Observing Blaise's worried expression, Sean subtly scanned the other young wizards gathered at the Slytherin long table. He noticed that several of them were surreptitiously watching him, their eyes gleaming with anticipation. They looked as though they were settling in to enjoy a particularly intriguing show, and Sean instantly knew something was amiss.
Withdrawing his subtle survey, a calm smile playing on his lips, Sean sat down beside Blaise.
He glanced at the food laid out on the table before him, selected a piece of roasted chicken for himself, and then, while taking a measured bite, turned back to Blaise. "So, Blaise," he said, his voice casual, "you arrived quite early today. How did your date go this afternoon?"
"Sean, I heard..." Blaise began, his brow furrowed with concern.
Swallowing the mouthful of chicken, Sean turned to look directly at Blaise, his smile unwavering. "Blaise," he prompted gently, "how was your date this afternoon?"
Blaise looked at Sean, his gaze searching. Sean's demeanor was remarkably composed, displaying no signs of fear or panic, as calm and self-assured as ever. This unexpected show of composure seemed to have a calming effect on Blaise. The nervous tension that had been etched on his face slowly eased, and a more familiar smile flickered across his lips. "It was pretty good, actually," he said, his voice taking on a more relaxed tone. "Those second-year girls possess a certain… maturity that you first-years simply don't have," he added with a wink. "And her lips were exceptionally soft, I enjoyed the experience a great deal."
With Blaise now seemingly calm, Sean settled into his meal, the two friends conversing in low tones about the events of the afternoon.
"Are you talking about that Granger girl from Gryffindor?" Blaise asked, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "It seems she's taken quite an interest in you."
While Sean had been diligently focused on the professors' lectures, Blaise had apparently been dividing his attention between the lesson and observing the various girls in the classroom. "Anyway," he added with a shrug, "with you sitting beside me, I wasn't afraid of missing any important information."
Hearing Blaise's remark, Sean shook his head with a wry smile. He knew full well that Hermione's interest in him stemmed from her fiercely competitive nature, or rather, from the almost inevitable attraction between top students. It wasn't the romantic or flirtatious interest that Blaise seemed to be implying.
"Granger is a very competitive girl," Sean said. "I suspect her approach was primarily motivated by a desire for academic exchange or perhaps a chance to measure herself against a perceived rival. As for the dynamics between boys and girls, at this age, I suspect you're one of the few who actually gives it any serious thought."
"Hey now," Blaise protested, raising his eyebrows in mock offence. "It's not my fault that I matured early and possess a more sophisticated understanding of… interpersonal dynamics."
Looking at Blaise, who was now adopting his signature "seductive" expression, Sean rolled his eyes. "Spare me," he said with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Those well-worn routines you use to attract girls won't work on me, Blaise. I'm immune to your charms."
Chuckling softly, Blaise took a sip of pumpkin juice, glanced at the other young wizards who had apparently lost interest in their conversation, and then leaned closer to Sean, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "That second-year girl I dated earlier," he said, "has some… connections. She managed to glean some interesting information in advance."
He paused, his eyes darting around the hall as if checking for eavesdroppers. "Apparently, someone in the second year is planning to 'deal' with you. When you return to the Slytherin common room tonight, they intend to invoke a traditional Slytherin Pure-blood Duel. As long as you consider yourself to be a true Slytherin, you won't be allowed to refuse the challenge."
Blaise's expression turned serious. "If you were to attempt to avoid the duel, the prevailing sentiment among the Slytherin students is that you would effectively be renouncing your membership in the house. You would be ostracised, no longer permitted to use the Slytherin common room, no longer allowed to sit at this table, or associate with other Slytherin students. In short, things would become… exceptionally difficult for you within the house."
A duel?
Cannot refuse?
There's such a wonderful opportunity!
Why hadn't he known about this before?
If he had been aware of this "Pure-Blood Duel" tradition, he might have already engaged in seventeen or eighteen duels by now!
Sean's mind was racing with barely suppressed excitement. On the surface, however, he maintained an outward appearance of perfect calm and composure. He shook his head slightly, his voice tinged with a carefully measured note of resignation. "Well, since I apparently can't refuse," he said to Blaise, "then I suppose I have no choice but to participate. But you should also have a little faith in my abilities, Blaise. Those second-year students may have studied for one year longer than we have, but that doesn't necessarily mean I'm destined to lose the duel. Besides, once I win," he added, a predatory glint entering his eyes, "anyone else who might be contemplating challenging me to a duel in the future will have to think very carefully before taking that step."
