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Chapter 73: “Humiliation I”
🕑 Added 2024-02-20 14:08:02 +0000 UTCTuesday, March 29, 1927.
The day of the duel arrived. In these two days, the rumor of the duel between James Potter vs Rabastan Lestrange spread.
Two boys from pureblood families. On one side, the Potter Family is considered blood traitors due to their egalitarian stance towards Muggles, half-bloods, and Muggle-born wizards. However, it is still a very old and wealthy family.
On the other hand, the Lestrange Family, who unlike the Potters are part of the Sacred Twenty-Eight and are not considered blood traitors. This family believes in the notion of pureblood supremacy, despising Muggles, Muggle-born, and half-bloods. This family has even produced a Minister of Magic during the 19th century.
As the event where Rabastan mocked James was crowded, the duel spread quickly. All the first years were very excited and already wanted to see the duel.
The older students were not as excited, as they thought that two first-year students did not have a large arsenal of spells to cast in an interesting duel, but they did look forward to seeing the clash of two pureblood families, especially Gryffindor vs. Slytherin.
At breakfast that day many were talking about who would be victorious in the duel. Most were picking Rabastan as the winner. Although James had a reputation as a gifted pupil, it was the same for the Slytherin boy.
After listening to Rabastan reading the letter from James' mother, no one thought that a boy who received so much love could be good in a duel. Besides, the Lestrange Family's reputation was flashier than the Potters'. So almost everyone sided with Rabastan.
So did most at the Gryffindor table, even though they knew how good James was at subjects and was always winning points. They didn't think he could beat Rabastan. However, that didn't mean they would cheer for Slytherin's house.
"Damn traitors," Sirius snorted as they walked towards the dueling hall. It was fifteen minutes before the duel was to begin.
"I didn't think they'd doubt James after he knocked out Mulciber and Avery that time," commented Lupin a little quizzically.
"They must think I'd attack them from behind. Besides, Rabastan has also proven to know more advanced hexes," said James, who wasn't upset at all.
For James, his victory was a certainty. The real question was: How many hits must he give Rabastan before he defeated him?
"Anyway, thanks to you, I'm going to get rich," said Sirius with a smile resting an arm on James' shoulder.
"Did you end up gambling. Is it reliable? Rather, is it legal?" asked Lupin suspiciously.
"Yes, it is reliable. Many older students have gambled. As for legal... it's best to stay out of those issues. Do you want to know how many bet on you?" asked Sirius, looking at James.
"How many?" asked James curiously.
"Only thirty percent," he replied with a big smile, looking at James like a gold mine. How now his mother was sending him much less money, because he disgraced her last name, it will do him good to get so much money easily and safely.
"So little faith in me?" asked James in surprise. He had thought he had a good reputation. He won points for the house several times. He had special permission to train Quidditch and have his broom, and many even linked him to the flower prank which was a much talked about topic.
"It's not that they don't have faith in you, but Rabastan has a great reputation in his house. Even though he didn't have special permission when it comes to quidditch, I hear he's good at almost every subject and especially dueling, as the Lestrange Family prepares their heirs very well..." explained Sirius.
"How do you know all that?" asked Toby with a strange look on his face.
"Don't forget I'm the Black heir..." said Sirius with a grimace.
As they reached the dueling club room, they could see a lot of people already waiting. The professors, Flitwick, McGonagall, and Slughorn were already there chatting. Even Professor Antennae was there.
The room was very large, with a highly polished floor that reflected the light of the torches. The main area where the duel would take place is marked with a series of circles on the floor, which serve as boundaries and regulators of the duel. Surrounding this area are ascending tiers that provide comfortable seating for spectators. The platform for the supervising professors is strategically elevated to provide a clear view of the entire space.
The bleachers were gradually filling up. As there was still time before the next quidditch match, this particular duel between two pureblood families was well attended.
"Whoa... it's much bigger than the secret room. Next time you have to ask for a room like this," said Sirius in awe, as this was his first time visiting the Dueling Club.
The marauders wished James luck and went to the stands where the Gryffindor students were, who didn't seem very enthusiastic, except for a few first years.
"Why did you drag me here?" asked Lily, annoyed looking at Jasmine, who was holding a sign that said Slytherin sucks.
"You're no fun at all. There won't be another event like this. Besides, we have to support our house, there's not much faith," replied Jasmine.
"Whatever..." muttered Lily as she looked with some concern at James, who was already on stage. She had heard the rumors and that everyone thought Rabastan would win.
James approached the center of the room where Professor Flitwick and Rabastan were already standing with a haughty smile on his face. It was obvious that he heard the rumors of the duel, and everyone was betting that he was going to win.
