Although Lewis had acquired a vast collection of treasures from the Black family...
He didn't begin studying them immediately.
Because Ravenclaw's Quidditch season was finally about to begin.
According to Marcus's latest information, the manager of the British National Team for this year's Quidditch World Cup, Hamish McFarlan, would be attending Ravenclaw's next match at Hogwarts.
If Lewis wanted to compete alongside Fleur in the next Quidditch World Cup, then he needed to deliver an outstanding performance in the upcoming games.
He wasn't the only one taking things seriously.
This was Roger's final Quidditch season before graduation.
Even though Ravenclaw had already won the championship for two consecutive years, the team captain poured more than two hundred percent of his energy into preparing for it.
He wanted to end his Hogwarts career with three straight championships.
Everyone could tell just how determined Roger was.
He talked about tactics endlessly and seemed incapable of getting tired as he pushed everyone through practice after practice.
But before long...
The players noticed something surprising.
Lewis Green—who had always treated Quidditch as nothing more than an extracurricular pastime—had suddenly become serious.
Not only had he begun attending practice with unusual dedication...
He had also taken over the team's tactical planning.
Everyone knew Ravenclaw's genius possessed frightening intelligence.
Whatever he chose to learn, he mastered astonishingly quickly.
After taking control of the team's strategy...
Lewis completely abandoned every flashy traditional Quidditch tactic Roger had prepared.
The Transylvanian Tackle Feint—pretending to punch an opponent in the nose. As long as you didn't actually hit them, it was perfectly legal.
The Wronski Feint.
The Sloth Grip Roll, where a player clung tightly to the broomstick with both hands and feet to dodge Bludgers.
The Chelmondiston Charge, in which a Chaser stood on the broomstick and shoved the Quaffle toward the goalposts.
The Starfish-and-Stick, where the Keeper clung to the broom with one hand and one foot while stretching out their limbs to cover as much of the goal as possible.
To Lewis...
Those were merely individual techniques.
Most were skill-based maneuvers that relied on personal ability.
Their practical value in actual matches...
Wasn't exactly impressive.
After all, each trick only worked under specific circumstances.
In Lewis's opinion...
Modern Quidditch focused far too much on individual technique while neglecting overall tactics and strategy.
That wasn't entirely unreasonable.
The fewer players a sport had, the more it depended on individual skill.
But Quidditch had seven players.
Focusing exclusively on personal techniques was far too narrow.
Besides...
Ravenclaw already had Lewis and Marcus as its two superstars.
They could handle the flashy plays.
Everyone else simply needed to play their role well.
So after taking over the team's training...
Lewis divided practice into two parts.
The first continued focusing on traditional skills.
The second concentrated entirely on team tactics.
He introduced several completely new strategic systems.
The first...
Long-Pass Fast Breaks.
Whenever the Keeper—or a retreating Chaser—caught the Quaffle after an opponent's failed attack...
Instead of slowly organizing an offense...
They would immediately launch a long pass deep into enemy territory before the opposing team had time to retreat.
Lewis and Marcus would then use their overwhelming speed to launch an instant fast break.
The biggest weakness of this tactic...
Was passing accuracy.
Long-distance throws weren't easy.
But for Ravenclaw...
That wasn't much of a problem.
Lewis and Marcus possessed extraordinary reaction speeds.
Combined with their Firebolts...
They could reach almost any pass.
As for inaccurate throws...
The receivers could simply improve their catching ability.
As a result...
Keeper Grant Page completely abandoned practicing fancy techniques like the Starfish-and-Stick.
Instead...
He spent every day practicing long-distance passing.
Roger, the most reliable of the three Chasers, trained alongside him.
Lewis's second strategy...
Man-to-Man Defense with Screens.
Every player would mark one opponent.
Whenever a Chaser carrying the Quaffle became trapped...
The nearest teammate would immediately switch assignments, block the defender's path, and create space for the ball carrier.
The entire strategy revolved around creating brief moments of confusion through sudden switches.
Its greatest advantage...
Everyone could participate.
It didn't require exceptional technical skill.
Even Beaters and the Seeker could set screens...
As long as they didn't touch the Quaffle themselves.
Then came...
Run-and-Gun.
Maintain an extremely fast pace throughout the match.
Continuously pressure the opponent through relentless offense.
This system suited Ravenclaw perfectly.
They possessed superior brooms.
Lewis, Marcus, and Cho all flew Firebolts.
Meanwhile...
Their older racing brooms, such as the Nimbus 2000 and Cleansweep Seven, had been passed down to replace the team's oldest equipment.
