[Chapter Size: 1500 Words.]
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"Mr. Potter, what are you doing?"
Draco had yet to respond to Harry's provocation when another stern voice interrupted.
It was Professor Minerva McGonagall, Head of Gryffindor House.
Harry held deep respect for Professor McGonagall because she was a serious and responsible teacher, both inside and outside the classroom.
Although she was strict, and many young wizards feared her, Harry knew she genuinely cared for her students. Of course, one could not ignore the fact that his positive impression of her might have been influenced by the Nimbus 2000 she had gifted him.
Today, Professor McGonagall wore a light blue robe with golden stripes, making her appear less severe than usual. However, the moment she put on a stern expression, all the young wizards fell silent.
She stepped between Harry and Draco, glanced at the two boys, who had shrunk like frightened quails, shook her head, and said, "Wizard duels are extremely dangerous. Even though you're only first-years with limited magical skills, you're still vulnerable without proper supervision."
"Professor McGonagall, I don't mean to challenge your perspective, but I believe you're overreacting."
A deep voice interrupted.
Severus Snape, dressed in his usual black robes, appeared beside Draco. His greasy hair, seemingly unwashed for days, carried the faint scent of potions.
"Even though they're only first-years, they're still wizards. Duels are sacred and serious. Shouldn't we offer them some support and maintain due respect for tradition? You often say so yourself, don't you, Professor?"
Snape showed a hint of respect toward Professor McGonagall, but when he turned to Harry and Ron, his gaze was filled with cold indifference.
As he studied Harry's face, a flicker of an unreadable emotion crossed his eyes before transforming into a deep scowl.
"At the very least, we can observe from the sidelines. I believe that if you and I keep watch, nothing truly dangerous will happen. What do you think?"
"Severus, do you really think this is a good idea?" Professor McGonagall frowned but neither agreed nor outright rejected Snape's suggestion.
"I do. Even though this is no longer an era of chaos, it might not be a bad idea for children to learn how to fight early. You're quite the expert in dueling, aren't you? I imagine you could provide some valuable guidance." Snape remarked, his tone subtly flattering.
"Well... since Severus insists..." Professor McGonagall hesitated for a moment, her brows furrowing before she finally nodded. With a small gesture of her finger, she summoned someone.
In an instant, a house-elf appeared beside her, bowing deeply.
"What do you need, Deputy Headmistress McGonagall?" the elf asked in an exceedingly respectful tone.
"Dalek, please prepare this space. There will be a duel here shortly. You may return after it's over," she instructed simply.
"As you wish."
With another bow, Dalek vanished as suddenly as he had appeared.
The very next moment, the four long house tables and their benches silently disappeared. In their place stood a tall, elongated platform at the center of the hall. No one knew what it was made of, but it was covered in a deep red carpet, with staircases on either side leading up to it.
Professor McGonagall nodded approvingly before turning her gaze to Snape.
"Thank you for your support, Professor McGonagall." Snape gave a slight bow, then turned to Harry and Draco.
"I don't believe an assistant will be necessary. This will be a one-on-one duel. Dropping your wand, fainting, falling off the platform, or voluntarily surrendering will all count as losses. Originally, duels could end in death, but since this is a school, Professor McGonagall and I will ensure no such thing occurs. Do either of you have any objections?"
Draco, his wide eyes blinking rapidly, seemed utterly bewildered by how things had escalated so quickly.
Harry, too, felt a headache coming on. This was far from what he had expected.
He had only wanted to put Draco in his place, assuming that Malfoy would never dare to accept a real duel.
And if Draco had intended to lure him somewhere isolated for an ambush, well, open and honorable fights weren't exactly a wizard's way, especially not for the Malfoy family.
After all, the name Malfoy still carried a strong legacy of tradition.
But neither Harry nor Draco had anticipated that Professor McGonagall and Snape's intervention would change everything.
It seemed the duel was truly going to happen, in front of everyone.
While Harry and Draco were perplexed, the other students were thrilled.
A duel! A real wizard's duel! It had been far too long since Hogwarts had seen something like this.
Not to mention, the duel was between Harry Potter, the most closely watched student at Hogwarts at the time, and Draco Malfoy, a direct descendant of one of the oldest pure-blood families in the wizarding world.
This duel was bound to be interesting.
The human tendency to seek entertainment and revel in excitement does not change simply because one is a wizard. In fact, at this moment, that trait was vividly reflected in the young witches and wizards gathered around.
Students who had been preparing to leave after dinner, to nap, read, study, play, fall in love, or engage in any other complicated activities, immediately gathered around.
Of course, some students did leave, but not because they wanted to miss out on the excitement. Instead, they rushed off to call their friends and invite more people to watch. After all, what fun was such a thrilling event if you experienced it alone?
In just a minute or two, nearly a hundred people had assembled in the Great Hall. Considering that Hogwarts only had about three hundred students, this was a significant turnout.
And it wasn't just the students eagerly awaiting the spectacle by the edge of the dueling stage. Harry even spotted Professor Flitwick in the crowd. Though small in stature, the Charms professor was always an engaging presence in class, and at this moment, he looked even more excited than many of the students.
"Hurry up, Draco, and Mr. Potter, don't waste everyone's time." Snape's cold voice cut through the murmurs. "Or, Mr. Potter, are you afraid?"
Harry's temper flared instantly.
"That greasy old bat! As if it weren't enough for him to torment me during class, now he's looking for an opportunity after hours? Does he really think Draco can defeat me?"
With that thought, Harry immediately climbed the steps to the platform.
At the sight of this, the Gryffindor students erupted into cheers, their applause loud and enthusiastic. The girls' voices, in particular, rang out the loudest.
Draco's current emotions could be summed up with an old saying: "Riding a tiger and unable to dismount." He hadn't really wanted this. A public and transparent duel under the watchful eyes of everyone was the last thing he had in mind.
But under the icy gaze of his Head of House, he knew he had no way out.
Snape was certainly more lenient with Slytherin students than with those from other houses, but Draco had no doubt that if he backed out now, the professor would ensure he paid for it.
Of course, Snape wouldn't punish him directly, he wouldn't need to. A mere glance at the senior students or the Slytherin prefects would be enough. Draco could already imagine how miserable the next few days would be if he refused.
Gritting his teeth, he stepped onto the dueling platform from the opposite side. His mind quickly sifted through the magic he had been practicing lately, and as he did, his confidence began to return.
Sure, Potter is famous, and he gets good grades in class, but he was raised by Muggles.
He never had a chance to study magic before coming to Hogwarts.
So, logically speaking, his magical abilities should be weaker, right?
Draco reassured himself.
Had Slytherin shared Charms and Transfiguration classes with Gryffindor, perhaps Draco wouldn't have felt so confident after seeing Harry's performance in those subjects.
Neither Professor McGonagall nor Snape knew what the other was thinking at that moment. After exchanging glances, Professor McGonagall stepped onto the platform, assuming the role of host and judge.
"Well then, Mr. Potter, Mr. Malfoy, take your wands." Professor McGonagall led the duel proceedings. "First, bow!"
Draco, coming from an ancient wizarding family, was well-versed in proper dueling etiquette.
Harry, though he had never participated in a wizard's duel before, had learned a great deal about them this semester. He could be considered someone with at least a basic understanding of the rules.
The two boys stepped toward the center of the platform, facing each other. Holding their wands aloft, they gave a slight bow before turning and walking away.
After taking five steps, they turned back around and bowed once more.
At that moment, the duel officially began.
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