Harry Potter and the Silent Guardian

What followed was a masterclass in psychological warfare. Harry knew Ron's strengths and weaknesses clearly. Ron was a solid Keeper when he was in the zone, but once his nerves kicked in, his performance could unravel spectacularly.

Harry began an elaborate intimidation campaign, repeatedly charging toward the Gryffindor goals with controlled aggression. Even without the Quaffle, his presence was enough to make Ron flinch. Each time Harry barreled toward him, Ron's eyes would widen slightly before Harry veered away at the last possible moment, leaving the young Keeper visibly rattled.

"Potter's doing something rather interesting," Luna observed dreamily. "It's like watching a Wrackspurt dance. Very pretty, but slightly confusing."

"If by 'interesting' you mean 'driving Ron mental,' then yes!" Lee added enthusiastically. "I haven't seen someone this rattled since the Cannons' last match!"

Harry had chosen not to rely on his superhuman reflexes or strength for this match. With friends on the opposing team, it wouldn't be fair to tilt the game so heavily in Ravenclaw's favor. Instead, he relied on strategy and teamwork to keep the match competitive.

The pressure began telling on Ron. His movements became increasingly jerky, his eyes darting nervously between Harry and the other players. The brief lapse in Ravenclaw's defense gave Gryffindor their opening, though—Charles and Alicia executed a perfect Porskoff Ploy to score.

"10-0 to Gryffindor!" Lee Jordan shouted excitedly. "Finally, someone's broken the deadlock! And look at Ron's face—he's grinning like he's just won the Quidditch World Cup!"

Luna Lovegood tilted her head thoughtfully. "I think he's just relieved the Quaffle didn't turn into a Cornish Pixie. That happened once during a match in 1892. It caused quite the ruckus."

Lee blinked, caught off guard. "Wait, what? Luna, are you making this up?"

"Oh no," Luna replied earnestly. "It's in Quidditch Through the Ages. Chapter Seven, I believe."

Lee shook his head, chuckling. "Right. Well, regardless, Ravenclaw's not backing down! Just look at Potter and Davies—they're flying like a pair of synchronized Swivenhodge players!"

The setback didn't faze Harry. With Ron's nerves rattled, it only took one genuine push from Roger Davies to punch through Gryffindor's defense. Ravenclaw quickly evened the score at 10-10, and once they found their rhythm, the goals came in a flurry. Harry and Roger wove through Gryffindor's formation with precision, their movements in perfect harmony.

"Ravenclaw leaps ahead!" Lee called out, his voice brimming with excitement. "That's 70-10 now in favor of Ravenclaw! Someone check if Roger Davies has been secretly training with the Tutshill Tornados!"

Luna nodded sagely. "He might be using their Nargle-repellent charms. They're excellent for maintaining focus."

Lee snorted. "Nargle-repellent charms? Luna, I think that's just called raw talent."

Despite the growing score gap, Gryffindor refused to give in. Angelina Johnson, Alicia Spinnet, and Charles Potter pushed hard for every opportunity to score, while Fred and George Weasley launched Bludgers with relentless precision, forcing Ravenclaw to stay sharp.

As the match wore on, Ravenclaw's dominance became clear. Harry and Roger's relentless attacks, coupled with their strong defensive maneuvers, kept Gryffindor struggling to keep pace. The scoreboard steadily climbed: 150-30 in favor of Ravenclaw. Gryffindor was running out of time, and the pressure was mounting with every passing second.

Then, the Seekers spotted the Snitch. Ginny and Cho shot into action, their brooms cutting through the air like streaks of lightning as they raced toward the elusive golden ball. Harry, ever the strategist, considered intervening to disrupt Ginny's rhythm, just as he had done with Cedric in Ravenclaw's match against Hufflepuff.

But Gryffindor was ready for him. Fred, George, Angelina, and Alicia surrounded Harry in a tight formation, their grins wide and their brooms steady.

"Not this time, Potter," Angelina said with a smirk. "This one's between the Seekers."

Harry chuckled, raising his hands in mock surrender. "Fair enough. This one decides the match. Good luck!"

With Harry effectively boxed in, all eyes turned to Ginny and Cho. The two Seekers streaked across the pitch in a heart-pounding duel, neither willing to yield an inch. Their brooms seemed to blur as they looped, twisted, and spiraled around each other, their focus razor-sharp.

"Ginny's got the inside track—no, wait, Cho Chang's pulling something out of the bag… some kind of spiral dive—" Lee's voice was breathless with excitement.

