Professor, Let's Fight

Friday, the last class before the holiday.

Tomorrow morning, students returning home will be able to board the Hogwarts Express and begin their long holiday.

Even the students who stayed on campus were able to enjoy a carefree life of eating and sleeping. The young wizards' hearts had already wandered, and they had entered vacation mode ahead of schedule.

But even the wildest heart has to calm down when faced with Snape's Potions Class, or you'll understand what cruelty truly means.

Malfoy seized the opportunity to mock Harry, saying he was an unwanted child who had to stay in the castle for Christmas.

He secretly wanted to attack Tom as well, but he wouldn't dare say it out loud, even if he had a million lives.

He finally understood reality and just wanted to honestly follow Tom around and pick up some benefits.

Harry's expression remained perfectly calm. How could this be considered mockery? It was utterly harmless. He was ecstatic to be able to stay at school for the holidays; who would want to go back to the Dursley family for the holidays?

If he could, he would even like to stay at school during the summer vacation, but unfortunately the castle would be completely closed during the summer vacation, and staying at school would not be allowed at all.

The bell rang, and the students erupted in cheers. Snape, unusually, didn't spoil the fun and walked out of the classroom on his own.

Tom and Daphne told Hermione, then quickly followed.

Malfoy then shifted his target, mocking Ron's family background.

"I bet you'll want to stay at the school and guard the hunting grounds after you graduate, right? Hagrid's Hut must be like a palace compared to your home, right?"

That little mouth looks like it's been smeared with snake venom.

Ron, his face flushed with rage, roared and charged forward, engaging Malfoy in a fierce fight.

Snape's lips curled into a smug, cold smile. He was about to step forward when Tom stopped him.

"Professor, don't interfere in this children's fight. I have more important things to do."

Snape's face darkened instantly. He looked at the students wrestling on the stairs, then at Tom standing in front of him, and his teeth itched with rage.

"Speak quickly if you have something to say."

Tom smiled slightly, his tone extremely serious. "It's nothing serious, Professor. We're just killing time anyway, so let's have a fight!"

The screams and roars continued down the corridor as Ron straddled Malfoy, punching him repeatedly in the face.

Crabbe and Goyle tried to pull Ron away, but Harry each used a Impediment Jinx to send them flying.

Malfoy's nose was bleeding and his mouth was cut, but he didn't cry; he was cursing.

Snape stood on the stairs, squinting at Tom.

"The Christmas holidays are just around the corner, Mr. Riddle. I don't think today is April Fool's Day."

Snape's voice was calm and even, but the sarcasm within it was obvious even to a fool.

"Professor, of course I know about calendars, I'm not kidding you." Tom blinked innocently.

"Then why don't you take back what you just said?" Snape's expression had turned rather unpleasant.

"The path to learning magic is far too lonely." Tom's voice was calm, as calm as if he were reciting a textbook.

"Without a clear standard of measurement, I have no idea where I am at all. The students in our college still have a lot of room for improvement, but there's no way to measure my level anymore."

"Great potential for improvement?" That translates to "Too weak, too weak to be a match for." Snape's face twitched violently; he almost couldn't resist cursing the kid on the spot.

If you can't speak properly, why don't you just shut up!

Snape listened to his subtle self-praise, his lips twitching uncontrollably. He took a deep breath to suppress his anger. "So you've set your sights on me?"

"Yes, that's right." Tom nodded matter-of-factly. "You're my dean, isn't it your duty to help students improve?"

"You should be secretly pleased to have such an excellent student as me. A fight is just a minor incident and won't take up much time."

Tom knew in his heart that Snape's power was a watershed moment in the Wizarding World.

There aren't many wizards stronger than him in the entire Wizarding World. Excluding Albus Dumbledore and Voldemort, even Moody, who is known as the strongest Auror, may be stronger Snape, but ultimately he is a wizard of the same level.

He divided wizards into several levels of strength, with Snape's level being the dividing line; the Death Eater a small elite group at the same level.

Kingsley Shacklebolt is at that level; he'd definitely lose to Snape. Below him, it's just a bunch of weaklings.

Lupin and Sirius Black are in this level; Sirius is just fiercely reckless in battle, but essentially a paper tiger.

Snape was a good benchmark for him; as long as he got Snape's approval, he could be a little more unrestrained during the holidays.

If he surpasses Snape, then he can confidently tell most wizards, "I don't eat beef."

Snape was also intrigued. He wanted to see how much Tom, who had defeated seventh-graders just a month after starting school, had improved after a semester.

Did it meet his expectations? More importantly, now I can openly teach this kid a lesson.

Damn it, if he lets such a good opportunity slip by, is he even human? He'd be letting himself down.

"Good..."

Before she could finish speaking, Professor McGonagall's reprimand came from downstairs.

"What are you doing!"

She saw several people fighting, her face flushed with anger, and she repeatedly shouted to stop them.

When she came over and saw what was happening, she felt even more dizzy and almost fainted. What angered her was not the students who were fighting, but Snape.

With such a commotion up there, why don't you, as the dean of a college, stop it? Instead, you just stand a few steps away and chat with the students?

Snape, unusually, blushed. He had been so focused on talking to Tom about the duel that he had forgotten all about Malfoy, trying to figure out if the boy was really looking for a beating.

Malfoy's school uniform robe was torn open, and there were several scratches on his face. His usually meticulously combed platinum blonde hair was now a mess.

But he looked much stronger than Harry and Ron. In a three-on-two fight, either Crabbe or Goyle could weigh as much as both Harry and Ron.

Harry and Ron were clever enough to stick to Malfoy and fight him single-handedly, which barely prevented them from being at a disadvantage.

Harry's glasses broke, but luckily he now knew how to use Mending Charm and quickly fixed them.

"Minerva, you've come at the right time," Snape said in a deep voice, his usual serious demeanor returning immediately.

"I was just about to deal with it when you arrived. I saw it clearly: Weasley attacked Malfoy first, Crabbe and Goyle were just helping."

"Professor McGonagall, Malfoy mocked Ron's family, saying Hagrid's Hut was a palace," Harry quickly defended his friend.

Professor McGonagall turned her stern gaze to Malfoy: "Mr. Malfoy, is what Potter said true?"