"Impossible!"
That was, of course, the very first reaction most people had.
"But think about it," one student argued confidently, "Snape's weird behavior in Potions class… doesn't it look like he's asking someone for a favor?"
The more they thought about it, the more it made sense. Otherwise, how else could they explain the old bat's strange attitude in today's lesson?
It was just… at first, no one could even picture Snape actually lowering himself to ask someone for help.
In truth, Snape hadn't asked Marius Cloud for anything. But hot-blooded young minds have a tendency to exaggerate things for dramatic effect.
George and Fred Weasley, however, looked quite pleased with the results of their rumor-mongering.
Clearly, plenty of people were left stunned by the news — it was just as sensational as Marius dueling Snape.
Unfortunately, not everyone was swept up in the frenzy.
"Him? Join the Quidditch team?" Ron scoffed. "Just because you're good at magic doesn't mean you can play Quidditch!"
"…Well, yeah, that's true," someone else admitted. "It's not like he can be good at everything, right?"
The Gryffindor common room relaxed a little after that. Ron's words seemed to make sense.
After all, Quidditch wasn't just any sport — it was a centuries-old tradition beloved by wizards all over Europe. No wonder the news had gotten such a strong reaction.
But when they thought about it more carefully, they realized it wasn't that big of a deal.
Magic was one thing, sports were another. Just because a wizard could duel well didn't mean they could dominate on the pitch.
It was like martial arts — just because someone was an expert fighter didn't mean they could win an Olympic medal in a sport they'd never trained for.
If that were the case, national teams wouldn't bother training athletes; they'd just recruit from martial arts schools and call it a day.
Marius's skill in dueling and his mastery of magic didn't automatically translate to Quidditch talent.
"What's Quidditch?" Harry asked curiously. "Why is everyone reacting like this?"
"Quidditch is the greatest sport in the wizarding world," Ron said, nose in the air. "Of course, those evil Slytherins will never understand the spirit of the game. They've always been about cheating and dirty tricks."
That remark earned Ron a round of approving nods and a wave of noisy agreement.
"Too right! Last year, I saw their captain break the rules!"
"Yeah! Nearly knocked Ravenclaw's Seeker off their broom!"
"…Though, to be fair, that's not that uncommon in Quidditch."
Still, Ron basked in the attention, his face flushed with the thrill of being the center of the crowd.
But Harry tilted his head thoughtfully. "If it's such an important sport… then Snape wouldn't invite Mr. Cloud to the team without a good reason, right?"
"In fact…" Harry's eyes lit up. "Mr. Cloud's only been here a few days, and Snape's already personally inviting him? That's amazing!"
The room went silent. People exchanged glances.
…Come to think of it, Harry had a point.
Snape might be unpleasant, but he wasn't stupid. If there was no reason for it, why would he invite Marius to join Slytherin's Quidditch team?
"Could it be that Cloud is really good?"
"Of course not!" Ron snapped, glaring at Harry. His carefully built momentum had just been ruined by a few casual words.
He huffed angrily. "Cloud's only been here two days! Snape can't possibly know his Quidditch skill. I bet he's just a glory-hound who used family connections to pressure Snape into letting him join!"
The truth was already getting murky — even the Weasley twins, who had started the rumor, were now unsure of what to believe.
Wisely, they chose to keep quiet and let the Gryffindors continue their heated debates.
Whether it was pride or deep-rooted dislike for Slytherin, most still refused to admit the possibility that Marius might genuinely be talented.
Meanwhile, in Slytherin, the man at the center of the storm had no idea any of this was happening.
Marius had slept beautifully, taken his time enjoying the breakfast Brunel Leif had brought to him, and was only now getting ready for class.
"What lesson is it today?" he asked casually, glancing at his desk.
"Flying class," Brunel answered quickly.
Marius arched a brow. "You're sure?"
Brunel coughed lightly. "Mr. Cloud, I'm only a second-year. I still remember all the first-year stuff — especially the first flying lesson. Everyone's excited about it.
"Of course, if it's you, it's different. I heard you came to Hogwarts on a broomstick before the term even started."
Since Marius had become famous, more and more of his past exploits had been dug up — including his unconventional arrival by broom.
Not that it was hard to find out; plenty of first-years had seen it with their own eyes.
Still, Marius thought, Good thing no one knows the rest — like how I got caught by all four Heads of House the moment I landed. That would've ruined the legend.
After sending Brunel off, Marius picked up his Nimbus 2000 and headed for the flying lesson grounds.
The school's supply of brooms was… well, ancient. The handles were rough, the ride uncomfortable. Marius wasn't about to use one of those hand-me-down relics when he had something far better.
The flying field was located on a flat stretch of land just outside the castle, near the forest.
By the time Marius arrived, both Gryffindor and Slytherin students were already gathering, the air buzzing with anticipation.
--------------
T/N:
Access Advance Chapters on my
P@treon: [email protected]/PokePals