Harry Potter: The Golden Viper

0274 The Firebolt

Not long after, The office door was knocked loudly, startling Bryan from his work. He got up from his desk and opened the door, only to see Hagrid squeezing in through the narrow gap. The half-giant was wearing his shabby mole-skin coat and carrying a small red umbrella that looked like a toy in his huge hand.

"Oh, Professor, are you really not considering getting a bigger door?" Hagrid grumbled, ducking his head to avoid hitting the ceiling.

"Nobody else has a problem with my door frame except for you, Hagrid," Bryan replied with a helpless smile.

Hagrid chuckled heartily, his bushy beard shaking. He handed over a piece of parchment with crooked handwriting, that looked more obscure than the ancient runes on Slytherin's locket and Ravenclaw's diadem. Bryan squinted his eyes to read the words.

"I need to purchase some medicine to ward off the Flesh-Eating Slugs, Professor. These nasty guys have been wreaking havoc in the vegetable patch all winter," Hagrid explained, his brown eyes shining with concern. "They've eaten half of my pumpkins and cabbages, and they're not even picky about the rotten ones."

"It's rare to find magical creatures that annoy you, Hagrid," Bryan joked. Then, after struggling to decipher the parchment for a while, he signed his name on the requisition form without hesitation. 

"Thank you, Professor," Hagrid nodded gratefully. "I need to hurry to Professor McGonagall's office to collect the money. Hopefully, I can catch the 9 o'clock train and make it to tonight's dinner!"

As Hagrid turned to leave, he muttered under his breath, "Why don't wizards build a bigger fireplace?" He hated traveling by Floo powder, as he often got stuck in the chimneys or ended up in the wrong places.

Amused by his complaint, Bryan smiled and prepared to continue his work. He had a pile of tedious files to go through, mostly related to the school budget and the Ministry regulations. But before Hagrid left, he remembered something, "Wait, Hagrid."

"Is there something you need me to do for you?" Hagrid asked, turning around with a hopeful expression.

"Not really," Bryan shook his head. "Actually, I wanted to ask about Buckbeak. Do you have any leads now?"

To be honest, Hagrid was surprised by this question. It was the first time Director Watson had inquired about Buckbeak since the incident. He had expected him to be too busy or too indifferent to care. But when it came to the matter, Hagrid's furry face immediately turned gloomy. He sighed deeply, his shoulders sagging.

"The Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures has scheduled Buckbeak's hearing for mid-March. I'm preparing the materials, but to be honest, I'm not very good at this. Luckily, Hermione helped me write some things during the holidays," Hagrid said, his voice tinged with sadness. 

Bryan nodded slightly, lowering his head to ponder for a moment before speaking, "But I'm sure you're well aware, Hagrid, that this is not a matter of right or wrong. The Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures is unlikely to strictly follow the rules. Lucius Malfoy is just taking his anger out on you."

"I understand, Professor, but I…" Hagrid's eyes moistened, his voice filled with a heavy nasal tone. "I can't give up on that child. It's because of me. I thought he could be friends with the little ones, that's why I convinced him to participate in my class."

Hagrid was very fond of Buckbeak, the proud and majestic hippogriff that he had raised from an egg. 

"Hagrid, is still the same," After Hagrid left, Sirius, who had been holding back, didn't miss the opportunity to express his opinion. 

"Crookshanks told me about that Hippogriff. Why can't he secretly set Buckbeak free? As long as there's no evidence, with Dumbledore here, the Ministry can't do anything to him!"

"I understand your point, Sirius, but Hagrid is probably afraid of breaking the law because of his past expulsion," Bryan said as he stood up. He was ready to temporarily set aside the pile of tedious files and enjoy a delicious breakfast in the Great Hall. 

"But if you want to resolve this matter, it's actually not difficult, is it?" Sirius revealed his intentions. He had a cunning and mischievous smile on his face, reminiscent of his younger days as a prankster. "Malfoy, that bastard, is asking you for a favor. Maybe if you give him a message, he'll immediately withdraw the complaint."

"I don't deny that," Bryan nodded. He knew that Malfoy was afraid of him, "But I don't want to help Hagrid solve the problem in that way. It wouldn't be of any help."

Sirius was about to say something else, but before the words could leave his mouth, he found himself transformed into a cat again, and the office door coincidentally made a sound. 

Harry, Hermione, and Ron barged into the office, but they were not alone. The entire Gryffindor Quidditch team, as well as the residents of Harry's dormitory, crowded the corridor, but none of them followed them into the office.

"I heard you were looking for me everywhere," Bryan said with a smile as he looked at the three young wizards who were visibly pleased to see him. He noticed the sleek and shiny broomstick that Harry was holding in his hand. "I hope it's because you missed me and not because of the Firebolt in your hands."

Harry scratched his head and sheepishly smiled. He felt a bit guilty for bothering Bryan with such a trivial matter, "Oh, you already heard about it?"

After greeting Bryan, Hermione couldn't wait to share her thoughts. "Besides you, who would give Harry a top-quality Flying broomstick for no reason? I mean, this is not an ordinary broomstick. Its value is higher than all the broomsticks owned by the entire Gryffindor team combined."

"That's not necessarily true, Hermione!" Ron immediately objected. "Harry is famous, and he has more fans than Lockhart!"

At the Mention of that charlatan Gilderoy Lockhart, Hermione's face turned red. Her admiration for him was one of the few "stains" she couldn't remove from her otherwise impeccable record.

