Potter! Have You Gone Mad?!!!

The Golden Snitch was just ahead of Higgs's fingertips.

Just a little closer.

He lowered his shoulders and reached another half inch forward with his right hand. He could already make out those two rapidly beating golden wings.

"Higgs is reaching for it!"

Lee Jordan's voice was taut.

"Potter's still behind him! Could the match be about to-"

His words abruptly cut off.

Harry stood up.

His red Quidditch robes snapped in the wind. He dipped the front of his broomstick a final fraction, locking onto the spot the Snitch was about to pass.

Then his legs drove hard.

Push!

Suddenly, there was nothing beneath his feet.

Harry had actually leaped off his broomstick!!!

Higgs sensed a red blur streak past diagonally above him. He whipped his head around, and the smile instantly froze on his face.

Potter?!

How did he get here?!

Then Higgs saw the broomstick trailing behind the boy.

There was no one on it.

"You idiot! Have you gone mad?!"

His arm jerked violently, and he nearly lost control of his own broomstick.

But Harry had already hurtled past him from above at an angle.

The boy shot forward on his existing momentum, while the broomstick he had dipped beforehand continued its high-speed dive along a lower diagonal.

By his judgment, the two paths would converge closer to the ground.

This was his last chance.

But if his judgment was even slightly off...

"Merlin above!"

Lee Jordan's voice finally rang out again, but its pitch had completely changed.

"Potter's jumped off! He's jumped off his broomstick!!!"

In that instant!

It was as though someone had pressed pause on the entire Quidditch Pitch.

Countless pairs of eyes turned toward the sky in unison.

That figure in red Quidditch robes had actually left his Flying Broomstick and was plummeting toward the ground!

The next second.

"Aaaah-!!!"

Piercing screams erupted from the stands!

"Oh my goodness! He jumped off!!!"

"He's dozens of feet in the air!"

"He's mad! Potter must be mad!"

"He'll die! He really will die!!!"

Some of the more timid girls had already covered their eyes in terror, not daring to look up again.

Many more students rose to their feet in horror, pointing frantically at the steadily falling figure.

The entire stadium instantly descended into a boiling pot of chaos!

Meanwhile, in the Gryffindor stands.

Ron had been cheering Harry on with all his might.

But when he saw Harry let go of his broomstick and plunge toward the ground, the smile vanished from his face.

"Ha... Harry?"

His mouth hung open blankly. Then his face turned deathly white!

"Harry!!!"

Ron sprang out of his seat!

He stumbled toward the edge of the stands, gripping the railing so tightly that half his body leaned out over it!

"No!!!"

"Harry! Grab your broomstick!!!"

Ron's eyes reddened with panic, and he even pulled out his wand instinctively.

But as he raised it with a trembling hand, he realized in despair...

He had no idea what spell to use!

"Damn it! Damn it!!!"

Wood's face was deathly pale.

"Potter! Get back on that broomstick!!!"

The twins wheeled around at the same time, forgetting even their usual ready jokes.

In the professors' seats, McGonagall stood almost instantly, her wand already in her hand.

"Potter!"

Flitwick and Snape raised their wands as well. Dumbledore's wand tip swiftly pointed toward the landing point ahead of the boy and his broomstick.

Boy and broomstick were rapidly drawing closer.

If they stopped only one, the other might crash into it.

"Wait, Minerva!" Flitwick watched the two trajectories intently. "He jumped off himself. He seems to have something else planned-"

"He's only eleven!"

McGonagall could barely keep her voice under control.

Her wand never left Harry.

In the stands on the other side, every trace of color drained from Malfoy's face.

She stared blankly at the sky, where that familiar figure was hurtling toward the ground at an astonishing speed!

He...

He actually jumped off?!

That idiot!

That absolute idiot!!!

That's the ground down there! Falling from this high could kill him!!!

For an instant, Malfoy felt as though an invisible hand had clenched around her heart.

It hurt so badly she could barely breathe.

"No..."

The girl's lips trembled slightly.

"Don't..."

The next second, she lunged toward the railing, both hands gripping the cold iron bars.

"Harry Potter!!!"

That scream took almost every ounce of strength she had.

