Chapter 103: Fists and Truth
Chapter 103: Fists and Truth
Albert had found something nice in the catalog order—a delicate and petite silver phoenix badge. It was a bit pricey at one galleon, but Albert intended to have an owl deliver it as a Christmas gift for Nia.
After closing the catalog order and placing it back into his bag, Albert closed the thick book on the table, intending to return it to its original spot. As he walked past the bookshelves with the book in hand, he was surprised to see a familiar face.
"You've been having quite some troubles lately!" Truman exclaimed, a hint of surprise on his face as he spotted Albert. He lowered his voice and added, "But good job."
"Thanks," Albert replied, returning the book to the shelf. Curious, he asked, "What are you looking for?"
"Useful hexes!" Truman whispered. "I plan to duel with Nott, the Ravenclaw Prefect."
Albert was taken aback by this revelation. "You're going to duel the Ravenclaw Prefect?" he asked quietly.
Truman nodded.
"Why? Are you two sparring for practice, or...?" Albert already had a hunch about the situation. If it were just a friendly spar, Truman wouldn't be searching for hexes here. "But the school probably won't be too happy about students resolving issues through duels, and..."
Albert believed Truman didn't stand much of a chance. The fact that Nott was a prefect of Ravenclaw indicated he was a capable student, and there was likely a gap between their mastery and application of magic.
"Nott insists that Bridget Wenlock was from Ravenclaw," Truman explained, his tone tinged with annoyance.
"Bridget Wenlock?" Albert asked, puzzled, as he hadn't heard of that name before.
"Bridget Wenlock was a renowned arithmancer from the 13th century and the first to discover the magical properties of the number seven," Truman elaborated. "I was studying arithmancy when I brought this up in a conversation with someone. Later, as Nott walked by, he claimed that Wenlock was from Ravenclaw. I argued about it, and well, things escalated from there."
"So, Bridget Wenlock was from Hufflepuff," Albert stated.
"Of course," Truman agreed, pulling out a chocolate frog card and handing it to Albert. "Here, Bridget Wenlock is featured on this card."
After taking a look, Albert asked, "Why didn't you show this to him then?"
"I got this from a friend later," Truman explained. "And even if I showed it to him, he probably wouldn't have admitted his mistake. He must have known he was wrong but refused to acknowledge it."
Albert now understood the reason for their impending duel—a typical argument that escalated into a physical altercation.
In his previous life, Albert had witnessed countless similar incidents online. People displayed such behavior all the time, shielded by the anonymity of the internet and the inability to climb through the network cable to get into a physical fight. However, this situation was different; both parties were infuriated.
Perhaps, in the beginning, the Ravenclaw prefect had simply misremembered. But as their argument heated up, even if he realized his mistake, he wouldn't back down, hence the duel.
Evidently, the Ravenclaw prefect was enraged, or so Truman believed.
Not everyone possessed the courage of a Gryffindor to admit their mistakes, no, not even most Gryffindors. As Dumbledore had famously said, "It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends."
Truman was determined to uphold the honor of Hufflepuff. In their eyes, it was a rare occasion for their house to produce a notable figure, and for someone to claim otherwise was unacceptable.
"Do you need some advice?" Albert offered quietly.
"Sure!" Truman was eager to hear Albert's suggestion.
"Don't make it a duel; that will only bring you trouble," Albert cautioned. "Don't acknowledge it as a duel."
Truman looked a bit disappointed. "...But I really want to teach him a lesson."
"You don't want to be locked up, do you?" Albert pointed out.
"No," Truman shook his head vigorously.
"Do you know the Disarming Charm?" Albert asked.
"No," Truman replied glumly.
"Follow me," Albert gestured for Truman to accompany him out of the library; it wasn't a place for such conversations. He had noticed Madam Pince glancing in their direction, and if they didn't want to be shooed out like pesky flies, it was best to leave on their own.
The two walked out of the library, strolling down the corridor outside.
Albert eyed a passing Slytherin student and, narrowing his eyes, explained to Truman, "The incantation for the Disarming Charm is Expelliarmus, meaning 'disarm.' It's used to remove an opponent's weapon."
"You mean, I should disarm Nott?" Truman's tone turned excited. Without a wand, a wizard was like a tiger without claws.
"Yes, but you must act first," Albert advised. "You'll probably count to three before the duel, so at the count of one, you strike first. Otherwise, you might not stand a chance against him."
"But..." Truman seemed about to say something but was interrupted by Albert.
"This isn't a duel, right?" Albert said nonchalantly. "After you disarm Nott, use the Full-Body Bind Curse while he's dazed. You know that one, don't you?"
"Yes," Truman nodded.
"Then go punch him," Albert made a fist. "Punch him until he admits he's wrong."
"With my fists?" Truman was having a hard time understanding Albert's train of thought.
"There's a saying that goes, 'truth lies in the fist,'" Albert stated, looking at the dumbfounded Truman. "And he is wrong. He's too stubborn to admit it and wants to teach you a lesson through a duel. Don't forget, he's two years older than you and likely more knowledgeable about magic..."
Albert's voice trailed off as his gaze landed on a red-haired girl from Ravenclaw.
"You know Isabelle, don't you?" Albert asked.
"We've met a few times at the same club," Albert confirmed, ensuring no one was around before continuing. "There's a saying that goes, 'you can't wake someone who is pretending to sleep.' The best way to wake them is to..."
"...Punch them hard!" Truman suddenly felt like this made perfect sense. So what if it was a sneak attack? He wanted to give that guy a good beating.
