Chapter 295: Dark Arts Defense Training
Chapter 295: Dark Arts Defense Training
Professor Snape was definitely plotting something!
Albert had no idea what it could be, but he felt it had something to do with him.
It wasn't that he had a severe persecution complex, but the divination prediction from the scrying stones remained unfulfilled. Though he was reluctant to admit it, Albert felt that his divination might be accurate. After all, he had the skill panel to back it up.
If it weren't for the skill panel, Albert wouldn't have given divination a second thought. At the very least, he wouldn't have trusted his own prediction, but now that he had the skill panel, the accuracy of the divination was worth considering.
Speaking of predictions, Isabelle had a similar one, he wondered if hers had come true yet.
Albert hadn't asked her about it, feeling that she would probably just give him a strange look. Isabelle didn't believe in Professor Trelawney's divination. And rightfully so, as the Hogwarts Divination professor did seem rather unreliable.
Moreover, the more talented an individual was, the more they trusted their own judgment.
"What are you up to?"
"Divination!" Albert flipped through the divination book, comparing his prediction to the content within.
"Do you think it's accurate?" Lee Jordan obviously didn't believe in divination, "I heard that the Divination professor at Hogwarts is a fraud."
"I've heard similar rumors." Albert closed the book and sighed softly, his prediction was quite different from what he had expected.
It was vague, only hinting at something obscurely.
As expected, crystal ball predictions were much more reliable.
"Next year, we plan to take Divination. It's supposed to be an easy class, and even if we fail miserably, it won't matter." Fred suddenly interjected, "Then there's Care of Magical Creatures, Charlie says that class is fun."
"Divination requires talent!" Albert shook his head, "Without talent, no amount of hard work will make much of a difference. As for Care of Magical Creatures, Professor Kettleburn is quite old, he'll probably retire in a few years. I hope he can hold on until we finish the course."
"I feel like Professor Kettleburn might be forced into retirement before he even wants to, because of what you just said." George couldn't help but tease.
Albert rolled his eyes and put away his scrying stones, turning his attention to his homework.
The matter with Professor Snape was indeed troubling Albert, he felt that he should do something before the professor left Hogwarts.
Facing potential dangers unprepared was not in Albert's nature, he preferred to be ready, even if his preparations turned out to be unnecessary. It was better to stay calm and not panic in the face of unforeseen events.
"I plan to train my Dark Arts defense capabilities." Albert said in a soft voice, audible only to those closest to him, "I'll be practicing in that room, do you want to join me?"
The three friends exchanged glances, unsure why Albert suddenly wanted to include them in his magic practice.
"I plan to venture into the Forbidden Forest to search for Gryffindor's treasure. Before that, I need to be fully prepared." Albert explained once they were inside the Room of Requirement, "I want to make sure we're ready for any dangers that might lurk within."
Of course, this was just an excuse that Albert made up on the spot.
His Dark Arts defense skills were quite average, to be honest, he lacked experience in combat spellcasting, so he decided to enlist his roommates as sparring partners.
"I thought you..."
"The Forbidden Forest is dangerous, and I'm not about to walk straight into a deathtrap." Albert scoffed, "We need to be thoroughly prepared, even if our preparations turn out to be useless. Without Potter's lucky protagonist halo, we'd be dead for sure if we charged in recklessly."
Albert knew he didn't have the same lucky break as Harry Potter, so he wanted to be extra cautious and improve his combat abilities, even if his preparations might not be needed. There was no harm in being ready.
"When do we start?" Fred and George looked eager to begin, and Lee Jordan seemed equally excited. The most interesting part of Dark Arts defense was putting it into practice, and they knew that what they could learn from Albert might be more useful than what they were taught in class.
"Don't rush, you need to start with the basic curses." Albert spoke softly, "And you must learn the Spider Repelling Curse."
Using practical training to enhance his combat experience was the most reliable plan Albert could think of, and it would also help make up for his lack of experience in this area.
