章節 39: The Room of Requirement

...

Looking around, Dyroth found himself in a room with a strong wizarding vibe. The Room of Requirement was filled with magical practice dummies and strange objects he had never seen before. It piqued his curiosity, and he started touching the items scattered throughout the room.

Dyroth had been with Grindelwald for many years and had seen countless magical artifacts. But in this room, all he could perceive was the ultimate application of the Extension Charm, far more advanced than what modern wizards typically used.

"Interesting!" he murmured.

Previously, Dyroth didn't think much of ancient magic. In his view, if it were truly powerful, it wouldn't have been replaced by modern ones. But now, it seemed like ancient magic wasn't as simple as he thought. Still, he wasn't too troubled by this realization.

Dyroth understood his limitations. For wizards like Dumbledore or Voldemort, he was merely an apprentice. They could manipulate him like a pawn, to be used however they wished.

What Dumbledore hadn't figured out after decades of working at Hogwarts, could Dyroth possibly unravel it in a single glance? That would be too arrogant.

He didn't know how long he had spent in the Room of Requirement, but by the time he left, the castle was dimly lit by torches.

Back in the Slytherin common room, Draco was in deep conversation with Crabbe and Goyle. As soon as Draco saw Dyroth return, his face brightened.

"Dyroth! Where have you been all day? I looked for you in the library and the dormitory but couldn't find you."

Dyroth's routine had become predictable in recent days—classroom, hall, and library. Draco had found his absence unusual.

"I found a place outside to practice some magic," Dyroth replied, then added, "I forgot to congratulate you on becoming the youngest Seeker in Slytherin."

Draco beamed proudly at the praise. "Just you wait, I'm going to lead Slytherin to victory in the Quidditch championship this year!"

Dyroth smiled, "What are you doing here with Crabbe and Goyle so late at night?"

Draco's expression shifted to one of frustration. "It's Weasley!" he spat.

"Weasley? You mean Ron?" Dyroth had almost forgotten about him with all the peaceful days he had been experiencing.

"Yes, that Weasley!" Draco continued, anger simmering in his voice. "At noon today, my father gifted me a Nimbus 2000 to celebrate my place on the team. Weasley saw it as he was leaving the hospital and started saying the Slytherin team only wanted me because of my broom!"

Dyroth's curiosity was piqued. "So, what happened? Did you two fight?"

If he remembered correctly, Harry was supposed to receive the Nimbus 2000 in the original timeline, a gift from Professor McGonagall for joining the Gryffindor team. But because of the changes with Neville missing from the flying lesson, Ron had caused trouble instead, limiting Harry's opportunity to stand out.

Now, Draco had secured the youngest Seeker spot in Slytherin, and Harry had been relegated to a backup position on Gryffindor's team. A little change from the original story's outcome.

"No, I wasn't stupid enough to start a fight in public," Draco said with a smirk. "I challenged Weasley to a duel tonight! I wanted you as my second, but when I couldn't find you, I asked Goyle instead. But now that you're here, we can finally teach Weasley a lesson."

With Dyroth by his side, Draco felt invincible. He believed that Ron and even Harry combined couldn't lay a finger on Dyroth.

"What time is the duel?" Dyroth asked, though he wasn't particularly interested in Draco's plans. He didn't want to refuse outright, but after all Draco had done to support him during the flying lessons, he felt obligated to help him out this time.

"Half past eleven, in the Trophy Room," Draco replied, excitement lighting up his face.

Dyroth sighed, "It's late. Let's get this over quickly."

Time passed quickly, and soon it was nearing the agreed time.

For pure-blood wizards like Draco, dueling was seen as an honorable activity. But Draco, in his excitement, had made the duel known to almost everyone in Slytherin.

By the time Dyroth and Draco were heading out, a crowd of young Slytherins were cheering for them.

"Draco, if your head wasn't full of puffskeins, you'd realize the consequences of getting caught sneaking out at night!" Dyroth snapped, clearly annoyed.

Draco shrank back, realizing his mistake, but said nothing more.

...

"I bet Malfoy will just chicken out," Ron taunted as he and Harry waited in the Trophy Room. "Malfoy and Grindelwald, a Death Eater and a Saint, they're both dark wizards!"

"Don't worry, Ron, I'll back you up," Harry reassured his friend.

Ron's words had been filling Harry's head with Gryffindor's boldness over the past few days.

Dyroth and Draco entered the room just as Ron finished his trash talk.

"It's not good to speak ill of others behind their backs, Weasley," Dyroth said coldly. "I see you've forgotten that Mrs. Hooch made you apologize in front of Slytherin last week."

As Dyroth's icy gaze met Harry's, he was met with a pang of disgust. Harry, rather than trying to reconcile his friends, was standing in Ron's corner.

"Mr. Potter, your actions speak for themselves. By being here, you've made your choice," Dyroth's voice was cold, and Harry shrank back under his intense gaze.

Ron, fueled by his jealousy of Dyroth, lost his patience. Without warning, he pointed his wand and shouted, "Densaugeo!" aiming a jinx at Dyroth.