Exchange Training

After entering March, the sky is always filled with clouds that are not very white, as if they were drawn by a child with a pencil.

Rainfall has decreased significantly, and the grass is no longer perpetually damp. The wet and muddy paths have also dried out considerably. However, the wind has picked up, and every time they come outside, the cold winds of late spring still sting their hands and faces.

Durmstrang's large ship was moored on the shore of Black Lake. Its slender masts and folded sails swayed incessantly in the wind, making a sound like an old man struggling to breathe. Its old hull, like a shipwreck, rocked with the waves, making one worry that it might disintegrate at any moment.

Several screws on the parking sign protruding from the side of the Ilvermorny bus were loose, swaying back and forth in the cold wind and making a creaking sound.

Aside from the young wizards, the Hogwarts postmen hated the cold, windy weather even more, spending all their time indoors in their sheds, huddled in their soft, cloth-lined nests. No owl wanted to go out and deliver mail in this weather, and even letters from afar couldn't arrive on time, as the strong winds always blew them off course.

After Herbology Class on Monday morning, Loren and Hermione took a break from their busy schedules to go to the Owlery and give the monthly letter home to the Hānhan.

The Spectacled Owl grumbled twice, flapped its wings, turned and flew into the sky, half of its feathers being blown about by the wind.

"The little Spectacled Owl has grown up and is now a reliable postman."

Loren peeked out for a while, but soon the cold wind made it impossible for him to open his eyes. So he sheepishly pulled his head back behind the little Witch and, like holding up a shield, pushed Hermione toward the enclosure.

Hermione wore a wide-sleeved magic robe. The chilly March wind blew the dampness and cold of the Forbidden Forest onto her face, making her robe flutter and raising goosebumps on her exposed skin.

Some owls have grown up, while others remain childish!

Hermione remained expressionless, her heart completely unmoved.

He even felt it was alright, at least this was Hogwarts School of Design, not Muggle City, otherwise, if a car drove through a puddle on the roadside, this person would probably push himself in front to block the mud and water.

Loren nestled behind her, half his face pressed against the girl's soft, fragrant back. The little Witch's curly hair was tossed about by the wind, strands brushing against her face and neck, tickling her slightly.

Monday morning was all outdoor classes. We just finished Herbology Class, and this class is about Care of Magical Creatures.

After passing the Greenhouse, we were close to the Forbidden Forest. The rustling sound of the treetops was the first thing we heard. Looking up, we saw Hagrid digging vigorously in front of his hut, seemingly clearing a plot of land to grow vegetables.

The young wizards who arrived before them gathered around a large cardboard box, chattering excitedly.

"I hope the Blast-Ended Skrewts won't be sent back to the factory..."

Loren muttered something and joined Hermione to take a look.

They were a group of fluffy black little creatures with flat, long, duck-like snouts, flat front paws like two shovels, and a small pouch on their bellies.

"Chirp!"

"Chirp chirp..."

The little guys looked up and blinked at the whole class, seemingly a little confused by the attention they received.

At first glance, it looks strange, but upon closer inspection, it's actually quite cute.

I think it's called Niffler, right?

Loren observed as he pondered.

Niffler are said to be gentle by nature, even affectionate towards their owners. However, they can destroy everything in their path in search of Winky objects, making them unsuitable as pets. Niffler can also become aggressive if provoked.

The book "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" recounts a case from a hundred years ago, when Gringotts ' security measures were not as tight as they are today. A clever Niffler once found a loophole and sneaked in, and it is said that the entire underground vault was almost emptied.

It is said that the Niffler was so heavy with gold coins that it could not walk, but it was unwilling to throw some away, let alone transport them in multiple trips. In the end, it was caught red-handed by the patrolling goblins and was recruited by Gringotts to become a security tester.

"My dear children, come closer!"

Hagrid called out to his classmates, "Many of you probably recognize them. These cute little guys are Niffler, usually found in mines. They love Winky things... Look, look!"

He tossed a gold coin into the box, and a Niffler suddenly leaped up and bit it, startling the little Witch who shrank back a few steps.

"These are really useful little treasure hunters!" Hagrid said happily. "We can have a lot of fun with them today. See them over there?"

