After the school year started, Gryffindor's Quidditch training became much tougher, leaving Harry exhausted.
What made things worse was that Snape volunteered to referee the Quidditch match. With his attitude, he'd surely favor Gryffindor's opponents.
Hermione and Ron even tried to convince Harry to skip the match. Although they learned from Damon that Professor Quirrell, not Snape, attacked Harry last time, the game still felt dangerous.
Who knew why Professor Quirrell, who seemed so honest, would target Harry? Why were the other professors staying silent? What if someone hexed Harry's broom again during the match? Could they stop it on their own?
Snape was so nasty. He probably wanted Harry to get hurt so he'd miss future matches, giving Slytherin, his house, an easier shot at winning.
"We have to find out who Nicolas Flamel is! I feel like it's important!" Hermione said.
"Hey, why don't we talk to Damon?" Ron suggested. "Not just about Nicolas Flamel, but also the Quidditch match. I heard he's not even planning to watch it. If he's not there, what do we do if something goes wrong?"
Hermione glanced at Ron. She wanted to say, "We can handle it ourselves," but she stayed quiet. Since the school year began, she'd barely seen Damon, let alone had a proper conversation with him.
Damon was always in a rush. Ever since he started eating beef noodles, he finished meals in under ten minutes while reading *Transfiguration Today*. His focus made Hermione feel too awkward to interrupt him.
She felt like her friendship with Damon was fading, as if they were on different paths. Sure, he gave her a signed collector's edition of Lockhart's books for Christmas, which she loved, but something still felt off.
"You guys," Harry said, pursing his lips, "where exactly does Damon practice his spells?"
"Finally, you said it!" Ron replied. "I thought I was the only one curious."
"Do we need to talk about this now?" Hermione asked. "Nicolas Flamel is more important. We can look for Damon after we figure that out."
"Do you know where Damon is?" Neville's voice interrupted as he approached, looking upset.
"What's wrong, Neville?" Harry asked.
"You don't look so good," Ron added.
"Malfoy was hanging around outside the library," Neville said. "He threatened to use the Leg-Locking Curse on me next time he sees me."
"So you want Damon to help you?" Hermione asked.
"Neville, you have to stand up to him," Harry said. "Malfoy's always been a bully. We can't let him get away with it."
"You don't need to tell me I'm too scared or that I don't belong in Gryffindor," Neville muttered. "Malfoy already said that."
Looking defeated, Neville walked away.
"This is our chance!" Harry said. "We can use Neville's problem to ask Damon for help and bring up our own stuff too, right?"
Hermione and Ron didn't respond right away. They both felt Damon was like a lone eagle on an icy cliff—distant and untouchable. He was their friend, or so he said, but there was always a strange wall between them. Even Hermione, who overthought every word she said to him, felt nervous talking to him.
Damon's reputation as the "dueling prince" had grown among the first-years, but no one dared approach him casually. Rumor had it that some girls even started a "Dueling Prince Protection Support Association" to keep people from bothering him, treating him like some sacred treasure.
"Don't worry," Harry said. "I know Damon. I have a feeling he'll help us this time."
After the Mirror of Erised incident, Harry felt closer to Damon and trusted he wouldn't say no.
The next day, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville went to find Damon at breakfast.
"Hey, all four of you together? What's up?" Damon asked, barely looking up from an article in *Transfiguration Today* about Gamp's Law of Transfiguration. The article explored how powerful magic could potentially change an object's nature, challenging the law. The writer couldn't prove it, but Damon thought he could. He planned to test it during his Transfiguration practice that night.
"Damon," Neville said timidly, stepping forward. He explained how Malfoy was threatening to bully him.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione watched, expecting Damon to tell Neville to stand up for himself. Instead, Damon's reaction was much stronger.
"What? I warned Malfoy before, and he's still scaring you?" Damon stood up so fast it startled them. Nearby students glanced over, making Neville's heart race—he wasn't used to so much attention.
Spotting Malfoy in the hall, Damon turned to Neville. "What do you want me to do?"
"I just want you to tell him to stop using me for spell practice," Neville said.
"Easy enough," Damon replied. "But, Neville, do you mind going a bit further?"
"What do you mean?" Neville asked, confused.
"Make him remember this for a long time," Damon said. He pulled Neville to his feet and whispered, "I'll lead you to teach him a lesson. Don't think—just use your fists. I'll handle everything else. Got it?"
"Damon?" Neville stammered, still unsure.
But when he met Damon's intense gaze, something clicked. Those eyes, sharp and fierce, made Neville feel like he could do anything. It wasn't confidence or understanding—it was just trust.
"Okay, Damon. I'll do it," Neville said.
"Good. Follow me, Neville. Don't think. Just clench your fists!" Damon said.
Neville tightened his fists, glaring at Malfoy like he'd done something unforgivable, and followed Damon toward the Slytherin table.
"Wait—what are you doing?" Hermione gasped, her face pale as if she sensed trouble coming.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione's hearts pounded. They felt like they might burst with a mix of excitement, fear, and curiosity as they watched Damon, tall and confident, leading a determined Neville behind him.
"Hey, Malfoy!" D
amon's voice boomed through the hall. "What did I tell you before?"
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(End of Chapter)