Chapter 40: Midnight Duels and Humble Badgers

"Your incantation is for Lumos," Hermione began, unable to restrain herself any longer, "but the emphasis on the syllables is all wrong." "It's Lu—mos!" she declared, flicking her own wand in a perfect arc. "And the flick needs to happen the very instant you complete the circular motion." The moment the words left her mouth, a familiar pang of regret hit her. It wasn't about inter-house rivalry; it was the memory of the cold, dismissive looks she'd received from her fellow Gryffindors when she'd tried to offer the exact same kind of help. Perhaps I shouldn't always be so quick to point out others' mistakes, she thought, her shoulders slumping. But the next moment, Hannah Abbott's face lit up with pure, unadulterated surprise. She nodded her head eagerly, like a chick pecking at grain. "Ah! So that's how it works! I knew it felt like something was off with my spell." Without a second's hesitation, Hannah turned and waved her wand again, carefully following Hermione's instructions. This time, though the spell was still far from perfect in Hermione's expert opinion, the result was noticeably better. Hannah beamed, looking at Hermione with eyes full of genuine admiration. "Hermione, you're brilliant!" Her enthusiasm was contagious. The other Hufflepuffs, who had been practicing nearby, cast enthusiastic glances and hesitantly gathered around. "Hermione, could you teach me, too?" "I also feel like there's something not quite right with my Lumos." "Someone get her more biscuits! Fill her dessert plate!" "Where's the fruit tea? Quick, brew some fresh for her!" Surrounded by a circle of eager faces, Hermione felt a wave of bewilderment. She had actively tried to teach the Gryffindors, only to be met with scorn. She never expected that in Hufflepuff, students would practically beg for her guidance. After a moment of hesitation, she couldn't help but ask, her voice soft, "Don't you... feel uncomfortable? With me pointing out all your mistakes?" The Hufflepuffs simply looked back at her, their expressions genuinely confused. "But you're willing to teach us," one boy said. "Isn't that a good thing?" "Since we don't understand, shouldn't we ask for help?" another added. "Whatever you say to do, we'll do it. Why would we be uncomfortable? Is there something strange about that?" Hermione stood frozen for a long moment, their simple, earnest words echoing in her mind. She suddenly remembered her conversation on the Hogwarts Express, when she had discussed the houses with Ciel and Neville. At the time, she had been drawn to the celebrated intellect of Ravenclaw and the famed courage of Gryffindor. Slytherin was simply evil, and Hufflepuff... she had looked down on it, thinking it was just ordinary. But now, she finally understood. She saw why Hufflepuff stood as an equal alongside the other three houses. Ordinary, but humble. How was that not its own form of excellence? A wave of shame washed over her. Then, she cleared her throat, her posture straightening as she found a renewed sense of purpose. "Alright," she announced, her voice firm and confident. "Come one by one. I will do my best to guide you all." Watching the scene unfold from a nearby armchair, Ciel felt a sense of deep satisfaction. As expected of the 'know-it-all,' he thought with a smile. Hermione's teaching ability is truly remarkable. Every piece of advice she gave was precise and insightful, cutting straight to the core of the issue. If she doesn't become Minister for Magic, she would make a truly excellent Hogwarts professor. With her guidance, he felt certain the Hufflepuffs would give everyone a shock at the final exam. His thoughts were interrupted as he picked up the letter that had been delivered for him. A curious line was written on the envelope: Very Important, Ciel Must Open Personally. A strange feeling pricked at him. "So mysterious. Who could have sent this?" He broke the seal. Inside, lines of poorly disguised, spidery handwriting came into view. "Ciel Sprout, you poor wretch who grew up in the Muggle world..." The letter continued with a long, rambling tirade of insults before getting to the point. "In short, if you have the guts, come to the Trophy Room for a duel tonight at midnight. You can bring assistants, as many as you like." A strange, amused look appeared on Ciel's face. Well, look at this. A duel challenge? He could already guess who sent it. The phrasing—"midnight duel," "Trophy Room"—was far too obvious. It was the same clumsy trick Malfoy had used on Harry in the original story, only this time delivered by letter. Ciel shook his head. He hadn't expected to receive a challenge himself. Not that it mattered. Even if he didn't know it was a trap, he wouldn't have gone. Are you kidding? I could be using that time to shine my Lumos on the shrooms. He casually tossed the letter into the crackling fireplace. The action caught Hermione's attention. "What was that letter?" she asked curiously, pausing her lesson. A rare, gossipy twinkle appeared in her eyes. "A love letter?" Ciel was momentarily stunned, then broke into a laugh. "No. Just an anonymous duel challenge. Wants me to fight at midnight, and says I can even bring assistants." Hearing this, Hermione's expression immediately turned serious. "A wizard's duel? The kind with assistants?" she gasped. "That's a formal battle to the death! If one of the duelists falls, their assistants take over until only one side is left standing! Ciel, you're not actually going, are you?" Her suddenly raised voice drew the attention of the other Hufflepuffs, and their faces filled with worry. "Ciel? A duel?" "We... we can go with you!" "It said you can bring more assistants, right? Let's all go! There's strength in numbers!" "Or should we get Professor Sprout?" one boy asked, already turning towards the exit. Ciel quickly stopped him. "No, no, it's nothing like that! It's obviously a trap set by Malfoy." He explained, his tone laced with disdain, "He's a coward. He wouldn't dare have a real duel. Most likely, he's already tipped off Filch, hoping he'll catch me out of bed. That way Hufflepuff loses points, and Slytherin gets closer to the lead." Ciel shook his head. "He just doesn't use his brain. Sneaking out at night for a duel? What sensible badger would do something like that?" Everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief. Hermione's expression, however, suddenly changed as a new thought struck her. "If that's the case, then he probably didn't just challenge you," she said, a wave of worry washing over her. "He might have sent one to someone in Gryffindor, too." The Hufflepuffs weren't interested in midnight brawls, but that was hardly true for the Gryffindors. She knew with dreadful certainty that whoever received the challenge would be unable to resist the call to reckless action. She quickly stood up. "I have to go." With a hurried farewell, she rushed out of the common room, heading for Gryffindor Tower. Ciel watched her go, a flicker of curiosity in his mind. Will things be different from the original story? He quickly dismissed the thought. Probably not. The Golden Trio hadn't formed yet. Hermione was still an outsider in her own House; who would listen to her warnings? These thoughts flashed through his mind before he calmly pushed them away. It had little to do with him. Farming. That's what matters. He had done everything he could for now; all that was left was to wait for his plants to mature. What else can I do? His gaze fell upon his system panel. The silver glow around his Pruning Charm ability was now incredibly rich, the bronze beneath it almost completely gone. It was on the very cusp of advancing to the Silver Tier. "The Loosening Charm gave me quite a surprise when it reached Silver," he mused. "I wonder what kind of qualitative change the Pruning Charm will have?" A look of keen anticipation in his eyes, he waved his wand at a few pots of Goldfish Vines in the common room. "Arbor Siccus!" A few poorly growing leaves rustled and fell, instantly dissolving into motes of light that flowed back into the plant as nutrients. At the same moment, on his system panel, the silver glow of the Pruning Charm suddenly pulsed, shining several shades brighter. (End of Chapter) *** [Check Out My Patreon For More Chapters On All Of My Fanfics!!] [www. [email protected]/meowthtl] [+300 Power Stones = +1 Bonus Chapter] [+500 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter] [Thank You For Your Support!]