In the Harry Potter world, Rowan Mercer noticed something unusual that morning while passing through the castle hall. A crowd of students had gathered around the notice board, buzzing with excitement.
Pinned at the center was a fresh parchment.
Tonight at eight o'clock, the Duel Club will reopen in the Great Hall. Professors will instruct students in practical magical combat.
Rowan paused to read it twice.
The Duel Club had once been a staple at Hogwarts. According to school lore, Professor Flitwick himself had been undefeated during his student days. Even older students struggled to beat him in one-on-one duels. Eventually, the club was shut down after injuries became too frequent and the hospital wing was overwhelmed.
Its return now was no coincidence. With the Chamber of Secrets reopened and students under threat, the staff clearly wanted to give everyone a better chance at self-defense.
A good opportunity to observe, Rowan thought.
Most of his spell usage had come from experimentation and instinct. In real fights, he still leaned heavily on his other abilities, using magic as support. If he intended to rely on magic as his primary weapon in the future, learning proper dueling technique mattered.
That evening, Rowan arrived at the Great Hall with the first-year Slytherins.
The room had been transformed. The four long house tables had been pushed together into a raised, gold-trimmed platform. Hundreds of floating candles illuminated the space, while the enchanted ceiling shimmered like dark velvet. Nearly the entire school had turned up, every student gripping a wand, faces alight with anticipation.
As speculation rippled through the crowd about which professor would lead the club, two figures stepped onto the platform.
One wore flamboyant purple robes and a dazzling smile. The other was dressed head to toe in black, his expression cold enough to freeze the air.
Gilderoy Lockhart and Severus Snape.
Lockhart immediately launched into a self-indulgent speech, praising his own dueling prowess and casually introducing Snape as his "assistant." Snape's expression darkened by the second.
Rowan suspected that if there were a ranking for staff members who despised Lockhart, Snape would be near the top. Under different circumstances, Rowan wouldn't have been surprised if all three Unforgivable Curses crossed Snape's mind.
Lockhart, blissfully unaware, proposed a live demonstration.
They took their positions on opposite ends of the platform. At the third count, both raised their wands.
"Expelli—"
Lockhart didn't finish.
A red bolt slammed into him, blasting his wand from his hand and sending him flying backward into the wall. He slid down in a heap.
"So fast," Rowan muttered.
The Disarming Charm was a second-year spell and a staple of wizarding combat. Rowan had only recently managed to cast it reliably. What Snape demonstrated was on another level entirely.
Minimal wand movement. Near-instant casting. Seamless follow-through.
Snape hadn't even stopped moving after the spell. His wand was already positioned for the next one. Lockhart simply hadn't lasted long enough to require it.
Lockhart staggered back to his feet, straightened his robes, and smiled.
"Ah yes, a Disarming Charm. As you saw, I allowed that to happen so you could witness the effects firsthand. Had I wished to stop it, I easily could have."
Snape raised his wand slightly.
Lockhart immediately changed the subject.
"Now then! Pair up, everyone. Professor Snape and I will correct your mistakes."
Students eagerly climbed onto the platform. Rowan joined them. He had no expectations of Lockhart's guidance. His focus was Snape.
He was assigned a partner: a shorter first-year Ravenclaw.
"Matthew Flitwick," the boy said confidently. "I admire your academics and Quidditch skill, but dueling is my strength. I should warn you in advance."
Rowan smiled. "Good luck, then."
Matthew belonged to the Flitwick family and had trained early. While most first-years were still practicing basic charms, he could already cast the Full Body-Bind with precision.
Rowan wasn't concerned.
Even without magic, his reflexes alone were enough to evade most spells. Combined with his broader spell knowledge and constant practice, losing to a first-year wasn't likely.
He wasn't here to prove dominance.
He was here to refine himself.