radicalducati Chapter 55 Playing Hard to Get
Chapter 55 Playing Hard to Get
"You two are here to die!"
In the damp, chilly corridor, Draco Malfoy stood before the doors of the Slytherin common room, his expression grim.
Malfoy's seemingly fierce threats might be a facade, but the massive physiques of Crabbe and Goyle standing behind him were no joke. If a real conflict broke out, even being suppressed might send him to report to Madam Pomfrey.
Harry stepped forward in Ron's place.
"We just wanted to come and ask—"
Harry calmly gazed at Malfoy.
"Do you want revenge?"
"Revenge...what do you mean, Potter?"
"It means exactly what it says—"
Harry stared blankly into Malfoy's light gray eyes.
"You were defeated by Ron in the 'Protect the Captain' game... Are you interested in revenge? Would you like to have another match with us?"
Harry was certain he saw a flash of shame and anger in Malfoy's eyes—Harry had expected Malfoy to erupt in even greater fury... but things didn't turn out the way he had anticipated.
Malfoy stared at them suspiciously, looking even more cautious.
"Hmph—that was nothing but a stupid and boring game. If you think I'd hold a grudge about it, you're sorely mistaken, Potter!"
"Oh, if that's the case—"
Harry shrugged and looked at Ron.
"Let's go then, Ron."
With that, Harry grabbed Ron's arm and turned around, and the two of them retraced their steps.
The damp, cold corridor was silent except for the sound of their footsteps. Harry wasn't sure if Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle had already returned to the common room...
But he couldn't turn around to confirm, otherwise, he would be showing his ignorance.
Finally, they reached the corner of the corridor—
"etc!"
The sound of someone chasing after them made Harry and Ron breathe a sigh of relief. Harry stopped and turned around to look at Malfoy and his two companions, who were still standing in the same spot.
"You guys really just came here wanting to fight the 'Protect the Captain' again?"
Malfoy hurried over to Harry, his chin slightly raised, his eyes narrowed, and he stared at them with an uncertain look.
"I don't know if you'd be interested, Malfoy."
Harry neither confirmed nor denied it.
A silence descends—
"I'm willing to fight you again for 'Protect the Captain,' to prove that today's match was just me being careless, Weasley—"
Finally, Malfoy spoke. His sullen face, tinged with anger, made it clear to Harry that Malfoy was not as indifferent to the outcome of the match as he claimed.
"But it's no longer possible."
"Oh, why?"
Having calmed down somewhat, Ron glanced sideways at Malfoy.
"Are you worried about failing again and losing face?"
"Shut your stinking mouth, Weasley!"
Malfoy shouted in exasperation,
"You can spend the rest of your life celebrating your good fortune today... Haven't you heard that Dumbledore forbade first-year students from participating in the 'Protect the Captain' competition for safety reasons?"
My dad told me long ago that Dumbledore was already senile and an old fogey who couldn't keep up with the times, and I...”
We know about this.
Harry interrupted Malfoy's slander of Professor Dumbledore.
Admittedly, what he is doing now is changing Professor Dumbledore's decision, but that doesn't mean Harry dislikes the silver-haired, uniquely charismatic headmaster.
In fact, although he only had one conversation with this renowned wizard, Harry always felt that he had known this kind and amiable Professor Dumbledore for a long time... and there was a strange sense of closeness between them.
He didn't want to hear anything bad about Professor Dumbledore from Malfoy.
"You know that?!"
Malfoy looked surprised.
"That's right—"
Harry said calmly,
"There are some of us, more than you think... who don't want to see first-year students banned from playing 'Protect Captain'. We plan to gather together and negotiate with Professor Dumbledore to get him to lift the ban on us."
Another silence—
Malfoy stared at Harry with his bulging gray eyes, completely unprepared for Harry's words—even Crabbe and Goyle behind him forgot to show off their 'muscles'.
Malfoy's astonishment gave Ron a strange sense of superiority, and he put on a smug smile—after all, theoretically, he was the one in charge in this matter.
"I see!"
After a long while, Malfoy finally came to his senses, and he realized...
"You're here to recruit me into your operation!"
"Don't flatter yourself, Malfoy."
Ron hummed softly.
"Harry just told you that we already have enough supporters, and we're only asking you because you're freshmen too."
Ron's confident expression did make Malfoy somewhat unsure of his conclusion, and he narrowed his eyes, pondering the matter.
"Make a decision, Malfoy—"
Harry said,
"Join our operation—if it succeeds, we'll have a chance to compete again; otherwise, it'll take you a whole year to prove that you lost today just because you were careless... Of course, as Ron said, it's okay if you don't join; we already have enough people."
Although Malfoy had a disdainful look when he criticized Dumbledore, he hesitated when it came to actually standing in front of Dumbledore and refuting his decision in a real confrontation.
He couldn't give a definite answer, but he was unwilling to turn around and leave, lest he be implicated in the controversy.
"Make a decision quickly, Malfoy."
Harry said crisply and decisively,
"Join or not. We don't have much time to waste here... We're going to get this done tonight."
"Tonight?"
Malfoy raised an eyebrow, his eyes filled with suspicion.
"How many men have you gathered?"
"Probably everyone in Gryffindor will be there."
Harry's calm tone carried a hint of pride.
"Aren't you afraid I'll tell on you, Potter?"
Malfoy had an unpredictable expression on his face.
"I'd much rather you... and Weasley, both of you be expelled from school!"
"Then do as you please, Malfoy."
Malfoy was saying exactly what Harry was worried about deep down. However, he remained calm and continued...
"What I'm telling you is that, besides the students, there will be more than one professor joining our operation... The one leading the group is the one who saved all of our lives—honestly, if I were you, after witnessing his methods of stopping the train, I wouldn't choose to provoke him, especially since he was the one who spearheaded the 'Protect the Captain' game."
"If you want to participate, bring all the Slytherin students you can mobilize and gather in the Great Hall at 8:40."
Ron's smile carried a hint of superiority.
"That's all... Let's go, Harry."
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