Тейлор Поттер и философский виал / Taylor Potter and the Philosophical Vial: Глава 4. Хэллоуин и прочие неприятности

Chapter 4. Halloween and Other Troubles
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Camrad_RIP 11.01.26 в 11:09

Literally the very next day, September 5th, the first Saturday of the school year, Taylor was reminded once again that she was a Tactician.

Camrad_RIP 11.01.26 в 11:18

"You're a Tactician!" exclaimed Carlos Wood, captain of the Herofindor Quidditch team. "Of course you should be able to fly! See the entire battlefield, not just through insects, but with your own eyes!"

Camrad_RIP 11.01.26 в 16:46

"I...," Taylor looked at the flight pack and bit her lip. "I'm not very good with technology."

Camrad_RIP 11.01.26 в 16:47

In reality, she was terrified that the backpack would go berserk mid-flight, or fail, or simply change direction. On its own. Taylor didn't want to admit her fears, so she came up with this excuse — pretty pathetic, if you think about it, but not everyone can be a Thinker like Granger!

Camrad_RIP 11.01.26 в 16:48

"But you flew last school year!" Carlos shouted, waving his arms.

Camrad_RIP 11.01.26 в 17:34

"And was immediately shot down! This is a sign that I'll be vulnerable to enemy attacks in the air!" Taylor exclaimed almost joyfully. "We have plenty of capes on our team who can fly. Why do I have to go up in the air?"

Camrad_RIP 11.01.26 в 17:36

"Because you're no less vulnerable on the ground, and now our opponents are aware of your tricks, which means they'll come up with a countermeasure."

Camrad_RIP 11.01.26 в 17:37

“I’ll come up with new tricks,” Taylor shrugged, trying to look carefree.

Camrad_RIP 11.01.26 в 17:38

Deep down, she wasn't so sure, but it was true. Carlos Wood could fly, and the Weasley twins, standing off to the side, discussing something, could too. Eric might not be a particularly good flyer, but he was certainly better than Taylor! Dean Johnson could soar, too, but more with the help of his gear, so it wasn't clear whether he could be considered a flying cape or not.

Camrad_RIP 11.01.26 в 19:24

"You must be able to work from both the ground and the air!" Carlos said stubbornly.

Camrad_RIP 11.01.26 в 19:34

As captain, he saw it as his duty to coach the team until they fell, and so Wood could be very, very stubborn at times.

Camrad_RIP 11.01.26 в 19:48

"Okay," Taylor conceded, fumbling for the bandage in her pocket. "Give me the backpack."

Camrad_RIP 11.01.26 в 20:04

After all, as long as she had the band on, everything would be fine, right? Lisa had told her so, and she'd figure out how to use the оуеpack somehow; Jamie Hooch hadn't taught her that last year for nothing. Then she felt seven people approaching the Quidditch pitch.

Camrad_RIP 11.01.26 в 20:46

"Eidolorin's team is here," she told Carlos.

Camrad_RIP 11.01.26 в 20:46

"What are they doing here? It's our time!" Wood protested, turning toward the slowly approaching Eidolorin players.

Camrad_RIP 11.01.26 в 21:03

Taylor was much more interested in what Max Malfoy was doing here, and why the entire Eidolorin team was dressed in some strange, shiny suits.

Camrad_RIP 11.01.26 в 21:03

"See, they've washed their uniforms and come to show it off!" Dennis Spinnet chuckled, clapping his hand against Browbeat Bell's, who was standing nearby.

Camrad_RIP 11.01.26 в 21:04

"Wash yourself, Spinnet!" shouted Justin Flint, captain of Team Eidolorin. "You're going to need a clean face when we drag you through the mud with it!"

Camrad_RIP 12.01.26 в 15:54

"Hey, that's Tinker armor!" Carlos exclaimed in amazement.

Camrad_RIP 11.01.26 в 21:04

“Exactly,” Flint grinned, tapping his chest.

Camrad_RIP 11.01.26 в 21:05

Taylor really disliked the thud, which sounded like Flint slamming hardwood against metal. If the Tinker armor enhanced the Eidolorin players' bodies, then all of Taylor's insect tricks would be useless. However... forewarned is forearmed, as Quirrell said, which meant Taylor would have two months before the first match with Eidolorin to gather information, observe, probe, and figure out how to bypass their armor.

Camrad_RIP 11.01.26 в 21:07

"A custom order, the finest materials, and brilliant execution," Justin continued, grinning. "And all thanks to our new Tactician!"

Camrad_RIP 11.01.26 в 21:07

He patted Max on the shoulder.

