Lin Mei had no idea that her habit of traveling between dimensions had caught the attention of the formidable Gu Yi.
The Next Morning
As the semester neared its final stretch, even a genius like Lin Mei couldn't escape the inevitable—exams at Hogwarts.
"Lin Mei, Professor McGonagall wants you in her office!"
Ron burst into the Gryffindor common room early in the morning, looking like he had just received a death sentence.
Lin Mei smirked. "Oh? Seems like Professor McGonagall is still mad after an entire night."
Ron groaned, his face falling further. "She told my mum about what happened yesterday. I'm doomed. I just know I'll get a howler—and probably a beating—when I go home for summer."
Lin Mei patted Ron's shoulder with a teasing grin. "Relax, Ron. Everyone needs a proper childhood trauma. Builds character."
Ron let out an exaggerated groan.
Still chuckling, Lin Mei made his way to Professor McGonagall's office, his curiosity piqued. Why was she calling him this time?
Upon entering, Lin Mei noticed another student already there—Oliver Wood, the Gryffindor Quidditch team's captain and keeper. He recognized him instantly.
"Wood, this is the temporary Seeker I've arranged for you—Lin Mei," Professor McGonagall stated firmly, gesturing toward him. "I assume you've heard of him."
Lin Mei blinked. "Wait, what? Seeker? Since when?!"
His mind raced. Was this some sort of joke? He wasn't even remotely skilled with a broom!
Wood extended his hand enthusiastically. "Lin Mei! I've heard plenty about you. You're famous across all four houses!"
"Uh... thanks?" Lin Mei forced a smile, still processing what was happening.
Wood beamed. "I didn't expect Professor McGonagall to recommend you! This is brilliant!"
"Yeah, haha… brilliant," Lin Mei echoed weakly, his mind screaming otherwise.
McGonagall crossed her arms, her expression leaving no room for argument. "Wood, Lin Mei may not have showcased his flying skills much, but if he applies himself, he'll be one of the best Seekers Hogwarts has seen."
Lin Mei felt a headache coming on. Best Seeker? Me? He barely even liked flying!
"Wait, hold on," he tried to protest, raising a hesitant hand. "I think there's been a misunderstanding—"
"No, there hasn't," McGonagall cut him off sharply. "This is a punishment for last night's incident."
Lin Mei's shoulders slumped. Great.
Wood, who had been watching in confusion, decided not to question it further. With the Quidditch match only hours away, he wasn't about to refuse help—forced or not.
"Come on, Lin Mei! We need to start training right away!" Wood seized Lin Mei's wrist and practically dragged him out of the office before he could protest any further.
Outside, Wood turned to him eagerly. "So, how much do you know about Quidditch?"
Lin Mei sighed, resigning himself to his fate. "Well… I've read about it. 'Quidditch Through the Ages' was one of my extracurricular reads. I know all the rules."
Wood looked stunned. "Wait, so you know the game inside out? That's fantastic! Now let's see you in action. Grab a broom!"
Lin Mei groaned inwardly. This is going to be a disaster.
Ten Minutes Later…
Wood stood frozen, his mouth hanging open in disbelief.
Lin Mei slowly hovered back toward him, effortlessly twirling the Golden Snitch between his fingers.
"Lin… you caught it in under a minute. That's… that's impossible!"
Lin Mei shrugged. "Huh. Guess I'm just lucky."
In truth, placing someone like him—a dimension traveler—into a Seeker position was borderline unfair.
This is going to be interesting.Compared to others, the dynamic vision granted by the power of the Dragon Destroyer was nothing short of a game-changer. No matter how fast the Golden Snitch flew, to Lin Mei, it was merely a slow-motion replay. He could easily track its trajectory and even predict its next move before it changed direction. This ability was practically cheating for a Seeker.
"Uh, maybe it's just luck." Lin Mei shrugged nonchalantly, though he couldn't help but feel a surge of pride.
Wood, however, had no idea that Lin Mei wasn't truly flying on his broom. Rather, he was effortlessly carried by the wind itself, guiding him wherever he needed to go. Of course, he couldn't tell Wood that his incredible speed and precision were due to his extraordinary abilities.
Wood clapped Lin Mei on the shoulder, his eyes shining with excitement. "Lin, you're a natural Seeker! With you on our team, Gryffindor is guaranteed to win this match!"
He hesitated for only a moment before adding, "You know, you should consider joining the Gryffindor Quidditch team permanently. With you, we could dominate the entire tournament!"
Lin Mei forced a smile. He wasn't particularly invested in winning or losing, but since he had already agreed to Professor McGonagall, he would give it his best effort. However, permanently joining the team was out of the question.
For one, he wasn't actually flying with a broom—technically a foul if discovered. If anyone found out, it would be disastrous. More importantly, Lin Mei had his own goals. He hadn't come to this world just to play Quidditch. His real pursuit was learning magic, to explore and experience its mysteries.
Because of Lin Mei's remarkable performance on the training field, Wood was brimming with confidence. He was certain that the Quidditch trophy would soon belong to Gryffindor.
While Lin Mei was caught up in Quidditch preparations, something sinister lurked in the shadows.
A blurry black mist slithered through the darkness, seeping into every corner unseen.
Voldemort was weak—so weak that even a young wizard could finish him off in his current state.
"Where is it? Where is he?!"
Growing increasingly desperate, Voldemort knew that without a host, his existence was at risk. If he failed to find a suitable body soon, he would truly perish.
Jijijijijiji! Jijijijijiji!
A rat scurried out from a small hole in the wall.
Voldemort's hazy form paused, his gaze locking onto the creature.
"An Animagus…?" His voice was laced with intrigue. "Hah! A cowardly, pathetic thing… but perhaps that makes it even better—easier to control."
The rat, sensing something unnatural, twitched in alarm and tried to flee. But it was too late. The black mist surged forward, slipping into its body before it could escape.
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