The Duelling Hall in the North Wing of the Fifth Floor was concealed behind a thick arched door inlaid with runes and the crests of the four Founders.
When they drew near, the massive door opened of its own accord, revealing a hall twice the size of the Great Hall in both length and width.
It was a full-scale stadium with tiered spectator galleries built of stone along the east and west walls. More than a thousand people could sit in these galleries, which were divided into four sections and decorated in their respective House colours and crests.
Upon observation, there were exactly three hundred seats in each section, so the total capacity, not counting the judges' and staff seats above the entrance outside the Duelling-Cup Supervisor's office, was twelve hundred.
The floor was black like obsidian with golden runework, and the ceiling was enchanted, just like that of the Great Hall.
There were lamps all around, giving off a soft yellow light, and Gemma told them that the hue was yellow because the current champion of the Primus Cup, the most prestigious event, was from Hufflepuff.
Aurelia and Cho were shocked to learn that it was Nymphadora Tonks, who had defeated Charles Weasley in the final this year.
Altair, however, believed it at once. He could sense the raw power that his cousin carried in her veins, and it was clearly a lot more potent than Charles', who was also a very talented and powerful wizard.
Under the prefect's lead, they approached the wall at the far end of the Duelling Hall, the north wall, known as the Champions' Wall.
It was an enchanted surface, forty metres wide and ten metres high, full of tapestries.
The Primus Cup occupied the central third of the wall, with individual tapestries, each one metre by one point eight metres, masterfully woven with an enchanted portrait of the champion holding a wand, carrying the cup, and striking a chosen pose.
Each portrait bore the champion's name, House, academic year, and the year of victory. Epithets were included, and any records were listed as well, even the official Hogwarts duelling record.
Nymphadora had played thirty Primus Cup Matches in the three years since the Duelling Cup had returned to Hogwarts, and her record stood at twenty-nine wins and one loss.
Her epithet, "Queen of the Unforeseen," was quite dazzling and mysterious, and it clearly made Aurelia feel even more unwell.
She had won the last two Primus Cups without losing a single match, and she also held the joint record for the most points ever scored: 98/100.
The winner before her, in 1988, was William Weasley, the eldest of the Weasley siblings, but he had accumulated only ninety-two points.
The champion before them was in 1787, a sixth-year student from the Gaunt family, Marvolo Morpheus Gaunt of Slytherin.
The following year, 1788, the Duelling Cup was suspended after Marvolo Gaunt killed a student in the quarter-finals of the Primus Cup because his opponent had broken his sister's hand in the previous match.
Most claimed it was an accident, even Marvolo himself, but he admitted he had intended to hurt his opponent.
Gemma showed them that they could scroll down the tapestries on the wall with their hands to view previous winners, reaching back to the very first tournament in 613 CE, held seventeen years after Hogwarts' founding.
It was a great honour to be on this wall.
The current Geminus champions were also from Hufflepuff: Nymphadora Tonks and her partner, Isabelle Hobbs. They had been the champions for the last two hears. Both of them had also won the Quadrivium Cup in 1988 with Hufflepuff, so Nymphadora appeared in all three sections of the Wall, another achievement.
The Quadrivium winners, displayed on the right third of the wall, showed that Gryffindor had been victorious for the last two years. The current champions were Charles Weasley, James Brown, Henry Wood, and Alfred Stewart.
Since each participant could enter only two formats every year, Nymphadora had not competed in the Squad tournament for the last two editions.
Slytherin had not won a single Duelling Tournament in the last three years.
However, despite not winning any Duelling Cups, they had still won the last three House Cups by a safe margin, thanks to success in other tournaments, academic performances, and respectable results in the Duelling Cups.
They were runners-up in both the Quadrivium and Geminus Cups last year, and Gemma was still gutted about losing both.
The Quadrivium Cup would start again in November, with the finals scheduled for the day before the winter holidays.
