Magical Studies at Hogwarts...

Chapter 78 The Five People Who Work Hard

When I got back to the dormitory, it was almost midnight. It took Snape a long time to dismember the basilisk, otherwise it would have been even earlier.

It was unusual for Ike's dorm to be so lively. Stuart, Terry, Michael, and Anthony stayed all the way there, worried that Ike might meet with misfortune after being called away by Snape.

Although I knew in my heart that it was not impossible, Snape had always given people such an impression, so I couldn't help but overthink it.

"Good heavens, why are you so late! What did Snape want with you?" Stuart asked immediately upon seeing Ike, which also woke up Anthony, who was dozing off nearby.

"A lot of things." Ike pulled up a chair and sat down, gesturing for everyone to gather around before continuing, "We went to the secret chamber, with the four deans of the academies together..."

"The secret room!" Everyone exclaimed in unison, their voices so loud that Ike's ears hurt.

"No need to be so loud." After the four of them calmed down a bit, Ike continued, "...In short, the basilisk has been eliminated, and there shouldn't be any more attacks in the short term."

"A short time? You mean...?"

"That's right, the danger is not over." Ike Chong Terry nodded, answering his question.

"Therefore, our training must continue, at least until April."

Ike put on a stern face and said seriously.

Clearly, after learning of the Basilisk's demise, Stuart and his companions relaxed somewhat. Although they could have tensed up again if Ike had told them everything, he simply refused to do so.

Voldemort and the Basilisk held vastly different significance in the hearts of young wizards. With the Basilisk, most felt a sense of novelty; fear and dread were relatively rare, and death was simply a matter of reckoning, as those attacked by the Basilisk could always recover. Voldemort, however, was a different story. The brutal wizarding wars had made it clear to everyone that he was a truly deadly being!

Unable to resolve the issue directly, Ike could only rely on his own strength and influence to urge Stuart and the others to continue their efforts.

The training of the five resumed on the second day. Since the basilisk was dead, Ike stopped the training of Eye Strike Charm and Polymorph, and focused his energy on the Ironclad Charm, Barrier Charm, Fire Charm, and Shatter Charm. He also added training in the Disillusionment Charm.

Under Ike's rigorous training, Stuart and the others improved rapidly, especially in casting the Ironclad Charm and the Barrier Charm. By Valentine's Day, February 14th, except for the Disillusionment Charm which was still somewhat unreliable, all the other spells had basically reached Ike's standards.

It must be said that as long as the eaglets focus their energy on their studies, virtually no one can defeat them.

Of course, those who use cheats are an exception.

Based on Ike's experience, practicing the Disillusionment Charm cannot be rushed. Even he, with his cheat-like abilities, took a long time to learn it. Even with Stewart and the others receiving hands-on instruction, it's still not something that can be mastered in a short time.

The slow, laborious work saved Ike a lot of trouble; at least he didn't have to watch over Stuart and the others every day. Stuart and the others were also much more relaxed, since anyone would be on edge and uncomfortable facing Snape's gaze for more than ten hours a day.

Hogwarts has been quite peaceful for the past month or so. Perhaps at Dumbledore's behest, news of the Basilisk's destruction hasn't spread. The young wizards are also quite forgetful; even though Percy and the others are still lying in the school hospital, they continue to eat, drink, and play as usual, seemingly having completely forgotten about the incident.

The Duel Club continued, but far fewer people participated. Fifth and seventh graders basically stopped coming, leaving only a few younger kids.

Lockhart learned from his first experience and sought help from the easy-going Professors Flitwick and Sprout. This was undoubtedly an excellent choice; neither professor would embarrass Lockhart directly, and they would even help maintain order, occasionally sharing valuable dueling techniques – truly practical tips.

Of course, Lockhart always uses all of this as a tool to boast about himself.

Perhaps because they've gotten used to it, people watch Lockhart's performance more like a comedy.

On Valentine's Day morning, Lockhart caused trouble again.

The auditorium has been redecorated, with large pink flowers covering all four walls and colorful heart-shaped confetti constantly falling from the light blue ceiling.

The day before, Ike and Stewart had trained late, and they arrived at the auditorium much later than usual. They were immediately startled when they saw this scene.

Stuart, Lockhart's biggest hater, immediately glared at Lockhart, who was sitting in his pink robes on the professors' table, and silently took his seat at the Ravenclaw table. When he saw Padma, Morty, Morag, and the others across the table looking completely mesmerized, he couldn't hold back any longer and exclaimed, "Look at him! He's made a mess of the school again! I really don't know why Dumbledore hasn't expelled him yet!"

Morty rolled his eyes at Stewart and said, "Alright, I know you don't like Professor Lockhart, but please don't interrupt our enjoyment of his performance."

"You can't deny that this kind of outfit is still quite romantic!" Morag chimed in from the side.

Stuart was interrupted a few times and was about to say something when Ike and Terry stopped him.

If we keep talking, it'll definitely cause a scene.

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!

Seeing that most of the young wizards had arrived, Lockhart stood up and announced loudly, "So far, forty-six people have given me greeting cards, and I would like to express my sincere gratitude to them!"

"Yes, I took it upon myself to arrange this little surprise for everyone, and that's not all!"

Lockhart clapped his hands, and twelve gloomy-faced dwarves with golden wings and harps on their backs entered. Seemingly oblivious to their expressions, Lockhart cheerfully announced, "Welcome our warm, friendly, and greeting card-bearing Cupid!"

"They'll be wandering around the school today, handing out Valentine's Day cards!"

"Of course, there's more fun than just that, and I'm sure my colleagues would love to join in!"

"Speaking of which, why didn't you ask Professor Snape to teach you how to concoct a love potion? Or consult Professor Flitwick about psychedelic magic?"

"Believe me, their abilities in this area will exceed your imagination!"

Looking at Snape, whose face was ashen, and Professor Flitwick, who had huddled up in his seat, Ike had a feeling that if Lockhart continued, a curse might fly from some unknown place and make him look bad.

"Eat quickly, and then head back to the dorm." Ike urged Stuart and the others to eat. "The professors are clearly not in a good mood. Believe me, even though it's Sunday, it'll be even worse if they find a reason to do so."

"Especially Snape, didn't you see his face?"

Upon hearing this, Stuart and the others quickly sped up their eating, finishing their meal in a few minutes just like Ike, before quietly leaving.

Today is destined to be anything but peaceful, so I'm skipping training and preferring to stay away.

First update, more to come later~

(End of this chapter)