Chapter 509: Professor Lochneal
Sirius gave this to me—it can't be... Kyle seemed to realize something and immediately tore open the package.
Sure enough, just as he had suspected, inside was a beautifully crafted broom.
Firebolt.
The day Sirius had been acquitted, he had wanted to buy it as a gift for Kyle. But Kyle had declined at the time, pointing out that there wouldn't be any Quidditch this year.
Yet here it was, a few months later—Sirius had still gone ahead and bought it.
"Firebolt! Did someone give you a Champion's Gift?" Cedric exclaimed excitedly. "We've got a Firebolt now, too... Oh, wait—there's no Quidditch this year."
Cedric's excitement wavered for a moment, his expression clouding briefly with disappointment. But he quickly shook it off.
Well, it was still a Firebolt. That alone was reason enough to celebrate. They could always use it next year. He wondered if the Gryffindors—especially Fred and George—would be so full of themselves when Hufflepuff showed up with a Firebolt, too.
Mikel was equally thrilled. He leaned in close, carefully inspecting the Firebolt as though it were some rare and precious artifact.
"It's such a shame," he murmured, almost to himself. "If only we could use broomsticks in the Triwizard Tournament..."
...