"Have you gone mad!!!"

Malfoy panicked, utterly and completely.

She frantically searched for the professors around her, her gray-green eyes filled with a fear they had never held before.

"Where are the professors?!"

"Where's Madam Hooch?!"

"Why hasn't anyone gone to save him?!"

The girl's voice was already choked with tears.

"Someone save him!!!"

"Please! Hurry and save him!!!"

Goyle and Crabbe stood beside her, already too frightened to make a sound.

They had never seen the Miss like this.

Miss Malfoy, always so proud, always refusing to bow her head, was now so distraught that her eyes were red and even her voice trembled.

But Malfoy could no longer spare a thought for any of that. She stared at the figure drawing ever closer to the ground, her mind utterly blank.

Slytherin, House honor, having to beat Potter...

At this moment, none of it mattered anymore.

But Harry could not hear anything clearly.

Wind rushed into his ears, pressing his glasses tight against the bridge of his nose. The Golden Snitch was right before him, and the lawn was rapidly swelling in his vision too.

He had to catch it.

Then, the instant his broomstick arrived beneath his feet, he had to plant them firmly on it again.

After he left the broomstick, however, the oncoming wind and his falling body made the convergence point he had calculated difficult to judge.

Don't panic.

Harry tightened his core, his gaze sweeping swiftly over the familiar handle below.

Just then, a notification flashed at the edge of his vision.

[Current proficiency is full!]

[Flying: Proficient → Masterful!]

The takeoffs, landings, turns, and shifts in balance he had practiced over and over seemed suddenly to connect into one clear line.

The point where the paths converged finally became clear.

Harry was still falling, but at last he saw that split-second opening clearly.

The Golden Snitch beat its wings sharply, preparing to turn just above the grass.

Harry thrust out his right hand!

Smack!

Almost simultaneously, a familiar sensation met the soles of his feet!

The broomstick was here!

He planted both feet firmly, immediately bent his knees, and clamped his left hand around the handle, pressing his body back onto the broomstick!

The ground was less than a meter away.

There was no time to celebrate. Harry shifted his shoulders back, drove through his waist and legs together, and pulled upward with his left hand on the broomstick!

The front of the broomstick shot up.

Its tail skimmed almost against the lawn, whipping up a trail of grass clippings.

The next moment, the red figure surged back into the sky, facing the sunlight!

The entire stadium actually fell silent for an instant.

Lee Jordan's mouth hung wide open. He had even forgotten to commentate.

In midair, Harry finally settled securely back onto his broomstick, his chest heaving.

His left hand was a little numb around the handle, but he could distinctly feel something struggling in his right palm.

He glanced down, then smiled and raised his right hand high.

Sunlight fell between his fingers.

Two tiny golden wings were still fluttering in defiance.

"He..."

In the stands, someone spoke in a trembling voice.

"He caught it?!"

A whistle shrilled!

"He caught it!!!"

Lee Jordan roared with almost all his strength.

"Harry Potter has caught the Golden Snitch!"

"Two hundred and twenty to one hundred and forty!"

"Gryffindor wins!!!"

Boom!

The red stands erupted completely.

Ron pounded the railing, shouting "Harry" twice before everything else he said dissolved into a jumble. Hermione finally unclenched her hands, her face still a little pale.

"He actually... How could he dare..."

Applause from Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff followed close behind.

Some stood up; others were still tracing out those two diving trajectories.

"He jumped off first, then let the broomstick catch him from below-"

"Don't you try it!" An older student beside them immediately turned around. "That was jumping out of midair!"

Lee Jordan was still shouting.

"He's only eleven! Eleven!"

"This is a moment worthy of going down in Hogwarts history! Let's hear it for him!"

"To the brilliant Harry Potter!"

In the green stands, the flags that had been waving had stopped.

Higgs hovered nearby, silent for a long time.

He looked at his hands, then at Harry.

Just now, he had clearly been so close.

Yet Potter had not left him even that little chance.

"That lunatic..." he muttered, gripping his broom. After a long pause, he added, "He really is good."

In the Slytherin stands, Malfoy still clung tightly to the railing.

The girl's beautiful gray-green eyes stared unblinkingly at the sky.

