19 Chapter 19 : Volatile rivalry

Hermione's question hung heavily in the air with a touch of sadness. "Am I at the bottom of the results?" she asked, disappointment evident in her voice. "I'm pretty sure I can do more magic than anyone else this year, except for you."

I couldn't ignore the despair in her words, and with a heavy heart, I decided to be bluntly honest. "Yes," I replied, my tone gentle yet firm. "I agree with you. We're talking about magical reserves here, which can be improved with hard work, much like building a muscle. But families with generations of wizarding history have adaptations to magic ingrained into their DNA. It's the reason why all of them," I gestured towards Draco, Crabbe, Goyle, and even Neville, "have higher reserves."

I could see the realization appearing on Hermione's face, with a mixture of understanding and disappointment. The Pureblood theory, while flawed, had persisted for generations precisely because of this genetic predisposition to magic.

"That's not to say that first-generation wizards can't match them," I continued, hoping to offer some semblance of encouragement. "You are a prime example of that. But when it comes to magical reserves, it's a matter of adaptation. The more you cast magic, the more your body adapts, and your reserves will increase over time."

I paused, considering whether to share a recent example that proved this point.

SIGH

Ultimately, I decided to do so, hoping it might provide Hermione with some hope.

"Take Lily Potter, for instance," I began, watching as Hermione's eyes widened with interest. "She came from a Muggle background, but through sheer determination and hard work, she became a Charms and Potions mistress, surpassing 99.999% of the wizarding population. She was even in the process of applying for Rituals and Alchemy studies before her unfortunate death."

As I revealed information about Harry's deceased mother, a sense of wonder flickered across his features, and his eyes glowed with curiosity. But every trace of peace was shattered by the callous words of my less-than-tactful companion.

"Even she died at the hands of the Dark Lord at the end," Draco blurted out, his tone lacking any hint of emotional sensitivity.

Harry's reaction was immediate, his expression darkening with a storm of emotions as he struggled to contain his anger.

It was as if the mere mention of the Dark Lord, the source of all the misery in his life, had ignited a raging inferno within him. Well, It is quite logical when you think about it.

Draco, even though showing a hint of guilt at his own words, couldn't quite conceal the gleam of excitement in his eyes. It was clear that getting under Harry's skin was a source of twisted amusement for him. Meanwhile, Ron, in the relentless pursuit of sarcasm, couldn't resist adding fuel to the fire with his comment.

"Yeah, so much for that," Ron quipped sarcastically, "He died at the hands of Harry back then."

Harry's response was swift and heated. "Your Voldemort died back then too," he snapped, his wand springing up in a reflexive gesture of defiance.

Ron and Draco mirrored his movement, their wands at the ready as tensions reached a boiling point.

As the situation threatened to spiral out of control, I knew I had to intervene. Even if they came for a duel, I am drawing a line at invoking the Dark Lord's name while he is living within the castle, I stepped forward, my voice firm and commanding.

"All three of you are wrong."

Their attention turned to me, surprised by my interruption but willing to listen. Seems like my constant teaching has finally shown results. Kids listen to me because I tend to be right.

"Draco, your lack of tact is evident," I began, my gaze unwavering. "Even your Manners tutor would agree with me."

Draco averted his eyes, perhaps feeling guilt but I still refused to acknowledge it.

"Ron, your assumption is incorrect," I continued, addressing the red-headed Gryffindor. "Lily Potter was a formidable witch, and I am sure she was the one responsible for protecting Harry from the Killing Curse that day. Not the baby Harry, who could only shit and wet his diaper."

Turning to Harry, I met his spluttering face with a serious expression. "And you, Harry, are wrong to utter his name so freely."

Harry bristled at my words, his resolve shining through. "I'm not afraid of him," he retorted,

"Perhaps not," I conceded, "But his name carries a dangerous taboo, a global enchantment from a ritual that alerts him to the location and identity of anyone who speaks it. By uttering his name, you just informed him that we are talking about him."

The weight of my words settled over them like a heavy cloak. Even Draco and his cohorts, who prided themselves on their connection to the Dark Lord, couldn't hide their unease at the thought of drawing his attention.

The tense atmosphere suddenly blew up. I mean it literally, the air around us blew into smoke.

PROF

Peeves, Hogwarts's poltergeist, made his presence known with a cacophony of noise and chaos.

BAM

POCHE

"Naughty, naughty! Kids outside the dorms past curfew!" Peeves exclaimed with a mischievous glint in his eyes, blowing a raspberry into the air.

SHOO

Ron attempted to shoo him away, but Peeves was undeterred, his voice booming through the corridors with alarming volume.

