Dueling Club

The four of them walked out of Snape's office. Ron and Hermione kept wiping their hands, but they still felt as though there was slime left on them.

"Harry, are you okay?" Ron asked worriedly.

Hermione shot Oren a glare, accusing him of having done every bad thing imaginable.

"Harry's Dao heart has shattered," Oren analyzed. "I learned about Obliviate from an upper-year Defense Against the Dark Arts textbook. Want me to erase this memory for him?"

Harry slowly turned his stiff neck and raised his middle finger at Oren in an internationally friendly gesture.

"Fair enough. Looks like he's recovering on his own," Oren analyzed. "At least he's responding to outside stimuli."

The trio...

Ron said, "Oren, you don't know about Dobby the house-elf, do you?"

Harry stopped pondering how to leave this galaxy and began telling Oren all about Dobby's outrageous moves to save him.

"So that house-elf was also behind the Bludger that nearly smashed you to death?"

"Are you sure it was trying to save you, not murder you?"

Harry...

After Colin, the first unlucky victim, received the petrification package, the little wizards spent the following days on edge.

"Oren, where are you rushing off to?" Fred called out. "Good timing, we ran into you. The itching powder you wanted is ready."

George shrugged. "What an unimaginative prank item."

Oren tucked away the itching powder. "As long as it works. I'm heading to that Dueling Club."

George said, "Why are you alone? Lately, wizards have all been moving in groups."

Oren said indifferently, "Didn't I just come from the headmaster's office? Moving in groups? Those little wizards are a pile of shit when gathered together, and watered-down shit when scattered."

"They can't exactly protect themselves. At best, they're completely incapable of fighting back. I just hope they don't get petrified on a massive scale, or Headmaster Dumbledore won't have room for so many terracotta warriors."

Fred said, "Ahem, us upper-year students are pretty strong, okay?"

George rolled up his sleeve beside him and showed off his muscles. Well... he was skinny as a reed.

Oren...

"Give it up, George. Even Hagrid's dog is sturdier than you. What have you two been doing lately? Still selling those lousy onion amulets?"

George's mouth twitched violently. "You know, Oren, everyone's afraid of being ambushed by that heir. I'd say our onion heads are the best amulets in the school. Want one? I'll give you ten percent off."

"Heh, they probably smell the strongest. If that's the point, I'd say your stinky socks would work even better."

The twins were left speechless by Oren's retort.

"I'm done talking nonsense with you two. I'm going to stomp some noobs at the Dueling Club." With that, Oren hurried off.

"Wait, we're coming too!" The Weasley twins hurried after him.

The three of them arrived at the Great Hall.

"What a crowd," Oren remarked.

George said, "Of course. I think every little wizard in the school is here."

Oren said, "Quick! You two strong reed-men, clear a path and squeeze us toward the front!"

The twins...

Lockhart stepped onto the stage in a flamboyant purplish-red robe.

"Can everyone hear me? Here's the thing: Headmaster Dumbledore has permitted me to establish this Dueling Club to teach everyone some dueling techniques. Of course, if you wish to learn more, please consult the books I've published."

"Now, please welcome my dueling assistant, Professor Snape. Don't worry, I'll return your Potions teacher to you in one piece." Lockhart even winked at the audience after saying that.

The hall fell silent for a moment before erupting into enthusiastic applause.

Fred asked, "How many moves do you think Lockhart can last against Snape?"

George said, "It's unlikely, but I still hope they both end up badly injured."

"Heh." Oren sneered. "If Lockhart is still standing after this, that means Snape held back."

Fred said, "Look, they're taking their stances."

George said, "Look at Snape's eyes. If he looked at me like that, I'd have run already."

Oren was not interested in this at all. He had a rough idea of how powerful Snape was. Forget Lockhart—even a hundred Lockharts would just be delivering themselves on a platter.

"Three, two, one!"

"Expelliarmus!" ×2

Snape's spell blasted Lockhart off the stage and pinned that flamboyant peacock to the wall.

Oren said, "I'd bet that one had a bit of personal grudge mixed into it."

"Whoa!" Fred exclaimed. "Lockhart can actually still stand up. Maybe he really is a tough guy."

George said, "If that were me, I'd lie down wherever I got knocked down."

Oren said, "Yeah, maybe you'd be so tired you couldn't even catch your breath."

George...

"Don't worry, everyone." Lockhart trembled as he walked back onto the stage. "That was merely an incorrect demonstration. If I wanted to, I could have dodged it with ease."

"He can actually walk in a straight line." Oren sounded somewhat surprised. "He really is a ruthless man."

"Let's pick two people to come up on stage and give everyone a demonstration," Lockhart said.

"Excuse me, can we only use spells in a duel?"

Snape frowned, wanting to see who had asked such a stupid question.

"Of course!" Lockhart would never pass up an opportunity to show off.

