Chapter 118: Not Understanding
Under Madam Pomfrey's strict supervision, Tamara was forced to remain in the Hospital Wing for three full days. She was only allowed to leave once she finally looked like a living person again.
In truth, with the golden bloodline flowing through her body, she could have recovered from that level of pain within minutes. All she had to do was secretly prick her finger and mix a drop of blood into the Potion Madam Pomfrey brought her.
But she did not.
Snape and Madam Pomfrey had already made their diagnosis. If she suddenly became lively again the next day, it would immediately arouse suspicion.
When Tamara finally stepped into the Great Hall of Hogwarts again, a new notice had been pinned to the bulletin board.
The Duelling Club was about to begin.
At eight o'clock that evening, the Great Hall was packed with students.
The long dining tables had vanished, replaced by a gilded platform.
Gilderoy Lockhart strode onto the stage, radiant as ever.
Following behind him was Professor Snape, dressed in black robes and looking as grim as ever.
"Gather round! Can everyone see me? Can you hear me?"
Lockhart called out loudly, flashing his dazzling white teeth.
"Professor Dumbledore has allowed me to start this Duelling Club so that, when necessary, you may protect yourselves, just as I have done countless times!"
Then, like a buffoon, he introduced his assistant, Snape, to everyone and shamelessly declared that he would go easy on him during the duel.
Tamara stood beneath the stage with her arms crossed, watching the farce with cold eyes.
"Three, two, one!"
The two Professors raised their wands at the same time.
"Expelliarmus!"
With a mere flick of his wand, Snape sent a blinding red light straight into Lockhart.
Lockhart was blasted backward as if struck by a charging Erumpent. He flew off the stage, crashed heavily into the wall, and slid down in a most undignified heap.
The entire hall burst into uncontrollable laughter. The Slytherin side whistled openly, showing not the slightest intention of restraint.
Lockhart scrambled to his feet in a sorry state. His hat was gone, and his carefully curled golden hair was in complete disarray.
Desperate to salvage the situation, his eyes darted about frantically before finally landing on the black haired girl who had become the focus of the entire school.
"An excellent demonstration, Professor Snape!" Lockhart forced out a calm chuckle. "But to be honest, your intention just now was far too obvious. Had I wished to stop you, it would have been child's play!"
He urgently needed to reestablish his authority by instructing someone with high prestige among the students.
"Now, so everyone can see more clearly, let us have a student demonstration!"
Lockhart said loudly, his gaze fixed directly on Tamara.
"Miss Riddle! I hear you have just recovered from a serious illness, and recently, you have been giving the students some rather... amateur guidance in spellwork."
"Why don't you come up here and allow me, a recipient of the Order of Merlin, Third Class, to personally give you a few pointers?"
The entire hall fell silent at once.
Everyone looked toward Tamara.
A dangerous dark glint flashed in the depths of her pitch black eyes.
As the Dark Lord who had once ruled the entire wizarding world through fear, Tamara actually felt a spark of pure confusion at that moment.
She truly could not understand.
What was the brain of this peacock in pink robes made of?
She had already made him suffer several times, both openly and in secret. Only a few days ago on the Quidditch pitch, she had publicly used Expelliarmus to beat him like a dog.
According to ordinary survival instinct, any Wizard who had witnessed the oppressive force of her magic should now be avoiding her like a frightened quail.
Yet this empty vessel could still come forward again and again, shamelessly provoking her.
Could his incurable vanity be so thick that it blocked even a living creature's instinctive fear of death and absolute power?
This was simply the strangest mutation of a species she had ever seen in her long life.
As she walked onto the stage expressionlessly, the system's lingering warning sounded in her mind right on time.
[Ding! Warning!]
[In view of your previous record, this system reminds you:]
[Respecting teachers is a traditional virtue of Hogwarts! The host is strictly forbidden from maliciously beating or humiliating Professors in a duel! Please maintain the restraint and politeness of a good student!]
[If a malicious attack is detected, it will...]
"Shut up."
As Tamara walked onto the stage, she replied coldly in her mind.
"Do you not understand the essence of a duel?"
"Standing before me is a world renowned master of Defense Against the Dark Arts."
"If I were to deliberately hold back in such a sacred duel, that would be a grave contempt toward his professional ability and a serious insult to his character."
Tamara's explanation was flawless.
"The highest respect I can show this Professor is to display my full power without reservation, so that he can point out my shortcomings at the limit."
The system fell silent. After a brief burst of static, it responded.
[Ding... Underlying logic verification passed!]
[The host has demonstrated a thirst for knowledge unafraid of authority, and an ultimate craving for truth!]
[Task: Show your full strength on the duelling field!]
[Reward: Courage +2!]
Tamara sneered mockingly in her heart.
"Don't be nervous, Miss Riddle."
Lockhart stood at the other end of the stage.
"I will use the gentlest spells. I certainly won't hurt you."
Hearing this, Tamara gave an elegant bow, performing perfect duelling etiquette.
"Three, two, one!"
The very moment Lockhart raised his wand, Tamara moved too quickly for the naked eye to follow.
The holly wand in her hand pointed forward like the tongue of a viper, without making a single sound.
"Bang!"
A surge of violent magic exploded at once.
Lockhart had not even uttered the first syllable of a spell before the wand in his hand flew out at an astonishing speed and embedded itself directly into the high ceiling.
But it was not over yet.
While Lockhart's body was still in midair, having just been lifted from the force of Expelliarmus, Tamara's wand traced a tiny, smooth arc through the air.
"Wingardium Leviosa."
It was an ordinary Levitation Charm.
But under the Dark Lord's terrifying magical precision, it latched perfectly onto the back collar of Lockhart's flashy violet robes.
A comical scene unfolded.
Lockhart was hoisted more than two metres into the air like an oversized turkey held by the scruff of its neck.
"Help! Oh, my goodness! Put me down! This isn't according to the rules!"
Lockhart flailed wildly in the air.
His magnificent velvet robes awkwardly rolled upward, covering his head and revealing the painfully conspicuous pumpkin coloured striped leggings beneath.
Since he had lost his wand, he could not cancel even this most basic spell. He could only spin miserably above the stage, at one point even bumping into the brass chandelier hanging from the ceiling.
"Whoa!"
The entire hall erupted in deafening cheers and undisguised laughter.
Draco and the Slytherins clapped until their palms ached, and even the Gryffindor side burst into applause.
Standing to the side, Snape still wore a stiff expression, but the corners of his mouth were curling upward so forcefully that they completely betrayed his delighted mood.
"It seems Professor Lockhart's guidance was indeed profound."
Tamara looked down at Lockhart, who was still struggling in midair, then gave her wand a perfunctory flick and cut off the flow of magic.
Without magical support, Lockhart crashed heavily onto the hard wooden stage on all fours. Stars danced before his eyes, and he could not catch his breath for a long while.
Lockhart scrambled back up in a disheveled state.
To cover up this complete social disaster, he forced out a smile that looked worse than crying and loudly changed the subject.
"Good! Very good! Miss Riddle has shown remarkably high talent!"
"But in fact, I allowed her to succeed just now so that all of you could clearly see the power of the Disarming Charm! Now, pair up and begin practicing!"
Tamara: "..."
.....
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