The cold, damp Atlantic wind swept in from the southwest, whipping robes high above the pitch and stinging cheeks flushed red from exertion.
Qin Yu swung his bat, sending another Bludger rocketing away, then hovered in the air, quietly watching the "battlefield" unfold ahead. Beads of sweat slid down his forehead, tracing his cheekbones before vanishing into the wind, torn apart and carried away.
The outcome had been clear ever since Harry's broomstick had started behaving itself again—or rather, from that moment, Slytherin had lost their will to fight.
Moments ago, Qin Yu had landed a solid hit, sending a Bludger straight into Slytherin Seeker Terence Higgs. With Harry's speed, it was inevitable that he'd snatch the Golden Snitch first.
So now, Qin Yu's mind drifted in a blank, weightless state—much like the so-called "post-victory calm."
That guy must really hate Harry, huh? After all, it was Harry who left him neither man nor ghost all those years ago…
I can't beat him anyway, not unless I go all-out. But pushing myself like that would only hurt me, and there are too many unknowns… Best not to risk it.
Maybe the system's limits are a form of protection, too. As long as it's not a trap…
Whatever. I'm still just a kid. Hopefully, I'll get to enjoy a few more years of peace…
Random thoughts drifted through Qin Yu's mind. He didn't bother trying to make sense of them—he just let his thoughts wander where they would.
At one point, his gaze drifted toward the professors' stand, as if trying to see through that wrapped turban to the monstrous face beneath.
"Harry Potter!"
"Gryffindor!"
"Victory! Victory!"
Suddenly, the stadium erupted in wild cheers, both on the pitch and in the stands.
Qin Yu snapped out of his reverie and looked over at Harry, who was standing in the middle of the pitch, clutching a small golden ball with wings. He looked around at the roaring crowd, his eyes wide with disbelief, a kind of innocent, dazed wonder on his face.
When Harry finally caught Qin Yu's eye, Qin smiled and nodded at him. Instantly, excitement and pure joy replaced the confusion on Harry's face.
The contrast couldn't have been sharper: the Slytherin players slumped in defeat, while the Gryffindor team swarmed in from all directions, circling Harry with cheers and whoops of victory.
...
In the Gryffindor stands, Monnie and Gina were already on their feet, waving banners and shouting with the rest of their row.
Ron leapt up, pride for his best friend lighting up his face.
"Harry, you were brilliant!"
He was so thrilled that even when his equally excited cousin reached over to ruffle his hair, he just turned and grinned back, silly with happiness.
"That boy, Harry… he's been just like his dad since he was little… sniff…" Hagrid clapped his enormous hands, voice thick with both pride and nostalgia.
Neville, Dean, Seamus—they all joined in the celebration, swept up in the joy.
"So lively… This feeling really brings back memories," Adam murmured quietly, his words lost in the sea of cheers—only Hermione, sitting close by and a bit more reserved, caught a hint of what he said.
But she had no time to dwell on it. Through her binoculars, she'd just noticed Qin glancing once more toward the professors' stand, a "complicated" expression flickering across his face.
She couldn't help but recall the letters she'd received from Qin. He'd mentioned Professor Snape's name more than once—often teasing, but always with a thread of respect and affection woven between the lines.
Not long ago, she'd "tattled" to Qin about that overheard conversation. Thinking back, his expression had been one of genuine shock.
Now, with Harry the target of a very specific "attack," it was clear Qin had figured something out. Why else would he send that Bludger toward the stands, or look so conflicted?
Even after the match, Qin still glanced instinctively toward the professors' seats. Wasn't that enough to confirm her suspicions?
"Qin must be really torn up about this… I have to get to the bottom of it for him!" Hermione clenched her fists, her gaze determined.
Then she turned to look at Hagrid, who was just getting up to leave.
...
After the match, Harry Potter's first instinct was to find Qin Yu. He didn't really know what had happened out on the pitch, but thinking back, Qin's actions during his broom's wild fit seemed full of hidden meaning.
One thing was certain: Qin hadn't abandoned him. But what exactly had he done? Harry had no idea.
So he wanted to find Qin—to ask, and maybe to hear a word of praise.
But when he got to the changing room, Qin was nowhere to be found.
"Looked like Professor Snape called him away just now. Didn't say what it was about," said Captain Wood.
A little disappointed, Harry changed his clothes and left the changing room.
As he exited the Quidditch pitch, he saw Hermione striding after a huge figure—Hagrid.
"Hagrid, why didn't you let me finish?" Hermione called after him.
"Hermione, you should go back…" Hagrid replied, his tone weary.
The giant kept moving, and the small, brown-haired girl had to practically run to keep up.
Harry saw this, and—without thinking—grabbed his broom and hurried after them, meeting up with Ron on the way.
...
"Why didn't you go save the boy right away?" In a deserted office, Snape frowned at Qin Yu as he entered.
There was no accusation in his tone, just a trace of confusion.
Clearly, to him, it would have been natural for Qin to intervene when Harry was in danger. Turning away instead seemed out of character.
Qin Yu just shrugged, answering lightly, "Maybe, between the match and Harry, I cared more about the match? After all, we're not exactly close."
Snape didn't buy it for a second. He shot Qin a sidelong look and muttered, almost to himself, "What you did was out of character—at least for anyone who knows you."
"Luckily, there aren't many people in this world who know me, are there, Professor?" Qin Yu replied with a faint smile.
At that, Snape snorted, finally letting irritation show. "Spare me your cleverness! You have no idea what you're up against. None at all—do you understand?!"
"Easy, Professor! Easy! I'll be more careful from now on," Qin Yu said quickly, seeing that Snape was genuinely angry.
Once Snape had regained his composure, he fixed Qin with a cold stare. "So, you really did notice something. In that case, you should've done nothing at all!"
"I was just trying to help a little… Alright, alright, I'll watch myself," Qin Yu conceded, quickly changing tack under Snape's sharp gaze.
If someone genuinely cared about you, there was no point in arguing. That was Qin Yu's way.
"You'd better mean it."
Professor Snape wasn't one for long speeches. Once he'd cleared up the confusion, resolved a few doubts, and made sure that a certain troublemaker understood the risks, he dismissed him.
"Be careful of Q…"
Just as Qin Yu was about to leave, he heard Snape mutter half a warning.
"Hmm?" Qin Yu turned back.
"Be careful. Don't take unnecessary risks." Snape didn't finish the sentence, but waved his sleeve, shooing Qin Yu out the door.
"Got it!"
Qin Yu didn't need to hear the rest. He waved, said goodbye, and strode out.
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