Old Blood at Hogwarts

Two hours later, the Christmas dinner was over.Aaron's stomach was almost bursting from the delicious food.Everyone stood up and left the table, preparing to return to their dormitories or offices.But Aaron noticed that Hermione had not left her seat, so he asked Hermione: "Aren't you going back?"

"No," Hermione muttered, "I want to have a word with Professor McGonagall."

On the way back to Gryffindor Tower, Aaron asked Harry and Ron: "What do you think Hermione is going to say to Professor McGonagall?"

"Probably asking her if she can choose a few more classes." Ron said with a yawn.

They walked to the hole in the portrait and found Sir Cadogan celebrating Christmas with two priests, several former Headmasters of Hogwarts, and his fat pony.He pushed his helmet back up and toasted them with a jug of mead.

"Merry Christmas-oh! Password?"

"Dirty mongrel," said Ron.

"You too, sir!" shouted Cadogan, as the painting tilted forward to admit them.

After returning to the common room, Harry took his Firebolt out of the dormitory along with a "Broomstick Care Manual" and prepared to take care of the Firebolt.However, there are no crooked broom tips to trim, and the broomstick is so smooth and flawless that it doesn't need any polishing at all.He sat there with Aaron and Ron admiring it from every angle.Until the hole in the portrait opened and Hermione walked in with Professor McGonagall.

Although Professor McGonagall was the Head of Gryffindor House, Aaron had only seen her come to the common room once, and that time it was to announce something very important.He, Harry and Ron looked at her, wanting to hear what she was doing.Hermione walked around them, sat down, picked up a book, and hid her face behind the book.

"That's it, right?" Professor McGonagall walked to the fireplace and looked at the Firebolt, her eyes shining. "Miss Granger just told me that someone gave you a broomstick, Potter."

Aaron, Harry and Ron looked back at Hermione.They saw that her forehead, which was exposed above the book, was red, and that she had held the book upside down.

"Can you take a look at it?" said Professor McGonagall.

She took the Firebolt from Harry without waiting for an answer.She checked it carefully from beginning to end, and then said, "Hmm, no instructions at all, is there, Potter? No card? No information?"

"No," Harry said expressionlessly.

"I see—" said Professor McGonagall, "Well, I'm afraid I'll have to take it away, Potter."

"Wha-what?" Harry stood up in panic, "Why?"

"It must be checked to see if there is any magic attached to it." Professor McGonagall said, "Of course, I am not an expert, but I dare say that Mrs. Hooch and Professor Flitwick will dismantle it..."

"Disassembly?" Ron repeated, as if he thought Professor McGonagall was crazy.

"It won't take more than a few weeks," said Professor McGonagall. "If we can be sure that it doesn't have any magic attached to it, we can return it to you."

"There's nothing wrong with it!" Harry's voice trembled slightly, "To be honest, Professor McGonagall..."

"You won't know, Potter," Professor McGonagall said kindly, "Not until you fly, anyway. I don't think there's any way to know until we know for sure that no one has done anything to it. Maybe I’ll let you fly on it. I’ll let you know if anything happens.”

Professor McGonagall turned and walked out of the portrait hole with the Firebolt, the hole closing behind her.Harry watched her leave, still clutching the can of Precision Polish in his hand.At this time, Ron spoke to Hermione: "Why are you running to find Professor McGonagall?"

Hermione tossed the book aside.Her face was still pink, but she stood up and faced Ron regardless: "Because I think - and Professor McGonagall agrees with me - this broom might have been given to Harry by Sirius Black. Profitable!"

"Do you think Black will give Harry a Firebolt?" Ron looked at Hermione with a "Are you crazy?" expression.

"That's right." Hermione nodded.

"Well, think about it carefully, it is indeed possible." Aaron mused, "If Black has been paying attention to Harry, then he is likely to have known that Harry's Nimbus 2000 was destroyed by the Whomping Willow. And as As the Seeker of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, Harry undoubtedly needs a broomstick. So before Harry gets a new broom, give him one of the top brooms on the market. It’s possible to ride this broomstick to a competition.”

"As long as Black does some tricks on the broom in advance, he will be able to make Harry fall from the sky." Hermione said.

"For Blake, this is much safer than showing up in person to attack Harry." Aaron then added.

"So, you think Black would trade a Firebolt for Harry's life?" Ron asked Aaron and Hermione.

"This is a good deal for Black, isn't it?" Aaron said, "I have investigated Sirius Black. He is the last heir of the Black family. The Black family is one of the oldest pure-blood wizarding families. One, just like the Malfoys."

