The thick stone walls of Hogwarts Castle shut out the chilling cold brought by the Dementors.
At the start of the new term, Sagres's first dueling class was steeped in a solemn atmosphere.
He had heard that the two new professors had performed very well in their first lessons, especially Lupin, which put him at ease.
Combining Lupin's performance on the train, Sagres had already classified the grey-haired man as a reliable adult wizard.
On the spacious floating dueling platform, the students occupied only one side. The cold stone floor reflected the clear glow of the magical light orbs, vines coiled around the stands, and the whistling wind was the only background sound.
As usual, the students were dressed in practical clothing suitable for movement, standing solemnly on both sides of the field. The air was heavy with silence mixed with awe and tension.
Even the usually boisterous Fred and George were uncharacteristically quiet, their eyes gleaming with anticipation.
Sagres stood atop the dueling stone monument at the center of the field, wearing a well-tailored robe of exquisite texture, its silver buttons perfectly fastened.
His Everlasting Flower Wood wand rested casually at his side, and his calm gaze slowly swept across the entire arena. Wherever it passed, students unconsciously straightened their backs.
"New term," Sagres said. His voice was not loud, yet it clearly reached every ear, instantly suppressing even the faintest noise, "means new goals, new challenges, and new rules."
He paused, his deep gaze seeming to assess the potential of each student.
"Since decided the previous year! Hogwarts will no longer be an isolated island," Sagres continued calmly, his tone carrying an almost cold edge. "After consultation among the three Headmasters, beginning this term, Hogwarts, Beauxbatons Academy of Magic, and the Durmstrang Institute of Magic will jointly host a fixed annual event—the Tri-Wizard Dueling Tournament."
"Wow!"
An uncontrollable gasp and murmur instantly rippled through the crowd.
Sagres did not stop the commotion, merely waiting quietly for it to subside on its own.
"The competition format will be divided into team confrontations and single duels," he continued, his tone unruffled. "As before, each school will send eight contestants. The competition venue is right beneath your feet. And Hogwarts's representatives—"
His calm gaze swept across the entire arena once more. "Will be determined by your dueling points ranking."
Everyone held their breath.
"Yes," Sagres seemed to read their thoughts. "Before the competition begins, the top eight students on the dueling points leaderboard will automatically qualify to represent Hogwarts. Of course, they may refuse."
Students exchanged glances, seeing the fire in one another's eyes.
Refuse? How many would turn down such school-wide glory? Even if there were a few, those people probably would not make it into the top eight anyway.
"To adapt to these new challenges and better motivate you to improve your strength," Sagres continued, lightly tapping his wand as he changed the subject.
A soft silver light projected into the air, forming a constantly shifting diagram of an emblem-like structure. "The dueling leaderboard will be upgraded."
"The method of earning points will remain unchanged. However, in the new term, when your accumulated points reach certain milestones, you will unlock corresponding 'Advancement Quests.'"
"Advancement Quests?" the students whispered, confusion flickering in their eyes.
Sagres seemed to hear their murmurs.
"Yes, Advancement Quests. Not simple classroom sparring or after-school practice. Instead, they will involve high-difficulty spell-combination cracking, simulated confrontations with specific magical creatures, the deployment of complex ancient rune traps, and even practical combat drills under specific restrictive conditions."
With each item he listed, the students below felt their heartbeats quicken; it all sounded both dangerous and exhilarating.
"By successfully completing Advancement Quests," Sagres continued, tapping his wand again as the emblem diagram in the air shifted accordingly, "your emblem's form will change. It will not only record your points, but also serve as a visual symbol of your strength and achievements."
"More importantly, as your points increase and you complete Advancement Quests, you will unlock a brand-new 'Exchange Catalogue.'"
His wand tapped a third time, and a shimmering, iridescent scroll apparition appeared in midair, densely packed with flowing text and images. Though blurred, it was more than enough to hint at the value and abundance of its contents.
"The catalogue will offer items that you may exchange using your points. These include, but are not limited to, unique spells, rare potions, various magical materials, and practical magical items."
Previews of the items flashed past, each one enough to make the young wizards' hearts race and their breathing grow quick.
"These are precious resources that are difficult to find on the open market, or even impossible to purchase at all. The full catalogue will be posted by the prefects in your respective House common rooms."
Sagres looked down at the students, his calm words igniting excitement in every heart.
"Want to win glory for Hogwarts in the tournament?
You can!
Want to obtain the treasures in the catalogue that can change your magical path?
You can do that as well!"
His voice returned to its earlier indifference. "But that requires you to prove your worth with strength. Points, rankings, quests—every effort you make will be transformed into visible rewards."
He gave a light wave of his wand, and the images in the air vanished. Even the sound of the wind seemed to fade away.
"Now, take out your wands," Sagres commanded, concise and forceful. "The first lesson of the new term: how to survive in a hundred-person free-for-all."
His calm gaze swept across the entire arena.
"Begin. Let me see who among you is worthy of touching those eight seats, and who can ultimately stand at the pinnacle of the Tri-Wizard Tournament."
The atmosphere of the dueling arena ignited instantly.
Students were eager to act, their eyes blazing with an unprecedented hunger.
The glory of the Tri-Wizard Tournament and the temptation of the Exchange Catalogue were like twin flames, driving them into this fierce and unprecedented competition.
As Sagres's words fell, the dueling stone monument beneath his feet sank with a deep rumble.
Rumble~~!!!
The surrounding environment began to change rapidly. Low walls rose up, muddy swamps spread across the ground, rivers cut through the field, and even two miniature volcanoes emerged, their molten lava slowly beginning to boil.
