Over the weekend, Lynn and his roommates strolled leisurely toward the Great Hall, only to encounter Hermione on the way, rushing along with a stack of books in her arms.
"Lynn! What a coincidence, are you also going to Professor Lockhart's Dueling Club?"
Hermione spoke rapidly, her cheeks flushed from running, and her eyes sparkled with admiration for Lockhart.
Lynn complained inwardly: It's been nearly a month since school started; hasn't she realized Lockhart is just a fraud yet?
"Yeah, just going to see the excitement. Want to go together?" Lynn extended a team invitation.
Hermione glanced at their leisurely pace and decisively shook her head. "No! You guys are too slow. At this rate, Professor Lockhart's demonstration will probably be starting by the time we reach the Great Hall! I have to go first!"
With that, she continued running toward the Great Hall, clutching her books.
"Why the rush?" Edgar muttered as he watched her back. "Even if you get there early, don't you still have to listen to Lockhart brag about himself for half an hour? There's no difference between arriving early or late."
Even though Lynn and the others had deliberately slowed their pace and dawdled until the last moment before entering the Great Hall, they still couldn't escape Lockhart's long-winded opening speech.
The center of the Great Hall had been cleared, and a temporary dueling stage had been set up, surrounded by a crowd of students and a cacophony of voices.
Just as Edgar had predicted, Lockhart was standing on the stage, waving his arms and animatedly recounting one of his thrilling dueling experiences.
"...I was once in the catacombs of Yorkshire, facing a gang of evil Dark Wizards all by myself, and it only took three rounds—yes, only three rounds!
I used a brilliant Memory Charm, and they completely forgot how to cast the Dark Arts!
So, mastering dueling techniques is vital! It can protect you, and it can make you like me... blah blah blah... I declare the Gilderoy Lockhart Dueling Club... officially open!"
A burst of enthusiastic applause erupted from the audience.
After enduring Lockhart's self-aggrandizing bragging with a sense of resignation, one still had to applaud, but at last things were getting to the point.
"To ensure the fairness and safety of the duels, I am honored to invite your Potions Class Professor—Professor Snape—to serve as the referee for this club!"
As Lockhart spoke, he made a "please" gesture toward the side of the stage.
Snape walked onto the dueling stage with a grim expression. He didn't even look at Lockhart, merely scanning the restless crowd below with his eyes, which instantly quieted the Great Hall significantly.
"Now, your beloved Professors will first demonstrate a standard and elegant wizard duel for you!" Lockhart remained full of confidence.
The two stood at opposite ends of the dueling stage, back to back.
"Begin."
As soon as the word was spoken, both turned almost simultaneously.
The entire process could be summarized in a few sentences:
The two moved.
The two turned elegantly.
Snape used—"Expelliarmus!"
A red light hit Lockhart with precision.
Lockhart's wand flew out of his hand, tracing an arc in the air, and he himself was pushed off the dueling stage by the impact of the spell.
What a swift and decisive battle.
Lockhart clutched his chest, his face turning various shades of pale and blue. Amid gasps and snickers, he scrambled up from the ground in a sorry state.
He forced a smile, trying to save face. "A... a very standard Expelliarmus! Now, through Professor Snape's actions, you have learned the basic rules and etiquette of dueling!
Just now... just now I was afraid of hitting too hard and injuring your Potions Class Professor, so... so I held back... blah blah blah..."
The truth was that Lockhart had originally thought he could easily handle a Potions Professor who spent all day dealing with cauldrons, but he ended up failing miserably.
"Now," Lockhart decided to find a pushover to regain his dignity. He cleared his throat and said loudly, "I will select a student to conduct a new round of teaching demonstration with me!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the students below raised a forest of hands.
"Professor Lockhart! Pick me!"
"Pick me! Pick me!"
Lockhart looked around, his gaze passing over those eager arms, and finally landed on the person at the very back who was whispering with Edgar and the others—Lynn.
Hufflepuff, second year, Alchemy competition champion, Order of Merlin Third Class... He was famous enough, and as a second-year student, no matter how good he was, how strong could he be? I can definitely beat him!
Lockhart calculated quickly in his mind, thinking Lynn was simply the perfect candidate.
"Then... that student over there."
