MTLNOVEL Chapter 186: Bones And Bludgers
The morning of the Quidditch match dawned bright and brittle, sunlight gilding the edges of Hogwarts castle with a deceptive warmth. In truth, the wind bit sharp off the lake, and students pulled scarves tight around their necks as they trudged down to the pitch in clusters, house banners fluttering in their hands.
Cael Vale walked with Hermione and Ron, his hands deep in his cloak pockets, his Gryffindor scarf tucked snug around his neck despite the disinterested expression on his face. Ron, by contrast, was jittery with nerves on Harry's behalf.
"I hope Wood's not putting too much pressure on him," Ron muttered. "Harry said he's been making them train in the rain for a week straight. And now with Malfoy out…"
"Serves him right," Hermione said crisply. "He's not above tormenting people. Let someone else try."
"I heard they brought in a fifth-year as a replacement," Cael added. "Lucian Bletchley or something like that. Probably handpicked for aggression."
The stadium buzzed with the energy of hundreds of excited students. Gryffindors were stomping their feet and chanting already, while the Slytherin section gleamed with green and silver banners and enchanted serpent-shaped smoke trails floating over their stands.
Cael found a spot high up in the stands, right between Hermione and Ron. From here, they had a perfect view of the pitch and its looming hoops. Lee Jordan's voice, excited and fast-paced, rang out from the commentator's box.
"Good morning, Hogwarts!" Lee bellowed, his voice magically amplified across the stadium. "Welcome to this year's first Quidditch match—Gryffindor versus Slytherin! And oh, do we have a spicy one today, folks!"
Cheers erupted across the stands.
"Captaining Gryffindor, the relentless, the unbeatable Oliver Wood! And leading Slytherin Flint—well, not Malfoy, for seeker position . As we all know, Draco is currently… unavailable. Best wishes to the Ferret." A wave of laughter rippled across the Gryffindor end.
"Replacing him is fifth-year Lucian Bletchley—aggressive, broad-shouldered, and according to our sources, not above using his Beater's bat off the field."
"Lee!" Professor McGonagall's warning voice drifted from behind the commentator box.
"Right, right—objective reporting. Of course, Professor."
Down below, the teams marched onto the pitch. The Gryffindor team gleamed in scarlet robes, Harry at the front with his Nimbus Two Thousand. The Slytherins, clad in emerald green, looked fierce despite the absence of their chosen Seeker.
Madam Hooch stood between them, silver whistle at her lips.
"Mount your brooms!"
Cael leaned forward slightly as Hermione whispered, "Come on, Harry…"
The whistle shrieked—and fourteen players soared into the sky, brooms slicing through the air.
"And they're off! Quaffle to Angelina Johnson—she dives—passes to Spinnet—back to Johnson—she shoots—SCORE! Ten points to Gryffindor!"
Scarlet-clad students exploded in cheers. Cael smirked slightly as Hermione clapped with both hands.
The match unfolded with breathless speed. Fred and George Weasley buzzed like angry bees as Beaters, swinging their bats with precision. Katie Bell ducked a Bludger that whizzed past her ear. Slytherin played rough, their tactics barely within regulation.
But then came the twist.
A rogue Bludger, untethered from normal enchantments, began to behave… oddly.
"Hold on!" Lee shouted, confused. "Is that Bludger acting strange or is it just me?"
It wasn't just him.
The iron ball began to target Harry, and only Harry—swooping after him even when no one was near. He twisted and turned in midair, diving, climbing, performing complex loops just to stay ahead of it.
"That's not normal!" Hermione exclaimed, her eyes wide.
"Someone cursed it," Cael said, eyes narrowing as he watched. "That's not a standard rogue Bludger—look how it follows him like a tracking spell."
"Why would anyone—?"
CRACK.
The Bludger slammed into Harry's arm with sickening force, sending him spiraling before he regained control of his broom, barely staying in the air. Hermione gasped. Ron stood up, gripping the wooden railing.
"He's hurt!"
Down on the pitch, Oliver Wood shouted something, gesturing to Madam Hooch, but Harry waved him off, one arm limp at his side. He was still searching—eyes darting—for the Snitch.
"And Potter's still in the air!" Lee cried. "Say what you will about the kid, he's got guts. Flying one-handed and dodging a possessed Bludger!"
The game roared on.
Despite the pain and distraction, Harry weaved through the air like a blur. The crowd was on its feet, watching in awe and horror as he lured the Bludger in loops and spins, waiting—watching—
Then Cael saw it: the glint of gold near the Slytherin goalposts.
Harry dived.
The Slytherin Seeker, Bletchley, tried to follow—but Harry's broom was faster. The Bludger clipped his shoulder again, but he didn't flinch.
Wham! He snatched the Snitch inches from the goal hoop.
The stadium exploded.
"HE'S GOT IT! HE'S GOT THE SNITCH! GRYFFINDOR WINS!" Lee's voice boomed, nearly drowned by the roars of the Gryffindor stands.
Cael allowed himself a rare grin as red-and-gold scarves flew into the air and Fred and George performed a midair high-five.
But the cheers died as Harry crashed to the ground, his broom wobbling and his arm hanging at an odd angle.
Madam Hooch sprinted over. So did Ron and Hermione. Cael followed at a slower pace, slipping down the stands toward the field.
Harry sat dazed in the grass, his face pale and sweating.
"Don't move, Harry—just stay still," Hermione said.
But then—disaster arrived in the form of swirling turquoise robes.
"Oh dear! Broken arm, is it?" said Gilderoy Lockhart, striding in with an exaggerated look of concern. "Not to worry, not to worry at all—one of my specialties!"
"No, please, I'm—" Harry began.
"Nonsense, my boy! Just a simple incantation—Brackium Emendo!"
There was a horrible squelching sound.
Harry blinked—and then let out a strangled cry of horror.
His arm wasn't broken anymore.
It was boneless.
The entire limb flopped like a cooked noodle.
A gasp rippled through the crowd as students leaned in for a better look—and immediately recoiled in disgust.
Hermione's hands flew to her mouth.
Ron turned green.
Lee Jordan's voice cracked over the commentary box. "Oh Merlin—he's removed the bones!"
"Perfectly normal side effect!" Lockhart said with forced cheer, glancing nervously at Madam Hooch. "Better than pain, right? No more nasty breaks!"
"You idiot!" Madam Hooch roared, storming over. "Get out of the way!"
"Just trying to help," Lockhart muttered, stepping back as Harry was lifted gently onto a stretcher, arm wobbling grotesquely beside him.
Madam Pomfrey met them at the doors to the Hospital Wing, her face thunderous.
"Bones gone? Gone?! I don't grow bones in a day, you foolish man!"
Lockhart wilted under her glare and mumbled something about "resting his voice" before scurrying off.
Back in the stands, the Gryffindor students were still buzzing with mixed emotions—victory tainted by horror.
Cael sat quietly beside Hermione and Ron again, the energy of the match still thrumming in the air.
"Well," Ron said, shaking his head, "that was mental."
"At least we won," Hermione said, though her voice still sounded shaken.
Cael stared out at the now-empty pitch, thoughtful. "Someone cursed that Bludger. That wasn't a malfunction."
Hermione nodded. "You're right. We should tell McGonagall. Or Dumbledore."
"I bet it was the Slytherins. They saw Malfoy was out, so they tried to get Harry taken out too—bloody cheaters."