Hannah dashed after the mouse. The instant her foot landed on the gravel, she knew—this wasn't Professor Lupin's handiwork at all. The sharp, tingling pain radiating through her soles was unmistakably Professor Holmes's style.
But she had no time to dwell on it. From the spot where her spell had landed moments before, a curse suddenly shot back at her.
Gasps erupted from the crowd behind her. Hannah dropped into a crouch just in time, narrowly dodging the spell.
Douglas caught everyone staring and drawled, "Didn't I warn you? The course is full of magical traps. The delayed spell-reflection charm is rather clever, don't you think?"
Ernie blurted out in shock, "Wait, so we can't just fling spells around? If we miss the mouse and hit a trap, we're the ones who get zapped?"
Hannah, relieved to be unharmed, scrambled to her feet and eyed the path ahead warily. Stories of last year's practical lessons—and the infamous Defence Against the Dark Arts obstacle courses—had taught her that anything designed by Professor Holmes would never be as simple as sore feet.
Cautiously, she crept over the gravel, reaching the spot where the mouse had perched on a stone. Nothing happened this time.
The mouse had already scampered onto the next rock and was now standing upright, staring at her.
Those beady little eyes—she could swear they had the same taunting glint as Professor Holmes himself.
Feeling absurdly mocked by a mouse, she raised her wand and shouted, "Stupefy!"
As soon as she cast the spell, Hannah ducked behind the nearest boulder, just in case another reflected curse came her way.
A few seconds passed. No spell struck back. But then, from the starting line, a chorus of students yelled, "Devil's Snare! It's Devil's Snare!"
By the time Hannah realized, snake-like tendrils were already slithering up from her feet, coiling around her and binding her tight.
Only then did she understand—the plant she'd seen earlier wasn't a crab cactus at all, but Devil's Snare disguised as one.
No one ever said Defence Against the Dark Arts would test your Herbology skills…
But as a Hufflepuff, if she couldn't handle Devil's Snare, it would be a disgrace to her Head of House.
She quickly relaxed, then tapped her wand to conjure fire. The Devil's Snare recoiled at once, slithering away.
Douglas turned to the others with a casual explanation, "Since we're close to the greenhouses, Professor Sprout was kind enough to lend us some fascinating magical plants…"
The students' eyes went wide. He was only telling them this now?
They peered at the course and, sure enough, spotted a variety of magical plants nestled between rocks or sprouting along the track.
"Those are Bouncing Bulbs under that stump—I nicked one during Potions class, tasted pretty good…"
"And that knobby stump is some sort of magical plant, too. I saw it in a sixth-year's essay once. No idea what it is, but I definitely wouldn't eat it…"
…
Douglas could only shake his head in exasperation. But really, that was just how most Hufflepuffs were.
Many of the magical plants on the course weren't even covered until upper-year classes. It was perfectly normal for these third-years not to recognize them all.
Of course, if Professor Sprout had picked them, they were never ordinary—each was at least a little dangerous. Fanged Geraniums, Gnarled Vine, and the like—all toxic or aggressive in their own way.
Sprout herself was curious to see if a challenge like this might inspire students to learn their magical plants more proactively.
Meanwhile, Hannah had wriggled free of the Devil's Snare and continued after the mouse.
With magical plants everywhere and the threat of spell-reflection traps, she moved with extreme caution—something that pleased Douglas. In unfamiliar territory, survival mattered more than catching the enemy. But a course designed by him would never be that simple.
As Hannah passed a man-sized boulder, she glanced back at its mossy surface. A chill ran down her spine—this wasn't a rock at all, but a stone statue.
And if she knew Professor Holmes, that statue was anything but decorative.
Sure enough, after she'd sprinted a few steps ahead, the statue sprang to life under a surge of magic, raising its stone sword and swinging at her.
The watching students gasped in amazement.
Hannah barely dodged the blow, stumbling forward as she muttered anxiously under her breath.
She swung her wand again, casting a Growth Charm at the statue's feet.
A burst of magic and the weeds exploded in size, tangling around the statue's legs and slowing it down.
But Hannah hadn't managed the spell's duration—soon the weeds grew beyond what she could control and promptly burst apart.
Seizing the moment, she dashed for the mouse, which was now taunting her from atop a fallen branch.
"Reducto!"
A Reductor Curse struck the branch. Her control wasn't perfect—the branch didn't shatter, just snapped in two.
But it was enough. The blast sent the mouse flying through the air.
Hannah gambled that the professor couldn't have set reflection traps everywhere, so she refused to waste the chance. She scrambled up the trunk and leapt, arms outstretched, trying to snatch the falling mouse.
But as soon as she set foot on the branch, a flash of red light shot toward her from straight ahead—
—and, in full view of everyone, Hannah's arms and legs snapped together, her body went rigid, and she toppled to the ground like a felled tree.
So familiar.
Whether it was Hannah lying flat on the ground, the crowd of students, or even the failing students sneaking glances from the sidelines, everyone was instantly reminded of last year's obstacle course.
With a wave of his wand, Douglas levitated both Hannah and the mouse out of the course.
After lifting the curse, he praised her, "Miss Abbott, for the first to go, that was an impressive performance… Next up, Justin…"
Pressed for time, Douglas didn't offer further commentary, but immediately signaled for the next student to begin.
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