Gale Spell

"Ah! It hurts! It hurts so much!"

Neville curled up on the grass, sobbing and wailing in pain.

Madam Hooch hurried over to examine his injury. "Oh, heavens! You've hurt the bone, you poor little thing. We need to get you to Pomfrey straightaway! First years, listen carefully. Stay here in the clearing, and nobody is to touch a Broomstick!"

After Hooch carried Neville away, events unfolded just as they had in the original story. Draco picked up Neville's Remembrall and declared that he would show everyone what a fool Neville had made of himself. The main trio argued with him, but Draco waved the Remembrall and flew off on his Broomstick. Harry pursued him, and after an aerial showdown, Draco lost!

"Oh, Harry, you're brilliant!" Ron shouted.

"Hmph. Give me some time, and I'll definitely fly better than he does!" Hermione said haughtily.

Hovering in midair, Harry waved the Remembrall, basking in everyone's admiration.

Suddenly, a red light flashed inside the ball. Then, as though it had a mind of its own, the Remembrall slipped out of his hand and darted wildly through the air!

Harry chased it on his broom, but the Remembrall flew too fast and kept darting through narrow gaps in the brickwork. Ten minutes later, Harry's wrists ached, and his battered broom handle was shaking badly. He had a feeling that if he kept chasing it, he would end up just like Neville—falling face-first to the ground.

He sighed, gripped the broom handle tightly, and slowly flew back to the clearing.

"Look! Gryffindor's useless little loser is back!" Draco sneered, curling his lip.

"Draco Malfoy, you cheated! I saw you cast a spell on the Remembrall!" Hermione said furiously.

"Get lost, Mudblood. You stink. Stay away from me! Ha! Harry Potter's rubbish at flying, and you blame someone else for it. Tsk. A loser is a loser!"

Harry and Ron held back Hermione, who looked ready to punch him. "Malfoy, we're all classmates. Do you really have to keep picking on us?"

"Hmph. Once you Mudbloods pack your bags and take the train back to London, I'll stop."

"You..."

If this argument went on, it really would turn into a fight. Luo Bin stepped between the two groups and mounted his broom. "It's just a Remembrall under a Confusion Charm. What's so hard about catching it?"

With that, he pushed off hard with both legs and flew toward the distant treetops.

The rushing wind swept all his black hair back, and the fluttering hem of his robes snapped in the breeze. The towering buildings grew smaller and smaller, let alone the figures on the lawn, which looked like little black beans.

The entire landscape spread out beneath him. The freedom of soaring through the open sky made Luo Bin more excited the farther he flew.

He gripped his broom tightly and leaned forward. With a whoosh, the broom shot toward the treetops like a bullet, but the Remembrall lodged in a fork of the branches suddenly took flight, leaving him grasping at empty air.

Undeterred, he leaned sideways, changed direction, and continued his pursuit.

Two blurs streaked past treetops, roofs, terraces, brick walls, statues, and even the first years' heads. The girls covered their mouths, their eyes following Luo Bin. Every turn, burst of speed, and attempt to reach the Remembrall drew louder shrieks and gasps.

Damn it! My fingertips touched it, but that enchanted Remembrall suddenly sped up. If only I could speed up too... Wait, speed up?

Realization dawned on Luo Bin, and the corners of his mouth lifted. He drew on the magic within him and cast the Gale Spell. During the few seconds he paused in midair, the Remembrall pulled fifty meters ahead.

He dived, shooting past the Remembrall like a rocket. Applying pressure with his toes and wrists, he executed a perfect turn, judged its flight path, and reached out.

The Remembrall landed securely in his palm. A dim red light flashed inside it, and the Confusion Charm broke.

He had only used the Gale Spell while running in the Forbidden Forest before. The thrill of the wind rushing against his face then had not been even a tenth as exhilarating as casting it in midair. Excitement surged through Luo Bin, and he could not resist a few laps to show off.

Clutching his broom, he sped through the sky, making sharp turns just before he struck a treetop or tower roof and drawing wave after wave of startled cries.

Finally, he pointed his broom downward and dived toward the lawn. Half a meter above the ground, he leveled it just in time, flicked his wrist, and tossed the Remembrall to Harry. "Tell Neville Longbottom to keep his important belongings safe!"

"All right. I'll tell him!"

"Robin Sear, you're the most talented young wizard I've ever met. Do you have any other plans this weekend? I'd like to invite you to the common room to discuss the secrets of using a Broomstick!" Hermione said, rushing out of the crowd.

"Harry Potter! Robin Sear! How dare you two do this without a teacher present... Who would be responsible if you got hurt?"

Professor McGonagall's chest rose and fell. Clearly, she was furious!

"Professor, Draco Malfoy started it. He took Neville's Remembrall. Harry and Luo Bin were only trying to..."

Under McGonagall's icy stare, Hermione's voice grew less confident with every word.

"Trying to do what? Help a friend?! There were a hundred ways to solve this problem, yet you chose the worst possible one. Harry, Luo Bin, come with me!"

With that, Professor McGonagall led them toward the castle. Harry looked miserable the entire way. Staring at her tall figure ahead of him, he opened and closed his mouth but did not dare make a sound.

Luo Bin knew the boy was imagining the worst again. He really ought to think it through. Young wizards were so rare—why would Hogwarts expel a student so readily?

"Minerva McGonagall, where are you taking my student?"

Dressed entirely in black, Snape blocked the foot of the stairs, his face expressionless.

Professor McGonagall briefly recounted how the two boys had disregarded classroom discipline and caused trouble. Her expression was stern. "Snape, Harry and Luo Bin must take responsibility for their actions!"

"Robin Sear is a Slytherin student. As his Head of House, I decide how he is punished!"

"Snape, this is no time to shield your fledglings!" McGonagall said with a frown.

"Minerva McGonagall, which of us is shielding their fledglings?"

Snape cast Harry a glance as sharp and cold as an ice blade, then said, "Luo Bin, come with me!"

"Yes, Professor!"

After nodding apologetically to Professor McGonagall, Luo Bin turned onto another staircase!

On a high platform in a tower!

"How does it feel to show off?"

"Professor, would you believe me if I said, 'Nothing special'?"

"What are the effects of the Hair-Raising Potion, and how is it prepared?"

"Drinking the Hair-Raising Potion makes your hair stand on end for approximately thirty minutes. To prepare it, add mole tail and pixie wings to a cockroach decoction in that order. Simmer until thick, extinguish the fire beneath the cauldron, then add porcupine quills!"

Luo Bin answered confidently. Clearly, this was not the first time he had faced such an impromptu quiz!

"You actually took a minute to think about such a simple Polyjuice Potion. It seems your effort does not match your talent!"

Luo Bin strongly disagreed. He spent most of his time studying. Among all the first years, nobody worked harder than he did except Hermione.

"Professor, I'll work harder. Huh? Who's that?"