Chapter -76.
What Dudley unleashed was actually the Lumos spell.
Even though Dudley might not have had a high level of magical power, after entering six meditation states, he managed to amplify his spell strength to an astonishing degree.
He could even use the Lumos spell to create an effect similar to a miniature sun.
"How dare you!"
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.
The young wizards under attack instinctively raised their wands and started casting spells.
But with their eyes temporarily blinded, they struggled to locate Dudley and began casting spells haphazardly.
Meanwhile, Dudley had already leapt out of harm's way with Hermione, enjoying the scene before him.
Gryffindor had formed a circle, and if they tried to cast spells, they would likely end up hitting each other.
The sounds of curses, tears, and cries blended together in a chaotic symphony. Luckily, these young wizards didn't know any powerful dark curses or advanced spells; mostly, their repertoire consisted of a few harmless prank spells, like the "Giggling Charm," that unfortunately caught a few nearby Slytherins.
Dudley strolled casually among the Gryffindor wizards, easily snatching their wands with a quick tug and playfully flicking each one of them on the head with his finger.
Those he touched would fly backward, but Dudley was careful enough to ensure they only suffered minor bumps—not life-threatening injuries.
Before long, Dudley had gathered a handful of wands and delivered a "big gift" to those young wizards, especially targeting a group of five whose heads were almost swollen like Buddhas. He also sent several waves of energy toward a few of them, which didn't aid their training; instead, it caused an uncomfortable sensation that flared up from time to time.
Dudley then collected the wands, grasped both ends, and snapped them apart, turning them into worthless sticks. Choices have consequences!
"What happened here?" Professor McGonagall rushed over, led by a young wizard, and upon seeing the sprawled students, she exclaimed in shock, "Who can explain this?" The young wizard guiding her was Neville.
"Mr. Dursley, can you tell me what occurred?" Though the scene was chaotic, Dudley's tall stature made him easy to spot. As the effects of the illumination charm began to fade, the Gryffindor young wizards started regaining their vision.
One of the five-member group, seeing his friends' unfortunate state and noticing the unharmed Dudley, felt a sharp pain in his swollen head and instantly became very angry.
Courage is a rare trait; too often, people act recklessly.
Fear can evoke not only terror but also anger, and anger can cloud one's judgment. Recklessness can lead to foolishness, a fact even Professor McGonagall, who stood next to Dudley, unconsciously overlooked.
"Gravitatis Dimittere!" Not every young wizard was like Harry and Malfoy, who only knew the few spells they learned in class; there were others in Gryffindor's first year who were self-studying spells, just like Hermione.
One of those was this young wizard, whose mediocre grades made him envious of Hermione's top scores.
Who was the second most disliked student in the school? Of course, it was this guy! Unfortunately, his spell had no effect on Dudley; not only did Dudley remain on his feet, he had purposely left his wand behind, creating the opportunity for the spell to be cast. Professor McGonagall's arrival was unplanned.
But that was okay; all Dudley wanted was to hear the next line: "You, how dare you!"
"Gryffindor, how dare you!" a calm yet piercing voice echoed.
Led by Malfoy, Professor Snape hurried over from the other side and caught sight of the chaos with the young wizards casting spells at Dudley.
Snape instinctively began to cast a spell, but someone was faster. A red spell hit Dudley's wrist, causing his wand to slip from his hand and fall to the ground. Professor McGonagall scolded sharply, "Hansel! Attacking a fellow student? Gryffindor loses 50 points!"
She was shaking with anger at Hansel's actions, resembling a furious lioness. This was the first time Dudley had seen Professor McGonagall like this, and even Snape was taken aback.
While Professor McGonagall often came across as serious and unapproachable, she was genuinely kind at heart. Any student with questions about Transfiguration could approach her freely, and she would take the time to help them. If a student displayed exceptional talent, they would inevitably seek her out during break times.
"Those who are injured need to go to Madam Pomfrey for treatment." Professor McGonagall directed the uninjured to assist the injured. It was fortunate that since these were merely first-year spells, even those who encountered particularly bad luck and got hit multiple times sustained less damage than Dudley's early "outbursts."
Professor McGonagall's stern voice rang out, "What exactly happened here?" Her commanding presence silenced even Snape, who rarely stayed quiet.
"Who can explain?" She was visibly upset to witness a student attacked, especially when the assailant was from their own house, all unfolding right before her eyes.
Her gaze landed on Dudley. "Mr. Dursley." Before Dudley could respond, one of the five-member group shouted, "Professor McGonagall, he started it! Dudley attacked us with a vicious curse—it has to be dark magic! Look at our broken wands and the injuries we have." She pointed to the bump on her head.
A classic case of the villain being the first to tell their side.
A typical instance of only presenting the aftermath without the context.
Still, many Gryffindors around them chimed in agreement.
"Mr. Dursley." Professor McGonagall's gaze turned back to Dudley, along with Snape's watchful eyes.
"Professor, I admitted to breaking the wand." As Dudley confirmed this, the faces of the Gryffindor students brightened; the cruel Slytherin was about to face consequences.
"Professor, see? He admitted it! Quick, punish him!" A freckled boy from the group shouted at Dudley.
"It's very rude to interrupt when someone is speaking," Snape shot the boy a cold glare. "I believe I know how to handle this, Mr. Ostrow; I am the professor here!" Professor McGonagall glared at Snape, her eyes returning to Dudley.
Dudley then continued, "I believe I'm the victim here; the Reversal Charm can prove that." The Reversal Charm is an investigative spell that reveals who has cast spells.
"You can check their wands as well as mine," Dudley said, looking a bit innocent yet slightly reluctant, as if feeling wronged but unable to express his frustration.
Professor McGonagall examined Dudley's wand and checked several of the broken wands. In the puzzling gaze of the Gryffindor students, she reached a conclusion: "Mr. Dursley hasn't cast any spells." Professor McGonagall's sharp gaze swept over the Gryffindors. "And why did you cast spells on a fellow student?" The wizarding world has its methods of determining guilt or innocence, and Dudley was far more adept at this than the group of young witches. Love to report first?
Do you have evidence?
***
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