Chapter 35: The Blessing of Glory and the Midnight Escape

"Okay, we get it, Edward, but could you please put your sword down first?" Harry stared at the gleaming blade, nodding frantically, his eyes practically crossing. "A duel is an act of honor, defending your dignity with your life," Edward said. "But you two aren't at that point, are you, Harry? Draco?" Both shook their heads vigorously. Wizard duels? Let someone else deal with that nonsense! Who'd have thought the four of them would get trounced by one guy? And then get a half-hour lecture on wizard dueling etiquette to boot? While Edward was schooling Harry and Malfoy, Ron hurried to untie Hermione, who was still bound on the floor. He couldn't shake the feeling that the way Edward had tied her up looked... off. He couldn't pinpoint why, but it just felt wrong. "If you three weren't so useless, we wouldn't have lost! I had a plan!" Hermione grumbled as she got to her feet, clearly annoyed. "If you had a plan, maybe you should've gotten up and fought instead of watching us nearly get skewered," Ron shot back, rolling his eyes. As the young wizards bickered and pointed fingers, something stirred in Edward's mind. "The recognition of others, your tireless efforts—these have earned you your own glory." "The Blessing of Glory (Level 1) has been activated." "To wear the crown, you must bear its weight. Glory is both a reward and a constraint." "Earn and defend your glory to exert 'Intimidation' on those within a certain range. The effect and range depend on the amount of glory you accumulate." Edward froze, stunned. He hadn't expected to unlock a new knight's blessing at a moment like this. Glory? Was it the recognition he'd earned from others? His gaze drifted to the trophy case in the Trophy Room, gleaming with cups and shields. Since starting at Hogwarts, his actions—earning points, gaining reputation, and winning the approval of students and teachers—had all contributed to this glory. Just now, it had reached the threshold to activate the blessing. He now had four knight's blessings: Humility (Level 3): Enhanced focus. Sincerity (Level 2): Improved judgment. Compassion (Level 1): Heightened perception. Glory (Level 1): Increased intimidation. The Glory blessing didn't seem as powerful as the others, though. Even without it, Edward could instill fear with his sword or magic. But what if he kept accumulating and defending his glory? Could he intimidate formidable enemies without lifting a blade? Glory, however, came with responsibility. Failing to uphold it could turn the blessing into a shackle. Before, Edward hadn't cared much about the House Cup. Now, though? Helping Slytherin win it would be a tremendous honor. The duel was over, the Blessing of Glory was his, and the young wizards had learned dueling wasn't something to take lightly. It was time to head back to the common room before Filch or another teacher caught them. Just as Edward was about to usher everyone out, Neville stumbled over from his lookout post at the corner. "I... I heard... a cat! Down the corridor!" he stammered, voice thick with panic. Edward immediately extended his perception toward the sound. About thirty meters away, he sensed two figures: one human, one feline. Filch and Mrs. Norris. "Mrs. Norris, my dear, do you smell something? Students out of bed, wandering the halls?" Filch's voice grew closer. "I swear I didn't tip him off!" Malfoy whispered, legs trembling. "No one said you did! Stop standing there—move!" Edward hissed, motioning for everyone to creep away quietly. He cast a Silencing Charm for good measure, covering their tracks. But Neville, spooked out of his wits, let out a terrified yelp. Tripping over something, he bolted, crashing into Malfoy and Ron. The three tumbled into a suit of armor, which toppled into another, setting off a chain reaction. The corridor echoed with the clanging of falling armor, rendering the Silencing Charm useless. Even Edward hadn't anticipated Neville's knack for chaos. "Split up! You five, go that way. I'll draw Filch off!" Edward made a snap decision, shoving Harry and the others toward the right corridor while he sprinted in the opposite direction. He was confident Filch and Mrs. Norris couldn't catch him with the Knight's Breathing Technique active. Ignoring the shouts behind him, Edward darted down a corridor, smashing a few windows with his wand to create a distraction. Sorry, Mr. Filch, I'll fix those windows tomorrow! he thought, apologizing inwardly as he ran. In an empty classroom, Peeves was gleefully scattering trash from a bin and scribbling profanities on the blackboard. He'd heard the commotion outside the Trophy Room and was about to phase through the wall to investigate when a glowing blue blur streaked past. What was that? Peeves rubbed his eyes, wondering if he'd imagined it. By the time he floated out to check, the blur was long gone. "Missed another bit of fun!" he huffed, spinning in midair. But he'd felt something from that shadow—a powerful presence, like when Bloody Baron passed by. Peeves shivered. If it was the Baron, he'd rather not get involved. "Peeves! Did you see someone run by? Tell me where those students went!" Filch panted, out of breath. At the sound of Filch's voice, Peeves forgot the blur. Fun was right in front of him now. Edward kept tabs on the sounds behind him, ensuring Filch followed him instead of chasing Harry and the others. When he sensed Filch getting sidetracked by Peeves, he finally stopped in front of an empty fourth-floor classroom. "Phew, time to head back. Hope the others found their way," Edward muttered, catching his breath. But as he turned to leave, something felt off. At the edge of his perception, on the other side of the fourth-floor corridor, he sensed another presence. Not Filch, not the other students, not a ghost. But just as quickly, it slipped out of his range and vanished. Another teacher? A student sneaking around? Edward considered following but couldn't pick up the trail. Just an empty corridor remained. He hurried back to the common room. As he stepped inside, he found someone waiting by the dim firelight. "Draco? You got back quick," Edward said, clapping Malfoy on the shoulder, only to notice him shaking. "Edward, you won't believe what I just saw!"