Although Wade had secured Dumbledore's support, he didn't act immediately.
He patiently waited until all the exams were finished, followed by the Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw.
Even though Wade wasn't particularly interested in Quidditch, this was the final showdown of the school year. Anyone who had the time came to watch.
Ravenclaw's team put in a valiant effort, with several players getting injured due to reacting too slowly at high speeds. Unfortunately...
You can fake being average, but you can't fake being strong.
The best players from last year had already graduated, and the new team members, despite trying their hardest, still lost the match.
Gryffindor students cheered loudly, while the Ravenclaws maintained a semblance of grace and congratulated their opponents on winning the championship.
"Thanks, you guys played great too!" Gryffindor's Wood grinned, flashing all his teeth as he gave a thumbs-up.
Ravenclaw's captain, Roger, snorted coldly and offered a forced, insincere smile.
While Gryffindor continued celebrating on the field, students from the other houses began heading back to the castle—especially the Slytherins, who were the first to leave.
As everyone returned to the castle, they found the entrance hall once again blocked. A crowd of Slytherin students had gathered, staring up at a new notice:
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[June Challenge]
[Recently, the champions of Hogwarts defeated a massive ball python, proving their strength and courage.
However—
Was it really?
We all know ball pythons are gentle creatures, and the professors were present to ensure safety throughout. Facing a ball python is about as risky as cutting a cake under your mother's watchful eye.
Do you dare to challenge a truly dangerous creature?
Can you stand your ground even in the face of death?
Do you want to discover the true extent of your magical abilities?
This is an event for those who are truly extraordinary in skill and fearless in bravery. It even comes with the risk of death!
WARNING: Cowards need not apply!!!
Interested participants, please gather in the empty classroom on the third floor at 10 PM tonight. You may form teams freely; there are no restrictions on group size.
This event is cooperative in nature—all challengers will work together.
Conditions for Participation:
Reached the finals of the May Challenge.
Proficient in the following spells: Shield Charm, Obstacle Charm, Petrification Charm... ]
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Followed by a list of spell names.
The word "Warning" was highlighted prominently, written much larger than the rest.
Who would admit to being a coward?
Everyone who met the conditions loudly declared that they would participate. Even those who had yet to master one or two of the required spells skipped dinner and immediately went to practice.
By the time the Gryffindors returned, they noticed that the entire school seemed to have moved on from celebrating their victory.
Whether it was the despised Slytherins or their own housemates, everyone was talking about something else entirely.
Students flocked to the entrance hall to read the notice, and by the time they returned to their tables, the topic of conversation had shifted.
Aside from Wood, who was still obsessing over his Quidditch trophy, everyone else was caught up in the excitement.
"Hogwarts just keeps getting cooler. I thought all we'd have to look forward to after the game was grades and heading home!" Fred said enthusiastically.
"Grades are a form of adventure, sure, but I definitely prefer this," George added, leaning on his hands with an excited expression. "Dangerous creatures… I wonder what they'll be?"
"Maybe centipedes as big as snakes?" Harry guessed.
"Or maybe a whole bunch of spiders as big as houses! Right, little Ronnie?" Fred teased, winking at his brother.
"Wh—SPIDERS?!"
Ron, who had just walked over, shrieked and his face went pale.
Thanks to a childhood prank by the twins, Ron was absolutely terrified of spiders.
"Yep," Fred said, putting on a ghostly expression. "They'll spring out of the shadows, and you, my dear brother, won't even have time to react before one latches onto you…"
George,who was sneaking down from his seat, perfectly timed the punchline by grabbing Ron's shoulders with both hands.
"AAAAHHHHHHHH—!"
The Great Hall echoed with Ron's terrified screams, accompanied by the Weasley twins' uncontrollable laughter.
While the Weasley brothers were busy teasing Ron, snippets of their conversation spread among the other students like wildfire.
"Did you hear? It's spiders…"
"We've handled plenty of those in the maze. Is that all the school thinks we can handle?"
"Those entry conditions must be exaggerated. Even I can take care of spiders…"
The young witches and wizards, eager to prove themselves, were filled with anticipation.
By 9 PM that evening, when Harry and others arrived at the third floor, they found the corridor packed with students. Surprisingly, despite the crowd, there was an expectant hush over the group.
They pushed their way through the crowd with difficulty, and Harry followed Fred and the others blindly, feeling completely bewildered. Suddenly, the crowd parted ahead of him, and he nearly stumbled as the way cleared.
Someone caught Harry as he stumbled, and he quickly thanked them. "Thanks—"
"It seems that the victorious Mr. Potter is still reminiscing about his time on a broomstick, so much so that he's forgotten how to use his legs."
A cold, sarcastic voice came from above him. Harry froze and looked up slowly to confirm his suspicion—it was his least favorite professor.
Snape, who was clearly dragged here for extra duties, was holding a roster.
His cold, empty gaze swept over the bustling crowd of students, causing them to instinctively shuffle back, creating an additional half-meter of space around him in an instant.
Only Harry remained standing in front of Professor Snape, bearing the brunt of that icy stare.
Nearby, the Weasley twins made exaggerated winks and gestures, signaling for Harry to be brave.
Harry finally understood why the corridor was so crowded yet eerily silent.
Taking a deep breath and bracing himself for trouble, he said, "Professor, I'm here to join the challenge."
Snape's expression remained as unpleasant as ever. He raised an eyebrow and glanced at Harry, his gaze somehow managed to convey disdain without uttering a single word.
Harry felt as though he'd been judged from head to toe.
Harry clenched his fists reflexively, and then heard Snape say:
"Shield Charm."
"What… oh, oh! Protego!"
Flustered, Harry fumbled for his wand. Fortunately, he was quite familiar with the charm and executed it successfully.
Snape said nothing more, allowing Harry to pass into the empty classroom.
Inside, Harry found himself face-to-face with an unfamiliar professor who had visible disabilities, missing parts of both arms and legs.
Harry tried hard not to let his gaze linger on the professor's injuries as he hesitantly asked, "Professor?"
"Oh, Harry Potter!"
Professor Kettleburn exclaimed, and clapped enthusiastically with his one remaining hand.
"I'm just about to retire! I thought I'd never get a chance to see you in my class. What a wonderful surprise to have this opportunity at the very end!"
"Uh… hello, Professor," Harry said awkwardly. "What do I need to do?"
"You need to first understand what you're up against. If you're scared, you still have one last chance to back out," Kettleburn said.
"Face… what?" Harry asked, confused.
"Well, a thousand-year-old fellow. I can't believe Hogwarts has been hiding such a big guy… I submitted my retirement report far too early," the professor said regretfully, waving his wand toward the wall.
Harry turned to look and immediately felt as though all the blood in his body had frozen solid.
A pair of tawny yellow eyes stared directly at him, emanating a paralyzing sense of danger!
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