0371 A Contest (Part-1)

The Hufflepuff students looked at each other, unsure whether to follow Hermione's instructions. Ernie Macmillan and Justin Finch-Fletchley exchanged glances and shook their heads in secret. Hermione Granger was quite famous at school, and many professors highly appreciated her academic performance. However, she was ultimately just a third-year witch, wasn't she?

Having two third-years and one second-year student become teaching assistants for this class, there were truly not many who could accept it wholeheartedly.

If it had been Cedric, the Hufflepuffs would have no objections.

"Oh, congratulations--" But there were also those in Hufflepuff who held different opinions. Hannah smiled and nodded at Hermione, "I believe you all will do very well."

"Thank you--"

Hermione responded with a friendly smile.

"Well, if it is really Professor Watson's decision--"

Cedric also seemed a bit dissatisfied, but out of respect for Professor Watson, he did not raise any objections.

Well, everything was different from expectations; and the biggest problem still came from Slytherin. Not a single young wizard from this house obeyed the orders. They lazily stood in place, staring at Hermione and Neville with mocking eyes.

Disdain shone in Draco's pale gray eyes. He stared at Hermione for a while, and when his gaze turned to Neville, he almost burst out laughing at Neville's silent appearance. As for the Loony Lovegood from Ravenclaw, Draco just glanced at her before losing interest.

"I believe you all heard what I said, didn't you?"

Hermione's breathing became slightly heavier as she glared at the Slytherin students and repeated in a heavier voice, "We don't have much time to waste, we should start as soon as--"

"Why should we follow your orders?"

Unexpectedly, Draco did not come out to cause trouble, but it was almost as if he did. After receiving a cue, Pansy Parkinson arrogantly raised her chin, "Just because of your beaver-like front teeth?"

Pansy's taunt instantly provoked roaring laughter from the Slytherin crowd, and even students from the other two houses who did not harbor much enmity towards Hermione secretly cracked smiles.

Hermione's cheeks immediately flushed red, but her eyes did not show any retreat. She was about to refute Parkinson's words, but Harry was a step ahead of her. He swiftly drew his wand, stood in front of Hermione with a red face,

"Oh, how interesting!"

Harry pointed his wand at Pansy and shouted, "You have the nerve to mock others with that pug-like face of yours, Parkinson?"

The atmosphere in the entire classroom erupted due to Harry's words. Before Hermione could stop Harry's sharp but accurate statement, Parkinson over there was already screaming and cursing. The moment Harry drew his wand, Draco also took out his own, shielding Pansy in front of him.

"Apologize, Potter!" Draco's pale gray eyes flickered with rage. "Or I'll make you pay for your words!"

"Are you deaf, Malfoy?" Harry said coldly, "Why don't you listen to what Parkinson said to Hermione!"

"Oh, how amusing--"

Fred and George also stepped forward, each placing a hand on Harry's shoulder and glaring at Draco, "We'd like to see how you plan to make Harry pay, little mutt?"

"Want to fight, Weasley?"

Marcus Flint, the oldest Slytherin here and even a former junior of Bryan, rolled up his sleeves and struck a gorilla-like posture, snarling, "I hope you perform better than on the Quidditch pitch. By the way, how many times have you dimwits lost to us?"

"Hey, this isn't looking good!"

Seeing chaos about to erupt, most Hufflepuffs chose to stay out of it, and a few young Ravenclaw girls had already paled under the tense atmosphere, unable to do anything. However, Cedric still stepped forward,

"Let's talk this out. I think Professor Watson wouldn't want to see--" 

"This is none of your business, you big oaf!" Malfoy roared furiously, "How dare you insult me, Weasley? The blood-traitor Weasleys dare to insult the noble Malfoy family? You're all doomed, my father won't let you off!"

Fred and George responded very directly. With a whoosh, they dashed out, agilely dodging Cedric's attempt to grab them, and charged towards Malfoy. They leapt up, swinging their fists at Malfoy's face. However, Marcus had already prepared himself. He rushed over and blocked Fred and George's punches with his arms, and the three of them fell to the ground, and started wrestling!

Ginny let out an angry cat-like shriek. She flung a curse at Malfoy, who was trying to help Flint. But their training during this period had certainly not been in vain. More than just Neville had improved. Malfoy pivoted, turned his head, and easily dodged Ginny's curse.

Whether it was spells or fists, Harry would not have the slightest fear!

After Fred and George fell, Harry immediately tried to rush over, but Hermione who had foreseen it, grabbed his robe.

"Don't do this, Harry!"

Before Harry could question her, Hermione shouted. She looked at the completely out-of-control situation, panting heavily, and then, "Stop it!"

Hermione's shouting at the top of her lungs had no effect. Harry was struggling to break free, while on the other side, Fred and George were also brawling with Flint. Malfoy and Parkinson both wanted to curse the twins, but they kept switching positions with Flint, and because they were concerned about accidentally hitting Flint. Draco and Pansy had not yet found an opportunity.

Boom!

All the noises in the chaotic classroom fell silent amid a tremendous rumble, nearly causing many young wizards to stumble and fall after the shaking!

"Stop!"

Hermione raised her wand high and shouted angrily again.

This time, her shout had an effect.

The emotionally charged Gryffindors and Slytherins fell quiet. Even Fred, George, and Flint, who were brawling, stopped throwing punches. Everyone stared in disbelief at the suits of armor lining the classroom walls, which had brought them so much pain in the past.

The recent rumbling was caused by these suits of armor marching in unison.

They had already taken attacking postures. The scene of nearly a hundred suits of armor aiming Dung-bombs was a sight the young wizards had never witnessed before. Even during Professor Watson's initial demonstration, they had never been targeted by so many suits of armor at the same time.

