Compared to other positions, the Seeker doesn't need to run around as much, but that doesn't mean it's easy or safe. On the contrary, the Seeker is the most dangerous position in Quidditch.
Once they pinpointed the Golden Snitch's location, they had to move faster than anyone else, simultaneously avoiding collisions with the Bludger and increasing their speed to capture the Golden Snitch.
Harry and Cedric discovered the Golden Snitch almost simultaneously.
In the torrential rain, a splash of magnificent gold stood out like a fresh seedling sprouting from the soil.
Just as Wood said, Cedric was very mobile. Almost the instant he spotted the Golden Snitch, before Harry could even turn around, he had already dashed out, his broom cutting through the rain as his body glided out like a line.
Harry followed closely behind, his front body low to the ground, the Nimbus 2000 seemingly an extension of him, the two merging into one, creating a white trail in the dark sky.
Lorne sat below, watching the Seeker on both sides simultaneously fixate on the Golden Snitch, and couldn't help but lament that Quidditch's rules were perhaps a bit too hasty.
The Golden Snitch could be a supplementary rule to the Easter egg category, but catching the Golden Snitch and immediately getting 150 points and ending the game... Lorne felt that was a bit unfair. Then why bother with Beater? The whole team could just revolve around the Seeker.
At the same time, Lorne couldn't help but feel sorry for Wood. The Gryffindor team fought for an hour in the bad weather, but in the end, all their efforts were in vain due to the intervention of the Dementor and Harry's sudden coma.
Harry and Cedric soared into the air, their eyes fixed on the Golden Snitch, but at the same time they were blinded by a golden bolt of lightning.
They actually rushed into the dark clouds.
Harry looked down, Quidditch pitch had shrunk to the size of a book in his eyes, but he could still clearly see Dumbledore's white beard, and the black dog from before had also disappeared.
Perhaps it was because he was flying too high, but Harry suddenly felt a chill. He looked around and saw that Cedric had already flown down, and the gaseous clouds in front of him were freezing into ice.
This feeling... it's so familiar.
Just like on a train.
Harry's skin crawled with goosebumps. He whirled around to see a cloaked Dementor reaching for his skull, its repulsive mouthparts hovering above his head, sucking at his emotions.
To prove he could handle the Boggart, Harry had often imagined himself facing the Dementor, but when they actually appeared in front of him in droves, he realized that what arrived before fear was the instinctive tremor in his body.
"Don't touch him, please, don't touch him!"
The desperate cries echoed in his mind again. Harry struggled to raise his hand, but found his mind was already becoming muddled. He tried to use the broom to swoop down, but the Dementor had already surrounded him.
Cedric was the first to appear in sight, clutching the Golden Snitch in his hand. He continued forward as his teammates tried to surround him in celebration, until he reached above the professors' table, where he shouted, " Dementor! Hundreds of Dementor in the sky! They've surrounded Harry!"
"What!" Professor McGonagall jumped to her feet. She raised her wand to cast a spell, but a voice below her, both angry and terrifyingly calm, rang out.
" Righteous God Purge!"
A beam of silvery-white light shot straight up from Dumbledore's wand and disappeared into the dark clouds, instantly illuminating the black clouds as if daylight were brewing, as if lightning was being brewed. Then, the clouds suddenly dispersed, and it was as if a silvery-white firework had exploded in the sky, with the overflowing magical energy falling down.
Lorne was inwardly full of admiration; if he were to invite them to set off the salute for him, it would definitely attract a lot of attention.
He knew Harry would be alright, so he watched with interest as the professors around him made their expressions. Professor McGonagall was frowning anxiously, Lupin was unconsciously leaning forward because of his old friend's son, while Snape remained seated as if nothing had happened.
But the wand he was clutching tightly in his hand had already betrayed him.
Lorne's guess was indeed correct. When Dumbledore was maintaining his powerful holy magic, it was Snape stepped forward to cast Slowing Charm on Harry as he fell, preventing him from breaking his body.
Harry woke up again in the Hospital Wing.
The Gryffindor players surrounded him, their clothes still wet with rain and mud. Hermione and Ron were there too, their hair damp, but not as much as the players.
Harry scoffed, "It's that time of year again, the Quidditch Hospital Wing all-inclusive service—did we lose?"
The transition was a bit abrupt. Everyone could tell Harry wasn't in a good mood, but no one blamed him. Instead, Wood comforted him, saying, "It's okay. We all know that wasn't your true ability, and Diggory also felt it was unfair. He wanted to have a rematch..."
Harry said eagerly, "He's such a good person, we can—"
"I refused," Wood interrupted. "He won beautifully, and I can't be sure who would have gotten the Golden Snitch if it weren't for the Dementor. A rematch wouldn't be fair to Hufflepuff."
It was obvious to anyone with eyes that Wood was very sad; his voice was not even half as loud as it was during training.
"Alright, there are still two games left. We're not without a chance," Wood said casually, picking up his broom. "Get some rest, Harry. You'd better make up for what you lost today in the next game."
After Wood left, Fred began to complain, "He absolutely refused to come over just now."
George added, "We all think he wanted to drown himself in the rain."
"Don't blame yourself too much, Harry," the other teammates comforted him. "You're the best Seeker we've ever encountered."
Harry felt even more guilty.
However, the bad things didn't end there. Harry reached for the bag by his bedside, opened it, and found fragments of his Nimbus 2000 broom inside. His old Quidditch companion had officially retired that day.
Madam Pomfrey arrived quickly and dismissed everyone, including Ron and Hermione, but people continued to come to visit Harry.
Even Dumbledore and Lorne came.
"I will get justice for you, Harry," Dumbledore, standing upright with a serious expression, without sitting down. "I said they weren't allowed on campus. The Ministry of Magic failed in their duty, and they will pay for it."
Lorne wanted to sit down, but Dumbledore was standing, so he felt a little embarrassed and could only wait until he finished speaking before General Affairs Office offering his condolences, "The school has zero tolerance for any safety incidents, Mr. Potter. We will thoroughly investigate this matter."
"I don't know if that's the reason," Harry stammered, "But I saw a black dog in the stands, and Professor Trelawney said it was Grim."
Dumbledore paused for a moment, then said softly, "I understand," before turning and leaving the ward.
"I've granted your request," Dumbledore suddenly turned to Lorne. "Keep an eye on the school for Minerva for a while; I need to go to the Ministry of Magic."
Lorne immediately beamed. "Don't worry, Professor."