Chapter 210: "Group Stages and Early Victories"

The morning of the first matches dawned bright and clear. Harry awoke early, his nerves tingling with anticipation. After a light breakfast and a pep talk from both Sirius and Flitwick, he made his way to the Palais de Duel.

The interior had been transformed overnight. Where there had been a grand ballroom, now stood multiple dueling platforms, each surrounded by shimmering protective barriers. Spectators filled the stands, their excited chatter creating a constant buzz of background noise.

Harry couldn't help but compare it with the two other dueling tournaments he had attended. Everything was superior; the venue, the audience, and the palpable excitement. He was ready for battle.

Harry's group consisted of four duelists: himself, a stoic Russian wizard named Dmitri Volkov, a flamboyant Italian witch called Lucia Caruso, and a methodical German duelist, Hans Schmidt. As the youngest by far, Harry could feel the skeptical glances from his opponents. They had heard he was an Under-17 European dueling champion who had bested some Death Eaters, but this wasn't enough to deter duelists with over seven years of experience.

Harry's first match was against Lucia. As they took their positions, she flashed him a dazzling smile. "Try not to cry when you lose, piccolo," she teased.

Harry's response was a slight smile and a nod. She wasn't his enemy; there was no need to respond and antagonize his opponent.

The commentator's voice boomed through the arena. "Ladies and gentlemen, our next match pits the young prodigy Hadrian Potter against the dazzling Lucia Caruso!"

As soon as the starting signal sounded, Harry was in motion. Lucia's style was all flash and showmanship, her spells bright and attention-grabbing. But Harry had faced far worse than pretty lights.

With a series of quick, precise movements, Harry dismantled Lucia's defenses. Her spells were showy but lacked power. When Harry applied a little effort, her defenses crumbled.

Harry played around, learning Lucia's spells and assessing their usefulness. When he'd had enough, he decided to end it. A well-timed Expelliarmus, hidden in the wake of a more showy spell, caught her off guard. Her wand flew from her hand and out of the dueling platform.

"Unbelievable! Potter ends the match with a textbook Expelliarmus! Caruso never saw it coming!"

The match was over in less than three minutes. The crowd, initially buzzing with excitement over Lucia's spectacular display, fell silent for a moment before erupting in cheers.

Lucia stared at Harry in shock as she was handed back her wand. "How... that's impossible," she muttered, unable to believe she'd been so easily defeated by a 16-year-old.

As Harry walked away from the platform he could sense more eyes on himself. His status had now been elevated from a lucky kid to a somewhat difficult kid in their minds.

Harry's next match, against Hans, proved a little more challenging. The German's style was the polar opposite of Lucia's – all efficiency and precision.

"Schmidt opens with a barrage of stunners! But Potter's shield charm holds strong!" the commentator shouted over the crowd's roars.

For several minutes, they traded spells, neither gaining a clear advantage. Harry was going easy in the early stages, here to learn and grow, not bulldoze his way to the top.

"It's a deadlock, folks! Neither duelist is giving an inch!"

After a few minutes, Harry saw an opening and decided to end it. As Hans cast a particularly complex shield charm, Harry unleashed a barrage of lightning-fast stunners.

"Merlin's beard! Potter's wand is a blur! I've never seen spells cast this quickly!"

The rapid-fire assault overwhelmed Hans's defenses, and he fell to the platform, stunned.

"It's over! Potter takes down Schmidt with a stunning display of speed and precision!"

The final group match against Dmitri was the toughest yet. The Russian favored powerful, brutal spells that tested the limits of what was allowed in the tournament.

"Volkov's spells are shaking the very platform! But Potter stands firm!"

Harry found himself on the defensive more than he liked, forced to conjure physical barriers to block spells that would shatter most magical shields.

But Harry had an ace up his sleeve. As Dmitri prepared for another devastating attack, Harry appeared to have disapparated with a crack.

"Potter's vanished! No, wait! It's an illusion!"

This was just an illusion spell Harry used to hide his presence. When his opponent was confused, he reappeared behind him. Before Dmitri could react, Harry had disarmed him and bound him in conjured ropes.

"Incredible! Potter wins with a display of magical prowess rarely seen in one so young!"

The crowd went wild. Harry had won all his group matches in spectacular fashion. As he left the platform, whispers spread through the audience.

"Did you see that?"

"He's just a kid!"

"Could he actually win this thing?"

Sirius was beaming with pride as Harry returned to their viewing box. "Brilliant work, pup! You've got them all talking now."

Flitwick nodded in agreement, though his expression was more measured. "Excellent performance, Harry. But remember, the real challenge begins in the knockout stages. Your opponents will only get tougher from here."

Harry nodded, accepting a bottle of water from an organizer. "I know, Professor. I'm ready for it."

As the day's matches concluded, the brackets for the knockout stages were announced. Harry found himself facing a former French Auror in the round of 32, a man with a reputation for cunning tactics and unpredictable spell combinations.

That night, as Harry lay in bed reviewing his performance and planning for the next day, he felt a surge of excitement for the upcoming matches. He had passed the first hurdle with flying colors, but the real test was yet to come. The knockout stages would provide more promising competition.

But as sleep finally claimed him, a small smile played on his lips. He was Harry Potter, and there was no challenge he couldn't overcome. Tomorrow would bring new battles, new lessons, and new opportunities to prove himself on the grand stage of European dueling.