fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm
Expelliarmus!
Boom!
Crash!
Protego!
Boom!
Expelliarmus!
Expelliarmus!
Blinding red streaks sliced through the air, crackling like bolts of lightning as they smashed against rocky barriers and shattered them into dust. The air slled of scorched stone and energy. Each impact echoed like thunder, sending up bursts of rubble and smoke.
Amid the chaos, a black blur streaked through the smoke — a boy dressed in a sleek, custom-fitted outfit that clung to him like armor.
He zigzagged between obstacles, sotis rolling, sotis leaping clean over waist-high boulders, moving like a shadow in motion as spells crashed and rubble flew around him. A glint of excitent danced in his eyes as he ducked under a crimson hex that struck a rock behind him, shattering it into pebbles.
The terrain stretched wide, a large stone field scattered with jagged boulders and upright slabs. The rocks were spaced too evenly to be natural. It was clearly made—by magic and by hand—and designed for controlled chaos, built to test reflexes and raw magic.
Two others crouched behind one of the larger rock formations—a girl with frizzy brown hair and a lanky redheaded boy. Both looked to be around the sa age, and they were the ones firing spell after spell at the boy up ahead.
"Ronald!" snapped the girl at the redhead while ducking back as a fist-sized chunk of rock whistled over her head. "If you still can’t fire a proper Disarming Spell, then get creative! Use the Levitation Charm and start chucking rocks at him!"
Weasley groaned but nodded anyway. Who told him to be the dead last in their trio?
He wiped the sweat from his brow and asked, "Where’s he?"
"There!" Granger pointed sharply without even glancing. Her wand lit up at the sa ti, ready to blast another bolt of red at her prey.
The boy doing all the dodging was obviously Harry Potter. And right now, the trio was in the middle of a simulated training exercise under Maverick’s close supervision.
Hovering over the obstacle-filled space, watching their actions closely, he observed the progress the three had made over the past few months. Needless to say, they had improved by leaps and bounds — even the redhead, Weasley, was no exception.
He hadn’t taught them many spells — just the Disarming Charm and the Shield Charm, a solid mix of offense and defense for now. Neither spell was particularly difficult, and even Ron managed to pull them off every now and then.
That wasn’t ant to belittle him — it was a genuine complint. Maverick had only introduced the core principles just before the Christmas holidays, and it had barely been three weeks since then. They had grasped everything on their own.
As for Hermione, the little witch was truly a monster when it ca to learning — her proficiency in those spells had already reached the interdiate level.
The exercise the three of them—Harry, Ron, and Hermione—were doing was basically a ga of cat and mouse. Harry was the one dodging and running, while Hermione and Ron tried to catch him.
Was it unfair? No. Harry had started training with Maverick much earlier and was far better than them in skill and reaction. He was not at a disadvantage at all. Even judging by the expression on his face, he was always one step ahead—whether dodging or conjuring a shield.
The objective for him was only to dodge and defend. Since he was clearly better than them in spellfire, he was exercising control, restraint, prediction, and endurance.
Boom!
Booom!
Another tremor shook the field as Ron, following Hermione’s advice, levitated a hefty stone and hurled it at Harry — only for it to miss by a fraction as Harry flipped sideways, rolled, and sprang up behind a tall slab.
The chase continued for another half hour. Spells flew. Rocks shattered. Sweat soaked their clothes. But still, Harry danced out of reach.
At last, Maverick raised a hand, and the air rippled.
"Enough!"
The three froze. Silence fell, broken only by heavy breathing and the distant crackle of settling dust.
Harry straightened, sweat shining on his brow, chest heaving but proud. Ron collapsed backwards on the ground, arms spread. Hermione dropped to a knee, grinning and gasping for breath.
Maverick descended slowly to the rocky ground.
"Good," he said, surveying them all. "Good job, all three of you."
His eyes settled on Harry.
"Especially you, Potter. Your movent skills has improved significantly." Then he looked between Hermione and Ron, and a faint smile tugged his lips. "And excellent teamwork from both of you."
He clapped once, and the training field began to dissolve—rocks slowly sinking into the ground as if swallowed by the earth. They weren’t outside on any real terrain, but inside the Room of Requirent, which had conjured the entire field according to his wish.
"Get so rest," Maverick said. "For the next few days until term begins, no more practical training. Read the books I gave you, and let your bodies cool down."
"Professor, are you staying at school until term starts?" Hermione asked while flicking her wand to cast a cleansing charm over herself.
"No," Maverick replied. "I only ca to check on your practice... and to take care of a personal matter. I’ll only be back once term begins."
Saying that, he pointed his finger and gave a flick toward Potter and Weasley. A cleansing spell—just like the one Hermione had used on herself—swept over the two as well, wiping away the sweat and gri from their clothes.
"Uh... thank you, Professor."
"Wicked. Thanks, Professor."
Both boys gave him wry, grateful smiles.
"Potter, you stay," Maverick said with a nod. "I’ve got sothing to discuss with you privately."
He then glanced at Weasley and Granger. "Make sure to go through the books, and... I’ll see you when term starts."
Harry nodded, while Ron and Hermione, after exchanging a glance, did as instructed and left the Room of Requirent—though not without a hint of envy in their eyes.
Maverick noticed, of course, but he didn’t bother to explain.
Once they were alone, Harry asked curiously. "Professor, what is it?"
"Just want to test sothing," Maverick said, then flicked his finger toward the side of the room.
Serpensortia!
A serpent-summoning hex shot forward, and a massive python—easily over ten feet long—materialized in the open space where the spell struck the floor. Its thick coils rippled as it raised its head, scanning the room with confusion.
Where am I? Who am I? It had been monts away from pouncing on a juicy-looking boar cub...
It quickly scanned the area with its golden eyes before settling on the two bipeds—one tall, watching calmly, the other small, staring in disbelief.
Hmmm... can I eat the little one?
"Harry," Maverick said, breaking him out of his frozen stupor.
"Ye-yes... professor."
"Try talking to it."
Harry blinked, bewildered by the strange instruction.
"Talk? Professor... you want to, ’speak,’ to it?"
"Yes. Speak."
anwhile, the snake continued eyeing them both, lifting its head higher, curious and contemplating whether to strike.
Then it saw the smaller one take a hesitant step forward and—
?$^@
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