Hogwarts had always been lax about student brawls. After all, the quality of Defense Against the Dark Arts professors varied wildly, and when teaching resources were tight, improving combat skills through practical experience was practically inevitable.
The Quidditch pitch, however, was an even more frequent battleground. Young witches and wizards, their blood boiling from intense exercise, sometimes forgot their wizardly decorum and started swinging fists in earnest.
Still, for the first week of school to escalate this quickly was unusual. Normally, after a holiday, everyone would be sluggish. Why were these kids so energetic?
Allen approached cautiously, wand immediately pointing at Ron.
With a flash of purple magic from Allen's wand, Ron instantly shed his human-bear hybrid form. The hair that had terrified Harry and Hermione would no longer grow uncontrollably, but there was a minor side effect. Allen was, at best, proficient with commonly used spells, and a small miscalculation meant Ron now had a completely bald head, shining like a freshly peeled egg in the midday sun.
"Oh." Allen let out a low sigh. "Sorry, this is the best I can do. That curse to accelerate hair growth is trickier than I thought."
Quickly, he added, "Don't worry, I also know a rapid hair-growth spell, but it has a minor side effect. Want me to use it?"
Ron stared at the clumps of fallen hair, conflicted. Should I thank him? Or is the bear form better than baldness? Without a mirror, he couldn't tell.
Allen continued his explanation, and Ron nodded frantically, about to say yes, but prudence made him ask first: "What kind of side effect?"
"Since your hair is growing so fast in such a short time, using the growth spell again might make you completely bald, " Allen spoke earnestly, with no hint of deceit.
Ron shook his head violently. Bald? He'd rather endure the shiny head for now!
The reflection of his shaking skull in the sunlight was almost blinding. Harry and Hermione held back laughter, but the others were less restrained.
Crab and Goyle laughed like two infatuated baboons. Malfoy doubled over, one hand on his chest, the other on his waist, laughing so hard he could barely breathe. But then, the curse backfired, a few magical worms caused him to gag. With his lackeys busy laughing at Ron, no one helped him, and he face-planted.
Normally, a fall like that wouldn't be an issue, everyone uses their hands to cushion themselves, but Malfoy's hands were useless from vomiting. His front teeth hit first.
When he got up, everyone erupted. Half a tooth had broken, a worm stuck in the gap, mixed with blood and dirt. The scene was horribly humiliating.
Even Ron, fretting over his hair, couldn't help but laugh heartily.
The surrounding jeers turned Malfoy's pale face red, but this didn't make him look any healthier. A predatory, wolf-like glint appeared in his eyes.
Malfoy was complicated. On one hand, his actions were outright villainous, framing Hagrid to get him fired, gloating when Voldemort returned, flaunting his twisted pure-blood ideals. On the other, he had moments of mercy, seizing Dumbledore's wand but not using it, blocking Harry in the Room of Requirement but not striking him down.
So, Allen didn't hesitate to hit him.
Why bother thinking? The brat deserved it.
Harry received his fair share; Malfoy's turn was fate. When Malfoy gave that look, Allen cast a spell without hesitation. With a petrification curse, Malfoy toppled backward.
The impact on the ground was heavy. Based on years of experience, Allen guessed a bump would form on the back of Malfoy's head.
Just as everyone gawked, Allen heard familiar footsteps, Professor Sprout approaching.
Why familiar? Allen would never admit it's from years of being caught fighting in the castle. Silently noting his luck, Allen turned, wand still discreetly aimed at Malfoy, and lifted Ron's curse.
"Allen! What are you doing?"
"Nothing, Professor. It's a fine day, so I'm helping the students fix residual effects of curses." Allen smiled perfectly.
"Really?" Sprout's suspicion was obvious.
Before Allen could reply, Goyle saw an opportunity.
"No, Professor! Allen attacked us. He isn't helping, he's in league with Harry. Look! Malfoy is still vomiting those disgusting worms!!!"
Sprout's eyes landed on Malfoy. He was sprawled on the ground like a statue, mouth slightly open. The worms were gone.
You've been puking all morning, buddy, another round, perhaps?
Allen's curse removal may have had minor side effects, but the main problem was gone. After a pause, Sprout moved her gaze and said something that thrilled Goyle: "Alright, seems it's cleared. But Allen, can you explain why Malfoy is on the ground?"
"Uh, Professor, the curse was unusually complex, less of a school-standard spell, more like a family heirloom spell. I'm not very practiced, so some side effects were inevitable, " Allen pointed at Ron's head. "See? I had to completely remove his hair to counter another spell."
What Allen didn't say: the side effect affecting Malfoy, fainting, was his doing.
Sprout gave him a skeptical look but chose to trust her student. It was better than leaving Snape to interrogate the situation. She was the Hufflepuff head, not Slytherin.
Thus, amidst Goyle and Crab's despairing looks, Sprout left.
…but Allen was still there…
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