Lewis's series of simple yet remarkably effective tactical systems completely won over the Ravenclaw players.
They unanimously agreed...
This was the true Ravenclaw style.
Winning with intelligence.
"Let's outsmart every one of them!"
Roger declared enthusiastically.
From then on...
The Ravenclaw team gradually reduced the time spent practicing flashy tricks.
Instead...
They drilled basic fundamentals.
Passing.
Sharp turns.
Long-distance throws.
Fast transitions.
Before anyone realized it...
The end of February had arrived.
Ravenclaw's opening match was almost here.
Before match day...
Lewis contacted Onyxia.
He asked her to arrange for reporters from The Quibbler to cover the match at Hogwarts.
This also served as subtle pressure on Hamish McFarlan, who would be attending in person.
After acquiring most of The Quibbler's shares during Christmas...
The magazine had received sufficient funding.
Under Onyxia's leadership...
It underwent a complete transformation.
Besides its usual eccentric articles...
It now featured political commentary, magical current affairs, and a dedicated sports section.
The following morning...
As Ravenclaw's Quidditch team entered the Great Hall...
Thunderous applause erupted.
Even Hufflepuff and Slytherin students were cheering for them.
Ever since Hufflepuff's Seeker, Cedric Diggory, had accidentally beaten Gryffindor after the Dementors interrupted Harry's match...
Relations between the two houses regarding Quidditch had completely soured.
Most Gryffindors insisted Harry would have won otherwise.
As for Slytherin...
They wanted Gryffindor to lose.
Every single time.
Whenever they talked about it...
Their expressions twisted with such hatred that they looked ready to devour a Gryffindor on the spot.
Why such deep resentment?
Well...
It was Malfoy.
After the Whomping Willow incident...
He certainly hadn't forgiven Ron.
And naturally...
His hatred had expanded to include all of Gryffindor.
Another important reason...
Lewis's popularity had exploded.
More than one hundred Hogwarts students had already joined the Scholars' Society.
Over twenty core members now received direct instruction from Lewis himself.
These students had already grasped the fundamentals of magical disciplines.
Each had mastered several useful cantrips.
Students constantly showed off their Mage Hand, floating teacups around their common rooms or pouring drinks from across the room.
Their audiences always erupted into applause.
Most of these students happened to be influential figures within their respective houses.
By winning them over...
Lewis had effectively shaped public opinion across Hogwarts.
As a result...
He had become the school's biggest celebrity.
Even Ravenclaw's Quidditch team benefited from his fame.
Feeling pressure from three different houses...
The Gryffindors retaliated.
They dramatically placed Harry's Firebolt in the most conspicuous location inside the Great Hall.
Led by Oliver Wood...
The entire Gryffindor team surrounded the broomstick and performed what looked suspiciously like a worship ceremony.
Facing Ravenclaw's three Firebolts and two elite players...
Harry had become Gryffindor's greatest hope.
Naturally...
He became the center of countless conversations.
Especially Ron.
If anyone was willing to listen...
He would enthusiastically describe what riding a Firebolt felt like.
Whenever someone asked how it flew...
He confidently recounted his experience sharing the broom with Harry.
According to him...
"It stays incredibly stable...
Even during intense movement."
Meanwhile...
Harry was listening to Oliver Wood's final pre-match speech.
"I don't want to pressure you too much, Harry."
"But we have to win today."
"Understand?"
Harry nodded.
"So when the match starts..."
"Don't hold back."
"If necessary, knock Cho Chang off her broom."
"It's a competition."
"A little roughness is perfectly acceptable."
Determined to achieve success during his final season...
Wood had begun drifting toward a far more ruthless coaching philosophy.
People always ended up becoming what they hated most.
Harry remained silent.
He didn't answer.
One Quidditch match...
Or his future happiness for the rest of his life...
Which mattered more?
There wasn't much to think about.
Harry glanced across the Great Hall toward Ravenclaw's table.
The atmosphere there couldn't have been more different.
Everyone was laughing and chatting.
Lewis was discussing with Cho how best to exploit the Firebolt's advantages.
"If necessary..."
"Knock Harry off his broom."
Lewis said seriously.
"It's a match."
Cho looked up just in time to notice Harry staring at them.
She politely nodded toward him with a warm smile.
Then replied to Lewis,
"Got it."
Harry's face instantly turned bright red.
Suddenly...
He felt that it wouldn't be so terrible if Cho caught the Golden Snitch after all.
Unfortunately...
Oliver Wood had no idea.
The player he considered Gryffindor's greatest hope...
Had already become Ravenclaw's undercover agent before the match had even begun.
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