"Look, the brave and fearless lion is hurt!"
"Did you see his face?"
"He's so foolish, so... 'adorable'!"
As Madam Hooch escorted Neville away, Malfoy burst into laughter, his voice echoing across the field.
The Slytherin students quickly joined in, their laughter boisterous and mocking. Malfoy, pleased with their reaction, glanced at Harry and his friends with a smug, taunting expression.
"Shut up, Malfoy! You can't humiliate him like that!" Parvati Patil yelled angrily, her expression indignant.
The speaker was an unattractive Slytherin girl whose anger only made her appear even less appealing. Malfoy sneered at her with disdain and disgust. "Have you fallen for Neville?"
"Oh, this is too amusing. You've actually fallen for that crybaby, the clumsy, chubby little fool."
Saying this, Malfoy approached Patil with a wicked grin. "Patil, remember, you're a Slytherin. Your pity and compassion won't earn you anything from a lion."
Patil faltered under Malfoy's oppressive aura, stepping back hesitantly. Her expression wavered between resistance and doubt, but she said nothing more.
Malfoy ignored her and turned to Harry, holding up Neville's Remembrall with a malevolent smile. "Harry, look at this. What do we have here?"
"It's Neville's Remembrall!" Ron immediately recognized it and shouted.
Harry's expression darkened. He knew nothing good would come of the Remembrall being in Malfoy's hands. Stepping forward, he demanded, "Give it back, Malfoy."
Malfoy smirked and stepped back, while Crabbe and Goyle moved forward, shielding him. They glared at Harry disdainfully, their presence imposing.
Harry took a step back, avoiding the duo, and fixed his gaze on Malfoy. "Malfoy, you're despicable."
Running a hand through his hair with an exaggerated flair, Malfoy grinned. "Mind your words. This isn't despicable—it's clever."
Looking around theatrically, Malfoy continued, "Harry, what do you think? If I hide this and make Neville search for it, would he even remember he lost a Remembrall with his terrible memory?"
"Or should I hide it somewhere high? Watching him climb to retrieve it, trembling and scared, only to fall and break his wrist again?"
"Ha-ha-ha!"
Malfoy's taunts made Harry furious. He lunged forward to grab the Remembrall, but Crabbe and Goyle shoved him back, sending him sprawling to the ground.
Malfoy, watching Harry's disheveled state, chuckled darkly. "Harry, let's play a game. If you can catch me, I'll give the Remembrall back to you."
With that, Malfoy mounted his broomstick and shot into the air, ascending tens of meters in mere moments.
As it turned out, Malfoy wasn't bluffing. His flying skills were impressive.
Ron's face twisted in frustration, realizing that Malfoy's boastful claims held more truth than his own exaggerated stories.
"Come on, Harry, if you've got the guts, come up here!" Malfoy jeered. "Otherwise, I'll drop this Remembrall and let it have a perfect free fall."
Harry's anger boiled over. He grabbed his broomstick.
"No!" Hermione grabbed Harry's arm, shouting, "Madam Hooch will be back soon! She told us not to move, or you'll get into trouble!"
"That's Neville's! He's my friend!" Harry snapped, shaking her off. He mounted the broomstick and kicked off, soaring into the sky.
The wind howled in his ears, tousling his hair.
Though it was his first time flying, Harry quickly gained control. After circling twice, he couldn't help but feel elated. Flying came naturally to him—just like his affinity for elemental magic.
"Wow, Harry! You're amazing!" Ron cheered, astonished.
Ron knew Harry had never ridden a broomstick before, yet he was flying steadily and with ease.
Hearing Ron's cheers, joined by the shouts of other Gryffindor students, Harry smiled. Then, his eyes turned sharp as he focused on Malfoy.
"Give me the Remembrall, Malfoy, or I'll knock you off your broom."
Malfoy hadn't expected Harry to take off, much less fly so skillfully.
Annoyed that his plan to embarrass Harry had backfired, Malfoy sneered. "Hmph, even if you've learned to fly, you'll never catch me."
"I'll show you what a true flying knight can do."
Harry's anger surged. Leaning forward, he gripped the broom tightly. With a burst of speed, he shot toward Malfoy like a javelin.
Malfoy's expression shifted, and he accelerated, putting distance between them.
The two began a high-speed chase, performing intricate maneuvers in the air, leaving the spectators below gasping in awe.
"Wow! Harry just pulled off an incredible 180-degree spin! He's catching up to Malfoy!"
"So close! He nearly grabbed the Remembrall!"
"Ha-ha! Malfoy's scared of Harry—he almost crashed into the tower!"
Ron, watching the aerial duel, transformed into an excited commentator, shouting his observations.
Meanwhile, the Slytherin students, especially Crabbe and Goyle, were cheering fiercely for Malfoy.
Crabbe waved his large hands, yelling, "Malfoy, take him down!"
Goyle joined in, shouting, "Knock him off his broom and let him taste what it's like to be smashed to pieces!"
The Slytherins were thrilled by Malfoy's antics, cheering loudly, "Go, Malfoy! Show those Gryffindor kittens our strength!"
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