Duel Club

With longing for Azkaban, Edmund left Gerald's body, allowing him to act on instinct.

If the souls and magic of the batteries are nourishment for the genie, then Edmund is indeed not gluttonous. He is happy to allow these poor souls to retain some autonomy, even though those personalities are like leftover scraps, they can still be surprisingly effective at crucial moments.

Take Gerald for example. This German vagrant is quite adept at using his staffless magic and has plenty of fond memories to fill his mind. If all goes well, and he's imprisoned in Azkaban, Gerald should be able to hold out for at least a year and a half, which should be enough time to find Scrooge Balfio.

This excited Edmund, who finished Thursday's classes with high spirits.

Professor Hecate explained to the first-year students what "defense against the Dark Arts" was, and asked them to memorize the five most commonly used anti-spells. Finally, the old witch brought out a frog-shaped bell and asked everyone to guess what spells it contained; a correct guess would earn them extra points.

Edmund felt that this was not his imagination. Even the Gryffindors and Slytherins, who had a tense relationship, all acted like "good students" in Professor Hecate's class, as if they were afraid of being killed by her like a dragon.

Perhaps this is because other professors didn't emphasize their own achievements in their youth?

Edmund didn't know. There was a funny incident before the Defense Against the Dark Arts class ended.

Somehow, James seemed to have gotten into an argument with Blake, and in the end, he bravely asked the professor directly, "Which college were you a student in?"

College jokes never go out of style.

Edmund burst out laughing and fell back into his seat, prompting James to give him a fierce look that seemed to be about to bite him to death, which also amused Professor Hecate.

James is indeed easy to understand: he thinks Professor Hecate is a Gryffindor and doesn't believe there are any other answers.

But the truth is, "Ravenclaw, sigh, I thought I made it very obvious, our whole room is decorated in blue!"

Without a doubt, James was greatly disappointed.

"I'll laugh at you for at least three years," Edmund commented calmly. "As for why not seven? That's because I firmly believe you'll do something even more ridiculously stupid within those three years... Ouch, that hurts!"

Putting aside how Jaime collided with Edmund's defensive midfielder, the afternoon potions class was absolutely terrible.

But Professor Slughorn couldn't be blamed for that. Although the old headmaster, who resembled a walrus, spent a lot of time introducing them to his former star pupils, showcasing the breadth of his connections and making the young wizards yearn for them.

It seems like he's fishing with a straight hook, aiming for someone willing to take the bait.

Even though he threw out so much bait, the fish he actually wanted to catch ignored it.

That's just how it is. True geniuses are still clueless about these things; and Edmund and Sirius Black, who truly deserve to be called people of high birth, don't really care about the connections the old professor talks about.

Contrary to expectations, it was actually those pure-blooded children from families that had fallen on hard times who were truly intrigued by Slughorn.

Having already been taught a lesson by Edmund, Avery tried even harder this time, resulting in the explosion of his own cauldron, sending chopped valerian and mistletoe berries flying like cannonballs, landing all over Murseb's face.

Professor Slughorn sighed, but didn't say anything harsh. However, his disappointed expression, like a sharp knife, along with the laughter of James and Sirius, became the final straw that broke Avery's confidence.

To make matters worse, the potions Lily and Snape made still far exceeded the professor's expectations. Professor Slughorn simply couldn't suppress his admiration for the two of them, spending at least half of the class circling around their table.

Moreover, while the old professor still maintained a certain air of authority towards Snape, who was willing to follow "Slytherin's rules," his attitude towards Lily, who was enthusiastic and naive, didn't understand any hints, and seemed to simply like potions and was very talented, was simply indulgent.

The combination of these two factors made Avery's expression even more gloomy. But no one cared what he was thinking; Edmund suspected that the others in his house hadn't actually remembered Avery's name either.

Aside from his somewhat impressive surname and his large size, this kid hadn't shown any other talent. Edmund decided that from now on, he would call people like this "pure-blood trash."

Friday's History of Magic class was as boring as ever. Edmund couldn't help but wonder if he could actually skip it. On Saturday, he went to the library with Pollyanna again.

Finally, Sunday arrived, and Lucius Malfoy reappeared before dinner, smiling as he invited Edmund to the pre-match dinner of the "Duel Club".

Edmund readily agreed.

On the way to the activity room, Lucius proudly told Edmund that the Duel Club had been revived with funding from the school board—his father. The Malfoy family covered all the expenses, from daily operations to the grand prizes awarded to the winners of various club competitions.

Edmund listened and understood his meaning. He was also willing to admit that the Malfoys had indeed been farsighted.

Regardless of how many students benefit from the "Duel Club," these young wizards who received favors during their student days have all formed a good relationship with the Malfoy family and become part of the Malfoys' network.

This approach is similar to Professor Slughorn's, but... given Lucius's personality, Edmund's Duel Club won't be as harmonious as Potions.

And it turned out just as he had predicted.

The dueling club's activity room was located in an empty room further inside the Potions classroom, right next to the alchemy classroom, which was not yet open for classes. Lucius waved his wand and opened the door for him.

The room was a sea of ​​green, and Edmund was a little speechless, not understanding why these upperclassmen were so keen on only hanging out with their own group. But a look of amazement appeared on his face as he gazed at Lucius with delight.

Seeing that he had finally subdued the German, Lucius breathed a sigh of relief. He smiled.

"As you can see, Edmund. Every member here is a highly promising wizard at Hogwarts. To enter our Duel Club, you need more than just grades on paper. More importantly, you need a sharp mind and superb magic." He paused here.

"And enough purity...enough loyalty."

Lucius gave a half-hearted, insincere smile. In his words, every spellcasting, every counterattack, was a clash of wits, magic, and cunning. Every success was worthy of praise, while failure should become a stepping stone to success.

However, some people deserve more opportunities. Because they are "one of us," they have already earned the favor of magic through the efforts of their predecessors.

Some people, however, are born onto the wrong path, tainted by their filthy bloodline. They are "despicable and pitiful," and need sufficient guidance and help.

"You are a perfect example, Edmund. I've heard about the pranks you played on poor Avery..." he complained with a hint of sympathy. "You truly are the only son of the Soman family, gifted and brimming with magic!"

"Therefore, although it's against the rules—since freshmen like you are normally only allowed to join clubs in their second year—I don't think Professor Slughorn would mind making a small exception for you..."

Edmund could tell he was being courted, and to be honest, he was quite tempted. Although he still looked hesitant, he was calculating the benefits this choice could bring him.

Lucius is in sixth grade now, so the Malfoys can be the sucker for at least another two years... oh no, I mean the sponsor.

No matter how you calculate it, you won't lose money.

"I'm very interested."

"Edmund answered. At the same time, a drab figure walked past him toward the other side of the banquet. This person must have been an upperclassman; as he walked past Lucius with his head down, Lucius also noticed the latecomer."

Edmund saw Lucius suddenly frown, then without warning flick his wrist, unleashing a silent spell. The red spell struck the gray-robed senior student directly, sending him flying.

"Oh, Allen, Allen!" Lucius said softly, with disgust.

"I've told you that many times, haven't I?"

"Don't go in front of pure-blood wizards. It makes you look very ill-mannered and will bring shame upon me, who is in charge of you."