#92 - Section 92

"Another dragon?"

Hagrid's eyes widened at the words. Of all magical creatures, his favorite was the dragon. If he could, he would turn the Forbidden Forest into a dragon breeding ground, and he would welcome it with open arms.

"If there are only two dragons, they'll fight!"

Hagrid quickly became worried again.

Except for a very few breeds and individuals, dragons are extremely hot-tempered creatures.

"I've already talked to them both. Fighting is inevitable, but it shouldn't be a big problem. With their recovery abilities, a little dittany will fix them up in a few days. Once they're familiar with each other, they won't fight."

"Well, alright then!"

"I have to go see them, lest they cause trouble!"

Saying that, Hagrid quickly got up, ready to run into the Forbidden Forest.

"Hagrid, that dragon is called Onyxia. She's a mutated Hebridean Black. Her temper isn't good. Visit them more often when you have time. If they fight, don't interfere unless it's too serious."

"I know. I'll go take a look now. A Hebridean Black is a rare creature."

[Thank you to大佬13051 and 核心原子 for the monthly tickets! Thank you both,大佬! 丸].

Chapter 122: The Duelling Club Opens

Saturday morning.

Ethan, arriving at the Hogwarts Great Hall, had never seen so many young wizards dining together on a weekend.

Moreover, they were all unusually excited, and they would wave their arms fiercely when talking about something.

Ethan didn't abandon his roommates to find Penelope and the others today, because many Ravenclaw students had gathered around them, also engaged in heated discussions.

"Tell me, only seven people will ultimately win. Are they so excited because they are so confident in their own strength?"

Sitting at the Ravenclaw table, Terry looked at the group of happy young wizards with a grin.

He didn't sign up for this dueling club, but that didn't stop him from watching the fun.

On the contrary, because he didn't sign up, he really didn't have any pressure at the moment, just wanted to watch the fun.

Especially those who went on stage smiling and came off crying.

"You can't say that. Apart from Ethan in our second year, who can definitely win the championship, it's not certain who can win in the other grades. Besides, it's already worth being happy if you can defeat your opponent."

Michael disagreed. Although he knew he couldn't win the championship, he also wanted to test his level among his peers, so he signed up.

Nearly half of the young wizards throughout Hogwarts signed up to participate in this Duelling Club competition.

For him, as long as he didn't encounter Ethan, Cassandra, or Hermione in the first one or two matches, he could accept it. Based on the level of performance of these three in Charms class, he wouldn't be able to last long at all.

"What if you are matched against Ethan in the afternoon?"

"I..."

"Tsk tsk, I want to see your expression at that time."

Terry looked at Michael with a smile on his face. It was this kind of contrast that made it interesting.

Michael clammed up. He knew he couldn't argue with Terry, and didn't want to say anything more.

Although he knew that Terry didn't have any malicious intent, he just wanted to beat him up.

After finishing breakfast, Ethan and the others walked out of the Great Hall together. Now it was the first year's turn.

Unlike the last practice, the Duelling Club had officially started, not in the Great Hall, but in the grounds outside.

During the holidays, several professors and Dumbledore used magic to build a standard duelling arena, which was reinforced with some magic to ensure the stability of the arena while preventing accidental injuries to the audience below.

When Ethan and the others arrived, there were already many people gathered around. It seemed that everyone was quite interested in the first-year wizards' competition.

According to what he saw on the notice board on the day of returning to school, the first Saturday was the elimination round for the first and second years.

After that, every week would be two grades, until the seventh grade, which would be a separate day.

The elimination round could be completed this month.

Don't think that the competition schedule is too tight and a bit overwhelming, but the number of participants spread across each grade is actually not that many, only thirty or forty.

A duel between wizards, without considering escape and pursuit, is completely different from the battles in One Piece, which often last for days and nights. Even wizards of comparable levels, under normal circumstances, would have results in a few minutes. Being able to last for more than ten minutes is considered super durable.

If it were young wizards, it would be even faster. Dozens of matches a day would be no problem at all.

