"This is the Golden Snitch," Flint said, holding up a walnut-sized golden sphere with tiny silver wings. The Slytherin captain was massive, even taller than Snape, and looked like he'd been carved out of solid stone. "Once I release it, it'll fly at top speed around the pitch. Whoever catches it first becomes our Seeker."
"All right," Flint said, opening his hand. "Begin."
The Snitch shot forward like a spark of light.
Draco Malfoy and Rowan Mercer kicked off at the same time, brooms surging upward in pursuit.
The Snitch was absurdly fast and viciously agile. Even when you closed the distance, it could change direction in an instant and leave you chasing empty air. Malfoy learned that immediately. Each sharp turn forced him to overshoot, his broom's momentum carrying him past the Snitch before he could recover.
Rowan didn't have that problem.
The moment the Snitch turned, Rowan turned with it. The broom's inertia twisted unnaturally smoothly, as if ignoring physics altogether. The fine metal filament hidden along the broom responded to his control, forcing the turn cleanly and instantly.
When Rowan finally closed in, he lunged.
The Snitch dodged.
But it hesitated.
Only for a heartbeat.
That heartbeat was enough.
The Golden Snitch was enchanted, but it was still metal. Rowan didn't stop it outright. He didn't need to. He nudged its motion just enough to slow it, subtly, invisibly. No one could have noticed.
Rowan's hand closed around it.
"Already?" someone gasped. "That was barely a minute!"
Below, Snape and the Slytherin players stared in disbelief. This wasn't a formal match, and there were no Bludgers or opposing players, but catching the Snitch in under a minute was still outrageous. Some official matches had dragged on for weeks. One had famously lasted months.
Up in the stands, three Gryffindors watched in silence.
"Harry," Ron muttered sympathetically, "if Rowan becomes Slytherin's Seeker, you're doomed."
Harry grimaced.
Hermione, however, tilted her head thoughtfully. "On the other hand, Malfoy losing like this is rather satisfying."
Ron and Harry immediately brightened.
Down on the pitch, Malfoy landed heavily, staring at the Snitch in Rowan's hand as if it had personally betrayed him.
"I lost," he said quietly.
His shoulders slumped. He could already imagine the ridicule. His father had spent a fortune so he could face Harry Potter as Seeker. And now it was gone.
Rowan handed the Snitch back to Flint and looked at Malfoy.
"If you want to be Seeker that badly," Rowan said calmly, "you can have it."
Malfoy snapped his head up.
Snape frowned. The team exchanged confused looks.
"I don't really care whether I'm Seeker, Chaser, Beater, or Keeper," Rowan continued. "I'm confident I can help Slytherin win from any position. Besides…" He shrugged. "Being Seeker feels a bit dull. Not much of a challenge."
Then he smiled faintly at Malfoy. "And I don't enjoy taking away someone else's dream."
The mood shifted instantly.
The other players' expressions softened. Respect replaced surprise.
"…Thanks," Malfoy said after a long pause.
It was the first time he'd ever thanked Rowan.
He'd hated Rowan before. The talent. The attention. The way Rowan seemed to outshine him effortlessly. But now, standing there with his pride salvaged, Malfoy felt something unfamiliar.
Gratitude.
"We're both Slytherin," Rowan said, clapping him lightly on the shoulder. "We win together."
Malfoy didn't pull away.
Snape watched the exchange, eyes unreadable.
"Very well," he said at last. "If Mercer withdraws voluntarily, then Malfoy remains Seeker. Mercer will play Chaser."
For once, Snape's thin smile almost looked genuine. Unity mattered. And Rowan's value had just risen again in his estimation.
"Train properly," Snape said, and left the pitch.
Practice began immediately.
As Chaser, Rowan was terrifying.
He moved with the raw power of Flint, but with far greater agility. He snatched the Quaffle, slipped past defenders, and scored in smooth, ruthless sequences. Whether dodging, accelerating, or striking the ball, everything flowed without hesitation.
Watching him, it became obvious.
Seeker or not, Rowan Mercer was the engine of the team.