Dylan had no idea about Malfoy's current miserable state.
— In fact, he hadn't expected the curse from that forbidden book to be so powerful—or so long-lasting.
After a brief conversation with Professor McGonagall, Dylan finally reached an agreement with her: to slightly reduce the frequency of his tutoring sessions.
The moment that decision was made, McGonagall's smile visibly brightened.
"I'll discuss your assessment plan with Severus and the others as soon as possible," she assured him.
"Thank you, Professor," Dylan replied politely.
After bidding her farewell, the office door closed gently behind him. As he walked down the corridor, he noticed a few Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw students pinching their noses as they hurried past him—almost as if they were fleeing.
He also spotted a group of Slytherin students, their faces dark with anger, arguing with someone.
Dylan stopped in his tracks.
The next moment, a sharp voice rang out:
"Fresh, hot Slytherin special—!"
Dylan finally saw who was causing the commotion—Peeves the Poltergeist.
His voice was loud as ever, and combined with the suspicious smell lingering in the corridor, Dylan quickly put two and two together. He now had a pretty good idea of what was going on.
Still, he decided to ignore it and was just about to turn and leave when Peeves suddenly burst into song, loudly improvising a new version of the school anthem:
*"Draco Toilet Malfoy, the jet-powered warrior's on the move—please give me back my toilet!"*
Dylan twitched.
"Alright, move along, all of you!"
Filch's raspy voice echoed from the restroom.
Dylan blinked. "I've already finished dinner and had a full conversation with Professor McGonagall… and they're still in the bathroom?"
Shaking his head, he continued toward the Gryffindor common room, mentally reassessing the value of the forbidden book.
"Maybe some of those spells aren't as simple as they seemed in writing."
When he finally arrived at his dorm, Dylan pushed the door open and immediately saw Ron slumped on the edge of his bed, his head drooping, his signature red hair looking dull and lifeless.
Harry sat nearby, frowning slightly, staring blankly at the floor.
"What's wrong with you two?" Dylan asked, blinking.
Hearing Dylan's voice, Ron lifted his head and groaned dramatically. "Merlin's beard, we're getting detention! First day of school, and we're already in trouble. We're just as bad as Malfoy now!"
"You both got detention?" Dylan raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah! Last term, it was just Malfoy, but now we're in the same boat! It's humiliating!" Ron huffed.
Seeing that Ron didn't seem as devastated as before, Dylan shrugged. "Eh, you'll get used to it. Who knows? Maybe you'll end up in detention all the time."
"Like that'll ever happen!" Ron shot back.
"Hagrid said he'd be with us, though," Harry sighed.
Then, as if remembering something, he turned to Dylan. "Oh, right—Dylan, Hagrid asked me to tell you he'd like to see you when you have time. He has something to discuss… He really misses you."
Harry had phrased it gently, but Dylan understood immediately.
Obviously, Hagrid wanted to talk about Norberta—the baby dragon he used to take care of.
Dylan nodded lightly. "Got it. I'll visit when I have time—but I'm really busy lately."
Harry blinked but nodded. "I'll let him know."
After that, the two of them left for dinner. Dylan had already eaten, so there was no need for him to go.
Summoning his pet Coalball, he absentmindedly stroked the creature while organizing his notes.
At the same time, he started speculating about the upcoming dueling assessment.
Would he display all the spells he had mastered? Or should he hold back?
—Of course, even if he showed his skills, it would only be with conventional spells or hexes. No way was he using Dark Magic.
If he accidentally used a Dark Curse and ended up obliterating a professor… that would be bad.
### **Later That Evening**
By 7 PM, Harry and Ron still hadn't returned.
Dylan wasn't expecting Neville or Seamus either, but what did arrive was a message from Professor McGonagall.
*"We finalized the details of your assessment over dinner. Meet us in the Great Hall at 10 PM tonight."*
Dylan raised an eyebrow.
10 PM?
Wasn't that after curfew?
Were they already testing him by making him sneak past Filch?
"Then again, after dealing with that mess in the bathroom, Filch probably won't be too enthusiastic about patrolling tonight."
Dylan pressed his lips together, packed up his things, and waited until 9:50 PM.
By then, Neville and Seamus had already returned and gone to bed.
Dylan quietly put Coalball back into its pet space. Then, he melted into the shadows, phasing through the wall without making a sound.
His journey to the Great Hall was uneventful—he didn't run into a single person.
As he approached the entrance, he dispelled his shadow form and stepped up to the slightly open door.
Peering inside, he saw that the entire Great Hall had been rearranged.
The enchanted ceiling now displayed a breathtaking midnight sky.
The long dining tables were gone, replaced by a massive elevated dueling platform in the center of the hall.
Around it stood imposing stone statues, each one armed to the teeth, standing guard.
Dylan's gaze traveled upward, where he saw Professors McGonagall, Flitwick, and Snape standing on the platform.
When they noticed his head peeking through the door, their eyes turned toward him.