Arriving at the Ravenclaw stands and sitting down, it wasn't long before it was almost nine o'clock.

Dumbledore also arrived at the scene with the four Heads of House and Madam Pomfrey, and sat down at the faculty table.

Lockhart also walked onto the duelling arena, accompanied by a middle-aged man with blond hair and a somewhat burly figure.

"Today is a happy day!" Lockhart said loudly. "I am honored to host this Duelling Club competition."

"Now, let me introduce a special guest, Ludo Bagman, Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports, the best Beater in the history of the Wimbourne Wasps."

Ludo Bagman waved to everyone.

A burst of warm applause immediately rang out below.

"That's Bagman. Lockhart even invited him over."

Jean looked quite excited. He was already very interested in Quidditch, and now he had joined the Ravenclaw Quidditch team. He was quite in awe of this former star player.

There were quite a few people in a similar situation to Jean.

Ethan knew his background, a complete gambler. What did Lockhart bring him here for?

At the Order of Merlin awarding ceremony, Ethan, led by Amos, had greeted him. However, he was not the Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports at the time, but a director. He didn't expect to be promoted in just a few days.

Speaking of which, Ludo Bagman's experience is also legendary. Originally, as a Quidditch player, he played for the Wimbourne Wasps and the England Quidditch team, the latter being the Quidditch World Cup team.

But during Voldemort's rampage, because he provided information to the Death Eaters, he was brought to the Wizengamot after Voldemort's downfall. Originally, Barty Crouch, the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement at the time, wanted to send him to Azkaban.

However, this move was opposed by many wizards. Even witches on the Wizengamot bench publicly congratulated him on his performance on the Quidditch field, so that in the end, it could only be dropped.

It can only be said that after he gained enough support, even if he committed a crime, it was not a big deal.

And after the trial, he took the opportunity to join the Ministry of Magic, until now sitting in the position of Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports.

"Now, the dueling competition officially begins! It will decide which little wizards will battle in each group. Luke Bagman and I will be together throughout all the events, witnessing the birth of the champion!" Saying that, Lockhart held up a metal box, showed it to everyone, and then placed it on the side of the field.

Then, Lockhart went to the judge's seat, and Luke Bagman came to the professors' seats.

"Severus Clarence versus Gordon Jemmy!"

A stiff, rigid, and emotionless mechanical voice came from the little box.

This prop was specially prepared by Lockhart. As long as the names are put in, it can randomly arrange and broadcast them with a voice. Of course, it can also freely set combinations.

"Severus!"

"Gordon!"

"Severus!"

"Gordon!"

......

The cheers and applause from both Gryffindor and Hufflepuff rang out almost simultaneously. Some little wizards even pulled out pre-made banners to cheer for their own house.

In the judge's seat, Lockhart looked at the intense reactions below with great satisfaction.

The little wizards were quite enthusiastic about this dueling competition. Coupled with Luke Bagman, whom he had specially invited, the plan was already in motion.

Lockhart himself, as the initiator and organizer of the Dueling Club, and also a Hogwarts professor, was not suitable to open a betting game at all. At this time, he needed an outsider, and an outsider with a certain status. Luke Bagman was the target he had chosen.

Being able to obtain the Third Class Order of Merlin badge, although he couldn't get in touch with the real upper class, he still had some connections. He and Ludo met each other at a banquet 0...

He also knew very well that Ludo was a gambling addict, and a poor one who lost nine out of ten bets. He usually liked to exploit loopholes and play small tricks. If it was him, he would definitely agree to his plan.

Sure enough, he had only said so, and Ludo didn't even want to manage the affairs of the Magical Sports Goods Department that he had just gotten his hands on. He wanted to join in and control this betting game together.

In the audience below, Terry directly burst out laughing at the performance between the Crouching Dragon and the Phoenix Chick.

"I told you, it's more interesting to watch from below than to duel up there."

The two who had just stepped onto the stage to perform the dueling etiquette were both holding their wands tightly, staring at each other with serious and earnest expressions. Accompanied by the blowing cold wind, a sense of高手过招 (高手过招 is untranslatable idiom, could be translated as a sense of two experts facing off) came.

