Lockhart's Duelling Club

Even Kyle hadn't expected that the gift he casually gave to Neville would be so popular.

Thanks to Neville's vigorous promotion, more and more people started coming to him wanting to buy the same Anti-Dark-Creature Crystal...

It's worth mentioning that they even came up with the name themselves.

Fred and George were stunned. The next day at lunchtime, the two found Kyle at the Hufflepuff long table and surrounded him on either side.

"Kyle, didn't you say you wouldn't get involved in this?" Fred said. "Why are so many people coming to us to buy things so early this morning?"

"And what's this 'Anti-Dark-Creature Crystal '...?" George looked at him suspiciously. "You're not secretly making something good behind our backs, are you?"

"It's the amethyst used for Christmas decorations," Kyle said with a sigh. "I gave Neville one yesterday, and now everyone knows."

Not only Fred and George, but he also received quite a few orders early in the morning.

Kyle rubbed his forehead.

Neville wanted to buy it yesterday, but he didn't have enough stock, so he didn't accept it and just gave Neville the crystal instead.

Neville did say he would help with the promotion... I don't know what he did, but the results were amazing.

After hearing Kyle's explanation, Fred and George roughly understood what had happened.

"Neville Longbottom ..."

Why didn't he come to find you sooner!

The two of them were filled with regret; if they could have done it a few days earlier, they would already be counting Galleon.

The two hurriedly ate a few bites of lunch and then eagerly went through the secret passage to Hogsmeade, where they bought many large pieces of amethyst.

Kyle then cut them into those pointed crystal pillars, just as he remembered them.

To make the product more unique, he also added a homemade Pepper Bomb under the crystal pillar.

If you shatter the crystal at the crucial moment, you can release a large amount of smoke containing pepper, and then use the opportunity to escape.

Well... it's very popular.

Fred and George went to Hogsmeade three times to restock, the last time even buying out all the amethyst in Dervish and Banges, but there was still some shortage.

Kyle had to admit he had miscalculated.

Everyone seemed to be on edge because of the Chamber of Secrets, and was willing to spend ten Sickle put their minds at ease.

Therefore, even without the high-end market for Slytherin, they still made a small profit.

The only downside was that for a while afterward, Hogwarts Castle often smelled of pepper.

Every day, little wizards accidentally break crystals, like Neville...

He was rapidly depleting his Galleon at an average rate of one every two days, to the point that Fred and George felt somewhat guilty and started offering him various discounts and incentives. He not only repaid all the money he had earned from Neville, but even lost some of it himself.

Harry and Ron, who shared a dorm room with Neville, complained several times that everything they ate now tasted peppery.

"I think you guys should buy one too. It's not like those useless onions and salamander tails."

Hermione told them, "The crystal can observe multiple corridors at the same time, smoke can obscure vision, and pepper can affect the sense of smell."

Kyle's thinking is very comprehensive; whatever that monster is, it will always be useful.

"Perhaps you're right..." Ron waved his hand and said, "But if you had a roommate like Neville, you wouldn't say that."

In this atmosphere, December arrived quickly.

Lockhart somehow learned that the professor could run a club, so he approached Dumbledore, wanting to get involved as well.

So one morning, Kyle, Kanna, and Cedric went to the Great Hall for breakfast as usual, but as they passed the Entrance Hall, they suddenly noticed a newly nailed parchment on the bulletin board.

"What is that...?"

Cedric curiously leaned closer and read the text.

"The school is starting Duelling Club!" a Gryffindor student exclaimed excitedly from the front of the group. "The first gathering is tonight, at eight o'clock, in the Great Hall!"

"They should have done this a long time ago," someone said. "I'd love to learn some dueling techniques; it might come in handy someday."

"Ha... you don't actually think those Slytherin monsters would duel us, do you?" a questioning voice came from behind.

Kyle turned around and saw it was Ron. Although he said that, it was clear that Ron was also very interested.

"Hello, Kyle," Hermione greeted. "Will you be attending this Duelling Club?"

"I will attend." Kyle nodded. "I happen to have time tonight, and I'm quite interested in this club."

"We'll participate too."

She said to Harry and Ron, "It will always be useful."

"Of course I'll go, but I hope there's no pepper there," Ron said quietly.

Harry nodded in agreement. They had been through a lot these past few days and were even eating less than before.

By 8 p. m., the Great Hall had completely changed.

The long dining table disappeared, and a gilded stage extended along one wall, illuminated by hundreds of candles floating in mid-air.

When Kyle and his friends entered, the place was already packed with people... Almost the entire school had come, gathered in twos and threes, each holding their own wand, their faces full of excitement.

"Who do you think will teach us?" Cho asked curiously. "Could it be Professor Dumbledore?"

"It could also be Professor Flitwick," Cedric said. "He was a famous dueling champion in his youth, so he would be perfect to teach us."

"Maybe none of those are true," Fred said softly, looking at the glittering golden stage. "This magnificent decoration reminds me of someone."

A few minutes later, Lockhart walked onto the stage in a radiant purple robe, followed by Snape.

"I knew it..." Fred groaned. "Apart from this peacock, the other professors don't like those fancy stage decorations."

"And Snape ... there couldn't be a worse combination." George sighed. "Is it too late for us to leave now?"

Kanna glanced back at the closed Great Hall doors. "Looks like it's too late."

On stage, Lockhart waved for everyone to quiet down, "Come closer, get a little closer."

"That's right. In order to help everyone protect themselves when they encounter danger, Professor Dumbledore agreed to let me open this small Duelling Club to pass on some experience to you."

"I also want to thank Professor Snape; he readily agreed to be my assistant, he's such a good man."

Snape's expression turned somewhat grim.

If it weren't for getting Dumbledore to sign that form, why would he have come to this incredibly stupid Duelling Club with Lockhart... and as an assistant no less!

But Lockhart was completely oblivious to Snape's change in expression; he was still grinning.

"It's just a small demonstration, don't worry, I'll be careful with the force... After it's over, I'll return your Potions Class professorship to you intact."

Snape's gaze grew colder as he stared at Lockhart as if he were looking at Harry with his eyes closed.