Black vs. Snape

Professor Flitwick chuckled softly and turned his gaze to Professor McGonagall.

"I knew it."

Professor McGonagall sighed helplessly, stepped onto the stage, past Snape and Sirius Black, and tapped her wand against her throat. "Please be quiet."

A loud voice echoed in the Great Hall, drowning out the chatter below. Seeing that all the young wizards' attention was drawn, Professor McGonagall continued:

"Unlike the previous Dueling Club which were characterized by their distinct features, this Dueling Club will be demonstrated by Professor Snape of Potions Master and Professor Black Defense Against the Dark Arts. Their duels are more in line with the style of mainstream wizards."

The young wizards whispered among themselves.

"What do you mean?" Dean, a young wizard from Muggle family, asked in confusion, "Aren't Transfiguration and magical plants the mainstream fighting styles of wizards?"

Ron stared straight at the stage, not turning his head. "Let me put it this way, the ordinary wizards' Transfiguration is no match for Professor McGonagall's, and most people can't even apply Transfiguration to duels. Not to mention those dangerous plants, using them against enemies might just result in you getting hurt first."

"Yes, is that so..." Neville muttered.

He was very interested in the Herbology Class, and the fighting style that Professor Sprout had shown last time had piqued his interest, making him want to develop in that direction. However, after hearing what Ron said, he hesitated again.

Loren patted his chubby shoulder, which felt bouncy and pleasant to the touch. "If you want to learn, you can ask Professor Sprout for advice. Isn't the purpose of the Dueling Club to expose us to these things?"

"Be confident, Neville. Your dueling skills surpass many of your peers. You can boldly learn whatever you want."

Neville looked at Loren gratefully and nodded silently.

Professor McGonagall continued, "Everyone is skilled in different spells, and everyone has a different fighting style. I hope you can gain some understanding of real dueling from the demonstrations by the two professors and learn something useful."

"Now, please welcome our two advisors to give their lesson," Professor McGonagall said, dispelling the spell of her Amplifying Voice and giving the stage to the two professors.

With Professor McGonagall's warm-up, Snape no longer hesitated and stepped forward to take over the reins.

Sirius Black gritted his teeth, filled with resentment.

Damn it, he beat me to it.

There had been some quiet whispers from the audience, but within two or three seconds of Snape stepping forward, they all vanished. A tense solemnity permeated the silence.

Snape's gaze swept over the group of young wizards, and he spoke in a flat tone, "Duel, in times of peace and stability, the word has been adorned as a kind of elegant ritual, so much so that most of you do not know that centuries ago, a duel also meant—only one could survive."

His tone and manner were completely flat, yet the cruelty in his words seemed to blow a biting cold wind, causing the candlelight in the air to flicker uneasily.

The young wizards below the stage all shivered. Loren couldn't help but feel excited, knowing that it would be a high-level duel.

Hermione whispered, "I'm not so sure anymore. Maybe Professor McGonagall really should ask Madam Pomfrey for help."

Harry and Ron were also somewhat worried about Sirius Black.

"You've come here to learn the psychological warfare and subtle spells of dueling," Snape said in a low voice, just above a whisper, but everyone heard every word he uttered.

"Since there is no dripping blood and exposed bone here, many of you will not believe that such a battle exists. I do not expect you to truly understand the swiftness of seizing the opportunity and delivering a fatal blow. You will not know the beauty of using rhythm and toying with the enemy."

The graphic and bloody descriptions made the young wizards pale, and some of the quick-thinking ones immediately thought of some recent events.

Basilisk in the school, the Dark Lord denied by the Ministry of Magic, and the Werewolf' clandestine activities...

Many of the young wizards' expressions turned serious, and their breathing became slightly slower. Professor Snape's words made them feel somewhat uneasy.

Regardless, they vaguely realized that this duel demonstration would be completely different from the past, and they became even more focused.

Professor Flitwick leaned closer and asked in a low voice, "Minerva, isn't this going too far? Is it really necessary to go this far?"

Professor McGonagall gazed at the stage with a determined look. "Severus knows his limits, and the students also need to witness a real duel."

