Flying Duel

"Look, the brave and fearless lion got hurt!"

"Did you see that look on his face?"

"He was so stupid, so 'adorable'!"

As Madam Hooch led Neville away, Malfoy burst into loud laughter.

The Slytherin students immediately joined in.

Malfoy was once again pleased with his Slytherin classmates' performance. The way he looked at Harry and the others was full of provocation and confidence.

"Shut up, Malfoy! You can't humiliate him like that!" Parvati Patil shouted angrily.

She was an ugly Slytherin girl, and her angry expression made her look even uglier.

At the sight of this, Malfoy wore an expression of disdain and disgust. "Have you fallen for Neville?"

"Hey, what an interesting scene. You actually like that crybaby, that stupid fat kid."

With that, Malfoy walked up to Patil and said viciously, "Patil, you'd better understand this. You're a Slytherin student. Your sympathy and pity won't earn you anything from the lions."

Intimidated by Malfoy's imposing manner and malice, Patil took two steps back. She did not dare say anything else, though there was still some hesitation and struggle in her expression.

Malfoy ignored Patil and turned to Harry. Raising Neville's Remembrall, he smiled wickedly. "Harry, look. What's this?"

"It's Neville's Remembrall!" Ron Weasley immediately realized and shouted.

Harry's face darkened. He knew that nothing good would come of the Remembrall falling into Malfoy's hands again, but he still stepped forward. "Give me the Remembrall, Malfoy."

Hearing that, Malfoy backed away two steps with a sinister grin. Crabbe and Goyle knowingly stepped forward, shielding Malfoy behind them as they looked down on Harry.

Harry retreated two steps, keeping his distance from Crabbe and Goyle. Then he looked at Malfoy and said, "Malfoy, you're despicable."

Malfoy ran a hand through his hair. With that dashing gesture and smug face, he smiled. "Watch your words. This isn't despicable. It's wisdom."

As he spoke, Malfoy swept his gaze around the area. "Harry, if I hide this somewhere and make Neville look for it, with that memory of his—where he sometimes forgets what he's doing—will he even remember that he lost a Remembrall?"

"Or perhaps I should hide it somewhere high up and let Neville, who can't fly, go fetch it?"

"Well, I can picture it already. He'll be trembling as he climbs a tree, and then when he goes to get the Remembrall—bang—he'll break his wrist again."

"Hahaha!"

Harry was furious at Malfoy's words and moved to snatch it back, but Crabbe and Goyle shoved him away together, sending him crashing to the ground.

Looking at Harry's disheveled state, Malfoy gave a wicked smile. "Harry, let's play a game. If you catch up to me, I'll give the Remembrall back."

With that, Malfoy mounted his broomstick and shot up into the air, rising more than ten meters in an instant.

It turned out Malfoy had not been boasting. His flying skills were quite good.

Ron's expression changed slightly. Compared to Malfoy's current display, there had been far too much exaggeration in his own bragging.

"Harry, if you've got the guts, come up here."

"Otherwise, I don't mind letting this Remembrall make a perfect free fall."

Malfoy looked down at Harry with a savage expression and sneered.

Harry was enraged and quickly grabbed his broomstick.

"No!" Hermione Granger hurriedly grabbed Harry and cried, "Madam Hooch will be back soon. She told us not to move, or you'll be in trouble."

"That belongs to Neville. He's my friend!" Harry shouted in anger and embarrassment.

Harry broke free of Hermione, mounted his broomstick, and kicked hard off the ground, immediately soaring into the air.

He flew very fast. The wind whistled past his ears and tossed his hair into disarray.

As Harry flew two circles while controlling his broomstick for the first time, joy surged through him. After Elemental Magic, he had once again learned something without a teacher—he had learned how to fly.

It was incredibly easy, and the feeling was wonderful.

"Wow, Harry, you're amazing!" Ron screamed in admiration.

He knew very well that Harry had never ridden a broomstick before, yet on his first try, he was already flying—and flying steadily at that.

Harry heard Ron's cheers, as well as the cheers and screams of the other Gryffindor students. A smile appeared on his face.

Then Harry thought of Malfoy, and his gaze sharpened.

"Give me the Remembrall, Malfoy, or I'll knock you off that broomstick."

Malfoy had not expected Harry to actually fly up on a broomstick, much less do so so steadily.

It made Malfoy, who had wanted to see Harry make a fool of himself, extremely unhappy.

"Hmph. Even if you've learned to fly, you'll never catch me."

"I'll let you see just how powerful a true flying knight is."

Malfoy sneered disdainfully.

Harry was furious. He leaned forward, gripping the broomstick tightly with both hands. The next instant, he became like a thrown spear, shooting toward Malfoy at tremendous speed.

Malfoy's expression changed slightly. He accelerated at once, rapidly widening the distance between them.

The two chased each other through the air, performing all kinds of maneuvers and drawing gasps from the students below.

"Wow, that was so cool! Harry just pulled off a difficult move—a one-hundred-and-eighty-degree vertical spin! He's about to catch Malfoy!"

"Oh, what a pity! Harry was just a little short of grabbing the Remembrall!"

"Hahaha! Malfoy is scared of Harry! You nearly crashed into the tower!"

Watching Harry and Malfoy in the sky, Ron immediately turned into a commentator, shouting excitedly.

On the other side, the Slytherin snakes were also sweating for Malfoy while cheering him on.

Especially Crabbe and Goyle.

Crabbe waved his thick, powerful hand and let out a hysterical roar. "Malfoy, take him down!"

Goyle shouted from beside him, "Knock him off his broom! Let him experience being smashed to pieces!"

The little Slytherin snakes cheered in admiration at Malfoy's ability to keep toying with Harry without letting him get the Remembrall. "Go, go! Come on, Malfoy!"

"Let those sickly Gryffindor cats see how strong we are!"