CHAPTER 59 An Exam With Dumbledore
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CHAPTER 59 An Exam With Dumbledore
Elmi had some time until the potion exam, so he decided to teach Malfoy and his two goons a serious lesson. In the evening, he was going to teach them some manners, but this was not enough. This time, he had crossed the line too much.
He made sure he was not being followed and pulled two pairs of gloves from his pouch. He went down to the ground floor and entered the boy's toilet. Elmi was sure he could find him here.
The atmosphere in the men's room on the ground floor was eerily quiet, with only the dripping sound of water droplets cutting the veil of silence. Elmi started to look into the stalls one by one.
A mischievous voice cut through the silence, and Peeves, the poltergeist, jumped out of the last stall's toilet seat, splashing dirty water all over the place.
"Well, well, if it isn't the serious Slytherin! Elmi -Melmi-Kelmi-Elminster, the serious Slytherin!"
"Now, now, Peeves, there is no need for name-calling."
Elmi, without caring what Peeves was saying, put on a pair of gloves, and then he put another pair of gloves on top of that one. Right after that, Elmi cast a Malediccio Bladae (cursed blade) spell onto the gloves. Because he had another glove under that one, the spell wasn't touching his skin directly, So it didn't cause him any pain. His gloves started to flow with an eerie gray aura. Peeves, floating in front of him: "Important, important! Serious, serious! Elminster's got a stick where the sun doesn't—AAAAHRH!!!"
Just as Peeves was about to finish what he was going to say, Elmi managed to grab him. His spell allowed him to hurt his target's soul. Peeves vas poltergeist, a chaotic being, an amortal, it meant he was never alive. So, he never experienced physical pain.
This was the first time he had experienced such pain. He tried to kick Elmi with his other leg, but Elmi grabbed that other leg, too.
"Stop! You are hurting Peeves, Your Greatness, please stop! Please forgive pitiful Peeves. Peeves will never mess with you ever again."
Elmi talked with a cold voice,
" That is not what I want, Peeves."
While in pain, Peeves said,
"Please, your Greatness, my lord! Peeves will do whatever you want."
"How could I trust you? The second I release you, You can fly away and don't keep your promise."
While winning in pain, Peeves felt like tens of bees were stinging him, so he shook his head.
"No, Your Greatness will hurt Peeves, and Reeves doesn't want to look over his shoulder. Reeves, rather do what you want, AARH! Please, Reeves always honors his word."
Elmi released Peeves. The second he was released, He flew all the way to the ceiling. Peeves' eyes were full of fear.
"How did you touch Peeves? Even the Estemed Headship cannot touch me."
"You don't need to know. Now, are you going to keep your promise, or should I continue?"
Elmi raised his gray glowing hand towards him, and Peeves ran into the wall but stuck out his head,
"Please, Your Lordship, Peeves will try doing what you ask. Don't hurt Peeves."
"I am not asking something hard; just do what you usually do. Just escalate it into unbearable. I want you to bully Malfoy and his two goons constantly."
"B-but Your Lordship, Bloody Baron wouldn't like this."
Peeves was fearful of Elmi since he could hurt him, but he was also fearful of Bloody Baron because of the dark and intimidating aura around him. He wasn't called Bloody because he killed Helena and himself. Long before that, he had that nickname. From his readings in the library, Elmi realized Peeves was different from poltergeists in the myths.
Peeves was a mischievous imp, but he didn't have real malice. He most likely came to being as a tangible manifestation of the students' mischief. So, like a child, he was fearful of Baron because of his dark aura.
"Don't worry about the Baron. He is just a ghost. He can't do anything to you other than frighten you with his dark aura."
While raising his hand towards him, he said,
" Who do you think can hurt you more? Me or him? ..And You can't talk about me; if the Headmaster asks why you are bullying him, just say Malfoy is a bully who would only fight with people weaker than himself; he is deserving of your torment."
After dealing with this, Elmi headed towards the dungeon for the potion exam. The air in the Potions classroom was thick with the scent of brewing potions. With his usual scowl firmly in place, Professor Snape surveyed the students over his hooked nose.