Draco jumped onto the stage and shouted, "Did you hear that? Spells only! I challenge you, Oren Black!"

Oren: Huh?

"Is this kid tired of living?"

The twins directly shoved Oren onto the stage, joining the trio in cheering him on.

Snape had intended to chase Draco off the stage, but his hands had been too slow. All he could do was glare warningly at Oren, signaling for him not to go too hard on Draco.

Oren gave Snape a reassuring look, telling him not to worry—Draco's body would not suffer even the slightest injury.

With a flick of his hand, a thick Shield Charm covered Oren's body.

Seeing Oren's move, Draco panicked a little. He swallowed and said, "We can only attack with spells. Let's see what this troll like you can do now."

He struck first. A red spell shot from Draco's wand and hit Oren's Shield Charm, but the shield did not budge.

Oren leisurely pulled out a brass megaphone, silently complaining that the damn system could not even give him an electric one. If it did, he could modify it and use it.

"Ahem." Oren cleared his throat. "No strength at all! Draco, did Hogwarts not feed you?"

Oren's taunt was remarkably effective. Draco immediately lost his cool, firing spell after spell at the Shield Charm.

"Do you only know Expelliarmus? Even the trolls in the Forbidden Forest who swing clubs have more variety than you."

Draco's blood pressure instantly doubled, and his expression turned somewhat ferocious as minor curses flew out one after another.

"Whoa, did Professor Snape hire you for a fireworks display? I have to say, all those colors are pretty nice."

"I'm sure Headmaster Dumbledore simply hasn't discovered your talent. Otherwise, he'd definitely hire you every year when it was time to set off fireworks."

Draco's blood pressure was about to burst through the roof.

"Come on, Draco, increase your attack speed! Maybe if you attack a few quadrillion more times, you'll break through my defense?"

The Shield Charm did not break, but Draco certainly did.

"Serpensortia!" A black snake shot out from Draco's wand.

Oren only wanted to roll his eyes. With a flick of his finger, he blasted the large snake away, sending it straight at Draco's stupid head.

"Don't worry, I'll get it away!" Lockhart fired a spell that blasted the snake into the ceiling. The little snake grew four or five times larger, then the snake... or perhaps it could now be called a python, fell down and wrapped itself around some unlucky kid's neck.

It opened its mouth, baring its venomous fangs as it stared fixedly at the unfortunate boy. The little wizard looked as though he was about to wet himself.

"Ssssss~"

As if it had received an order, the snake slithered off the unlucky boy and crawled onto an empty spot on the stage.

Snape waved his wand, and the snake turned into wisps of black smoke before vanishing.

"What kind of trick are you playing?" After saying that, the unlucky boy ran off.

Everyone in the hall turned to look at Harry. Ron whispered to him, "We'd better get out of here fast."

The trio hurried away. The little wizards consciously made a path for them, standing on either side and watching Harry pass. Oren shrugged and hurried after them.

In the empty Gryffindor common room, the four of them stared at each other.

"I only told that snake not to attack Justin. Why was everyone looking at me like that?" Harry asked in confusion.

Oren said casually, "Did you speak? All I heard was hissing."

Ron said, "That's Parseltongue. You can talk to snakes."

Harry asked in confusion, "Is that so? But why was Justin so scared that he ran away? I'd say plenty of people here have special abilities, right? Like Oren—he's really strong."

Oren rolled his eyes and grumbled inwardly, That's because he took a Strength Pill, okay.

"Don't mind them, Harry." Oren patted Harry on the shoulder. "They're just jealous that you know one more foreign language."

"As for that unlucky guy—ah, I mean Justin—maybe he was just in a hurry to get back to his dorm and change his pants."

Hermione said seriously, "Parseltongue is Slytherin's ability."

Ron said, "Everyone in the school will think you're Slytherin's great-great... great-grandson. They'll suspect you're the heir who opened the Chamber of Secrets."

"But I'm not!" Harry said in horror. "Doesn't that mean I couldn't clear my name even if I jumped into the Thames River?"

"Be confident, Harry," Oren comforted him. "Even the Ganges is cleaner than you right now."

Harry...

Ron said, "Slytherin lived over a thousand years ago. You both speak Parseltongue, so there's a high chance you're his descendant."

"You could find out by asking your elders," Oren said, scratching his head in frustration. "Unfortunately, Harry is the kind of guy who uses his birth certificate as a family register. Makes things difficult."

Harry...

"Forget it. Harry, be careful these next few days. Don't get knocked out from behind," Oren said. "It'll be fine once we catch the real heir."

Hermione said, "Soon. The Polyjuice Potion will be ready soon."

Oren rolled his eyes. He had no idea how this little witch had come up with such a stupid plan.

"I'm going to make some props." Oren got up and left, grumbling inwardly, At critical moments, I still have to do it myself. Later, I'll get the twins to tie Draco up with me.