In the early morning, sunlight bathed Hogwarts, casting its majestic silhouette in a radiant glow.
After a night of slumber, the castle now resembled an awakened giant, brimming with boundless vitality.
The castle gates opened in the morning, and groups of young wizards streamed out in clusters, chatting eagerly with faces lit up with excitement and joy.
Ino followed the crowd, slowly making his way towards the Quidditch pitch outside the castle.
After his conversation with Draco last night, he had firmly set his mind on acquiring a flying carpet in England.
It was unclear whose toes had been stepped on, but the Ministry of Magic turned a blind eye to smuggling dragons while maintaining zero tolerance towards flying carpets smuggling.
According to Draco, Aurors even traveled all the way to Africa to apprehend smugglers.
Whether true or not, it underscored the Ministry's stance on the matter.
...
Quidditch pitch.
As time passed, the stands, once empty, now filled with people, their expectant eyes turned towards the sky.
"Good morning, everyone!"
"I'm Lee Jordan, your commentator for this match. Today marks the second match of the Inter-House Cup for this academic year, Gryffindor versus Slytherin. I'm sure this will be another thrilling and heart-pounding game."
Perhaps some people are just naturally suited for certain things. In just a few sentences, Jordan's animated tone ignited the enthusiasm of the entire stadium.
As players from both sides took to the field one by one, the match officially began.
One could say it was unsurprising for Slytherin versus Gryffindor. In less than ten minutes, a thick atmosphere of tension filled the field.
Although not well-versed in Quidditch, Ino could sense something amiss in the atmosphere.
Especially after Gryffindor Chaser Angelina Johnson was maliciously fouled and knocked down, the previously tense atmosphere reached its climax.
Fred began retaliating like a madman, targeting anyone from Slytherin who came near him, heedless of consequences.
Where there's Fred, there's also George. Seeing his brother being outnumbered, George also rushed in without regard for his own safety.
Well... Once the chain reaction starts, it's already too late to think about stopping it.
...
The chaotic scene in the air couldn't be stopped by Madam Hooch's bronze whistle alone.
"Why bother playing Quidditch... Wouldn't it be more exhilarating for each person to ride a knight's lance?"
Ino muttered as he looked up at the sky. This was turning into a brawl rather than a Quidditch match, with players from both teams no longer caring about the Quaffle.
Similarly, he noticed Harry flying on the edge, seemingly frightened by the chaotic scene, despite being Gryffindor's newly appointed Seeker.
But regardless, this was Hogwarts.
Under Professor McGonagall's authoritative presence, the match was interrupted for fifteen minutes to allow both teams to reflect and calm down.
Perhaps this was the display of Deputy Headmistress's authority. When the second half began, both Slytherin and Gryffindor played more conventionally, and even if fouls occurred sporadically, they were within manageable limits.
With order restored on the pitch, this allowed Harry the space to shine.
As time ticked away.
Driven by fate, Harry also experienced his moment of glory. After an incident with the broomstick almost spiraled out of control, he thrillingly swallowed the Golden Snitch.
With a 150-point bonus, Gryffindor secured a decisive victory.
The match was over.
Despite watching the entire game, Ino couldn't feel entirely happy.
It wasn't because Slytherin lost, but because everything that happened today had clear deviations from his memory.
It seemed like every event from his memories had silently changed.
...
Life goes on, whether things that should happen or shouldn't have happened have already occurred.
Returning to the common room.
Looking at the gloomy Slytherin students, Ino turned and walked towards the library.
Although he couldn't stand this atmosphere of melancholy, he understood. After all, in the magical world, many wizards value Quidditch more than life itself.
Leaving the common room, he walked familiarly towards the library.
But as soon as he entered, he was intercepted by Madam Pince.
"I don't understand why I keep getting notes for you! You students treat me like a messenger owl."
Though complaining, Madam Pince's smile indicated otherwise.
"Just look at you, you're much more reliable than an owl, that's for sure."
Facing Madam Pince's self-deprecation, Ino joked back.
After half a semester of interaction, despite the age and status gap, he had still become friends with Madam Pince.
Although initially based on preconceived notions, over time, he discovered Madam Pince wasn't as harsh as she appeared.
Perhaps it was the nature of her work or her past experiences that made Madam Pince seem somewhat neurotic and occasionally hysterical.
But undeniable was the simplicity often found in such personalities—they didn't care about societal norms or others' opinions; they had their own rhythm of life.
Meanwhile.
As they talked, Madam Pince pulled out a diamond-shaped note from her pocket.
"Take it quickly. The Gryffindor girl seemed quite anxious today."
Ino took the note casually. "Thank you! I've been busy lately, but I'll make sure to finish the remaining story. If all goes well, the book will reach its final conclusion next time we bring it."
This was the fundamental reason why he could become equal friends with Madam Pince.
A romance novel blending elements like marriage, family, lovers, illegitimate children, and love triangles.
Initially, to improve his relationship with Madam Pince, he improvised a short story, though its content was somewhat hard to face, its effect was unexpectedly good.
Similarly, when Madam Pince heard that the next part was almost ready, her eyes lit up instantly.
But after a moment, she murmured sadly, "Is it coming to an end? Yes! All stories must come to an end."
Seeing this scene, Ino knew exactly what Madam Pince was thinking.
"For the next one, we'll have to wait until the start of the next school year! It's about two sisters falling in love with the same man, who happens to be their stepfather."
"That settles it!" Madam Pince's tone was decisive, as if anyone dared to go back on it, she'd draw her wand and duel them on the spot.
...
Watching Madam Pince's departing figure, Ino shook his head with a smile.
Then he opened the note left by Hermione without surprise, finding the usual arrangement to meet in the library.
Despite seeming childish, it allowed him to rediscover the joy of passing notes in school.
Even though many things could be said after class, there was a certain illicit thrill in writing them down on paper and passing them quietly during lessons.
Thinking of this, he neatly folded the note and put it back in his pocket, then headed towards the Transfiguration section of the library.
...
In a state of deep concentration, time passed unnoticed.
At night, with only half an hour left until curfew, under Madam Pince's urging, Ino reluctantly left the library.
At 9:30 PM in the castle, everything had quieted down completely.
Walking alone on the way back to his dormitory, the deserted corridors scarcely saw any students.
Just as he approached the entrance to the common room, he heard a soothing and elegant tone in his ears.
"You're truly a good child. Your thirst for knowledge is destined to surpass countless mediocre people."
Though the voice was very unfamiliar, the aroma of garlic lingering in the air couldn't deceive anyone.
Without hesitation, Ino swiftly reached into his inner pocket, and in an instant, a die similar to the one used in divination appeared in his hand.
It was called similar, only in terms of material and color, but upon closer inspection, this die resembled a roughly finished semi-product.
Its shape was an irregular polyhedron, with no numbers carved on its surface, only messy lines and symbols reminiscent of a child's doodles.
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