“All right, Professor. I accept.”
After giving it some thought, Mord agreed to Professor Flitwick’s invitation.
Quidditch was one of the most popular sports in the wizarding world.
Becoming a Quidditch player would undoubtedly help him earn more Darkness Points.
Professor Flitwick beamed with delight.
“Excellent! Wait here for a moment. I’ll call Pete over right away.”
Robert Pete, Ravenclaw’s current Quidditch captain and a fifth-year student, arrived shortly after receiving Professor Flitwick’s message.
The moment he saw Mord, surprise spread across his face.
“Professor… you’re joking, right?”
Pete scratched his head skeptically.
He had already heard that first-year Harry Potter had become Gryffindor’s Seeker, but since he had never seen Harry’s flying skills himself, he remained doubtful.
Now Professor Flitwick was telling him that another first-year student was talented enough to join the Ravenclaw team.
Naturally, he was reluctant to believe it.
Mord calmly looked at Pete.
The captain had short brown hair, an ordinary face, and a tall, sturdy build.
He looked athletic enough, although his attitude was somewhat condescending.
“Captain Pete,” Mord said politely, “if you have any doubts, I’m willing to prove myself.”
“That would be best.”
Pete nodded and immediately led Mord toward the Quidditch pitch.
As they walked to the broom shed, Pete explained,
“Don’t misunderstand me, Mord. I simply want our team to win.”
“Several of our players are in their fifth year or above. They’re eager to leave the team so they can focus on preparing for their O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s.”
“Because of that, I have to be strict. I don’t want anyone slipping in through favoritism or replacing experienced players without earning it.”
Mord smiled.
Truly a Ravenclaw.
Their players actually wanted to quit Quidditch to study.
If this were Gryffindor, what wizarding exam could possibly be more important than Quidditch?
After entering the broom shed, Mord immediately picked out a Comet 200.
Although the broom hadn’t suited Susan very well, it felt perfect in his hands.
Seeing his choice, Pete quickly advised,
“Mord, I’d recommend a Cleansweep or a Nimbus instead.”
“The Comet series has a lot of power behind it. It’s difficult for beginners to control.”
Mord smiled confidently.
“No need. This one is perfect.”
Instead of arguing further, he let his actions speak.
Whether it was sudden stops, tight S-shaped turns, steep dives, or rapid climbs, Mord executed every maneuver flawlessly.
Pete stared in amazement.
“That’s incredible, Mord!”
He excitedly bumped fists with him.
“I knew you were exactly the player we needed!”
The speed of Pete’s attitude change almost made Mord laugh.
Still, the captain had judged him fairly and admitted his mistake immediately.
Smiling, Mord replied,
“Then I’ll bring my talent to Ravenclaw.”
By that afternoon, the news had spread throughout Hogwarts.
Mord Black had officially become Ravenclaw’s new Seeker.
The entire school was stunned.
“Are first-year students really this incredible now?”
[Darkness Points +1… +1… +1…]
The notifications appeared more than thirty times in succession.
Mord couldn’t stop smiling.
Just joining the Quidditch team had already earned him over thirty Darkness Points.
If he pulled off spectacular plays and helped Ravenclaw win the Quidditch Cup, the rewards would surely be far greater.
Of course, not everyone was impressed.
Malfoy, in particular, was so jealous he could barely hide it.
During lunch, he deliberately sneered to Crabbe and Goyle.
“I think Gryffindor and Ravenclaw have really declined.”
“They’re letting first-years join the team? Couldn’t they find anyone from the older years?”
The three laughed mockingly.
Pansy Parkinson immediately frowned.
“What nonsense are you talking about?”
“If Mord was selected, it’s because he’s more talented than everyone else.”
“You’re just jealous.”
She shot Malfoy a look of complete disdain.
“You…”
Malfoy’s face turned green with anger.
Truthfully, he had always thought highly of Pansy.
She came from a respected pure-blood family, was influential among the Slytherins, beautiful, and firmly believed in pure-blood supremacy.
But he simply couldn’t understand why she admired Mord Black.
Was it just because that bastard was slightly more handsome, slightly smarter, and slightly stronger?
“Parkinson,” Malfoy said coldly, “remember who you are.”
“You’re from a pure-blood family, and you’re a Slytherin.”
Pansy snorted.
“Hmph. Mord is a member of the House of Black.”
When it came to ancient pure-blood heritage, very few families could compare to the Blacks.
Their history stretched back nearly a thousand years.
Some even claimed their ancestors had ties to the legendary witch Morgana herself.
At that moment, Mord entered the Great Hall.
Pansy’s eyes brightened instantly.
She hurried over.
“Mord, congratulations! You’re amazing!”
At the same time, Mord heard another system notification.
[Pansy’s Faith +2%]
He smiled warmly.
He had received countless congratulations today, yet he never grew tired of hearing them.
If being successful meant constantly being surrounded by admirers…
Then he was more than willing to endure such suffering.
As he sat down at the Ravenclaw table, Terry and the other students eagerly congratulated him.
Cho Chang looked at him with mixed emotions before speaking softly.
“Congratulations, Mord.”
“Becoming a Quidditch player in your first year is truly remarkable.”
Mord waved his hand modestly.
“It was just luck.”
Cho seemed about to say something else, but before she could continue, two familiar figures suddenly wrapped their arms around Mord’s shoulders.
“Mord, you’re almost as famous as Harry now.”
“We should probably congratulate you.”
“Although…”
“We’ll be rivals from now on.”
Fred and George grinned mischievously.
Mord smiled knowingly.
“So… do you have some good news for me?”
He knew the twins were always busy experimenting.
They wouldn’t come looking for him unless they had accomplished something.
Fred reached into his robes and pulled out two small glass bottles.
“We got the blood you asked for.”
Mord’s eyes immediately lit up.
He eagerly accepted the bottles.
One contained bright crimson blood that seemed to glow faintly with heat.
Fire Salamander blood.
The other held much darker crimson blood.
Grey Rock Snake blood.
George proudly explained,
“Getting the Grey Rock Snake blood wasn’t easy.”
“We even had to visit Knockturn Alley.”
“It was practically a life-or-death mission.”
Mord rolled his eyes.
“George, if you’re trying to make me laugh, congratulations—you succeeded.”
Fred chuckled before admitting the truth.
Actually, they had simply pre-ordered the snake blood from a potion ingredient shop in Hogsmeade.
As for the Fire Salamander blood…
They had quietly stolen it during Care of Magical Creatures class.
Mord shook his head with a helpless smile.
Still, he didn’t feel cheated.
Some tasks seemed easy for others but were nearly impossible for him.
The twins could order rare ingredients because they had spent years building relationships with magical shop owners.
As for the salamander, the professor liked them so much that they practically stole it right under his nose without being caught.
Mord didn’t care how they obtained the materials.
As long as they completed the job honestly, they were reliable friends.
After thanking them, his thoughts immediately returned to more important matters.
The Dark Ember ritual.
It was a power he needed to obtain as soon as possible.
However, choosing the right location was crucial.
If someone interrupted the ritual midway, not only would he lose a large amount of Galleons, but he could also be seriously injured.
He rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
His dormitory was private since he had no roommates.
But carving the magic circle would take time, and another Ravenclaw student might walk in unexpectedly.
There were also many abandoned rooms throughout Hogwarts.
Unfortunately, any one of them could be discovered at any moment.
After considering every possibility, Mord’s eyes suddenly brightened.
“Of course…”
“How could I forget about that place?”