Chapter 309: Dementors invade, and the broken Nimbus 2000
"I... I don't know?" Hermione's face flushed. It was the first time she had said 'I don't know' in Class, but she truly didn't know what to do.
The thought of a friend or loved one turning into a Werewolf sent shivers down her spine.
Perhaps Neville's method was correct; in such a situation, fleeing might be the best option.
"It seems even Miss Granger doesn't know everything," Snape said sarcastically. "Gaius, you answer."
Aaron's mouth twitched slightly, and he forced a smile. "Well... my personal idea is to incapacitate them, to make the Werewolf no longer a threat."
"You heard that? That's the correct answer."
"Professor..." Hermione hesitated. "We might not be able to defeat a Werewolf."
"Then you need to think carefully about the difference between yourselves and others," Snape said matter-of-factly. "Next Monday, hand in an essay to me, two rolls of parchment, on Werewolves, focusing on how to identify and kill Werewolves..."
"But there's Quidditch tomorrow," Harry couldn't help but interject.
Today was Friday, and he had to train extra hard. Tomorrow was Saturday, and he had to participate in the match officially, which meant he only had one day to do his homework.
Besides Snape's two rolls of parchment, there was also homework from other classes. Unless he could duplicate himself, he wouldn't be able to finish it.
Snape suddenly leaned his face close to Harry's and said coldly, "Then I suggest you take extra care, Mr. Potter. You'll still have to write the essay even if you're missing an arm or a leg.
Now turn to page three hundred and ninety-four. The word 'Werewolf' comes from the Anglo-Saxon words 'wer' and 'wulf'..."
After Class, everyone else left the Defense Against the Dark Arts Class classroom.
Aaron wordlessly watched Snape pack up his equipment. "Professor, you're really boring sometimes, you know?"
"Oh? You think I shouldn't teach them how to deal with Werewolves?"
"No, that's actually very necessary.
The School has a ticking time bomb, and it's only right to teach students how to defuse it." Aaron smiled wryly. "What I mean is that making someone who doesn't want to answer a question answer it is a bit much."
"That's a Professor's prerogative. You can also choose not to answer," Snape said calmly, shaking his head. "As long as you say 'I don't know' like Miss Granger, that's fine."
Aaron:...The next day, the weather was even worse than imagined.
The wind howled, thunder rumbled, and rain poured down.
Even indoors, such weather felt oppressive, but the Quidditch Pitch was packed with people. The entire School faculty and students were enjoying the match in this exciting and tense environment.
Gryffindor versus Hufflepuff.
Red and yellow figures appeared particularly blurry in the rain. The wind and rain greatly affected every player, making broomsticks harder to control than usual.
Aaron was hiding under a large umbrella, and Abey, holding a fruit platter, excitedly waved its paws.
"Watching a match in this kind of weather really has a unique flavor!" Aaron exclaimed. "It's so exciting, it's practically Hell Mode."
"Good thing my hand is injured, otherwise Slytherin would be on the field now," Draco said with schadenfreude. "Look at Potter, he's wearing glasses. I even doubt if he can see his own teammates clearly."
"I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you. Hermione cast a spell on his glasses, so the rain won't obstruct his vision."
"That doesn't matter," Draco said indifferently. "He's already soaked now. This kind of scene isn't something you get to see all the time.
Gryffindor is currently leading, but if they don't catch the Snitch, the match probably won't end until evening."
Crack!
Suddenly, a bolt of lightning streaked across the sky, striking the broom of Gryffindor Chaser Angelina.
The tail of the broom caught fire. She desperately clutched the broom handle, trying to make an emergency landing, but still crashed uncontrollably towards the stands.
At the crucial moment, Harry, riding his Nimbus 2000, knocked her into the crowd, barely saving her life.
After that, he immediately changed direction and flew towards the sky.
A Hufflepuff player was about to catch the Golden Snitch, but unfortunately, the weather was uncooperative. A bolt of lightning struck him through the Snitch.
One player from Hufflepuff and one from Gryffindor left the field, and the numbers were equal again.
Watching the yellow figure fall to the ground beside him, Harry froze for a few seconds, somewhat at a loss.
At this moment, the outline of a black dog faintly appeared in the clouds, illuminated by the lightning, but it vanished in a blink of an eye.
Harry's heart skipped a beat, and he chased after the Snitch.
He flew higher and higher, getting closer and closer to the Snitch.
But gradually, he felt an icy cold. A black-robed figure flew towards him, and as it approached, a layer of frost formed on the Nimbus 2000.
Dementor!
Harry's heart pounded. He didn't understand why a Dementor would appear here, but recalling the 'ominous' presence earlier, he knew he had to leave the high altitude immediately.
But he had only flown for a few seconds when he tragically realized he was surrounded. Hundreds of Dementors occupied the area. He narrowly avoided one, two, three, but when the fourth Dementor brushed past him, it opened its disgusting mouth, making a gasping sound.
