*Morpheus pov*
Duel after duel students tried harder and harder to display their magical might. Some were exceptional like Severus, Amelia, Evan, and more while others were just alright. This is quite good considering this is the second year the club has been formed, and not even a full two years at that.
The rest of the fourth-year duels were exciting but not groundbreaking, I noticed some students here and there who wouldn't be invited into the roster but I should keep some tabs on them. It was interesting seeing the students incorporate the shield spells they learned into their dueling flows, some would shield only at key times preferring to dodge while others would shield and rarely move around.
The fifth-year students were enlightening to watch. In the fifth year students kind of figure out what they want to do in the future and some exams are in that year so there was a smaller volume of applicants but those who applied were shaping up to be future dueling professionals.
The sixth-year duels were also interesting to watch, just as the fifth years didn't have many candidates the sixth-year class didn't have many. But, the dominant dueling display they showed was spectacular, I personally made sure to remember some of the students who applied.
These duels weren't even the highlight of their skill, Apparation is a key concept to understand during a duel, with the Hogwarts wards shutting down all attempts of Apparation the students were fighting at a lower strength. One might not think Apparation is as important because everyone learns it and the spell is practically the same for everyone.
They would be wrong. You can be better at Apparation, the speed, the noise, the distance, and more can be improved upon. Which is why if you are good at apparating and dueling you would be a formidable opponent.
The seventh-year class, now this pool was extremely small. Only those who didn't already have a career lined up and had free time outside of their studies to attend club meetings signed up. Their duels were interesting, it seemed simple was more to them.
With the volume of spells, they learned spell chains began to be formed. This created an interesting dueling and learning experience. Spell chains are a sequence of spells chained together to create an overall effect.
Small chains are those used by some of the fourth and third-year students who are exceptional.
Real spell chains are different, though there isn't a single definition as anyone can make a spell chain with whatever spells they want a real spell chain will always ALWAYS overshine some random spells chained together.
The seventh-year duelists seem to be touching on the essence of what makes a proper spell chain a spell chain. As they spun around the stage, dodging, counterattacking, pressuring, practically dancing. I realized I needed them to join me after they graduated.
Which means I have to finally start on the second phase.
***
I stood in front of my class, a glass jar held in my hand as I looked at their expecting expressions. I don't know how long I can keep making divination seem out of this world interesting, it is a lot of work and frankly, some of these students don't seem to want to succeed.
"Today, I thought I would teach you about a herb that will help you in your wizarding career as a whole and not only divination," I explained while taking the herb from the jar
Smiling I continued, "This is the Linguafolium Herb, a rare and wondrous herb with the enchanting ability to unlock the secrets of language for those who ingest it. Luckily I know someone who had a garden full of these things, and I will be giving some to the school for planning" I said simply
The Linguafolium Herb has delicate silver-green leaves that shimmer with an iridescent glow, reminiscent of ancient runes. Its blossoms exude a faint fragrance that hints at a sharp mint and something else you can't quite place.
Oh, how I would love to try a bottle of wine made from this.
"Now, you will NOT ingest any of the Linguafolium now but please pass it around. This herb once ingested temporarily enhances the imbiber's cognitive abilities, unlocking a profound understanding of all languages spoken or written. The effect lasts for a limited period, during which the individual seamlessly comprehends and communicates in any language encountered," I explained
"This is important for divination because you could potentially need to speak a language for a spell you don't know. The herb will allow you to seamlessly speak the incantation," I expanded, "Also, when reading someone in a language other than your own Linguafolium can help digest the information,"
Thinking for a second while they wrote noted I warned, "This is not under any circumstances an everyday herb. You should only ingest it when you need it," I said and will say till the end of the class
"Now, how can it help with the broader wizarding world?" I chuckled, "Spell names. When dueling an opponent you know speaks a language you do not it might be a good idea to digest a small portion of the herb. This will allow you to understand the spell names they are calling out besides the common Latin ones," I explained holding up a very small portion of the herb
"In a duel, the spell your opponent is using can tell you a lot, with a small portion of this herb you will be able to know in advance," I finished taking a sip of tea
"Are there any side effects?" A student called out
Nodding slowly I sighed, "Yes, this is why I recommend you take small portions of the herb and use it only when you are in need. The effects of Linguafolium last for approximately 12 hours, offering a day of linguistic enlightenment. However, prolonged or frequent use may lead to temporary confusion, as the mind grapples with the flood of linguistic information. But, this side effect is heavily mitigated if you only take it in small portions," I added with a genuine grin
"Questions?" I asked the class
"Are you allowed to teach us something this dangerous?" someone asked
Shaking my head I replied, "Anything in the world of magic is dangerous, and a headache is what scares you? Yes, the Linguafolium is something I've been cleared to teach. If you follow what I say there would be no danger at all,"
Truth be told these students should be elated. Yes many spells they will be able to recognize but Durmstrang has many students who speak Bulgarian which would make it hard for the Hogwarts students to know the spell names.
As I watched the class being writing a paper on the safety procedures Negary flew into my arms with a letter in beak.
Taking the letter I saw Nicolas sent it, and a wide grin split my face I wonder, did Nicolas finally grow a pair?
Skimming the letter the further I read my grin formed into a frown, it seems Nicolas hasn't been having as much fun as I thought.
I need to make a trip to his house.
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A/N; Patre on : patreon.com/Boogie324