38 Chapter 38 "Slytherin's First Year Holiday"
The audience erupted into chaos!
It was common knowledge that wizards couldn't fly with their bodies; they required magical flying tools like brooms or carpets.
The notion of a wizard flying unaided was generally dismissed, and any rumors about such individuals were only known for the you-know-who.
Skyler, a mere second-year student, certainly couldn't be capable of this.
Only the discerning professors could perceive that Skyler hadn't truly taken flight. Instead, he had casted his modification of Wigardium Leviosa.
Calculating the distances, air wave properties, and other factors, Skyler used this spell to levitate quickly and efficiently, elevating himself above the air wave and placing him directly in front of Merlin.
At this moment, the gap between the two was less than two feet.
In a flash, Skyler cast two spells at Merlin.
The first spell casted was Expelliarmus, while the second spell emanated a mysterious dark gray light, unidentifiable to onlookers.
Even at such close quarters, Merlin remained unfazed.
His spellcasting speed was so rapid that he could still cast Protego in this short distance.
Merlin promptly cast Protego two times in a row. The first one skillfully intercepted Skyler's initial Expelliarmus, but Skyler's enigmatic second spell executed an abrupt maneuver, dodging Merlin's barrier and veering toward Merlin's left.
Merlin, somewhat perplexed by the intentions behind Skyler's actions, lifted his wand and fixed his gaze on the enigmatic spell, prepared for any potential shifts.
Regrettably, he remained entirely unaware that staring at the curse was a grave error.
This unknown spell was none other than Skyler's original modification of Periculum.
The spell abruptly unleashed an overwhelming, blinding light akin to a direct encounter with an exploding white sun.
Despite the daytime surroundings, Merlin's eyes, situated less than a foot away, were seared by this intense illumination.
Even in his ethereal form, Merlin experienced an overwhelming bout of dizziness, confusion, and temporary blindness.
Merlin had never anticipated this turn of events, and at this moment, his mental state was beyond his control, rendering him utterly unresponsive.
He resembled a statue bereft of the ability to react.
Only when his vision and consciousness returned to their normal state did he discover Skyler standing there, "Now, if you excuse me, Sir. I believe this wand is mine!" Sporting a polite smile and playfully wielding his wand.
Merlin was defeated—by a mere second-year student!
In disbelief, Professors McGonagall, Sprout, and Flitwick rose from their seats.
Among the four deans, only Snape, who was more familiar with Skyler's idiosyncrasies, remained composed in the face of this extraordinary display.
On the other hand, Dumbledore wore a contemplative expression, his eyes reflecting inscrutable thoughts.
To be fair, Merlin's power vastly exceeded Skyler's, but Skyler's precision, meticulous planning, and well-hidden abilities managed to catch Merlin off guard.
However, the experience gained from the first four contestants also played a significant role.
If Skyler were to repeat the challenge with Merlin now prepared for the modified version of Periculum, he might not have achieved the same victory.
The moment Merlin conceded, saying, "I was defeated," the entire student body erupted into cheers.
This was genuine, unbridled enthusiasm from the audience, transcending college, year, bloodline, and heritage.
Every single individual in the crowd cheered with fervor.
Regardless of their personal feelings toward Skyler, it was impossible to deny the exhilarating fact that a student had triumphed over the legendary wizard Merlin.
With this triumph, Skyler's name became synonymous with legend at Hogwarts.
Next up was Cedric's turn to compete.
While he possessed commendable skills compared to the other contestants, his performance seemed relatively lackluster, so we won't delve into the details here.
In the final leg of the competition, only Skyler achieved a perfect score of 50, while Percy and Penelope garnered 30 points each. Meanwhile, Gemma, Cassius, and Cedric secured 10 points each.
With no room for dispute, the champion was none other than Skyler.
The audience filled the air with warm applause as he received the special Order of Merlin from Dumbledore and affixed it to his wizard robe.
Standing beneath the stage, Merlin gazed upon the scene with a relieved smile.
He subtly glared at Dumbledore before dissipating into smoke unnoticed by the crowd.
Stepping down from the stage, Skyler met the other contestants.
Percy seemed somewhat embarrassed, clearly regretting his earlier words, but he still extended a gracious congratulations.
Both Penelope and Cedric expressed sincere admiration for Skyler, entirely unfazed by his younger age.
As for the two Slytherin contestants, far from harboring jealousy over their defeat, they exhibited even greater enthusiasm than Skyler himself.
Cassius jubilantly slapped Skyler on the shoulder, leaping about like an exuberant monkey.
Gemma, meanwhile, gazed at the remarkable young student with sparkling eyes, her face brimming with joy and excitement.
Skyler smiled contentedly because he recognized that Slytherin was experiencing a transformation.
The spirit of unity and collective honor within Slytherin shone brightly in this moment.
Order of Merlin had been awarded!
The rest of the semester played out under the warm, bright sunshine.
Exams and Quidditch had been canceled, leaving the students with time on their hands.
Everywhere on the campus, students engaged in activities like wizard chess, backgammon, gobstones, ten-pin bollards, or raucous games of exploding snap.
Skyler contemplated the achievements of the semester.
He initially handed over twenty samples of eight-eyed spider venom, most of the Basilisk meat, and Basilisk skins to Dobby to be rid of them on the Knockturn Alley black market in exchange for a substantial sum of Galleons.
Moreover, he dedicated time each day to studying the Forbidden Forest map obtained from Daphne, endeavoring to comprehend this mysterious wood's terrain and regional layout.
