Damon said nothing more and followed her toward the castle.
Behind them, the Gryffindors whispered among themselves.
Hermione frowned, while Harry clutched the Remembrall, silently watching Damon’s retreating figure.
Malfoy and his lackeys, meanwhile, were gloating, shouting that Damon Ignis was going to be expelled.
Of course, they knew deep down that such a minor incident wouldn’t get a highly talented student expelled from Hogwarts.
Malfoy was only saying it to annoy the Gryffindors, especially Harry.
Professor McGonagall led Damon through the entrance hall and up the marble staircase without saying a word.
She walked briskly, her black robes billowing behind her.
Damon followed close behind, remaining quiet.
The two of them entered Professor McGonagall’s office.
She shut the door, turned to face Damon, and let out a sigh after a few moments of silence.
“Sit down, Mr.
Ignis.” Damon took a seat.
McGonagall walked behind her desk but didn’t sit.
Instead, she sighed again.
“It has barely been a day.” “You can’t blame me for this, Professor McGonagall,” Damon defended himself with an innocent expression.
“If the school would do something about bullying among students, today’s incident wouldn’t have happened.” “Are you referring to Mr.
Longbottom?
But I didn’t see anyone bullying him,” Professor McGonagall said.
“Physical violence isn’t the only form of bullying; verbal abuse is bullying too,” Damon said seriously.
“I don’t believe you haven’t heard the verbal taunts Slytherin has thrown at Neville, Professor.
This kind of psychological damage is far worse than physical pain.” Since term started over a week ago, sneers and sarcasm aimed at Neville had been everywhere in Slytherin, from their Head of House down to the students.
Malfoy’s behavior today was just a tiny microcosm of it.
Professor McGonagall froze.
After a long silence, she said, “I have been negligent.
This is a failure on my part as Head of House.” “It’s not too late to change, is it?” Damon blinked.
“How about starting with Professor Snape’s teaching style in Potions class?” “I will bring it up with Professor Dumbledore,” Professor McGonagall agreed with a serious nod.
“So, may I go now?” Damon made to stand up.
Professor McGonagall stopped him.
“There is one more thing!” Her expression was even more serious than before.
“You come from Muggle society, so this should have been your first time riding a broomstick.
Am I correct?” Professor McGonagall asked.
Damon nodded.
What he didn’t mention, however, was that while it was his first time riding a broomstick, it wasn’t his first time flying.
The levitation of the Rooster Talisman combined with the speed of the Rabbit Talisman gave him an incredibly agile and swift flight capability.
In short, he was an experienced flyer with thousands of years of flight experience!
“You are highly gifted, Ignis!” Professor McGonagall said.
“And I don’t mean in magic; I mean in flying.
Do you know of the sport Quidditch?
I believe you are a natural Seeker.” “Diving dozens of feet, grabbing Malfoy with one hand while controlling your broomstick with the other—I have never seen a young wizard accomplish such a feat.” Professor McGonagall stared intently at Damon.
“The Gryffindor Quidditch team is short of a good Seeker.
I want you to join.” “But Professor McGonagall, I’m only a first-year.
Isn’t there a rule against first-years joining the Quidditch team?” Damon had heard of this rule.
“Special circumstances always warrant exceptions.” McGonagall’s tone brooked no argument.
“I shall speak with Professor Dumbledore.
Making an exception to recruit a first-year…
I believe he will agree.
Gryffindor has gone too long without winning the Quidditch Cup.” “I’m sorry, Professor.” Damon shook his head.
“Compared to Quidditch, I am far more interested in magical knowledge.
My time at Hogwarts is limited, and I would prefer to spend my precious hours studying magic.” Professor McGonagall was stunned, clearly not expecting Damon to decline.
After all, what wizard wouldn’t love the thrilling sport of Quidditch?
Finding such a talented prospect was exceedingly rare, and Professor McGonagall was truly unwilling to give up so easily.
Furthermore, if the Gryffindor team suffered another crushing defeat at the hands of Slytherin this year, she doubted she would ever be able to look Snape in the eye again.
“Loving magic is certainly not an issue.
Every teacher adores a student who is eager to learn,” Professor McGonagall proposed.
“With your natural talent, you won’t need any high-intensity Quidditch training.
Besides, if you join the Gryffindor team, I can tutor you myself.
I can even help you apply for private tutoring from Professor Flitwick.
He was a dueling champion in his youth and is an outstanding Charms master.” Private tutoring from two master-level professors simultaneously—the value of such an opportunity went without saying.
Damon, however, put on a conflicted look.
After pondering for a long while, he finally said with apparent reluctance, “I am willing to join.
I hope I won’t disappoint you, Professor.” “Excellent!” Professor McGonagall let out a sigh of relief, offering a rare smile.
“Don’t worry, I trust my judgment.
You will make an absolutely marvelous Seeker.” By the time Damon left Professor McGonagall’s office, it was already dinnertime.
He headed straight to the Great Hall, where Harry, Ron, and Hermione immediately crowded around him.
Damon didn’t hide anything and explained the situation to them.
Ron was utterly shocked.
Coming from a wizarding family, he knew just how monumental Professor McGonagall’s decision was.
“I’ve never heard of a first-year becoming a Seeker!
You’ve broken a Hogwarts record that’s stood for decades—no, probably a hundred years!” “Let’s see Malfoy act smug after this, hmph!” Ron grinned from ear to ear, completely forgetting to eat his steak.
Beside them, Harry felt a twinge of envy.
Although he was happy for Damon, his heart felt strangely hollow, as if he had lost something meant for him.
While Hermione was happy, she also let out a quiet sigh of relief in her heart.
If Damon was busy playing Quidditch, she would have more time to study and catch up, rather than being left too far behind by him.
One couldn’t blame her for thinking this way; the pressure Damon exerted on her was simply too immense.
“Brilliant job!” Before the speakers even arrived, their voices rang out.
Fred and George walked into the Great Hall side-by-side and hurried over to Damon.
“We’ve already heard, mate.
We’re teammates now,” George whispered.
Fred leaned down.
“We’re on the Gryffindor Quidditch team too.
We’re Beaters.” “Gryffindor hasn’t won since Charlie left, but this year we’re definitely going to win,” George said excitedly.
“But Wood wanted us to tell you to keep it under wraps for now.
He wants to use you as our secret weapon!” “Who’s Wood?” Harry asked.
“Our captain,” George said.
“A Quidditch fanatic and a demonic trainer,” Fred added with a mixture of love and dread.
“We heard Professor McGonagall tell Wood that you don’t need to train constantly.
Wood shouted at her for quite a while,” George continued.
“But don’t worry, we’re on your side, and we trust McGonagall’s judgment,” Fred said, putting an arm around Damon’s shoulders.
“Right, we’ve got to run.
We have a secret operation tonight,” George said mysteriously.
“What secret operation?” Ron pressed, his curiosity piqued.
“Too much knowledge is a dangerous thing, little Ronnie,” Fred said, patting Ron on the head.
“It’s a wager between us and Damon.” “And tonight is the night the wager is settled,” George said.
“This is the one thing we’re absolutely confident in.
Get ready to accept defeat, Damon!” Fred said with absolute confidence.
Before Damon could reply, the two of them walked off with their arms over each other’s shoulders, leaving as quickly as they had arrived.
In an instant, three pairs of curious eyes turned to stare at Damon.
“I won’t say a word before the wager is settled.
But what I can tell you is that the final winner will definitely be me.” Damon put down his knife and fork, elegantly wiped his mouth, and rose to leave as well.