Because of the nature of the match, anyone hoping to enjoy a good viewing experience needed to come prepared.
For instance, with items that could help spot fast-moving objects from high up in the stands.
Without magical tools, the young wizards cheering from the platforms wouldn't be able to see a thing on the field. Forget the small balls used in the game—even tracking the players' figures with the naked eye was nearly impossible...
That's why every young wizard had a telescope in hand—clearly an essential magical item for watching the match.
It might look just like an ordinary Muggle telescope on the outside, but it was anything but. It could auto-focus and zoom in on fast-moving objects, perfectly tracking Quidditch players midair—even capturing the expressions on their faces in detail. In short, it was a must-have tool for Quidditch fans.
Naturally, when Draco and the others took the field, all the young wizards raised their telescopes to get a closer look.
The pre-game standoff between players was, after all, one of Quidditch's highlights...
...
The moment everyone lifted their telescopes in unison, it created a striking sight—something only Quidditch could offer.
"They're out! They're out!!"
"Go, Captain Oliver!"
"Harry!"
"Show those despicable Slytherins what real Quidditch looks like!"
The freezing weather did nothing to dampen the students' excitement. As the players appeared one after another, the cheers reached a deafening peak.
But maybe because the opponents were Slytherin, all the support in the stands was going to Gryffindor.
It couldn't be helped—Slytherin's team had a terrible reputation and was anything but popular...
"Damn it! Goyle, did you all skip breakfast or what? Shout louder for Draco!"
"...But, they're from three different houses! It's just the few of us—how are we supposed to match that?"
"I don't care!"
Faced with Pansy's bossy demands and threatening glare, Goyle and Crabbe could only force pained smiles as they waved their arms and yelled as loudly as they could.
They knew full well—this witch wasn't the harmless girl she appeared to be in front of Draco. Her ways of tormenting people were endless.
Whether or not Pansy's cheering would actually make a difference, her voice did reach Draco loud and clear.
His only response, though, was a slight lift of his eyelids, his face still fixed in that signature Draco coldness.
But compared to usual, there was something sharper in his gray eyes—a kind of coldness that made him seem more unapproachable than ever.
No one seemed to notice the shift in Draco himself, but some other surprising details weren't so easy to miss...
"Are you serious?"
"Wait, wait, wait—that's Slytherin's captain?"
"They actually switched captains?"
"The new guy… isn't he a first-year?"
"And didn't he just join the team? How the hell is he already captain?!"
The news that Draco was now Slytherin's Quidditch captain spread like wildfire across the stadium.
And seeing everyone's stunned expressions, Pansy—who already knew the truth—wore a smug and proud smile.
After all, she had witnessed firsthand how Draco defeated Flint, who only knew how to rely on brute strength...
"Heh, if that's enough to scare you, then you're in for a surprise!"
Right now, Pansy looked as pleased as a hamster that had just stolen a treat.
So much so, she completely missed the expression on Draco's face.
"Boss lady, is Draco in a bad mood?"
"Huh? No way. I just saw him not long ago—he didn't seem off at all."
"But… that's the face he makes when he's angry."
Following their gaze, Pansy finally understood what Goyle and Crabbe meant.
She knew Draco extremely well, and it was rare to see him this angry.
Because at that moment, the cold aura radiating from him wasn't concealed in the slightest…
…
All the wizards were shocked—and for good reason.
To become the captain of a Quidditch team, beyond just skill and experience, leadership was the most crucial trait.
That requirement alone eliminated most contenders—let alone a first-year who'd just joined the team. It was unheard of.
Until today, when Draco broke that tradition...
"Is that the captain's badge?"
"Yeah."
Aside from his position, the badge on Draco's chest said it all.
The same kind of badge could be seen on Wood's robes—though the design and color were different, the meaning was identical.
Draco's was green and silver, with the Slytherin crest emblazoned on it.
"He's already captain?"
Harry Potter stared at Draco in disbelief, clearly shaken.
Could that really be possible?
But no matter how unbelievable it was, the truth stood right in front of them—Draco Malfoy had become the Slytherin captain. It was a done deal.
Though surprised, Harry and the others quickly gathered their composure.
Still, Wood wasn't quite ready to accept the absence of the rival he'd always wanted to defeat...
"Where the hell is that bastard Flint? Why isn't he here!"
Before the referee had even stepped onto the field, Wood couldn't hold back his frustration any longer.
But to his embarrassment, not a single Slytherin responded.
More accurately, since Draco stayed silent, the Slytherins standing dutifully behind him had no intention of saying a word either.
It wasn't that they couldn't speak—they just didn't want to.
The Weasley twins exchanged looks, frowning as they debated whether to speak up and ease their captain's awkwardness.
Then Draco, who hadn't so much as glanced at the Gryffindor players, adjusted his gear and finally spoke, slowly and coolly—
"The strong rise. The weak fall. Is that really so hard to grasp?"
"…"
"..."
His voice was flat and cold, and the condescending look in his eyes rendered Wood and the others completely speechless.
It wasn't just his words that shocked them—it was that look of contempt that stung the most...
While everyone else was busy processing the fact that Draco had taken Flint's place as captain, Harry Potter's attention was drawn elsewhere—specifically, to the broomsticks the Slytherin players were holding.
"Captain, their brooms."
"Harry, what is it? What about them?"
"Uh… they're the same model as mine."
"…"
"..."
If anyone knew the Nimbus 2000 inside and out, it was Harry Potter.
Mainly because Ron, his best friend, was constantly bombarding him with trivia and specs about it.
So if Harry couldn't recognize a Nimbus 2000 on sight, it would've completely wasted all of Ron's "hard work."
But what Harry hadn't expected… was that the latest, most advanced broomstick on the market would appear in the hands of his opponents too.
All seven of them.
...
[Upto 50 chapters ahead for now]
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