[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-wizard-war-at-hogwarts":3,"chapter-wizard-war-at-hogwarts-wizard-war-at-hogwarts-chapter-22":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Wizard War at Hogwarts",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2357995,4612,"Chapter 22: The Darkest Hour of Quidditch","wizard-war-at-hogwarts-chapter-22",22,"\u003Cp>Over the course of two weeks, Harry felt he had grown accustomed to the mirror’s presence. But on the Monday of the third week of the second half of the term, the mirror suddenly vanished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This left Harry deeply disappointed; he had planned to begin practicing Felix Felicis this Wednesday, and now that hope was ruined. Zhang Qiu told him the mirror might have been a teacher’s personal item, temporarily stored there, and that they were already lucky to have borrowed it for two weeks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The teachers might use the mirror to study more advanced spells. After a period of sadness, Harry gradually forgot about the mirror.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On a day in February, Harry learned from Ron that the upcoming Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Slytherin would be the decisive game determining this year’s House Cup, and it filled him with excitement. The two decided to attend together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as they reached the pitch, Harry felt the tense atmosphere. Players from both teams were preparing under the cheers of their students. Harry squeezed through the crowd, gazing at the seven players with a touch of envy. He could clearly hear Oliver Wood’s pre-game speech.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That final was Gryffindor versus Slytherin, final score 240 to 70. I saw Charlie Weasley slumped in his seat, face ashen with despair—that image I’ll never forget,” Wood said. “At that moment, I thought: if I ever became a team member, I would win every match. Now the chance is right before me—I must ask myself whether this is my only opportunity in life.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I believe Charlie Weasley played an indispensable role in Gryffindor’s past glory,” Wood said, raising his broom as Fred and George watched. “To restore Gryffindor’s honor—it is our duty!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Harry couldn’t help but be stirred by his speech. He now longed for second year to arrive, eager to fight with all his strength for Gryffindor’s honor on the pitch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But as they settled into the stands, Harry heard Ron mutter in despair, “This is bad.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The referee is Snape—he’s notoriously biased,” Ron said. “I can’t imagine George and Fred gaining any advantage under these conditions.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s fine,” Harry reassured him. “Snape can’t possibly cast curses on the players.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But soon, Snape awarded a penalty, claiming George had hit a Slytherin player with a Bludger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What for?” Ron complained. “Isn’t the Beater’s job to hit people with Bludgers? If that’s not allowed, just kick them off the field outright!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Never mind, look—they’ve changed tactics,” Harry said, his eyes fixed on the pitch, his attention following the Quaffle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the penalty, Fred and George stopped hurling Bludgers into the crowd. They reduced their Beater duties and joined the Chasers in forming a Baowei  formation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is terrible,” Ron analyzed. “Alicia Spinnet is only a reserve Seeker—she’s always played Chaser. You think she can actually find the Snitch? She doesn’t have the skill.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Harry noticed the Seeker girl kept trailing the Chasers, as if Gryffindor had four Chasers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, Slytherin’s Seeker, Terrence Higgs, circled the pitch’s edge, his gaze sharply focused on the Golden Snitch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But matches are always uncertain. Our scoring should be easier,” Harry said. “It’s 30 to 0 now. This tactical shift seems like a trade-off—no one’s clearly losing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s not that simple,” Ron replied, his theoretical knowledge deeper and his understanding of Gryffindor’s team stronger. “Fred and George have always been our rhythm engines. Other teams can’t predict when they’ll join the Chasers—that’s Gryffindor’s advantage.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So now they’re always chasing,” Harry understood. “It’s like we’re playing with our cards face-up. The Beaters’ intimidation is gone.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Look—Slytherin is pulling all their players back into defense,” Ron pointed to the pitch. “We seem to have an edge, but at this scoring rate, it’s slow death.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We’d need at least an hour to reach 150 points—maybe longer,” he added. “By then, even my grandmother could’ve found the Snitch and ended the match.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeah…” Harry said, frowning. “If we’re going to turn this around, it’ll have to be by miracle.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Substituting across positions is a terrible idea,” Ron grumbled. “Fred told me Wood wanted to recruit you directly as Seeker, but Professor McGonagall refused to set a precedent by letting a first-year join.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Maybe my talent didn’t impress her,” Harry said regretfully. “I was too casual in Flying class—I should’ve shown off some real skills.