Chapter 14: Curse

It was eleven o'clock in the morning on November 9th, and this marked Harry's debut as a representative of Gryffindor in a Quidditch match. His exceptional Quidditch talent led Gryffindor to their first victory of the year. However, despite the triumph, an unsettling atmosphere loomed due to an incident on the field that left several young wizards uneasy, suspecting foul play aimed at Harry's life.

Harry and Ron were engaged in a discussion about the match's events before dinner. As for Hermione, since it was Saturday with no classes, she dedicated the day to her studies, ensuring she didn't miss any available study time. She had also been helping Neville prepare for evening study sessions. Due to Salim's presence, Hermione and the others kept a certain distance.

Speaking of Salim, it's safe to assume he had no interest in watching Quidditch. First-year wizards like him had no classes on weekends, affording them free time. This luxury gradually diminished as they advanced in grades, with new courses and electives filling their Saturdays and Sundays.

After dinner, when Hermione gathered Neville and Salim together, her first words were directed at Salim: "Salim, you're aware of what occurred on the pitch today."

"If you're referring to Potter being jinxed, yes, I know. Draco informed me during dinner. What's the matter?" Draco had been whispering into Salim's ear about it throughout the meal. It's a shame Harry managed to stay on his broom," Salim remarked.

"I personally witnessed Snape casting a curse on Harry," Hermione stated, looking intently at Salim.

"Interfering spells, whether cast or countered, require incantations. Professor Snape would have been chanting the counter-curse for Potter," Salim noted, well-versed in the intricacies.

"However, we're all aware of the relationship between Snape and Harry..."

"Hermione, while you usually come across as intelligent, why do you think Professor Snape would want to harm Potter?" Salim interjected, suggesting a more rational perspective rather than relying on assumptions.

Salim took it upon himself to teach these young wizards how to approach such situations.

"Hermione, do you believe Professor Snape to be foolish?" Salim inquired.

Hermione shook her head. Despite her disdain for Snape, she acknowledged his intelligence and magical prowess. Spending time with Salim had given her a better understanding of Snape, making her one of Gryffindor's most informed students regarding the professor.

"Given that he's not unintelligent, would he dare kill a student in front of the entire school?" Salim continued probing, "Based on your description, the jinx targeted Potter's broom, not Potter himself. Even if successful, let's imagine Potter falling off. What then? Would Potter simply plummet to his death?" Salim glanced at Neville and Draco, "Can you honestly believe a student would die from falling off a broom in front of so many older students and professors?"

Salim didn't pause for responses, continuing his rapid discourse.

"Potter would have to fall to his demise unless none of the wizards present had wands."

"Even without wands, casting a non-verbal levitation spell isn't beyond Professor Flitwick's capabilities. I'm confident of that."

"Potter would have to fall to his demise unless everyone present suddenly forgot how to perform the Levitation Charm."

"Even if all their Levitation skills vanished, falling from that height wouldn't be fatal, at least not immediately. As long as there was a breath left, Madam Pomfrey could revive Potter."

"Assuming someone intended to kill Potter, they have countless opportunities – in the corridor, the common room, the bathroom. Yet, this person chose a crowded stadium. Do you think this person is foolish?"

"Furthermore, the target of this person's spell wasn't Potter himself, but the broom beneath him. Hoping Potter falls off his broom and dies is more plausible than expecting him to die falling downstairs. The odds are better."

"And this supposed idiot is seated calmly in the stands, intently focusing on Potter and incanting spells, with no apparent concern for the crowd around him."

"Tell me, Hermione, do you still believe Professor Snape is responsible for Harry's peril?" Salim asked, folding his arms and assessing the puzzled Hermione before him. It was a rare sight to see her perplexed.

Salim's barrage of points left Hermione momentarily overwhelmed. Indeed, she had never considered these aspects before. Upon reflection, these issues were glaringly apparent and obvious. Hermione had simply overlooked them.

"Of course, it doesn't necessarily mean someone wanted to harm Potter; perhaps they merely sought to disrupt his performance. Certain Slytherin seniors might resort to such tactics, although it would be rather foolish," Salim concluded, shifting his gaze to Draco, "Draco, have you overheard any rumours around the castle?"

