HP: Azkaban's Outstanding Graduate

Hermione simply shook her head helplessly, her lips twitching as she turned her face away.

Lockhart was curled up in the corner, his long golden hair disheveled and draped over his face.

For a fleeting moment, he did consider faking unconsciousness to escape this "performance accident."

But in the end, he still managed to sit up, trembling—his robe was covered in dust, and his carefully styled hair now looked like a bird's nest that had been blown up.

"Cough cough... As you can see!" He staggered back onto the stage, his voice trembling with pain. "This is the famous Disarming Charm... As the name suggests, its effect is... uh... my wand... where is my wand... has anyone seen my wand?"

Suddenly, a jet-black raven swooped down from the sky, carrying the ornate, jewel-encrusted wand in its beak, and circled above Lockhart's head.

"Hey! Give it back!" Lockhart shouted, jumping up and down like a comical clown. "You damned hairy beast! That's a limited edition wand!"

After a while, Lockhart seemed to finally realize his blunder, sheepishly gave up the chase, and turned to the students, forcing a smile:

“That’s right! This is exactly the demonstration that Professor Snape and I carefully designed! I volunteered to take the incantation so that you could understand the effect of the Disarming Charm more intuitively…”

He turned to Snape, his confident expression returning suddenly: "But allow me to say this, dear Severus, your intentions were far too obvious. If I truly wanted to defend myself, it would have been effortless..."

Snape's eyes instantly turned colder than those in the cellar, not because of Lockhart, but because Sagres was walking in through the Great Hall doors and heading straight for the center of the stage.

“Uh, Sagres, now it’s…” Lockhart’s voice trailed off.

Sagrass didn't even lift his eyelids; a single cold glance was enough to freeze Lockhart in place. "You," he tapped his wand lightly, "stand over there."

Lockhart forced a smile that looked more like a grimace as he awkwardly moved to Snape's side. The two of them standing together resembled enemies forced to attend a funeral.

Sagres raised his chin into the air, and the raven immediately swooped down, tossing the wand precisely into Lockhart's trembling hand.

“Since you’re going to teach dueling,” Sagrais’s voice was cold and serious, “then teach me the whole thing.”

The entire auditorium erupted in cheers.

The young wizards tiptoed forward, their eyes gleaming with excitement.

Professor Flitwick jogged to the front row, while Professor McGonagall's glasses reflected a curious gleam.

Even Ms. Pomfrey rushed over with her first-aid kit, muttering "Merlin bless you."

"Before you swing your wand, remember three words." Sagres twirled his wand, tracing three crimson streaks in the air. "Attack, defend, dodge."

He scanned the jubilant faces below the stage, his voice suddenly sharp: "The essence of a duel is the dynamic cycle of these three elements, not a turn-based game where people take turns casting spells!"

Before he could finish speaking, his wand suddenly burst forth with a blinding light.

Six beams of magical light shot out like a rainbow, weaving a deadly net in the air—

“Two against one.” Sagrais’s voice came through the sound of the spell cutting through the air. “Now, teach them how to dodge.”

Snape's face was so dark it was almost dripping with water. Without hesitation, he did a side roll, narrowly avoiding the powerful spell beams.

This was not because he was willing to cooperate with Sagrais, but because the magical fluctuations contained in those intertwined magical lights were something that ordinary armored spells could not withstand. One or two might be able to withstand it, but six spell lights would definitely not be able to withstand it.

But Lockhart, who was not far away, was far less skilled.

He remained in that comical defensive posture, and before he could even dodge, he was struck in the chest by the red curse light once again, and was promptly sent flying backward.

"Get out of the way!"

Sagres's voice echoed in the Great Hall. With a casual wave of his wand, he used a spell to forcefully pull Lockhart back from mid-air and press him back into place like a puppet.

"—It's about using movement, cover from obstacles, and even predicting trajectories to avoid the curse! If you don't want to become sitting ducks in a duel, don't just stand there like a wooden stake!"

