Hogwarts Study Panel

Chapter 329-328: A Duel

in the corridor.

Harry continued to recount Professor Snape's misdeeds with a lack of awareness, but Sheehan could sense that he was beginning to reflect.

Harry began to wonder, if Professor Snape was not essentially the same as the Death Eaters and even helped him fight against the corrupted Professor Quirrell, then why did he resent him so much?
After recalling something, he became very depressed.

"Voldemort transferred a part of himself into me,"

Harry said absentmindedly,

"Sheen, I am similar to Voldemort."

Sheen, standing to the side, seemed to be deep in thought. It seemed that Harry was still being influenced by Voldemort and was beginning to doubt himself.

“Oh, Harry, you made Voldemort disappear, but now you suspect you’re similar to him. That’s a bit too funny.”

Justin emerged from the corner, looking as if he had just returned from the kitchen and run into Sheehan and Harry.

These words made Harry's eyes light up.

Excessive worry overwhelmed his reason; how could he have forgotten this!
Sheen glanced at Justin, who was still smiling and comforting Harry.

Sheen and Harry both understood Harry's worries; no one would want to end up like the murderer who killed their loved ones.

Then there was no one left in the corridor.

A black cat has joined the Ravenclaw dorm room.

While the empty rune slowly recovers its magical power, the Animagus always makes Sheen's soul transformation more proficient.

[You have practiced Soul Transformation to the beginner level of the Master realm. Master-level proficiency +3]

The panel beeped to indicate that curfew had arrived, and the night slipped away.

the next day.

Everyone could feel Professor Snape's anger.

If he was once strict to the point of being harsh, now he's a complete machine of rules.

Even a slight reduction in the stirring motion of the crucible can result in a five-point deduction.

Even Justin was somewhat dazed after Potions class. Hufflepuff lost forty points in the two consecutive classes, and even Ravenclaw lost quite a few as well.

It was a truly shocking tragedy in the college entrance examination.

Fortunately, something else happened that evening that caught everyone's attention.

Otherwise, everyone would be gathered at the entrance of the Great Hall, looking at the hourglass and wondering if someone had planted a dung bomb in Professor Snape's office.

“Professor Snape, I must say, he may be a little crazy.”

"The auditorium," Justin said, carefully choosing his words, but ultimately chose the most fitting description.

“We need to stay away from some of you, especially you guys.”

Hermione looked at Harry, Ron, and Neville.

They were all major contributors to the deductions in the past, and now they dare not even think about it.

An owl delivered a letter from above.
Sheehan sipped his pumpkin juice and glanced at Professor Snape, whose face was grim in the main seat. Snape was talking to Dumbledore with a forced smile.

This time, he seems to have the upper hand.

And at night.

The auditorium became lively again. Sheen, who had been practicing spells at Hope Hut, followed the excited Justin and the others to the auditorium after feeling a little tired.

The rows of long tables vanished as they had yesterday, replaced by a golden stage erected against the stone wall. Thousands upon thousands of firelights floated above, illuminating the entire space as if it were daytime. The dome once again turned into an unfathomable darkness.

Almost the entire school's teachers and students poured in, a bustling scene, every face hesitant and trembling, wands clutched tightly in their hands, constantly discussing in hushed tones.

"Did you see that? Who is the professor who taught us dueling? Who is he?"

There were too many older students blocking the way, so Hermione couldn't see anything and could only ask nervously and expectantly.
"Is that Professor Flitwick?"

"Hermione, if you can't see, you can't expect us to grow taller all of a sudden, can you?"

Ron tried to stretch his neck as far as he could, but he still couldn't see anything.

"As long as it's not—"

Harry's words were cut short by a groan. Gilderoy Lockhart walked onto the stage, radiant in his crimson robes. Beside him was none other than Snape, dressed in his usual black attire.

Lockhart waved for everyone to be quiet, then shouted:
"Come closer, come closer! Can everyone see me? Can everyone hear me? That's great!"
"Yes, Professor Dumbledore has permitted me to establish this small dueling club to train you all thoroughly in case you ever need to defend yourselves, in the ways I have used countless times—for details, please see my published works."

His appearance was so unexpected that Sheen's expression changed when he saw Hermione, who had just been excited.

Harry turned and left, and Ron followed him.

Unfortunately, the club had started classes, and Percy stood at a distance, blocking them.

"Class is starting, go back."

Percy said.

Then Sheehan saw Harry and Ron return looking dejected.

At this moment, Lockhart shouted loudly:

"Let me introduce my assistant, Professor Snape,"

As he spoke, he grinned widely.
"He told me that he himself knew a little about dueling, and he generously agreed to help me give a small demonstration before class."

I said, "I don't want you little ones to worry—after I'm done demonstrating with him, I'll return your Potions Master to you unharmed, so don't be afraid!"

Professor Snape's already grim face was almost murderous. Lockhart saw this and suddenly stammered. He quickly realized what was happening:
"But before we demonstrate, perhaps two volunteers could come up on stage to show everyone what a wrong duel looks like. Anyone want to come up?"

He glanced at Snape, saw a cold glint in Snape's dark eyes, and immediately looked away.

"Please, a couple of you would like to volunteer—Longbottom and Finley, how about it?"

“That’s a bad idea, Professor Lockhart.”

Snape suddenly spoke, gliding nimbly across the stage like a venomous bat.

“Lombardon can cause destruction even with the simplest spells. In that case, we’ll just have to put Fenrir’s remains in a matchbox and send them to the hospital.”

Neville's round, pink face turned bright red, and Justin and Hermione comforted him:
“He’s lying, Neville. Do you remember? You were seventh in the rankings.”

Neville's complexion improved considerably.

“Sheen Green, come up here,”

Snape stared at Sheehan, his eyes devoid of emotion, only a deep stillness.
Since yesterday, he suddenly realized that he seemed to have lost his understanding of a certain young wizard once again.

Now he knows it wasn't because of him; some wizards are destined not to grow as slowly as mediocre ones.
"And Marcus Flint, you'll be his...opponent."

(End of this chapter)