The Angmar Witch-king's attack on the Ministry of Magic shocked the wizarding world far more than Saruman's assault on the Magical Congress.
While the Saruman incident had worse immediate consequences, including the destruction of the Magic Congress, half of New York, and sparking a war between Muggles, the implications of the Angmar Witch-king incident were even more terrifying.
One major reason was Dumbledore.
When Saruman was active, people often debated who was stronger, Dumbledore or Saruman. Despite Dumbledore's claim of being superior to Saruman in Transfiguration, a wizard's power isn't determined solely by that skill. As the most powerful white wizard of his time, Dumbledore's strength was undisputed. Although he and Saruman had never faced off, most of the wizarding world believed Dumbledore was stronger.
This belief was shattered when the Witch-king of Angmar killed several Aurors at the Ministry of Magic in London while battling Dumbledore, emerging completely unscathed. The shock and fear this incident brought to the magical community far surpassed the Saruman affair.
A servant of Sauron proved stronger than the most powerful wizard in the wizarding world! What was happening?
Amidst the chaos and uncertainty, some wizards voiced their concerns and made plans to confront the looming threat of the Dark Lord. They hoped to find Gandalf or locate Mordor to destroy the Eye of Sauron before Sauron's full return.
Conversely, some dark wizards sought out the Witch-king of Angmar to pledge their allegiance early, while others looked to exploit the situation for their gain. The wizarding world plunged into turmoil, even affecting Hogwarts.
The students hadn't seen Dumbledore for days. Since the attack, he had not returned to Hogwarts, and the professors were tight-lipped about his whereabouts and condition. The students sensed the tension, and the cheerful atmosphere of the recent Quidditch match was replaced with worry and apprehension.
It wasn't until Friday, when Professor McGonagall made a new announcement, that the spirits of the students were lifted.
"In response to a possible future catastrophe, Hogwarts has decided to restart the Dueling Club!" she declared.
"Students above the third grade can set up a dueling club and train their dueling skills every weekend," the notice read.
"Professor Flitwick is in charge of the Dueling Club," another added.
"Young wizards below the third grade can still attend to study and observe."
The revival of the dueling club signaled that Hogwarts was gearing up for potential conflict, but to the students, it simply meant fun weekend activities.
.....
During dinner, the excited buzz about the dueling club filled the Great Hall.
Although first-years couldn't participate in the duels, they were welcome to watch and learn. Artel, though indifferent to dueling, was eager to see Professor Flitwick, a former dueling champion, in action. He wouldn't miss such a chance.
Saturday morning, the chosen classroom was prepped and ready by the afternoon. Artel visited and found it reminiscent of a scene from a previous game: an empty classroom with a long, wide, gilded stage at the center for dueling. Safety barriers surrounded the stage to handle any emergencies.
After registration and formation, seven dueling clubs were established across the four houses, with nearly 100 students signing up.
The spectators, however...
Hermione glanced at the packed classroom, muttering, "I think the entire school is here to watch."
Her roommate, Parvati Patil, nodded, "Of course. It's the first time in years we've had a dueling club. I think it has something to do with Sauron... We might have to fight dark wizards in the future!"
"Quiet, everyone!"
Professor Flitwick, standing on the duel stage, commanded attention despite his small stature. His reputation as a former dueling champion preceded him.
"Very well, I see you're all enthusiastic!" Professor Flitwick beamed. He hadn't felt this happy since his recovery from the Basilisk's petrification.
"According to Headmaster Dumbledore's instructions, after much discussion among the professors, we have decided to restart the Dueling Club!"
"Yes, we need to ensure you can protect yourselves in any future confrontations, rather than waiting for help. You must be able to face the enemy head-on."
Flitwick adjusted his glasses, smiling, "The reason only third years and above can duel is that many of the spells used are too powerful for younger wizards to handle..."
"Although I've heard—Professor Nagini taught you a lot of useful spells, but that's too dangerous..."
Flitwick paused for a moment, finally getting to the point:
"Since this is the first restart of the dueling club in recent years, I think many of you may not be familiar with the rules of dueling. So, let me and my assistant, Professor Snape, show you a demonstration."
As Flitwick's voice trailed off, Professor Snape stepped onto the duel ring from the other side.
"Watch our posture," Professor Flitwick instructed. He and Professor Snape each took a few steps back, then turned around to face each other, bowing slightly.
After raising their heads, both professors held their wands upright in front of their chests.
"This is the wand-holding position in a duel," Flitwick explained. "It's to show our respect for our opponents, but this only applies to a peaceful and friendly duel. If you're facing an enemy..."
Professor Flitwick sneered and added, "Don't worry about the posture. Seize the opportunity and hit them with your strongest spell!"
The students burst into laughter. Flitwick waved his hand for silence, then resumed his wand posture.
"Generally speaking, we will count to three, and then cast our spells. I reiterate that powerful magic is forbidden in campus duels, and you must not harm your opponent."
He then continued, "Now, on my count... One! Two! Three!"
As soon as he said "three," Flitwick's wand was already in motion, and Snape, not to be outdone, cast a spell as well.
"Expelliarmus!"
"Stupefy!"
The spells met in mid-air, entangling with each other. The dazzling light made the students squint, but their excited faces and cheers showed they were thrilled by the demonstration.
After exchanging a few more spells without gaining the upper hand, Flitwick and Snape stood up straight again.
"I think that's enough for the demo," Flitwick said with a shrug. "Neither Professor Snape nor I can best each other with a simple spell."
He looked at the eager students and announced, "Now it's your turn! Let's see the dueling clubs that signed up... First up, Slytherin and Gryffindor!"