"Wood told me I'm the youngest trainee player in a century," Harry said, helping himself to another meat pie. The thrilling events of the afternoon had drained him of both energy and courage, leaving him unusually hungry.
"They're also giving me a Nimbus 2000," Harry added.
Ron looked at him with open envy. "That's amazing. I've never even touched one."
"Wood made me promise to keep it secret," Harry continued. "I'll start training with the team next week."
"But will Professor McGonagall really let us have Flying lessons indoors?" Harry asked, suddenly worried. Earlier, he'd been far too afraid to ask her face to face.
Ron and Hermione groaned as well. Professor McGonagall had sternly asked them whether they truly wanted Flying lessons moved indoors in the future.
"Don't worry," George said, trying to reassure them. "There's no way Professor McGonagall would move Quidditch matches indoors. At most, you'll just practice inside for a few lessons to make up for the basics."
"But you really have to listen properly," George added with a grin. "Otherwise, you'll end up being known as that wizard who can only fly indoors. Honestly, McGonagall's punishment is so unique it's almost funny."
"I'm sorry… this ended up affecting everyone," Harry said awkwardly. He had only meant to help Neville, not drag everyone into trouble.
"This isn't your fault—it's all Malfoy's fault," Ron said angrily, once again reminded of Malfoy's disgusting behavior.
Seeing how dejected Harry looked, George paused for a moment before speaking. "Harry, you're right. Helping a friend is never wrong. The reason you were punished today wasn't because you did something bad—it's because the consequences affected everyone."
"Then… what should I have done today?" Hermione asked, clearly confused. She had always been a model student, used to following teachers' instructions.
When Madam Hooch had told everyone not to move, Hermione had hoped Harry would obey. At the same time, she knew Harry was right to help Neville retrieve the Remembrall. Both choices felt right—yet the situation still ended badly. She didn't know how to reconcile that contradiction.
Her question was also Harry's and Ron's. All three of them looked at George, hoping he would offer an answer.
"What do you think I would've done if I were there?" George asked instead of replying directly.
"Well, George, you could've caught Neville," Hermione said confidently, glancing at his build. "He wouldn't have fallen at all."
"And if you were there, Malfoy wouldn't have dared provoke anyone," Ron added.
"If Malfoy tried anything, you'd easily beat him and take back the Remembrall," Harry said, clearly trusting George.
"And Professor McGonagall would punish Malfoy, not you," Hermione added.
"Good," George said with a nod. "You're already finding the answers yourselves." Then he asked another question. "So if I had been there, would the outcome have been different?"
The three of them felt they were getting closer to the truth and began thinking faster.
"You're strong and quick, George. You could've caught up with Neville," Hermione said, always a step ahead.
"You're powerful, and Malfoy knows he can't beat you," Ron said, following her lead. "He's afraid of losing to you, so he wouldn't dare mess with you."
"You're capable and confident," Harry concluded. "You can handle provocation calmly, your grades are excellent, and professors trust you. That's why they'd believe you—and punish Malfoy instead."
"Exactly," George said, satisfied. "Now you're starting to understand."
After a moment's thought, George decided to share something deeper—something about power.
"Harry, you were right today," George said slowly. "But not just because you wanted to help a friend."
Everyone listened intently as he continued.
"You were right because you had the ability. You have talent for flying, and you can actually do it. That's the reason you could help Neville in the first place."
Harry and the others felt a spark of excitement.
"And if you didn't have that ability?" George went on seriously. "Then today, you and Malfoy might've crashed into each other and broken your necks."
The example made the danger painfully clear.
"You weren't punished because you did something wrong," George said. "You were punished because your ability hasn't been fully recognized yet. The professors don't trust you to handle situations on your own."
"Is it because of ability?" George asked softly. "Or because of mistakes caused by insufficient ability?"
He knew they were only eleven—it was normal if they couldn't fully grasp it yet.
"Because you're strong, teachers trust you," Harry said slowly. "So you'd have better ways to solve the problem. We don't."
"The greater the power," George said quietly, "the greater the authority."
"The greater the power," Harry and the others repeated slowly.
"Justice requires strength," George concluded. "The stronger you are, the better you can protect your friends. Only with ability can you help others. Without it, you won't just hurt yourself—you'll hurt everyone else. So study hard. Knowledge is the source of the power that lets you protect people."
With that, George turned and left.
At the time, Harry and the others couldn't fully understand these truths of the adult world. But as they went through more adventures—and under George's constant influence—they would soon begin to long for strength. And strength required effort.
Not long after George left, Ron's two older brothers came over when they spotted Harry.
"Hey, Harry, we heard," Fred said in a low voice. "Wood told us you're our house's secret weapon. We're both Beaters—don't worry, we'll protect you. You just catch the Snitch, and we'll win."
"We're definitely winning this year," Fred added excitedly. "We've been preparing for ages and haven't won in a long time. When Wood told us about you, we were so excited we couldn't even speak."
"Everyone, be sure to give this story a Powerstone! Also, 30 advanced chapters of this story are uploaded on my Patreon—you can go there and read them.
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