"But we already know those spells," Fred and George said together.
"Knowing a spell doesn't mean you know how to use it effectively," Albert shook his head. "Battles between wizards are not just about hurling spells at each other. In the Forbidden Forest, it's not the giant spiders themselves that are scary, it's when they ambush you."
"Alright, let's begin. You three take turns casting the Impediment Jinx on me."
"On you?"
"I'll try to block them with the Iron Armor Charm. Begin!" Albert called out their names one by one. "George, you're first, then Fred, and finally, Lee Jordan."
"Here it comes!" George grinned, already familiar with the Impediment Jinx from the previous year.
"Impedimenta!"
Albert's heart skipped a beat as he saw the jinx flying towards him. It felt like someone had just pulled the trigger on him.
"Protego!"
Albert softly uttered the incantation while waving his wand, attempting to deflect the incoming jinx. The Impediment Jinx collided with the Iron Armor Charm and dissipated into the surrounding area.
"Your jinx is too weak, and next time, cast silently. Don't announce to your opponent what spell you're using." Albert added casually. "Fred..."
Albert instructed the three to take turns casting the Impediment Jinx on him while he practiced blocking them with the Iron Armor Charm. Fred, George, and Lee Jordan, on the other hand, had to focus on accurately hitting Albert with their jinxes.
Of course, Albert couldn't possibly block every single attack, and after continuously facing their relentless assault, he inevitably got distracted and was hit by a few jinxes.
However, the trio's magical power wasn't particularly strong, and the effect of the Impediment Jinx was limited, causing him to stumble at most.
"Now, how do you feel?" Albert asked between breaths.
"The Impediment Jinx is too basic," Fred replied eagerly. "We want to learn more powerful spells."
"It's because you don't know how to use it effectively, and your spells lack the necessary power to incapacitate your opponent. At the very least, you should be able to knock someone off their feet." Albert casually waved his wand, sending Lee Jordan flying with a strong force that made him crash into a pile of mats.
"Wow!"
Fred and George gaped at the sight of Lee Jordan being flung away.
"Are you alright?" Albert offered Lee Jordan a hand to help him up.
"I'm fine, but are we really using the same spell?" Lee Jordan grumbled, feeling a bit disheartened. No wonder Albert had them practice the Impediment Jinx; there was clearly a huge gap in their abilities! "Let's take a short break, and then we'll continue with the Impediment Jinx." Albert sat down on a mat, popped a hard candy into his mouth, and offered some to his roommates. "Most wizards have fragile bodies, so we don't need to deliberately practice more powerful spells. Faster and more rapid attacks, casting spells continuously at your opponent, that's enough to leave them breathless. Even a simple Levitation Charm can have unimaginable effects."
"That makes sense," Fred mumbled. "But what if your opponent uses a strong protective spell to shield themselves? I remember you know one of those powerful protective charms."
He really wanted to learn that one.
"Don't be foolish," Albert replied bluntly. "In a battle against another wizard, doing that would only make you an easy target. If you try that against a skilled Dark wizard, you'll be in deep trouble."
"We want to learn more powerful magic," Lee Jordan insisted.
"You're not ready for that yet," Albert bluntly delivered a harsh truth. "It's best to take it step by step. First, master the Impediment Jinx, the Disarming Charm, the Stunning Spell, the Full Body-Bind Curse, the Iron Armor Charm, and the Shattering Spell. These are some of the more practical spells. Once you've got those down, we can move on to the Spider Repelling Charm. If you can quickly master these spells, I can teach you some others. There are quite a few spells in the book I bought, 'Practical Defense Magic and Its Countermeasures to Dark Arts,' that we can study together."
"That would be fantastic!" George's eyes lit up. They had all browsed through 'Practical Defense Magic and Its Countermeasures to Dark Arts' and attempted some of the spells, but without guidance, it had been challenging to practice on their own. Moreover, Albert had hidden the book away, so they hadn't had a chance to look at it again. (End of Chapter)
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