Clank, clank, clank—

Hermione's eyes were full of determination. She hurried past Cedric and approached the Slytherins. Upon seeing Hermione rush out, Neville's pale, dry lips moved, but before he could figure out what was happening, his body had already followed her.

Luna did the same, though she seemed completely unaware of the situation's cause, a hint of wonder still on her young face. Under Harry's gaze, she bounced along, trailing behind Hermione and Neville.

"What do you want?"

Hermione, of course, knew where the problem was. She approached Draco, tilting her head up and staring intently into his evasive gray eyes. "You should know, Malfoy, that if Professor Watson returns to find his class in shambles, he'll be furious. He won't let any student who disrupted this class off the hook."

"So what?"

Being confronted by a lowly Mudblood filled Draco with a surge of humiliated anger. He wanted to lash out, but considering Granger's words did have some truth to them, and the fire blazing in this girl's eyes seemed capable of burning away all dark thoughts.

Draco avoided answering directly, "You'd better watch your words, Granger. We didn't intend to cause trouble, but--"

Draco glanced at the like-minded Slytherins behind him, as well as some of the Hufflepuffs.

"I think many agree that Professor Watson made a mistake in his choice of teaching assistants."

Malfoy tilted his head slightly forward, giving a fierce grin.

"There was a mistake"

Pansy Parkinson let out a stupid snickering laugh.

"Alright, I understand--" Hermione didn't get angry. She seemed to have expected Malfoy to say this. She simply nodded calmly, then turned to glance at Neville behind her, mustering who knows how much courage to stand here, and Luna, who didn't seem to care much about the questioning of their assistant status.

"Then--" Hermione took a deep breath. "Let's have a contest, Malfoy, and anyone else who objects--"

After the calm tone in which Hermione spoke those words, the classroom fell utterly silent, even the hushed murmurs ceased. People stared intently at the thin frame of the girl, as if searching for the source of courage that seemed to emanate from her body.

"A contest--"

Malfoy's brow furrowed, he leaned back, eyeing Hermione suspiciously. "Contest in what?"

"Of course, a contest of the very skills we're training in this class, Malfoy," Hermione stated matter-of-factly, her voice pausing briefly before she looked at Malfoy with a mocking gaze. "Besides that, what other class can you outperform me in? Oh, I'll admit your superiority at Quidditch, of course."

Hermione's grades were the best in their year, but even in front of Harry and Ron, she rarely emphasized this. Apart from in classes, Hermione was rather modest in private, Harry had never seen her flaunt her grades publicly.

Hermione's words were irrefutable, Draco's face darkened as he shot her a few resentful glances. The corners of his mouth curved into a sneer, he wanted to mock her, but before he could, Hermione, eager to resolve the chaos swiftly, looked at everyone and said.

"In our current training, Cedric has achieved the best results. He can complete half the course – two hundred feet – under the assault of the Dung-bombs. No one else has exceeded two hundred feet." 

In truth, it was also a matter of resilience, some young wizards were more agile than Cedric, but the physical differences due to the age gap meant they couldn't endure like him. Well, the big and strong Marcus Flint could probably take more hits, but his dodging and evasing skills were inferior to Cedric's.

"Professor Watson has selected me, Neville, and Luna as teaching assistants," Hermione stared at Malfoy with an intense gaze. "If anyone is dissatisfied with this, they can challenge us. The marker of victory is whoever can surpass Cedric's two hundred feet the fastest. Of course, if someone manages to finish the entire course, they'll also be declared the winner."

Neville's forehead was sweating profusely, and his pale lips were trembling, but Hermione seemed to have anticipated Neville's reaction. She turned to look at him, her clear brown eyes reflecting the firelight.

"Remember Professor Watson's assessment of you, Neville. He believes you're excellent."

Hermione didn't reveal Professor Watson's evaluation of Neville because she knew it would inevitably subject him to ridicule. Moreover, she herself had some doubts about the professor's opinion of Neville, but for now, she could only believe his judgement, believe Neville.

The flickering fire in Hermione's eyes seemed to hold a unique power. Gazing into those flames, Neville felt as though he too would be ignited. His heart still pounded erratically, his mind swam, but gradually, a flush crept onto Neville's pale cheeks. This rosy hue, like a spark igniting dry tinder, swiftly blazed into an inferno.

"Well then, bring it on, Malfoy!" Neville suddenly whipped his head around, panting heavily as he glared at Malfoy, shouting abruptly.

"Longbottom, you're just humiliating yourself!" Malfoy snarled through gritted teeth.

Harry blinked, watching the furious Neville beside Hermione, suddenly unable to connect him with the clumsy Gryffindor boy he knew. But Neville's display undoubtedly rallied everyone's spirits, prompting applause and cheers like crashing waves.

Luna fixed her protruding, misty eyes on Malfoy. "Questioning the decisions of those wiser than yourself will only bring you trouble, and it's foolish."

Draco hesitated for a moment, but things had come to this point, and he was in a dilemma but couldn't back down.

"Very well--" he said coldly, scanning the Slytherin crowd briefly before picking out their top performers in this class. "Three on three, Zabini, Nott, and me. If any of you loses, you'll have to resign as Professor Watson's assistant!"

"You're trying to cheat, Malfoy!" Harry saw that this contest would be unfavorable for Hermione's group. Malfoy and his lackeys could easily target one of the three of Hermione's group, forcing that person to forfeit their assistant position. To be honest, Harry wanted to take Hermione or Neville's place, but he understood this was their issue. Even if he participated and defeated those despicable Slytherins, they wouldn't stop causing trouble.

"No problem--" At Hermione's questioning look, Luna readily agreed, rising onto her tiptoes.

"I'll be the referee."

Cedric also stepped forward.

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