Richie: !!!
"Is what you said true?" Richie's eyes widened with disbelief. He even suspected that Tom was trying to reassure him.
"Of course, do you want me to fetch it from my dorm and show it to you?"
"Alright, let's go right now."
Tom: ...
Captain, you have no manners at all!
Richie couldn't help being a little impolite. He really needed a broom that could compete with the Firebolt. So he led Tom back to his dormitory.
"Look!" Tom pulled a slightly dusty Firebolt from under his bed.
"By Merlin!" Richie was stunned to see a broom like the Firebolt being carelessly stored under a bed. He felt everything turn black before him.
"You... you..." His face turned pale as he snatched the broom from Tom's hands and carefully wiped it clean with the hem of his robe.
The Firebolt was very docile in his hands, and it even seemed like the Firebolt didn't want to be stored under a bed.
Finally, Richie cleaned the broom until it looked brand new.
Seeing the Firebolt in his hands, which had only been "thrown on the ground once," Richie showed a satisfied smile.
"The broom must be well taken care of, even if you're no longer on the team." Richie said significantly, now one hundred percent sure that this broom was a Firebolt.
At that moment, Richie began making plans. Yodel had a good broom and decent skills as well. If he could trick him, no, convince him to return to the team.
But Yodel didn't seem very interested in Quidditch. What should he do? Should he seek out Granger to persuade him? Granger seemed to be very interested in all kinds of honors...
You wouldn't want the Academy not to get the Cup, would you?
Perhaps this approach could move Granger.
Richie's little plan in his mind was rapidly taking shape.
"Captain, let's talk outside." Tom took the broom from Richie's hands, and they both left the room.
"By the way, you mentioned three pieces of news, you've only mentioned the first two, what's the third piece of news?" After resolving the Firebolt issue, Tom suddenly remembered that there was something else.
Richie had only mentioned the withdrawal of the Dementors and that Harry had gotten the Firebolt, and he didn't know what the third piece of news was.
"Oh!" Richie slapped his head. "I forgot to tell you, the third thing is that Cho Chang has recovered and is ready to take over from Robert as Seeker."
Cho Chang was a talented Seeker discovered by Ravenclaw in recent years. However, this season, she suffered a serious injury that prevented her from participating in the matches, so she had to be replaced by Robert.
"That will greatly increase our chances of winning," Tom said, showing great confidence in Ravenclaw's team's future. This year, the format of the Quidditch matches at Hogwarts had changed slightly, going from a single match to a two-match system, meaning each House would face each other twice.
For the students, this was a good thing! Before, the four Houses only played six matches in an academic year, but now it would be twelve matches. The number of matches had suddenly doubled, and young wizards were naturally excited about it.
The Ravenclaw team to which Tom belonged had already gained a significant advantage by defeating Gryffindor in the rain. Now, thanks to that victory, Ravenclaw was temporarily in first place. If they continued to perform steadily in the upcoming matches, they would undoubtedly win the Hogwarts Quidditch championship.
"Yodel, listen to what..." Richie was about to say something but was interrupted by Tom.
"Captain, since Cho Chang is back, I think I can lend her my broom, I mean, this Firebolt. I don't have enough energy to participate in Quidditch matches in the second semester. I've enrolled in too many classes with Hermione."
Richie: !!!
"Really? Are you really willing to lend the broom, I mean, the Firebolt to Cho Chang?!" Richie was surprised. He didn't expect someone to be willing to lend the Firebolt in such a way.
Honestly speaking, Richie felt like he couldn't do it. Even if he got the Firebolt, though he knew it would be better to give it to a Seeker or Chaser, he didn't want to.
Brooms and wives aren't lent!
He didn't expect Yodel to see the bigger picture.
"Cho Chang is an older student, if it were Robert, I definitely wouldn't lend the broom," Tom joked.
"Be careful, or I'll tell Granger," Richie said in a good mood. Although he couldn't bring Tom back to the team, they now had a Firebolt on the team.
The two walked to the common room, laughing and talking.
"Wait a moment, I'll go get Cho Chang," Richie told Tom, asking him to wait at the meeting point between the dormitory and the common room while he hurried to find Cho Chang.
Tom held the broom in his hand, waiting for Richie's arrival.
"Merlin! Is that a Firebolt?" a voice behind Tom asked. Tom turned around and saw Robert, the backup Seeker of the team, staring at his broom.
"Shh!" Tom gestured for him to speak more quietly, but it was already too late. The common room outside instantly fell silent, then excited murmurs and the sound of chairs being dragged across the floor could be heard. In the next moment, the entrance to the dormitory was blocked by people coming to see the Firebolt.
"Tom, how did you get this broom? Have you ridden it?"
"Can I ride your broom later?"
"The Slytherins are finished! How can a Nimbus 2001 compete with a Firebolt?"
"But they have seven Nimbus 2001s, and we only have one Firebolt..."
The conversation gradually drifted off track. Ravenclaw's young wizards often focused their attention on strange things. Tom realized Hermione was by the common room fireplace, smiling at him.
Tom smiled back; he should never have brought the Firebolt into the common room.
Tom handed over the Firebolt for his classmates to see. They gathered around the broom, examining it from every angle, until Richie and a black-haired witch appeared.
"Please make way," Richie said, pushing aside the crowd, took the broom in his hands, and handed it to Cho Chang.
Cho Chang was a very pretty girl, and in addition to her kindness, sweet smile, and good manners, she was very popular among Ravenclaw students.
"I'm going to lend my broom to Cho Chang, hoping she can ride it and win the Quidditch Cup for us." Tom announced the news in front of everyone.
Cho Chang was excited, and her face turned completely red. Ravenclaw's young wizards also began to applaud happily. The common room was filled with joy, and they celebrated for a long time before it ended.
The next day, the entire school learned that both Gryffindor and Ravenclaw had acquired a Firebolt.
This was a devastating blow to Slytherin.