"That's the move Cedric Diggory used to practice," Luna chimed in contentedly. "Lovely form. Though I think the Snitch is trying to communicate with the Blibbering Humdingers."

Lee groaned. "Luna, I'm trying to focus here!"

Inches from the ground, Cho executed a flawless twist, pulling aside at the last second and extending her arm. A moment later, her fist shot into the air, the struggling Snitch clasped tightly in her hand.

The Ravenclaw stands erupted in cheers, quickly joined by applause from the rest of the school. "RAVENCLAW WINS!" Lee shouted. "Final score, 310-30! Cho Chang, take a bow—you've just secured the Quidditch Cup for Ravenclaw!"

Luna clapped her hands enthusiastically. "And the Wrackspurts are delighted! They've been rooting for Ravenclaw all along."

The field exploded into a joyous celebration, the boundaries between teams and houses dissolving in the shared excitement. The mood felt more like a joint party than a victory celebration—there was no real enmity between the two houses, and the match had been as thrilling as it was fun.

Fred and George approached Harry, wagging their fingers in mock scolding. "We're going to prank you for messing with our brother's mindset," Fred teased.

"Consider yourself warned," George added, though the mischievous twinkle in his eye betrayed the humor behind the threat.

Angelina and Alicia exchanged warm hugs with Roger and Harry, laughing and chatting about their friendly rivalry.

In the midst of the crowd, Professor Flitwick was practically bouncing with joy as McGonagall handed him the gleaming Quidditch Cup. Roger Davies raised the trophy high above his head, and the Ravenclaw cheers grew deafening.

Harry stood back, grinning as he watched the celebration. He had kept his promise to Roger, and Ravenclaw had won the Quidditch Cup.

---

As the celebrations continued on the Quidditch pitch, Harry's sharp eyes caught sight of the golden trio—now more of a golden quintet with Neville and Ginny—heading toward Hagrid's hut. He had a good idea what they were up to: visiting Hagrid's half-brother, Grawp.

Harry had already met Grawp, albeit in secret. A few months earlier, the centaurs had summoned "Knight Arthur" to discuss a new intruder in the Forbidden Forest. The presence of a giant, even one as relatively small as Grawp, had unsettled the forest's inhabitants. The centaurs, still wary after the Acromantula colony had been cleared out, were concerned about history repeating itself. They didn't want another species disrupting the delicate balance of the forest.

The meeting with the centaurs had taken place under the cover of night, their voices sharp and their stances tense. Bane had been particularly vocal. "We will not tolerate another Aragog situation," he declared firmly. "The spiders bred unchecked for decades, threatening us and the other creatures of the forest. A giant colony would be even worse."

The mention of Aragog had been a sore point. Just months earlier, Harry and the centaurs had worked together to clear out the Acromantula colony, a necessary but controversial move that had deeply upset Hagrid. While the forest was safer, the decision had strained relations between Hagrid and the centaur herd.

Harry had listened to their concerns and proposed a diplomatic solution: a direct conversation with Hagrid. The centaurs, reluctantly, agreed. Harry stayed in the background, unseen and unheard, as the tense negotiation unfolded.

Hagrid, still mourning Aragog's death, had understood the centaurs' fears. "I promise yeh," he said solemnly, his voice thick with emotion. "Grawpy won't cause no trouble. He's learnin' manners, he is."

Surprisingly, the centaurs showed a rare willingness to compromise. Perhaps guilt over the Acromantula situation played a role. "We trust you to keep your word, Hagrid," Dorran, the leader, said gravely. "Your brother may stay, but he must respect our boundaries."

Harry had also taken the opportunity to observe Grawp from a distance. He needed to understand the strength and capabilities of giants, knowing full well that Voldemort might bring them into the war. What he saw reassured him. Grawp was undeniably strong, but his movements were slow and clumsy. Harry's speed, agility, and precision would give him a significant advantage. Giants, for all their power, lacked the quick reflexes necessary to pose a serious threat to him. If it came to a fight, Harry was confident he could handle them quickly and efficiently.

---

Shaking his head, Harry pulled himself out of his thoughts. The Quidditch celebration was in full swing around him, the air filled with laughter and cheers. For a moment, Harry allowed himself to simply be part of the celebration. The battles would resume soon enough, but for now, he had a victory to enjoy, good friends at his side, and—if only briefly—a chance to savor something resembling a normal life at Hogwarts.