The little wizards below were also staring at the two with tense expressions, fearing that they would miss any details.

But as Lockhart's countdown ended.

The result of the two starting to fight was.

You "Eat Slugs," I "Densaugeo."

This also resulted in Gordon covering his stomach and vomiting slugs, and Severus opening his mouth wide, his front teeth directly touching his chin.

Now both of them could be considered to have lost their fighting ability. One was constantly retching, covering his stomach and dropping a slug from his mouth, occasionally choking in his throat. How could he cast spells?

One had front teeth that were too big, and couldn't even close his mouth, let alone cast spells.

The Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors themselves burst out laughing, and the Ravenclaws and Slytherins would only be more rampant.

However, considering that these two were just freshmen who had only been in school for a semester, it was somewhat understandable.

In the end, the two still relied on hand-to-hand combat to determine the winner. Gordon lost due to his poor condition caused by vomiting slugs.

The following matches were also uninteresting. It was not uncommon for people to drop their wands and swing their fists directly, and the audience below lost their sense of novelty.

One or two groups still felt very interesting, but after seven or eight groups like this, it became quite boring.

Ethan could see Professor Flitwick's ugly face, and even Dumbledore's usual smile was gone.

The former, as a Charms professor, naturally felt ashamed that his students used their fists instead of charms. Originally, Lockhart was the same as Flitwick.

But Lockhart completely didn't care about these things. Standing in the 5.9 judge's seat, he still had his signature smile on his face.

Dumbledore lamented the rapid decline in the level of little wizards. Clearly, more than ten years ago, even little wizards who had just entered school for two months would not use their fists in a fight.

Then he glanced at Harry, who was also not good enough, not even as good as James back then.

The reason why he was able to agree to Lockhart's Dueling Club was definitely not because of Lockhart's bullshit reason.

As the savior, Harry needs to grow, needs to train, and needs to experience enough tempering to become a qualified savior.

But now he has not reached his expectations at all. Last year, the situation he created, although Harry faced Voldemort, and also mustered his courage,

It's just that the process was a bit unsatisfactory. He was thrown around like a sandbag the whole time, and he didn't learn anything. He only knew that his enemy was Voldemort, and that he had the magic to defeat Voldemort on him.

This year, he is a little stronger, and he spends less time messing around with Ron, and he also studies seriously, but it is still far from enough. Not to mention Ethan, there are many second-year little wizards who can beat Harry to a pulp.

I only hope that he can learn something in the Wizarding Duel, even if he fails, he can work harder to catch up.

[Thank you to the big boss Mesopotamia stray meow for the monthly ticket, thank you big boss!].

Chapter 123: End of the Preliminary Round

The morning's competition ended at about twelve o'clock, mainly because the dueling etiquette and close combat took some time, otherwise it could have been at least an hour earlier.

After lunch, the students once again came to the field outside the school in twos and threes.

"Ethan, don't be soft-hearted and let your little girlfriend off the hook later. The second grade is counting on you. Before graduation, this senior wants to win another House Cup!"

Seventh-grade senior Rebecca Gracy patted Ethan on the shoulder and said.

Among the seven grades, only Ethan is the most stable, of course, the premise is not to let the little witches of Slytherin and Gryffindor off the hook.

"It's impossible to let them off the hook. Don't worry, senior. Also, where did I get a girlfriend? Senior, don't talk nonsense!"

"Yes, yes, you don't have a girlfriend, so can senior chase you?"

Rebecca covered her mouth and looked at Ethan with a smile. Of course, this was just a joke. She was about to graduate and go out to find a job this year. She wouldn't even be able to see him then, so what was the point of chasing him.

"I don't want to be targeted by senior's suitors!"

This senior has a pretty hot figure, but her lips are a bit thick, and she has some freckles on her face. She's not Ethan's type, but she's still quite popular in the seventh grade.

"You're still afraid of these, perform well later, and senior will cheer you on."

After saying that, Rebecca twisted her butt and walked away.