Each team would have four students, as the name of the tournament suggetsed, and each House would be represented by four teams.
Those sixteen teams would then be split into two groups, A and B, with two teams from each House in each group.
Each team would face every other team in the group except their housemates, and the top four teams from each group would reach the quarter-finals.
The winning team would have its name entered on the wall, receive medals and a cup, and earn one hundred and sixty points for its House. The runners-ups would earn ninety points, and the bronze-final winners would earn forty-five points.
Altair looked at the Geminus Cup, which offered two hundred and twenty points for the winners and followed a similar format, except that there were four groups of eight pairs and only the top two from each group progressed to the quarter-finals. The runners-up were awarded one hundred and twenty points, and the Bronze Final winners were awarded sixty points.
The Primus Cup was the most prestigious, offering three hundred points to the winner's House, and the rules were also the most relaxed, making it the toughest of the three competitions.
Gemma then led them to sit in the Slytherin square.
"Are you planning to compete this year?" Altair asked as he sat beside her, and his question made her smile.
"Of course. I want my name on that wall," she said with determination, and he smiled.
"Good. You will be my partner in the Geminus Cup."
His words stunned her and the nearby students.
"Relax, I will not drag you down. We shall begin practising today so we are ready for the House trials next month."
Gemma stared at him curiously, then nodded.
"Your mother trained you?"
"Yes."
"When did you start?"
"On my seventh birthday," he replied, and her eyes widened.
Everyone understood that this was not a subject for open discussion. The Blacks were renowned for their madness, and Altaira Black seemed no different for training her child in Duelling since such a young age. Then again, their blood was blessed and every single witch and wizard in theor family was exceptionally talented.
"You are entering the Primus Cup as well?" Gemma asked, changing the topic.
"Yes," he nodded. "The youngest Solo-Cup winner was thirteen years and ten months old. I want that title."
"That was over thirteen hundred years ago, a few years after the Duelling Cup was established. These days only Sixth-Years or Seventh-Years, and rarely Fifth-Years, enter," she said, a little worried for him. "The rules in the Primus Cup are more relaxed than the other two formats," she reminded him.
"He will be fine. If he can fight a Horntail, he can fight any student at Hogwarts," Aurelia said playfully, sending chills through those who knew she meant an actual dragon.
"Behave," Altair chided his fiancée, who only grinned back at him.
"I will take the trials for the Primus and Quadrivium Cups."
He nodded to her, trusting her skills, then stood.
The others followed as Professor Montclair, accompanied by Nymphadora, entered the hall.
"Good morning, students," her voice echoed magically, and they replied in unison.
The lesson began with a brief history of the Duelling Cup. She explained that the Cup had been suspended several times; sometimes for only a year, sometimes for decades, and most recently for two centuries.
Out of 998 Duelling Cups held in each category so far, Slytherin led in the Primus Cup with 312 wins; Ravenclaw topped the Geminus Cup with 253 wins; and Gryffindor led the Quadrivium Cup with 272 wins.
Slytherin had the fewest Quadrivium wins, only 198. Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were tied at 264.
In the Geminus Cup, Slytherin shared second place with Hufflepuff at 250 wins; Gryffindor trailed with 245.
In the Primus Cup, Gryffindor held second with 247 wins, Ravenclaw had 245, and Hufflepuff only 194.
"Overall wins, counting all three formats, stand as follows:
House Gryffindor: 764 wins
House Ravenclaw: 762 wins
House Slytherin: 760 wins
House Hufflepuff: 708 wins."
The Slytherins did not like being in third place, but their mood improved in an instant when Professor Montclair waved her wand and two duelling stages rose from the black floor. It was a very fascinating mechanism, and the stages were a sight to behold.
Pearl white with golden runes, long and narrow passage, eighteen metres in length and three metres in width, connecting the two round stations of a radius of six metres.