"So?" Ron asked.

"This shows that he is very rich." Aaron said, "The price of a Firebolt is nothing to Sirius who can inherit all the wealth of the Black family."

Ron thought for a while and said: "But it's impossible for Black to buy a Firebolt! He has been on the run! The whole country is searching for him! How can he walk into a Quidditch boutique to buy a broomstick? "

Regarding Ron's view, Aaron had a different opinion: "Since he can escape from Azkaban and sneak into Hogwarts without everyone noticing, then go to the Quidditch boutique to buy a broomstick. It will definitely not be a problem for him."

………………

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In the next few days, there were quite a few conflicts between Harry, Ron and Hermione.

Harry and Ron knew Hermione meant well, but they couldn't help but be angry with her.

Harry had had the best broomstick in the world for just a few hours, and because of her intervention, he didn't know if he would ever see it again.He was sure there was nothing wrong with the Firebolt now.However, after it has withstood various anti-evil tests, who knows what it will become?

Ron was also furious with Hermione.As far as he was concerned, dismantling a brand new Firebolt was tantamount to criminal damage.

Hermione still believed she was doing it for the best, but she began to avoid going to the common room as much as possible.

Although Aaron agreed with Hermione's actions, because he was not a whistleblower, Harry and Ron did not get angry with him.

After New Year's Day, other students returned to school, and Gryffindor Tower became crowded and noisy again.Not long after, the holidays were over and school started again.

During this period, Harry's Firebolt was never returned, which made him very anxious.Aaron often saw him and Ron going to Professor McGonagall to ask about the Firebolt.

The time soon came to February, and Gryffindor was about to start a game with Ravenclaw, and Harry still didn't know when he would get his Firebolt back.Ron suggested that Harry buy a Nimbus 2001 first to cope with the competition.But Harry said he would never use the same broom as Malfoy.

It was only one day before the Gryffindor-Ravenclaw match that Harry got his beloved broom back.

On this day, Aaron finished his homework in the library and was about to return to the common room.When I turned a corner, I saw Harry and Ron walking over.Harry also held a broomstick in his hand, which was the Firebolt.

"Oh, Professor McGonagall gave it back to you?" Aaron looked at the broom in Harry's hand and said, "It seems there is nothing wrong with it."

"Yes," said Harry, "There's nothing wrong with it."

"Look," said Ron, "I'd say your and Hermione's worries are unfounded."

"It's better to be cautious," Aaron said, "especially now that there's a wanted criminal out there who wants Harry's life."

Then, they returned to Gryffindor Tower together.In the corridor outside the common room, they saw Neville Longbottom begging Ser Cadogan, who seemed not to let him in.

"I wrote it down," Neville said with tears in his eyes, "but I must have lost the paper somewhere!"

"That's true!" shouted Sir Cadogan, and then he saw Aaron, Harry and Ron, "Good night, fine young waiter! Chain this fool up, he plans to force his way in Where’s the room inside!”

"Oh, shut up," said Ron. .

"I forgot my password!" Neville told them miserably. "I asked him to tell me what password I was going to use this week because he kept changing them and now they confuse me!"

"Strange body," Aaron said to Sir Cadogan, who looked extremely disappointed and reluctantly let them into the common room.

When Harry walked into the common room with the Firebolt, the entire common room erupted.Everyone gathered around Harry, trying to see the Firebolt.

"Where did you get it, Harry?"

"Let me ride it, okay?"

"Have you ever ridden one, Harry?"

"Ravenclaw will definitely lose, they are using Sweeping Seven Stars!"

"Can I just take it, Harry?"

Everyone watched the Firebolt and admired it from every angle.After about 10 minutes of this, the crowd dispersed.Aaron, Harry and Ron spotted Hermione sitting at a table doing homework. She was the only one who didn't rush towards them.She remained bent over her homework until Aaron, Harry, and Ron approached her desk, and she looked up.

"I got it back." Harry grinned at her and raised the broom in his hand.

"See, Hermione? There's nothing wrong with this broom!" Ron also came over and said.

"Well - there might have been something wrong with it!" said Hermione. "I mean, at least now you know it's safe!"

"Yeah, I guess so," said Harry, "I'd better put it upstairs -"

"I'll get it!" Ron said eagerly, "I have to give Scabbers the rat tonic."

Ron took the Firebolt and carried it up the stairs of the boys' dormitory as if it were made of glass.