Before he finished speaking, Sagres twirled his wand, and thousands of magical birds suddenly whistled out from around him.

These radiant magical creations emitted a piercing shriek and swept towards the two people opposite them like a blizzard.

Chapter 85 Duel Tutorial (Part 2)

"Now, demonstrate the defense!"

Snape's reaction was astonishingly fast.

He drew a perfect circle with his wand in front of him, and a silver protective shield instantly formed. Flocks of birds crashed into the shield, creating a continuous series of "bangs" and sparks flying everywhere.

But Lockhart, who was next to him, was not.

The magical birds pelted him like stones, forcing him to run away in terror.

His screams mingled with the cries of birds, his meticulously styled blond hair turned into a complete mess, and his face quickly became bruised and swollen.

“The core of defense lies in mitigating threats,” Sagrais’s voice pierced the noise. “From protective spells to anti-spell systems, the specific choice depends on the situation. While defending, one must also accumulate strength, otherwise one will be trapped in an endless cycle of passive defense—”

Snape drew a circle in front of him with his wand, and a powerful magical energy surged behind his circular shield. A fierce glint flashed in his eyes, and then he thrust his wand forward, sending the cursed light hurtling toward Sargeras.

"Finally, it's time to attack!"

With that, Sagres casually flicked his wrist, his wand tracing a silver arc in the air. The oncoming spell was immediately blocked by the magical barrier he had casually erected.

"Attack spells don't just refer to simple damaging spells, but are a general term for all magic that can break down defenses and create opportunities for battle." His voice echoed clearly in the hall, while two thick beams of red magic light shot out from the tip of his staff.

Snape's pupils contracted sharply, and he swung his wand rapidly, barely managing to block a beam of magical light. His black robes fluttered wildly in the surging magic.

But Lockhart, who was next to him, was not.

He was struck by the cursed light again and flew away spinning like a rag doll.

"The Disarming Charm can disarm your opponent, but remember—"

As Sagres spoke, he flicked his wand, pulling Lockhart back to his original position once again. "Wizards without wands are just as dangerous. For example, graduates of Ouagadou in Africa all pass the wandless spellcasting test."

As he spoke, he continued to wave his wand, and two more beams of spell light shot out from the sky. The speed of the spellcasting was unbelievably fast, as if he didn't need to chant any spells at all.

“Petrification and Stunning Curses,” his explanation was perfectly synchronized with his attack, “they can restrict movement without being fatal, making them powerful tools for controlling the battle, just right for you.”

Snape was forced to interrupt his preparation of a counterattack spell and hastily activated the Ironclad Charm.

The protective shield collided with the cursed light, bursting into dazzling sparks, and the impact forced him to take a half step back.

But Lockhart, who was next to him, was not.

This time, he couldn't even let out a scream.

The moment the cursed light struck him, he froze into a ridiculous pose: one leg was comically raised, his arm was stretched out exaggeratedly, and his face was frozen in a look of terror, like a poorly made modern art sculpture.

The young wizards in the hall had their eyes shining, their eyes wide open, and they even forgot to breathe.

They had never seen such a breathtaking magical duel—spells bloomed on the stage like fireworks, each frame accompanied by precise tactical commentary.

Many students unconsciously followed the gesture with their fingers until they saw Lockhart's comical appearance—bruised and battered, with his hair sticking up—before they sheepishly withdrew their hands.

Sargeras's wand was like a never-ending spring.

As he calmly explained, he casually unleashed a torrent of colorful incantations.

Snape struggled against the storm of spells, his black robes billowing like a struggling bat, and the occasional counterattacks he launched were easily neutralized by Sargeras.

“Watch closely,” Sagres’s voice cut through the booming spells, calm and devoid of any emotion, “the various methods of dodging and defending against spells that Professor Snape demonstrated are the main focus of your future studies. Although they may look a bit clumsy, they are effective and practical!”

Before he finished speaking, he tapped his wand lightly, and the stage floor suddenly rose into a stone wall, perfectly blocking Snape's hastily fired Stunning Spell. Then, with his next gesture, the stone wall transformed into a shower of butterflies, obscuring vision and scattering shimmering scales.

