"Since that's the case, the resolution is officially passed," Harry said. "Today's focus is practical combat—I mean actual combat. I've hired a Dark Wizard from Diagon Alley to conduct real combat training with you—but before that, I need you to get familiar with dueling tricks... Come on, pair up, Draco, you and Ron practice first."
"Okay." Draco's eyes burned with fierce determination.
Ron felt the same way.
They both looked at each other with mutual disdain.
"Come on, you two duel first." Harry gestured for them to get on stage, "Best of three rounds, just like that Wizard Chess game, understand?"
At the mention of Wizard Chess, Draco's face noticeably fell.
The Wizard Chess game got him in trouble, not only confessing his true feelings to Snape but also having his parents called.
Even the most open-minded parents might have smacked their kid for washing the teacher's hair.
But Harry wasn't referring to Wizard Chess itself; he was afraid Draco wouldn't be convinced.
"How about best of five? Otherwise, it's not fun enough," Ron suggested eagerly.
Clearly, Ron thought beating Draco just once wouldn't be satisfying.
What's that saying again?
To defeat someone, you must crush their spirit!
"Way to go, Ron!" Seamus shouted, "You're not embarrassing Gryffindor! Kick Slytherin's butt hard!"
"I need to remind you that snakes have no buttocks, Mr. Finigan." Gael reminded from the back.
Everyone was stunned.
Harry was too; he glanced at Gael...
Well, an Austrian is practically German.
German humor cells, you either get it or you don't.
Considering it was a duel, Ron didn't use any other harmful Evil Curses; he just used the quick Disarming Spell.
The two stood on the temporarily conjured dueling platform, ready to start.
Draco, not forgetting to provoke Ron, raised his eyebrow in a cocky manner.
After Cedric announced the start, Ron quickly cast the spell.
"Expelliarmus!"
A flash of red light, and Draco's magic wand spun into Ron's hand.
He was defeated three times in a row, each time being knocked out by Ron's Expelliarmus.
Draco started doubting his life.
As he walked off the dueling platform, his steps were a bit wobbly.
"Are you alright?" Neville asked with concern.
"I hate the Disarming Spell..." Draco mumbled.
"Hate the Disarming Spell?" Neville asked, puzzled. "Why hate the Disarming Spell? I actually find it quite good..."
"Let me tell you—those who habitually use Expelliarmus are generally dazed, extremely insecure, and their IQ declines year by year until they ultimately turn into fools," Draco said in frustration. "Using the Disarming Spell destroys body structure, causes various incurable diseases, and anyone who starts using it is deemed to have lesser intelligence, character, and appearance, doomed to live in the shadows forever!"
Then he might still feel not satisfied and added a sentence: "Wizards who use the Disarming Spell have a strong antisocial tendency, disrupting law and order, threatening the lives of regular wizards!"
Neville opened his mouth.
No, not really?
Was it just being disarmed a few times that made him this frantic?
Hearing Draco's defensiveness, everyone burst out laughing.
They never expected such deconstruction over a mere Disarming Spell, provoking these nonsensical ramblings.
"I think you need more practice; if you can't beat them, join them." Cedric comforted, "The Disarming Spell is indeed quick and accurate, but your description... hardly applies, as it's just a Disarming Spell, not that green curse."
"Which green curse?" Draco raised his head, confused.
Cedric's face stiffened.
"Well, it's definitely not Fluorescent Flickering," he said, "Get up, we still have to watch others practice dueling."
Perhaps winning against Draco thrice made Ron overconfident, as he approached Hermione, intending to determine who was tougher between the two.
"Expelliarmus!"
Ron quickly sidestepped, casting Armor Protection to block Hermione's upcoming spell.
Seeing Ron's tactic, Gael put on a pained expression.
"Do you have to use Armor Protection, huh?" Gael lamented, "Keep disarming, attacking's the best defense, are you planning to block all her spells with Armor Protection?"
Ron then clumsily cast a Disarming Spell, doing a lazy roll to dodge Hermione's spell.
"Where are you aiming, Mr. Weasley!" Gael reminded again, "You shot wide! You almost hit Professor Newt, who's watching on the side—"
Subsequently, Ron got hit by Hermione's Disarming Spell.
"Do you think you can go on like this?" Gael got anxious, "Your approach isn't working, buddy; real opponents aren't practice dummies and won't give you such reaction time..."
Buddy?
Harry curiously looked at Gael and then at Ron.
This Gael was pretty amusing, even buddying up with Ron.
Well, buddy is buddy.
If anyone else said this, Ron might argue—but since it's Assistant Gael saying it, Ron humbly accepted Gael's advice.
Gael dragged him along for some special training.