Chapter 132 "Skyler the Champion Fans Club"

Severus Snape, the youngest headmaster in the history of Slytherin House and a renowned master of potions, possesses a multitude of talents that often go unnoticed amid his fame.

Among his lesser-known strengths is his remarkable proficiency as a spell inventor, having crafted more than one Spell in his illustrious career.

Levina Monkstanley, known for inventing a Light Charm, is hailed and remembered for that singular achievement. She first developed the Wand-Lighting Charm, Lumos along with the Wand-Extinguishing Charm, Nox. She astonished her colleagues one day by lighting the tip of her wand to look for a dropped quill in a dusty corner.

In Skyler's prior life, he was already aware of Snape's magical prowess, particularly in the realm of curses. The spells credited to Snape's inventiveness include the Toenail Growing Hex, the Langlock Jinx, the Dangling Jinx, Muffliato Charm, and the notorious Sectumsempra. Notably, there are five kinds of spells that were known to have been created by Professor Snape.

Upon delving into "Snape's Magical Tome," Skyler was forced to reconsider the extent of Snape's capabilities, realizing that he had previously underestimated the depth of Snape's magical talent.

It becomes clearer why Snape earned Voldemort's appreciation at a young age and secured a place within the innermost circle of Death Eaters. Despite being a half-blood wizard, he garnered the respect and allegiance of pure-blood Death Eaters.

Voldemort's willingness to spare a Muggle witch for him underscored the significance of Snape's contributions.

Skyler, who prided himself on an extensive knowledge of spells, even doubting if there were others in the world who knew more spells, found himself astonished upon perusing "Snape's Magical Tome."

The tome revealed many curses developed by Snape for novel applications. Additionally, he dismantled and enhanced these spells, restoring them to their original forms but imbuing them with greater potency.

For example, the Bombardment Spell (Bombarda) was modified by Snape into the "Continuous Explosion Curse" - this is a Spell that can produce a series of explosions. There is no upper limit on the number of explosions as long as the magic power in the caster's body can keep up.

Based on this Spell alone, Skyler could conclude that in the original work, he was beaten to the point of being defeated by Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick in one round. It was definitely because he did not want to hurt his colleagues that he showed mercy.

For example, the Tickling Charm was invented by Miranda Goshawk. It originally caused uncontrollable laughter on the recipient's face. Still, he improved it into the "Endless Laughter Curse" - the laughter that becomes relentless will not only affect the opponent's face, but will even further intensify, spreading throughout the body and find ways to induce internal convulsions (such as abdominal spasms).

Of course, what Skyler was most envious of was the "Mind Control" (Imperius) he learned from Voldemort.

Mind Control, as the name suggests, is a kind of magic that does not require chanting spells or auxiliary devices such as wands, and can also be used to manipulate others by itself.

In the original work, only three wizards have demonstrated this ability: one is Dumbledore, one is Voldemort, and the last one is Snape. According to clues in the original work, it is inferred that Voldemort should have learned it from his dark arts mentor.

Skyler's flying broomstick skills can only be said to be at an average level. He can fly well, but if he were to control the broomstick with one hand to fly and wave the wand to fight with the other, he would probably be unable to do it.

Levitation suits him perfectly.

First of all, Skyler possesses active magic power, so he can easily control magic power all over his body - as long as he silently casts a levitation magic on himself, he can independently coordinate the deployment of magic power through various parts of the body, and he can levitate effortlessly.

Second, Skyler knows how to multi-task and cast spells with both hands. Once he connects with levitation, Skyler's levitation ability will be greatly doubled.

So, in addition to levitation, he has one more thing left to do on his first priority to-do list, which is to protect his loved ones.

The week passed quickly. Soon came Saturday, November 21st.

There are still four days left before the first event of the competition.

This day marked the Hogsmeade visit, and Skyler decided to take all the third-year members of the Serpentis Vigil Club to the Three Broomsticks for a celebration.