She had seen it.

She had seen Harry seize his broom again at the last possible moment, seen him pull out of that hair-raising dive, and seen him raise the Golden Snitch high in his hand.

But... she showed no reaction.

It was as though her entire soul remained trapped in the moment Harry had leaped off his broom.

Her mind was blank.

Until-

"Miss!!!"

"Oh, heavens! Merlin's beard!!!"

Two excited cheers suddenly erupted beside her!

Goyle was so excited he nearly jumped, while Crabbe grabbed her arm and shook it over and over.

"Miss! Look!"

"Potter's all right! He's really all right!!!"

"He even caught the Golden Snitch!!!"

Malfoy shuddered, as though only at that moment had she finally awakened from the nightmare.

Her hands finally lost their grip on the railing, and she even felt her legs go a little weak.

Only a few dozen seconds had passed, yet to her, it felt as though she had endured a long nightmare.

And now...

The nightmare was over.

Malfoy raised her head again.

In midair, Harry held the Golden Snitch high, his messy black hair flying wildly in the wind.

Yet the smile on his face was almost dazzlingly bright.

That idiot... he could actually still smile!

At the thought, her nose suddenly prickled.

She blinked instinctively.

Strange.

Why...

Had Potter suddenly become a little blurry?

Malfoy froze for a moment.

Then she felt wetness at the corners of her eyes.

Instinctively, she raised a hand and gently wiped the corner of one eye.

A glistening trace of moisture had actually clung to her fingertip.

She stared, stunned.

Were these...

Tears?

Had she...

Cried?

The girl stared blankly at her fingertip, momentarily forgetting even to be angry.

How could this happen...

Every day, she thought about how to defeat him and make him obediently admit his defeat.

But why...

Had she been so frightened when she saw him falling through the air?

So frightened that even her heart had seemed to stop beating.

And even...

Her tears had spilled out beyond her control.

"Miss?"

Goyle seemed to have noticed something.

"Why are you..."

"Shut up!" Malfoy whipped her head around, hastily wiping her eyes with her sleeve. "I'm perfectly fine!"

Her voice was still trembling slightly.

"It's just... the wind was too strong just now!"

Goyle and Crabbe exchanged a look, then nodded in perfect understanding.

"Understood, miss!"

Only then did the girl look back up at the sky.

Watching the black-haired boy still waving to the spectators, she bit her lip.

Harry Potter...

You great idiot!

Making me worry so much...

This...

Was far from over!!!

In the professors' seats, McGonagall finally lowered her wand.

"Absolutely incredible!" Flitwick was still watching Harry. "Minerva, I finally understand why you were willing to make an exception and let him join the team."

"I certainly didn't know he would dare jump off his broom!"

The joy had yet to fade from McGonagall's face, but her tone had already turned stern.

Snape put away his wand and spoke coldly.

"Foolish and dangerous behavior."

Beside him, Quirrell nodded slightly.

"M-Mr. Potter is certainly very gifted."

"Indeed." Flitwick smiled. "I'm afraid this child's future achievements will extend far beyond Quidditch."

Watching the boy surrounded by his teammates, Quirrell suddenly said:

"So gifted... he reminds me of someone."

McGonagall turned her head.

"That person also possessed incredible magical talent in his youth."

"Almost every professor believed he would become a figure of great consequence..."

Flitwick's smile faded.

Snape narrowed his eyes slightly.

That description made it difficult not to think of one particular name.

As though finally noticing something wrong with the atmosphere, Quirrell hastily lowered his head.

"O-of course, I only meant that Mr. Potter is very talented..."

"Talent can help someone travel faster."

Dumbledore watched the pitch, his voice as gentle as ever.

"But it cannot determine where they will ultimately go."

"What truly matters is the choices they make."

Quirrell nodded stiffly and said no more.

When Harry landed, Wood nearly lifted him straight off the ground in a hug.

"You caught it! You really caught it!"

The captain looked at him, then at the Golden Snitch, so excited that even his eyes were slightly red.

The twins were already hugging each other, laughing and shouting.

"Harry, that move you just pulled-"

"Was crazier than every idea we've ever had!"

