The vegetable patch was in an uproar, with screams and laughter long having attracted countless eyes.
Many students ran to watch, peering through the gaps in the fence.
In the fourth round, Wade, forbidden from using the Engorgement Charm, truly unleashed his abilities.
Disillusionment Charm and Silencing Charm combined with sneak attacks.
Sensory Charm enhanced his perceptions.
Flocking Birds broke through traps.
Geminio duplicated pumpkins and vines, causing everyone who thought they knew the terrain to trip and fall.
Slippery Slide made Fred, who was preparing a sneak attack, slip directly and crash headfirst into a pumpkin.
Levitation Charm knocked Neville down.
Immobilization Charm rendered Theo, hidden in the vines, completely unable to break free, leaving him helpless.
Reversal Charm sent Harry flying in two and a half circles, and when he landed, he couldn't tell up from down, immediately taken out by a Petrifying Charm.
Trip Jinx, Stunning Spell, Disarming Charm, and so on—Wade used them all with practiced ease. He also constantly maintained a Super Shield Charm, which rebounded spells even if he was hit.
It was only when the last person was downed, and Wade remained completely unharmed, that they realized the vast difference in their abilities.
Wade alone knew more spells than all of them combined.
Moreover, most of them had to be steady and aim at their target to cast spells; once they started running, their success rate dropped to less than half, and whether they hit was purely a matter of luck.
It was also in this confrontation that Wade more deeply realized how much Professor Flitwick's notes and teachings had helped him.
In their usual sparring, the young wizards seemed to be at a similar level. At most, Wade's spells were more powerful, and his light beams thicker.
But in combat, while only perhaps one in ten of others' spells were effective, at least seven in ten of Wade's spells produced their intended effect.
Coupled with the advantage of the terrain, this made his one-against-nine look effortless.
But Wade was actually not satisfied.
Because he himself had been hit several times, and once, when several people ganged up on him, his Shield Charm was almost broken.
Exhausted, everyone sat on the ground, reflecting.
Just then, a voice came from outside the fence: "Hey, Fred, what are you doing? Can I join in?"
Fred looked back.
It was Lee Jordan, their roommate and good friend.
Looking again, everyone was startled. A large number of students had gathered outside the fence at some point, some with their faces squashed against it, looking at them with eager eyes.
"Yeah, yeah! Let us play too!"
"It looks so fun!"
"Fred, George, for the sake of all those times we copied homework together, don't shut me out!"
Students would eagerly attend Quidditch matches where they could barely see the game; they had no resistance whatsoever to this kind of competitive game.
Although Fred was very willing to let Lee Jordan join, he didn't agree immediately but instead looked at Wade.
Wade didn't mind more people joining the game. The more people there were, the more it would test his own magical proficiency.
He estimated the size of the field and asked, "Have them line up... Hagrid, can you maintain order? A maximum of fifty people at a time."
"Alright."
Hagrid agreed readily.
He loved this game; if it weren't inconvenient for him to participate, he would have wanted to join himself.
Wade asked the others, "You can't possibly forbid me from using the Engorgement Charm this time, can you?"
Everyone's faces paled, but then they thought that this suffering would be distributed among more people, and they immediately looked forward to it again.
"What game are you playing?"
Lee Jordan asked excitedly as he entered.
Everyone looked at each other and said in unison, "Battle Royale!"
Wade, alone, hunted them all.
"Ahhhhhhh—"
Screams pierced the sky.
Filch furiously flipped through the school rules, couldn't find a suitable entry, and stormed off to find Dumbledore.
"Headmaster, this is a serious violation! They should all be caught and given detention!"
Filch said angrily.
"Calm down, Mr. Filch," Dumbledore said leisurely. "Look at the children, so full of life! I wonder if they'd let me join in too..."
"Albus!" Professor McGonagall frowned. "The students will get hurt!"
Dumbledore popped a lemon drop into his mouth, muttering indistinctly,
"Madam Pomfrey has already prepared potions and bandages. And of course, the children are actually more sensible than we give them credit for... Would you like a sweet, Minerva?"
"...Alright, thank you."
Professor McGonagall, seeing it wasn't a cockroach cluster, reluctantly accepted it.
"But I still hope you will prohibit such harmful..."
"Minerva."
Dumbledore interrupted her, then said, "Have you ever seen a lion cub?"
Professor McGonagall paused, saying, "Of course."
Dumbledore said, "Then you should know that young animals always learn the skills they need for survival through play. Such as hunting, evading, or socializing."
"Our children are the same."
"If they cannot learn to use their wands through play, life will teach them in another way."
"I only regret one thing now..."
"Why didn't I think of such a game sooner?"
Professor McGonagall said no more. She turned and quickly left, preparing to check with Madam Pomfrey whether the Hospital Wing had enough supplies.
The white-bearded Headmaster narrowed his eyes slightly.
He had used a spell, and even from a distance, he could clearly see the situation in the vegetable patch.
He saw Harry expertly repel several large cockroaches, saving a first-year girl who was crying from fright.
He saw Hufflepuff's Theo leap onto the back of a praying mantis, working with Ravenclaw's Michael to bring it down.
He saw Slytherin's Zabini and Gryffindor's Ron fighting together against a spider's encirclement.
He saw Pansy screaming while desperately gripping Hermione's hand. Hermione yelled as she repelled a dung beetle, dragging Pansy towards a pumpkin.
He also saw Ravenclaw demonstrate courage, Hufflepuff wisdom, Slytherin friendship, and Gryffindor resilience.
While fighting against the terrifying insects together, the students' usual conflicts seemed to dissipate. They helped each other, even actively "sacrificing" themselves to protect others.
"How wonderful..."
Dumbledore wiped tears from the corners of his eyes, deeply moved.
Snape stood by the window, his face dark, silently noting down the poorly performing Slytherin students one by one.
Even if it was just a game, he wouldn't allow his students to lose so badly.
Professor Flitwick, standing nearby, mostly watched Wade.
"Mm-hmm, that spell was used well... Oh dear, the timing was a bit off, fortunately the opponent didn't react... Careful, careful, that fellow is hiding under the longhorn beetle's belly trying to ambush him... Brilliant! He blocked it!"
Professor Flitwick bounced with delight, clapping and cheering, which Snape next to him found quite irritating.
The failed ambusher was none other than Slytherin's Crabbe.
He certainly had the courage to hide under the longhorn beetle's belly, but unfortunately, his spell was as weak as a few drops of sprinkled water.
Lockhart, on the other hand, felt inspired.
"If I could win in such a game, I would surely gain everyone's attention. All the students would worship me..."
After watching for a while, he changed his mind again.
"No, no, no... It's too dangerous... and it would damage my image..."
"It would be better to open a Duelling Club; it would surely be very popular and safe too..."
Lockhart muttered, swiftly returning to his office, determined to write a perfect proposal.