Despite having the ability to use the suitcase space to bring out the second-year members, he refrained from doing so to avoid potential sightings and subsequent complications for Professor Snape.

Choosing the largest table available, they occupied it with a total of nine people, leaving a few empty seats. Ms. Rosmerta, the proprietress, greeted them with a warm smile, "Hey, look, our champion is here!"

Customers at other tables directed their attention toward Skyler, many offering smiles of acknowledgment.

As the renowned proprietress gracefully approached their table, she said, "Do you want anything? I can deliver it directly." In a typical bar setting, patrons usually had to visit the bar themselves to place orders.

However, Ms. Rosmerta clearly extended special treatment to Skyler due to his status as a Triwizard Tournament participant.

"Okay, ma'am," Skyler declared grandly, "Six deluxe seafood platters (all fried), six dozen fresh North Sea oysters, a glass of butterbeer, and a glass of fizzing pumpkin juice for each person. Today, I'm treating everyone!"

Witnessing the sizable order, the lady Rosmerta beamed with even greater warmth, "Okay, I'll have it brought over shortly."

Excitement filled the air as everyone anticipated the upcoming competition, fueled by Skyler's apparent confidence.

Moreover, the entire expense was covered by Skyler!

While not all Slytherin students hail from affluent pure-blood families, many come from modest mixed-blood backgrounds.

Their pocket money typically stretched to buying candies and stationery, with an occasional indulgence in the cheapest butterbeer at the bar. Rarely had they ordered or savored anything beyond these basics.

Imagine having a senior who was not only friendly, polite, helpful, academically proficient, physically strong, and good-looking but also exceptionally generous.

Where else could one find such a rare gem? Slytherin students secretly congratulated themselves for joining the Serpentis Vigil Club, elevating Skyler's popularity among them.

The Three Broomsticks Tavern bustled with Hogwarts students relishing the afternoon's freedom.

Among them were various magical beings rarely spotted elsewhere, including dominatrixes and food enthusiasts.

Hogsmeade, being the sole pure wizarding village in the UK, served as a secure haven for them, free from concerns about breaching the international law of secrecy if witnessed by Muggles.

Shortly thereafter, another group entered through the door.

It was Chang Cho accompanied by her extensive Ravenclaw circle of friends.

Spotting Skyler, her eyes sparkled with delight. She smiled and approached, leading her friends with her. "Skyler, your group looks lively! Some friends and I can't find a seat. Can we join you?"

It was near lunchtime, and indeed, there were no tables available at the Three Broomsticks.

However, as Skyler surveyed the crowded space...

His table wasn't the only one with vacant seats!

For instance, there were numerous empty seats at the table occupied by Ron, Fred, George, and Lee Jordan...

Similarly, there were unoccupied spots at the table where Ernie MacMillan and Hannah Abbott sat...

Not to mention, Cedric Diggory was making an effort to navigate past Stebbins and Summers at another table, attempting to locate an available seat...

Skyler inwardly sighed. He already grasped Cho's subtle hint, and indeed, Cho was exceptionally attractive. However, the timing of their encounter was inconvenient, and Skyler's heart was already committed to others.

Whether it was Daphne, Meredith, Morag, or Astoria, they had all shown sincere devotion. These girls silently supported him, handled his trivial matters, and contributed to his happiness. They allowed him to immerse himself in the pursuit of knowledge and power without worries.

Replicating such love and significance in this lifetime was a daunting task. Skyler couldn't afford to let them down.

Nevertheless, he had promised Mr. Chang to look after Chang Cho, and turning her down abruptly would be unkind.

As Skyler pondered how to convey his thoughts, Daphne stepped in on his behalf. "Cho, we are currently discussing an interesting plan here—"

Daphne, sensing Cho's interest in Skyler, cleverly devised a plan. Her eyes sparkled with wisdom as she declared, "If you want to sit here, you must undoubtedly join us in making the plan!"

Cho, displaying no signs of weakness, met Daphne's gaze and replied with a smile, "Oh, what is the plan?"