"Today, you will be brewing the Cure for Boils. Your 30-minute period has started."
...
With a look of uncertainty, Seamus Finnigan glanced at his potion, which had taken on an alarming shade of purple. Seamus mutters, "I think I added too much of that powder." After bubbling for a few seconds, the cauldron exploded in purple smoke. Seamus' face had turned into a giant berry.
Professor Snape, with a disdainful expression: "Follow the instructions precisely, Mr. Finnigan. The art of potion-making demands precision, and you, as a bumbling fool, have none."
Elmi, meticulously measuring ingredients, stirred his cauldron with practiced ease. The potion turned the perfect shade of turquoise, eliciting a rare flicker of approving smile that flashed over Snape's face, but it disappeared as fast as it appeared. As always, his answer was cold,
"Acceptable."
'Acceptable' was the highest form of praise Snape had ever uttered. He looked at Elmi's arrogant face and said, "What do you want? A ribbon? Move along."
...
The Defense Against the Dark Arts practical exam unfolded under the watchful eye of Dumbledore himself, who had taken charge following Professor Quirrell's demise. The room buzzed with a palpable blend of excitement and tension as students prepared for their turns in front of the grand wizard.
"Today, you will demonstrate the Disarming Charm. This spell is crucial for your magical education and personal safety. Proceed," Dumbledore announced, his voice carrying a tone of encouragement.
Students approached one by one, to demonstrate their proficiency in the Disarming Charm. Dumbledore, ever the benevolent examiner, positioned himself as the target, allowing each student to attempt to disarm him. Everyone was greatly excited, even if it was for training. Being able to disarm Dumbledore was a great honor for them. Elmi's full attention was on Dumbledore's hand. Elmi looked at the wand he was using and it was not the Elder wand.
Hermione, with her characteristic precision, executed the spell flawlessly. Dumbledore's wand soared from his hand, and he applauded her efforts. "Excellent, Miss Granger, a ten out of ten demonstration."
Dumbledore flung his hand, and the wand flew back into his hand.
Ron, on the other hand, struggled with the incantation, resulting in a rather clumsy attempt. The weak crimson light flew at Dumbledore's hand. The spell was weak, so the wand didn't fly out of Dumbledone's hand, but he still dropped the ward to the ground. "Mr. Weasley, a valiant effort! It needs some work, but a successful attempt nonetheless." It was obvious he was doing this to encourage the children. If he held his wand firm, that would be enough to make that attempt useless.
As each student took their turn, Dumbledore offered words of praise and constructive feedback. It was Elmi's turn, and as he stepped forward, Dumbledore, with a twinkle in his eye, addressed him, "Elminster, whenever you're ready."
Elmi confidently cast the Disarming Charm, the incantation flowing effortlessly from his lips. The spell's trajectory was flawless, aimed directly at Dumbledore's hand. However, much to everyone's surprise, nothing happened. Maintaining a composed demeanor, Dumbledore looked at Elmi with a hint of amusement. "Ah, an interesting twist. Were you not concentrating?"
The gathered students, initially puzzled by the outcome, burst into laughter, finding humor in what seemed like Elmi's first failure. Elmi's friends didn't laugh, but they had an understanding look on their faces. Daphne thought even Elmi was not infallible.
Malfoy and his friends seized the opportunity to mock Elmi, their jeers echoing through the room. Goyle said,
"You are a disgrace to name Slytherin; you couldn't even do something a Weasly could do."
"Nobody asked your opinion, Goyle; you should first learn to read and then start talking about being a disgrace."
Daphne and others started to bicker with Malfoy and his goons. Her response elicited laughter from some of the onlookers, including students from other houses. Elmi maintained his composure, choosing wit over aggression.
What happened was one of the reasons Dumbledore created an invisible shield around his body. He wanted to see how Elmi would take humiliation. "Elminster, would you like to try again? "
Elmi decided to play along, adding a sigh, "Well, I guess I need more practice, Professor. It seems even a simple Disarming Charm can be tricky," he said, feigning a hint of frustration. Elimi thought, what is this old fox trying to achieve?