"No, should I inquire?" Draco responded, intrigued to learn whether any senior students had indeed targeted Harry.

"And if not?" Hermione inquired with concern, "What if someone truly intended to kill Harry?"

"If someone did intend to kill Potter and chose this setting, it suggests they didn't truly wish to end his life," Salim asserted. He fixed his gaze on Hermione, "Rather, their goal was to send a message: there's a threat against Potter within the school. To eliminate Potter would alert the professors."

"Why not simply inform the professors directly?" Hermione wondered.

"Hermione, I think you can deduce the answer," Salim replied, addressing the trio before him, "If you aspire to excel in the realm of magic, you must sharpen your reasoning skills. Wizards without critical thinking don't tend to fare well."

Having addressed the issue of Harry, Salim transitioned to evaluating the trio's proficiency in the Disarming Charm. Among them, Draco demonstrated the strongest mastery, while Neville struggled. Despite managing to cast the spell, Salim found Neville's execution slow, considering a punch might be quicker.

"It's too sluggish," Salim critiqued, shaking his head. "Your Disarming Charms are cast too slowly, but given your novice status in combat spells, it's understandable."

Wizard battles moved at a swift pace, and the rapid release of spells often determined victory. The key to increasing spellcasting speed lay in consistent practice until it became instinctual. Salim emphasized that his opponents would be drawing their wands while his spell was already targeting them, regardless of the specific spell used.

He likened wizard duels to cowboy showdowns, where speed was paramount. Wizards possessed fragile bodies, vulnerable to stun spells that could incapacitate even powerful wizards like Dumbledore. Salim held the belief that most of a wizard's magical prowess was developed to counter their own kind.

"The Disarming Curse serves as the cornerstone of practical magic, serving as your gateway. If you can't even master this spell, there's no point in wasting your time with me," Salim's words carried weight, albeit the truth. After all, what could one expect from a wizard lacking in utility?

"I have a simple request: less than a second and silence when casting spells. Bonus points if you can do it without a wand."

...

All three were rendered speechless.

"Draco, step forward and use whatever magic you want against me," Salim tilted his head toward Neville, "Neville, step aside."

Draco

and Salim positioned themselves face to face, took a deep breath, and Draco quickly raised his wand...

Subsequently, Draco found himself unable to cast any spells—his wand was no longer in his grasp.

With a casual flick of his hand, Salim retrieved Draco's wand as if collecting money.

"No wand, no sound, all within a second," Salim quipped, tossing the wand back to Draco, "In a real combat scenario, Draco, you'd already be incapacitated."

"Curious about the repercussions of losing your wand in battle?" Salim turned and lowered his wizard robes to his waist, revealing his back.

A massive scar stretched from Salim's left shoulder blade down to his waist—a deep dark hue reminiscent of wood charred by Fiendfyre. The contours of his ribs emerged vividly on this sprawling scar. Shallow and deep depressions resembled a battlefield freshly pounded by artillery, densely scattered across the darkened expanse. A circle akin to melted wax served as a boundary between the scarred region and unaffected skin.

Salim adjusted his robes and turned to face the trio, letting out a sigh. "Remember this lesson—firmly grasp your wands."

Draco's throat constricted, his trembling lips parted, "What... what was that?" He was certain he'd be haunted by nightmares tonight. The scars on Salim's body were a terrifying sight he had never before encountered.

Salim shifted his attention to Neville, inquiring, "Did Rubeus discuss this with you?" Rubeus, Neville's uncle, was a staff member at Schuyler.

Neville lowered his gaze to Salim and nodded without uttering a word. Neville's trepidation toward his cousin Salim largely stemmed from Rubeus's words. Most wizards acquainted with Salim's feats often referred to him as the "little monster" or "little lunatic," monikers that originated when Salim was a mere ten years old in Schuyler.

"Ingrain this lesson deep within you," Salim clapped his hands to regain the trio's focus, "Practice diligently. There are no shortcuts, no monotonous repetitions, no squandering of time and energy. Do you think I reached this level overnight?"

Youth was on their side; they had time in abundance. Salim found himself genuinely intrigued by the extent to which they could progress under his guidance.