[Congratulations Host for completing the Duel Quest!]
[System Reward: Attribute Points x1, Wand Attribute Points x1, Academy Reputation +20, Family Reputation +5]
[System Notification: Host's current Combat Experience: 1]
Completing a duel quest actually adds this much reputation?
Kate rolled out of bed, looking at her Reputation Interface in surprise.
A first-year freshman defeating the fifth-year Leif Wilson—such strength was enough to deter the students of Snake House. At least no one would come looking for trouble this year.
As for Family Reputation, as the sole heir of the Shafiq family, she naturally let the family bask in the glory as well.
Currently, among her personal attributes, only Charisma, Vitality, and Luck far exceeded those of an average seventh-year graduate. This was really far from enough.
Her goal was to raise all other attributes to 30 before this year ended, so she would have the capital to confront the Basilisk when the Chamber of Secrets opened in the second year.
Kate didn't even think before adding the Attribute Point to Strength. As for the Wand Attribute Point, she decided to save it for now.
"Still short so many Attribute Points..." she sighed quietly, lying back on the bed with some difficulty.
She had to balance her schoolwork now, so naturally, she couldn't grind day and night like last year. However, luckily there were Main Quests for the next seven years; presumably, the rewards for completing the missions wouldn't be too bad.
"System, are there any upcoming quests?"
[The wizarding duel has made the Host famous in Slytherin House. Soon, several wizards will invite you to private challenges one by one.]
[Duel Quest: Within one week, defeat at least five people.]
So when she invited challenges publicly before, it wasn't that no one wanted to accept, but that they were worried about losing face in public, so they didn't step forward? As expected of the little snakes, it was their usual style.
"But... don't you think defeating five people in a week is a bit pushing it? I'm just a twelve-year-old child," Kate asked with difficulty.
[One week later, Host will be sought out by Professor Snape for punishment and will have no time to accept challenges.]
[The Duel Quest will only be open this week. If unable to complete, Host will miss massive rewards.]
Oh, she had actually forgotten about Malfoy's tattling.
After Snape finished punishing Wilson, he would come to find her. As for the content of the punishment, it would most likely be detention.
Kate felt helpless; it seemed she would be very busy in the coming week.
*
"What?!"
Hermione sat in the library, staring at her with a face full of shock. "Seven senior students have come to challenge you in the past few days?"
Were Slytherin people so shameless? Did they like to bully the small with the big, and the few with the many—bullying her Kate?
"No wonder I saw you looked listless in class recently." She leaned closer to Kate worriedly. "Do you want to tell Professor Snape, and ask them to stop looking for you?"
Kate yawned and shook her head. "No need, they probably won't look for me tonight."
Who would have thought that in the past week, someone challenged her privately every day. She even over-completed the quest published by the System, being rewarded with 7 Attribute Points and 7 Wand Attribute Points. However, since they were private challenges, there was no Academy Reputation reward.
"You mean, tonight, you are going to Professor Snape's for detention?" Hearing this, Hermione immediately started worrying about her again.
Kate waved her hand. "It doesn't matter, it's just detention. It's better than fighting them every day."
That seemed true...
Hermione pursed her lips distastefully, her small head drooping. Even so, it was just going from a bad situation to another not-so-good situation; there was nothing worth being comforted about.
Besides that, Kate could already beat senior students, while she hadn't even finished self-studying the second-year content. Regarding those challenges targeting Kate, she couldn't take on a single one of them for her.
She was truly too weak.
How could such a weak version of herself protect Kate in the future?
"Hermione?" Kate saw her zoning out and called her softly. "What are you thinking?"
Hermione snapped back to reality, grabbing Kate's hand with somewhat panicked eyes. "Kate! How about I come pick you up after you finish detention?"
"?"
"Can't I?" The little lion used a cute girl attack on Kate.
Kate stifled the refusal that was already on the tip of her tongue, but she was still uneasy. "But, by the time detention is over, it might be close to curfew."
"Then I will study the Disillusionment Charm hard!" Hermione blinked her watery, shimmering eyes, staring at her expectantly.
Clearly, she hadn't joined the Golden Trio yet, so why was she already starting to violate school rules at this time...
Kate smiled with difficulty, finally nodding. "Alright, but before you learn the Disillusionment Charm, I'll still help you."
"Mhm, I knew Kate was the best!" Hermione excitedly threw herself into her embrace.
The commotion of the two attracted a glare from the librarian, Madam Pince.
It was hard not to get kicked out of the library, but as the sun set, it was about the time agreed with Snape. Hermione had to obediently let go, agreeing to wait for her in the library.
Kate walked all the way from the library to the Potions office in the dungeon. Before she could knock, she heard Snape's voice from inside telling her to enter.
"Professor," she pushed the door open, with a hint of timidity, "I've come to accept my punishment."
Snape was currently brewing a potion and ignored her words.
She knew it would be like this.
Kate wasn't in a hurry. She stood honestly on the spot, her gaze staring unblinkingly at his brewing movements.
After a good while, Snape finally lifted his eyes from the smoky cauldron. "Do you know what to do next?"
Kate paused for a moment, her eyes quickly glancing at the material table beside him to identify the ingredients.
"You should add crushed moonstone powder, then stir counter-clockwise three times, boil for seven minutes, then add two drops of syrup of hellebore."
The Draught of Peace was fifth-year content. She had only self-studied this part recently, otherwise, she really wouldn't have recognized it.
Snape's cold eyes gave her an extra look before he reached out to take the moonstone powder and put it in the cauldron.
"There's a bottle of potion on the side. Drink it."
Kate was stunned. Only then did she turn her gaze to the bottle beside her. This dark, mushy appearance—one look and she knew it was the magic-suppressing potion she had drunk for a year.
"Professor, I don't need to drink this anymore..."
She wanted to argue but was interrupted by Snape. "Miss Shafiq's magic power seems to be inexhaustible, so drink some potion to avoid implicating classmates again."
Damn!
She thought Snape would only give her detention; she didn't expect it to be drinking potion!
Actually, the magic-suppressing potion couldn't completely inhibit her magic power, but this stuff was simply too bitter to drink. It was unbearable.
If it was just a punishment targeting her, this move of Snape's was indeed used well.
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