Lucian and Aurelius exchanged a quick glance. They didn't need words to understand what was coming next.
"Time to make some noise," Lucian said with a malicious grin.
He raised his wand and cast,
[Lumos Maxima!]
The burst of light blinded the corridor for a few seconds. Before the Slytherins could react, a [Bombarda!]against the wall sent shards of stone flying and a thunderous boom echoing through the space.
"Now, Mavis !" Aurelius shouted.
Mavis moved like an arrow. She dodged a [Flipendo], cast a precise [Expelliarmus]at the Slytherin closest to the prisoner, and rushed to the chair. The girl was tied with thick ropes and a containment spell. Mavis muttered a [Finite Incantatem], breaking the magic, and began untying the ropes with her hands.
"Stay calm, we're getting you out of here," she said firmly, keeping her back to protect her.
"Awwnn, come on, this is the most fun I've had in years!" the strange little witch replied in a downcast tone.
Meanwhile, Aurelius and Lucian held the front line. Simple spells cut through the air on both sides,[Rictusempra], [Expelliarmus],[Flipendo]—colliding in flashes of light. The Slytherins, however, used heavier magic. A wave of flames advanced along the ground, forcing Aurelius to counter with,
[Aguamenti!]
Lucian had to roll aside when a cutting spell passed close enough to slice his sleeve. He responded with a [Petrificus Totalus], dropping one enemy, but two more were already advancing.
The tension grew with each passing second. Marcus Flint, larger and more imposing than the others, walked slowly toward Aurelius, blocking every spell thrown at him.
Rage and hatred bubbled inside Flint—years of prejudice and supremacy crushed by a mere first-year student. He couldn't let this pass. He wouldn't let this pass.
"You think you're brave, Gryffindor?" he said with disdain. "Let's see if you still feel that way after this."
The cruel gleam in his eyes revealed the gravity of what was coming.
[Crucio!]
The red beam shot forth at high speed. Aurelius reacted at the last instant, pulling a nearby table with magic and raising it in front of him. The impact made the wood shudder, burn, and crack, but it held.
The table crashed to the floor, still smoking. Aurelius was breathing hard, but he didn't step back. His eyes locked on Marcus, and his voice came out low, sharp as a blade.
"That was a mistake."
The Cruciatus beam had barely faded when Aurelius lifted his head. His eyes, once bright with the adrenaline of battle, were now cold as steel. The change was so sudden that Marcus Flint hesitated for a moment—and that moment was enough for years of training with Reginald Gryffindor to surge forth.
"You shouldn't have done that," Aurelius said, his voice low and cutting.
In one fluid, almost elegant movement, he spun his wand. The first spell shot like a bullet:
[Confringo!]
The explosion struck the ground before Flint, forcing him to step back. Without pause, others followed in deadly precision:
[Expulso!] against Flint's shield, [Bombarda Maxima!] to shatter the defense, followed by a [Diffindo!] that tore the air inches from his shoulder.
The spells came in waves, each faster than the last, and Flint, caught off guard, struggled just to keep up. He managed to raise shields, but they were destroyed almost as soon as they were formed.
"This isn't possible…" Flint growled, retreating step by step.
Lucian, still exchanging spells with one of the last remaining Slytherins before dropping him, paused for a moment to look. His expression was a mix of surprise and awe.
"For Merlin's sake…"
Mavis, keeping the girl behind her, also watched. Her eyes widened at the way Aurelius moved—none of the clumsy, unsteady motions of a first-year. His gestures were firm, measured, almost artistic, yet every stroke carried contained violence. It was like watching a painting come alive to destroy everything in its path.
Aurelius gave no room to breathe. Every time Flint blocked a spell, another came from a different angle, forcing him to yield ground. A [Bombarda] against the wall sent dust raining down; a[Reducto] nearly tore the shield from Flint's hand; an[Expulso] made him stumble back.
Flint knew he was losing. His companions were on the ground—disarmed, petrified, or unconscious—and he was the only one left standing. And before him was a first-year boy casting spells with the mastery and coldness of a veteran duelist.
Aurelius stepped forward, the tip of his wand still glowing with energy.
"It's over."
[Stupefy!]
With a thud, Flint collapsed to the floor unconscious.
The silence that followed was heavy, broken only by the rapid breathing of the three friends and the rescued girl.
Lucian let out a low whistle, impressed.
"Remind me never to be on the opposite side of you in a fight."
"Hehehe, you should see my grandfather—these idiots would be drooling on the ground before they even blinked," Aurelius said, turning toward his friends.
But when he turned, he didn't just see them. Standing in the greenhouse entrance were Professors Minerva McGonagall, Filius Flitwick, Pomona Sprout, Severus Snape, and Headmaster Dumbledore.
All wore shocked expressions, except Snape, who alternated between disdain and anger, and Dumbledore, who kept a serene, curious look.
"For Merlin's sake, can someone please tell me what is going on here ?!" Professor McGonagall shouted furiously.
Hearing her voice, Lucian, Mavis, and the rescued girl looked toward the entrance, their expressions shifting from relief to concern.
"Damn it," Aurelius sighed, lowering his head in defeat.