"Wait a moment, Erina..."

Hermione retracted her gaze from Charlie Weasley near the Gryffindor table and said slowly.

"If the freshman team is going to face the upperclassmen, then they need a captain, similar to your position in the team last year, Erina. So, looking at it this way... Luna would be the captain of that new team?"

Several other young witches at the table looked up at Erina.

"Obviously, Luna's personality isn't suited to being a team leader, is it? It's not like studying in class. She can't forcefully demand that everyone train or lift everyone's spirits when they're down, right?"

"But, who else could it be besides Luna?" Hannah asked.

"Other freshmen," Erina answered calmly. "Look over there!"

She glanced at the indignant Hannah, tilted her head towards the table on the other side of the hall, and continued.

"For example, Slytherin, or Ravenclaw. In my opinion, this year's outstanding freshmen are no fewer than our year, but perhaps it's a coincidence—it should be—most of these kids were sorted into the other two houses. Besides, according to tradition, the founder of the freshman team is the default captain when there are no competitors—which is Slytherin's Irina."

"According to tradition?" Hermione raised her eyebrows, glancing at Erina.

If she remembered correctly, the history of the Hogwarts freshman team seemed to have just turned one year old.

"Yeah, the rules I set, after winning the championship last semester—"

Erina nodded frankly, spread her hands, and explained with utmost seriousness.

"Regardless of her ability, she is the undisputed captain unless someone else challenges her. If Luna and Danilova want to join the team, besides getting past Hermione, they also need to get her approval."

"More precisely..."

Erina turned to look at the thoughtful "know-it-all" Miss Granger beside her and added.

"Even your position as head coach, Hermione, depends on how well you cooperate with that kid—of course, you can directly replace her if you have a reasonable reason."

The three young witches at the table were silent for a moment, pondering Erina's words.

Luna and Danilova obviously started to get a little nervous, but Hermione's expression suddenly became playful.

"You know, I'd be very surprised if she clashed with me."

She thoughtfully sized up the foreign student at the Slytherin table.

She didn't know much about this freshman from Russia. Besides the Sorting Ceremony at the opening banquet, the only thing that left an impression on Hermione was the small conflict in the hall after their class last week.

In that conflict, the little witch named Irina didn't seem to have any remarkable performance.

Compared to Hannah, the prefect who used "Heaven and Earth Shattering" to divide the battlefield, and Danilova, the "violent little key" who was like a second Erina, Irina, who used her wand to fight back, seemed too ordinary.

Ordinary... just like any upperclassman...

Hermione's gaze lingered on Irina for a few seconds. Hmm, a build similar to Erina's.

It was strange that she was so excellent, but didn't have much of a presence at school.

Superb magical attainments, mysterious and complex family background, unremarkable appearance, resilient and strong personality... so many similarities piled up, but Erina and Irina didn't seem to have any overt interactions.

Thinking back, Erina didn't seem to have visited the Slytherin common room since the beginning of this semester.

As a "special student" with access to all four houses, in Hermione's impression, Erina should be very concerned about her potential influence in each house, unless she had suddenly changed her personality or had already achieved her goals.

Then, when many reasons came together, the answer was self-evident.

"I see, another 'to be added' little sister?"

Hermione put down her knife and fork, glancing meaningfully at the white-haired ball of fluff beside her, who was still pretending.

"Ah, that's right. I don't think we've said much to that Miss Irina yet. Erina, why don't we go over together and get to know her? After all, you're also interested in the Quidditch freshman team tryouts later, right?"

"Okay, okay, Danilova can introduce us. I'm not very familiar with the freshmen..."

Erina nodded without changing her expression. Anyway, Hermione was a logical person. It didn't matter as long as she couldn't find any evidence.

Besides, even if the wings see something after knowing, at most it can only show that she has many friends. Anyway, everyone is a girl, even if some are unwilling, but can't rise to the yandere ending - there is no such example in Japanese manga.

"I mean, you can communicate more with each other in the future, make friends..." Erina said.

At this time, she and her good friends walked down the grassy slope and headed towards the Quidditch pitch outside the castle.

Hermione and Luna walked in the front, quietly talking about something, while Hannah carried her beloved flying broom, proudly telling Danilova and Irina about the origin of the silver star at the top of her broom.

However, as Hannah narrated, Danilova and Irina clearly began to wander.

Not far from them, Erina was sitting sideways on a seemingly old broom. Countless silver stardust adorned the broom's handle, which was quite playful and cute in the bright sunshine—if there weren't Hannah's stories as a prelude.

"Don't mind that witch Erina, she's too brutal, she doesn't belong in the normal category..."

Hannah looked forward along the line of sight of the two freshmen, paused, and complained helplessly, "Erina, you make it difficult for me to explain, you stole all the limelight, don't you think it's a bit too much!"

"Sorry, I didn't mean to," Erina said. "But this is also an incentive. If you want to surpass me, this year is a good opportunity. In the Hufflepuff Quidditch team, you should also get unlimited firing rights..."

"Yeah, that's right," Hannah said, her voice becoming excited. "I can add a few more stars in the new season..."

In this semester's Hogwarts House Cup, Erina, who joined the Gryffindor team, can only participate in one game. The rest of the time, she can only be a special coach - this is the only gain Ravenclaw got after paying the humiliating price of retiring.

And this also means that the Hogwarts Quidditch House Cup competition has regained its meaning.

When they walked into the Quidditch pitch, Hannah looked to the left and right of the field. Except for the Ravenclaw students who were nowhere to be seen, the students from the other three houses had already arrived at the pitch, eagerly waiting for the tryout day—the sky at Hogwarts had never been so clear and blue, refreshing and full of the urge to fly into the sky.

In the new season without Erina, anyone can pick up the trophy again.

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Coo coo~Little Chapter~A bit of writer's block~