Hogwarts 1991

Chapter 364 Duel
McGuffin's proposal was clearly to Harry's liking.

He agreed on the spot.

Although he is still working hard for Blake's affairs, at least he is aboveboard, and he will not sneak out until he defeats his friend.

at least,

——At least McGuffin can now wake up feeling refreshed.

……

While the MacGuffin was sound asleep.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione begin dueling training in the Room of Requirement.

The next day, I went to the library and took away a lot of books about duels with wizards and spell casting skills.

Hermione, and Ron didn't know whether they should help Harry or not.

On the one hand they really didn't want Harry to win the duel, to find Sirius Black,
On the other hand, as MacGuffin's friends, they also probably know that MacGuffin's strength is far superior to that of ordinary little wizards...or Harry will have a very small chance of winning this wizard duel.

Even Harry himself admitted it in his heart.

Several people have seen McGuffin cast a spell without a fight to teach Malfoy.

Not to mention that in the first grade, that guy won the junior wizard duel championship, and used unknown co-casting to defeat a troll, and invented the new type of broomstick...even killed Voldemort twice in a row...

Harry knew this best.

The probability of him winning the MacGuffin is actually not great.

But it also shows that what McGuffin said is correct. If even he can't be defeated, then how can Harry hunt down the traitor Sirius.

McGuffin and Harry agreed on Christmas Eve,

A wizard duel in the clearing beyond Hagrid's hut.

The duel was secured by Charles as notary. (Just around Christmas, Charlie doesn't have to guard the dragon)

In order to prevent the two people from getting out of control and causing harm to each other.

Of course, Mr. Weasley and other professors should not know about this matter.

Hagrid also postponed his plan to go to Newt's house for two days, saying that he wanted to spend Christmas with Harry. In fact, everyone understood that he wanted to see the result of the duel, and he was afraid that Harry would really win the game and go to trouble with Sirius.

When Harry Ron and the others sat ecstatically in front of the fire, flipping through a pile of magic books to find effective spells, and honing their spellcasting skills in the snow

Instead, McGuffin was cooperating with Mr. Weasley to investigate the [Spiritual Nightmare] spell.

Mr. Weasley was trying to characterize the nature of the spell.

Ms. Merriam Straw, the head therapist of St. Mungo's spell damage department, also came to listen in. She wanted to confirm how the spell would cause damage to the caster's mind.

There are not a few Aurors who directly entered the fifth floor of St. Mungo's Magical Hospital by casting this spell, and even some senior Aurors who have been working for many years.

They were in the infirmary now, and Madam Pomfrey was beside her. She stared nervously at the MacGuffin, and at the two of Mr. Weasley who had encouraged the MacGuffin to cast the spell with dissatisfaction.

McGuffin began to cast the spell, maintaining a low-intensity cast, and summoned the black magic flame in midair.

"It's a bit like Fiercefire..."

"No, that's different! Fiendfire can't be controlled so easily!"

"I feel like responding to the call of the wand itself... It's the same as the magic flame inspired by the out-of-control magic power!"

"No, Weasley! In that case, it would be impossible to form a real spell, and let so many Aurors cast it repeatedly, and finally lived in St. Mungo's directly because of the sequelae."

"You don't know that our place is completely filled. Now we have no choice but to cast the [Untraceable Curse] in some originally vacant rooms to increase the space and prevent patients from having nowhere to go!"

The two muttered and discussed directly in front of McGuffin.

"Mr. Weasley, am I going to keep going?" McGuffin asked.

Although it is no longer difficult for McGuffin to maintain this spell and the existence of this black flame.

Without directly responding to the magic wand to summon the Black Flame Thestral Nightmare, the erosion of his body by the [Blood Curse] would only maintain this stable state.

But the negative emotions contained in the curse itself are the foundation for the growth of the [Blood Curse], so he'd better be careful.

Straw nodded and said, "Okay, you can cancel the cast."

"I heard from Professor Snape that your attainments in [Occlumency] are pretty good."

McGuffin and Madam Pomfrey immediately laughed, and it was Ms. Melena's own beautified words.

—Snape, he couldn't have said that!

