Feeling the two-handed sword pressed against his head, Montague felt as if he had been doused with a bucket of cold water, a chilling sensation spreading from head to toe.
This immediately sobered him up, and he recalled Kael's past achievements, as well as the fact that his grades were practically the best in the entire school.
Montague felt like he'd done something foolish by coming to trouble Kael.
He might win with fists, but when it came to magic, tying ten of him together wouldn't match Kael.
Yet he couldn't understand why Kael dared to use magic here, right at the entrance of Professor Umbridge's office—wasn't he afraid of punishment at all?
Not to mention such dangerous magic.
Just as Montague was in a daze, a shrill, excited scream shattered the silence in the corridor.
"Hey, this feels amazing."
The helmet on the armor bobbed up and down on the neck, exclaiming excitedly, "How about another round, another round!"
"Of course, no problem."
Kael pointed his wand, and the armor slowly raised its arm again.
Everyone else finally snapped back to reality.
"Ah!" Millicent's scream resounded in the corridor, startling Umbridge, who was still in the office.
"What are you doing?" she opened the door, "Keep quiet for me!"
"Professor!" Montague yelled as if grasping at a lifeline, "It's Kael...he wants to kill me."
"Nonsense, Kael wouldn't do such a thing!"
"It's true!" Montague pointed frantically at the armor before him, "Look, this is his doing."
Umbridge glanced at the armor wielding the two-handed sword, frowning.
Though she never believed Kael would kill Montague at Hogwarts, the scene was indeed a bit too frightening.
"I need an explanation."
"Sorry, Professor," Kael said with a smile, "Mr. Montague seemed to have doubts about your decision and refused to obey my command, so I felt it necessary to show him my capabilities."
"Doubt me?" Umbridge looked sternly at Montague, "So, is this true?"
"I…I didn't…" Montague shook his head repeatedly.
Yet Umbridge still saw the guilty conscience in his eyes.
"Don't go too far," she glanced at Kael, "I don't want anyone sent to the Hospital Wing."
"Don't worry, Professor, I know my limits," Kael said, commanding the armor back to its original position while putting his wand away.
This pleased Umbridge, who nodded and returned to her office.
"Is that it?" Montague was bewildered.
Using magic in the corridor, damaging the castle walls, almost killing someone, and yet no punishment, just nothing?
Even when Professor Snape shielded them, he would at least issue a verbal reprimand.
With a bang, the office door closed, and the corridor returned to its previous silence.
Perhaps feeling it was unjust, or maybe due to losing face, the enraged Montague instinctively pulled out his wand, wanting to cast a jinx on Kael.
But as he prepared to chant, an unexpected image appeared in his mind—last year during the Triwizard Tournament, Kael had used a flame magic that pierced through nearly half of the maze.
Montague's courage instantly dissipated, and when Kael turned around, he almost instinctively ran.
"Is this... a diversion?" Kael blinked...he was about to use a Disarming Spell, but now it seemed unnecessary.
"Stop!"
Before Kael could speak, the armor was unwilling, shouting, "Stop, brat, come back."
At its shout, Montague ran even faster.
"This coward..." the armor cursed angrily, then turned its head toward Millicent, "How about swapping targets, I think chopping her would be nice too."
Millicent, hearing this, nearly fainted from fear as she glanced at the flashing two-handed sword in the armor's hands.
But Kael didn't spare her a glance; once Montague left, he headed toward the stairs on his own.
If it were other matters, Kael wouldn't bother contesting with Montague—if he wanted to show off, let him do so; it saved him trouble, and if Montague didn't find anyone, the blame could fall on him, benefiting both.
But not this time.
Though the Room of Requirement is safe enough, others might still discover it, and with D•A's members exceeding seventy now, it's hard to guarantee all are genuinely there to learn magic.
Should anyone act as a snitch, it would be troublesome if discovered, so Kael couldn't entrust Slytherin people to handle everything.
To deal with Slytherin, the simplest way is to demonstrate one's power, making them recognize the gap.
After what transpired, they likely wouldn't try any small tricks again.
However, Kael still needed to remind Cedric about this, lest Umbridge found others unknown to him.
After leaving the corridor, Kael headed swiftly toward the Hufflepuff Common Room.
"What a letdown, so dull!" the armor grumbled discontentedly as Peeves emerged from it, ranting as he ran away while furiously throwing water balloons everywhere.
Meanwhile.
At the other end of the corridor, Malfoy watched Montague run down the stairs without looking back, suddenly chuckling, feeling a strange surge within him.
He now felt like he'd drunk a big mug of hot Butter Beer on a frigid snowy day, full of indescribable comfort.
"Truly terrifying...that Kael," Crabbe patted his chest, saying with lingering fear, "Draco, did you foresee this, which is why you didn't speak the whole time?"
"What?"
"That Kael would directly attack us and still avoid punishment from Professor Umbridge," Crabbe said.
Malfoy turned his head, cleared his throat, and said seriously, "Yes, that's right…I predicted it."
"Slytherin respects strength, so if Professor Umbridge chose Kael to lead us, that's likely the reason. If he's strong enough, I don't mind which house he belongs to."
"Too bad Montague doesn't understand," Malfoy murmured in the direction Montague left, "Why provoke him."
He then recalled Montague's arrogant demeanor after becoming Quidditch Captain, feeling even happier.
Though both were in the same house and on the team, their relationship wasn't good.
A few days ago, after losing a match, Montague publicly berated him, saying Slytherin lost because he flew poorly.
He even declared he was way worse than Potter.
This made Malfoy a bit intolerant; others could criticize his flying, but never compare him unfavorably to Potter.
If he hadn't been in the Hospital Wing then, with Madam Pomfrey nearby, he might have fought Montague.
But now…thinking of Montague's manner just then, Malfoy's resentment vanished instantly.
"Let's go…" Malfoy, in high spirits, waved his hand, "Yesterday my father sent some premium candies, eat as much as you like."
"Really, Draco…"
"Great!"
Upon hearing the offer of food, Crabbe and Goyle immediately forgot about Montague and comforting Pansy with Millicent.