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As everyone knows, in the Castle of Hogwarts, there are almost no secrets.
Portraits love to pass messages, and Peeves is a mobile gossip station. Not to mention, that duel challenge between the two was shouted out in a crowded Great Hall, right before everyone's eyes.
The news spread to every corner of the Castle at an astonishing speed.
When it finally reached the ears of Deputy Headmistress Professor McGonagall, the Witch's expression instantly darkened, and she immediately put down her pen and hurried toward the Headmaster's office.
She didn't even have time to choose her words before pushing open the door to the Headmaster's office.
The scene inside the room made her pause slightly.
Dumbledore was sitting in his usual spot, while in the armchairs opposite him sat Babatunde Okoye from Uagadou, Agatha Picquery from Ilvermorny, and Fernando Lima from Castelobruxo.
On the coffee table in front of the four of them were steaming tea and several plates of snacks.
Professor McGonagall was about to report, but Dumbledore spoke first, cutting her off.
"Ah, Minerva, you're here. We already know what happened. The few of us have just discussed it and unanimously agreed that, for spirited young Wizards, a certain level of sparring can better promote... well, exchange between students from different schools."
Then Picquery chimed in, "So, after our discussion, we have decided to hold a dueling competition for all students. Of course, registration is entirely voluntary."
Professor McGonagall looked at the four giants of magical education before her; they had already reached a consensus, and it seemed there was no need for her to say anything more.
"I understand, Headmasters. If this is your joint decision." She nodded, accepting the proposal.
Just as she was about to take her leave—
"Oh, Minerva, wait a moment." Dumbledore stopped her with a slightly sheepish smile. "That... regarding notifying all the students, formulating detailed safety protocols, setting up a suitable competition venue, arranging the schedule and referees... you might need to take the lead in coordinating these specific matters. You know, we old folks are fine discussing the general direction here, but the actual execution..."
"Very well, Headmaster, I'll get right on it."
With that, Professor McGonagall turned briskly and left the Headmaster's office.
It was truly a case of Dumbledore speaking a word and Professor McGonagall running herself ragged...
Before long, a fresh announcement was posted on all the bulletin boards around the campus.
"Hogwarts International Exchange Student Joint Dueling Competition"
"Voluntary registration... aimed at sparring... generous rewards... the final winner will receive a small vial of Felix Felicis and 500 Galleons."
"Felix Felicis?! Merlin's beard!"
"500 Galleons! I'd have to save my pocket money until graduation!"
"Register! I must register! There's nothing to lose even if I fail, but what if?"
"But... we have to fight people from other schools..."
"What's there to be afraid of! It's the perfect chance to show them Hogwarts' level!"
By the fireplace in the Hufflepuff Common Room, Edgar stared at the notice with glowing eyes, nudging Lynn, who was reading Dumbledore's notes, with his elbow:
"Lynn! Lynn! Did you see that? A dueling competition! Felix Felicis! 500 Galleons! Are you joining? You definitely are, right? With your level, winning the championship would be more than easy!"
Lynn looked up from his notebook, glanced at the excited Edgar, and then at the announcement.
He thought for a moment. Felix Felicis? He still had several vials in his potion cabinet. 500 Galleons? For him now, the appeal was truly limited.
"I won't be participating." Lynn shook his head and returned his gaze to his notebook. "There's no real need. What about you guys?"
Edgar immediately thumped his chest. "I'm participating, of course! How could I miss out on such excitement!"
William assessed the spells he knew. "The spells I know should be enough... I'm joining too."
Ollie sat quietly nearby and gave a slight nod upon hearing this.
Just as they expressed their intention to join the competition, the system prompt sounded at the right time.
[Ding! Task issued]
[Task Content: Have any one of your roommates receive a competition reward.]
[Reward: Duel Augmentation]
[Effect: When you duel any target, the power of your spells will be significantly increased.]
[Young man~ do you want to try challenging Dumbledore to a 1v1?]
Lynn scanned the system task and felt that it would likely be impossible to complete, knowing his roommates' levels well, but he had to try anyway.
Lynn turned to his three roommates with a smile. "Since you're all registering for the competition, it wouldn't look very good if you didn't win, would it?"
"Well said, it would obviously be better if we could win."
Lynn's smile grew even brighter. "That's great then. I'll give you some special training; at the very least, you shouldn't get knocked out in the first round."
The three immediately nodded in agreement; after all, Lynn's spellcasting level was quite impressive...
Time passed amidst preparations, registrations, and much discussion, and in the blink of an eye, Saturday arrived.
The four house tables were temporarily moved to the walls, leaving a wide open space in the center.
Strong protective spells were cast around the edges of the open space, shimmering with translucent ripples.
Spectator stands appeared in layers all around, and there were even some magical platforms floating in the air to make viewing easier for everyone.
The entire Great Hall had been arranged into a fairly professional dueling venue.
Almost all the students and teachers were present, and the atmosphere was exceptionally lively. The four headmasters stood side by side on a slightly raised platform.
They didn't give long-winded speeches; they simply introduced the number of participants for this impromptu dueling competition—77 people—and briefly explained the rules.
"Due to the large number of participants, the competition will be divided into two days, with a total of seven rounds," Dumbledore explained. "In the first six rounds—specifically the first, second, fifth, and sixth—one lucky person will receive a bye and advance directly to the next round, until the final two reach the championship. All matchups will be determined randomly by drawing lots."
Dumbledore paused, his gaze sweeping over the young faces below, and added:
"The drawing is completely random, which means you could encounter an opponent from any year and any school. If a junior student draws a senior..."
He smiled slightly. "Then please view it as a valuable learning experience. Do your best and show your courage and what you've learned. Luck is also a part of strength, isn't it?"
In plain terms, it meant "tough luck."
"Finally, to reiterate the most important rules: the use of any alchemical items other than wands is strictly prohibited. The use of any Dark Arts that would cause serious consequences is strictly prohibited. Professors will take turns acting as referees to ensure the competition's fairness and safety."
Once the rules were read, Dumbledore clapped his hands lightly.
A House-elf carrying a seemingly ordinary wooden box walked to the center of the platform.
"Now, will all participants please come forward to draw lots according to the order on the list." Professor McGonagall stood by the wooden box with a parchment list. "Line up, one by one. Ollie Thorne."
Ollie stepped forward and reached into the box...
On the silver ball he pulled out, a word clearly appeared: "Bye".
The first bye was drawn just like that!
Lynn was beyond happy; he was one step closer to completing the task.
Small cheers and teasing came from the Hufflepuff side. Ollie himself seemed a bit surprised but simply walked back calmly.
The drawing continued.
Harry Potter drew number 7, and the one who drew the corresponding number immediately after was Malfoy, who was glaring at him with an unfriendly expression.
Commotions of completely different sorts erupted simultaneously from the directions of Gryffindor and Slytherin.
And the most eye-catching pairing appeared in the final stages.
Marcus Flint, with a gloomy face, drew his number.
Immediately following, Professor McGonagall, who was in charge of recording, read the name corresponding to that number: "Ryan Sanderson, Ilvermorny."
The entire Great Hall fell silent for a moment, then erupted into an even louder wave of noise! This pair of "enemies" who had publicly challenged each other in the Great Hall had actually drawn each other in the first round!
Professor McGonagall continued reading the names on the list, "Edgar Bones."
Edgar rubbed his hands excitedly and reached into the wooden box to draw a number. Professor McGonagall glanced at the chart. "Your opponent is... William Smith."
Lynn: What rotten luck!
Well... as everyone knows, luck is conserved. Since Ollie had great luck, someone had to be unlucky. Coincidentally, this time it was Edgar and William.