I, the leader of the esoteric sect, am doing great things in the infinite world!

Lily Evans wasn't everything to Severus Snape, but the brightest and warmest moments of his life were all connected to her.

"You shouldn't have mentioned her name."

Snape stared intently at Li Lin, his pale face mirroring as he repeated his words, "You shouldn't have mentioned her."

He rose from his seat, drew his wand, pointed it at Li Lin's face, and said, word by word.

"Draw your wand, and I will duel you."

On the dark green tabletop, pale white brushstrokes outlined the abstract silhouette of Severus Snape, a gaunt man whose face was half in light and half in shadow.

Severus Snape

[Rank: Second Imprint]

【Sexual Characteristics: Winter, Blade】

Snape was ready to pay any price for his path.

Severus Snape was scarred, those memories bearing harsh lessons, and the more he relived them, the deeper he fell into a terrible silence. In the vast shadows, he remained silent, his regret piling up.

"Stop!" Professor McGonagall stood up, trying to stop the duel that hadn't even begun. "Mr. Aatrox, you shouldn't be judging other people's privacy; Mr. Severus Snape, you shouldn't be so concerned about the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, especially since Mr. Aatrox is not only the Vice-Headmaster but also a member of the Hogwarts Board of Trustees!"

Her emphasis fell on the word "school board member," sounding like the clanging of metal.

"why not?"

As the sound rang out, a series of clattering noises erupted from the four corners of the auditorium. The tables and chairs receded to the sides, and a square stone platform rose from the flat ground.

Professor McGonagall looked at Dumbledore beside her in shock: "Albus!"

She could hardly believe that Dumbledore, who was supposed to be maintaining stability, would actually suggest that Li Lin and Snape fight.

“Calm down, Minerva.” Dumbledore looked at Professor McGonagall with his wise blue eyes and smiled gently. “Severus and Aatrox, how similar they are, but that’s precisely why they hate each other. Rather than let the grudges fester, let’s settle it with a clean and decisive duel.”

There are some things he won't say to McGonagall.

Snape only became an inside agent for the Order of the Phoenix because of Lily Evans; and Li Lin only chose to target Voldemort's Horcruxes because of his wife's death.

They were all important "pawns" that Dumbledore could manipulate, and Dumbledore already knew all about Snape's abilities.

The only thing Dumbledore couldn't figure out about Li Lin's background was that Li Lin was a legitimate opportunity to investigate.

Li Lin also slammed his hand on the table and stood up, his dark eyes slightly narrowed as he stared directly at Snape.

Seeing the tense situation between the two, the other professors stopped sitting idly and quickly came to the wall to watch. Among them, Professor Kettleburn, who was always eager to see what would happen, was already betting with Flitwick on the outcome of the match between Lillian and Snape.

As the professor of Magical Creatures Protection, Kettleburn is the most senior and oldest of the Hogwarts professors. He is so passionate about magical creatures that he now only has one arm and half a leg left.

Even Dumbledore had to turn a blind eye to this enthusiastic old man.

All the wizards present were curious about the outcome of the duel between Lillian and Snape.

Li Lin reached into his robes, then suddenly froze, looking curiously behind Snape: "Mr. Dumbledore, is something the matter?"

Snape frowned slightly, then turned to look at Dumbledore.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Li Lin darted forward, pulled a crowbar from his crotch, and pressed it against the back of Snape's head, his dark eyes cold as he let out a strange laugh.

"Jiejiejiejie."

Snape's breath hitched, and his voice became more strained with gritted teeth: "What do you want to do!"

"I won!"

The shameless Li Lin loudly announced his victory to everyone in the auditorium.

The professors present were all dumbfounded by his shameless methods.

Dumbledore had to stand up: "I'm sorry, Mr. Aatrox, the wizarding duel has not yet officially begun... and the use of magical items is not permitted."

"Tch." Li Lin curled his lip and put the crowbar away.

“Hey, did you see that? Where did he put that stick?” Professor Kettleburn whispered to Flitwick.

“I’m not sure…it seems to be the crotch?” Frivi said hesitantly, stammering.

Feeling the metal leave his head, Snape quickly stepped back, looked at Li Lin with disgust, and spat out venom: "I didn't expect our Defense Against the Dark Arts professor to be so ignorant of the etiquette of wizard duels. Perhaps you should teach in Azkaban."

After saying that, he strode onto the dueling platform, drew his wand, and held it in his hand.