"Dylan, perfect timing! I just finished setting up the guardian statues," McGonagall called out with a pleased expression.
Guardian statues?
Dylan swallowed.
Glancing at the platform again, he hesitated before pushing the door fully open and stepping inside.
"Professor, am I supposed to duel all three of you at once… plus the statues?"
His gaze swept across his opponents.
Minerva McGonagall—Hogwarts' Deputy Headmistress and the formidable head of Gryffindor House.
Filius Flitwick—Ravenclaw's head and a former dueling champion.
Severus Snape—the youngest Slytherin head in Hogwarts history.
And… Hogwarts' enchanted guardian statues.
What was this setup?
Voldemort wasn't even here!
If anyone else saw this, they'd think Dylan was being treated as the next Dark Lord!
Dylan had assumed this "assessment" would just be a standard evaluation of his spellcasting skills.
But judging by the setup, were they seriously planning to duel him?
One-on-three—no, one-on-three plus an army of statues.
Wasn't that a bit much?
He wasn't Voldemort!
McGonagall smiled so broadly that the wrinkles on her face deepened. "The assessment will be one-on-one. Having all three of us duel a single student wouldn't be fair. But if you'd prefer, we can adjust the format."
"No need," Dylan said quickly, shutting down that idea immediately.
McGonagall nodded approvingly.
"It's late enough as it is—less talking, more action. Who's going first?" Snape's impatient voice cut in.
But to Dylan, it almost sounded… eager?
"This is insane," Dylan muttered under his breath, exhaling deeply as he stepped onto the platform.
It was clear that the professors had put a lot of effort into this setup—the platform was large, sturdy, and battle-ready.
"Since Dylan is my student, I'll start," McGonagall declared with a smile.
Flitwick and Snape had no objections.
As they descended the platform, Dylan noticed a small resting area on the other side, complete with comfortable lounge chairs and three tables covered in an assortment of snacks.
"I told you a rest area was a good idea," Flitwick said cheerfully.
"Unnecessary nonsense," Snape muttered.
And with that, the duel began.
Professor Flitwick first picked a small cake from the pile of pastries, took a bite, and let out a satisfied expression. Then, he lifted his glass and took a small sip of wine.
Professor Snape, on the other hand, casually grabbed a glass of ruby-red wine and leaned lazily against the back of his chair, his gaze fixed on the platform.
—Dylan could clearly see a trace of amusement in Professor Snape's eyes.
"That reserved yet subtly cunning demeanor… That's so you, Professor Snape."
Dylan's lips twitched.
"Don't tell me you get distracted like this even in duels."
Just as Professor McGonagall's voice rang out, a wave of scorching heat rushed toward Dylan.
He immediately turned around, his wand spinning steadily in his hand.
**"Hydra Emerge!"**
The trajectory of his wand resembled rippling waves on the surface of the Black Lake. Through the rising steam, the spectral image of a nine-headed water serpent flickered in and out of view.
Dylan had reshaped the *Aguamenti* spell, molding the flowing water into ferocious, menacing serpents that lunged toward the fiery lion summoned by Professor McGonagall.
From his reclined position, Snape let out a quiet chuckle.
"A lion summoning a serpent? How ironic."
His long, slender fingers traced the rim of his crystal goblet, which reflected the amusing sight of Flitwick conducting the dancing silverware with his fork.
"Magic knows no bounds," Professor Flitwick chuckled.
On the platform, Professor McGonagall narrowed her eyes. With a flick of her wand, the blazing lion let out a thunderous roar and charged forward.
The moment fire clashed with water, an earsplitting explosion erupted.
The flaming lion shattered the water serpents, sending up a massive cloud of steam. As it condensed against the ceiling, it formed a stormy raincloud, blurring the view of the platform. The heat wave whipped at Dylan's robes.
Without hesitation, he flicked his wand again.
**"Thalassa Wrath!"**
The water Dylan had summoned dissipated for the most part, but the remaining liquid instantly reformed into powerful surging waves. The tide, shimmering with an icy gleam, roared back toward Professor McGonagall with unstoppable force.
"Impressive," she remarked, standing calmly at the heart of the storm. "Your grasp of Transfiguration exceeds even my expectations."
Dylan stood at the crest of the wave, locking eyes with her. Even as the turbulent waters rushed toward her, she still had the composure to offer praise.
Then, in the blink of an eye, she transformed into a tabby cat, leaping gracefully to the edge of the platform. The raging tide crashed down but hit nothing but air.
The moment she landed, a burst of light shimmered around her as she returned to human form. Without hesitation, she raised her wand and spoke in a commanding voice.
**"Piertotum Locomotor!"**
A brilliant surge of magical energy erupted from her wand.
The spell triggered a reaction among the stone guardians standing below the platform. Statues that had stood still just moments ago suddenly began to move, dust and bits of stone crumbling from their bodies.
**Boom!**
A synchronized, thunderous stomp echoed through the hall as the statues sprang to life. With the force of arrows released from a bow, they leapt onto the platform, forming a protective barrier around McGonagall.
