Harry Potter and the Secret Treasures
Chapter 1306: Hasty decisions

With Voldemort and the Dark forces increasingly active, separations like this would become more common. If the situation continued to deteriorate, an atmosphere of desperate panic would cover the country, and as a unique group, students’ emotions would become particularly sensitive.

Looking at the sorrowful expressions of Lavender and Parvati, and reflecting on the recent changes within the school, Evan finally understood what Mrs. Weasley had been trying to convey when she spoke during the summer about the events of the last Wizarding War. The feeling of impending war and panic was coming back.

No matter how many times you might hear others talk about it, only by truly experiencing it yourself could you fully grasp this kind of atmosphere.

The last time Voldemort gained power, the students of Hogwarts were in a state of panic, feeling that their future was in jeopardy.

Things that should have required time to consider carefully were all decided in a hurry.

Back then, people across the school were eloping or making lifelong commitments. No one wanted to miss their chance.

Even if they were not old enough, even if they had not considered it comprehensively, even if they did not get the consent of their families, even if…

But no one cared. As long as there was love, that was enough. Many students became couples this way.

The same was true for Mr. Weasley and Mrs. Weasley. In Mrs. Weasley’s words, the two of them had long been in love and were made for each other. There was no need to wait any longer. They could get married directly, and they didn’t even need to wait until graduation or get their families’ consent. If both parties thought it was okay, then they could be together…

The panic-stricken situation made students unwilling to waste any more time waiting.

Now, Hogwarts and the British Wizarding World were facing the same situation again, and similar things would probably happen.

He didn’t know how many people would end up together, but Evan felt that if the situation really deteriorated to a certain extent, before the final battle, he would definitely choose to marry Hermione first, rather than leaving any regrets, and he believed Hermione would feel the same.

At that time, the proposal would not seem sudden or hasty, and this could probably be considered the only good thing brought by Voldemort.

Thinking about it, if it weren’t for this atmosphere, he would run to Hermione at night now to propose…

He’d probably be kicked straight out of her bed with a single kick.

As the group walked through the cold, misty drizzle toward the pitch below the castle, Evan’s thoughts lingered on this peculiar topic for a long time, thinking about the chances of Hermione agreeing or rejecting his proposal, and he was not completely sure.

But logically speaking, Hermione shouldn’t refuse, so what was he waiting for?

Marriage was the next step in a relationship, the proof of love, and it also meant being able to do many things that wouldn’t be appropriate to do now…

“Do you think Elaine will be selected?”

“What?!” Evan came to his senses. He and Hermione were sitting in the audience.

This Quidditch tryout had received special attention. Nearly half of the students in Gryffindor House had signed up to participate. Almost everyone in the House came to watch the tryouts. Many people from other Houses also came, even including students from Slytherin House.

Before anyone realized it, the stands were already packed, as if this were an actual Quidditch match.

On the field below, many first years could be seen, nervously clutching a selection of the dreadful old school brooms, while the seventh years at the front of the team towered over the rest, looking coolly intimidating.

However, the one with the strongest presence was probably Elaine. She stepped into the field, glanced at the long line, and, unlike Ron, who went to wait in his year group’s area, walked directly to the very front of the line alongside Harry, completely ignoring the stifling gazes aimed at her.

Just like that, in front of a group of tall, outstanding and intimidating seventh years, a girl with fair skin, slim figure, burgundy eyes, who looked soft, cute and easy to bully suddenly appeared, forming a very inharmonious contrast.

Though Elaine was about the same size as the first and second years, her aura alone managed to subdue the entire group of seventh years.

Now, she was standing alone in front of a group of seventh-years, holding a Firebolt, but no one dared to say anything.

Elaine, easy to bully? If something really happened, who knows who’d be bullying whom.

Many of the younger students in the back of the line were looking at her with admiration, even reverence.

Despite not being the type to seek attention, Elaine always seemed to unintentionally do things that made it impossible for others to ignore her.

“Elaine’s trying out for Chaser. Do you think she’ll make it?” Hermione asked again, wondering what Evan was daydreaming about.

She didn’t know yet that Evan was actually thinking about proposing to her and what would happen next…

“I don’t think it’s a big problem. Even if she’s eliminated, it’s okay. She went there just to have fun,” said Evan, looking for familiar figures in the noisy team.

“Alicia, Ginny, Richie and Demelza shouldn’t have any issues. They’ll definitely make it back on the team. If the Frobisher siblings were willing, they’d be fine too. But I heard from Vicky before I went to bed the night before last that he and his sister are planning to skip the tryouts this year — they’d rather spend their time on social activities. And then there’s Colin. That guy and his brother Dennis signed up, too. He told me they’re just doing it to support Harry, so they probably don’t stand much of a chance. As for Ron, he should be fine — as long as he doesn’t get too nervous…”

Ron’s main competitors in last year’s tryouts hadn’t returned this year.

Vicky had given up, not wanting to waste his precious social time on Quidditch training.

As for Geoffrey Hooper, Evan still remembered how he’d complained incessantly during last year’s tryouts — about everything from the weather to the pitch to the brooms. He’d even refused to start as a substitute and was eventually kicked out by Angelina, which seemed to have bruised his pride.

Therefore, he did not come to participate in the tryouts this year. There should be no one with better goalkeeping skills than Ron…

Evan shared his analysis with Hermione as, down on the pitch, a large, wiry-haired boy stepped forward from the front of the line and approached Harry. Harry immediately recognized him as the boy from the Hogwarts Express.

“Hello, Harry Potter! We met on the train, in old Sluggy’s compartment,” he said confidently, extending his hand to shake Harry’s. “Cormac McLaggen, Keeper.”

“You didn’t try out last year, did you?” asked Harry, taking note of the breadth of McLaggen and thinking that he would probably block all three goal hoops without even moving.

“I was in the hospital wing when they held the trials,” said McLaggen, with something of a swagger. “Ate a pound of doxy eggs for a bet.”

“Right,” said Harry. “Well … if you wait over there …”

He gestured toward the team, and thought he saw a flicker of annoyance pass over McLaggen’s face and wondered whether McLaggen expected preferential treatment because they were both “old Sluggy’s” favorites.

Judging by McLaggen’s behavior on the train, he probably did. McLaggen was clearly one of Slughorn’s favorites, well-versed in telling the professor what he wanted to hear. He had bragged endlessly about his uncle, a high-ranking Ministry official, and his supposed connections to the Minister of Magic.

So now, he was likely planning to leverage his connection to Harry as well.

Harry didn’t like him. As for McLaggen’s skills as a Keeper? That remained to be seen.

He hoped that Ron would be able to show him what qualities a professional Keeper for the Gryffindor team should have.

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