During his previous excursion to the Forbidden Forest, he had merely followed Harry's path to the Spiders' Lair, not fully exploring the entirety of this enigmatic forest.
In the remaining time, Skyler rarely had a chance to engage in leisure activities and build relationships with his friends.
The young wizards of Slytherin, hailing from well-to-do families, indulged in more sophisticated games.
Nott brought mini-skeleton models from home, each controllable by injecting magic power.
They played on a sand table featuring landscapes like deserts, woods, and oceans.
The models included Skeleton Man, Skeleton Swordsman, Skeleton Wolf Knight, Skeleton Archer, and Lich.
Players commanded these models with distinct abilities to lay siege to the city in the sandbox, reminiscent of the Muggle World's Risk (Battle) board game.
However, in their magical version, the skeletons autonomously moved as per the players' commands, engaged in various combat actions, and emitted eerie cries, enhancing realism.
Having likely honed his strategic skills since childhood, Nott consistently bested Draco and reveled in his victories.
Blaise was often vocal and quick to boast, but his performance exceeded Draco's.
After a series of losses, Skyler began to grasp the game's essentials and could hold his own against Nott.
Blaise, though often aloof, was revealed to be quite extravagant upon closer acquaintance.
Having benefited from his mother's remarriages, each bringing a significant inheritance, his daily life was as luxurious as Draco's.
Blaise produced a miniature model of a Riva yacht from his belongings.
When he activated a spell, the yacht expanded to a normal size. Riva is one of the oldest, most renowned, and most expensive brands in the yachting industry, often dubbed the "Rolls Royce of yachts." The interior was opulently furnished, and with the aid of the Undetectable Extension Charm, it could accommodate over 30 people.
Despite the Ministry of Magic's regulations against Muggle items, it exhibited leniency toward cars, yachts, and motorcycles.
According to Skyler, many senior Ministry officials owned hidden Rolls-Royces and Lamborghinis in their residences.
Excitedly, a few friends gathered their female companions and organized a swimsuit party on the Black Lake on a sunny day.
Blaise, typically laid-back, had two striking female companions from Slytherin's first-year students.
He appeared to be quite the romantic gentleman.
Draco also did well, attending with Pansy, who had made an effort to look alluring.
His well-toned figure, developed through Quidditch training over the past year, drew a great deal of attention.
Skyler was accompanied by Daphne and Meredith at every step, but he couldn't escape the buzzing crowd of admirers.
Lacey Davis and Audrey Runcorn, fellow students from the same year, used the occasion to display their newly developed graceful figures.
The first-year girls embraced a cute and sweet appearance, maximizing their adorable charm.
Just as Skyler started to bask in his popularity, Daphne and Meredith simultaneously pinched his arm with sharp fingernails from behind, causing him to wince in pain.
A cold sweat formed on his forehead as he witnessed a woman's truly menacing look in their eyes.
Nott, Goyle, and Crabbe were utterly captivated by the sight of the second girl standing next to Skyler in a swimsuit.
Daphne's figure was voluptuous and alluring, suggesting that her family had invested generously in expensive potions.
On the other hand, Meredith boasted a naturally robust physique, standing tall as a natural clothes hanger.
Coupled with her cold and aloof demeanor, her icy beauty was every bit as enchanting as Daphne's.
The three boys had endured a couple of semesters without securing good girlfriends, leading them to envy and resent their three friends from the same class.
Among them, it was Skyler, surrounded by beauty, who stirred the strongest feelings of envy.
They gritted their teeth, silently wishing they could get a taste of the meat too.
After all, dining alone was practically a sin in their eyes, and they could do nothing but seethe with jealousy in their hearts.
As the gathering on the yacht was for minors, the refreshments consisted solely of butterbeer and other non-alcoholic beverages.
Hence, aside from playing musical instruments, singing, and dancing, there were no scandalous occurrences to speak of.
Blaise's heavy metal guitar was a hit, rivaling Heathcote Barbary's skills in The Weird Sisters, and it successfully elevated the party's atmosphere to a feverish crescendo.
Additionally, a third-year student named Terrence approached Skyler, aiming to strengthen their friendship.
He invited Skyler to accompany him to Norfolk for a Nogtail hunting trip during the summer vacation.
Terrence's father, Bertie Higgs, the Director of the Auror Office, would join them, along with Rufus Scrimgeour and Wizengamot member Tiberius McLagen.
Skyler acknowledged the offer with gratitude, recognizing the benefits of forging connections with powerful figures from the Ministry of Magic.
Gemma Farley also sought Skyler's company and extended an invitation to visit her family's insect farm in Kent during the summer vacation.
Her family raised various magical insects, including scarabs, Billy Wiggs, Mournful Worms, and color-changing giant snails, which they used for potion ingredients and fishing bait in the farm's pond.
Skyler noticed a subtle emotion in Gemma's eyes, but despite his interest in trying Chirac fish, he had to reluctantly decline, leaving Gemma somewhat disappointed.
Time passed quickly, and before they knew it, the holiday season had arrived, and the students would soon board the Hogwarts Express to return home.
Skyler, Daphne, and Meredith occupied a separate compartment on the train.
Daphne handed him a thick stack of bloodline research materials sent by her family recently.
Skyler carefully accepted the materials, his thoughts drifting toward the Patronus Charm, which was part of the summer vacation learning content.
He had a premonition that he would have an eventful summer break.
The Greengrass family's bloodline research data had been secured!