"But you must learn one thing, and that is how to save your lives in a crisis." Snape's tone shifted, a mocking smile curving his lips. "I'm sure your Professor Black will provide you with a good example."

"Wow!"

The young Slytherin wizards listened with shining eyes. Was this their Head of House?

So arrogant, so outrageous, I love it.

Sirius Black's eyes became even more bloodshot with anger. He wanted to say something to overpower Snape's momentum, but couldn't think of anything for the moment.

Standing up somewhat dejectedly, Sirius Black said angrily, "We don't know who will win or lose yet!"

In the blink of an eye, the two completed their dueling ritual, bowed to each other, took seven steps back, turned around, held their wands upright in front of them, and stood facing each other.

The students below unconsciously slowed their breathing, as if afraid of disturbing the two people on the stage.

"Closer distance..."

"Close-quarters rapid attack..."

Harry and Ron kept talking about it.

Loren blinked, activating his Magic Sight.

At this moment, Snape and Sirius Black were surging with powerful Magic Power. Snape's Magic Power was a cool, dark green, tinged with a hint of chill. Sirius Black's Magic Power was bright red.

In terms of sheer power, Snape's Magic Power was more potent.

Sirius Black was very talented, but the gap between him and others is likely due to the impact of the ten years in Azkaban.

Snape remained cautious, showing no intention of striking first. Strike first doesn't always guarantee an advantage; it can also create openings.

He knew that the other side would be the first to lose their composure.

Sirius Black stared at the opposite side, wanting to teach Snape a lesson he hadn't lost his composure. His mind raced back to discussing tactics with Harry ... close combat... grappling... a fast break...

It must be said that Harry inherited James's dueling talent, and at a young age he figured out the right strategy.

Having been imprisoned in Azkaban for ten years, he has been affected in many ways. His spellcasting speed, spell power, and even his combat instincts have become somewhat rusty, and he probably wouldn't stand a chance in a prolonged battle.

If he were to exchange spells with Snape, he would definitely be at a complete disadvantage, falling into Snape's rhythm trap, being toyed with, dragged out until he exposed a weakness, and ultimately having his fighting ability dispelled in one blow.

You have to fight, only by fighting can you win.

Sirius Black did not hesitate any longer and used Disarming Charm to begin the duel.

This spell had no intention of being effective. Regardless of whether Snape defended or dodged, Sirius Black wanted to take this opportunity to close the distance.

Snape's eyes remained expressionless, his lips still curled in a lukewarm sneer as he stared intently at Sirius Black's movements.

Without giving him any chance, he deflected the spell the instant it was about to hit him. At the same time, he retaliated with a spell that landed a body length in front of Sirius Black, shattering his hopes of closing the distance.

Once the battle begins, it's hard to slow down.

Sirius Black launched a desperate attack, trying to create a gap in Snape's defense so that Snape could close the distance.

Snape, however, remained remarkably calm, as if he had anticipated Snape's thoughts, and his defense was impenetrable. Occasionally, he would seize an opportunity to retaliate with a few spells, effectively sealing off Snape's path.

Both sides tacitly refrained from using powerful spells and tried to avoid the direction where the young wizards were.

Various defensive, offensive, and Disarming Charm tore through the air with a piercing buzzing sound. The spells flowed endlessly, like a summer downpour. The spells clashed, their Magic Power energy surging and dazzling. The young wizards watched with exhilaration.

Harry and the others were so engrossed in the conversation that they unconsciously clenched their fists.

Occasionally, a spell would splash off the stage, only to be stopped by Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick, eliciting gasps from the nearby young wizards.

The situation reached a stalemate, Ron urged impatiently, "Get close! Close the distance! Why are you resorting to magic spells?"

"We can't close the gap," Loren explained softly. "It looks like Sirius Black is launching a preemptive attack, but actually both sides are on the offensive. We must concentrate all our attention on the spell's attack and defense."

Harry didn't speak, his lips pressed tightly together.

Sirius Black's breathing quickened. His attack had failed, and he could no longer maintain the high intensity of his spellcasting.

Sirius Black planned to slow down, regroup, and then launch an attack...

