"A duel should be seen through to the end. That is part of a wizard's character."
Su Er spoke softly to Zacharias Smith, whose body was rigid and whose expression was frozen, then turned to the other young wizards, who were already looking at him with admiration.
"I know why you came here. This is also your first lesson from me: out in the world, never readily believe anything said by a wizard who still has a wand in his hand. That includes, but is not limited to, surrendering and begging for mercy. Real life is not a formal, one-on-one duel with a referee and a healer present."
The young wizards all nodded.
"Yes, Mr. Aibo."
"All right. Sorry for the trouble, but would those of you who know how to lift these spells please restore your companions?"
The young wizards looked at one another. Soon, several of them jogged forward with wands in hand and nervous expressions.
"Oh, one more thing. I would like Mr. Smith to have a little more time to reflect on his behavior."
"This is your second lesson: out in the world, never casually challenge a stranger. You never know whether, when you turn around and expose your back, that stranger is preparing to draw a wand and hit you hard with a spell."
Hermione was among those who had run forward to help lift the spells. As she passed Su Er, she secretly gave him a thumbs-up.
The one-sided, one-against-seven thrashing had produced remarkable results. Not a single person continued to question Su Er's ability.
And so, more than twenty young wizards stood obediently before Su Er, treating him with the same respect they showed the Heads of House. Oh, except for Zacharias Smith, who could only swivel his eyes around. A few kindhearted