When the Quidditch World Cup was first held, there was no Statute of Secrecy yet. Although relations between wizards and Muggles were beginning to strain, they hadn't reached the point of outright hostility.
So, occasionally, Muggles would accidentally wander into a Quidditch match and see wizards fiercely battling and chasing each other on broomsticks high in the air. When they went home and told others about their experience, they were usually dismissed as having dreamt it all.
But sometimes, they would also leave behind some mysterious legends among Muggles.
Now, after hundreds of years of development, Quidditch has formed a series of complex rules and procedures. This particular match truly began about a year ago.
During the preliminary rounds, each match couldn't exceed four hours. Even if the Golden Snitch wasn't caught by the end, the winner would be determined by the score.
The semifinals were much more flexible. Like the final, they ended when the Golden Snitch was caught. Because there had been matches that lasted three to five days, there was a three-day interval between each match.
The day after Wade arrived, Hermione and the Patil sisters came to the stadium. She was staying in the room next to Harry's, and in the evening, they even went fishing in a nearby stream.
On the third day, Neville and his grandmother also arrived at the stadium. They were also prepared to camp this time, so they brought an old-fashioned Magic Tent that smelled of pine resin. Wade and the others even helped them set it up.
Next was the match between Bulgaria and Egypt.
These two teams had bad luck. It started raining in the evening, and by the time the match began at night, it had turned into a torrential downpour. Even the brightest magical lights couldn't salvage the abysmal visibility.
One of the rules of the Quidditch World Cup is that Weather Charms cannot be used to change the weather during a match.
People believe that climate is part of the game, and unless there are extreme circumstances—like a volcanic eruption or a hurricane—athletes must strive for victory even in harsh conditions.
While spectators in the stands could use transparent Magic Barriers to block the rain, the two unfortunate teams had no choice but to wear goggles and play through the wind and rain.
In this kind of weather, just two seconds of heavy rain would soak a person completely, even filling their mouths with water. Fortunately, the rules hadn't yet forbidden them from casting waterproof and damp-proof spells on their glasses—though that didn't seem to help much either.
Through the heavy curtain of rain, a dark shadow whizzed past. Not far away, two figures seemed to have collided directly, but it was impossible to tell which team they belonged to.
Harry strained his eyes, trying to get a clearer view of the battle. But Wade only patiently watched for ten minutes before sitting down and starting to read a book.
His current collection of Magic Books far surpassed those copied from the school library. The Magic Books from Black, Wawerlett, Grindelwald, Flamel, and others were innumerable and all of high quality. Wade could open any one of them and read with great interest.
Lupin turned sideways and patted Wade's shoulder.
"If you don't want to watch the match, I can go back to the tent with you?" Lupin said softly. "At least it's quieter there."
He had long noticed that Wade had little interest in Quidditch itself. He was more interested in the surrounding spectators and the chaotic but interesting environment of the camp before the match, rather than the intense game.
Wade thought for a moment and agreed, closing his book. "I'll go back myself. You can keep watching—I'm not a three-year-old, and I know my way back."
"Alright." Lupin didn't insist, smiling. "Be careful on your way back, and get some rest once you're there."
"Okay."
Wade pushed open the door behind the box and walked down the lantern-lit passage to the lower level, occasionally hearing excited, complaining, or arguing voices from the passing boxes.
Except for a few people who ran out of their boxes to use the restroom, the audience hadn't left the stands due to the bad weather. The passage was empty, and at this moment, only Wade was walking back.
After all, such heavy rain usually didn't last long; it might stop in a few tens of minutes, and the audience could still enjoy a wonderful match.
Wade walked to the lowest exit, then raised his Wand. The tip of his Wand projected a barrier like an umbrella, blocking the heavy rain.
In the camp, tents stood in dense rows, some like tall buildings, some like small mountains, some like overturned chalices. Looking at them at night, they were all dark shadows, like countless silently standing monsters in the dark night.
Wade also subconsciously lightened his footsteps, silent, quietly passing through the tents.
Suddenly, something swayed in his vision, as if a scrawny child was hiding behind a tent and beckoning.
Wade's scalp prickled instantly, his breath caught in his throat, the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end, and it felt as if a cold wind blew across his back, or a cold snake was crawling up his spine.
After a few seconds, he slowly exhaled and inhaled, forcing himself to remain calm, then walked towards that direction.
He could, of course, have turned and left, returning to his dormitory immediately. But Wade felt that if he didn't figure out what that strange, small shadow was, he wouldn't sleep soundly that night.
On the surface, Wade merely paused his steps for a moment before continuing, seemingly unaffected.
As he got closer, Wade flipped his empty palm and cast a silent, wandless Lumos Charm. A ball of light appeared in his hand, illuminating several meters around him.
The shadow behind the tent revealed its true form—it was a small tree, appearing to be a Beech Tree, with sparse leaves, and its height didn't even reach Wade's chest.
Wade let out a long breath, then chuckled self-deprecatingly, feeling that he was becoming overly paranoid.
He walked around this tent, which was made of stitched fur and had an animal tail hanging by its door, and quickened his pace back.
The "pitter-patter" of footsteps in the water gradually faded, and silence returned, leaving only the continuous sound of falling rain.
Suddenly, a "pop" sound echoed in the darkness, as if a large cork had been pulled from a glass bottle.
The young Beech Tree pulled its roots from the soil, shook itself like a person, then pulled out its other roots, and gave a strong full-body shake. Its branches and leaves unfurled, seemingly welcoming the rare heavy rain.
Then, the Beech Tree used its roots as legs, moving with crab-like steps, lightly and swiftly towards the nearby forest. The leaves on its top rustled, like a child waving awkwardly.
In its direction, a figure in a black raincoat stood beneath a tree, looking up at a tall Spruce Tree ahead.
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