Camrad_RIP 11.01.26 в 21:08

"Malfoy - Tactician?" The Weasley twins burst out laughing.

Camrad_RIP 11.01.26 в 21:18

"Laugh, laugh," Max Malfoy said leisurely, "until the first match."

Camrad_RIP 11.01.26 в 21:19

"A bought a spot on the team?" Carlos asked, and then answered. "This won't end well."

Camrad_RIP 11.01.26 в 21:37

"Well, yeah, for you!" Justin laughed. "Okay, you can just admit our superiority and get lost!"

Camrad_RIP 12.01.26 в 11:46

"We've booked it, and that can be verified," Wood's face hardened. "Get your tablet out, Justin."

Camrad_RIP 12.01.26 в 11:46

"You suggest we battle on tablets?" Flint continued to have fun. "Okay, guys, let's go find a place to train, since our heroes from Herofindor are such greedy ones!"

Camrad_RIP 12.01.26 в 10:32

"Some kind of childish teasing," Dennis snorted.

Camrad_RIP 11.01.26 в 21:38

"It's okay, everything will be done like a grown-up at the match," Flint promised, waving his hand at his teammates. "Let's go!"

Camrad_RIP 12.01.26 в 15:55

Taylor thought hard. Would Eidolorin just show off his trump cards? No. So there had to be something behind the display. What? An attempt to intimidate? Perhaps. True, Quidditch players were usually the most combative, the most conflict-seeking, so to speak, and so intimidation as such couldn't have been the purpose of the visit. Flint couldn't help but realize that this would only anger Herofindor, but what then? An attempt to create a false trail? Everyone would be preparing to fight with Tinkering devices, and Eidolorin would show up without them?

Camrad_RIP 11.01.26 в 21:41

“But such armor costs a pretty penny,” Crystal’s words were heard.

Camrad_RIP 11.01.26 в 21:41

“No wonder,” Eric replied, “Richard Malfoy is rich, insanely rich.”

Camrad_RIP 12.01.26 в 08:58

It's an expensive trick, isn't it? Taylor decided to raid Eidolorin and bring along Chris Longbottom, the Tinker, so he could examine the armor and tell her what it was supposed to do.

Camrad_RIP 12.01.26 в 08:59

"No matter how much these suits cost, our powers with us, and we will win!" Carlos proclaimed.

Camrad_RIP 12.01.26 в 09:00

And yet, he was so upset that he forgot about Taylor's backpack and flying. Taylor didn't remind him, but she noted the fact and sighed silently, allowing herself to dream for a split second of the "madness of gadgets" spilling over to Eidolorin, their entire team falling from the sky like overripe pears during a match.

Camrad_RIP 12.01.26 в 10:31

"We're practicing the three-plus-two attacking scheme!" Carlos clapped his hands. "Steppe training ground, I'm with Flag, Tactician is on defense, let's get to work!"

Camrad_RIP 12.01.26 в 10:31

The training ground began to change, and Taylor pushed aside her extraneous thoughts, focusing on the training.

Camrad_RIP 11.01.26 в 22:15

* * *

Camrad_RIP 11.01.26 в 21:41

Despite Taylor's fears and forebodings, things gradually returned to normal. In AI classes — Art of Intrigue — she and Lisa worked together on a project to eliminate the leader of a criminal organization, played, of course, by Thomas Snape himself, the Dean of Eidolon. Survival was challenging, as Missy Sinistra (supervised by a pair of mannequins, of course) pitted the inhabitants of the Forbidden Forest and various detention centers against them, but after Professor Lockhart's lessons, the students were more confident in forming teams, repelling attacks, and even launching attacks themselves.

Camrad_RIP 12.01.26 в 12:12

Lessons and training, conversations and homework, life went on as usual.

Camrad_RIP 12.01.26 в 12:13

“We have a balanced team,” Lisa said one day at the end of October during a break between classes.

Camrad_RIP 12.01.26 в 12:13

"We need a close combat fighter," sighed Taylor, who had already been thinking about this.

Camrad_RIP 12.01.26 в 12:13

Of course, Taylor could work "over an area" and attack a hundred targets at once, but it was still a little different.

Camrad_RIP 12.01.26 в 12:19

"Shall we take Victoria?" Lisa immediately grinned.

Camrad_RIP 12.01.26 в 12:18

Taylor rolled her eyes. Oh, yes, lessons and homework had dampened the youngest Weasley's ardor, but only just.

Camrad_RIP 12.01.26 в 12:18

"She's a year younger," Taylor finally came up with an argument.

Camrad_RIP 12.01.26 в 12:18

"So what?"

Camrad_RIP 12.01.26 в 12:14