The Silent Witch of Hogwarts

Chapter 65: Duel Club

"Have you heard? The Duel Club is going to be held again!"

Ron, who was having lunch in the auditorium, said with an air of seriousness, "It has been many years since the last one."

"What does the Duel Club do?" Harry asked, holding a glass of pumpkin juice.

"The Duel Club is all about wizard duels!" Ron exclaimed excitedly. "Two wizards pull out all the stops just to defeat their opponent..."

"Strictly speaking, it's not about using every trick in the book," Hermione interjected. "Dark magic isn't allowed."

Thinking about it, it makes sense... Harry nodded in agreement with Hermione's statement. If one could use dark magic at will... wouldn't the Killing Curse and the like be a bit too much of a cheat?

"However, it's said that the event was indeed canceled due to an accident," Hermione said after a few seconds of thought. "It seems that a second-year wizard died."

"Huh?" Ron pursed his lips and asked subconsciously, "Isn't it dangerous?"

"certainly……"

"Ah, Weasley, are you trembling with fear?" A somewhat sarcastic voice came from behind him, and Ron turned his head slightly to see the annoying guy.

"Malfoy, this doesn't seem to concern you, does it?" Harry looked up at the blond boy.

"Of course it matters." Malfoy winked. "If Weasley is...

"Avada Kedavra!"

"Ah!" Ron was startled and let out a scream, but it was clear that it was just Malfoy's bad joke.

Seeing Ron's disheveled appearance, Malfoy laughed loudly: "Just wait, Weasley, if you can make us fight each other."

"I can defeat you without a wand."

After saying that, he shook his hand and left arrogantly.

"What a damn guy." Harry frowned as he looked at Hermione, who was comforting a pale-faced Ron.

"If I ever get the chance, I'll fight him," Harry said, gripping his wand tightly.

"Or it could be me," Hermione muttered, equally dissatisfied. "I'm going to knock his front teeth out."

Well, while the interactions between the young wizards weren't friendly, it certainly demonstrates the immense popularity of the Duel Club at Hogwarts.

In the afternoon, the auditorium where the dueling club was held was packed with students, from first graders to sixth graders. Almost all the students who didn't have classes stayed in the auditorium, which had already been decorated.

"I wonder what Professor Lockhart will teach us," Hermione said excitedly, sitting in her chair. "He must be very good at wizard duels."

"Hopefully he's not teaching us how to use silly smiles to counter spells." Ron's muttering earned him an eye roll from Hermione, but seeing that he had recovered, Hermione didn't say anything.

Only Harry asked with some curiosity, "Don't wizard duels require two people?"

"One is Professor Lockhart, so who could the other be?"

"I don't know," Hermione said, shaking her head. "We asked Professor McGonagall this morning."

"She doesn't seem to know either."

"Could it be Professor Flitwick?" Harry asked after a moment's thought. He had heard that the short Charms professor was a former European Wizarding Duel Champion.

"Possibly." Hermione nodded after a few seconds of thought. "Professor Lockhart's opponent is certainly not weak."

"If the difference in strength between the two sides is too great... the duel will turn into bullying."

"I know who it is." Suddenly, a light, melodious voice came, drawing the attention of all three.

She was a girl with long, almost silver hair. She tilted her head, and her sparkling eyes had a slightly ethereal quality.

"You are..." Harry looked at her slightly confused expression.

"I'm Luna Lovegood, and you're Harry." Luna seemed to recognize the three of them. "You're Ronald and Hermione, right?"

"You actually know me?" Ron said, somewhat surprised. "And you even call me Ronald."

"Isn't this your real name?" Luna said, tilting her head.

"So who dueled with Professor Lockhart?" Hermione, uninterested in small talk, interrupted Ron and Luna's conversation, asking, "The professor, right?"

"Yes." Luna nodded seriously. "It's Loila."

"Loila?" The three exchanged glances.

"That's Professor Hamilton's name, right?" Hermione asked, pursing her lips.

"It's Professor Hamilton." Luna nodded in confirmation of Hermione's question, "but I prefer to call her Loila."

"Isn't that a little impolite?" Hermione said, pursing her lips. "Professor Hamilton is a very distinguished wizard... wait, so is she with Professor Lockhart?"

"Hmm." Luna said, looking up at the top of Hermione's head. There was nothing there, but she still said, "I think I see harassment on your head."

"They will interfere with your judgment."

Her sudden, somewhat mystical words silenced all three of them.

"Ah... I need to find a good spot." Luna smiled and shrugged, then climbed onto a chair using both hands and feet.

It seems she just moved in.

"Are all Ravenclaw students like this?" Ron asked in a low voice.

Harry and Hermione exchanged a glance.

"Clatter".

The doors to the Great Hall were pushed open, and Professor Lockhart walked in, wearing a magnificent gold robe embroidered with the Hogwarts crest and his own signature.

"Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen of Hogwarts!" He strode quickly from one end of the Great Hall to the other, his smile as radiant as a flower.

"After my tireless efforts, Headmaster Dumbledore has finally agreed to reopen the Duel Club!" he said, raising an eyebrow as if to boast or take credit.

This made Harry and Ron feel a little nauseous.

But Hermione seemed quite pleased; she even started clapping for Lockhart's speech.

"Alright, my dear fans, no need for such enthusiastic applause," Lockhart said, waving his hand. "I didn't decide to persuade Dumbledore for your applause."

"I want everyone to learn how to fight!" he said, raising his wand and pointing it at the closed hall doors. "Next, please welcome my teaching assistant, who is also my assistant in the dueling club."

"Professor Loila Hamilton."

Amidst somewhat surprised exclamations, the door slowly opened.

A petite figure dressed in a black robe and wearing a mask appeared there. She silently looked at everyone, and then slowly took a step.

As if it were an unconscious reaction from the students, the applause and discussions slowly faded away, and everyone silently watched as the professor, who was also silent, walked to Lockhart's side.

"Thank you for your help, Professor Hamilton." Lockhart smiled gently at Loila, then quickly raised his hands. "Shall we all give Professor Hamilton a round of applause?"

"Because we're about to give you a spectacular, unparalleled duel demonstration that will go down in Hogwarts history!"