Melena Slaughter, the head therapist, obviously misunderstood the meaning of McGuffin's smile.

She smiled and said, "Mr. Albert, I heard that you were facing the dementors at that time...you imitated the [Guardian Charm] to cast this spell due to the extreme anger generated by the fear stimulus. So when you cast an effect similar to this spell for the first time, did you unconsciously use [Occlumency] to isolate the influence of the dementors?"

McGuffin nodded.

"That's right!"

Mr. Weasley also understood what Slaughter meant.

"It seems that this spell, just like what Professor Dumbledore said, requires [Occlumency] to isolate those negative emotions that are actively cast... It does have the ability to distort the caster's mind like the Unforgivable Curse."

Slaughter nodded, and continued, "Well, that's right, after the statistical survey of St. Mungo's Hospital for Magic and Magic, those Aurors who were not affected were all accomplished in [Occlumency]."

"So... Arthur, are you really going to report this curse to the Ministry of Magic as an unforgivable curse?"

"No, not to that extent." Mr. Weasley waved his wand, blushing, looking like he was trying to cast a spell like a MacGuffin, but it was still unsuccessful.

"Damn it, how on earth can you mobilize your emotions while maintaining [Occlumency]?"

"Isolation! The key is to isolate emotions!"

An indifferent voice came, and Mr. Weasley and the others turned their heads away, only to see someone coming in.

"Professor Snape! Why are you here?" Slaughter said, looking at the corridor outside the open oak door in surprise.

"Well, I have something to do with McGuffin!" Snape walked in and said coldly.

"McGuffin, I want to discuss with you... about your and Harry's class arrangements for [Occlumency] and [Patronus Charm] during the vacation?"

McGuffin looked at Mr Weasley.

"Albert, it's nothing for you, you can go!"

Mr. Weasley said, "However, Professor Snape, I have also heard that you and Professor Lupine gave McGuffin and Harry the [Occlumency] course. Can you explain it in detail later? I want to see how this will affect the newly invented spell."

Snape snorted, then motioned for the MacGuffin to follow him.

The two left the infirmary and turned two corners along the empty corridor. When there was no one around and Mr. Weasley could not hear them, Snape stopped and spoke again,

"Professor Lupine can't continue to teach the two of you [Patronus Charm] during the two days of the Christmas holiday. However, I think you already know the approximate reason?"

"Professor, I..."

"McGuffin, don't play dumb!"

"Otherwise, you can show me the thing you invented to improve the living conditions of werewolves."

"If not, I will follow what I said before, and I will put a few drops of that potion in your food on a certain day after the Christmas banquet..."

"Yes, it's the potion you're thinking about now. You also know the fate of De LS, but there is no antidote."

Snape said with bright eyes.

Shir!
McGuffin cursed inwardly, wouldn't he be Harry's scapegoat?
"Teach...professor! I already have an idea, and I will definitely show it to you before the end of the next semester."

"You do know that Lupine is a werewolf!"

Snape looked down at McGuffin in disgust.

"Didn't you remind your idiot friend to be careful of Lupine, a werewolf?"

At this moment, Snape was no longer hiding his other side from McGuffin's eyes.

Because he knew that this little wizard who was full of secrets would never reveal it to Harry.

"I……"

"I won't say that, and I didn't pursue your intention of hiding that idiot. However, I heard that Dumbledore should have an agreement with you-to protect Harry's safety, right?"

"Uh-huh!"

——No matter what Professor Snape says you are right now.

McGuffin nodded in agreement.

"So, I should also believe that you can stop that fool from going to trouble with that traitor, Sirius Black?"

Snape suppressed his anger and said harshly.

It was as if he wanted to tear the name into pieces.

McGuffin continued to nod wildly.

"Very good! Your cheap, practical, idiot invention that improves the living conditions of werewolves, I can postpone it until the end of next year's semester, but you have to keep Harry safe during this period!"

"Let that idiot not act rashly."

"Otherwise you know the consequences!" Snape threatened.

"Uh-uh, uh!"

MD!

After dealing with Snape, McGuffin watched his back shaking his black cloak as he left slowly, and touched the cold sweat on his forehead.

