Fake Dementors

Amidst the chaos, all the team members finally made it back to the ground.

Gryffindor Quidditch Team won, but they couldn't bring themselves to smile as they watched Hufflepuff celebrating in the distance.

The score remained close; they were still 190 points behind Hufflepuff, just like at the beginning.

Meanwhile, the Hufflepuff team, who had nominally lost the match, were celebrating like it was Christmas.

"You really did it!"

Qiu jumped and danced with excitement, "I saw through your plan a long time ago... Giving up the Golden Snitch was just too risky. I couldn't even imagine what would have happened if we had failed. Luckily, you succeeded!"

"Success is a given," Cedric said with a laugh. "Don't forget we have the best Chaser and the most valiant Beater ... To them, a Firebolt is nothing."

"It's mainly because you held Harry back," Kyle laughed. "Otherwise, we wouldn't have had so much time to score."

"Yeah, Captain!" Mikel patted him hard on the shoulder. "Using a Nimbus 1700 to hold off the Firebolt for half an hour. Seriously... if you get an offer from a professional team tomorrow, I won't be surprised at all, just like that Kru... um, what was his name again?"

"Krum, Viktor Krum."

Qiu chimed in, "Durmstrang student, and the most talented Seeker in centuries, was already being courted by several well-known Quidditch teams last year."

There are reports that he will also represent Bulgaria at next year's Quidditch World Cup.

Cedric was about to say something modest, after all, in terms of talent Seeker, he really wasn't as good as Krum, that was a fact.

He was already a rising star in Quidditch when he was fifteen, but he was also fifteen and hadn't received a single invitation from a professional team... not even a substitute offer.

But seeing Qiu's excited expression, Cedric swallowed the words that were about to come out and instead gave a mumbled reply.

It's unclear whether he agreed with Cho or was responding to Mikel.

"A shameful trick!"

Just then, Professor McGonagall's furious roar suddenly came from not far away.

"Despicable, cowardly, trying to sabotage the Gryffindor Seeker! You are all sentenced to solitary confinement, and Slytherin will lose fifty points!"

Everyone turned around in confusion, only to see Professor McGonagall, her face contorted with rage, and several people sprawled out on the field.

Malfoy, Goyle, Crabbe, and Marcus Flint... they were scrambling to get out of their long, hooded black robes, and judging from their appearance, Malfoy must have been standing on Goyle's shoulders.

Clearly, the "Dementor" we just saw were actually them in disguise.

To be honest, these people really put in a lot of effort. They not only specially chose robes in the same color as the Dementor, but also cut them into tattered pieces. If you looked down from above, they really did look quite realistic.

George stood to the side, gripping the bat tightly in his hand... He had only caught a fleeting glance and instinctively cried out.

If Harry gets distracted and loses the Golden Snitch, they're sure to lose the game, and he doesn't know how he'll face his teammates then.

With that thought in mind, George quietly aimed at Marcus Flint's head and stealthily raised the stick in his hand.

But the next second, a hand suddenly landed on his shoulder.

"Excuse me, Mr. Weasley, thank you."

Dumbledore as if he hadn't noticed his little trick and walked straight over from behind.

"I've received word that Dementor have reappeared here... That's strange, as far as I know, they should all be in Hogsmeade right now."

"It's these students!" Professor McGonagall explained. "They're dressed as Dementor, trying to interfere with the game..."

"No wonder..." Professor Dumbledore exclaimed in realization, "What about Severus? Does he know about this?"

"Not yet."

"Then let someone go and inform him..."

Afterwards, Professor McGonagall took Malfoy and his companions back to the castle.

As soon as they left the pitch, the Gryffindor students burst into laughter, as if they had won the Quidditch Cup. Ron stood at the front of the crowd, laughing so hard he could hardly stand up straight.

"No wonder I didn't feel cold at all..." Cedric said. "I thought it was because I had learned the Patronus Charm."

"Fifty points deducted, solitary confinement... It's clear Professor McGonagall is truly angry this time."

"Who told them to cause trouble in Quidditch Match?"

Kyle said with a hint of amusement, "Besides, both Professor McGonagall and Professor Dumbledore loathed Dementor, so they got what they deserved."

"Never mind..." Cedric shook his head. "The others are already getting ready to leave, let's go back too."

The group left the field in a hurry without even changing out of their team uniforms, not to celebrate, but to take several injured players to the Hospital Wing.

The two Chaser, in particular, had lost their initial excitement during the game; now they only felt intense pain in their broken arms.

And Mikel... he even has a slight lisp when he speaks.

In the Hospital Wing, Madam Pomfrey complained about how dangerous Quidditch Match was while skillfully reattaching Grace's arm.

"Don't remove the bandages, and don't lift anything too heavy. You'll be fine after a few days of rest."

"As for you..." She looked at Mikel again, "Your clothes are in the closet. Go find a hospital bed yourself. You'll probably be staying here for a couple of days."

"What?" Mikel nearly jumped up upon hearing her words. "It's just a few fillings, do I really need to be hospitalized?"

There's bound to be a lively party in the common room tonight, and Mikel doesn't want to miss it.

"Can I come back on Monday?" he asked tentatively.

"Of course not!"

Madam Pomfrey raised her voice, "I'm already surprised you weren't carried over after being Bludger... You absolutely need a thorough examination!"

"I wasn't hit directly..." Mikel quickly explained, "I missed, and the Bludger bounced off and hit my face. It's not serious at all."

"That won't do!" Madam Pomfrey said sternly. "You're staying here today no matter what, or I'll tell Professor Sprout."

Upon hearing his own dean's name, Mikel's face immediately fell.

He knew he was definitely not going to be able to leave this time; even if he managed to sneak away, he would surely be caught and brought back.

A banquet...

Mikel was incredibly upset; how could he have missed?