Chapter 91

It was a clear, breezy day.

As Sean and Jia Siting and the others walked across the sloping lawn toward a flat patch of grass.

The warm wind rippled across the lawn like an invisible hand.

The end of the Quidditch pitch was the dark Forbidden Forest, a place explicitly forbidden by Headmaster Dumbledore.

Strange sounds occasionally came from within, making the young wizards cast their gazes with both awe and curiosity.

More than twenty broomsticks were neatly arranged on the ground; they looked old and worn, with some twigs poking out.

It was no wonder Jia Siting would ask.

"No, because wizards invented the Cushioning Charm.

In 1820, Elliot Smethwyck invented the Cushioning Charm, taking a big step forward in making more comfortable broomsticks."

Sean explained softly.

Even though Sean's voice wasn't loud, there were still young wizards around who let out sighs of "So that's how it is."

Soon, this lawn, as beautiful as an oil painting, was filled with a group of young wizards in robes.

A clattering sound came; it turned out to be a lady who looked capable walking over with big strides:

"Alright, what are you waiting for? Everyone stand next to a flying broomstick, quick, quick, hurry up!"

Her yellow eyes were as sharp as an eagle's, her short gray hair fluttered slightly, and her voice was urgent and fast.

"They call her Madam Hooch. Besides teaching flying lessons, Madam Hooch also serves as the referee for Hogwarts Quidditch matches."

Michael popped up from somewhere and added an explanation.

Referee?

Hearing this word, Sean inexplicably thought of some anecdotes in "Quidditch Through the Ages":

【For centuries, there have been many instances of tampering with the referee's broomstick.

The most dangerous one was turning the referee's broomstick into a Portkey, resulting in the referee being quickly taken off the pitch halfway through the game, only to appear in the Sahara Desert months later.】

Dangerous job, Sean thought.

"Shooting Star? Didn't the Universal Brooms Ltd. that made it go bankrupt in 1978?

Where did Hogwarts get this out-of-print treasure?!"

Just as he walked to the broomstick, Sean heard Michael's desperate whisper,

which made him carefully examine his own broomstick.

Fortunately, it was a Cleansweep Seven; at least Sean could still find its manual.

As for the other young wizards who got the out-of-print treasures, they could only pray for their own luck.

"Before you use the broomsticks, I must remind you,

if anyone attempts to fly directly, then Mr. Longbottom's yesterday will be your today.

He was lucky to only break his wrist, but if you're unlucky, breaking your neck is a matter of an instant!"

The young wizards suddenly felt a chill in their necks, and one Hufflepuff covered his neck in terror, as if he were about to turn into Sir Nicholas in the next second.

"Now, face your broomsticks and shout 'Up' loudly!"

"Up!"

Soon, many impatient young wizards shouted the spell excitedly. Some young wizards succeeded on the first try—like Jia Siting,

whose broomstick bounced twice and landed in his hand.

Others had difficulties, like Terry, Michael, and the others; their broomsticks either didn't move or bounced half-deadly twice.

Sean imitated Madam Hooch's tone:

"Up—eh?"

Sean held the broomstick; it was as docile as a fawn.

This left Sean stunned for a moment; had he... finished speaking?

"Alright, mount your broomsticks. When I blow my whistle, kick off with both legs and leave the ground. Kick hard."

Madam Hooch said loudly.

After waiting for the young wizards to sit properly and adapt for a while, she spoke crisply again:

"Hold the broomstick steady, rise a few feet, then lean forward slightly and land vertically back to the ground.

Listen for my whistle—three—two—"

On the broomsticks, the young wizards were quite panicked, some even shaking all over.

And even among the Ravenclaws, Sean was the calmest one.

He didn't intend to fly very high; by comparison, he was more concerned about how to use Sir Cadogan's techniques.

"The broomstick's flight is driven by the power of magic... master yourself..."

Sean muttered to himself. After shifting his entire body weight onto the broomstick,

Sean suddenly sensed something vaguely.

When the broomstick tilted left or right, there was always a hidden force surging:

"Braking Charm, Rising Charm, Turning Charm..."

Sean quickly guessed the source of these forces. When he immersed his whole mind into it,

Madam Hooch's third command was also given:

"One! Tweet—"

A sharp whistle sounded, and the young wizards were like raindrops flowing against the sky.

One Ravenclaw suddenly raised his broomstick and shot straight into the blue sky, shouting. Fortunately, his speed wasn't fast, and he was pulled down by Madam Hooch with a silent spell;

while another Hufflepuff was the exact opposite; he actually smashed headlong into the ground. Fortunately, Madam Hooch reacted quickly and caught him with a pile of hay.

And there were even more young wizards who fell off their broomsticks like dumplings.

Madam Hooch was busy and sweating profusely, sometimes having to be grabbed tightly by the hand by young wizards:

"I'm going to fall to my death!"

Madam Hooch directly rewarded him with an Aguamenti to wake him up.

There were five or six young wizards who could fly up and circle a few times, but if one were to talk about the smoothest, crispest, and most elegant flight,

then without a doubt, it was that Ravenclaw with the slightly pale face.

【You practiced flying once at the standard of an adept, proficiency +10】

【You practiced flying once at the standard of an adept, proficiency +10】

The panel prompts sounded continuously, and Sean's flying became more and more proficient.

He could feel that faint magic, and at the same time, he could feel the mystery behind the magic.