Hogwarts: From Luna's House to Godhood Through Intense Competition

"They're here! They're here!"

It was unclear who shouted, but everyone turned to look at the auditorium entrance.

"It's Snape..."

"And Professor Lockhart..."

"Oh! I thought it was Headmaster Dumbledore himself who came!"

Snape walked at the front, still dressed in the familiar attire of all the students: a flowing black robe, his lowered eyelids concealing his coldness and cruelty.

Lockhart followed closely behind, wearing a purple-red fringed robe and sporting his signature smile. As he waved and walked onto the stage, he tripped on the steps and nearly fell.

Snape glanced at the disheveled Lockhart, a clear mockery playing on his lips.

Lockhart seemed completely unaffected, speaking animatedly about his good intentions and why he was organizing the gathering.

Even at the very end, he didn't forget to mention his own book, praising the adventures described in it.

Lockhart's smile froze when Snape, growing impatient, shifted his stance and raised his wand. He stammered as he introduced Assistant Professor Snape, "Let me introduce Assistant Professor..."

Snape twisted his wrist, clearly ready to fulfill the duties of a teaching assistant at any time.

Lockhart, however, changed the subject, "As everyone knows... Professor Snape was a Potions Master... and he's very different from me..."

"Given my excellent adventuring experience... I really don't want to cause him to get hurt during the demonstration later because I didn't handle things properly..."

As Snape narrowed his eyes and stared at Lockhart like a viper hunting its prey, Lockhart subtly took a step back, coughed lightly, and continued speaking.

"Since the goal is to teach students how to duel, then we should have a student come up on stage to demonstrate... Professor Snape, what do you think of my suggestion?"

“Yes…that’s absolutely right!” Snape’s eyes flashed coldly. “Since you’ve made the suggestion, then I’ll find a proxy. You…”

Lockhart breathed a sigh of relief and interrupted Snape before he could finish speaking, saying, "I think there's no problem at all!"

Even with the help of a laptop, it would be very difficult for him to match Snape in less than a week.

Finding a proxy for Snape is almost the best solution that can be thought of at present.

After less than a week of intensive training, he can now barely cast an Ironclad Spell... at least he hasn't missed a single time while practicing.

Even if a student who hasn't graduated yet is outstanding, it's unlikely to cause him much harm, especially since he can use the Ironclad Curse to deal with it.

……

“Mr. Wizette Lovegood!” Snape turned his head slightly, scanning the crowd. “Come up!”

Starting with Potions O at the end of last school year, they gradually became less resistant and just watched as Vizet walked onto the stage and stood to Snape's side.

“Ah… a very good choice…” Lockhart’s face lit up again. “Today we’ll teach you a simple spell… the Disarming Charm!”

"That's right! Just disarm the wand! That's a quick and easy way to win... Do you know the Disarm Charm?"

"Ahem!" Snape coughed softly, so softly that only Vizet could hear it.

Vizette understood and gently shook her head. "Professor Lockhart, I've only learned about this magic; I've never actually used it..."

“Hiss…” Lockhart felt a headache coming on. He seemed to have encountered Vizette’s so-called “just knowing” excuse once before.

"Then let me teach you simply... The disarming charm isn't complicated; it's just—disarm your weapon! Then thrust out your wand..."

"Is that so? Are you going to thrust out your wand?" Snape interjected menacingly. "Mr. Lovegood, what is the casting animation for the Disarming Charm?"

"According to the book, if you're a beginner... it's best to flick your wand and imagine you're knocking away the other person's weapon," Vizette said.

"Ah... I must have mixed it up with other magic..." Lockhart said, sweating profusely, trying to salvage the situation. "After all, I know too many spells..."

"Since you, Vizette, are so familiar with the Disarming Charm, let's begin our duel! And while you're at it, let's explain the entire duel process to the students below!"

“Yes, Professor Lockhart.” Vizette held the wand in her hand.

“First, we hold the wand to the center of our chest, with our noses facing the tip…” Lockhart said slowly, “and then we bow…”

"Both sides need to maintain a distance... The rules of the duel are to use magic... No physical contact... This must be remembered..."

Snape abruptly interrupted Lockhart's explanation, "Shouldn't you all stand a little further back? As beginners to the Disarming Charm, it's easy to lose your sense of proportion..."

Harry's eyes widened, his voice filled with disbelief, "Snape actually cares about Lockhart!"

“I don’t think it’s concern…” Ron analyzed. “Look at Snape… doesn’t he look like he does when Potions class is on patrol? He’s definitely up to no good!”

Lockhart waved his hand. "I don't think so. As an adventurer... I'm very confident!"

Snape nodded. "Well then... Mr. Lovegood, remember to exercise restraint and be sure to keep things in check!"

Vizette coughed lightly, expertly controlling the twitching corner of her mouth, and nodded seriously, saying, "I'll try my best!"

"Then let's begin!" Lockhart waved his wand as if wielding a sword and about to perform a flourish. "On the count of one, cast the Disarming Charm... Three, two, one!"

