"Dueling Club?" Hermione asked curiously. The term seemed vaguely familiar.

  This rofessors Flitwid Snape's initial pn to learly - restart the Dueling Club at school.

  Professor Flitwick's reasoning was that they would iably incorporate fighting teiques into magical duels. As the club's referee from the sidelines, he could smoothly aimately learn by watg. Since Glenn was Neville and Draco's bat instructor despite being only a first-year, if Gleo challenge upper-year students, he would likely demonstrate even more fighting teiques that Flitwick could incorporate into his dueling style.

  Hah, Filius, you're too naive, Snape scoffed internally. He had already seen through Professor Flitwick's scheme.

  But what you haven't sidered is that Glenn's current level already surpasses Hogwarts students. ting on him would be a grave miscalcution!

  Snape was different - he could study Glenn's movements during their private training sessions. He had no worries about learning these teiques. He just o watch Hermione, Drad Longbottom at the Dueling Club to plete his uanding of the basic fighting moves. Then he could ie them with his spellcasting!

  Looks like I'm still oep ahead, eh Filius!

  At this thought, Snape couldn't help but smirk. If Flitwick thought he ying 3D chess, Snape ying 5D chess!

  Though his mind raced with thoughts, this didn't stop Professor Flitwick from patiently expining to Hermiohe Dueling Club, as the name suggests, provides a pce for wizards to demonstrate their abilities and practice dueling with others. Members will be ranked based on their win-loss records.

  The Club's history dates back to the time of Hogwarts' four founders and opur here for a long time. However, it was distinued after someone died due to referee negligence, and has remained dormant until now."

  Professor Flitwick was slightly out of breath after this long expnation, but his enthusiasm remained undiminished as he tinued: "After watg Mr. Longbottom and Mr. Malfoy's excellent match today, though they didn't decide it with spells, we professors felt that old thrill again. sidering that students generally ck practical bat experienowadays, we decided to revive this activity."

  "Thrill?" Hermioilted her head, looking at Professonagall who had awkwardly turned away.

  The old cat dy blushed slightly uhe girl's gaze. She kly what Filius and Severus were plotting, yet here she was, relutly going along with their pn.

  Why not refuse?

  Well, Professonagall was also quite ied in bining fighting teiques with spellcasting, so she had no choice but to join Snape and Flitwi their scheme.

  Dumbledore had already witnessed Glenn's fighting teiques in the Forbidden Forest and memorized the movements, but his age made it difficult to replicate them easily.

  However, his reasons for approving the Dueling Club's revival differed from Snape and the others. He believed that in these dangerous times with Voldemort's immi return, it could only be students to learn more practical bat skills. Morelenn would undoubtedly rank first in the club. While Slytherin house had already been physically and magically vinced by Glenn, the other houses wouldn't stand for a first-year Slytherin holding the top rank. Even if they couldn't win, it would spark their fighting spirit and motivation to work harder - an arra with all bes and no drawbacks.

  Everyoime to step up yame!

  *Ahem* Though this would be tough on Glenn, surely this battle maniac probably wouldn't refuse to participate?

  Glenn suspected Dumbledore had some ulterior motive, but he had no proof, though he had his suspis.

  Ranking by ability? It reminded him somewhat of the assassin rankings from his previous life.

  This piqued Glenn's i, but he wasn't sure why they were sulting him about it.

  He gave Dumbledore a questioning look. Uanding, Dumbledore nodded slightly to Magall, Flitwick, and Snape, who stepped back. Dumbledore cast a Sileng Charm around himself and Glenn - what came wasn't for others' ears.

  Glenn frowned and pulled Hermioo the silenced area.

  The young girl was bewildered at being pulled in, then seemed to realize something. Her face gradually reddened as she quietly held Glenn's hand, l her head to avoid seeing Dumbledore's rea.

  Far from displeased, Dumbledore's smile only grew wider.

  Ship sailed!

  He got straight to the point.

  "Glenn, I need you to create protective badges using Alchemy that cast Shield Charms automatically when wizards are in mortal dahese will be used in the Dueling Club. As you just heard, the club was suspended due to an actal death..." Here he looked awkwardly at Glenn's expressionless face.

