Duel!

It had been some time since the last alchemy gala, and nearly all of Hogwarts had expressed envy for the seventh-years who had stolen the spotlight with their alchemy.

But beneath all that excitement, there were always people who noticed other things, like Harry.

He had noticed that ever since they had gone to Professor Kayson's office that day and learned that the true Dark Wizard hidden within Hogwarts was actually the timid, stammering Professor Quirrell.

Whenever Professor Kayson and Professor Quirrell were in the same area, an odd scent of gunpowder seemed to fill the air.

He did not know why. Maybe it was just his imagination.

"I always feel like Professor Kayson is picking on Quirrell. He does it all the time, whenever they're together," Harry said quietly to his four friends beside him in the library.

"Of course he is. A powerful wizard like Professor Kayson, someone who hates evil as much as he does, naturally wouldn't have a good attitude toward a Dark Wizard. That's perfectly normal."

Neville agreed.

"Everyone understands that. I just think Professor Kayson is an alchemist, and he's targeting Quirrell, a Dark Wizard, so much. What if one day he pushes Quirrell too far, and Quirrell assassinates Professor Kayson?" Hermione replied as she wrote her essay.

"Professor Kayson is amazing! He blew that troll apart with just one spell. Didn't you see it that day? It splattered all over the walls!" Neville immediately argued when he heard Kayson's combat ability being underestimated.

"Of course, I'm not saying Professor Kayson isn't powerful enough. But what if Professor Quirrell has even nastier curses, Dark Magic, things like that?" Hermione countered.

"Uh, Professor Kayson can use Dark Magic too. Before, in Knockturn Alley, he saved Hagrid when Hagrid was being harassed by Dark Wizards. He used some kind of skull spell to kill those three Dark Wizards," Harry added.

"That wasn't Dark Magic. How could Professor Kayson use Dark Magic?"

"But it was a skull."

"That still wasn't Dark Magic."

Harry looked at stubborn Neville and deflated. He did not know how to argue back.

"Uh... weren't we originally talking about Professor Kayson picking on Quirrell? How did we drift onto Dark Magic?" Ron suddenly joined the conversation, asking in confusion.

"..."

"..."

"..."

Kayson, one of the people involved in the whispered argument in the library, knew nothing about it. Still, he was soon able to answer their question.

Because during lunch in the Great Hall, just as Professor Quirrell finished eating and was about to leave, Kayson stood up at the same time.

The two of them collided head-on. Kayson was fine, but Quirrell was knocked straight onto his backside.

At that instant, he finally snapped. Not long ago, this well-dressed Professor Kayson in front of him had been rather friendly to him in the Professors' lounge.

Why was it that, ever since that Halloween, Kayson seemed to have suddenly become a different person? No, he had not exactly become a different person. He was still just as friendly toward the other professors, the young wizards, even Hagrid and Filch.

Only toward him...

Burning with rage, Quirrell pulled a handkerchief from his pocket so quickly that even Voldemort on the back of his head failed to react in time.

"I challenge you to a duel!"

Kayson tilted his head and reached out to catch the handkerchief as it drifted slowly toward him.

"Name the time."

"Tonight, in the Great Hall! In front of everyone, I'll defeat you!" Quirrell roared. Voldemort on the back of his head unusually did not stop him, seeming happy to let it happen. He wanted to use Quirrell to test the abilities of this newly risen alchemy professor.

"You're not stammering at a time like this? Fine, whatever you want. Set up the stage when the time comes, and remember to send someone to find me." Kayson tucked the handkerchief into his pocket and spoke casually.

"Hmph! Dumbledore, I-I would like to ask you to be the, the witness for this, this duel." Quirrell came to his senses and hurriedly resumed stammering, looking eagerly at Dumbledore, who was drinking a glass of lemonade.

"Oh... in that case, certainly. No problem." Dumbledore readily agreed.

"At dusk, in the Great Hall, before dinner. I'll be here... here waiting for you!" Quirrell glared at Kayson with red eyes and spoke viciously.

"Mm-hm."

Kayson shrugged, as though he had completely ignored Quirrell's strange shriek. He was considering whether he should give Quirrell a little lesson in manners.

But in the end, he said nothing. There were so many young wizards here, after all. It would not do to lead them astray.

Still, not insulting him did not mean he could not make a gesture.

Kayson moved with lightning speed, his momentum rising from below like Mount Everest suddenly appearing between heaven and earth.

He raised one long, straight middle finger directly at Quirrell.

Only then did Kayson turn and leave the Great Hall in satisfaction.

The little incident in the Great Hall ended quickly, while Quirrell, still furious, stormed back to his Defense Against the Dark Arts office.

"I might've expected this day to come, but I never thought it would come so soon. Really." Neville muttered indistinctly, half a piece of bread still in his mouth.

"No, I have to go to Professor Kayson's office!" Harry thought for only two and a half seconds before leaping to his feet and racing toward the stairwell at the side of the Great Hall.

"Hey, wait for us!" Neville hurriedly tossed aside his half-eaten bread. Hermione helplessly picked up Neville's Remembrall and the homework he had to hand in that afternoon.

Last was Ron, holding two fried chicken drumsticks. He claimed that Professor Kayson might not have eaten enough, so he was bringing him a little extra food.

That would have sounded more convincing if he had not already taken two bites from each drumstick.

After the four young wizards arrived at Kayson's office, they awkwardly discovered that... it was already packed to the brim. There were even people standing outside, and the entire corridor was filled with young wizards from third year and above.

The young wizards from all four Houses had never united so thoroughly in one direction before.

Ron also spotted his twin older brothers near the door with his sharp eyes.

"Professor Kayson! Professor! Just give the word, and we guarantee Quirrell won't make it out of his office!" one of the twins shouted loudly.

"Professor! The twins are useless! Look at me, I know Dark Magic!"

"Professor Kayson, I-I made a big treasure with alchemy by hand. I guarantee I'll give Quirrell one hell of an alchemy shock!"

"Professor Kayson—"

"Professor Kayson!!!"

"...Uh... can we even squeeze our way in?" Ron said, wiping his greasy, shiny mouth as the corner of his eye twitched uncontrollably.

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