Chapter 303: Lockhart's Dueling Club
Chapter 303: Lockhart's Dueling Club
Even Kyle himself hadn't anticipated the immense popularity of the casual gift he'd given to Neville.
With Neville's enthusiastic promotion, more and more people began seeking him out, eager to purchase the same anti-monster amethyst crystals.
It's worth mentioning that even the name was their idea.
Fred and George were bewildered. During lunch the next day, they found Kyle at the Hufflepuff long table and cornered him, one on each side.
"Kyle, I thought you said you didn't want to get involved in this?" Fred said. "But this morning, so many people came to us to buy these things."
"And what's this about anti-monster crystals?" George eyed him suspiciously. "You're not keeping some secret good stuff from us, are you?"
"They're just amethyst crystals for Christmas decorations," Kyle said helplessly. "I gave one to Neville yesterday, and now everyone knows about it."
It wasn't just Fred and George; he had received quite a few orders early that morning as well.
Kyle rubbed his forehead.
Yesterday, Neville had wanted to buy some, but he didn't have enough stock, so he'd simply given the crystal to Neville.
Neville had indeed offered to help promote it, but he hadn't expected the results to be so impressive.
After hearing Kyle's explanation, Fred and George had a general idea of what had transpired.
"Neville Longbottom..."
"Why didn't he come to you sooner!"
They regretted that if Neville had come to them a few days earlier, they would already be counting their galleons by now.
The two hastily ate a few bites of lunch before eagerly rushing through the secret passageway to Hogsmeade to buy a large quantity of amethyst crystals.
Kyle, following his memory, cut them into sharp crystal pillars.
To make the product more distinctive, he also added a self-made pepper bomb underneath the crystal pillar.
In a critical moment, one could smash the crystal to release a large amount of pepper-filled smoke and then take the opportunity to escape.
Well... it was very popular.
Fred and George had to restock in Hogsmeade three times, and on the last trip, they bought out all the amethyst crystals from Dervish & Banges. Still, they couldn't quite keep up with the demand.
Kyle had to admit that he had underestimated the response.
It seemed that everyone was anxious about the Chamber of Secrets incident and was willing to spend a few sickles for some peace of mind.
So, even without the high-end market of Slytherin, they made a small profit.
The only downside was that for a while afterward, the Hogwarts Castle was often filled with the scent of pepper.
Every day, some young wizard would accidentally break the crystal, and Neville was no exception...
He went through the crystals at a rate of about one every two days, quickly spending his galleons, to the point where Fred and George started feeling guilty and offered him all sorts of discounts and deals. They returned the money they had made from Neville and even threw in some extra.
Harry and Ron, who shared a dormitory with Neville, complained several times that their food always tasted like pepper now.
"I think you should get one too," Hermione told them. "It's not like those useless onions and newt tails.
"Kyle has considered this very thoroughly. The crystal allows you to observe multiple corridors at once, the smoke obstructs vision, and the pepper affects the sense of smell. No matter what kind of monster it is, it will definitely be useful."
"Maybe you're right..." Ron waved his hand. "But if you had a roommate like Neville, you wouldn't say that."
In this atmosphere, time quickly passed, and December arrived.
Lockhart somehow learned about the possibility of hosting clubs from the professors, and he approached Dumbledore, expressing his desire to get involved.
So, one morning, as Kyle, Connor, and Cedric were heading to the Great Hall for breakfast as usual, they noticed something new on the bulletin board in the entrance hall.
"The school is starting a Dueling Club!" exclaimed a Gryffindor student ahead of them. "The first meeting is tonight at eight o'clock in the Great Hall!"
"It's about time," someone else chimed in. "I'd love to learn some dueling techniques. You never know when they might come in handy."
"Ha... Do you really think the Slytherin monster will duel with us?" came a skeptical voice from behind them.
Kyle turned to see Ron, who despite his words, seemed intrigued by the idea.
"Hello, Kyle," Hermione greeted him. "Will you be attending this Dueling Club?"
"Yes," Kyle nodded. "I have some free time tonight, and I'm quite interested in this club."
"We're going too," Hermione said to Harry and Ron. "It could be useful."
"Of course, I'll go, but I hope there's no pepper there," Ron muttered.
Harry nodded in agreement beside him; they had been through enough pepper-filled days, and their meals had been less than enjoyable lately.
When the clock struck eight that evening, the Great Hall had undergone a remarkable transformation.
The long dining tables had disappeared, and a gilded stage now extended along one wall, illuminated by hundreds of floating candles.
As Kyle and his friends entered, they found the hall packed with students... almost the entire school had turned up. Everyone was gathered in small groups, each holding their wand and looking excited.
"I wonder who will be teaching us," Autumn asked curiously. "Do you think it will be Professor Dumbledore?"
"It could also be Professor Flitwick," Cedric said. "He was a famous dueling champion in his youth, so he'd be the perfect choice."
"It might not be either of them," Fred said, eyeing the glittering stage. "This extravagant decoration reminds me of someone."
A few minutes later, Lockhart strode onto the stage in a purple-and-scarlet robe, looking dazzling. Snape followed close behind.
"I knew it..." Fred groaned. "No other professor would go for such a flashy stage setup except for this peacock."
"And to have Snape as his assistant..." George sighed. "Is there a worse combination? Is it too late for us to leave?"
Connor turned to look at the now-closed Great Hall doors. "Looks like we're stuck here."
Onstage, Lockhart waved his hand to quiet the students. "Gather 'round, everyone, and come a little closer."
"So, in order to help you protect yourselves in dangerous situations, Professor Dumbledore has kindly allowed me to start this little Dueling Club to share some of my experiences with you."
"I'd also like to thank Professor Snape for graciously agreeing to be my assistant. He's such a wonderful person."
Snape's expression turned sourer. If it weren't for getting Dumbledore's signature on that supply list, he wouldn't be caught dead with Lockhart at this absurd Dueling Club, and certainly not as his assistant!
But Lockhart, oblivious to Snape's displeasure, continued with a broad smile, "It will just be a small demonstration, so there's no need to worry. I'll be careful with my strength... and afterward, I'll return to teaching your Potions class without a hair out of place."
Snape's gaze grew colder as he stared at Lockhart, his eyes resembling those of a basilisk about to strike.
(End of Chapter)
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