Fred was just about to demonstrate when Wood abruptly turned his head.

"You two, don't you dare copy him!"

Then he looked back at Harry, his expression suddenly becoming very complicated.

This Seeker's talent was certainly astonishing.

But his future training sessions would probably have to begin with a set of safety rules.

"Mr. Potter."

McGonagall's voice sounded behind him.

Everyone around him quieted somewhat.

"Your performance today was outstanding, and you won an important victory for Gryffindor."

Harry had just begun to smile when she continued:

"However."

His smile froze. McGonagall regarded him gravely.

"From now on, you are never to attempt a flying maneuver like that without proper safety measures."

Harry nodded obediently.

"Yes, Professor."

"I said never."

"I'll remember."

McGonagall stared at him for a few seconds before finally softening her tone a little.

"Now, go and rest."

Holding his broom, Harry took quite a while to squeeze his way out from among his teammates.

He had only just reached the path leading to the castle when a familiar voice came after him.

"Harry Potter! You are the world's biggest idiot!"

He turned his head.

Malfoy was marching toward him furiously, with Goyle and Crabbe trailing behind, neither daring to follow too closely.

The girl still looked pale, and even her usual haughty smile was gone.

"Had you lost your mind back there?!"

Harry blinked.

"Miss Malfoy, I'm perfectly all right..."

"Perfectly all right?!"

She almost laughed in anger.

"You jumped straight off your broom!"

"What if your broom hadn't caught up?"

"What if you'd missed your footing? What if..."

Her voice suddenly stopped.

That little tremor she had failed to hide left him unable to say the joke he had prepared.

"I'm sorry, Draco."

Harry stopped smiling and looked at her seriously.

"That really was too risky. I won't do it again."

Malfoy froze for a moment. Only after a while did she give a quiet huff.

"As long as you know."

"I certainly don't want to have to visit you in the Hospital Wing after the next match!"

Harry nodded, waiting until her tense expression finally relaxed a little before asking softly:

"So, were you worried about me just now?"

The girl's face instantly turned red.

"Wh-who was worried about you!"

"I was only..."

She stopped, looking at Harry, then remembering the grass that had rushed toward him.

Suddenly, she could no longer say those excuses.

"Anyway, don't you ever do that again!"

"All right."

Harry answered in all seriousness.

Malfoy finally turned around, but after taking just one step, he was called back again.

"Draco."

"What?"

"Anticipate the route, adjust your center of gravity in advance." Harry smiled. "You said that once the broomstick has veered off course, it's too late to correct it."

"I didn't forget, so thank you."

Malfoy looked at him, saying nothing for a moment.

People were still calling Harry's name in the distance. Everyone was cheering for him.

Yet this fellow who had just won the match was earnestly telling her that he remembered what she had taught him.

Only when he finally sat down alone did Harry realize that his legs were still a little weak.

The Golden Snitch struggled in his palm.

He looked at those two little wings and remembered the grass that had come so close it had almost brushed the soles of his shoes.

If I hadn't broken through at the end...

Harry slowly let out a breath, then couldn't help lowering his head and laughing.

It was scary.

But that last move...

It felt so damn good!

Inside the castle, students had already spread out sheets of writing paper.

Some excitedly gestured as they described that dive, while others repeatedly stressed in their letters: he was only eleven!

Before long, owls took wing, flying into the sky one after another.

Once, people had remembered that name because of a miracle that had happened ten years ago, when he was still in swaddling clothes.

But today's letters spoke of the boy they had seen with their own eyes.

The brilliant Harry Potter!

I wonder if any of you play Honkai: Star Rail~

"When you fall, spread your wings and soar."

That day, everyone gazed up at the sky.

Yet the boy known as the Chosen One resolutely hurtled toward the earth beneath the eyes of all.

The wind swallowed the cries of alarm, and time seemed to stand still.

Until the golden light fell into his palm.

Until the Flying Broomstick lifted the boy once more.

Until that figure skimmed the tips of the grass and surged toward the sky again, into the sunlight.

At that moment, in the posture of a fall, he completed a flight that drew the eyes of the world.

And from then on, both sky and earth remembered his name.

-Harry Potter