"Skyler the Champion Fans Club!"

With that, Cho took a seat, accompanied by her friends Marietta Edgecombe, Marcus Belby, and Eddie Carmichael, all of whom agreed to join the so-called "Skyler the Champion Fans Club." Surprisingly, Skyler had no prior knowledge of this club's existence.

Daphne's intention, however, was clear to him - she was testing Ravenclaw's attitude toward him. She aimed to include young wizards from Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff in the Serpentis Vigil's Club recruitment plan if feasible.

In the original work, Marietta was an unpopular character due to her betrayal of Dumbledore's Army.

However, Skyler recognized that Marietta's decision to betray was motivated by threats to her family. Her mother, Madam Edgecombe, faced job loss due to Marietta's actions.

In Skyler's case, such a problem didn't exist. With connections in the Ministry of Magic, including the Department of Legal Enforcement, the Auror Office, the Office for the Prohibition of Abuse of Magic, and the Pest Advisory Office, he had already infiltrated various departments.

Unlike Marietta, Skyler had no reason to betray, and Madam Edgecombe's position in the Floo Network Management Bureau provided a unique opportunity for valuable information. Though not a high-ranking role, it held significant influence in monitoring the Floo Network.

As for the other two boys? They were purely here to make soy sauce.

Belby, well, he was an ordinary boy. The only noteworthy thing about him was that his uncle Damocles had recently invented the Wolfsbane potion.

However, Belby and his uncle had a strained relationship, and they had no contact at all.

On the other hand, Carmichael hails from an ordinary background, but he is more valuable to win over than Belby. A top student who could stand alongside Hermione, Carmichael earned praise for obtaining nine excellent exams in the Ordinary Wizarding Levels (OWL), the same number as Hermione in the original book.

Unfortunately, despite his talent, he didn't know how to make good use of it and channel it in the right direction. Using his good grades as a facade, he attempted to deceive his junior students, selling them fake "Baruffio's Brain Elixir" for a mere 12 galleons per pint.

Sacrificing his reputation for such a trivial profit seemed unwise to Skyler.

Morag himself hailed from Ravenclaw. Under the deliberate management of Morag and Cho, the young wizards in Ravenclaw initially maintained a certain formality, but gradually, they relaxed and engaged in lively conversations.

Laughter and chatter resonated loudly from their table, drawing side glances from many young wizards at other tables.

The dinner concluded with a cheerful atmosphere.

The so-called "Skyler the Champion Fans Club" wasn't just a joke. Daphne had already made a solid plan with Cho.

They needed to find time to create posters and distribute them across various notices, as well as craft sizable banners to display during the competition. Additionally, they had to recruit more young fans for the club and schedule time to rehearse slogans to cheer for Skyler.

In the secret room beneath Miraculous Alchemy in Hogsmeade Village:

Skyler furrowed his brows, eyeing Daphne, "What on earth are you up to?"

Daphne reached out and caressed Skyler's handsome face, "Skyler, are you trying to tell me that you're not the least bit attracted to Cho?"

"No!" Skyler asserted, "I'm only helping her because I owe her uncle some advice. There's no other connection between her and me."

Daphne sighed, wrapping her arms around him and whispering, "But you need her, don't you? Cho informed me that her great uncle promised to teach you their family's secret transformation technique. With Cho's appearance and popularity, it could significantly benefit your position in Ravenclaw, correct?"

"Daphne, what's going on in your mind?" Skyler held her tightly, "Stop dwelling on these thoughts and let me handle them! Remember, I'll never, ever—"

Whether it's for the Chang family's transfiguration skills or for their family's hegemony—"

"I won't even allow you to be harmed!"

Daphne lifted her head, her eyes misty with gratitude. "Thank you, Skyler. It's enough for you to have this concern," she said softly. "You don't have to go to such lengths. Really."

Her eyes now held an unprecedented firmness. "Because—"

"I believe you." Daphne continued while looking at Skyler with a compassionate look.