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Chapter 637: The Power of Galleons
🕑 Added 2025-03-19 13:08:00 +0000 UTCNearly a hundred related books, simple yet useful magical props, and specialized equipment to measure the strength of spells—every corner of the room radiated professionalism.
To Kyle, this was exactly how a Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom should look.
As he admired the setup, another knock came at the door. Ginny, Neville, and several more Gryffindor students entered the room.
From then until eight o'clock, people kept arriving, one after another. Each new arrival seemed surprised to see Kyle there.
"Oh, you never mentioned this before..." Parvati whispered to Hermione. "If I'd known Kyle was here, Padma would’ve come too."
"I just found out myself," Hermione said, struggling to keep her patience as she repeated the explanation yet again. "He turned down our invitation before. I didn’t think he’d come."
Hermione had to admit that Kyle’s reputation at Hogwarts, especially after the events of the Triwizard Tournament, had reached extraordinary heights. It was precisely because of his reputation that she’d initially wanted him to help lead the Defence Against the Dark Arts group.
Kyle’s name was a beacon. If he had attended earlier meetings, the group’s size would undoubtedly have doubled. Unfortunately, he’d declined.
By eight o'clock, Hermione checked her list against the attendees and confirmed that everyone was present.
Cedric walked over to the door and turned the key in the lock. The sharp click echoed through the room.
Outside, anyone passing by would have noticed the door vanish, leaving behind only a blank wall as though it had never existed.
Inside, the students sat on soft cushions, chatting excitedly. It was their first time in such a magical space, and the novelty had everyone in high spirits.
"Well, this is where we’ll be practicing," Cedric began, addressing the group. "This room contains nearly every book on Defence Against the Dark Arts. Normally, you can pick whichever ones interest you to study, but not today.
“We’re short on time, so we’ll focus primarily on practical work."
Cedric, as Head Boy, quickly embraced his role. He spoke confidently to the group of over fifty students, showing no signs of nervousness.
"So, let’s begin our first practice session with the Leg-Locker Curse. It’s a basic spell—many of you already know it and have probably used it as a prank."
"But underestimating this Charm would be a mistake. In combat, the Leg-Locker Curse is one of the quickest ways to immobilize an opponent, giving you time to escape."
"I don’t want to learn how to run away!" someone called out. "That’s too uninspiring. Why not teach us powerful spells instead?"
Cedric’s expression remained calm as he replied, "Because you won’t be dueling Hogwarts classmates or following structured rules. You’ll be facing adult wizards, strangers whose skill level you can’t predict."
"Until you’re sure you can win, running away is often the smartest option. No one will think less of you for it."
"So what if they’re adult wizards?" the same voice argued. "We might still stand a chance. Don’t forget—Kyle defeated a Werewolf in his second year!"
A murmur of agreement swept through the room. Kyle’s defeat of a Werewolf had been the feat that first made him famous at Hogwarts, earning him the Order of Merlin.
And back then, he’d only been a second year. The youngest students here were already third years.
"That’s because there were two professors there," Kyle said flatly.
It was the first time he’d spoken since arriving.
"Honestly, if I had to choose, I’d rather not have the Order of Merlin than face a transformed Werewolf alone."
The boy muttered something under his breath. Kyle couldn’t make out the words, but it was clear the boy didn’t believe him.
"Alright," Cedric said with a grin. "If you think you can do better than Kyle, how about we run a little test?"
"What kind of test?" the boy asked warily.
"It’s simple," Cedric said, stepping onto his cushion. "I’ll use just one spell. If you can get my foot off this cushion, you win. What do you say?"
"Deal!" the boy replied, standing up confidently.
Kyle recognized him: Anthony Goldstein, a fifth-year Ravenclaw.
"What if I win?" Anthony asked, his eyes narrowing.
"Then I'll teach you a powerful offensive spell," Cedric replied, raising his wand.
"Confringo!"
With a deafening bang, a large wardrobe at the side of the room was obliterated in a fiery explosion. Flames roared briefly before vanishing, leaving a cloud of dust and splinters in the air. The force of the blast sent a shower of debris across the room, and everyone shielded their faces.