"I feel like you're acting like someone who can't win an argument on a forum, so you angrily activate a premium membership to ban people from speaking." Li Lin said, spouting trash talk that no one else could understand, while taking out a magic wand from the dark green tabletop.

"As expected of a master of Occlumency, he's always good at mental victory."

Of course, due to the system's invisible nature, Li Lin's action was like drawing a magic wand from the void.

Dumbledore stared intently at Li Lin's every move.

It was that same action of taking the item out without warning again... Either he had cast a Threadless Stretch spell on his wizard's robes, or he had mastered a completely new spell.

The professors, who also realized this, began to exchange ideas enthusiastically.

“Hawthorn wood, thirteen inches…wait, this wand looks familiar. It was in the window when I bought it from Ollivanders.”

Flitwick's eyes widened as he stood on tiptoe, staring at the wand in Li Lin's hand.

“It seems Ollivander has finally found the user of this wand. He will be very happy.” Kettleburn turned to another professor, Horace Slughorn, and said.

“Of course, of course,” Slughorn, who was as fat as a walrus, muttered, holding a glass of mead in his hand, his gaze constantly shifting between Li Lin and Snape.

Who do you think will win?

“I… I’m not sure.” Slughorn brought the glass to his lips but didn’t drink, looking somewhat nervous. “I know Snape is incredibly powerful, but the new professor’s skill in spells must also be formidable, otherwise he wouldn’t have earned the wand’s approval.”

At this moment, Dumbledore stood up and clapped his hands, signaling for silence in the room.

He raised his arms, pointing at Lillian and Snape respectively.

"Both salute."

Snape raised his wand, and Li Lin was a beat slower.

After a slight bow, Snape turned around and walked to the other side of the field.

However, the moment he turned around, a murderous shout suddenly rang out behind him!

"Avada Kedavra!"

107. *Snap*, so fast!

"Avada Kedavra!"

Snape's mind went blank; he only had time to roll over and scramble to the side in a sorry state.

How could it be a death curse?

How dare he unleash the Unforgivable Curse in such a duel?

As a former follower of Voldemort, he could naturally recognize that the incantation, brimming with murderous intent, was indeed the Killing Curse.

However, the moment he looked up, he saw a slender red light flash overhead, fly towards the starry ceiling of the auditorium, and then disappear.

That accuracy is ridiculously off.

But that's not a death curse!

"That's Expelliarmus!" Flitwick's exclamation from the audience answered all the wizards' questions. "But he clearly recited the Killing Curse!"

Ignoring the exclamations of the other wizards, Li Lin's attitude became colder than ever before as he entered the battle wielding his hawthorn wand.

That version of myself, who was often accompanied by madness, is now far away on the other side.

He waved his wand, a fleeting, dark gold-purple hue flashing deep within his eyes: "Avada Kedavra!"

Avada Kedavra! Another killing curse!

However, a thick gray mist was silently released from the tip of Li Lin's wand, and almost instantly, the surging mist engulfed the entire dueling arena.

"Nebulus (a misty, cloud-shrouded cloud)!"

It was Professor Flitwick again who immediately recognized the spell Li Lin was using. He truly lived up to his reputation as a renowned dueling master, quickly discerning Li Lin's intentions.

"It's clear that this vice-principal has mastered spellcasting skills comparable to Dumbledore's... Every spell he uses is permitted in a legal duel, but he manages to conceal his next move with the more dangerous Killing Curse!"

"This is significant for the Aurors and the strikers!"

No one refuted Flitwick's statement, and all the professors watched with wide eyes this epoch-making wizard duel.

The next instant, a colorless spell flew out from the gray clouds and landed on Snape's shoulder.

A tremendous force pulled Snape from his shoulder, yanking him to the ground!

It was too late to cast a dispel at this point, so Snape quickly took off his cloak and let it fly into the gray mist.

"Silent casting, it's a summoning spell!" Flitwick exclaimed excitedly from the audience. "It's truly spectacular!"

Snape stumbled backward, waving his wand and casting a spell.

He finally delivered a decent rebuttal.

"Protego!"

A transparent barrier instantly rose up around Snape, pushing the surrounding gray mist further away, allowing Snape a brief respite.

The famous Ironclad Charm is the first spell most wizards choose when attacked. This transparent barrier can not only block spells shot from the shadows, but also deflect some simple attacks.