Snape swept away the scales with a "Whirlwind Sweep," but the swarm of butterflies in front of him suddenly turned into a barrage of spikes and rushed toward him.

Once again, Snape activated his armor, and his hand holding the wand began to tremble slightly. But Sagres didn't stop; he lightly twirled the wand, and a streak of red light shot out from the side once more.

Snape scrambled to the side, hiding behind an obstacle. Lockhart was that obstacle—he was being petrified, standing like a comical statue in the path of the spell.

“Transfiguration isn’t just about turning teacups into mice,” Sagres continued, as the raised walls constantly changed shape in the air. “If used well, every brick on the battlefield can become a weapon for your offense and defense.”

Finally, he thrust his wand forward with a mighty thrust. A torrent of bricks roared out, exploding with a deafening roar in the center of the stage.

The young wizards screamed and covered their ears as two silver snake-like ropes shot out from the smoke and dust, binding the exhausted Snape like a dumpling, and incidentally adding an "insurance" layer to the petrified Lockhart.

When the smoke cleared, Sagres had already straightened his sleeves, as if the duel just now was nothing more than a trivial matter.

“Remember,” his voice clearly reached the ears of each stunned student, “a wizard duel is not a static exchange of blows, but a three-dimensional game of movement, evasion, defensive maneuvering, and offensive suppression. Victory depends on three aspects—”

Sagrais walked slowly across the stage, ignoring the gloomy-eyed Snape, but instead glancing at the excited young wizard, and slowly raising a long, slender finger:

"First, the intensity of your magic power determines whether you can sustain high-intensity continuous spellcasting."

After saying that, he raised another finger:

"Secondly, your spell reserves determine whether you can cope with the ever-changing battlefield situation."

Finally, he held up one more finger:

"Thirdly, tactical anticipation will determine whether you are the hunter or the prey."

He paused at the edge of the stage, looking down at the eager young wizards below, and said earnestly, "But you must remember, true dueling masters often have no clear boundaries between the three types of magic. Their spells are a perfect blend of offense and defense, changing in an instant. Of course, that's still a long way off for you..."

As Sagrais spoke, he casually pressed his wand against Lockhart's petrified forehead. A faint flash of magic light appeared, and Lockhart instantly transformed from a stone statue back into human form, his legs buckling as he knelt on the ground.

“I will ask Dumbledore to let me take over this club,” he said calmly, standing on the stage. “If granted… I will teach you some real skills.”

Then, ignoring the cheering crowd, he gracefully crouched down and lightly stroked his wand across the necks of the two professors.

Although no blood was drawn, the act of slitting the throat sent chills down the spines of all the young wizards.

“The last tip for today,” Sagres’ voice wasn’t loud, but it reached everyone’s ears clearly, “always remember to finish off the enemy.”

His wand tapped almost imperceptibly against Snape's temple as he added in a low voice, "Especially when dealing with someone who wants to kill you."

Ignoring the angry look in their eyes, Sagres stood up and snapped his fingers, and the ropes binding the two professors suddenly disappeared.

"I hope that I will teach you this lesson, not your enemies..."

Chapter 86 Duel Tutorial (Part 2)

Snape's fingertips were still trembling uncontrollably, and the muscles in his arms beneath his robes were spasming from overexertion.

He had never felt the depletion of magic so clearly—like a swamp that had been drained, making even the simplest flicker of light difficult to cast.

Although his chest was still churning with boiling anger, reason coldly reminded him that this crushing confrontation had completely exposed the insurmountable chasm between them.

Perhaps years ago, when the other was still a Hogwarts student, he was already no match for him. Snape thought gloomily.

It was only today's public execution-like duel that truly allowed him to see his opponent's terrifying strength—the fluid rhythm of spellcasting, the effortless manipulation of magic, and the terrifying control that perfectly blended teaching with actual combat.

He suddenly narrowed his eyes as if he had realized something.