"She can't possibly stand up and join in, can she?"
Wouldn't that make it look like she's targeting Cro?
Cassandra bit her lip, glaring at Cro's back with annoyance.
If she didn't know Cro, she would be proudly standing in the middle of the circle right now.
"Oh? Our half-blood mud... actually joined in? Are you begging to get beaten up?"
Malfoy was about to insult Cro when he felt Snape's cold gaze on him, forcing the words back down his throat.
"Beaten up? Hmm, I see, if that's your request, I'm happy to oblige. As a reward, I'll make sure to give you a good beating later."
Before Malfoy could retort, Cro patted him on the shoulder, his face full of mock sincerity.
"No need to thank me. I'll make sure to beat you to a pulp later. Don't worry, such a polite child, truly worthy of the Malfoy family."
Malfoy opened his mouth, wide-eyed in shock. He wanted to say something, but Cro's words left him speechless. If he argued back, it would seem like he was admitting that Malfoy children weren't well-mannered.
Clenching his fists, Malfoy glared at Cro with hatred.
Cro didn't bother with Malfoy anymore, shaking his head in disappointment. What a missed opportunity to farm treasure chests. Unfortunately, Malfoy had already hit his limit for today.
"Everyone can attack each other, or team up to take down one person. Whoever is left standing in the circle will be the hidden prefect!"
"As soon as you're ready, we can begin!" Gemma Farley's words had barely left her mouth when the little snakes in the circle scattered, quickly surrounding Cro. Wands of various designs were pointed directly at him.
Seeing this, Cassandra furrowed her brows, gripping her wand unconsciously, ready to intervene and rescue Cro at any moment. Snape, too, frowned but didn't step in. After all, the rules allowed alliances, which aligned with Slytherin's philosophy—doing whatever it takes to achieve one's goals.
"Oh? So, this is a duel?" Cro drew his wand, scanning the crowd with amusement. These people would be valuable sources for his treasure chests in the future. He had to give them a proper gift today, no matter what.
"A duel? Are you out of your mind? A half-blood dares to compete for the hidden prefect title? Do you not take us purebloods seriously?"
"Exactly! If a half-blood becomes hidden prefect, what's the point of us being purebloods? He's trampling on our pureblood pride!"
"Enough talking! Let's show this kid the difference between purebloods and half-bloods!"
As the crowd surrounding Cro muttered, sparks of light began to flicker from their wands.
Cassandra stood up, her face cold, gripping her wand tightly. She was about to stop the unfair duel when Cro spun his wand like a pen.
"Hold on, I wasn't finished talking. When I said duel, I meant me dueling all of you at once. One person or a group, it's all the same to me."
Cro smiled brightly. "But before we start, I have a little question to ask."
Malfoy and the others exchanged confused glances, taking a few cautious steps back.
"Either fight or get lost! A half-blood wants to fight us purebloods? Have you even figured out how to use that wand?"
"Don't worry about my wand skills," Cro chuckled, unfazed by the dozens of wands aimed at him.
"Do you guys like dancing? As purebloods, you must have been taught how to dance since you were kids, right? So, who's the best dancer here?"
Before they could answer, Cro continued, "Why don't you all show me? A little dance competition, perhaps? What do you think, Professor Snape?"
Cro glanced playfully at Snape. Before anyone could react, he twirled his wand, pale green light swirling around its tip.
"You dare!!"
"Tarantellegra!"
Snape's eyes widened, shouting at Cro to stop, but it was too late. The pale green light had already struck the bewildered Slytherins, and their bodies began to move uncontrollably.
In an instant, the entire Slytherin common room was filled with dancing snakes.
The scene left the older students watching wide-eyed in shock, and soon they began debating who had the best moves, paying no mind to whether Cro was using Dark Magic. This was Slytherin, where the ends justified the means. So what if it was Dark Magic?
Cro had achieved his goal, hadn't he?
Most of them were purebloods, and they knew that the so-called ban on Dark Magic only applied to ordinary people. How many powerful wizards in the magical world didn't know Dark Magic? Even among the Hogwarts professors, who didn't dabble in it?
Cro put away his wand, marveling at the "graceful" dance of the little snakes. He couldn't say they were bad dancers, just... each dancing to their own rhythm. One looked like a pig climbing a tree, another like a monkey stealing peaches.
"Truly worthy of pureblood families. What excellent dance skills! Right, Professor Snape?"
Cro admired their dance, his tone playful as he addressed Snape. The common room was filled with the terrified cries of the little snakes, and the lively discussions of the older students.
It was a good thing Slytherin's common room was deep underground. Otherwise, such commotion would have attracted quite an audience.
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T/N:
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