Everyday Life of a Top Student at Hogwarts

Chapter 49 Professor Flitwick's Duel Instruction

After dinner, Cullen said goodbye to her roommates who were heading to the library and went alone to Professor Flitwick's office. The thought that Professor Flitwick was not only the head of Ravenclaw but also the dueling champion filled Cullen with anticipation for learning real combat skills from him.

Flitwick's office door was ajar, and cheerful humming could be heard coming from inside. Karen knocked on the doorframe: "Professor? I'm Karen Hawthorne, here for dueling class."

"Ah! Karen!" Professor Flitwick poked his head out from a pile of books, his face beaming with a warm smile. "Come in, come in! I just cleared out a space, perfect for practice."

Karen walked into the office and found that a sizable circular area had indeed been cleared out in the center of the space, which had originally been filled with books and quirky gadgets, with two opposing circles drawn on the floor.

"The first lesson of dueling," Professor Flitwick jumped onto a thick stack of books to put himself at eye level with Karen, "is not learning new spells, but understanding the nature of dueling." He waved his long, thin fingers, "Dueling is not simply a matter of exchanging spells, but a contest of strategy, reflexes, and psychology."

Karen nodded seriously. Having powerful spells but not being able to use them at will is indeed not enough.

"First, let's talk about the basic categories of duels." Professor Flitwick waved his wand elegantly, and three lines of golden text appeared in the air, as if written by an invisible pen. He stood on tiptoe and pointed to each line of text in turn: "Formal duels—aristocratic duels strictly adhering to etiquette rules; Practical duels—real battles where life and death are at stake; Performance duels—the kind of flashy tricks performed in the opening ceremony of the Quidditch World Cup."

He flicked his wand, and the words vanished as golden stardust. "Today we'll focus on practical dueling techniques." With that, Professor Flitwick suddenly turned, his wand pointing directly at Cullen: "I remember you said you mastered all the first-year spells, and you're still self-studying upper-year material? So, have you mastered the Disarm Charm?"

"I can already use it skillfully, Professor," Karen replied calmly. He had already mastered this spell, which had achieved many great feats in the original work and was not difficult to learn, and had practiced it countless times in private.

"Excellent!" Professor Flitwick's eyes lit up, his wand tracing a cheerful arc in the air. "Then let's have a practical test. Stand in that circle," he pointed to the dueling circle drawn on the ground with gold dust, "The rules are simple: I'll only use the Disarm Charm, and you can use any spell you've learned. The goal is to force your opponent out of the circle or disarm them."

Karen stepped into the designated circle and gripped his wand tightly. Although he had mastered all the first-year spells, he still felt uncertain facing Professor Flitwick, who only used the Disarm Charm.

"Begin!" Before Professor Flitwick could finish speaking, a beam of red light shot towards Karen.

Karen's pupils contracted slightly; his exceptional dynamic vision allowed him to clearly track the spell's trajectory. He dodged to the side, a red light grazing his robes, and simultaneously flicked his wrist: "Expelliarmus!"

Professor Flitwick didn't even move a step, simply flicking his wand to deflect the spell. The ensuing duel was like a meticulously choreographed dance—Callen constantly changed tactics: using a levitation charm to lift the carpet and obscure the view, and a soft charm to make the ground sticky. But each move was neutralized by the professor with the simplest disarming charm.

Sweat trickled down Karen's temples. Suddenly, a thought struck him; he remembered the "Clear Spring!" he'd used on Peeves. A jet of water shot towards the professor's feet. Flitwick raised an eyebrow and waved the water away, instantly soaking the ground. Karen immediately followed up: "Freezing Cold!"

But the professor seemed to have anticipated this, his wand drawing a precise circle to intercept the Ice Curse. In the instant Karen was stunned, a red light struck his wrist.

"Snap!" The wand flew out of her hand, tracing an arc in the air.

"That was brilliant!" Professor Flitwick clapped his hands excitedly and jumped up and down. "Merlin's beard! That last water spell followed by an ice spell was like something a fourth-year student would do!"

Karen rubbed her numb wrist: "But I didn't even touch the hem of your clothes, and you spotted that combination spell right away."

"That's the key." Professor Flitwick suddenly became serious, tapping his wand lightly. The water droplets on the ground automatically gathered into a demonstration pattern: "A duel isn't about how many spells you know, but how you use them." The water droplets formed three battle scenes in the air: "First, spell chaining, combining simple magic into a killing move; second, utilizing the environment, making the battlefield your weapon; third..." The water droplets suddenly all disappeared, "Concealing your intentions, the real trump card is always where your opponent can't see it. Don't easily let your opponent know your spellcasting intentions."

Karen's eyes lit up: "Like playing Wizard's Chess, where you have to think three moves ahead?"

"Exactly!" Professor Flitwick jumped for joy. "Ravenclaw, three points for your comprehension! Now, let's begin with the most basic spell combination: 'Illusion + Disarming Charm'..."

For the next two hours, under Professor Flitwick's guidance, Karen repeatedly practiced how to combine the various basic spells he had mastered to create tactical advantages. The professor also taught him how to observe the environmental characteristics of the dueling arena and use walls, furniture, and even the angle of light to enhance the effects of spells.

Karen nodded, his robes soaked with sweat. His wrists trembled slightly from the continuous casting, but his grey-blue eyes grew brighter. His Eye of Truth allowed him to clearly see the flow of magic, a unique advantage that gave him a far greater understanding of spell control than most.

Although the training was exhausting, the gains far exceeded his expectations. He not only learned practical dueling techniques, but more importantly, he understood a new way of thinking about the application of magic.

"Remember, Karen," Professor Flitwick gestured for him to stop and rest as the lesson neared its end. The old professor tiptoed and patted Karen on the shoulder, his eyes gleaming with wisdom: "A true dueling master isn't a walking encyclopedia of spells, but a tactician who best understands the situation. A well-timed glowing spell can be more effective than ten attack spells." He flicked his wand, conjuring a steaming cup of cocoa and handing it to Karen. "Your talent is astonishing, but remember, truly powerful combat masters often rely on innovative applications of basic spells."

Karen nodded, taking the cup with both hands. The warm touch reminded him how exhausted he was. He took a small sip, the sweet aroma blooming on his tongue, and at the same time, he felt a deeper sense of satisfaction—the satisfaction of learning something new.

"Next Friday at the same time," Professor Flitwick said, opening the office door. The cool night breeze from the castle, carrying the scent of pine from the distant Forbidden Forest, filled the room. "We had prepared the Ironclad Charm this time..."

Upon hearing Professor Flitwick's original plan, Karen replied, "Professor, I have also mastered the Ironclad Charm."

"Although I've said it many times, I still have to say it again: Karen, your talent is truly amazing!" Professor Flitwick once again expressed his amazement at Karen's talent.

Then he winked slyly, "Now that you've mastered the Ironclad Charm, we can formally learn the combination and application of protective spells next week."

Karen agreed, bid farewell to Professor Flitwick, and turned to walk towards the Ravenclaw Tower. The night breeze brushed against his burning cheeks, and his mind replayed every skill he had learned that evening.