A Suspicious Person

"Nothing special," Harry said. "Probably just staying in the Common Room."

"Me too," Hermione said. "It's a good chance to organize the temperature parameters mentioned in those Reference Books."

"That sounds useful," Neville said. "If it's convenient once you're done, send me a copy."

"Sure. I'll send it when I finish."

The three left the Greenhouse, and Harry followed the castle's outer wall back to the Entrance hall. He went up the stairs, and by the time he returned to the Gryffindor Common Room, several people were already sitting inside.

Ron sat in an armchair beside the fireplace, holding a Quidditch tactics magazine and reading a long article in the middle of it.

"Back already?" Ron looked up. "How was it at the Greenhouse?"

"Pretty good." Harry sat on the sofa across from him. "Neville finished transplanting all those seedlings, and Hermione was taking notes beside him. The two of them kept talking about temperature control in the Greenhouse."

"She's always taking notes." Ron turned a page in the magazine. "Are you going out again this afternoon?"

"No. I'm staying here."

"Perfect." Ron closed the magazine and set it on his lap. "I just read an article about Chaser movement routes. It mentioned a new style of play that's different from the one people usually use. I want to see if I can work it into my Quidditch tactics. Take a look at this route diagram."

He spread the magazine open and pointed at an illustration on one of the pages for Harry.

It was a top-down diagram of a Quidditch pitch. Arrows marked out a winding flight path that curved around the goalposts before suddenly turning toward the center line.

"This move requires the Chaser to slow down before reaching the goalposts, then accelerate into the turn. I've never