“Hey!”
Roger said irritably, “Don’t tell me you’ve also been captivated by Lockhart’s glittering, foolish grin?”
“Although the photograph on the cover looks foolish, some of the knowledge in the book is still worth reading.” Scott gave an objective evaluation.
Roger, however, began to complain.
“You know, I have a feeling that Lockhart’s teaching might be even worse than Quirrell’s.
Compared to a professor, he seems more like a celebrity.
Honestly, I really don’t understand why Dumbledore always finds strange people to serve as professors of Defence Against the Dark Arts.
This means that for this subject, we almost always have to rely on self-study to deal with the exams.”
He had clearly also lost confidence in the new school year’s Defence Against the Dark Arts classes.
Scott thought for a moment and guessed, “There are probably almost no wizards willing to apply for the position.
After all, judging from its history, the curse on this subject should be real, which causes many witches and wizards to avoid it.
Oh, except Snape.”
After all, Hogwarts had changed its Defence Against the Dark Arts professor every year for several decades, and quite a few of the professors who had held the position had met unpleasant ends.
This fact was widely known throughout the British wizarding world.
“That’s probably the only reason Lockhart was able to become a professor.”
Roger reluctantly accepted this answer.
“If it were Snape…”
Following Scott’s words, he began to imagine it.
“If Snape successfully applied for the position of Defence Against the Dark Arts professor, then the most likely outcome would be that he would leave Hogwarts completely after one year.
I’m telling you, why doesn’t Dumbledore simply agree to his request?”
Roger had suffered plenty of Snape’s venom during Potions classes in the past, so merely imagining the possibility of Snape leaving Hogwarts was enough to make him almost unable to contain his excitement.
“That is clearly impossible.”
Scott mercilessly shattered his fantasy.
“Dumbledore would not let Snape become a disposable victim of that position.
Although Snape’s teaching methods in Potions are difficult to adapt to, he is still a valuable Potions master.”
“I know,” Roger said dejectedly.
“That’s why I can only think about it.”
The two of them chatted as they finished all the food Scott had brought.
“So you came looking for me specifically to help me consume my food, Roger?”
Scott packed the rubbish into a bag.
“No,” Roger said.
“I came to ask whether you want to take part in the tryouts for the House Quidditch team.
You know, another one of our players has graduated.”
“No need.
I hope you still remember that I already took part with you in our second year, and unfortunately, I failed.”
Scott casually placed the rubbish to one side and rejected Roger’s suggestion.
“But you’re still interested in Quidditch, aren’t you?
And you do have talent.
Remember, Scott, when you took part in the tryouts during second year, your shots were accurate…” His voice became quieter.
“You only failed because your flying was a little lacking.”
Whenever Quidditch was mentioned, Roger became excited like most young wizards.
He greatly looked forward to playing in matches together with his friend.
“Listen, our team happens to be short one Chaser right now.
I think you should try, and I think you’ll succeed this time!”
Scott still shook his head.
“Sorry, Roger.
You know that after the flying lessons in first year, I haven’t had any chance to practise and improve my ability to control a broomstick.”
He knew his own flying ability very well, and it was not enough for him to take part in a tense and thrilling Quidditch match.
This was not strange.
Muggle-born young wizards were indeed inferior in the skill of flying compared with young wizards born into wizarding families.
Unless they possessed an exceptional flying talent like Harry Potter.
Young wizards born into wizarding families began riding toy broomsticks before they could even walk, while Muggle-born young wizards only came into contact with them for the first time after entering school at the age of eleven, and apart from the flying lessons in first year, they had few opportunities to practise.
As for Scott’s flying talent, it could only be described as ordinary.
Although he could improve somewhat through constant practice, his interest in Quidditch was not that great.
Roger, however, seemed not to have listened to him and continued persuading him.
“Are you planning to spend all your time studying again, like last school year?
Oh!
That’s terrible!
You should realise that even though we are Ravenclaws, that doesn’t mean we don’t need entertainment outside our studies—”
“Stop.”
Scott raised his hand and made Roger stop talking endlessly.
“I know you want me to play in matches with you, Roger,” he said.
“But you are clearly blindly optimistic about your roommate’s ability.”
Roger insisted, “I think you can do it.
You’re always so clever, Scott.
You should know that I didn’t try to persuade Milton to join Quidditch.”
Milton Graves, another of their roommates, was a sentimental and artistic boy whose greatest hobby was playing the cello.
“What an honour.
Compared with Milton, my ability is indeed outstanding.”
Scott once again showed a false smile.
After all, the final grade Milton had received during their first-year flying lessons was D, Dreadful.
Scott, at least, had received an A, Acceptable.
Seeing that Scott’s attitude was firm, Roger could only say somewhat reluctantly, “All right.
What you want is the most important thing.”
After all, if Scott’s flying had truly not improved, as he himself said, then he really would not be able to pass the tryouts.
Roger had encouraged Scott to join because he wanted Scott to serve as a Chaser together with him.
He believed that since Scott was his best friend, the two of them would display a level of coordination during matches that he did not share with anyone else.
But his hopes seemed to have fallen through.
“But I have to say, even among Ravenclaws, you are the one most obsessed with studying, Scott.” Roger let go of the Quidditch topic and said with an exaggerated expression, “Especially last school year.
You were completely absorbed in those blocks of wood and stones of yours.
You didn’t even sit in the stands during the Quidditch matches!”
Although Scott’s flying talent was ordinary and he had failed the Quidditch team tryouts in his second year, he also had his own strengths.
Since entering school in his first year, although his performance in most of the subjects offered by the school had not been the best and was merely at a level that was neither outstanding nor bad, he had performed exceptionally well in Transfiguration.
The professor teaching this subject was Minerva McGonagall, the Deputy Headmistress and Head of Gryffindor House, a professor who was extremely strict with her students.
But even she could not help but smile as she praised Scott, saying he possessed “an exceptional talent in Transfiguration that surpassed ordinary people.”
Scott felt that since he possessed this kind of talent, he should work hard to make use of his advantage.
For this reason, he had always used his spare time to independently study and experiment with subjects related to Transfiguration in greater depth.
The previous school year had been a crucial period in his research.
To obtain visible and satisfying results, he had always seized every moment and immersed himself in it, and as a result, he missed many activities.
At this moment, Roger’s expression made it seem as though Scott’s failure to watch the Quidditch matches was equal to committing some unforgivable wrong.
“Oh, thank you for reminding me.” Scott could only smile and say, “I think I’ll have a more relaxed time during the new school year.
At the very least, I’ll have time to watch your Quidditch matches.”
(End of Chapter)
Power Stones?