  The tter's meaning was very clear.

  Are you joking, Dumbledore? Do you know how difficult Alchemical items are to make?

  Though they wouldn't need one for everyone, just several sets of two, it would still take siderable time, not to mention the drain on energy and alchemical materials.

  Moreover, such badges would need regur magical recharging or maintenance - just thinking about these tedious tasks made Gleroubled.

  Glenn maintained his bnk expression toward Dumbledore, who could only tinue relutly.

  "Of course, you'll be pensated - twenty-five Galleons per badge."

  "Sixty," Glenn said firmly.

  "Have some sympathy for this old man! We 't use Hogwarts funds for this activity - the governors and Ministry would never approve. I only use my pension for these necessary items. Thirty-five at most."

  "My free time is limited," Glenn remained unmoved.

  Dumbledore probed further: "My pension isn't much either, I 't afford higher costs. Forty-five is my absolute limit."

  "Deal." Glenn's expression remained ral as he quickly sealed the transa.

  ?

  Dumbledore ched his fist.

  "I also create a matg ranking board showing the top ten names in the Dueling Club, and provide ten special badges for those ranked iop ten," Glenn offered, seeing Dumbledore's ge in demeanor. This had been his pn all along.

  Dumbledore sighed, "Very well the me know the total amount once you've made everything."

  "Agreed." Glenn nodded.

  With that, their transa was plete.

  Dumbledore waved his hand, dispelling the Sileng Charm, and shooed away this money-focused little creature with a wave.

  Glenn and Hermione said goodbye to the professors and walked back toward Hogwarts together.

  Ohey were gone, Dumbledore turned around, a smile appearing on his face.

  You're still too young, Glenn. You think you've profited, but I'm the real winner here. Once I have these Alchemical badges and the Dueling Club starts, several geions of Hogwarts students will be. How mere Galleons pare to that?

  Meanwhile, oher side...

  As they walked away, Glenn held Hermione's hand, his expression calm while his mind carefully sidered the Dueling Club situation.

  Dumbledore was getting senile. Never mind that creating these auto-Shield Charm badges would be easy with Glenn's current Alchemical skill level - after dedug material and bor costs, he'd about 35 Galleons per badge.

  As for the ranking board, once Glened it along with the special badges, the school's top talents would be clearly visible. This would make it veo either guard against or persuade them ter.

  More importantly, with Hermione's abilities, she would definitely make the top ten. Once she grew older and her magical reserves increased, taking first pce would be practically guarahis would perfectly satisfy Hermione's desire fnition and pride. How could mere Galleons pare to Hermione's happiness?

  The so-called Dueling Club was actually a stage Glenn reparing for Hermione.

  At this thought, Glenn's lips curved unsciously into a smile.

  Seeing Glenn's slight smile, Hermione's worries about him being troubled by this task disappeared. Glenn would never let himself be taken advantage of. She had been ed about him having to make those badges while keeping up with his studies, but now it seemed he wasn't too stressed about making them.

  "What do you think about this Dueling Club?" Now that her worries were gone, Hermione casually asked Glenn's opinion. She was quite ied - always training against Glenn was rather discing. No matter how hard she studied new knowledge and practiced casting spells, she still lost their duels by small margins.

  Every time it seemed like she was just a tiny bit away from beating Glenn...

  The problem was that "tiny bit" every time.

  Why was it always just a tiny bit??

  Thinking of this, she pouted and shot Glenn a resentful gnce. She knew very well that Glenn was holding back, going easy on her just to avoid hurting her self-esteem.

  For others, such restraint in serious duels would be most disrespectful, but Glenn clearly didn't uand this - he simply wao be siderate of Hermione's feelings.

  Hermione didn't mind at all, rather feeling sweet ihis was just how Glenn was.

  But she wasn't a child anymore - she wouldn't get upset over something like this!

  Well, maybe just a tiny bit upset.

  She would get upset, but just a tiny bit (universe between fiips).

  At this thought, Hermio both shy and dissatisfied. She looked at Glenated for a moment, then lightly smacked him.

  Glenn: ?

  Girls' thoughts are really hard to uand, he shook his head.