Lockhart couldn't keep up the act for long and quickly shifted gears, launching into a full-blown dueling event to distract everyone from his earlier defeat.
He ordered the students to pair up and start practicing.
Despite being publicly humiliated just moments before, Lockhart acted as if nothing had happened. He strutted about the platform, still wearing his signature grin, striking dramatic poses and bragging to the students as though he'd planned everything.
"I let him win!" Lockhart proclaimed, puffing out his chest. "Whether you believe it or not, I do!"
For years, Lockhart had survived on delusion and charm—he wasn't about to stop now.
----------------------------
"Ding! Quest triggered:
[Challenge Streak – Green Tier]
You've finally got a chance to duel openly at Hogwarts. Time to show off your skills. Victory isn't enough—it needs to be flashy.
Objective: Win ten duels in a row.
Reward: 280 XP, Card Unlock – [Blueprint: Shadow Goggles (Green)]
----------------------------
Ted grinned. A quest popping up was the cherry on top of watching Lockhart get flattened.
"Alright, who should I start with?" he muttered under his breath.
"What did you say?" Hermione asked, raising an eyebrow.
Ted raised his voice. "I said—I'm up for a duel! Anyone brave enough to face me?"
Twenty or thirty students nearby heard that loud and clear.
The third and fourth years already knew who Ted was. He was active, loud, and always mixed into something strange. The fact that he was only a first year made his confidence borderline insane.
Third Year: Who does this kid think he is?
Ted: Just Ted. Remember it~
Third Year: You're awfully cocky!
Ted: If you're not cocky while you're young, when will you be?
The crowd murmured, and someone stepped forward—Terry Boot, Ted's own roommate.
Dueling the kid who just stole the spotlight? Too good to pass up.
Terry fired off a Jinx with a loud "Grin and Hula!"—a spell he made up that caused opponents to break into awkward dance moves.
Ted leaned slightly to the side, letting it zip past his ear. With a flick of his wand, he fired the same jinx back. Terry, stunned by the dodge, caught the return shot full-on.
He began uncontrollably tap-dancing in place until his wand slipped from his fingers.
"Ding! Defeated 2nd Year wizard Terry Boot. +12 XP."
Ted frowned. "That's all? Kinda cheap."
He turned back to the crowd. "Next!"
The second challenger barely got a spell out before Ted backflipped out of the way, sending the crowd into a frenzy.
Hermione ran over, eyes sparkling. "That was amazing! How'd you do that?!"
Ted whispered back, "Shhh… play it cool. Can't let 'em know it only works once or twice before I crash and burn."
Spell dodging wasn't just about reflexes—it was about reading your opponent before they even cast.
Ted's performance caught the attention of upperclassmen. Two third-years came up to challenge him, but Ted beat both easily.
Even the Weasley twins joined in.
Fred: "Don't say we're bullying you."
George: "We'll fight you together, fair and square."
Despite knowing more spells, their chaotic energy worked against them. One misstep and Ted had them dancing the can-can across the platform.
Next came the fourth years. Two of them had solid spellwork, but Ted was too quick. His reaction speed, battle instincts, and awareness far outclassed them.
Truth was, most young wizards had slow casting speeds, clunky gestures, and no combat experience.
If Snape had cast a disarming spell at him, Ted wouldn't be able to dodge it—he'd need a full layered defense. But against these students, it was like playing on easy mode.
He racked up win after win until the crowd thinned out. No more challengers.
Ted looked around. "C'mon, that's it? I just got warmed up!"
Lockhart clapped awkwardly. "Wonderful, Ted! Very inspiring. Now everyone else, find a partner and practice! Don't leave it all to one student!"
The crowd dispersed into smaller dueling pairs. Ted stepped back, watching the chaos unfold.
It was pure bedlam.
Spells flew in all directions. Explosions of color, noise, and occasional smoke filled the room.
Seamus accidentally turned a table into soot.
Ron's defective wand puffed out green smoke that made everyone around him gag.
Students were accidentally hexing one another, getting tangled in robes, and brawling like it was a schoolyard fight. One kid even used their wand as a baton to hit someone.
Neville's roommate caught a rogue Disarming Charm right in the face—nosebleed on impact.
Lockhart rushed over. "Don't panic! Press hard, it'll stop. I've got it!"
He tapped the student's face with his wand. The bleeding stopped, sure—but the kid's nose collapsed. Completely gone. Just skin.
"Ah—what have you done?!"
He now looked like a tiny, terrified version of Voldemort.
Ted stared, horrified and amazed. "Did he just cast… a Bone Pulling Hex?!"
Meanwhile, Hermione was struggling. She'd been grabbed in a headlock by Millicent Bulstrode from Slytherin, a brute of a girl built like a troll.
