A week had passed since his arrival at Hogwarts. Most Quidditch teams had already started their practice sessions, so it was only a matter of time before the Ravenclaw team did the same.
After classes, Lockhart hurriedly said goodbye to Amelia and dashed to the Ravenclaw dormitories to grab his broom.
Inside, he spotted Xenophilius writing intently in a book. At the sight of Lockhart, his eyes widened with excitement.
"Hey, Gilderoy! I think I spotted a new species of creature during my vacation with my family. I searched all the newspapers but couldn't find a single reference, so I named it the Crumple-Horned Snorkack."
Lockhart struggled to hide a grin. Isn't the crumpled-horned Snorlack—or Snorkack—the creature Luna and Xeno spent their vacations hunting? Hah!
"I'm going with Pandora to find it again once we finish our NEWTs," Xenophilius added.
Lockhart couldn't resist a sly comment. "Nice. While some of us have girlfriends, some make a point of announcing it to the single ones," he said, side-eyeing Xenophilius and feigning a frown.
Xenophilius froze awkwardly.
Unable to hold back, Lockhart broke character laughing ,"I jest, dear brother! Congratulations with Pandora, Xenophilius. I heard you asked her to be your fiancé on platform 9¾ last term— that too, openly!"
Xeno thanked him and mentioned that Lockhart was invited to their wedding.
Damn, a wedding after only one year? These two really are peas in a pod, Gilderoy mused internally.
After bidding Xeno goodbye, he grabbed his broom and stared out the window.
Maybe I should start from the ground instead of leaping out of the window… there's always the possibility of falling to my death.
Pushing his intrusive thoughts aside, Gilderoy reconsidered and lifted his broom, making his way out to the Hogwarts grounds.
Drawing on memories from his Lockhart's life, he recalled how Madam Hooch had taught flying lessons.
Lockhart climbed onto the broom and lifted off the ground slowly.
At first, it wobbled unsteadily, but soon he gained control. Leaning forward, he increased his speed, heading toward the Quidditch pitch.
Adrenaline pumped through him as he weaved around the hoops, glided past the stands, and skimmed across the pitch. Flying began to feel natural, almost second nature.
He swerved across the grounds, reaching the lake, leaning lower as he skimmed across the water. Catching his reflection in the ripples, he touched the water lightly with the broom, urging it forward.
The orange rays of the setting sun spread across the lake as Gilderoy soared, admiring the view. Damn, what a sight.
Joy and contentment filled his mind as he recreated a scene he had watched from his previous life as Jon—only this time on a broom, not a Hippogriff.
Soon night fell, and Gilderoy finally dismounted, hair wild and dishevelled, a satisfied smile on his face.
Damn, that was fun.
After a few days, the captain of the Ravenclaw team woke everyone before the crack of dawn.
"Come on, Lockhart! I booked the pitch for today. Dress up and meet me there in half an hour," barked Adrian Chambers, the current captain.
Gilderoy pulled his Ravenclaw Quidditch robes from his suitcase, admiring his name stitched on the back. He freshened up quickly, donned the robes, grabbed his broom, and made his way to the pitch.
Being used to waking up early for his workouts, he was the first to arrive, waiting for the others.
Soon, his teammates trickled in—some yawning, some groggybut all froze in mild shock at the sight of Lockhart standing cheerfully, apparently having beaten everyone else to the pitch.
Gilderoy's mind wandered, recalling the team from the previous Lockhart's memories.
Adrian Chambers, the captain and Keeper, was calm, authoritative, and level-headed, keeping the team disciplined and balancing out Lockhart's natural showboating.
Pandora Leonis, a 6th-year Chaser, was creative in her flying and often surprised opponents with unconventional shots.
Wait… Pandora? Luna's mother, and Xeno's fiancée? Gilderoy made a mental note to congratulate her on the engagement. After all, he was Xenophilius's friend and had been invited to the wedding.
Miriam Goldstein, a 5th-year Chaser, was energetic and ambitious, relying on speed and quick passes to outwit defences.
Cedric Clearwater, also a 5th-year Chaser, was analytical and clever, always reading plays before they happened—a natural tactician.
Alaric Wrenford, a 6th-year Beater, was tall, powerful, and precise with the bat, able to send Bludgers with surgical accuracy, though he often glared at Gilderoy and Miriam, likely due to blood status differences.
Finally, Catriona Ashcombe, a 5th-year Beater, was fiery and quick-tempered, using her reflexes to protect her teammates, especially the Chasers.
Adrian released the Snitch first and instructed Gilderoy to catch it. Being his first time, it took about ten minutes just to spot the tiny, lightning-fast ball, which could vanish with even a slight lapse in concentration. Eventually, Gilderoy managed both to spot and capture it. Several more releases followed, each practice helping him catch it more reliably.
Afterward, he turned to watch his team. Even Alaric, full of pureblood pride, had set his differences aside after a stern warning from Adrian. Their goal was clear: win the cup for Ravenclaw.
The team looked ruthless and professional, throwing and capturing the Quaffle with impressive speed. Pandora made most of the goals, drawing quiet admiration from Adrian.
As practice came to an end, Gilderoy drifted over to Pandora, offering a congratulatory smile. "Pandora, you were incredible out there. Most of those goals were yours today."
She grinned, slightly flushed from exertion. "Thanks, Gilderoy. You're doing well too—your Seeker skills are improving fast."
Gilderoy nodded. "By the way… congratulations on your engagement. Xenophilius is lucky to have you."
Pandora's eyes sparkled with amusement. "Appreciate it. I guess you'll be seeing the wedding soon, huh?"
They shared a few more words about their performance and the upcoming matches, the conversation light and friendly, before they joined the rest of the team.
Sweaty and exhausted, they trudged back to the castle to rest—the weekend was meant for recovery, after all.
Adrian announced that morning sessions were now booked by him for the weekends, giving them a few weeks to practice before the season's first match.
Over those weeks, Adrian proved ruthless and strict, pushing everyone to improve. Gilderoy's skills increased with every practice.
Quidditch is indeed serious business, Lockhart muttered, dragging himself back to the castle after the team's final practice.