"Today two first-year students will face each other in a friendly duel!" began Flitwick, looking at the stands with excitement. He always liked the part where the commentator introduces the duelists.
"On the right side, Rabastan Lestrange of Slytherin!" he introduced as he pointed his hand at Rabastan.
The Slytherin students in the stands cheered and clapped enthusiastically.
"On the left side, James Potter of Gryffindor!" the Gryffindor stand cheered loudly, especially the marauders, but they failed to catch up in power to the opposing stand.
"Very well, students. Respect the rules we agreed on earlier. First a formal greeting," said Flitwick, looking at Rabastan and James, who were facing each other staring at each other.
James and Rabastan shook their heads vaguely, neither had any respect for the other. Then they raised their wands like swords and waited in silence. The atmosphere in the stands was also quiet and they watched expectantly.
Professor Flitwick started counting down, "Three... Two... One... Duel!"
"Furnunculus!" shouted Rabastan with incredible speed. From his wand came a golden light.
"Aeromanteo," said James calmly as he waved his wand with agility. A stream of air covered his face and deflected Rabastan's attack.
"That damned one! Using such a nasty hex!" growled Sirius indignantly.
If the hex hit James, it would cause a large number of large pus-filled pimples to appear on his face.
Rabastan's face showed surprise. He didn't know the charm James used to evade his hex.
Before this hex, James realized that Rabastan wanted to humiliate him instead of winning the duel by being as effective as possible. However, he could not blame him. His objective was the same.
"Tsch, Impedimenta!" he shouted and this time from his wand came a turquoise light with a faster speed than before.
The Impedimenta was a charm that slows down the target. It was very common in duels.
"Whoa, he even knows how to cast an Impedimenta. He's very talented the Lestrange boy!" said Slughorn in surprise. This charm was a third-year charm.
The other professors watching the fight nodded in agreement, except Antennae, who found what James performed even more amazing.
As a professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts, she knew the Aeromanteo charm very well. Few people used this charm to defend themselves. Learning it was easy. The problem was that you needed huge reflexes to make it effective in battle, so many preferred not to use it and opted for Protego, although this was more difficult.
James, again without moving from the spot, cast Aeromanteo and deflected Rabastan's attack successfully. The strange thing for everyone was that he did not attack. He just stood still patiently waiting for his opponent to decide how to attack.
'This bastard!' thought Rabastan angrily. For the next few minutes, it was just Rabastan attacking from all angles. However, none of his attacks were successful.
James didn't even move a step since the duel started. Rabastan had already run out of ideas. He even cast two spells at once, but James managed to deflect them.
"Is this all the Lestrange Family has?" asked James with a cold smile and clear disdain in his tone. Everyone in the stands gradually fell silent, shocked at the contempt that James' voice exuded.
"I guess they didn't spend much time training you," he added, looking at Rabastan as if he were a useless weakling.
The professors, especially McGonagall were surprised by the personality James was showing. She had always seen him as somewhat lazy and laid back with his group. She had not noticed such a side to him.
Before Rabastan could explode and cast another spell, James shouted, "Flipendo!"
Rabastan narrowly dodged the Flipendo, but before he could do anything, another Flipendo came, and this time he was hit. He rolled on the ground and quickly got up.
"Just one Flipendo? Ha, that's not-
A Flipendo interrupted him and sent him rolling again on the ground. Luckily, the Flipendo wasn't that painful, and he was able to quickly get up off the ground.
'His magic is weak. I must find an opening and finish him quickly,' Rabastan thought furiously.
However, no matter how much he wanted to look for an opening he couldn't find one. James' Flipendos kept coming, and they all hit him. He rolled a couple of times and struggled to his feet, only to be hit again after a few seconds.
"Get up, Lestrange! Show me your blood supremacy! Flipendo!" exclaimed James with a cold smile, sending the Slytherin boy rolling again.
Rabastan's appearance was a mess. His hair was disheveled and dirt in it from rolling on the floor so many times. His clothes weren't spared either. His Slytherin robes were wrinkled and dirty.
Everyone in the stands, even the professors, watched with incredulous faces. It was obvious that James was humiliating Rabastan in front of everyone. Many looked at James as if they were looking at a new person. No one knew this part of the boy's personality, who always seemed relaxed and joking.
The only ones who seemed to know about it were Gwen, Emily, and the other kids who shared James' childhood at Godric Hollow.
Gwen watched the duel with a faint smile. Happy at the humiliation Rabastan was receiving. Emily had a poker face but also seemed to enjoy Rabastan's suffering.
The other Godric Hollow boys seemed to have frightened faces as if they were remembering things they kept long ago in their minds.