The frequency of the spell's release decreased, and Snape, as the opponent directly facing the spell, immediately noticed the reduced pressure.

Snape's smile widened, just as he had said before the battle began: use rhythm, outmaneuver the enemy, seize the opportunity, and strike a fatal blow.

You can't hold on any longer, and I haven't even used my full strength yet... Now it's time to toy with the other side.

A Binding Charm passed through the central area of combat and landed at Sirius Black's feet, making a soft clattering sound.

Sirius Black was slightly sweating, suddenly felt a chill and his whole body went cold... Oh no, he had already launched an attack so far that he couldn't afford to slow down.

He slowed the frequency of his spellcasting, allowing Snape's spells to break through his defenses. The roles reversed; he became the one on the offensive, the one who needed to defend.

Forced to maintain a high frequency of spell battles, Sirius Black's heart sank lower and lower. He gradually realized that Snape had seen through his intentions from the very beginning, going along with his ideas to cater to the fast-paced rhythm, and then stalemate the fast-paced attack.

The battle has reached this point, and neither side can back down. Snape is simply in better shape; he can maintain this high-frequency exchange of attacks, while Sirius Black cannot.

As he struggled to keep up, Sirius Black found himself falling behind. He couldn't defend against all the spells, only block those he couldn't dodge.

The young wizards in the audience slowly began to notice something amiss. Although the two sides were exchanging blows and spells, the two professors' expressions were somewhat different.

Professor Snape appeared completely at ease, his movements swift yet elegant, with a hint of mockery. Professor Black, still had beads of sweat on his face, his brow furrowed, his anxiety barely concealed.

"Professor Snape is going to win."

"I thought Professor Black would win; his initial attack was so fast."

The young wizards whispered among themselves.

The number of spells that allow us to break through the defenses is increasing. We can't continue like this; we'll lose sooner or later.

Sirius Black's eyes flickered, and an idea suddenly popped into his head. Driven by pressure, he put it into practice without much thought.

"[Bat-Bogey Hex] "

Interspersed among the many spells was a special one: a dim yellow spell that shot out, and judging from its Magic Power light, it was not a powerful spell.

The moment Snape saw the curse, a surge of anger rose in his blood, and memories that had been sealed away resurfaced.

Back in my distant student days, the same curse struck me; I was hung upside down in mid-air in front of a crowd of students...

James Potter, Sirius Black Black... it's still the same people.

Mockery... humiliation... anger...

"How dare you! How could you dare!"

"How dare you cast this spell in front of me!" Snape's wand trembled slightly with rage.

Sirius Black seized the moment when his attack slowed down, instantly activating his Animagus and transforming into a robust black dog.

Using the animal's sudden burst of speed, it charged forward despite being hit by several spells.

As the black dog suddenly attacked, an invisible blade gathered on Snape's wand...

Snape had a lot of ideas flashing through his mind: if he could release it from this angle, he could cut the dog in half.

This is Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I can quickly unleash a counter-curse, and Madam Pomfrey is always ready to respond, so there won't be any irreversible consequences.

It will also show these young wizards what a real duel is like, and the blood and flesh will teach them to grow.

A win-win situation...

Snape had no time to think and unleashed a series of control spells, casting them even faster than during their previous exchange of blows.

Petrify, repel, repel, powerfully repel...

The black dog's attack failed. After losing its ability to move, it was hit by a series of Repelling Charm and was sent flying by the impact, crashing into the walls of the Great Hall with a dull thud.

Sirius Black!

Harry exclaimed in surprise and quickly pulled Ron to the wall to check on Sirius Black.

Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick exchanged a glance, not too worried. They had seen the spell that struck Sirius Black and knew it wouldn't cause serious injury.

Snape stood on the stage for a moment, then took a deep breath. The cool air rushed into his lungs, freeing him from the grip of anger.

He recalled his actions just now, and he didn't know why he didn't release the Sectumsempra, but subconsciously switched to a series of control spells instead.

Coming to his senses, Snape nodded to the young wizards below the stage, then left without saying a word.

We won!

"Long live Professor Snape!"

The young Slytherin wizards erupted in enthusiastic cheers.