"Weasley!"
Malfoy's furious shout echoed through the Great Hall, drawing dozens of eyes toward them.
Malfoy clenched the mechanical frog so tightly it started to creak. Ron felt a twinge of guilt. He might not like Malfoy, but this time, Malfoy really hadn't done anything wrong.
Ron looked at the mushroom slices and milky soup dripping down Malfoy's hair, clearing his throat awkwardly. "Sorry about that. My mechanical animal wasn't calibrated properly. Let me help you clean up."
He pulled out his wand, intending to cast a cleaning charm.
"Weasley! Don't you dare point your shabby, filthy wand at me!"
Malfoy's outburst made Ron stop in his tracks. Malfoy looked at the bent mechanical frog in his hand and let out a harsh laugh. "When did the Weasleys ever have money for new magical things? You probably built this from scraps again. It's embarrassing for wizarding families everywhere!"
With a vicious snap, Malfoy hurled the little frog to the floor. Gears and parts exploded across the stone, scattering in every direction.
Ron's face flushed as red as his hair. His chest heaved. Facing Malfoy's humiliation, he raised his wand with a trembling hand.
However, another voice cut through the tension, temporarily suppressing Ron's impulse.
"This is the first time I've learned that Malfoy family members like washing their hair with cream of mushroom soup."
Harry glanced at Malfoy's dripping hair, his grin completely unconcealed. "But this doesn't look very healthy, Malfoy. I'll send you a bottle of proper shampoo. My family's brand is quite good."
"Potter!"
Malfoy immediately redirected his fury. Harry wasn't backing down either, launching into a heated argument.
The Weasley twins merely watched Malfoy and Harry argue with cold expressions. Teasing Ron was one thing—that was just sibling fun. They wouldn't tolerate outsiders bullying Ronniekins. Of course, these twins wouldn't gang up on a younger student and simply pummel that loose-lipped Malfoy brat.
The twins shared a look. Regular pranks didn't really count as bullying, did they?
While everyone's attention was focused on Harry and Malfoy's shouting match, Leonardo noticed Ron silently gathering the mechanical frog's scattered parts, one by one.
Leo waved his wand, making all the remaining parts fly into Ron's hands.
Ron looked at Leonardo, his eyes slightly red. "Thank you, Leo."
Leonardo lowered his wand, speaking gently. "Don't let his words get to you. Momentary glory and appearances are superficial. A family's true worth lies in the quality of its knowledge and character."
Hearing this, Ron pressed his lips together tightly, nodding with determination. But Ron wasn't the only one who heard that statement.
"Grafton!"
Malfoy actually stopped his passionate argument with Harry, turning his gaze to Leonardo, his face dark with fury. "What qualification do you have to comment on noble pure-blood families! You're just a lowly Muggle-born!"
Malfoy couldn't stop ranting. He'd been soaked in soup, made fun of by Harry, and now Leonardo's words reminded him of being turned down before. 'How can a Muggle-born wizard refuse pure-blood favor or talk about pure-blood pride?' he thought.
"Malfoy!"
Harry suddenly brandished his wand. He wouldn't allow Malfoy to say anything else insulting to his friend.
Malfoy let out a cold laugh and lifted his chin. "What did I say that's wrong? No matter how hard Muggle-born wizards try, they're still just that. They'll always have to look up to pure-bloods."
These words echoed through the crowd, actually drawing scattered murmurs of agreement. Most who voiced support belonged to Slytherin. Their smiles were mocking, eyes looking at Leonardo with contempt.
Slytherin had more pure-blood wizards than any other house. Ambition was their main trait. They were proud of their bloodlines and often looked down on half-bloods and especially Muggle-borns, who they saw as the lowest.
Leonardo looked at Malfoy calmly, without a trace of anger. "How much power have your family's glory and bloodline actually given you to speak to me with such confidence?"
Malfoy's head was already spinning with rage, glaring at Leonardo fearlessly. "How dare you question the Malfoy family!"
Leo shook his head and spoke calmly. "I'm not questioning your family. Your ancestors did what they had to do to keep the family going and passed their glory down to you. But can you really live up to that? Are you worthy of talking about family pride all the time?"
These words completely ignited Malfoy's fury. He drew his wand from his robes with a theatrical flourish. "Grafton! I challenge you to a wizard's duel! I'll make you regret disrespecting pure-blood honor! I'll make you apologize for daring to humiliate me!"
Leonardo gave a small smile as he watched Malfoy. Challenging people to duels so quickly was just kids pretending to be grown-ups.
When someone was much stronger, even the fiercest outbursts just seemed a little funny to them.
Before Leonardo could respond, Harry was already being sarcastic. "Leo, don't bother agreeing. Malfoy's just a liar and a coward. Last time Malfoy arranged to duel me in the trophy room, but didn't even dare show up!"
Harry recalled being deceived by Malfoy and encountering the three-headed dog. The memory stoked his fury, so he embellished liberally, describing Malfoy as a lying fraud who didn't dare fulfill dueling commitments—a complete coward.
Malfoy's pale face turned blood red, his lips trembling with rage. "Tomorrow at noon! Twelve o'clock sharp, right here in the Great Hall! I, Draco Malfoy, will have a wizard's duel with Leonardo Grafton! I swear on the Malfoy family's honor—absolutely no backing out!"
Malfoy's loud proclamation caused quite a commotion. More students heard his declaration and gathered to watch. Even several professors who'd just arrived cast their gazes toward the scene.
Leonardo stayed calm, even with everyone watching him. 'He didn't even wait for me to answer before announcing the duel. Slytherin pure-bloods are so tiring,' he thought. They were always judging and showing off. Picking Ravenclaw instead of Slytherin was definitely the right choice for a quiet life.
Whatever. It was better to end things quickly than deal with trouble repeatedly. He would settle this by showing some impressive magic, enough to stop anyone from bothering him again.
He came to Hogwarts to study, not to get caught up in silly games and arguments. Leonardo looked at Malfoy, who was pretty scrawny. The magic should be strong enough to make a point, but not too much. Hurting a classmate badly would only cause more problems. A couple of weeks in the Hospital Wing would be enough, and it wouldn't mess up exams.
'I'm still too kind,' Leo thought wryly. 'Even concerned about my opponent's academic schedule.'
"Troll!"
Professor Quirrell suddenly burst into the Great Hall, his purple turban askew on his head. He ran toward Dumbledore with terror written across his face, shouting as he stumbled forward. "Troll—in the dungeons—I thought—you should know—"
After speaking, Quirrell collapsed dramatically on the floor, fainting with theatrical precision.
While other students descended into confusion and panic, Leonardo quietly watched Quirrell's performance. 'Fainting on cue. Deserves an award.'
[Ding, loan triggered: Versatile Flesh Puppet]
[Would you like to borrow?]