Just as Lockhart uttered "one," Vizet swung his wand violently, shouting, "Expelliarmus!"

A burst of red light erupted, and the students closest to the stage were momentarily blinded, as if the whole world had turned red.

With a loud thud, they gradually came to their senses and saw Lockhart appear on the wall in the distance, slowly sliding down it...

Chapter 7 Burning Golden Hair

Those distant memories from his student days resurfaced, reminding Lockhart of the vast difference between practice and real combat.

The moment Vizet began chanting the spell, he instinctively raised his wand and drew a straight vertical line across his chest.

However, that was all he could do. The bright red light that appeared before him made him panic. His mind went completely blank, and he couldn't even recite the Ironclad Spell or open his mouth.

As the red light rushed towards him, Lockhart was sent flying backward, crashing into the wall and losing consciousness.

Before he lost consciousness, only one thought remained in his mind—it was just like Snape's Stunning Curse! Such a fast Disarming Curse!

……

“Mr. Lovegood, you may leave now.” Snape said as he took a few steps toward Lockhart, his voice rising and falling with a mocking smirk.

"Professor Lockhart, it seems I overestimated an adventurer's... self-awareness. I think I warned you that beginners are prone to overconfidence... what a pity!"

"Perhaps next time, you can hold an autobiography in front of you. As a beginner, I think Mr. Lovegood would... aim a disarming spell at your autobiography."

His eyes were brighter than ever, revealing endless sarcasm. "Of course! I didn't mean anything by it, I'm absolutely not saying... your autobiography is more useful than you are."

As soon as Snape finished speaking, the Slytherin students started to jeer and laugh.

Although the other two colleges were not as unrestrained, laughter still broke out, and the combined sounds filled the auditorium with a joyful atmosphere.

Only Ravenclaw felt somewhat embarrassed, since Lockhart, who was being mocked at this moment, had once been a member of Ravenclaw.

However, upon further reflection, they realized that this was a fight between two Ravenclaws, and they could somewhat accept the reality... after all, it had already happened.

Ron turned slightly, glanced at Lockhart who had just landed on the ground, and said in a deep voice, "The time I most wanted to laugh with Slytherin!"

Hermione frowned slightly, and said with some concern, "Professor Lockhart seems to be unconscious..."

“Let me try the Revival Charm…” Harry looked around, then suddenly raised his wand and pointed it at Lockhart. “Quickly Revive!”

Lockhart groaned, shaking his head to wake up, but his wizard hat fell to the side, revealing the hair standing on end inside.

Compared to Snape's Silent Coma Curse, Vizet's Disarming Curse was indeed less powerful, failing to cause Lockhart excruciating pain that left him unable to stand.

The few remaining fans stepped forward and helped Lockhart up, allowing him to return to the stage.

“The book Wizette recommended really worked!” Harry flicked his wand as Lockhart returned to the stage. “Disarming Charm…like waving your hand to knock away someone’s weapon…”

……

Amidst another burst of Slytherin laughter, Lockhart took the wand returned by the book lover. "See? That's the effect of the Disarming Charm... My wand is no longer in my hand!"

"Of course... this was to demonstrate the effect of the disarming spell, so I didn't offer any resistance, which resulted in some additional effects... It's quite useful, isn't it?"

Snape interrupted Lockhart bluntly, "Perhaps we can do it again, demonstrating another useful spell, such as... what magic can resist a disarming spell?"

"Haha! Professor Snape, you're too impatient! There are more important things to do now!" Lockhart chuckled dryly, his eyes darting around as he changed the subject, "This is the Duel Club!"

"Now it's the students' turn... Vizet gave a great demonstration, so let's start practicing the Disarming Charm! Professor Snape, you can help with the grouping too."

In fact, only Snape was arranging the groups; Lockhart was clearly more interested in salvaging his image, so he hid in a corner and started fixing his hair.

Just as Lockhart was using his wand as a curling iron to fix his hair, Snape began arranging for the students to practice in pairs, as if he were inspecting a classroom.

Snape mainly wandered between the two groups, dividing Slytherin and Gryffindor into two groups;

The two colleges have a long-standing feud, and this targeted grouping added a touch of tension to the auditorium.

Draco and Harry were grouped together, and almost simultaneously they threw out their wands and chanted the Disarming Charm.

"Except your weapons!"

The two chants blended together, and Draco's movements were faster. A red glow appeared at the tip of his wand, but the effect was not significant enough, only managing to deflect Harry's wrist.

Harry successfully cast the Disarming Charm, and a red light burst from the tip of his wand. However, because his wrist was deflected, the red light flew to the corner and failed to hit Draco.

……

Vizette's demonstration was effective, mainly because the subsequent analysis of the gestures left a deep impression on the students, at least enabling them to make the tip of their wand glow red.

During his inspection, Snape discovered that among the younger students, only a few could cast the true Disarming Charm and make it have a real effect.

Especially those around Vizette, who, under Vizette's guidance, learned how to reliably cast the Disarming Charm.

In addition, after the first round of duels, Harry had completely mastered the use of the Disarming Charm.