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"Is there such a good place? I've lived at school for a year, but I've never found it," Sam said, frowning slightly.
Hearing Sam's doubtful tone, Overton looked a little displeased and quickly retorted, "I've known about this place for more than two hundred years, and countless students have found it. It's just that those who discover it tend to keep it a secret. So, it's normal for you not to know."
"Where is this place?" Sam asked, already having a guess in his mind.
"It's called the Room of Requirement. Go to the eighth floor of Edinburgh Castle, opposite the tapestry of Barnabas being beaten by the troll with a club. Concentrate on what you need, walk past that section of wall three times, and a door will appear, leading you inside. Most students today don't know about it, and recently, it's mostly been used by the castle's house-elves."
As expected, it was the Room of Requirement, Sam thought to himself. He had wanted to use it before but had refrained from doing so to avoid unnecessary suspicion. As someone from a non-magical family, he wasn't supposed to know about such a place. Now, thanks to his conversation with Overton, he had a reasonable excuse to find it.
After bidding Overton farewell, Sam returned to his dormitory to pack up for class. Later, while rushing to his next lesson, he noticed two senior students levitating a stretcher towards the school hospital.
"The diary is in my hands, so why is something still happening? But why do some people look regretful, while others seem happy? No one looks afraid," Sam thought, puzzled.
Upon entering the classroom, he received shocking news: Professor Cummins had been taken to the hospital with injuries.
After questioning his classmates and piecing together the information, Sam deduced what had happened. The previous day, during class, his actions had embarrassed Professor Cummins, making the man feel that his abilities weren't being properly displayed. To compensate, today, while teaching the senior students, Cummins decided to showcase a powerful rune snake to impress them.
However, when he went to retrieve the rune snake from the potions storeroom in the basement, it bit him. Luckily, Professor Oden Smith had been nearby and rushed in to save him. If not for his intervention, Edinburgh Castle might have needed a new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher.
Sam couldn't help but admire Cummins' dedication. The professor might not be a competent teacher, but he was certainly a dedicated performer, going to extreme lengths to maintain his glorious image—perhaps not unlike celebrities who push themselves to the limit for fame.
However, when Defence Against the Dark Arts class arrived two days later, Sam found himself genuinely wishing that Cummins would recover soon. Because in his absence, Headmaster Overton had assigned Professor Oden Smith as the substitute teacher.
Time passed quickly, and Saturday morning arrived. Sam woke up early, as he had an appointment with Plunket to practice magical combat.
After breakfast, Sam led Plunket to the eighth floor, opposite the tapestry of Barnabas being attacked by the troll. The troll on the tapestry momentarily stopped its action, staring at the two curiously.
"Why are we here? There's nothing special here," Plunket asked.
"Don't worry. Overton told me about this place, and he wouldn't lie," Sam reassured him.
Focusing his thoughts, Sam silently willed, I need a place to practice combat. After walking past the section of the wall three times, Plunket gasped, "Sam, look!"
Turning toward where Plunket pointed, Sam saw a door appearing in the once-bare wall. He grasped the handle and pulled it open.
"Come in. It looks safe," he said.
Inside, the room was spacious, dimly lit by torches on the walls. A row of bookshelves lined one side, packed with books. On the opposite side, an array of magical instruments was displayed, some of which Sam recognized from their Defence Against the Dark Arts textbooks. In the center of the room, a pile of thick satin cushions lay stacked, likely meant for safety during practice.
Plunket immediately rushed to the bookshelf, running his fingers along the spines of the thick leather-bound tomes.
"Look at these books! Common Spells and Solutions, Outsmarting the Dark Arts, Self-Defense Spells—these are even better than the books in the library!" he exclaimed excitedly.
Seeing Plunket's eagerness, Sam quickly interrupted, "Let's practice first. We can read these books later. They're not going anywhere."
With that, they started practicing the Disarming Charm. Plunket had clearly been practicing in private, as his movements were now smoother, and his spellcasting had improved significantly.
Finally, Plunket successfully disarmed Sam, knocking his wand away. His face lit up with excitement.
Sam simply shrugged. Teaching required making sure the learner gained confidence. Repeated failure could damage self-esteem.
Once Plunket's excitement subsided, they began discussing what to learn next. Originally, Plunket wanted to study more offensive spells, like the Stunning Spell. However, Sam convinced him to learn defensive magic first, particularly the Shield Charm.
After consulting The Self-Defense Spellbook, Plunket began his usual method of learning: reading and memorization. Meanwhile, Sam grabbed another book from the shelf and began reading.
After some time, Plunket successfully performed the Shield Charm, and they resumed their sparring. This time, they took turns attacking while using the Shield Charm for defense.
As they dueled, Plunket soon realized a gap between their abilities. His Shield Charm could block Sam's attacks but lacked the ability to reflect them. Sam, on the other hand, could not only block spells but also rebound them toward his opponent.
During a break after over an hour of practice, Plunket sat on the cushions and sighed, "It seems like you have more talent for this than I do. Maybe I'm only suited for studying books."
"Don't say that. You're doing well. You just need more practice," Sam encouraged him. He held back another thought: If you had to fight a horde of 100,000 zombies, you'd become proficient in combat magic very quickly.
After resting, they resumed training. Over time, Plunket's Shield Charm improved, and he gradually learned how to counter spells more effectively.
As the session continued, the Room of Requirement adapted to their needs. The walls became lined with moving targets, and dummies that could simulate magical attacks appeared. Sam couldn't help but marvel at the magic of the castle.
By the end of their training, both were exhausted. Leaving the Room of Requirement, they agreed to continue their training the following weekend.
As Sam returned to his dormitory, he couldn't help but feel satisfied. He had not only improved his own combat skills but had also helped Plunket grow stronger.
However, deep down, a sense of unease lingered. The diary was still in his possession, yet strange things continued to happen.
Something was still wrong.
And he intended to find out what.
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