It looked like a wrestling match.
Ted glanced around. "Do I interfere? Nah… wait, yeah. I have to."
He whispered an incantation and subtly redirected Millicent's magic flow.
Millicent suddenly lost strength in her arms. Hermione twisted free and, with perfect timing, cast a Densaugeo Hex. Millicent's front teeth grew nearly ten centimeters in an instant.
"Snape! Snape! Take over, would you? I have to get Dean to the hospital wing!" Lockhart shouted as he hauled the pale, noseless student away.
Snape smiled mockingly and raised his voice, cutting through the noise like a knife through parchment.
"Alright, enough of this farce! You're not dueling—you're rolling around like pigs in a puddle! Let's do this properly. I'll choose a few pairs myself!"
His eyes swept over the room, cold and sharp, settling on Ted, Harley, and the others with clear intent.
"Ah, yes," he drawled. "We still have the Boy Who Lived. Let's see how Longbottom holds up. Who wants to face him?"
As soon as he finished speaking, a third-year Slytherin boy stepped forward, wand in hand, looking eager.
"That's not fair!" Hermione shouted from the crowd.
Snape raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And what part of the world is fair, Miss Granger? Do you think your enemies will play by the rules? Besides, surely we can give the Boy Who Lived's friends a chance to shine."
Neville, clearly nervous, stepped onto the platform. His opponent towered over him, more confident but visibly tense.
Both of them stood awkwardly, their dueling stances stiff.
The duel resembled a turn-based RPG—clumsy wand flicks, traded spells, and plenty of missed shots.
Despite being at a disadvantage in technique, Neville had something his opponent lacked: determination.
After the fourth round, the Slytherin was clearly tiring, nerves and excitement draining him.
Neville, meanwhile, was still going strong.
In the seventh exchange, the Slytherin hesitated.
Neville spotted his chance and cast a Disarming Charm. The Slytherin's wand flew out of his hand and clattered across the floor.
The crowd erupted.
Ted, Harley, Hermione, and others jumped up, cheering wildly.
Snape scowled. "Next match. Jerry, you're up. Zabini, you're his opponent."
Zabini, a skilled duelist like Ted, stepped forward. The two circled each other with sharp movements, but Jerry had the upper hand.
He moved like a rogue from World of Warcraft—quick, slippery, always dodging just before the spell hit. His attacks came like arrows from a ranger's quiver, precise and relentless.
Less than a minute in, Zabini was hit with a full-body bind.
He stiffened and collapsed like a log.
Snape's expression soured. Another Slytherin, down.
"Harley Potter," he muttered darkly. "Malfoy, you're next."
Harley stepped up confidently, flashing a sly grin. Malfoy, on the other hand, looked pale but resolute.
Before they could start, Lockhart burst in, striking a dramatic pose.
"Ah! Back in action, I see! Brilliant! Carry on—duels are excellent for the reflexes!"
The duel began. Malfoy fired three spells in a row—one missed, one fizzled, and the third deflected off Harley's shield.
She retaliated with a strong Impediment Jinx, sending Malfoy stumbling back.
Her follow-up spell, Knockback Jinx missed by inches as Malfoy rolled aside, sweat beading on his brow.
It was clear he'd been training, but Harley's relentless pressure forced him closer and closer to the platform's edge.
Desperate and embarrassed, Malfoy shouted, "Serpensortia"
A summoning spell.
From the tip of his wand, a long, black snake burst forth, thick as a grown man's arm, glistening with dark magic.
It hit the platform and slithered toward Harley, hissing.
The crowd screamed and stumbled back. S
nape immediately raised his wand.
"Frost Nova!" Harley shouted, casting a spell Ted had shown her during one of their multi-world practice sessions
. A circle of frost exploded from her feet, covering the platform in a thin sheet of ice and halting the snake in its tracks.
The serpent hissed, confused but still coiled, glaring at Harley.
Malfoy exhaled, thinking he had turned the tide.
But Lockhart, seizing the moment for glory, jumped forward.
"Allow me! Petrificus—uh, Maximus!"
His spell struck the snake—but instead of freezing it, it enlarged it.
The once-snake was now a python, three times its original size and twice as angry.
It roared (or as much as a magical snake can) and lunged—straight toward Ginny, who had been near the platform.
Ted, Harley, and Snape all raised their wands. But before they could cast, Neville stepped forward and hissed—literally.
A strange hissing sound left his lips, soft and sharp.
The python froze.
Then, slowly, it coiled itself neatly on the ground, glaring at Neville with docile eyes.
The entire room fell silent. Even Snape was stunned.
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Word count: 1599
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