Combat Genius

A few days had passed since the minister's visit to Hogwarts, and the tenseness in castle walls is growing day by day. Minister's declaration had reopened old prejudices and raised hostilities among students. Cursing students, especially muggle-borns in the hallways is a common sight, all-out duels a daily occurence.

Harry spent most of his time he was not in his class in the library, studying combat curses or roaming castle grounds with Hedwig, today was one of those times. He sat on a stone on castle grounds overlooking Hagrid's hut at a distance. In his lap was an arcane tome he found in Trunk's library about overpowering simple curses for use in combat written by Sorcerer Supreme Merlin.

Hedwig was enjoying a chance to stretch her wings, flying in the warm currents of late summer. Harry was completely focused on reading when Hedwig saw someone coming and dived down, gently landing on his shoulders. Harry turned his head to spot a tall boy in Hufflepuff robes and neatly combed black hair making his way towards him, someone Harry recognized.

"Mister Potter, can I have a little of your time." Erren Smith said.

"Of course, how can I help you?" Harry put away the book he was reading under his robes and stored it back into the trunk and stood up.

Erren stood in front of Harry, eyeing him inquisitively, "Do you want to join Mages Club?" he asked bluntly and straight to the point.

Harry did a double-take, "Really, you came all the way just to ask me that?"

"Under normal conditions, I would not have done that but now is not the time. It may not be obvious to you but lines are being drawn, among students, among wizards and witches, among magical and non-magicals. Under normal circumstances, I would not even have asked you but I saw your reaction to minister's speech; and I do not want to make the boy-who-lived my enemy if I can help it." He replied in an even voice.

Harry folded his arms, considering his words, "And what does being in your club entail?"

"As a first-year, not much. It is exactly what it says, a study club to advance your skills in magic and other things. But from the third year onwards, you will have responsibilities to guide and protect those younger than you."

Just then Hedwig sensed someone approaching. Hooting to alert Harry, she took to the air. Both Harry and Erren turned to see a group of upperclassmen in Slytherin robes making their way towards them. Erren immediately summoned his wand from what Harry assumed a hidden wand hoster.

"Well...Well...Well is it not the illustrious Erren Smith, And the one and only Boy-Who-Lived. Pleasant day, is it not?" Even as the stocky boy leading the group spoke confidently, every Slytherin had was their wands out.

Erren did not look even a bit phased. Speaking in the same stiff voice he used with Harry, he answered, "Marcus Flint, indeed it is a pleasant day. Fancy a walk"

"HaHa very funny," Flint replied sarcastically, pointing wand straight at Erren's face, "Very funny mudblood. What? Knezzle got your tongue? Where is your spunk now? Hah..."

Erren did not move, looking Flint straight in his eyes with nary a change in expression. Harry looked at the exchange, wand hidden sleeve when he felt a shift in magic. Erren's wand was pointing downwards loosely held in his hands and releasing a stream of magic. And from the distinct 'flavor' of magic being used, Harry could guess Erren was silently performing a transfiguration spell, and from looks on the faces of Slytherins, they had no idea what was going on right under their noses.

"You have quite a bounty in Slytherin dorms, people lining to just get a piece of you. I for one am too eager. " a savage grin spread on Flint's face.

Harry had enough, so he tried to step forward to end things peacefully if he could, "Excuse me Mist..." Just then a tall Slytherin cast an unknown purple curse towards him. Almost moving on instinct Harry filled the wand with magic, holding it in, and in one fast flick, he deflected the curse back at the caster.

The curse struck the wand arm of the caster, and it started to blacken and he fell down with a pained grunt. Everyone stopped and looked between him and the downed student. Even Harry looked astonished, looking at his wand in wonder.

[Perk Unlocked- Combat Genius]

Erren took the opportunity to finish his spell and an Earth wall sprang in between him and Slytherins, and with a wave of his wand, he banished the mud entire wall into the crowd.

"Depulso"

Snakes were showered in hundreds of pounds of soil and dirt, throwing them back. Both Harry and Erren did not miss the opportunity,

"Stupefy", "Stupefy", "Stupefy", "Stupefy", "Petrificus Totalus"

Slytherins were on the ground, unconscious except the boy under full body bind, whose whole arm was now black.

"Skin Rotting curse, rather nasty and painful but do not worry about him, it is not lethal although his arm might have to be amputated if left alone for long." Erren walking to students laying on the ground.

Harry looked a little sick, but Erren nonchalantly kept working, taking a good look at everyone's face.

"Except the Flint, everyone is the sixth or seventh year, hmm, they planned quite an ambush. Amazing wand work, by the way. I never thought I would see a first-year performing spell reflection." Erren sounded impressed.

"What about him." Harry pointed at the boy with rotting curse on his arm.

"Don't worry about him, I know how Slytherins operate. If they went to this much trouble setting up ambush, they definitely have backup."

"And now for your lesson" with a wave of Erren's wand, Slytherin green, and black robes vanished, leaving everyone in their undies.

"These entitled bi...they need to learn their actions have consequences" He answered the unasked question.

Harry got over his nausea and looked at the debris of the earth wall, impressed. Combat transfiguration was an advanced subject and Erren looked in the fourth year at most. I by joining the club, he too got to learn it, it was enough for him.

"If I join the club, do I get to learn that?" Harry asked, pointing at hole in the ground caused by erupting wall.

Erren's rigid expression melted away a little and he answered back, smirking, "That and more, much, much more mister Potter."

"So where do I sign up?"