Lavender, who was watching from the sidelines, had a bright look in her eyes and couldn't help but whisper to Parvati and Hannah, "I'm amazed!"
Wow, I didn't expect there to be so many female players on the Quidditch team, that's so cool!
Parvati chimed in, "Yeah, he's both amazing and cool, I'd love to try it out myself."
Angelina, with her cheerful and outgoing personality, smiled and waved at them upon hearing this, her tone confident and friendly.
"Thanks! Quidditch doesn't discriminate by gender; skill is what matters! If you're interested, you can try it out sometime!"
Alicia grinned, her eyes Winky with a hint of pride.
"At first, some people didn't have high hopes for us, but after flying for a while, we realized that girls can play just as well."
Katie, quiet and gentle by nature, simply smiled shyly and nodded slightly in response.
The three of them were completely unpretentious, and their compliments were natural and generous, which made Lavender and Parvati even more smitten.
At this point, the two team members' dissatisfaction manifested in words:
Gu crossed his arms and muttered under his breath, "Why is someone who just transferred here assigned to Seeker right away?"
Andrew chimed in, "Exactly, we've never practiced together, who knows if he's reliable or not? Maybe he used connections to squeeze someone out of the competition."
These words, though few, reached the ears of everyone present.
Ron was about to speak up, but Hermione gently pulled him back.
Draco himself didn't seem to care at all, merely glancing indifferently at the team members and saying:
"Dissatisfaction is fine, let's have a rematch next time. Whoever catches the Golden Snitch first will have the right to speak."
One sentence silenced the entire room.
Wood intervened, saying, "Alright, alright! It's good that you're enthusiastic! Get the brooms! Training begins! Let's let our skills speak for themselves!"
Olivia whispered to Hermione, "Oh no, someone's about to get their face slapped."
Hermione nodded slightly, but her gaze remained fixed on Draco, carrying a hint of barely perceptible tension and anticipation.
Seeing that everyone was in position, Wood clapped his hands forcefully, the loud sound echoing throughout the entire stadium:
"Alright, everyone warm up and get going! First, run three laps around the court to get a feel for the rhythm, then we'll begin ball-chasing coordination and Seeker drills!"
As soon as the words were spoken, Angelina, Alicia, and Katie were the first to push off the ground and leap into the air, their brooms rising steadily.
The movements were so swift that Lavender and the others in the stands gasped in surprise again.
Gu and Andrew, their faces grim, mounted their brooms and flew them fast and fiercely, as if deliberately showing off their Beater speed.
Draco leisurely picked up his broom, lightly gripped the handle, and nimbly leaped into the air.
There wasn't the slightest unnecessary movement, not even a slight shift in the center of gravity.
The next second, he gently pushed off the ground.
The broom shot straight up like an arrow, so fast it almost left a trail of afterimages.
The moment it took off, it hovered steadily in mid-air, its posture elegant yet powerful, displaying more composure and precision than any of the other team members present.
Wood couldn't help but exclaim, "Beautiful! That was a perfect start!"
Angelina, Alicia, and Katie also subconsciously slowed down and turned to look at Draco in mid-air with amazement.
They had seen many excellent pilots, but they had never seen anyone wield a flying broom so skillfully, as if the pilot and the broom were one.
Gu and Andrew, who had been looking down on Draco, suddenly stopped in their tracks when they saw Draco take off.
The arrogance on his face froze instantly.
Before the two could react, Wood had already raised his hand and released the Golden Snitch.
The moment the golden light appeared, Draco's broom seemed to come alive, instantly changing direction and chasing after it like a silver lightning bolt.
He leaned over the broom, the wind ruffling his hair, his figure nimbly weaving through the air above the field.
Avoiding the Bludger, Draco closely followed the Golden Snitch's trajectory, his speed, anticipation, and turning all impeccable.
The Golden Snitch several sharp turns and sudden ascents and descents, trying to shake off his pursuers.
Draco kept close behind, getting closer and closer, and everyone's eyes were glued to him.
In just over ten seconds, Draco flicked his wrist slightly, and the broom stopped precisely to the side of the Golden Snitch.
He reached out and firmly grasped the struggling golden light with his fingertips.
"We got it!!" Wood jumped up and down excitedly, waving his arms and shouting, "Perfect! Absolutely perfect!"
The stadium fell silent for a second, then erupted in gasps of amazement.
Angelina, Alicia, and Katie applauded generously.
Harry, Ron, Olivia in the stands cheered quietly with excitement.
Hermione's anxiety finally subsided.
Gu and Andrew were still frozen in mid-air.
Draco calmly landed back on the ground, toying with the Golden Snitch in his hand.
The dissatisfaction and doubt on their faces vanished completely, leaving only embarrassment and shock.
The two could only slink down the mountain, no longer daring to utter a single sarcastic remark.
Draco gently placed the Golden Snitch back into Wood's hand, glancing at the two Beater with grim expressions. "Now, does anyone else have any objections?"
Gu and Andrew turned their faces away, remaining silent and completely shutting up.
Wood grinned from ear to ear. "That's fantastic! With you here, Gryffindor has it in the bag this year at the House Cup!"
In the stands, Lavender gripped Parvati's hand, his eyes sparkling. "My God, that's so cool! This isn't training, it's a performance!"
After this battle, no one on the field had any further complaints.
Although Gu and Andrew were still quiet, they put away their disdain and resentment and obediently cooperated.
Draco integrated into the team, and his chemistry with everyone gradually improved.
With Wood systematically conducting teamwork training and tactical adjustments, the formal training of the Gryffindor Quidditch Team officially began.
As the sun gradually sank below the castle spire, the training session ended with Wood's reluctant call to stop.
The team members landed one after another, all panting, but unable to hide their excitement.
As soon as Draco jumped off the broom, his friends surrounded him, showering him with praise.
" Draco, you're amazing! You caught the Golden Snitch as soon as he appeared!" Harry said admiringly.
Ron, unusually, didn't argue. He scratched his head and managed to say, "... It really flew quite well, much better than I expected."
Lavender cupped her face in her hands, like a devoted fan, and exclaimed, "Absolutely stunning! His movements were so elegant and fast, I could barely keep up!"
Neville said with a mixture of envy and anticipation, "That's amazing... I wish I could be half as steady as you."
Everyone burst into laughter. Hermione stood in the crowd, not shouting excitedly like the others, but simply looked at Draco and said softly:
"Well done, even more stable than I expected."
A simple sentence, yet it touches the heart more deeply than all the loud praise.
Wood watched the harmonious atmosphere from the sidelines, grinning from ear to ear, already picturing the scene of winning the House Cup this year.