Cho finally remembered what Kael had said in the auditorium just now.
But how could this be considered a warning? After all, during previous Hufflepuff practices, they clearly had a different Seeker, so no matter what, she couldn't have guessed they would switch players directly during the match!
"That's the advantage of having substitutes." Conna explained, "He can change positions at will."
"Did you know this all along?" Cho asked.
"No, I only found out yesterday." Conna said, "It's a tactic they discussed last night."
"I have to say, this tactic was too successful." Cho couldn't help but say, "Hufflepuff gave everyone a surprise!"
As she said, when it was learned that Kael was substituting as the Seeker, the crowd instantly went into an uproar.
Everyone knew that the only thing that could counter a Firebolt was another Firebolt, and now Hufflepuff's only weakness was covered.
As for Kael's Seeker skills... it seemed no one even considered this issue.
"Bang!"
Just as the cheers on the pitch reached their peak, in a not-too-distant tower, Snape shoved open the oak door of the Headmaster's Office and stormed in angrily.
He heavily placed a cup in his hand on the table.
Dumbledore, who was watching the match through the window, was startled and turned to see Snape's face flushed with anger.
To see Snape so out of sorts was rare indeed.
"Severus, what's the matter?" Dumbledore asked curiously.
"See for yourself!" Snape pointed to his cup, which still contained half a cup of tea and five or six round, grayish-brown pellets.
As soon as Dumbledore approached, a pungent smell hit him.
"Oh, Severus, are you trying to recommend a new potion tea to me?" Dumbledore stepped back a bit, looking serious, "Thank you for your generosity, but I'm getting old, and I might not be able to handle that smell... you should keep it to taste for yourself."
"May the great Headmaster Dumbledore take a closer look at what this really is..." Snape said coldly.
"Oh?" Dumbledore reluctantly walked over, squinting his eyes to examine it.
"Looks familiar... isn't this the fertilizer Pomona made? The crab cactus on my windowsill uses this, and it works great.
"But Pomona never mentioned it could be used for brewing tea."
"It obviously can't." Snape squinted his eyes, "Clearly, some student secretly threw them into my cup, and I'm sure..."
Snape turned towards the window, looking at the bustling Quidditch match outside, he stated confidently, "The person who did this is definitely among them."
"Perhaps you're overthinking it, Severus." Dumbledore said, he lightly flicked his fingers, and a brown fluff floated out of the cup.
The fluff was fine, almost like a hair, easily missed if not looked at carefully.
"What is this, whose hair?" Snape thought about who at Hogwarts had brown hair.
"No, Severus, this isn't hair; it belongs to a very peculiar animal." Dumbledore said, "I happen to recognize it, it's a Niffler's fluff."
"Niffler?" Snape frowned.
"Precisely, the fluff of a Niffler, I'm positive." Dumbledore said, "In pursuit of anything shiny, they can almost pass through any gap, no matter how narrow, even narrower than this fluff."
"Looks like a little fellow from the Forbidden Forest wandered out." He glanced at Snape, "And I guess it must have seen something shiny on you, which is why it followed you all the way to your office."
"I have no such foolish things on me," Snape stated expressionlessly.
"Not necessarily." Dumbledore shook his head, "Coins, glass bottles, or a silver knife used in potion making, are all their targets."
Snape took two steps forward.
"So you're saying, a Niffler from the Forbidden Forest entered my office, took nothing, and just threw a handful of fertilizer into my cup?
"That's quite a story, so, do you believe it?"
"It's not impossible." Dumbledore remained unfazed, calmly saying, "I happen to know someone who's well-versed with Nifflers, wouldn't lie to you."
"Huh..." Snape chuckled in anger, then stared wordlessly at Dumbledore.
Under his gaze, Dumbledore didn't even change his expression, "Besides, Severus, this is a good thing."
"You call this a good thing?" Snape asked, dragging out his words.
"Of course." Dumbledore explained, "Nifflers won't visit a place without rewards twice. You can go about your business with peace of mind afterward."
Snape's expression shifted slightly.
"You mean to say..."
"I'm merely discussing the fantastic creatures called Nifflers with you." Dumbledore smiled, returning to the window to look outside, "What a splendid match, I should have watched it live, of course, it's quite nice here too.
"Care to join, Severus? This spot is genuinely excellent."
Snape said nothing, turning and leaving without a word.
"You forgot your stuff," Dumbledore reminded from behind, but Snape ignored him and walked straight out the door.
"Such carelessness..." Dumbledore waved his wand, making the cup on the table vanish instantly, then a silverware resembling a spray nozzle emitted a large cloud of mist, sweeping away the lingering scent in the room.