Snape's eyebrow arched upward as his form immediately retreated. An invisible blade swept past his nose, carving a vicious gash across the ceiling.
The "Glenn" struck by the spell dissolved into black mist, rapidly coalescing toward the side. The real Glenn emerged from his Disillusionment Charm due to casting, reabsorbing the separated Obscurus back into his body.
Myriad Manifestation was a technique Glenn currently mastered from the grimoire—manipulating magical energy to separate from his body and form controllable external avatars. Though he was still deepening his study of it, using this technique to confuse and misdirect enemy attacks was perfect.
Using the Disillusionment Charm while releasing Myriad Manifestation created the illusion that "the main body remained in place," while the invisible true body could launch attacks from another direction. Unfortunately, Snape wasn't ordinary either—Glenn'sSectumsempra was successfully dodged.
But that didn't matter. Glenn hadn't really expected his sneak attack to succeed from the start. His true purpose was getting close to Snape.
"Maxima Repulso! Impedimenta!"
Facing Glenn charging toward him, Snape quickly retreated while his wand moved continuously. Knockback Jinxes, Impediment Jinxes, and other defensive spells layered upon each other as he cast them, intending to prevent Glenn from approaching.
Against someone like Glenn who was virtually flawless in close combat, as a wizard, maintaining distance was the optimal strategy. Otherwise, Snape's spells might affect himself.
Too restrictive.
Snape thought irritably, but rumbling sounds suddenly began behind him. His expression immediately changed.
Behind him, a stone wall had risen high, blocking his retreat.
Hermione had successfully predicted Snape's withdrawal direction, using Transfiguration to transform brown pellets into a thick stone wall.
After accomplishing this, Hermione naturally wouldn't idle by—she raised her hand and sent several spells toward Snape's direction.
Attacked from front and back, Snape didn't panic. He immediately changed tactics—if he couldn't dodge, he'd crush all of Hermione's spells!
Magical beams erupted, sparks exploding in brilliant displays as magic collided in the air, concealing Hermione's final spell.
The dazzling white light of an Enhanced Lumos Charm exploded before Snape's spell could hit it, forcing Snape to involuntarily close his eyes.
Simultaneously, he felt the solid ground beneath his feet suddenly soften. His feet immediately sank into the floor—Glenn's alchemy had worked.
"Transfiguro—Mire Hands!"
Glenn and Hermione's coordination needed no verbal communication. They could often discern each other's intentions while the other acted. Seeing alchemical circles emerge beneath Glenn's feet, Hermione decisively followed up with Transfiguration.
Glenn's alchemy transmuted the ground beneath Snape's feet into mire, causing Snape's feet to sink in. Hermione'sTransfiguration immediately followed, transforming the mire into hand after hand that climbed, coiled, and grasped Snape's legs.
"Alchemy—Restoration and Reinforcement."
Glenn's charging leg touched the ground. Alchemical circles blazed once more, connecting to the mire hands beneath Snape's feet, changing their material composition to re-solidify them into stone hands even more solid than the original floor, restraining Snape's movement.
He had now broken through Snape's defensive spells and was less than ten steps from the bound Snape.
"Mentis Corrosio."
Snape's expression darkened. His wand pointed downward as sickly green circles suddenly began spreading outward from his body, instantly engulfing Glenn, who was closest.
"Dark Magic!"
Professor McGonagall below immediately lost her composure, springing to her feet and preparing to rush onto the platform. Dumbledore beside her extended his hand to stop her.
"Don't worry, Minerva. Glenn and Hermione won't be defeated by this level of attack."
"Besides, the exam they're currently taking is, after all, a 'Defense Against the Dark Arts' exam."
Dumbledore remained completely calm, watching the platform that had turned entirely sickly green. The three figures had completely disappeared from view.
..................................
"Ugh."
Glenn frowned. Being too close, he couldn't dodge this wide-range spell. Snape's attack had probably consumed considerable magic—otherwise Glenn's counter-curse wouldn't have failed. So he could only endure Snape'sMental Corrosion head-on.
Countless strange, terrifying whispers echoed in Glenn's mind. The surrounding scenery was swallowed by chaos. Illusory phantoms appeared before him—gods, ghosts, fantasy creatures, or... people he had once killed. They appeared as they had before death, surrounding Glenn, making sounds he couldn't understand, showing terrifying expressions, their hollow eyes filled with hatred.
Mental Corrosion was a peculiar Dark Magic. Those cursed would experience hallucinations and mental oppression. Though these illusions couldn't cause substantial physical harm, the longer one remained immersed in them, the weaker their spirit became, until finally, they might die directly from brain death.
The only way to break this curse after being affected was to shatter all phantoms in one's mind, or receive external help.
Facing those he had killed in the past, Glenn had completely forgotten their faces, but that didn't prevent him from killing them again.
Of course, this was the optimal solution when he was alone, but Glenn currently had a teammate.
"Purifica!"
Brilliant yet infinitely warm white light almost instantly obliterated the chaos before Glenn's eyes. Ripples of warm white light spread outward. The phantoms immediately dissolved upon touching the white light, making unwilling sounds before turning to dust and dispersing.
Glenn felt his forehead cool slightly. When he opened his eyes again, the world had returned to clarity.
Somehow, Hermione had appeared before him, withdrawing the finger that had just touched Glenn's forehead.
Thanks to the purification from the holy energy within Hermione, the surrounding sickly green light was neutralized.
"Recovered. Let's continue."
Glenn nodded to Hermione. Then both leaped up, pushing forcefully against each other, using the reaction force to propel themselves in opposite directions.
The ground where they had stood was instantly covered by a thick beam of magical energy.
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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