He pointed to the large expanse of newly turned-up land, the very spot he had dug earlier, and said, "I buried a few gold coins. Two people per group, one Niffler per group. The group whose Niffler digs up the most gold coins will receive a prize."

"Take off all your valuables and then choose a Niffler."

"Get ready to let them go."

Once the treasure hunt officially began, the Niffler burrowed in and out of the ground as if they were in water, each one rushing to the classmate who had released them and spitting out the gold coins into their hands.

"Little guy, why don't you go look for gold coins?"

Loren scratched the chin of the Niffler in front of him, and the little guy squinted its eyes in comfort, rubbing affectionately against his hand.

"Chirp!"

"Could it be that you're hungry? Would you like a cookie?"

Hermione pulled out a chocolate chip cookie from somewhere, broke off a piece, and held it to the Niffler's lips.

The little guy sniffed a few times, then suspiciously opened his mouth and swallowed. His eyes immediately lit up. "Chirp!"

After eating three cookies in a row, the little guy, whether full or tired of them, wouldn't open his mouth no matter how much he was fed. He just stayed next to Loren, jumping up and down. When he got tired of playing, he would lie down in Loren's arms, turn over and expose his soft belly, blinking his bright black eyes at him.

What else can we do with it but knead it hard?

Hermione, standing next to her, was so envious she wanted to punch someone.

The bell rang in the Transfiguration classroom, signaling the end of class.

Hogwarts professors are very precise in managing class time, occasionally leaving early, and with the exception of a few Potions Master, they never extend class time. Professor McGonagall, as the Head of House of Gryffindor and the school's Deputy Headmaster, occasionally uses a few minutes before the end of class to talk about school affairs.

For example, students are reminded to stay away from the Quidditch Pitch for the time being, as it has been chosen as the venue for the third match of the Goblet of Fire Triwizard Tournament and is currently under construction.

Anyone who enters without permission is considered to be in violation of school rules.

Seeing the glint in the eyes of the young wizards below, their eager expressions blatantly displayed, Professor McGonagall pursed her lips. She recalled her conversation with Dumbledore not long ago and fell silent.

"Does the site construction need to be inspected...?" Dumbledore's eyes were deep and his face was unfathomable. "If we let the children know this, some brave students will volunteer to inspect it for us."

They really jumped into the pit on their own initiative.

Professor McGonagall pursed her lips, her expression returning to its usual blank. "Potter, Morgan, you two stay behind. The rest of you, class dismissed!"

Goodbye, Professor!

The young wizards scattered in the classroom. It was Thursday morning, and there were no other classes after Transfiguration. They were free until lunchtime and couldn't wait to start their new adventure.

Hermione slowly packed up her books, determined to stay as long as Professor McGonagall didn't bring it up herself.

Ron, sitting in the back, glanced at Professor McGonagall, then shrank back, clearly having the same idea.

Are there any other events?

Loren was puzzled, and slowly walked with Harry to the front of the lectern.

"You two come to the front too." Professor McGonagall glanced back and said softly, "As you probably already know, the Champion from the other schools are undergoing special training with their headmasters. There's still a long time before the Third Task, so I plan to give Harry some training as well."

This was originally Dumbledore's job!

Professor McGonagall paused for a moment before continuing, "It's a good thing that you're all involved. Harry can practice dueling with wizards of different personalities and experience different fighting styles. I can also offer some suggestions based on your individual performances and explain some dueling techniques and awareness."

Hermione nodded thoughtfully. It seemed that the Third Task was closely related to the duel.

"It's not just you few. This weekend I also met with Headmaster Fontana of Ilvermorny. I hope that the exchange between our two schools can spark some wonderful ideas."

"Hmm, the first duel practice was between Harry and..." Professor McGonagall's gaze swept over the three of them. Although the Duel Club had been discontinued, she still knew them fairly well after spending several years with them.

Loren is exceptionally talented but somewhat lazy, Hermione has solid theoretical knowledge but is too reliant on books in practice and lacks flexibility... Their strengths and weaknesses complement each other to some extent, and their dueling ability should be stronger Harry's.

"Harry and Ron, you go first."

The tables and chairs in the Transfiguration classroom were quickly moved to the wall, leaving enough space in the middle for them to work.

