Even the air around the school seemed to have changed.
In the past, students had talked of little beyond Quidditch victories and defeats, some professor's harshness, or the upcoming Hogsmeade weekend.
Now, in any corner of the corridors, you could hear terms that made your head spin.
"Hey, have you heard? Someone in Ravenclaw has developed a magical psychological intervention model for dragon-slaying champions based on Professor Holmes's theories!"
"That's nothing! We Hufflepuffs are discussing the gardener's arrogance and the feasibility of plant empathy analysis!"
"Gryffindor is tearing itself apart over the philosophical question of whether a hero's sacrifices necessarily need to be met with gratitude!"
This academic frenzy stirred up by Douglas swept through the entire Castle with unprecedented intensity.
It even overshadowed speculation about the final task of the Triwizard Tournament, becoming an entirely new "fashion" unique to Hogwarts.
In this peculiar atmosphere, a student club both very new and very old enjoyed a moment in the spotlight unlike any before.
In the Hogwarts courtyard, a somewhat worn sign had been hung high: "Swiftwind Sword Club."
Below it, the crowd was packed solid.
The scene was several times more extravagant than the Weasley Twins' makeshift stall had been.
A long queue stretched from the center of the courtyard all the way to the stone steps leading to the Great Hall, with no end in sight.
"Merlin's beard, there are even more people here than when registration opened for the Three-School Dueling Tournament!"
A fifth-year Hufflepuff exclaimed in disbelief as he stood on tiptoe to look ahead.
His Ravenclaw friend beside him adjusted his glasses and offered an analysis as though it were only natural:
"That's perfectly normal. The Three-School Dueling Tournament tested the very best, but the Swiftwind Sword Club offers an entirely new possibility to every ordinary