Lockhart pointed his finger at Lynn at the back of the crowd.
Lynn was complaining to William about Lockhart's inelegant fall when he suddenly felt the surroundings go quiet. All eyes were focused on him, and the crowd in front automatically parted to make a path.
He froze for a moment, looking at Lockhart on the stage.
Is he treating me like a pushover?
Lynn shrugged helplessly and walked onto the dueling stage. He decided that since Professor Lockhart wanted to "teach" so badly, he would grant him another "long vacation."
"Don't be nervous, child," Lockhart said with feigned kindness. "Show me everything you've got, give me your best shot!"
"Are you sure... Professor?" Lynn had a smile on his face as he confirmed once more.
"Bring it on!" Lockhart struck a pose with full confidence.
Snape's voice rang out again:
"On your marks... begin!"
The two, with their backs turned, stepped forward and turned at the same time.
"Ex—" Lockhart attacked first, wanting a quick resolution, and began to chant the start of the Disarming Charm.
However, before he could finish the incantation, a silent Tongue-Twister from Lynn hit him with precision!
"&%$@#~"
Lockhart felt a sudden surge of numbness and confusion in his tongue. The spell he was about to cast instantly turned into a string of ridiculous syllables!
"Professor? What did you just say? A spell prefix? I can't hear you clearly!" Lynn asked loudly on purpose.
He didn't give Lockhart any chance to adjust. The wand in his hand moved continuously like a conductor's baton, and silent spells shot toward Lockhart like a torrential storm!
Avis! A flock of colorful magical birds appeared out of thin air, chirping and flying wildly around Lockhart's head, frantically pecking at his hair and ears.
Confringo! A gust of dust and gravel swirled up on the dueling stage, pelting Lockhart and getting into his eyes.
Engorgement Charm! Lockhart's nose swelled rapidly like a balloon, turning into a large sphere.
Hair-Growth Charm! The hair on his arms grew wildly, instantly becoming as furry as a werewolf!
...And to every spell, Lynn had quietly added the diarrhea side effect of the Immortal Curse!
Poor Lockhart—his tongue was tied so he couldn't cast a counter-spell, his eyes were blurred so he couldn't see, his nose was swollen making it hard to breathe, and he was being pecked by birds and hit by stones. He was in pain and itching all over, and he felt the urge to have diarrhea. The misery made him start rolling on the ground without any dignity, letting out pained whimpers.
Below the stage, Harry's eyes widened in shock. He poked Hermione next to him.
"Lynn... is he that powerful? He doesn't even need to say the spells!"
Hermione was also dumbfounded and murmured:
"I don't know either... but... silent spells are indeed very, very difficult. Many adult wizards can't master them well."
On the stage, Lynn looked at Lockhart rolling on the ground and felt it was about time to send him on "vacation."
With a wave of his wand—
"Incendio!"
A cluster of hot flames instantly erupted from the tip of the wand, accurately enveloping Lockhart!
"Waaahhh—!"
Lockhart let out a shrill scream from the heat. His survival instinct overrode everything. He no longer cared about his dignity and scrambled toward the dense crowd of students below.
He tried to seek help or simply lead the fire to someone else! He didn't care if he could hold it in anymore.
"Incarcerous!" ×2
Lynn and Snape made their moves one after the other!
Two magical beams shot out from different directions, accurately binding the fleeing Lockhart, leaving him unable to move.
Immediately after, Snape's wand tapped again—
"Aguamenti!"
A stream of water appeared, extinguishing the flames on Lockhart's robes and drenching him like a drowned rat. Combined with his swollen nose, messy hair, and dust-covered body, he looked incredibly pathetic.
Snape walked forward expressionlessly, glanced at the limp, terrified mess that was Lockhart on the ground, and then announced:
"The winner... Lynn."
This declaration was like lighting a fuse, instantly exploding the atmosphere of the entire Great Hall!
The Hufflepuffs erupted in deafening cheers and applause, and students from other houses couldn't help but cheer for this unexpected victory.
Lynn stood on the dueling stage, bathed in all sorts of gazes, and shrugged slightly as if he had only done something trivial.
---
Happy Reading. Be sure to leave a review!!!
Visit my Patreon for early access to 20+ chapters!!!
P@treon: mrfanfiction140