Memory Orb

No matter what, flying class was clearly a highly anticipated lesson. During the entire lunch period on Thursday, the Great Hall was filled with the chatter of first-year students, all discussing flying.

Not far from Ron and Li Mu, Hermione was also talking non-stop. She nervously held a thick book, Quidditch Through the Ages, and lectured others, mainly Neville Longbottom, about the Quidditch secrets she had "discovered" in the book. Her voice could be heard almost the entire lunch period—but it was clear she had never flown herself and was terribly afraid.

And Neville, a native of the magical world? He seemed even more frightened than Hermione. At home, his grandmother never allowed him to touch a magical broom. Li Mu and the others thought this was indeed a wise decision, but they also felt sorry for him—born into a wizarding family, yet he hadn't even touched a magical broom in over a decade. Not just not ridden, but not even touched!

It might be unbelievable to tell others.

But Neville didn't care about this; he probably hoped he wouldn't need to fly for the rest of his life. While listening to Hermione's lecture, he unwrapped his package—it had been dropped on his table by an owl at breakfast, and only now did he remember to open it.

Neville Longbottom's package, like his "strong acid" solution in Potions class, had become a legend throughout the school. On the first day of school, Neville's grandmother wrapped up all the things he had forgotten into a large package and had an owl deliver it. There were so many things in that package that those who saw it wondered how the owl had managed to carry it... And after that, Neville received things he had forgotten almost every day, making others extremely embarrassed.

As Neville unwrapped the package, Hermione was giving her third lecture on the safe riding techniques of flying brooms: "You must comprehensively consider the braking performance, climbing ability, and acceleration performance of the flying broom. In particular, you must accurately master the anti-lock braking charm invented by Horton-Keitch..."

She couldn't continue because her only listener, Neville, exclaimed with surprise and joy: "Oh, it's a Memory Orb!" Neville held up a round glass bead, showing it to his friends, "Grandma knows I always forget things, so she gave me this! If I forget something, this orb will remind me. Look, as long as you hold it tightly, if it turns red... uh..."

He was taken aback because the Memory Orb suddenly emitted a dazzling, blood-red light, reflecting on his face and eyes. He continued, his chubby face filled with depression and confusion: "This means you've forgotten to do something..."

This appearance made Li Mu and the others laugh.

"Oh my gosh... what did I forget?" Neville frowned and thought carefully, but unexpectedly, a hand reached over from the side and snatched the Memory Orb away.

Malfoy had appeared at the Gryffindor table at some point. Of course, he was followed by the hulking Crabbe and Goyle.

Ron and Harry immediately jumped up from their seats. They had been ridiculed by Malfoy in various classes these past few days, and they had been holding back their anger for a long time.

Li Mu also disliked Malfoy's arrogant behavior, but he remained seated, clenching his fists until they cracked, and said coldly, "I don't want to resort to violence, return the Memory Orb!"

Malfoy chuckled, and before he could say anything, Professor McGonagall walked over from the head table reserved for teachers, frowning and asking, "What's going on?"

"Malfoy snatched my Memory Orb!"

"Just looking at it." Malfoy made a face, threw the Memory Orb on the table, and swaggered away. Crabbe and Goyle glanced at Li Mu with some fear and quickly followed Malfoy.

Seeing that the matter was resolved, Professor McGonagall instructed Neville, "Longbottom, put your things away." Then she walked away.

Harry and Ron sat down silently, and Hermione, who was beside them, finally breathed a sigh of relief and scolded them with dissatisfaction, "What were you going to do just now? This is a school, did you want to fight?"

No one paid attention to her. Ron said angrily to the others, "I'll make him look good in flying class later!"

Li Mu remained noncommittal. But Harry and Neville both nodded in agreement. They both felt that Malfoy had been too arrogant and smug these past few days.

*********

Soon, the time finally came to two thirty in the afternoon on Thursday, and all the first-year students ran out of the castle excitedly. They went straight to the small training ground on the outskirts of the Forbidden Forest, ready to begin their first flying class.

The Slytherin students had already arrived. More than twenty brooms were neatly placed on the ground at their feet, marked with the green snake emblem of Slytherin. The first-year students from other houses also arrived one after another. Once everyone was standing on the training ground, a flying broom quickly appeared beside them, mostly Nimbus models, but also some lower-end and older Comet 180s or even Comet 140s.

"Fred and George often complain about the poor quality of the school brooms," Ron whispered to his companions, although most of them, including Li Mu from another house, had heard the twins complain about this, "These brooms are difficult to control, we need to be careful later."

Madam Hooch, the flying class professor, was already standing there waiting for them. She had short gray hair and sharp eyes, giving the impression of a strict teacher.

"Class is in session! Now, the four houses stand in your respective positions! Make sure each of you has a broom beside your feet," Madam Hooch ordered. Li Mu shrugged, nodded goodbye to his Gryffindor friends, and naturally stood next to Ernie Macmillan and Justin Finch-Fletchley. Most of the Hufflepuff students were slow-paced, and they had barely arrived. And to this day, they were used to Li Mu, a student who often mingled with the Gryffindors.

Once everyone was standing, Madam Hooch said loudly again, "In today's lesson, we only need to have a basic understanding of the flying broom and its grip and riding posture. It won't be difficult, you just need to follow my instructions—yes, I don't want to see any extra movements from you! Next... put your right hand over the broom and say loudly: 'Up!'"

"Up!" All the students shouted. Li Mu naturally knew that the brooms were not so obedient; they couldn't just say "Up" and be done with it. He guessed that while speaking, they also had to emit their magic to cooperate in attracting these flying brooms. He wasn't sure how this magic was emitted, but years of meditation and cultivation helped him at this time. He decided to follow the method of meditation, imagining the magic running in his body along a certain trajectory, imagining that he could control this power...

In that instant, Li Mu suddenly felt a throbbing in his body, as if a heat current surged out from the dantian area and shot out along his fingertips. Then the flying broom in front of him jumped steadily into his right palm, which was truly a wonderful feeling.

(End of this chapter)

</div>