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was nothing they could do now but watch the scoreboard anxiously, as if its numbers might rise on their own under the crowd’s hopes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What in the name of Merlin is Wood doing?” Ron leapt to his feet. “He’s almost flown out of the goal zone—is he going to initiate it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He’s joining the Chasers!” Harry cried. “Is that legal? Won’t he be penalized?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No,” Ron said. “Quidditch has no penalty for a Keeper leaving the goal zone. It’s just too dangerous—almost suicide.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I believe this is the only way,” Harry said. “You can’t sit idle just because there’s risk. If you never dare to act now, you’ll never learn to act—and no miracle will ever come.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To their astonishment, Wood actually caught the Quaffle. He feigned flying toward his own goal, then suddenly flung it backward over his shoulder—caught by Alicia Spinnet, who had entered as Seeker.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“An almost career-ending backward pass!” Ron shouted excitedly. “Alicia’s flying fast—they can’t catch her! We’re going to win!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But she’s a Seeker! Even if she throws the Quaffle into the hoop, it doesn’t count. And we’re only at fifty points—we’re nowhere near winning,” Harry said, confused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s our tactic—George called it Chaser-Seeker Link,” Ron said. “Watch Alicia… damn, who’s that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A Slytherin player clung tightly to Alicia’s side—it was Terrence, Slytherin’s Seeker.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Harry realized with surprise: neither Alicia nor Terrence was flying toward the goalposts. The other Gryffindor players were only blocking, not rushing to pass.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a chaotic flurry of motion, the green-robed Terrence raised his right hand and shouted: “I’ve got the Snitch!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The scoreboard flipped to 50:150. Slytherin’s supporters erupted in cheers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is meaningless—it’s like a pile of dung,” a second-year student groaned. “I think Wood bought his own loss before the match. This team needs to understand Quidditch rules first.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re wrong,” Ron retorted. “Alicia’s move is the only legal path to victory. As a former Chaser, she couldn’t outplay a real Seeker—so she stayed with the Chasers. That way, when she finally spots the Snitch, she can use the Quaffle to mask her true intent.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amid the student’s stunned silence, Ron pressed on: “The Keeper also watches for the Snitch. Wood leaving the goal zone was his signal—he deliberately threw the Quaffle toward the Snitch’s location. Only Alicia would catch it; Katie and Angelina never moved into position.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This was our desperate, last-resort plan,” he snapped, “when we had no proper Seeker. Did you even understand the game?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Forget it. When you lose, everything you say is wrong,” one of the players said as they passed by. Fred even patted Ron on the shoulder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several Gryffindor fans who hadn’t understood the match were still yelling at them, voices echoing: “Did you even deserve our support?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you think we still have a chance at the House Cup?” Harry asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Only if Slytherin loses to Hufflepuff, and we beat Ravenclaw by at least 270 points,” Ron said despairingly. “Is that possible? It’s nearly impossible.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two returned to the common room, gloomy, to find several students discussing the match.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Completely meaningless. They played like garbage. I suspect Wood bet on his own loss.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Quidditch team has never disappointed when it comes to being disappointing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fred and George were sleepwalking the whole game—just strolling around like they were browsing a sweetshop.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ron’s face darkened. He nearly charged at them—but Harry held him back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your brother’s right,” Harry said softly. “When you lose, everything you say is wrong. Let’s go for a walk. Don’t listen to them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fine,” Ron said seriously. “Wait till fifth year. I’ll prove to them who the best Keeper at Hogwarts really is.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t have that much patience,” Harry said. “Next year I’ll try out for Seeker. If Slytherin’s Seeker is still that bad, I think the trophy’s already ours.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s great, Harry!” Ron beamed. “I’ll be there cheering for you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As they chatted aimlessly about Quidditch and wandered without direction, they eventually spotted Hagrid’s cabin. Harry and Ron exchanged a glance and decided to go in for a cup of Hagrid’s afternoon tea.\u003C\u002Fp>",1402,"2026-06-21T04:54:27.874Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","ad99a1da0682c4728dfc06897eba7eebf74aa49ca3d18070a14c3fa21f93c852","wizard-war-at-hogwarts-chapter-23","wizard-war-at-hogwarts-chapter-21",528,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fwizard-war-at-hogwarts-cover.jpg"]