"Why do you look like you haven't woken up?" Harry asked, noticing the dark circles under Ron's eyes.
"I feel like I haven't slept enough for the last few days..." Ron replied sleepily, rubbing his eyes.
"What's everyone looking at?" he asked curiously, seeing a crowd of students gathered.
"The Wizarding Duel Club. The class starts today," Luke answered. He glanced at Ron's tired state, suspecting that Tom had been controlling him for days.
"Duel Club?" Ron glanced at the notice.
"Is Professor Flitwick going to teach us?"
"It would be great if it were Professor Flitwick," Hermione sighed. "His credentials and skills are real—he's a dueling champion with an impressive track record. His expertise with spells far surpasses Lockhart's."
"How did Lockhart, a Ravenclaw, even graduate from Hogwarts?" Hermione wondered aloud. "He's so inept."
"Wait, is Lockhart teaching us?" Ron realized the implication, and his face fell.
He remembered all of Lockhart's unreliable behavior, including the incident where Harry's arm bones vanished because of him. "Is it really wise to have someone like him as our dueling professor?" Ron asked, his voice tinged with doubt and worry.
The crowd began to shuffle toward the Great Hall, where the inaugural session of the Duel Club was scheduled. Luke, Hermione, Harry, and Ron followed along, each harboring their own concerns about what awaited them.
"I don't know what Headmaster Dumbledore thinks..." Even Harry was at a loss for words.
Luke didn't really care. As far as he was concerned, he had nearly mastered all magical spell techniques, from the Unforgivable Curses to darker arts like the Imperius Curse. To him, the Dueling Club was merely a formality.
"Alright, let's head to class first," Luke suggested, glancing at the somewhat lukewarm reception from the few students present, offering a nod of greeting.
What was up with Lockhart, though? Luke couldn't help but wonder. Lockhart's Memory Charms were impeccable! Luke even suspected that Lockhart had passed his Hogwarts exams by enchanting the examiners.
Inside the Dueling Club classroom:
Second-year wizards from Slytherin and Gryffindor had assembled, feeling privileged to be the first members of the club.
"I'm delighted that Headmaster Dumbledore has entrusted me with the honor of leading this Dueling Club. I'm sure you..." Lockhart, resplendent in a dazzling azure robe and cape, strolled through the classroom with a smile, the ten silver rings on his fingers shimmering in the sunlight. Following him was his assistant for the day, Severus Snape.
Snape's expression was icy, dressed in a sleek, jet-black robe that accentuated his tall, slender frame. Lockhart relished the attention, but Snape despised it, particularly the way Lockhart walked ahead of him. If not for Dumbledore's decision, Snape wouldn't have bothered dealing with the arrogant Ravenclaw.
"Now, it's time for me, Gilderoy Lockhart, to begin your first lesson!" Lockhart beamed and pointed his wand at the smooth, carpeted floor.
Boom!
To the eager eyes of the young wizards, a rectangular ornate stage rose slowly, with Lockhart standing upon it.
"Next, my assistant, Severus Snape, will be my sparring partner!" Lockhart announced, tossing his cloak dramatically into the crowd.
Hermione, disapproving of Lockhart's ostentatious display, deftly redirected the cloak away from herself towards a Gryffindor girl who eagerly accepted it, clearly a fervent admirer of Professor Lockhart.
"This is just a friendly duel, no harm intended — your potions professor will be returned to you unscathed," Lockhart assured confidently.
Below, Luke observed Snape's expression darken visibly, the first time someone had openly challenged him in public.
"It's about time someone put an end to Lockhart's charade," Snape declared, striding purposefully onto the stage. His eyes bore into Lockhart's with the intensity of a hunting falcon. "Let's begin, Professor Lockhart."
Lockhart, ever the picture of nonchalance, brushed off Snape's piercing gaze. In his estimation, what threat could a potions professor pose? "In the end, don't let him have it! Today marks the end of Lockhart's reign," he thought to himself.
Luke shook his head at Lockhart's audacity, watching as the duelists saluted each other and then retreated to opposite sides of the stage, wands raised in preparation. "Who gave him the courage to challenge Snape?" Luke muttered under his breath.
With a nod between the wizards, Snape and Lockhart assumed defensive stances, readying their wands for the contest of magic. "Witness a true wizard's duel!" Lockhart announced with flourish, his wand slicing through the air towards Snape. However, it quickly became evident that Lockhart's dueling skills were no match for Snape's seasoned experience. Even before Lockhart finished his incantation, Snape had already cast his spell.
"Expelliarmus!" Snape's spell shot forth with blinding speed towards Lockhart, catching him off guard before he could complete his own incantation.
"Imbecilic fool! Why did Dumbledore ever hire such a defense against the dark arts professor?" Snape sneered, his eyes narrowing as he assessed the situation.
Lockhart, realizing the imminent danger, panicked. But just as Snape's spell was about to strike him, a ring on Lockhart's finger gleamed brightly. Snape's spell seemed to hit an invisible barrier and dissipated harmlessly.
"Imperius Curse Curse?!" Snape exclaimed in disbelief, staring at Lockhart who appeared dazed but unharmed across from him.
"He didn't even wave his wand properly! How did the Imperius Curse spell activate?" Snape's gaze then flickered to the azure blue light emanating from a ring on Lockhart's finger. "Is it that ring?"
The revelation sparked murmurs among the students gathered, some in awe of Lockhart's unexpected defense, others impressed by Snape's skill despite the outcome. Hermione, with a mix of skepticism and curiosity, watched intently, eager to discern the truth behind Lockhart's peculiar abilities.
.....
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