord sense of déjà vu?
Before she could speak, she caught a glimpse of Professor McGonagall walking toward them with a stern face.
"In all my years at Hogwarts, I have never seen such—how dare you!"
Seeing this, Hermione subconsciously wanted to explain for him. "Professor, it's not like that, Harry he..."
"No need to say more, Miss Granger."
McGonagall interrupted her sternly, turning to stare at Harry. "Potter, follow me!"
She strode toward the castle, and Harry could only follow mechanically behind, his head drooping dejectedly.
Malfoy, having escaped disaster, couldn't help but snicker. "Ha, he's going to be expelled!"
"Malfoy," Kate suddenly spoke up. "Actually, I didn't finish what I was saying earlier."
She took out her wand and waved it lightly at him.
Under Malfoy's panic-stricken gaze, his body actually began to float up gradually.
"I am indeed not suited for using brooms, because even without a broom, I can fly easily."
She smiled, watching him float up as if he were contained in a balloon, then turned her head to look at the equally panicked little snakes behind him.
"Don't be nervous. In half an hour, he will fall safely."
In the meantime, let him properly experience the joy of flying without a broom.
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