On the first day of the competition, Hermione defeated four opponents.
These opponents didn't seem particularly strong; faced with Hermione's swift spellcasting, silent magic, and consecutive spell attacks, none of them could hold out.
The strongest among them managed to dodge three spells before being disarmed by the fourth, conceding the match altogether.
None of Hermione's matches lasted more than ten seconds. Despite her young age, her decisive victories earned her great fame in the dueling circuit.
While no one believed she could win the final championship, a young girl like her making such strides in the International Wizarding Dueling Tournament was quite remarkable.
Many young girls watching the matches saw Hermione as an idol. In a dueling arena dominated by males, having such a young female wizard stand out was quite remarkable.
"I've noticed, Miss Granger, that you favor using the Disarming Charm as your first spell and enjoy swiftly and continuously casting spells to overpower your opponents.
Why is that? Don't you think these common spells are easily countered?"
Professor Flitwick asked Hermione curiously on the way back to their temporary lodging after the first day's matches.
"Because among these commonly used spells in dueling, the Disarming Charm has the shortest incantation and the fastest casting speed.
So using the Disarming Charm allows me to seize the initiative more easily, to take the opponent by surprise.
Even if the opponent can barely resist or dodge my first attack, the subsequent continuous release of spells can easily overwhelm them, and then I can defeat them in one fell swoop," Hermione explained earnestly.
"As for the issue of being easily countered, when the opponent uses the Shield Charm, it proves that they are already on the defensive.
The initiative still lies with me, and I can change my attack strategy at any time, don't you think?"
"Oh, you're truly a genius," Professor Flitwick exclaimed, realizing from her explanation and her performance that Hermione had mastered an excellent tactic, albeit one that demanded high skill from the user, which suited her well.
"These tactics were taught to me by Alaric," Hermione said with an admiring smile. "I also admire his research on spells!"
"No, not just anyone can use such tactics," Alaric interjected beside her, he was very happy for Hermione.
"Professor Flitwick," he turned to the wizard, "how long does it take you to cast a Disarming Charm?"
"I haven't timed it, but I can try."
Professor Flitwick took out his wand and cast a Disarming Charm at Alaric.
Alaric casually waved his cloak, and the Disarming Charm was deflected.
"Oh, I envy him for that," Hermione muttered admiringly from the side.
"But no matter how hard I try, I can't seem to learn it."
"That's because your mastery of the Shield Charm isn't enough," Alaric criticized, then turned to Professor Flitwick.
"The Disarming Charm just now took approximately 0.6 seconds."
"I'm getting old," Professor Flitwick sighed. "When I was younger, my casting speed was faster than this."
"Ah, yes. But Hermione's casting speed for the Disarming Charm is only 0.4 seconds, and I believe she can go even faster," Alaric remarked.
The professors finally realized that Hermione was much more powerful than they had imagined.
They finally began to believe Alaric's words—that Hermione could indeed win the championship of the International Wizarding Dueling Tournament.
The second day arrived quickly.
From today onwards, Hermione would face opponents who weren't as easily dealt with as those on the first day.
Her first opponent was also quite young, a tall boy of about seventeen or eighteen, dressed in a blood-red uniform. Alaric could tell it was a school uniform.
"That's the Durmstrang uniform," Professor Flitwick explained.
"It's a magic school located in Northern Europe, with a tradition of focusing on dueling and combat magic since the Middle Ages.
These two subjects are still essential courses at the school today. So students from Durmstrang are frequent participants in the International Wizarding Dueling Tournament."
"I don't like that school," Professor McGonagall's tone turned cold, sounding displeased.
"Not only does this school strongly discriminate against Muggles, but it still teaches students Dark Magic to this day. I don't understand why."
"I think it's a smart decision," Alaric disagreed.
"This world isn't as safe as we imagine. Whether to use Dark Magic should be left to the discretion of wizards, but they shouldn't be completely ignorant of it.
Professor Dumbledore, for example, was a master of Dark Magic, wasn't he?
I believe Hogwarts should offer a Dark Magic course. The current Defense Against the Dark Arts curriculum, with its incomplete and secretive nature, is just foolish."
Professor McGonagall was somewhat unhappy, but she had to admit that Alaric made sense.
The Durmstrang student on the arena was indeed a skilled duelist.
He didn't panic due to Hermione's fast spellcasting; instead, he calmly blocked each of Hermione's attacks with Shield Charms.
However, Hermione immediately changed tactics.
She summoned a flock of birds in front of her opponent using Transfiguration.
The birds constantly swooped at the Durmstrang wizard, forcing him to flee with his head in his hands—he didn't know how to deal with this situation.
At this moment, Shield Charms became useless, but he couldn't think of any spells to dispel the annoying birds.
"Use Fiendfyre, Sonorus, anything, get rid of them quickly, you idiot!" A middle-aged wizard in a brown-red robe in the audience shouted angrily.
Clearly, he should be a teacher from Durmstrang Magic School.
However, his reminder came too late.
"Colloshoo!"
Hermione cast a Stickfast Hex, easily sticking her opponent's feet to the ground, causing him to fall flat on his face as he attempted to run.
Then, Hermione used a Dangling Jinx to hoist the Durmstrang wizard upside down.
"Miss Granger, your application of Transfiguration is truly remarkable!" Professor McGonagall exclaimed from the sidelines.
She was referring to the spell Hermione used to summon the flock of birds.
In this world, summoning substances, changing the form of substances, or making substances disappear all fell under the category of Transfiguration.
Then, Professor McGonagall continued the earlier debate.
"Don't you think Dark Magic corrupts the soul?"
"Except for the Unforgivable Curses, I haven't heard of any Dark Magic that corrupts the soul," Alaric shook his head, opposing.
"As for the aspect of magic corrupting the soul, only excessive use of the Killing Curse leads to soul fragmentation in the user, which is an accurate example.
But rumors of other magic corrupting people are just that—rumors."
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