A familiar sense of dread washed over him. Harry painfully closed his eyes, his hands unconsciously let go, and he fell from high in the sky. Before he lost consciousness, he vaguely saw the murder of his parents.
The crowd in the stands noticed the Dementors, but it all happened in a flash. Before they could react, they saw a red figure in freefall.
"This is extreme sports, isn't it!
It was definitely the right decision not to join the Quidditchteam." Aaron gasped, then drew his wand and aimed it at the rapidly falling Harry Potter.
A white light flashed across Harry's body, and his descent slowed slightly.
"What did you do?" Draco asked curiously.
"Nothing, I just put a Protective Charm on him and made his accelerated motion into uniform motion," Aaron said simply. "I can only do this much for him. I'm sure others won't just stand by!"
As he spoke, he looked towards the faculty seats.
He, a third-Class student, could react in time, so there was no reason these Professors couldn't.
Dumbledore stood up. He didn't use his wand, but simply chanted a cushioning charm at Harry to ensure his safety.
Then he cast the Patronus Charm into the sky, repelling all the Dementors.
Aaron raised an eyebrow. He was also confident in dealing with hundreds of Dementors, but he couldn't do it as effortlessly as Dumbledore, who seemed to cast it as easily as a simple Levitation Charm, with almost no exertion.
Dumbledore also seemed to notice something, looking at him from dozens of meters away and giving him a benevolent smile.
Aaron hadn't felt cold initially, but that smile made him shiver involuntarily.
The Quidditch match didn't stop because of this incident, but Gryffindor lacked its most crucial Seeker, so the outcome was no longer in doubt.
Hufflepuff won the match. Cedric caught the Golden Snitch, but he didn't feel like he had won. Instead, he requested a fair rematch, but Wood refused.
"I suddenly have some admiration for this senior," Aaronsaid with a smile. "Flint and his team should really learn from him."
"Oh, come on!" Draco shrugged helplessly. "To be honest, it's a miracle Slytherin has gone two years without fouling."
"Sigh!" Aaron sighed softly. "I'm going to check on Harry Potter."
"I'm coming too," Draco said excitedly.
"No, you can't go," Aaron immediately stopped him. "Going now would be like rubbing salt in his wounds; it would drive him mad."
Draco hesitated for a moment, then nodded regretfully. "Then tell him for me, don't forget the Defense Against the Dark Arts Class homework."
"Are you a devil?" Aaron rolled his eyes, then picked up Abey and rushed to the School Hospital.
When he arrived, Harry was already awake. The Weasleysiblings, Hermione, Neville, and other Gryffindors were gathered around his bed.
"Looks like you're lucky, no missing limbs," Aaron said slowly.
"Is that supposed to be comforting?" Hermione gave him a look. "The Gryffindor team lost, to Hufflepuff."
"Falling from that height and not getting seriously hurt, you should be secretly grateful. Why worry about winning or losing!" Aaron said, pulling a pack of chocolate from Abey's pocket. "You might need this."
"Thanks," Harry tore open the wrapper and ate a piece, barely feeling a slight recovery of strength. "Wood must be very unhappy!"
"Yes," Fred said with a regretful look. "He had high hopes for this match, but he won't complain. No one could have imagined Dementors suddenly entering the School."
"Dumbledore was furious. After saving you, he chased them away," Hermione said.
"You really should learn the Patronus Charm," Aaronreminded him. "It's urgent!"
"There's something else you should know." Ron hesitated, then opened the cloth bundle he was holding. The remains of the broom were clearly visible before Harry.
Crack!
Whether it was an illusion or not, everyone else around the bed seemed to hear the sound of a heart breaking.
"This thing... probably can't be repaired, right!" Aaron said with a wry smile. Repairing charms weren't omnipotent. If it were an ordinary item, it would be fine, but a flying broomstick was a magic item, and in this state, it could probably only be used as firewood.
"There's nothing that could be done," Ron said, looking at Harry with difficulty. "When you fell, it was blown by the wind right to the Whomping Willow.
You know, that tree doesn't like being hit.
But all the remains are here. Professor Flitwick collected it very carefully."
Harry looked at the dozen or so broken pieces of Wood and twigs, feeling his heart ache, and his eyes gradually lost their luster.
What he loved most was Quidditch, and this flying broomstick had been with him for two years. It was his most cherished possession and his best friend.
"That look is very similar to a friend of mine. When he's lost, he looks like that too. To describe it in one word, it's 'tired of living'."
As soon as he finished speaking, Aaron successfully earned eye rolls from everyone.
"Uh... there's no need to be so pessimistic. I might be able to fix it."
"Really?" Harry eagerly grabbed Aaron's hands, a glimmer of light appearing in his numb eyes.
"Haha!" Aaron forced a smile, then pulled his hands free. "I can only restore it to its original appearance, but it will only look fine. It's impossible for it to fly again.
In other words, it can only accompany you as a toy model from now on."
Harry Potter:????