Albert nodded. "Remember, don't use hexes. Using hexes is worse than using your fists. If you're caught, tell Professor Sprout why you fought—emphasize that it was a fight, not a duel. Your Head of House probably won't punish you since you were fighting for your house's honor."
"That all makes sense," Truman was almost fully convinced. Yes, he was fighting for his house's honor. As he grew excited, he suddenly realized something. "But I don't know the Disarming Charm."
"Follow me, I know what you need..." Albert led Truman away. "You'll need to find someone to practice with. Don't look at me; I don't have that kind of free time. You can find a Hufflepuff friend to help."
"Alright, thanks. Remember to come and watch the duel this weekend," Truman smiled. "It'll be on the lawn near the Black Lake."
"I will," Albert nodded, watching Truman's retreating back. His gaze then shifted to his task panel.
Eager Assistance Your friend, Gabriel Truman, seems to be in some trouble. As the first wizard friend you made, you should try your best to help him resolve his problem.
Rewards: 100 experience points, Gabriel Truman's favorability +10 Distant Victory
Your friend is at a clear disadvantage in the upcoming duel. As a friend, you should find a way to help him turn the tables.
Rewards: 1000 experience points, randomly obtain a skill from the duel opponent, Gabriel Truman's favorability +10 Albert was intrigued by the prospect of randomly obtaining a skill from the duel opponent. As he returned to his seat, Sanna, who had just finished her homework, asked curiously, "Where did you go just now?"
"Oh, I just ran into a friend and chatted for a bit," Albert replied, noticing Madam Pince looking their way. He quickly closed his mouth and began checking over his completed homework before putting it away.
"Yes, of course," Truman nodded eagerly.
"Do you know the Disarming Charm?" Albert asked.
"No," Truman replied, sounding dejected.
"Follow me!" Albert gestured for Truman to join him, knowing that the library was not an ideal place for their conversation, especially since he had noticed Madam Pince glancing in their direction. If they didn't want to be kicked out, it was best to leave on their own.
The two boys walked out of the library, making their way into the corridor outside. Albert spotted a Slytherin student passing by and, narrowing his eyes, he said to Truman, "The Disarming Charm's incantation is Expelliarmus, which means 'disarm.' It's used to remove an opponent's weapon."
"So, you're saying I should disarm Notch?" Truman's tone turned excited at the prospect. After all, a wizard without his wand was like a tiger without claws.
"Yes, but you must be quick and use it first," Albert interjected. "I assume you'll count to three before the duel. On the count of one, you strike first, or else you might not stand a chance against him."
"But..." Truman started to voice his concerns, only to be cut off by Albert.
"This isn't really a duel, is it?" Albert said nonchalantly. "Once you've disarmed Notch, take advantage of his momentary surprise to bind him with the Full Body-Bind Curse. You know that one, right?"
"Yes," Truman nodded.
"Then go ahead and punch him," Albert made a punching gesture, "punch him until he admits he's wrong."
"Punch him?" Truman was having a hard time following Albert's train of thought.
"There's a saying that goes, 'truth lies at the end of a fist,'" Albert said, looking at the stunned Truman. "And he is wrong. He's being stubborn and refusing to admit it, and now he wants to teach you a lesson through a duel. Don't forget, he's two years older than you and likely has a better grasp of magic..."
Albert's voice trailed off as his gaze landed on a red-haired girl from Ravenclaw.
"Do you know Isabelle?" he asked.
"I've seen her a few times at the same club," Albert replied, ensuring that no one was within earshot before continuing. "There's a saying that goes, 'you can't wake someone who is pretending to be asleep.' The best way to wake them is to..."
"...punch them hard!" Truman suddenly felt like this made perfect sense. What did it matter if he struck first? All he wanted was to give that guy a good thrashing.
"Remember, don't use any Dark curses," Albert nodded. "Using your fists is far better than using Dark magic. If you're caught, just tell Professor Sprout that you got into a fight. Emphasize that it was a fight, not a duel. Your Head of House won't punish you, especially since you're fighting for your house's honor."
"That all makes sense," Truman was almost completely convinced. "Yes, I'm doing this for our house's honor!" As he spoke, he suddenly realized something. "But I don't know the Disarming Charm."
"Follow me, I know what you need..." Albert led Truman away. "...a book of defensive spells. You'll need to find someone to practice with, but don't look at me; I don't have that kind of free time. You can ask one of your Hufflepuff friends to help."
"Alright, thanks. Don't forget to come and watch the duel this weekend. It'll be on the lawn near the Black Lake," Truman said with a grin.
"I will," Albert nodded, watching Truman's retreating back as his gaze shifted to his task panel.
Passionate Assistance Your friend, Gabriel Truman, seems to be in some trouble. As the first wizard friend you've made, you should do your best to help him resolve his problem.
Reward: 100 experience points, Gabriel Truman's favorability +10 A Distant Victory
Your friend is at a clear disadvantage in the upcoming duel. As a friend, you should find a way to help him turn the tables and emerge victorious.
Reward: 1000 experience points, randomly obtain one skill from the duel opponent, Gabriel Truman's favorability +10.
Intrigued by the prospect of randomly obtaining a skill from the duel opponent, Albert returned to his seat. As he did so, Sana, who had just finished her homework, asked curiously, "Where did you go just now?"
"Oh, I just ran into a friend and chatted for a bit," Albert replied, catching Madam Pince's eye and quickly closing his mouth. He checked over his completed homework before putting it away.
(End of Chapter)
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