The two young wizards seemed less than thrilled.
“Let’s give them some encouragement!” Lockhart clapped his hands vigorously, shouting their names.
This was where the advantage of having fans came into play; his actions almost always triggered a enthusiastic response.
Hermione, who still wanted to offer Harry some last-minute advice, hurriedly stood up and joined in the frantic applause.
People are susceptible to herd mentality, and in an instant, the entire hall was filled with roaring cheers.
Draco Malfoy was initially reluctant, but as hundreds of eyes turned toward him, his fellow Slytherins began shouting, “That’s it, Draco!” “Show some spirit!” “Don’t embarrass us!” Tom!
…Oh, wait—Harry!
Draco began to understand what Lockhart meant by “fairy-tale romance.” Wasn’t this scene—being the center of attention, with everyone’s eyes locked upon him—exactly what he had always longed for?
He drew his wand with a flourish, glanced at Harry with a provocative, sneering smile, and sauntered toward the stage.
Could Harry endure such arrogance?
He instantly overcame his hesitation, his footsteps firm as he followed, his eyes as intense as if he were about to slay a Dark Lord.
And indeed, Lockhart was right; in Harry’s eyes, Draco was a Dark Lord—or, at the very least, a wicked, irredeemable Slytherin.
After all, he had defeated the evil Voldemort in his first year!
Both reached the stage.
The air crackled with hostility.
Lockhart stepped between them, his hands firm on their shoulders to dampen their restless energy.
He leaned in, whispering like a devil in their ears.
“Now, lean into your stereotypes.
Imagine this evil Slytherin is a scheming villain, dripping with malice.
He is plotting something at this very moment, and you must bravely step forward to stop him and save the world!” Harry nodded.
That was easy—he already believed Malfoy was exactly that type of person, and he was already in the business of stopping dark plots.
Lockhart then turned to Malfoy.
“Now, imagine you are working toward something truly great and righteous, and these bumbling brutes keep interfering with your brilliant plans without a second thought.
They won’t listen, they won’t analyze—they simply assume that because you are a Slytherin, everything you do is evil.
They oppose everything you stand for.
You despise their narrow-mindedness.” Draco pursed his lips and nodded.
To be honest, Lockhart’s words made him look at Harry Potter with genuine loathing.
“I know this is difficult—to immerse yourself in such an abstract ‘fairy-tale romance’—but trust me, push yourselves into the character.
You will discover power you never knew you had!” Malfoy wanted to sneer and say it wasn’t hard at all, considering how much he already loathed Potter.
But he noticed Harry was trying with all his might to enter that state of mind, so he braced himself and focused on Lockhart’s whispered guidance.
He wouldn’t lose this.
“Excellent.” Lockhart looked on with satisfaction as the two boys locked eyes in a stare-down.
He addressed the students.
“A key component of fairy-tale romance is fighting with an infinite sense of mission, under the eyes of the world, and fueled by the expectations of everyone here.” “Now, cheer for your fellow students!
Shout their names!” In an instant, the Great Hall threatened to lift its roof.
“Harry!” “Malfoy!” “Harry Potter!” “Malfoy!” “The Savior!” “Malfoy!” The students on stage tried to “kill” each other with their glares, while the students in the stands screamed themselves hoarse, competing with one another.
The atmosphere was infectious, and Malfoy and Harry’s expressions transformed.
To ensure things didn’t spin out of control, Lockhart invited the other professors onto the stage, claiming they needed to observe the performance closely.
He declared that in a “Hero versus Dark Lord” fairy tale, the expectations of the elders were vital.
The pressure on the boys doubled.
But that was the magic of the atmosphere.
With so many people chanting their names, Harry was breathing hard enough to snap his wand, while Malfoy took deep, ragged breaths.
Their emotions were completely ignited.
“Begin your duel!” Lockhart waved his wand and retreated gracefully, ceding the stage.
By the time he stepped back, he was behind the other professors, and frankly, no one was looking at him anymore.
Even Dumbledore was watching with intense, pensive interest, observing Harry’s state.
Draco Malfoy struck first.
He had no patience for the “brute” Harry’s dueling etiquette.
Deeply immersed in his “fairy-tale” role, he naturally cast the spell he was most proficient with—the one that looked the most sinister.
“Serpensortia!” With a flick of his wand, a black shadow whipped out of the tip and landed on the floor—a massive python.
Perhaps it was the “resolute willpower,” or the “marvelous imagination” born of the atmosphere, or the “intense emotion”…
or perhaps it was simply the immersion in the “fairy-tale romance.” Malfoy truly felt like a leader trying to revolutionize the world, looking at the annoying brute who opposed him without even asking a question.
His loathing was genuine.
And then, a marvelous moment occurred.
Unlike the previous times he had cast it, where the snake was barely two meters long, the python before them was colossal, its girth thicker than Malfoy’s own head.
The gasps from the audience only made the moment feel more glorious.
Then…
“Expelliarmus!” A dazzling beam of light surged forward.
Before Malfoy could react, he and his wand were sent flying backward.
And not just him—the massive python was lifted into the air along with him.
WHAM!
He crashed into a pillar at the edge of the stage.
Before he could catch his breath, he looked up to see the black shadow looming over him and shrieked in terror, “No!” THUD!
The giant python slammed down on top of him, knocking the wind out of his sails.
Professor Snape, who had been standing to the side in anticipation, looked down at Malfoy with undisguised disdain.
He reached down, hauled the boy up, and dragged him back to face Harry, signaling for the fight to continue.
“That is easily the best Serpensortia and Expelliarmus I have ever seen!” Professor Filius Flitwick exclaimed, waving his arms in excitement.
He looked up at Lockhart.
“You’ve activated their potential, Professor Lockhart!” Lockhart flashed his standard, charming smile, arched an eyebrow, and said with smug pride, “Well?
Quite interesting, isn’t it?” “Indeed!” Flitwick marveled.
“Immersed in fairy-tale romance, magic itself becomes magnificent!
A truly great discovery!” — Don’t forget to send Spirit Stones for more chapters.
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