Hogwarts: Becoming the White Lord from Breathing

Chapter 112 If you get beaten up and cry, there's no candy for you.
"There's nothing I can do. It's your dear teacher who always treats me like a thief."

Snape's expression was as disgusting as if he had eaten owl poop.

"He was always wary of me. I applied many times, but he wouldn't let me be the professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts, nor would he let me start a dueling club. It was as if his little chicks might be led astray by me if they weren't careful."

What does this have to do with me? Are you mocking me too?

"There's nothing I can do, you just look so evil, it's normal that my teacher doesn't trust you."

Damon wasn't going to tolerate Snape and immediately retorted.

The two glared at each other, and Damon waved his hand, "Alright, then you can be an assistant to our famous Professor Lockhart. I'm leaving now."

"Photos! How many times do I have to remind you! Photos!"
"Shameless brat, have you run out of supplies? That's why you keep trying to deny it?"

"Relax, I have plenty of photos. I was just teasing you—look, doesn't something hard-won become more precious?"

Damon flipped his fingers and handed Snape a photo of "Lily" dressed in Lolita fashion.

He calmed down immediately—even though he wasn't really angry to begin with.

Watching Damon's departing figure, and recalling the mocking tone in his words towards Lockhart... it was clear that he wasn't the only one who thought Lockhart was a good-for-nothing.

Thinking of this, Snape's lips curled up slightly.

"That brat has absolutely no respect for the professor."

The following week, Lockhart began his performance in full view of everyone. Ron and Harry had already given up hope, and this time, only Hermione still had hope for him.

But she no longer argued with others; the only light that remained in Professor Lockhart's eyes was in his gaze. Ever since Professor Lockhart's first classroom mishap, he had stopped taking such risks—his teaching had become having the young wizards imitate the characters in his stories and reenact those stories.

While this did allow the young wizards to learn about the cultures of different races and regions, as well as the nature of some magical creatures—such as werewolves, vampires, and trolls—it couldn't mask the fact that, more than a month into the semester, they still knew nothing about Defense Against the Dark Arts.

If the teaching of Defense Against the Dark Arts has always been this bad, then it's perhaps understandable that Hogwarts graduates have such poor magical skills.

To be honest, Damon felt a bit sorry for the students who had to prepare for the OWL and NEWT exams in the past two years—it would be amazing if they could get an E or higher.

"Let me introduce my assistant, Professor Snape,"

Lockhart grinned as he spoke, about to continue, when a cheer interrupted his performance.

This instinctively displeased him, but after recognizing who it was, he was no longer angry and instead turned his anger towards Snape, who was sitting opposite him.

"Wow!!! Professor Lockhart, you actually managed to get the Head of Slytherin as your assistant, you're amazing!"

Damon cheered from below the stage, emphasizing Snape's role as his assistant—the Slytherin students felt embarrassed, while the Gryffindor students laughed without restraint.

"Yes, that's right," Snape told me. He himself knew a little about dueling, and he generously agreed to help me give a small demonstration before class.

I said, "I don't want you little ones to worry—after I'm done demonstrating with him, I'll return your Potions Master to you unharmed, so don't be afraid!"

Lockhart was beaming, while Snape looked as if he had just lost his parents, staring at Damon with a gloomy expression, then turning to Lockhart—how busy he was, wasn't he?
"Wouldn't it be great if they fought to the death?" Ron whispered in Harry's ear.

"Impossible. If Professor Lockhart is really like what we think, I'm afraid he'll be sent flying by Snape."

Hermione glanced at the two of them, and instinctively became worried.
Snape's upper lip curled up, a smile that sent chills down the spines of the students who saw it—if Snape had looked at any student with that gaze, they would have already turned and run in the opposite direction. But Lockhart was completely unaware of all this.

He and Snape turned to face each other and bowed.

At least Lockhart bowed, making a lot of hand gestures, while Snape just impatiently shook his head.

Then, they held their wands up to their chests like arrows.

“As you can see, we hold our wands in the usual dueling stance,” Lockhart said to the silent crowd. “On the count of three, we will cast our first spell. Of course, neither of us will take the other’s life.”

“Oh! That reminds me of Damon’s wizard duel on the train. He bowed back then, didn’t he? But they didn’t have a countdown.”

"Shh! The crucial moment has arrived." Harry interrupted Ron's rambling, his eyes fixed on Snape's hand movements.

"One—two—three—" The two of them simultaneously raised their wands high above their shoulders.

"Except your weapons!"

Snape shouted, a dazzling red light flashing from his hand, illuminating the faces of the young wizards and filling them with fear. Snape was clearly furious; the red light sent Lockhart flying backward off the stage, crashing into the wall and sliding down like a lump of mud, curling up on the floor.

Wow!
Exclamations erupted from the crowd, and students from all four academies clapped in unison, creating a lively atmosphere—because of the existence of the Duel Prince, everyone was filled with longing for duels, and they were more excited than afraid!

The Slytherin students clapped their hands so hard they turned red.

Do you think he's alright?

Hermione tiptoed up and down, trying to see Lockhart's condition, her fingers tightly covering her mouth as she screamed and asked.

Ron and Harry were clapping enthusiastically, completely oblivious to Lockhart's fate.

“I think we can do what he did, what do you think, Ron?”

"Of course! Harry, we will!"

Ron and Harry were talking loudly amidst the noise, but they quickly quieted down. Snape, who had just dealt with Lockhart, didn't seem to have calmed down. He walked straight toward them, his gaze still gloomy.

"Come up here, Damon."

The crowd immediately fell silent.

What did they hear?
Professor Snape is inviting the Prince of Duels to the stage!
“A clown can’t teach them what dueling is.” Thinking about what was going to happen, Snape’s lips curled into a sneer. “Let our dueling prince give us a demonstration and show us what a real duel is.”

The auditorium was filled with hundreds of students, yet it was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

The lion cubs stared intently at their lion king, their eyes gleaming with hope and worry.

“If I make you cry, I won’t give you any candy, Professor.”

Damon smiled and, amidst cheers that threatened to overturn the entire auditorium and the spontaneous support of the students, stepped onto the stage that belonged to the prince.

(End of this chapter)