8 PM.
Great Hall.
The long tables had been moved aside, replaced by a gleaming golden stage.
Hundreds of flickering candles illuminated the entire hall.
"Lucien, are we just having a normal duel later? And after that, we'll promote your… your…"
Harry asked for confirmation, then forgot the name of the device Lucien had mentioned.
Lucien nodded and reminded him,
"Just follow what we practised and perform as usual. It's called VR Glasses. Virtual Reality."
As he spoke, Lucien took out a silver-white, helmet-like device that could cover both eyes and part of the face.
Two lenses were set into the front, decorated with blue and silver patterns.
This seemingly advanced device was, in fact, purely magical. Its purpose was to present duel tutorials and simulated combat training to the wearer. It could not compare to real instruction, but it was far better than learning from books or staged demonstrations.
Lucien had only completed the first generation of VR Glasses for duel training. There was still room for improvement. After tonight's demonstration, they would be sold at the Seventh Workshop.
Given how long the students had suffered under their Defence Against the Dark Arts professor, sales should not be an issue.
"Lucien, speaking of the professor organising the Duelling Club…"
"Look, he's already here."
Following Lucien's gaze, Harry saw Lockhart approaching.
Dressed in magenta robes, Lockhart walked with exaggerated flair, flashing his signature smile, his teeth gleaming in the candlelight.
In stark contrast was Snape, dressed entirely in black. His expression was as cold as ever, though his eyes held a mixture of disgust and faint anticipation.
Snape disliked being near the boastful Lockhart, but the chance to openly cast spells at him and teach this incompetent man a lesson, the one who had taken the Defence Against the Dark Arts position, gave him a trace of expectation.
Seeing Lockhart and Snape arrive together, Harry's expression immediately darkened.
"Lockhart really isn't reliable, is he? And Professor Snape teaches Potions. He shouldn't be here, should he?"
Lucien glanced at Snape's sour expression and guessed what he was thinking. He probably wanted to indulge his desire to teach Defence Against the Dark Arts while taking the opportunity to deal with Lockhart.
If Lockhart were to leave early and Dumbledore could not find a replacement in time, perhaps Snape's wish would come true.
"Gather round, gather round!"
Lockhart beckoned to the crowd as if hosting a fan meeting.
A large number of students had come, which pleased him greatly. His goal was to display some flashy magic in advance, laying the groundwork for his planned heroic rescue later.
To be honest, with Tom's guidance from the diary, Lockhart felt he had improved rapidly and was no longer the same as before.
"Excellent! Can everyone see me and hear me?"
Amid cheers from a group of fangirls, Lockhart nodded with satisfaction.
"Thanks to Headmaster Dumbledore's permission, I am able to establish this Duelling Club. I am honoured to have the opportunity to teach you the combat techniques I excel at."
"Believe me, these skills may one day save your lives. If you wish to study them in greater depth, you can always read my books."
Watching Lockhart perform below the stage, Lucien could not help twitching at the corner of his mouth. He suddenly realised that there were things worth learning from Lockhart as well, such as his unmatched confidence and complete lack of shame.
If Lockhart were to cast a Memory Charm on himself, erasing the memories of stealing others' experiences and truly believing those experiences were his own, believing he could effortlessly perform those spells, would he actually be able to use them?
Lucien knew the idea was somewhat absurd, but this was the magical world. The power of belief seemed to have real effects. Perhaps he should find a chance to obtain Lockhart's Memory Charm and test it.
"Allow me to introduce my assistant, Professor Snape."
"Believe me, your Potions Professor is quite capable in a duel. He has kindly agreed to assist me with a demonstration."
"Ha, no need to look so worried. Rest assured, I will return a perfectly intact Potions Professor to you afterwards."
Below the stage, Lucien, with his sharp eyesight, noticed Snape's gaze grow even colder, his fists already clenched.
For the sake of teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts, Professor Snape had endured quite a lot.
Now all that remained was for him to draw his wand and cast Sectumsempra.
On the golden stage in the Great Hall, Lockhart and Professor Snape stood at opposite ends and bowed to each other.
Unlike Snape, who stood upright and composed, Lockhart placed his hands behind his back and struck a flashy but impractical pose.
Both raised their wands vertically in front of their chests.
"We hold our wands in a duelling stance, and when I count to three, we will cast our first spell."
Lockhart explained with a smile, then began to count.
"One.. Two.. Three—"
As soon as he said "Three," both of them raised their wands.
Professor Snape said, "Expelliarmus!"
Lockhart said, "Neon Pierce!"
A bright red light burst from Snape's wand.
From Lockhart's wand, a dazzling white arrow of light shot out, surrounded by swirling, multicoloured smoke.
Watching from below, Lucien raised an eyebrow. Lockhart had actually managed to cast a spell instead of being knocked away immediately.
Tom had taught him something, but the power of this charm…
"Pfft—!"
Snape's crimson Expelliarmus shattered the smoke-wreathed arrow instantly and struck Lockhart square in the chest.
He was blasted backwards, crashing into the wall with a heavy thud. Whether Snape had used too much force or not, Lockhart stuck to the wall for a moment before sliding down and curling up on the ground.
Snape flicked his wand lightly, and Lucien thought he caught a trace of satisfaction in his eyes, as if he would not mind going another round.
With their Head of House showing such strength, the Slytherin students immediately burst into cheers and applause.
"Lucien, Lockhart still hasn't gotten up. Did Professor Snape kill him? Will he be sent to Azkaban?"
Ron leaned close to Lucien and whispered, his voice low but full of excitement.
It almost sounded like a win-win situation for him.
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