Watching the students eagerly pull out their wands and tap curiously at the half-human-sized puppets beside them, William swept his gaze across the classroom before it settled on a red-haired boy.
"Mr. Weasley, come up here."
Charlie Weasley froze for a moment, then quickly stood and walked to the front, looking a little uncertain.
"Raise your wand and face my puppet," William said as he stepped aside. "Don't hold back—try to block its attacks."
Charlie nodded and assumed a standard dueling stance, eyes locked on the cold, motionless mannequin before him.
At that instant, William's fingers moved subtly, and a thread of magic quietly linked to the puppet's control core.
Click.
The puppet's joints snapped into motion with startling speed. Before Charlie could even finish a spell, the alchemical pistol in its hand was already raised.
Pew!
A brilliant blue beam burst from the muzzle.
Charlie reacted on instinct. "Protego!"
The blue beam slammed into an invisible barrier, sending ripples across the shield.
He blocked it! Relief surged through Charlie, and the students below were already preparing to cheer—
But the moment the blue light faded, a second beam, this one red—followed silently and faster than lightning.
Before Charlie could catch his breath, the red flash struck his wrist.
Expelliarmus.
The puppet hadn't spoken the incantation, yet the result was identical. In dueling, silent casting held a clear advantage.
Charlie felt a numb shock run through his wrist as his wand flew from his hand, arcing through the air before clattering to the floor.
The classroom fell silent.
Charlie stood awkwardly, rubbing his wrist, face flushed bright red.
William stepped forward, flicked his wand, and the fallen wand flew neatly back into Charlie's hand. With a smile, he patted the boy's shoulder.
"Good reaction, Mr. Weasley. But never relax until the fight is truly over—even if your opponent is only a puppet without self-awareness."
After sending Charlie back to his seat, William took the alchemical pistol from the puppet and spun it lightly between his fingers.
"The magical circuitry inside this pistol was designed by me. It can hold twelve preloaded spells at once. Stunning Spells, Disarming Charms, Shield Charms—anything stored beforehand can be fired instantly."
He pointed to the rune slots along the chamber. "Once the spells are used up, refilling them is simple. Like dipping a quill in ink. As long as you know the spell. If not, someone else can load it for you."
The hunger in the students' eyes was unmistakable. William decided to offer bait.
"After the Christmas holidays, I'll host a Puppet Dueling Tournament to test your progress this term. The final winner…"
He raised the pistol.
"…will receive this as the prize."
"Whoa!" Even Tonks gasped, momentarily forgetting her embarrassment.
"Don't get too excited. We're not finished."
William suddenly turned and aimed his wand at his own puppet, firing a Stunning Spell.
The instant the spell touched the puppet's surface, glowing blue runic circuits ignited across its chest, forming a tight protective layer that deflected the spell into the ceiling without leaving a scratch.
Then, guided by William's magic, the puppet's unmoving mouth opened. A crimson glow flared deep within its throat.
Whoosh—!
A massive fireball erupted, heat sweeping through the classroom and forcing the front-row students to lean back.
William flicked his wand casually, extinguishing the fireball mid-air, leaving only a thin trail of smoke.
"See?"
He looked at the fascinated students and poured a little cold water on their excitement.
"Don't try to make your puppets cast spells with wands like real wizards. Wands are delicate instruments meant for living witches and wizards. At your current level, making a puppet use one is impossible."
"What you should do is what I just demonstrated—modify the puppet itself."
He pointed at the puppet's chest and throat.
"Fix defensive magic into its skin. Hide offensive magic within its body."
"The relevant magical circuit diagrams can be found in the textbook I asked you to buy, The Illustrated Guide to Practical Ancient Runes. If you find runic circuits too complex…"
He shrugged and pointed to another thick book on the desk.
"You can also consult Foundations of Alchemy and use traditional potion-soaking and enchantment methods. But be warned—those methods are inefficient and limited."
"As your professor, I strongly recommend learning magical circuitry. Not just because it's superior, but because designing and applying magical circuits will be part of your N.E.W.T. practical exam if you want a grade above Acceptable."
William glanced at the clock and leaned casually against the podium.
"The rest of the time is yours. Pick up your quills and wands, and begin designing your 'ultimate warrior.'"
Soon, the bell echoed through the castle.
Hands behind his back, William paced the classroom like a king inspecting his domain, nodding in satisfaction at the students' enthusiasm.
A Ravenclaw was carefully brushing freshly brewed Hardening Potion onto a puppet to improve its physical defense. Nearby, a Slytherin was meticulously carving magical circuits into a puppet's chest with a fine alchemical file.
"Control the flow of magic carefully," William reminded him. "Runes are part of an ancient magical system—their effects tend to be direct and forceful. Pour in too much power like you would with a wand, and the circuit may destabilize. At that point, it won't just be the puppet that explodes."
The student flinched and quickly reduced his magical output.
Not everyone was so bold. Another Hufflepuff hadn't dared touch the puppet yet, instead sketching designs on parchment with a furrowed brow.
"Alright, that's all for today," William clapped his hands.
At that moment, a burst of excited cheering suddenly erupted from a corner of the classroom.
=================
Extra Chap today for reaching 250 Milestone. Nice!
500 Powerstones – Extra Chap.