The students froze for a split second, then, like drops of water thrown into boiling oil, the entire floating arena erupted into chaos.
"Stupefy!"
Someone who could no longer hold back struck first, a red beam shooting diagonally toward the front ranks of the Ravenclaw line.
Before the gasp could fully escape, the red light was silently swallowed by a silver barrier that appeared out of nowhere.
"Petrificus Totalus!"
"Protego!"
"Rictusempra!"
Spellfire instantly wove into a dazzling web, and the white light of the arena's protective magic began to flash without pause.
The once clearly defined House lines were completely shattered by the chaotic collision.
Red, green, blue, and yellow lights clashed violently across the cold arena. Explosions, the shriek of deflected spells, and the grunts and heavy thuds of those struck rose and fell in rapid succession.
The floor was scarred with scorch marks from countless spells, and the air was thick with the faint scent of sulphur and ozone.
Harry instinctively ducked and rolled as a dangerous purple beam grazed his scalp, striking a Hufflepuff student behind him and bursting into a shower of sparks.
He scrambled back to his feet, pressing back-to-back with Ron, who was also dodging frantically.
"This is insane!" Ron gasped as an Expelliarmus was narrowly deflected, almost tearing his wand from his grip.
"Don't fight head-on! Find cover!"
Hermione's voice cut through the chaos, calmer than usual. She dragged Neville behind a thick green vine hanging from the edge of the stands.
With a swift wave of her wand, several loose stones on the ground lifted under her silent spell, spinning rapidly around them to form a simple yet effective physical barrier that blocked several tricky spells.
"You two, get over here!" she shouted to Harry and Ron amid the chaos.
Neville looked a little nervous, clutching a brand-new cherry wood wand tightly in his hand. He had finally taken the advice and found his true companion at Ollivander's.
Fred and George were completely in their element.
They stood back to back, moving as though they were a single person. The spells flying from their wands were no longer standard curses, but a variety of strange yet surprisingly effective jinxes and inventions.
Sticky purple goo glued a charging Slytherin student firmly to the ground; a shrieking, rapidly enlarging rubber duck drew the fire of three or four incoming spells; George even tossed a handful of faintly glowing black beans into the air, which transformed into scuttling, ear-piercing biting cockroaches the moment they hit the ground, severely disrupting the footing of nearby students.
Percy stood in stark contrast to his brothers.
He held a position slightly toward the rear, his brow furrowed and his lips pressed into a severe line.
"Impedimenta!" he called sharply, and a thick, transparent barrier sprang into place, shielding him and several younger Gryffindors clustered around him while deflecting multiple incoming spells.
"Maintain formation! Watch your wand movements!" Even in the midst of battle, he did not forget to loudly correct the angle of a nearby student's wand, drawing an exaggerated scoff from Fred.
Undeniably, however, his precise defensive magic provided solid protection for the small group around him.
Cedric, Hufflepuff's standout student, likewise demonstrated impressive leadership and strength.
He did not deliberately seek out prey, instead actively assuming the role of a protector.
He moved nimbly along the edges of the battlefield, immediately coming to the aid of any student in danger, regardless of House.
"Protego!" He flicked his wand, and a second-year Ravenclaw caught between two Stupefy spells was instantly enveloped in a bright shield, narrowly deflecting the attack.
His movements were fluid and decisive. Expelliarmus and the Obstacle Curse flowed naturally from his wand, always resolving crises at critical moments. Several students he had helped instinctively gathered around him, forming a small defensive circle.
Cho Chang moved like an elegant, vigilant bird.
She made full use of her Seeker's agility, weaving gracefully through the chaos, her long hair snapping sharply as she dodged and turned.
Her attacks were never reckless, but exceptionally precise and swift.
"Expelliarmus!" she called clearly, her wand aimed with perfect accuracy. A Slytherin girl attempting to ambush Cedric from the flank let out a startled cry as her wand flew from her hand.
Cho Chang did not linger.
She immediately sidestepped to avoid a red beam that skimmed past her, then countered with "Petrificus Totalus," freezing a Gryffindor boy who had been trying to approach her from behind.
Amid the chaos, conflicts between Houses blurred. In the blink of an eye, there was often no time to distinguish an opponent's House, only to react on instinct.
Seamus Finnigan was an extremely unstable and eye-catching variable in the melee.
"Reducto!" he roared, pointing his wand at a chunk of rubble that had broken loose from the edge of the stands.
The spell's effect far exceeded expectations. Not only did the stone explode into powder, but the shockwave also sent two unprepared students nearby sprawling.
Even Seamus himself staggered backward from the blast, his face smeared with black ash.
"Sorry! Sorry! A bit too much power!" he coughed, apologizing frantically, though his eyes shone with almost fanatical excitement.
Soon, his various blasting spells were aimed deliberately at crowded areas, which quickly drew retaliation. Spellfire flew in from multiple directions, and he was instantly engulfed in white light before being hurled toward the edge of the dueling arena.
Draco Malfoy, by contrast, displayed classic Slytherin cunning and ruthlessness.
He did not charge to the front, instead using the chaotic crowd as cover, with Crabbe acting as a living shield.
His spells were precise and insidious, targeting students who revealed openings or found themselves isolated in the melee.
"Expelliarmus!" A red beam struck Pansy Parkinson's wrist with pinpoint accuracy, sending her wand spinning through the air.
Malfoy sneered, his sharp gaze sweeping over the arena, before turning his wand toward Crabbe.
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