For the next three hours, they learned the rules of duelling, especially which curses were banned, and held mock duels restricted to the basic Shield Charm, Disarming Charm, and Leg-Lock Curse. Students who had yet to master these spells received patient coaching, which delighted them.
"Do you all remember why you stand in this hall?" Professor Montclair asked at the end of the lesson.
"Yes!" they chorused.
"Disciplina…?"
"Imperat!"
"Honos…?"
"Viget!"
"And our glory?"
"Lucet!"
"Discipline commands, honour thrives, glory shines. Never forget these words," she said, then smiled at Altair. "I expect you to tone down your showboating next session, Mister Black."
"I shall try, Professor."
"Of course," she chuckled. "Off you go. Freshen up and have dinner, and be sure to pay attention in Defence Against the Dark Arts next week. I expect you to arrive with the Stunning Spell and Knock-Back Jinx in your arsenal."
"Yes, Professor!" they answered, hurrying out of the hall.
Only Altair, Aurelia, Cho, and Gemma remained; the Slytherin students waited outside for their prefect and leader.
"Yes, Mister Black?" Professor Montclair asked gently, just knowing that it had something to do with him.
And she also had an idea what it was about.
"I wish to enter the Primus Cup this year. Gemma told me I need your permission because the rules are more relaxed."
Nymphadora looked surprised, then remembered his earlier exploits, where he had mastered the Patronus Charm on his first try, and composed herself.
"Why, Kiddo? Want to steal my crown?" she playfully asked, earning a frown from Aurelia.
"No," he smiled. "I want to become the youngest duelling champion in Hogwarts history."
"Confident, are we?"
"Very."
Professor Montclair held his gaze. "Do you know the Primus Cup rules?"
"Yes, Professor. Anything that does not permanently or fatally harm the mind, soul, or body is permitted. Dark curses, charms, and hexes are banned, and Unforgivables earn Azkaban."
She smiled at his words and sighed in her heart. "Between us, Mister Black, how many years has my old friend been training you?"
"Four," he answered honestly, and she nodded.
"I shall watch your performance in the House trials before granting permission." She chuckled when Aurelia raised her hand. "You too, Miss Malfoy."
"Thank you!"
Victoire and Nymphadora watched them leave, and when the door closed, the former raised a question.
"What do you think, Miss Tonks?"
"He will be fine. I am actually looking forward to facing him," she excitedly said.
"And why is that?"
"He's dangerous and ridiculously talented. We will have a lot of fun in our match."
"Have you seen him duel before?" She raised her brow when she saw her precious student shake her head.
"No, but I saw him accomplish something that no other wizard in recorded history has ever achieved."
Her words roused her curiosity, and Nymphadora's next words sent her into a deep shock.
"He cast a perfect Patronus on the very first try. A perfect Patronus." Her smile thinned a little as she remembered that moment, but brightened again when she recalled how happy he was.
"I beg your pardon? Did you say the Patronus Charm?"
"Yes, Professor. A perfect Patronus on the very first try."
Victoire felt dizzy at those words and grabbed Nymphadora's hand, leading her to her office.
She wasted no time as she pulled out a Pensieve, and the girl looked at her in surprise.
"Just the moment he cast the spell," she requested, and Nymphadora sighed in her heart and took out her wand to extract that memory.
She did not join Victoire in viewing it, and grinned as she collected the copy of her memory back.
"By Morgana's Wand... He's a prodigy!"
She laughed out loud when she heard her teacher completely lose it, but Victoire did not take long to compose herself.
"I accept your offer, Professor. I will be staying at Hogwarts for the 8th Year as your apprentice, and another year as your assistant."
"I wonder what made you change your mind, Miss Tonks?"
"Someone fun has popped up in my life. I want to stay in the Castle for a while longer."
"Is that so?" Professor Victoire smiled and happily nodded her head. "I am glad you accepted the offer."
"Hey, don't forget that you promised me a word in the Ministry when I apply to become an Auror."
"I won't, Miss Tonks. A promise is a promise."