"[Stupefy]"

"[Expelliarmus] "

"[Petrificus Totalus] "

"[Expelliarmus] "

"..."

"[Expelliarmus] "

"..."

"[Expelliarmus] "

Ron hurriedly dodged the oncoming red beam of light, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw the Disarming Charm shatter a set of solid wood tables and chairs. His eyes twitched slightly.

I just want to swear.

Over the past few years, Harry and Ron have had several practice duels, with mostly similar results. In terms of spellcasting, Harry is far superior, but Ron always manages to hold his own by relying on anticipation and surprise attacks.

Until they were overwhelmed by the unreasonable Disarming Charm.

The result was similar this time.

"Alright, let's review the battle. From the result, Potter, you won, but I'd like to give even more credit to Weasley..."

Professor McGonagall's theory of wizard duels was similar to what Loren had heard Flamel say in the Fantasy Book. The basic points were casting speed, the strength of single-target spells, and the control of the rhythm of the battle, including the timing of attacks and the movement to dodge. However, there were some differences in the details.

Professor McGonagall prefers to use Transfiguration in battle, which requires her to be calmer during combat, to remain rational at all times, and to have precise control over Transfiguration.

This kind of teaching was very inspiring for Ron, while Harry seemed to prefer to force his opponents to wrestle with him through powerful attacks and spell clashes.

Professor McGonagall and Loren observed for a long time, and then fell silent.

Harry was already exceptionally gifted. After several Magic Surge, and with the help of Voldemort's soul fragments to develop his Magic Power, his Magic Power at a young age already rivaled or even surpassed those of many adult wizards. Add to that his innate talent for the Disarming Charm—

It's crude, but it works.

Saturday, Abandoned Classroom on the Fourth Floor.

"The last training session was too rushed; it only briefly explained the duel between Potter and Weasley before it ended..."

Professor McGonagall waved them over, signaling them to come forward and get acquainted with Gravis of Ilvermorny, and then exchanged pleasantries with Headmaster Fontana across from them.

Loren, who was forced to get up early on weekends, drooped his eyelids. Why did they have to drag him into the Champion' training exchange?

Hermione tugged at his sleeve to prevent him from yawning in front of others, which would be extremely impolite.

"Ilvermorny, Pikely Gravis, it's a pleasure to meet you."

"Gryffindor, Hermione Granger."

"Loren Morgan ..."

"Ron Weasley, we are all Gryffindor, Headmistress McGonagall is our Head of House."

Young people don't beat around the bush when they communicate; they greet each other and then exchange a few self-introductions, and that's it.

Gravis wore a friendly smile. Bute had already inquired about Champion Harry Potter's three friends:

The girl excels in Transfiguration and Charms; the black-haired, black-eyed boy is the boyfriend of the top student in the grade, and his specialty is Potions; the red-haired boy is Weasley, the younger brother of the Twins, and his grades are average.

They've had many exciting adventures alongside Harry, battling trolls, dark wizards, and even a blind Basilisk. Their dueling skills should be quite formidable, but then again, they're three years younger than him...

Professor McGonagall, having finished her pleasantries, pondered for a moment and said, "How about this, we'll put the Champion ' matchup later and have Loren and Pickley demonstrate first? What do you think?"

Headmaster Fontana nodded with a smile, "I'll follow Professor McGonagall's arrangements."

Loren scratched his head and stood with Gravis in the open space in the center of the classroom, facing each other, ready to practice.

Professor McGonagall said softly, "This is just training practice. Don't be obsessed with winning. You can try out any combat ideas you have in your daily life... Exquisite spell alternation techniques, simple and direct forced grappling, and even using agile movements to throw a punch are all part of the fight."

"Don't be shy."

"..."

"Yes, Professor McGonagall!" Gravis replied confidently.

He had made ample preparations, his mind filled with ingenious Transfiguration for combat, skillful spell combinations, and even some magic that could only be learned and mastered by students in higher grades.

Harry and Ron wore expressions of anticipation, as if they were watching a good show.

Loren smiled. Even from several seats away, he could feel the eager enthusiasm on the other side. It seemed that this senior from Ilvermorny had many ideas he wanted to try.

"Prepare!"