Harry was used to Hermione and Ron's daily quarrels. He had seen them argue and bicker countless times, over everything from homework to house-elves. Seeing that Bryan had already expressed his intention, he handed over the Firebolt directly. Looking at Bryan, who was stroking the Firebolt's glossy white ash handle, his eyes were full of expectation.

The Firebolt was indeed an excellent flying broom. Not to mention its exquisite materials, just its ingenious magic loop design inside made Bryan feel a bit of admiration. He had seen many broomsticks in his life, but none of them could compare to the Firebolt. It was a masterpiece of craftsmanship and enchantment, a perfect combination of beauty and functionality. He examined it carefully, looking for any signs of tampering or damage.

"I don't see any problem with this broomstick, Harry. Personally, I believe it is safe," Bryan said, after finishing his inspection. He handed back the Firebolt to Harry, with a reassuring smile. 

Not only in the office but also in the corridor, a burst of enthusiastic cheers erupted after Bryan spoke. The Gryffindors who had been waiting outside the door, holding their breaths, were ecstatic to hear that Harry could keep his Firebolt. They knew that it would give them a huge advantage in the upcoming Quidditch matches, and they were confident that they would win the House Cup and the Quidditch Cup this year.

"I knew it would be like this!" Oliver Wood exclaimed excitedly, waving his fist in the air. "I want to see who will stop us from winning the championship this year!"

"Show us what you've got on the pitch, Harry!" Alicia Spinnet shouted from outside the office. 

"I'm not questioning your skills, Professor," Hermione said, scrutinizing Bryan with furrowed brows. She seemed dissatisfied with his conclusion. "But this is indeed a suspicious matter, isn't it? Who would spend a year's salary to buy such a broomstick for Harry?"

"Oh, come on!" Ron retorted, trying to strike back at Hermione. "You just have to prove that your opinion is never wrong, don't you?"

After the three of them left the office, still arguing, Sirius immediately asked in an eager tone, "Can I go watch Harry train? Being stuck in your office all the time feels like being in Azkaban!"

"Of course, no problem," Bryan replied with a smile that carried a mysterious meaning. "I don't intend to keep you confined in the office all the time. If you find it too boring here, you can wander around the Forbidden Forest for a few days. Hmm, I don't need to help you with your disguise. Your Animagus form is already perfect. Of course, a dog that size would attract attention on campus. It would be even better if you could control your size."

"Deal!" Sirius said happily. "Size is not a problem. I can handle it myself."

Sirius transformed into his large black dog form and then, with a grating sound of bone joints, turned into a small puppy about the size of a stool. He wagged his tail at Bryan, and then leaped out of the automatically opened door, full of joy.

As Bryan gazed at Sirius's disappearing figure, perched on the edge of the desk, he suddenly hooked his fingers in a thoughtful manner. In the void, there was a sudden sound of a broken chain.

*Scenebreak*

The weather in January was still dominated by cold and dampness, but the young wizards rushing to the Quidditch pitch didn't care about the howling wind that whipped their faces and cloaks. They gathered in a circle, with Harry eagerly at the center, clutching his new broom.

Wood looked at Harry's broom with fanatical admiration in his eyes, and then said impatiently, "Get a feel for it, Harry! This is the best broom in the world!"

Despite the lingering shadow of Sirius Black's presence, despite having to clean half the castle's bathrooms during the Christmas holidays due to Malfoy's betrayal, despite the mystery surrounding the broom's origin, Harry's mood was still incredibly joyful. Nothing could disturb him.

He was finally going to ride this Firebolt into the sky!

Since receiving the broom, Harry had fantasized about this moment every night. And now, his dream was finally coming true. He didn't want to wait another second. As soon as Wood gave the command, Harry kicked off and soared into the air like a ghost.

The feeling was even more wonderful than he had imagined. With a gentle touch, the Firebolt responded. It seemed to obey his thoughts, not just his control.

Harry rode the firebolt across the pitch at an incredible speed, turning the stands into a blur of green and gray. Even with his dynamic vision, in the full throttle of the Firebolt, he could barely distinguish the faces of the people on the ground. He felt the wind rushing past his ears, the adrenaline pumping through his veins, and the exhilaration filling his heart.

Suddenly, a group of people rose from the ground. It was the Gryffindor team members, ascending into the air one by one under Wood's command. They wore red and gold robes, and carried their own brooms, which looked dull and ordinary compared to Harry's Firebolt.

Quidditch was not a game that could be won by one person alone. The entire Gryffindor team had to adapt to Harry's increased strength due to the Firebolt. They had to learn how to coordinate with him, how to support him, how to follow his lead.

But compared to Harry's speed, everyone else seemed slow as a snail. 

Harry flew like a meteor falling from the sky, inserting himself into the Gryffindor team's practice formation. He "fell" from the front of Alicia Spinnet, who was playing as a Chaser, causing her to scream. Then, Harry began to control his speed and angle. He showed off his agility and precision, making sharp turns, loops, and dives. Finally, when he was five feet from the ground, the broom and the ground were parallel. He skimmed the grass, leaving a trail of dust behind him. Then, he swiftly ascended again, reaching thirty feet, forty feet, fifty feet–

"This move is not something an ordinary player can do!"

Ron was excited beyond words. He looked at the figure in the air with envy, imagining himself flying so gracefully one day. 

"He should be more careful!"

Hermione's expression was less pleasant. She covered her wind-blown hair and frowned, saying disapprovingly, "Harry is getting a bit too excited, isn't he? As for this broom, in my opinion, Professor Watson should come and keep an eye on him. If, and I say IF, his judgment is wrong, at least there would be a chance to remedy it!"

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