Hogwarts: Third Dark Lord

Seeing Waylin agree, Kirk let out a long sigh of relief before flashing a small smile.

"Very well, then. See you tonight!"

As Kirk turned to leave, Waylin, equally confident, called out,

"Kirk, I'll be waiting for you in the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom tonight. Don't you dare chicken out!"

Dumbledore, observing the agreement between the two, waved his hand and said,

"All right, students, the matter is settled. You may disperse. I'll be there to observe tonight as well. Also, let me add a bit of incentive—the winning house will receive an additional 100 points!"

Upon hearing this, Slytherin erupted into cheers, while Hufflepuff, too, brimmed with fighting spirit. Even from a distance, Gryffindor and Ravenclaw exchanged glances filled with a subtle yet unmistakable rivalry. Fortunately, Professors McGonagall and Flitwick intervened just in time; otherwise, a duel might have broken out on the spot.

Back in the Hufflepuff common room, Wentworth and Cedric were deep in conversation when Kirk caught up with them to double-check.

"Wentworth, are you sure your plan will work?"

Wentworth gave a reassuring pat on Kirk's shoulder, exuding confidence.

"Trust me, Prefect! You'll take the lead for the fifth-years, Cedric will handle the second-years, and as for the first-years—well, I can't shirk this responsibility, can I? After all, it's my plan. Once you finalize the representatives for the third and fourth years, we can start preparing!"

Seeing Wentworth's unwavering confidence, Kirk couldn't help but feel inspired and nodded firmly.

Meanwhile, in the Slytherin common room, when Waylin returned, Professor Snape followed closely behind. Wasting no time, Snape pointed out four students—representing the second through fifth years—who were known for their mastery of spells.

However, when it came to selecting a first-year representative, Snape hesitated. The first-years were too new, and despite being Slytherin's Head of House, Snape hadn't yet formed a strong impression of them.

Sensing Snape's indecision, Cassandra stepped forward.

"Professor Snape, I volunteer to represent the first-years of Slytherin!"

Snape studied Cassandra with an uncharacteristically measured tone.

"Cassandra, if Hufflepuff's first-year representative is Wentworth, as expected, he won't be easy to handle. I don't want you getting hurt."

Snape's concern was genuine. Both he and Dumbledore suspected that Wentworth, having undergone specialized training under the Purist Party, was far beyond the capabilities of most first-years—even among upperclassmen, few could rival him.

The entire duel, secretly sanctioned by Dumbledore and Snape, was meant to test the extent of Wentworth's power. While they didn't expect Slytherin's first-year to defeat him, forcing Wentworth to reveal more of his skills would suffice.

Snape's hesitation stemmed from the potential risk. After all, the Pureblood Party's strongest spells were rooted in dark magic, and injury seemed almost inevitable for any opponent.

Despite Snape's warning, Cassandra remained resolute.

"Don't worry, Professor. I'm confident I can defeat Wentworth. After all, I've already beaten him once during Defense Against the Dark Arts today!"

Intrigued, Snape's interest was piqued.

"Oh? Tell me exactly what happened."

However, after hearing Cassandra's account, Snape's enthusiasm faded. To him, Wentworth's behavior only confirmed one thing—he was deliberately concealing his true abilities.

"A mere eleven-year-old capable of suppressing the urge to show off and endure others' criticism… What a deeply calculating child," Snape thought to himself.

Frustrated by Snape's continued reluctance to let her compete, Cassandra grew impatient. She drew her wand and declared,

"I, Cassandra, will represent Slytherin's first-years. I'm the strongest among them. If anyone disagrees, step forward and challenge me!"

Her words stirred the first-years in the room, many of whom were eager for a chance to shine. After all, this was Slytherin—pride and ambition ran deep, and few could resist the opportunity to make a name for themselves.

Yet Cassandra, aware of their restlessness, coldly smirked and cast a flawless Shield Charm.

"Protego!"

The spell was executed with such precision and elegance that even Snape raised an eyebrow in surprise.

Faced with her display of skill, the other first-years quickly backed down. Most of them didn't even know the Shield Charm, and those who did couldn't perform it with Cassandra's level of proficiency.

Seeing this, Snape made his decision.

"Very well, Cassandra. You'll join the team. You five will represent Slytherin tonight. Follow me—I'll explain the rules of dueling and give you some special training. But mark my words: anyone who embarrasses me tonight will face the consequences!"

"As for the rest of you," Snape added with a sneer, "if you weren't chosen, stop wasting time here. Off you go!"

At that, the remaining Slytherins scattered, many relieved not to have been selected.

While Snape trained Cassandra and the others, Professor Sprout entered the Hufflepuff common room, accompanied by Professor Flitwick.

Knowing the skill gap between the two houses, Sprout had enlisted Flitwick, a former dueling champion, to help prepare her students.

Flitwick, ever gracious, readily agreed, rolling up his sleeves as both houses made their final preparations for the duel that night.

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