——Originally, he planned to let Harry down a little bit,

Now it seems……

Sorry, Harry!
The potion that Snape prepared for you, buddy... enjoy it yourself!
……

The day before Christmas.

Because of the dementors, fire dragons, and the fact that many little wizards did not go back to spend Christmas with their families last semester, resulting in very few students staying in school.

McGuffin and the others only saw some senior students in the fifth and seventh grades in the entire castle.

They wouldn't have stayed at Hogwarts this year if they hadn't faced an important hurdle in their wizarding career (wizard level exams, career choice interviews, etc.).

Except for the Weasleys, the staff, and the other Romanian dragon tamers who sneaked in to rest in the Forbidden Forest... the whole castle was just haunted by ghosts, and...

Mysterious flames began to glow inside the armor that had been used to decorate the corridor, coming to life.

Holding spears and swords in the castle, patrolling everywhere to make up for the defensive loopholes caused by the shortage of manpower.

But even so... the castle was filled with all the usual splendor of Christmas decorations, and the professors hung thick friezes of holly and mistletoe along the corridors.

McGuffin once met Hagrid and Mr. Weasley floating giant Christmas trees in the Great Hall, a total of twelve.

And Professor Flitwick hung golden stars on it, and summoned some walnut-sized, orange-yellow light spots floating up and down around the Christmas tree.

If you look closely, you can even see the goblin dancing in the light, showing promises.

The corridor is filled with a strong candy scent, the scent is so sweet that the whole castle seems to be melted into chocolate, cream, and sugar.

As far as Ron knew, the Honeyduke Froome and his wife came to the Hogwarts kitchen to prepare the dessert part of the Christmas dinner, and it was said that a member of the Hogwarts board of directors generously donated a large sum of money to the banquet to entertain dragon-training experts from Romania.

At dusk, the wizard duel between McGuffin and Ron will begin.

In the clearing not far from Hagrid's hut vegetable patch.

A lot of snow has been cleared here.

The snowdrifts on both sides piled up high, forming a long corridor, like a city wall.

McGuffin and Harry stood on either side of the passage.

Charlie freezes the snow wall into a wall of ice.

Ron, Hermione, Hagrid and the others stood on it, watching the two nervously.

"Come on, Charlie! Harry can't stay out too late!"

"Hmm! Well - then, Harry, MacGuffin, get ready...!"

"When the fire line is burned out, you can start!"

Charlie roared from above.

He waved his wand.

Just like a tug-of-war, on the ground between the two of them, there was a trace of flames burning continuously from both sides to the middle.

McGuffin stared closely, and the line of fire gradually began to close in the middle, turning into a fire point, and then—bang, a small firework exploded upward.

"start!"

Almost at the same time Charlie roared.

"White light is like day!"

Harry's wand, held up in front of his chest, immediately fell flat, emitting a blinding white light.

"Isn't this a bit too despicable!"

Hermione covered her eyes with her hand and said with some concern. "McGuffin won't lose!"

Ron barely opened his tearful eyes, and looked at Hermione strangely, "Don't tell me, you forgot! It's not anyone else...it's your idea for Harry."

"Didn't you say that you should preemptively estimate the countdown time and cast a spell at the same time as it starts, so as to prevent McGuffin from reacting and using that silent casting spell to subdue Harry directly?"

Hermione gave Ron a blank look, and continued to look at the two people in the passage below.

"Burning flames!"

McGuffin closed his eyes, waved his wand, and a wall of fire ignited on the ground and rose from the ground, moving towards Harry like a wall.

"Fractured!"

Harry immediately gave up the spell he had planned, and blasted the snow pile into an ice wall, causing it to fall down like an avalanche.

Temporarily block the passage to prevent the flame wall from rushing across.

The ice walls on both sides, and the snow blocks that collided with the flames...began to be melted by the high temperature into flowing water, rushing and flowing.

Billowing white steam emerged from the passage.

The white mist filled the air, making it impossible to see anything clearly.

Charlie had to wave the spell again to maintain the stability of the ice walls on both sides, and summoned a whirlwind to clear the fog, so that several people could see what happened below.

(End of this chapter)