bacchusnovels Chapter 45 The Competition Begins
Chapter 45 The Competition Begins
In December, Hogwarts is covered in a blanket of snow, as if one were stepping into a beautiful ice and snow painting.
The cold air was filled with the scent of pine, which mingled with the smoke rising from the kitchen chimney near the Hufflepuff common room in the distance, creating a unique winter atmosphere. The ancient castle on campus was covered with white snowflakes, and the outlines of the spires and walls were even more distinct against the snow, exuding a mysterious and solemn aura.
In the spacious courtyard, students wrapped in heavy cloaks left a trail of footprints of varying depths on the snow. Their laughter and shouts echoed in the cold air, adding a touch of life to the tranquil winter day. Occasionally, snowflakes would drift down from the treetops, gently brushing against the students' cheeks and bringing a slight chill.
Sean stood by the office window, gently pushed it open, and a gust of cold wind mixed with snowflakes rushed in, instantly waking him up.
He took a deep breath, savoring the unique freshness and chill of winter.
It's already December.
Time seems to be flying by.
Since the end of the heated Quidditch tournament, the Wizard Killer Challenge, spearheaded by the Duel Club, has become increasingly popular.
A few days ago, the tense and fierce selection process finally came to an end.
The opening ceremony of the Duel Club is also scheduled for tonight, and the entire school is immersed in an atmosphere of both tension and anticipation.
From first to fifth grade, there are four students from each college in each grade, totaling twenty students. Today, they will all witness Professor Sean's charisma.
Sean didn't take the battle with the twenty junior wizards seriously.
Some of them haven't even learned a few decent spells, let alone been able to cast them fluently. In such cases, quantitative changes often fail to produce qualitative changes, and may even hinder the formation of qualitative changes. In other words, they are holding others back.
What Sean is particularly concerned about is tonight's duel with Snape.
To be honest, he was a little nervous.
He felt that Snape had been giving him the cold shoulder for the past few months.
However, out of respect for his professorship, he couldn't cause him trouble as usual. Tonight, Snape had a perfect opportunity to teach this arrogant "brat" a lesson.
And to prevent himself from being slammed to the ground by Snape.
Sean only kept three chances to use the cheat device, replacing the rest with potions that could enhance his strength.
In addition, he also redeemed a skill scroll from which he learned a spell that he could use as a trump card.
After several days of diligent practice, he has become very proficient in combining and integrating his surging magical power with spells.
He sincerely hoped that Snape wouldn't force him to use that spell tonight.
Otherwise, he himself wouldn't know what would happen next.
...
night.
The Great Hall.
Given the grand scale of the event, all the young wizards in the school were eagerly anticipating watching the battles, so Sean specially requested Professor Dumbledore to allow the Great Hall to be the venue for the opening ceremony of the Duel Club.
When the three children stepped into the auditorium at 7:40, they found that the long dining table that was originally in the auditorium was gone. In its place was a gilded stage erected in front of a wall, which shone brightly.
Hundreds of candles floated in the air, casting a warm and bright light on the stage, while the ceiling was once again rendered in a deep, velvety black, adding a touch of mystery and solemnity.
Almost all the students in the school had arrived, and the place was bustling with activity, their faces beaming with undisguised excitement and anticipation.
"The competition doesn't start until 8 o'clock, how come there are already so many people?" They squeezed sideways into the chattering crowd. "Luckily we arrived early."
"I told you to come earlier, and you were still dawdling in the common room," Hermione complained to Ron. "Now look, we can't even get a good spot to watch."
"I had diarrhea..." Ron awkwardly touched his nose. "But look, Professor Sean is here!"
It wasn't just Ron who noticed Professor Sean's presence; everyone's attention gradually focused on this highly respected professor.
Sean walked calmly through the crowd, smiling, and nodding to his classmates from time to time.
His arrival further fueled the atmosphere, making the students even more enthusiastic.
"Look, who's that next to Professor Sean?" Harry asked, pointing to a young, dashing witch walking alongside Professor Sean.
"Professor Tonks, I suppose." Hermione, who frequently visits Sean's office these past few days, has run into Tonks a few times. "I heard she's a senior who just graduated from Hufflepuff this year and was invited back by Professor Sean to serve as an assistant instructor at the Duel Club."
As Sean and Tonks took the stage, the noise gradually subsided.
Sean cleared his throat and began his speech.
"Thank you all for coming tonight. Tonight, we will witness a spectacular duel. I'm sure you're all eager to see it. Without further ado, please welcome the twenty young wizards from various grades and academies to the stage."
As soon as Professor Sean finished speaking, thunderous applause erupted throughout the hall, and twenty young wizards took to the stage one after another, each with a different performance.
Some of the young wizards walked onto the stage with smiles on their faces and full of confidence, as if victory was in their grasp. They waved their wands incessantly, welcoming the applause from the audience.
Some of the young wizards, however, appeared somewhat nervous, their steps slightly slow, and their expressions solemn.
"Don't worry, this is just a simple duel."
As Sean spoke, he waved his wand, and the ground became soft, like stepping on a mattress. A thin membrane appeared around them, enveloping them.
Some students tried touching it with their hands and found that the membrane was very tough, but it also gently caught their fingers.
"Before the competition begins, I'd like to reiterate the rules."
"First, ensure your own safety. If an emergency occurs, raise your hand immediately and shout 'I'm quitting,' and Professor Tonks will take you off the stage."
"Secondly, do not use spells beyond your capabilities just to show off, including forbidden spells and evil curses..."
"third..."
"..."
"If you defeat me, every student who remains standing on the field will have twenty points added to their respective college's score."
Sean, wand in hand, performed a dueling ritual for the young wizards before him.
"Then, I declare the competition open."