Chapter 205: Flitwick's Seventeen Dueling Lessons
Chapter 205: Flitwick's Seventeen Dueling Lessons
For young wizards at Hogwarts, the Duelling Class held every second and fourth Thursday of the month is undoubtedly a large-scale competitive social activity that helps to rejuvenate both body and mind.
In the eyes of many, this class has the potential to rival a Quidditch match. At least, they can actively participate rather than just being spectators on the field.
The Great Hall was bustling with students clustering in small groups, chatting enthusiastically before the professor arrived. Harry saw Percy boasting about how he had earned twelve Owl certificates, and Hermione's eyes lit up.
"I'll be right back", Hermione said to Harry and Ron.
They watched her squeeze through the crowd, whispering to someone. Percy, who had initially been somewhat indifferent, soon widened his eyes. The two quickly moved past the assembled students, heading toward a corner of the Great Hall where four long tables were set up.
As they passed the twins, Percy stopped to warn them, "I don't know what method you used to avoid my notice, maybe a Tracking Charm or something—"
The twins exchanged a glance, and Fred winked, "Did you hear that, George, a Tracking Charm... another fruitful day!"
George dramatically bowed, one hand behind his back, "Noble deed, Percy! For the great cause of mischief, we will leave a name for you."
"Hand-size—"
"No, a badge size is enough. We only need to write 'Big Head Boys,' and it will be clear."
Harry chuckled softly nearby, quickly shifting his gaze to Ginny, whose face turned red as if she might faint into her good friend Luna Lovegood's arms.
"Do you want me to tell you a cold joke?" Luna said abruptly, her eyes wide. Harry was used to this; he knew the young girl always acted this way.
"Any brilliant insights, Luna?" he glanced quickly in Percy's direction, where they were standing under a suit of armor, talking in low voices.
"Your mind is a mess; there must be a swarm of traveling annoyance flies nesting in your brain..." Luna seriously shook her bracelet, "I can help you drive them away."
"How?" Harry asked, noticing Professor Hep's figure appearing at the Great Hall entrance.
"You need to calm down and become less attractive to the annoyance flies..."
"Thanks, but I don't think I have any of those strange things in my head", Harry said quickly.
Professor Hep and Snape entered, as expected, but there was another professor with them—Flitwick, whom he had initially missed.
Hermione hurried back from a distance, and the young wizards instinctively lined up by their respective houses.
Felix cast a Sonorus charm on himself and called out, "Welcome back to Duelling Class, young wizards! I see many familiar faces and quite a few new ones..."
In front of each house, a row of first-year students stood timidly, curious and wide-eyed. Harry spotted the young witch named Romilda Vane staring at Professor Hep with stars in her eyes.
"Before we begin, allow me to introduce our third regular Duelling Class professor, Filius Flitwick!"
The diminutive Flitwick stepped forward a few paces. He was dressed formally in a neat suit, elegantly twirling his wand as if it were a conductor's baton.
Enthusiastic cheers erupted from the Ravenclaw House, and clusters of sparks were released from the crowd, forming an eagle that symbolized Ravenclaw House.
Harry thought they must have taken inspiration from the Answer Parchment—both looked very similar.
Students from the other houses also clapped enthusiastically; in terms of popularity, Flitwick was undoubtedly the best among the four Heads of House.
"Thank you, thank you—" Flitwick was moved to tears, wiping his eyes with a handkerchief embroidered with the Ravenclaw emblem, "I'm so excited today, it feels like my first day on the podium."
Today was Flitwick's show, and Felix and Snape intentionally downplayed their presence to let Flitwick shine. Flitwick bowed to the two professors and then began to cast spells, making it seem as if spellcasting was an art form in his hands.
After a few minutes of dazzling displays, Flitwick got down to business. He flicked his wand, and large puffs of bronze smoke poured from the tip, coalescing into blurry figures that stood on the gilded stage.
These bronze figures paired up, facing each other as if in a duel. Each pair included a small wizard, who was presumably Flitwick.
The young wizards counted carefully and found there were seventeen pairs.
Flitwick's high-pitched voice said, "Allow me to revisit a moment of glory from my past, over sixty years ago... After seventeen duels, I won the title of Wizard Duel Champion in 1931."
He waved his wand, and the first pair of bronze figures came to life: a tall wizard raised his hand and cast a spell, while the small figure ducked and countered, quickly defeating his opponent.
Flitwick narrated, "Did you see that? My opponent underestimated me, thinking that my small stature meant I was less skilled. But this was one of my easiest victories."
"Short but sweet, and we can learn a lot from it..."
"The first lesson: never underestimate your opponent in a duel. Many of you might think of this, but few wizards truly live by it."
"Another lesson? Yes, seize the opportunity. I didn't just defend; I took the chance to counterattack. This also reminds us that wizards are most vulnerable when attacking. You must protect yourself and leave room for maneuver."
"The next one is a bit trickier. Any guesses? Here's a hint: it's related to my unique height." Flitwick looked expectantly at the young wizards.
Harry's eyes lit up. He had heard a similar phrase from Professor Hep!
He raised his hand first and, when called upon, said excitedly, "Combine your personal traits to create the most suitable combat system for yourself."
Flitwick smiled, "Very good, Potter! Yes, personal traits—this is crucial. Each of us is unique, and you must accept everything about yourself, the good and the bad..."
"I used to be troubled by my height and build. In most cases, I had to look up during duels. Being short also meant my movement speed was slower, and my arms weren't long enough, making it easy for opponents to gauge my spell range."
The young wizards listened quietly, eager to hear how Professor Flitwick had overcome these challenges.
"But I eventually emerged from the shadows. I embraced my imperfections, and after a while, my height became an advantage. Few wizards have experience dueling someone my size, and they often make mistakes, either due to mindset or habit."
"My build made me harder to hit with spells, and I stopped focusing on speed, instead developing more agile steps..."
Flitwick said this with a sense of reflection, and the audience erupted into applause. He heard someone from his house shouting, "Head of House, you're the best!" He couldn't help but wipe his eyes again.
"Next, let's watch the second duel. I faced an interesting opponent, and we later became friends."
...
More than an hour passed, and Flitwick used his personal experiences to paint vivid pictures of real duels for the young wizards. The students felt they had gained a lot.
Harry even thought he could copy these words verbatim into his essay for Professor Hep.
But that was just a thought.
Felix walked to the center of the gilded stage and smiled, "We have less than half an hour left. After discussing with the other professors, we've decided to switch to one-on-one guidance battles.
Students will choose a professor to receive individual guidance. I'm sure many of you have gained confidence over the past year and the summer..."
He looked around and saw eager faces.
"So, show us what you've got!"
(End of Chapter)
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