Before Zhang Xiao's little Duelling Club could officially get underway, another matter took priority: Slytherin would face Gryffindor that Saturday. It would be their first match with both sides on new broomsticks, and the most eagerly anticipated match of the year.
As Saturday drew closer, Malfoy grew increasingly nervous. It was his first time playing in a match, and he placed far too much importance on winning. Together, those pressures had driven him into a state of extreme anxiety.
Malfoy believed that the Azure Luan Society-or rather, the new Slytherin-desperately needed an "undisputed victory" to bring all their groundwork to a perfect conclusion.
All Zhang Xiao could say was that with a talent like Little Ma, Slytherin's glorious rise was just around the corner!
Early on Saturday morning, Zhang Xiao discovered that Malfoy had already woken up in the neighboring bed. Wandlight shone through the gaps in the curtains, accompanied by the rustling of turning pages.
He was probably reading his copy of Quidditch: Techniques and Skills again, which he had practically worn to pieces. During their earlier chats, Malfoy had remained stubbornly defiant, but his words had still betrayed his honest admission that his technical ability fell a little short of Potter's.
But technical ability was not the same as finesse. Little Ma insisted that a slight gap in ability could be made up for with clever techniques.
Zhang Xiao opened the pocket watch beside his pillow and found that it was not even five yet. He waved a hand, and the little world within his bed curtains immediately fell silent.
He wriggled into a comfortable position, tucked the soft bedding between his legs, and drifted blissfully back to sleep.
That morning, a refreshed Zhang Xiao watched Malfoy mechanically eat breakfast beside him as though he were sleepwalking.