"In all my years at Hogwarts... I have never..."
McGonagall was both heartbroken and furious, her glasses were unable to hide the angry gleam flashing in her eyes.
"How dare you!"
Yes, how dare he indeed!
Harry and Ron looked at Sherlock with eyes full of admiration.
'Truly worthy of Gryffindor!'
'Sherlock is so brave!'
"Bravery is the best substitute for foolishness—I've always thought so. However, Professor, you'd better make your decision after seeing Harry's performance. I believe he won't disappoint you. After all, the feeling of not daring to face Professor Snape for several weeks isn't pleasant, is it?"
"Sherlock Holmes!"
At this moment, McGonagall seemed truly angry.
As for Harry and Ron, their gazes toward Sherlock now held nothing but worship.
Experienced teenagers know that when adults call you by your full name, it means serious trouble.
Professor McGonagall was clearly in such a state now.
Although what Sherlock said was indeed correct.
Slytherin's Quidditch team was extremely strong.
Especially last year, when Gryffindor suffered a crushing defeat to Slytherin.
McGonagall, just as Sherlock said, hadn't dared to face Snape for several weeks.
As for how Sherlock knew about this matter, she no longer wanted to find out.
"Do you... want to be put in detention?"
Facts were facts, but having Sherlock point them out so directly was undoubtedly pouring salt on Professor McGonagall's wounds.
Knowing that point deductions wouldn't deter Sherlock much, she simply proposed a new form of punishment.
The cold menace in her grim voice made Harry and Ron desperately lower their heads.
Both boys were stiff in their limbs, hands and feet ice-cold, trembling all over, wanting to say something but unable to utter a single word.
At this moment, they both began to regret coming to find McGonagall.
Especially Harry.
Professor McGonagall had originally had a good impression of Sherlock.
But now he was being treated this way.
It was all his fault.
"Detention is just a means, not an end, and certainly cannot solve the problem."
Facing the angry lioness, Sherlock said calmly and composedly: "Even if you put me in detention, Professor, I still suggest letting Harry join the house team—that's the real solution to the problem."
Having been at school for over a month, Sherlock was no longer the novice who knew nothing about the wizarding world.
He was well aware of just how fanatical wizards were about Quidditch.
In the wizarding world, Quidditch held a position equivalent to football in the Muggle world.
Perhaps even more so.
The main reason was that the Muggle world had no magic, so they could only rely on physical ability.
Therefore, Muggles far exceeded wizards in the excitement of sports.
Setting aside tracks and field events, just considering ball sports alone.
Football was undoubtedly the world's number one sport.
The World Cup, held every four years, was the premier sporting event in the Muggle world, with only the Olympics, also held every four years, able to compete with it.
But the Olympics originally included hundreds of events, including football.
No single event could match the World Cup.
Among the big three sports, basketball and volleyball also had no shortage of fans.
Tennis, table tennis, badminton, and rugby, though regional sports, also had considerable popularity worldwide.
With the resurgence of a certain mysterious Eastern power, the status of table tennis and badminton was also rising rapidly.
Even niche sports like field hockey, ice hockey, cricket, and golf had their dedicated followers.
Especially with the resurgence of a certain self-proclaimed mysterious Eastern power, cricket's status was also rising rapidly.
But in the wizarding world, the only event that could be called a major competition was Quidditch.
Without exaggeration, in the magical world, everyone loved Quidditch.
If you couldn't play Quidditch, that was fine—after all, in the Muggle world, there were people who weren't good at running.
But if you couldn't even participate in conversations about Quidditch when chatting with others, you'd be too embarrassed to greet people.
Under such circumstances, Sherlock believed McGonagall would compromise.
Sure enough, after Sherlock once again pointed out the crux of the problem, Professor McGonagall's expression began to change constantly.
Finally, after noticing Sherlock's confident demeanor once more, she spoke:
"You three, come with me."
Sherlock followed without a word.
Harry and Ron exchanged glances, their legs finally seeming to regain sensation as they hurriedly joined in.
When the three of them, led by McGonagall, left the castle and reached the Quidditch training ground, someone was already waiting there.
It was an ordinary-looking burly man.
He also had a large wooden crate tucked under his arm.
"This is Oliver Wood, fifth year, captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team."
Professor McGonagall wasted no words and spoke directly to Sherlock:
"Mr. Holmes, now let Potter demonstrate his talent.
I trust you understand that if he cannot satisfy Wood and me as you claim..."
"Then I'll voluntarily serve a month's detention."
Seeing that Professor McGonagall seemed about to say something more, Sherlock added: "And I'll never again miss Defense Against the Dark Arts classes."
McGonagall looked at Sherlock with some surprise.
This little boy...
His powers of observation and analysis were truly too sharp!
Once again, he had guessed what she was about to say.
She was now beginning to suspect whether Holmes had seen through her disguise during that first Transfiguration class.
"Sherlock!"
Harry nearby was already deeply moved. Just as he was about to say something, Sherlock spoke first:
"Dear Harry, if you don't want me to smell that awful garlic odor like you do, you'd better perform well."
As everyone knew, wherever Professor Quirrell went, the air would be filled with the smell of garlic—according to rumors, this was specifically to ward off a vampire he had encountered in Romania.
Harry nodded vigorously.
Only then did Wood have a chance to speak. He looked Harry up and down.
"Professor, is this the one you mentioned..."
"No, it's what Mr. Holmes mentioned."
As soon as Quidditch was mentioned, this Gryffindor captain seemed like a different person. He circled around Harry several times, examining him carefully:
"The famous Harry Potter... Well, that's not important.
But just looking at his build, he really does seem suitable to be a Seeker—light and agile...
By the way, Potter, I heard you were raised in a Muggle family. Have you ever watched a Quidditch match?"
Harry honestly shook his head.
Though Wood was somewhat surprised, he didn't say much. He opened the wooden crate, revealing four balls of different sizes.
Ron's eyes immediately lit up.
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