Beastly roars.
Clashing blades.
Although Transfiguration lacked the dazzling light and sound effects of spellcasting, the raw collision of muscle against muscle on the field carried a different kind of violent beauty.
That intensity was obvious just from watching Goyle and Crabbe at the sidelines, their faces flushed and necks straining, looking as though they were itching to jump in themselves and see who was stronger.
In fact, it wasn't only them. Several followers who had been practicing spells on the other side were drawn over as well, the excitement on their faces hardly any less than Goyle's group.
Even the witches led by Astoria had been attracted by the commotion.
But unlike everyone else, who was focused on the spectacle itself, Draco was thinking about something entirely different…
"Numbers. With your current magic, how many Transfiguration spells can you maintain?"
"But…"
Pansy tilted her head slightly, clearly thinking about how to answer Draco's question.
There was a reason Draco asked her.
Ever since he had begun deliberately cultivating his followers, this still-unnamed group had gradually developed clearer rules and a sense of hierarchy.
Among them, Pansy and Hermione, the two closest to Draco, naturally became figures second only to him in status.
In the eyes of these wizarding aristocrats, Hermione was neither a Slytherin nor a pureblood, not even a half-blood. Yet because of her relationship with Draco and Pansy, the followers no longer looked at Hermione Granger with suspicion.
Instead, as events unfolded one after another, they began to understand why Draco valued a Gryffindor witch who seemingly had neither background nor influence.
Because of that, Hermione slowly entered their field of view, and her presence came to be accepted.
In fact, perhaps it was because of this shift that Hermione began spending more and more time by Draco's side, eventually becoming one of them…
As for Pansy, there was no need to explain further. Even before Draco truly began paying attention to the group, Pansy had already devoted herself to it early on. Whether in public or private matters, she was unquestionably the second-in-command.
And since Pansy was genuinely passionate about this, there were many things Draco had to consult her about.
Not to mention that this Transfiguration-focused team was led by Pansy herself…
Just as Draco noticed some of the Transfigured creatures on the field beginning to show damage, Pansy's crisp, pleasant voice rang out.
"You mean how many times…?"
"Of course, I mean how many can exist on the field at the same time."
"At the same time?" Pansy frowned slightly.
Without special methods or preparation, commanding multiple Transfigured constructs in combat was nearly impossible.
The difficulty wasn't something that could be calculated as simple addition. Otherwise, wizards gifted in Transfiguration would practically be invincible.
Just protect yourself, summon thousands of constructs, and even Voldemort wouldn't stand a chance.
Of course, maintaining a certain number was still possible, and that was what Draco wanted Pansy to confirm.
"Taking time and combat effectiveness into account, I think everyone can currently maintain two to three at once. But doing that would probably leave very little magic in reserve."
"I see…"
"As for me, if it's not one of these flying miniature Thunderbirds, I could probably manage four."
Pansy held up four fingers in front of Draco.
At the end, she lifted her chin slightly and looked at him with an expression that clearly begged for praise. That adorable look earned her a pat on the head.
That scene made Hermione, who had noticed what was happening, grit her teeth. The hand holding her wand began to move faster and more urgently…
…
Pansy didn't notice Hermione's fierce, almost petulant glare. In fact, even if she had, it would only have made her feel more smug.
But right now, Pansy had no attention to spare for anything else.
Only after indulging herself did she finally voice the question that had been weighing on her for a long time.
"Draco… these training facilities and materials…"
"That's right. This is more or less the treatment newly recruited Aurors receive. From here on out, I'll be training you according to Auror standards. Of course, I've already cut out quite a few parts."
"I see. I'm not trying to stop you, but you do realize that if others were to find out about this…"
"Don't worry. At Hogwarts, we have the Room of Requirement. Outside the school, I'll use the Fidelius Charm. Aside from you few trusted Secret Keepers, there's no chance of this being discovered."
"Mm."
"Actually, I don't plan on telling everyone how to access the Room of Requirement either."
Even though Pansy knew Draco wasn't reckless, it was only after hearing this directly from him that she truly felt reassured.
Just as their quiet conversation ended, the Transfigured creatures on the field seemed to reach their time limit and shattered apart, reverting to their original forms.
And at that moment, unwilling to let anyone think she was slacking off, Pansy reluctantly returned to her team…
…
Seeing this, Draco stopped interrupting Pansy and the others' training and instead led Goyle and the rest to the other side of the room.
If Pansy's role was to lead the Transfiguration team, then Goyle and Crabbe were meant to be the ones charging at the front.
As for their training, Draco didn't feel comfortable leaving it entirely in Goyle and Crabbe's hands. He intended to personally oversee it himself.
Stopping in front of the targets, Goyle and the other followers all looked at Draco with burning anticipation.
It was no wonder they were so excited.
Ever since that match, everyone had seen just how terrifying Draco's mastery of magic truly was, especially his use of dark magic. It had left every Slytherin student both stunned and deeply envious.
It wasn't hard to imagine how thrilled they felt now, knowing that Draco would be teaching them personally…
...
If you'd like to support my work and unlock advanced chapters, you can follow me on P@treon.
[Upto 50 chapters ahead for now]
[email protected]/BlurryDream