When the dust settled, a crater on the ground was visible for only a moment before disappearing, the room seamlessly restoring itself.
The sheer power of the spell left the group in stunned silence.
"What do you think of that Charm?" Cedric asked, lowering his wand. "Would you call it a powerful attack spell?"
Before Anthony could respond, Kyle stepped forward, pulling out a small pouch. With a dramatic flourish, he dumped a handful of gold coins onto the table.
"If you win, these fifty Galleons are yours," Kyle said.
The gleaming pile of gold immediately captured everyone's attention. The allure of the coins was just as powerful as the Blasting Curse had been moments before.
"Yes!" Anthony exclaimed, his eyes locked on the Galleons. He took out his wand and stepped forward, assuming a dueling stance.
The rest of the students quickly moved back to give the two plenty of space.
"Wait," Anthony said, pausing as a thought struck him. "You can’t use that spell again."
Cedric smirked. "The Death Eaters won’t make deals, but I’ll agree to this one."
Without anyone saying "start," the duel began.
Anthony had barely started to recite his incantation when Cedric finished his. With a quick wave of Cedric’s wand, the wooden debris scattered on the floor twisted and writhed, transforming into a dozen ferrets that sprang to life and charged at Anthony, screeching and darting around his feet.
The duel ended almost as soon as it began.
Anthony managed to deal with two ferrets before one bit his wand hand. With a yelp, he dropped his wand, sealing his defeat.
"Unfortunately," Cedric said calmly, "it seems you’re not ready to take on an adult wizard."
Another wave of Cedric’s wand reverted the ferrets back into harmless wood.
The room fell silent. Everyone had expected Anthony to lose, but they hadn’t anticipated how quickly or decisively it would happen.
At the same time, Cedric’s effortless display of skill left a deep impression. Up until now, many had seen him as just the Head Boy, a talented student, and the captain of the Hufflepuff Quidditch team. But this duel revealed another side to him—a confident, highly capable wizard whose mastery of Transfiguration was awe-inspiring.
Even Hermione, who prided herself on her magical knowledge, was surprised. She knew she could perform similar spells, but not with the ease Cedric had demonstrated. Clearly, Cedric had held back, yet the results were still flawless.
On the other side of the room, Anthony sighed, picking up his wand. His gaze lingered on the pile of Galleons, but he returned to his seat without a word.
Before long, more students stood up, unable to resist the temptation of the gold.
After all, what did they have to lose? There was no penalty for failing, but if they succeeded, the reward was immense.
Kyle, noticing the eagerness spreading through the room, raised his hand to quiet everyone.
"Hold on," he said with a smile. "The Galleons will remain on the table. This prize is valid as long as the competition continues."
"But each of you only gets one chance to challenge Cedric. If you lose, that’s it. If you want to win, make sure you’re ready."
The crowd hesitated. Those who had just stood up slowly sat back down, realizing it was better to bide their time, practice, and come prepared. Murmurs filled the room as students weighed their chances, with one exception—Anthony groaned audibly, knowing he’d already blown his opportunity.
After that, the session proceeded much more smoothly.
Cedric divided the group into pairs to practice the Leg-Locker Curse, and the motivation to learn was palpable. Spurred on by the prospect of the Galleons, everyone threw themselves into their practice, more focused than they’d ever been before—even during final exams.
Cedric was kept busy weaving through the crowd, correcting wand movements and casting techniques, ensuring everyone improved.
"Hey, Hermione, is this right?" Ron asked, gesturing to Neville, who was awkwardly stiff-legged but still wobbling on his feet. "Why does it feel like his legs can still move?"
"Because your wand movement is off," Hermione said, barely suppressing her impatience. "The swing needs to be smaller—just use your wrist. Stop moving your whole arm."
"Alright, I’ll try again." For once, Ron didn’t argue, following her instructions without complaint.
Hermione blinked in surprise, patting her forehead as the realization struck her. The power of Galleons really is incredible.
