Higgs nodded, giving a small bow before adopting a classic dueling stance. Charles, however, deviated from tradition, positioning himself more like a fencer in a Muggle duel. One foot forward, the other back, with slight bounces to keep himself mobile. His wand was held horizontally in front of him as he stared intently at Higgs, his determination clear.
Alex watched from the sidelines, his arms crossed and a faint smirk on his face. "Let's see if you've really learned anything, Charles."
"Stupefy! Expelliarmus!"
Higgs took the lead in the duel, his wand flashing as he fired two spells in rapid succession. The timing between them was nearly seamless, showcasing why he was the top student in Slytherin. The spells streaked through the air, aimed directly at Charles, their speed almost blinding.
Charles reacted quickly, his instincts honed through countless hours of training. As soon as he sensed the magic forming, he anticipated the trajectory of Higgs' attacks and sidestepped the stunning spell. The second spell, the Disarming Charm, was deflected with a flick of his wand, sending it harmlessly into the air.
Higgs' expression shifted, his initial air of superiority vanishing. He narrowed his eyes, raising a shimmering shield with the Protego charm to block Charles' retaliatory strike. In seconds, the duel escalated into a heated exchange of spells.
The air around them crackled with energy as they traded attacks, their wands moving in quick, practiced arcs.
At first, Higgs appeared confident, standing rooted in place like an unyielding fortress, firing spell after spell. However, it didn't take long for him to realize something was off. The younger wizard was incredibly nimble, weaving through his spells with ease. Charles' movements were unpredictable, and his counterattacks came fast and relentless.
On the other hand, Charles saw the duel from a different perspective. His heart had pounded with nerves at the start, but as the fight progressed, he noticed glaring weaknesses in Higgs' technique. While Higgs' spells were powerful, they were also rigid and easy to predict. They flew in straight lines, always aimed at where Charles stood rather than where he might move next.
"This is nothing like what Alex throws at me," Charles thought, his confidence growing with each dodged spell.
Higgs' approach was far too static, making him vulnerable. Charles seized the opportunity to press the attack, gradually closing the distance between them. His agility and quick thinking forced Higgs onto the defensive, and soon, the older student began to falter.
Beads of sweat formed on Higgs' brow as he instinctively took a step back, then another. He hadn't planned to move, but Charles' relentless pressure left him no choice.
Charles' eyes lit up when he saw Higgs retreating. 'Finally!' he thought. A moving target at a predictable pace was much easier to handle. Memories of practicing against moving dummies with Alex flashed in his mind.
Capitalizing on Higgs' momentary lapse, Charles unleashed a calculated sequence of spells: three rapid-fire shots aimed at Higgs' defenses. Without waiting to see the result, he rolled to the side, dodging Higgs' counterattack, and fired two more disarming spells from an angle.
Higgs blocked the first volley with another Protego, but the shield fizzled out just as the last two spells streaked toward him. With no time to react fully, he managed to deflect one with his wand, but the other hit him squarely in the chest.
The force sent Higgs stumbling backward, his wand flying from his hand and landing with a clatter on the ground—right at Charles' feet.Breathing heavily, Charles straightened up, staring at the wand in his hand. A victorious grin spread across his face. "I won! I actually won!" he cheered, turning toward Alex, who stood nearby with a stopwatch.
Vivian, watching from the sidelines, jumped up and down in excitement. "Charles, that was amazing! You were so cool out there!"
Alex, however, didn't look impressed. He walked over, arms crossed, and fixed Charles with a critical glare. "Why are you celebrating? That was sloppy."
Charles' grin faltered. "Sloppy?"
"Yes, sloppy," Alex repeated, holding up the stopwatch. "Your footwork was slower than it was last semester. And what's with your reaction time after casting a spell? Do you really need to stop and see if it hits before moving? Ridiculous. You could've cast four spells in the time it took you to cast three. What happened? Did you slack off during summer break? Don't tell me you ignored the training schedule I gave you."
Charles rubbed the back of his neck, his cheeks burning with embarrassment. "I, uh... I might've skipped a few days..."
"A few?" Alex snorted. "You're lucky Higgs' technique is predictable, or you'd have been on the ground within the first minute."
Vivian, who had been beaming moments ago, quieted down under Alex's stern words, though her cheeks were still flushed with pride for Charles. Meanwhile, Higgs sat on the ground, staring at his empty hand with a mix of frustration and disbelief.
Seeing this, Charles quickly stepped forward, offering a hand to help him up. "Here, take your wand," he said, handing it back with a polite smile.
Higgs accepted the wand, his expression softening slightly. "You're strong," he admitted. "I underestimated you. But I have to know... is Alex as good as you?"
"Good? Me?" Charles' face turned red at the compliment. "I'm not strong at all. Alex always says I'm weak. If it were him, the duel would've been over in seconds. I wouldn't even stand a chance."
Higgs' eyes widened at this. The idea that Alex, a fellow Slytherin, was leagues ahead of him was hard to process. He considered himself one of the best in his year, someone who could even hold his own against Wilkes. And yet, here he was, bested by Alex's protégé.
After a moment of silence, Higgs straightened up and turned to Alex with newfound determination. "If you can teach someone like Charles to fight this well, then I'm willing to support you. Whatever you're planning—count me in."
Charles blinked, confused by Higgs' sudden declaration. Vivian quickly recounted everything that had happened over the past two days. Charles listened intently, his expression darkening as anger flushed his cheeks. When she finished, he spun around to face Alex.
"That's outrageous! They're trying to form a new Death Eater group right here at Hogwarts. Alex, I'm with you. Let's take down those arrogant jerks together!" Charles exclaimed, his fists clenched.
Alex, however, remained calm, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "Relax, Charles. They're nothing but a bunch of clowns playing pretend."
He then turned to Higgs, his voice steady but commanding. "Senior, your job is simple. I'm not asking you to confront them directly. All I need is for you to clean up the mess after I deal with them."
Higgs' jaw dropped. "What? You're planning to take them all on by yourself? That's insane!"
"Trust me," Alex replied confidently. "I've been preparing for this. I'm more than capable of handling them. The real issue is that these so-called pure-blood extremists are already stirring up division within Slytherin. When the time comes, someone will need to keep the house stable."