Gryffindor is still basking in the joy of defeating Hufflepuff. If they can defeat Ravenclaw, Gryffindor could win the Quidditch Championship.
Currently, Gryffindor has a high probability of winning the trophy. As long as Slytherin defeats Ravenclaw, or if they can defeat Ravenclaw, the trophy will eventually belong to Gryffindor.
At breakfast time, Charlie sat opposite Albert, studying his Quidditch tactics. Fortunately, Charlie had already finished breakfast and left, otherwise Albert and the others didn't know how much longer they would have had to listen to his rambling.
After Albert finished eating the sausage on his plate, he said to Li Jordan next to him, "Next time, stay away from Charlie at breakfast. These Quidditch captains are really terrifying when they go crazy."
"What did you say..." Li Qiaodan replied casually, and then the fruit in front of him began to emit thick black smoke.
"Cough cough, what are you doing!" Albert coughed repeatedly, choked by the thick smoke. He covered his mouth and nose and looked in the direction from which the black smoke was coming out, thinking there was a fire. But he found that the smoke was coming from the fruit in front of Li Jordan's table.
"I just...cough cough." Li Qiaodan coughed repeatedly, his black face turning even blacker from the smoke.
The fruit was still emitting black smoke, so Li Qiaodan had to use an empty bowl to cover the smoking fruit upside down on the table, but the black smoke still overflowed from under the bowl.
"Wow, such thick black smoke! What did you do?" George opened the lid of the upside-down bowl, and black smoke billowed out, attracting the attention of a group of people.
"I was just trying to see if I could restore the bitten fruit." Li Qiaodan scratched his head awkwardly. "But I got distracted just now, and this is what happened."
"Do you have any way to get rid of the smoke?" Li Qiaodan looked at Albert with a pleading expression.
"Stop the Curse." Albert took out his wand, tapped the still-smoking fruit with the tip, and cast a universal anti-curse on it.
The fruit no longer emitted black smoke, but it had become completely charred, as if it had been burned into a charcoal by a raging fire.
"What spell did you just use?" Albert took a fork and poked the fruit lightly, which quickly turned into a pile of charred ash.
"I don't know either." Li Qiaodan still looked completely bewildered.
"By the way, what spell were you practicing just now?" George asked, picking up some ashes and rubbing them between his fingertips.
"Repair spell," Li Qiaodan honestly confessed.
"You can practice by tearing a piece of newspaper yourself." This was the first time Albert had ever seen someone practice healing spells using fruit.
He suddenly remembered that he hadn't read the newspaper today, so he asked, "Has anyone seen my Daily Prophet today?"
"It's right here with me." Fred handed Albert the headline of the Daily Prophet, who was currently reading the Quidditch column.
"What's on the front page?" Albert took the newspaper and opened it.
"I just read the front page. Cornelius Fudge has become Minister for Magic," Fred said. "It's said that the new minister sends a bunch of owls to Dumbledore every morning to discuss matters of the Ministry of Magic with him."
Albert opened the Daily Prophet, glanced at the front page, and suddenly said, "He's a pretty smart guy."
"Why do you say that?" George asked, puzzled.
"At first, Fudge probably wasn't very confident in his abilities," Albert said without hesitation. "And Dumbledore's popularity far surpassed that of others, so Fudge wanted everyone to know that his decisions were related to Dumbledore."
"This will reduce prejudice in the wizarding world, give him time to gradually adapt to the position of minister, and also let everyone see that he is trying his best to do a good job as minister. In fact, Fudge's reputation has been quite good since he took office."
"In a few years, Fudge will become more and more confident. It's a process. No one can be good at the position of Minister of Magic from the start."
"That makes some sense," Fred nodded in approval.
Albert later learned what Connery Fudge was like.
Albert's assessment of Fudge was: blinded by power and wealth.
A four-year electoral system is actually quite reasonable.
If Fudge had diligently served as Minister for Magic for four years and then stepped down to be replaced, Albert believed that Fudge would have been highly regarded at the Ministry of Magic, and even if he hadn't become Minister for Magic, he would have been able to secure a good job.
Unfortunately, the position of Minister of Magic is essentially a lifetime appointment unless one decides to leave or is ousted.
"Have you mastered the technique of turning rats into snuffboxes?" Shanna abruptly interjected. "I heard that this question will be on the transformation exam."
"There are still four months until the final exams," Fred said, folding the newspaper and glancing at Shanna. "Don't make a fuss, we have plenty of time."
"I heard that if you do too badly on the test, you'll have to repeat a year!" Shanna warned.
"I've never heard of anyone being held back a grade," Fred said, shaking his head. "As long as you put in the effort before the exam, you definitely won't be held back."
"Are there really people who have to repeat a grade?" George was very interested in this topic.
"Who is it?" Li Qiaodan was also curious.
"Probably not."
Albert frowned slightly. He remembered a Slytherin student who had been held back a year, but he didn't care whether it was true or not; he just wanted to avoid being held back himself.
"I really envy Albert. That guy could easily get a high score on a test," Li Qiaodan said with a hint of resentment. He hadn't yet mastered turning a mouse into a snuffbox.
"I really envy Albert. He could easily get a high score on a test," the Weasley brothers repeated in unison.
"Shut up and get out of here," Albert snapped.
"Ahem." Someone coughed.
Albert turned to the newcomer and asked, "What is it?"
"The next event will be held next Saturday at 3:30 PM. Don't forget the time," Izebel reminded him.
"Why did you suddenly change the time?" Albert asked, puzzled.
"The latest issue of 'Transformation Today' is on sale this weekend, and Professor McGonagall is planning to take it..."
"Anyway, just don't get the time wrong."
"Oh, I see," Albert nodded.
"What's Professor McGonagall's club like?" Shanna asked curiously.
"It's difficult," Albert said after thinking for a moment. "It's all about expanding our knowledge. Professor McGonagall even encouraged us to write to experts in the field and maintain friendly contact."
"You wrote it?" Li Qiaodan asked.
"Don't ask," George suddenly said.
"Why?" The group was puzzled.
"I don't want to at all..." George was interrupted by Albert before he could finish speaking.
"Don't worry, you can't hear me. Nobody's replying to me," Albert said calmly.
"No, surprisingly."
Who do you expect to care about a first-year student's letters?
"Aren't you angry? Don't you care?"
"I don't mind," Albert said calmly. "They'll write back to me when I win the Most Promising Newcomer Award from Transformation Today."
"You see things very clearly."
"You haven't... left yet?" Albert turned his head and saw Izabel sitting behind him, and was speechless.
"Let's go, we have two herbalism classes this morning, don't be late," George said, getting up to remind him.
The four of them stood on the road leading to the greenhouse, looking out at the heavy rain, and asked, "Did you bring umbrellas?"
"I didn't bring it."
The group all looked at Albert.
"I've already mastered summoning magic, so it doesn't matter if I don't bring an umbrella." Albert took out his wand, waved it, and an umbrella instantly appeared at the tip of the wand.
"Then what should we do?" Fred asked.
"Let's go through the rain," Albert said, walking towards the greenhouse with an umbrella.
After exchanging glances, George and the other two ran toward Albert together. The four of them huddled under one umbrella and crowded their way toward the greenhouse.