Dylan's lips twitched.
"Professor, you haven't even lost to me yet. Is it really necessary to go all out right away?"
McGonagall let out a soft laugh.
"The sooner, the better." She waved her wand, commanding the statues forward.
Dylan swiftly sidestepped.
"Maybe you should reconsider cutting down on class time. You haven't even taught me this spell yet."
"If you become a professor at Hogwarts, I imagine Albus would approve of me teaching it to you," McGonagall replied, flicking her wand.
**Boom! Boom! Boom!**
The stone guardians surged forward, surrounding Dylan.
The knights' armor bore streaks of moss, and their warhorses' hooves threatened to shatter the moonstone tiles at the platform's edge.
As the first statue swung its massive sword down at him, Dylan caught the faint scent of sulfur on the blade—McGonagall must have mixed in a bit of volcanic ash when summoning them.
**"Avis!"**
Dylan's arm moved in a fluid motion, casting the spell without the slightest hesitation.
A flock of birds materialized in the air, circling above him.
Not pausing for a second, he followed up with another spell.
**"Oppugno!"**
**Whoosh!**
The birds shot forward, weaving through the advancing stone guardians.
Their razor-sharp claws and beaks scraped against the statues, sending sparks flying and chipping away at the stone.
"You seamlessly merged your Summoning Spell with Transfiguration?" McGonagall's voice carried a hint of surprise. "Even their claws have been reshaped… Your understanding of the spell is deeper than I anticipated!"
"Well, I have an excellent professor to thank for that," Dylan replied smoothly.
Amid the chaos, he strolled through the flock of birds.
The sheer number of them made it seem as if he had disappeared within their ranks, his silhouette barely discernible.
Every guardian statue that got too close was swiftly repelled.
Those further away were intercepted by the birds.
"If we're only talking about this spell, you're quite talented," McGonagall admitted. "But—Transfiguration can do far more than this!"
With a sweeping arc of her wand, the air around them stirred as if some unseen force had set it in motion.
A sudden burst of flames erupted out of nowhere.
The magic swirling within them burned fiercely, shaping itself into an even larger lion than before.
Every strand of its fiery mane flickered wildly, and as it let out a deafening roar, the very air around them trembled.
Then, with a powerful kick, it leapt into the flock of birds, bringing with it a wave of searing heat.
**Whoosh!**
The blazing inferno devoured the birds, their pained cries filling the hall as they plummeted to the ground.
The dense flock that had once shielded Dylan thinned drastically.
As the birds vanished, his figure was on the verge of being fully exposed.
However, in the midst of the commotion, he had silently moved to McGonagall's other side, wand aimed directly at her.
**"Bat-Bogey Hex!"**
The spell shot forward.
Sensing the incoming magic, McGonagall swiftly shrank into her tabby cat form, narrowly avoiding the attack. Landing lightly on her paws, she transformed back into a human, her face showing a flicker of annoyance.
"Really, Dylan? The *Bat-Bogey Hex*?"
"Apologies, Professor, but in a duel, anything goes."
"Well said!"
McGonagall lifted her wand, and the fire lion blazed even brighter, its energy growing more intense.
The dazzling flames bathed the Great Hall in golden light.
Dylan's eyes widened.
"Okay, but you don't have to go *that* hard, Professor."
McGonagall simply smiled.
"Sorry, Dylan, but in a duel, you always give it everything you've got."
"…"
Dylan's expression darkened for a moment, but then his gaze turned resolute.
"Fine, Professor! I won't hold back either!"
With a swift movement, he slashed his wand through the air.
**"Incendio!"**
A blazing fireball burst forth in front of him, sending waves of heat radiating outward. The approaching statues were instantly blasted backward.
**"Flamilionus!"**
The scattered flames rapidly reformed, twisting and reshaping themselves into another fire lion, mirroring McGonagall's own.
Two lions clashed, both lifelike and fierce, before launching into a ferocious battle against each other.
They bit and collided with immense force, each clash igniting dazzling sparks, as even the air around them warped from the intense heat.
Then, with a final thunderous explosion, the two flaming lions became locked in a desperate struggle, bursting into a brilliant flash of light before vanishing completely.
All that remained was the lingering heat and the smoky aftermath of battle.
Dylan slowly lowered his wand, his chest rising and falling slightly, his eyes filled with admiration and respect.
He hadn't considered using any other spells—he had poured everything into Transfiguration, meeting Professor McGonagall head-on in a true clash of mastery.
And in doing so, he had experienced firsthand the depth of her expertise in Transfiguration.
Even though his own skill was nearly at its peak, the gap of just one or two levels still felt like an insurmountable chasm between him and Professor McGonagall.
"Professor, you were still holding back," Dylan admitted as he stepped forward. "But I've gained a lot of new insights from the Transfiguration you just performed."
With that, he bowed deeply to Professor McGonagall, his back forming a respectful arc of humility.
(End of Chapter)