So once I emerge victorious, I'll be the one actively seeking out those guys and challenging them to duels!
Before coming to Hogwarts, Sean had possessed a powerful System panel, but he had found very few legitimate opportunities to utilise it. Exams were few and far between, and he couldn't simply challenge other students to duels at random. After all, Hogwarts' official school rules strictly prohibited private, unsanctioned duels, and with his existing debt of minus fifty house points, Sean was understandably reluctant to incur further penalties. As a result, Sean's internal panel had remained largely dormant, with no new abilities or skills being acquired for a disturbingly long period of time.
Now that Sean had become aware of this highly advantageous internal rule, this tradition of Pure-Blood Duels within Slytherin, his perspective had undergone a complete reversal. Others might view him as being on the verge of an unpleasant ordeal, as potentially heading towards a significant setback. But in Sean's eyes, nothing could have been further from the truth. He saw this upcoming duel as a golden opportunity, a chance to finally put his skills to the test, a gateway to a whole new realm of experience and advancement. He found himself growing increasingly impatient, eager for the duel to commence.
So impatient, in fact, that Sean's eating speed noticeably increased.
Seeing Sean quickly devour the remaining food on his plate, Blaise couldn't help but speed up his own eating as well. The two friends finished their dinners in a matter of moments, then abruptly rose from their seats and strode purposefully towards the Slytherin common room. It was precisely as they were leaving that a significant number of students at the Slytherin table immediately got up and followed them, their eyes gleaming with a mixture of anticipation and undisguised malice.
Among these students, some genuinely wanted to cause trouble for Sean, eager to see him taken down a peg. Others, however, were simply drawn by the prospect of witnessing a spectacular display of magical prowess, a chance to observe a dramatic showdown between two students from opposing rungs of the Slytherin hierarchy.
At the same time, Samuel and Irina, seated further down the table, also noticed the sudden mass exodus towards the common room. Samuel looked at the departing students, then turned to Irina, his expression thoughtful. "Do we need to intervene?" he asked quietly.
"No," Irina replied, her voice firm. "These students are all below third year. Strictly speaking, none of them fall into the category of 'upper years.' Our primary concern is simply to ensure that no one from fourth year or above actively attempts to cause undue harm to Sean."
Saying this, Irina glanced at the departing throng, her expression unreadable. "Besides," she added, "we can also use this opportunity to gain a better understanding of what kind of person Sean Bulstrode truly is. If he can successfully navigate this situation, combined with the exceptional talent he has already demonstrated, then even if he doesn't possess the most illustrious Bulstrode bloodline, he might still be worthy of our investment."
Samuel and Irina already shared a close working relationship. Now, as newly appointed fifth-year prefects, they had secretly forged an even deeper bond of cooperation. Previously, after Sean had displayed a series of remarkable talents in various classes, Samuel had privately discussed with Irina the possibility of investing in Sean, providing him with mentorship and support in exchange for his loyalty and cooperation.
However, considering the lingering doubts surrounding Sean's somewhat diluted Bulstrode bloodline, Irina had remained unconvinced, reluctant to fully endorse Samuel's plan. But if Sean were to successfully navigate this potentially treacherous challenge, showing them even greater possibilities and untapped potential, then even with the lingering question marks regarding his family connections, Irina would seriously consider joining forces with Samuel, investing in Sean's future to strengthen their own position and secure a valuable ally within Slytherin House.
Returning to the Slytherin common room, Sean went directly to his room, as if nothing out of the ordinary was about to occur. First, he fed Kulkan, who was curled up in her usual spot on his bed, some specially formulated snake food he had purchased from the Magical Menagerie. Then, he quickly took off his heavy wizard robes and changed into a comfortable, lightweight set of sportswear and sneakers. Only then did he leave his room, rejoining Blaise, who had been waiting patiently in the corridor outside. Together, they walked into the main hall of the Slytherin common room.
At this point, a substantial crowd had gathered, a low murmur of anticipation filling the air. Standing prominently in the center of the throng was Jensen, the second-year student who was about to challenge Sean to a Pure-Blood Duel.
Jensen looked at Sean, taking in his casual Muggle attire. A sneering expression twisted his face. "Wearing those Muggle clothes," he said, his voice dripping with scorn, "looking just like one of those Mudbloods… it's a disgrace to Slytherin!"
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