"Kids breaking curfew! Where's the stupid caretaker? Hurry up or I'll fleece your cats! All cats are a blight on the planet!" Peeves continued, his taunting laughter echoing off the walls.

I shouted to them, "What are you waiting for? An invitation to run."

KATA

With Peeves hot on our heels, we dashed through the labyrinthine corridors of Hogwarts, everyone was pushing and jostling in our frantic attempt to escape poltergeist.

But no matter where we turned, Peeves seemed to follow, his relentless pursuit driving us deeper into the heart of the castle.

"It is all because of you, Weasley."

"What did I do?"

"What were expecting when ordering a Peeves to be quiet?"

"Ah right. Maybe I should have told him to play with you. According to my brothers, Peeves like to play with slimy snakes."

During this chaos, Ron and Draco still managed to find themselves locked in a bitter exchange of blame, their voices raised in frustration as they tried to push the responsibility to someone.

"Come on guys. Run. We almost lost him."

Meanwhile, Harry remained steadfast, offering occasional words of encouragement to Neville and Hermonie. I wonder how much of this is the experience from Harry hunting.

KATA

As we raced through the corridors, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was not right, a nagging sense of unease gnawing at the edges of my mind. That blew a red siren in my mind. Especially since, unlike Canon Draco has no involvement with Filch or Peeves now.

As per my guess, we arrived at our destination: the forbidden corridor.

While my companions, true to their age, fearing school punishment remained oblivious to the significance of our surroundings. With a deft flick of her wand, Hermione opened the door with a whispered "Alohomora," revealing the show that lay beyond.

CHUCK

As my companions rushed into the room, their panic palpable in the air, I remained calm, my hands casually tucked into my pockets, wand at the ready. While they froze in place, I maintained my composure, observing the scene before us with a cool detachment.

"Hey! What's wrong with everyone?" Ron, always the slowest to react, questioned the cause of the commotion, but before anyone could respond, Crabbe intervened, redirecting Ron's attention to the terrifying sight that awaited us.

GROWL

Before us stood a three-headed Cerberus, its three heads filled the chamber with an aura of dread. Saliva dripped from each of its mouths, its magical energy practically tangible, suffusing the air with a thick, oppressive force.

As I took in the sight, a wave of fear washed over me, but I pushed it aside, drawing strength from the memory of the knowledge I have of it. Fluffy, the giant three-headed dog raised by Hagrid, had lessened in danger levels in my mind. Unfortunately, it is the exact opposite in the case of my heart, which is rapidly beating itself to death, screaming about the danger.

Attempting to break the trance of my stiff companions, I addressed the creature before us with forced nonchalance. "Hey, that is one cute dog. Maybe this will make the perfect place for your duel, right guys?"

My attempt at a joke fell flat amidst the collective terror of my companions, which made them turn their heads towards me. Even the Cerebeus looked in surprise at me.

However, the situation didn't feel as funny as I was trying to project because its 6 eyes alone were filling my entire vision.

Using this chance, I took out my wand with one hand and said, "If not, let's run."

My voice is tinged with urgency as I braced myself.

ROARRRRRRR

"""AHHHHH""""

As the Cerberus unleashed a deafening roar, sending my classmates into a frenzy of screams, I sprang into action.

THUD

Drawing upon my training in martial arts, I executed a series of backflips, running away from the chaos with practised agility.

WHOOSH

With instinctive precision, I cast the Summoning Charm, using both my wand and wandless casting tapping into all of my reserves. The force of the charm propelled my classmates out of harm's way just as the door slammed shut behind us, sealing off the chamber and the ferocious beast within.

CHUCK

Exhausted but relieved, I collapsed to my knees, while my yearmates continued running in fear.

KATA KATA

KATA

In the aftermath of the chaos, I could hear Ron and Draco's voices echoing down the hall, their argument going on even now.

"….It's all because of your stupid duel, Malfoy."

"No, It is because of your stupid mouth."

As the tension gradually dissipated, I straightened myself, addressing the source of courage that made me act even in the presence of a Cerberus.

"You know, you can come out," I called out, my voice echoing in the now silent corridor. "While you did everything perfectly, not even using a hint of magic. The only reason I realized is pure luck and seeing Peeves."

The air seemed to hold its breath as my words hung in the stillness. So, I continued, "Peeves is the poltergeist of Hogwarts. Do I need to say more? Come on, who will he listen to act?"

But then, with a small sigh, the figure materialized before me, his presence making Fluffy look like a joke. He gave me a compliment, "You truly are quite the intelligent one, Arjun."

I replied respectfully, "Thank you for the compliment, Headmaster Dumbledore."

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