Sirius Black finally struck, his spell laced with venomous intent.
At the same moment, Hodge Blackthorn sprang into action.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Two spells shot out in rapid succession, nearly simultaneous with Sirius's magic. Above Hodge's head, the shadowy dragon unfurled its wings, stepping forward and spewing tangible flames. Simultaneously, Hodge flipped his black wand, casting a silent Tunneling Charm (Note: Original spell, translated for clarity). Instantly, a dozen stone pillars erupted from the ground in front of the platform.
Spells, a dragon, and stone pillars—in the blink of an eye, Hodge had unleashed both offense and defense, giving it everything he had.
He quickly scanned his surroundings. Sirius reacted swiftly, his charge toward Voldemort veering abruptly as he instinctively ducked behind a pillar for cover. Behind him, Ron and Hermione seized the moment to drag an unconscious Harry beneath the platform, out of the line of fire. Ron peeked out from below, watching anxiously, while Hermione knelt beside Harry, alternating between healing charms and reviving spells.
Voldemort's reaction was unexpected.
In Hodge's mind, even if Voldemort had somehow taken over Quirrell's body, he shouldn't be that strong—perhaps only slightly more powerful than Quirrell had been. Hodge was confident he could have defeated the old Quirrell. But reality proved otherwise. Voldemort raised his wand unhurriedly, stepping to the side while tilting his head. All three spells missed him entirely. His crimson eyes never left them, and in a raspy voice, he hissed, "Avada Kedavra." A blinding green light pierced through the gap in the flames, staining the Boggart dragon a sickly green. The fiery creature disintegrated in an instant. Only then did Voldemort shift to defense, his body vanishing from the spot.
Fast. Too fast. Voldemort's combat style had an eerie rhythm, as if honed through countless battles. His movements were fluid, deceptively slow but blindingly quick, the stark contrast nauseating to witness.
Suddenly, Hodge's skin prickled with dread. He sensed an overwhelming danger. Voldemort was nowhere to be seen, likely lurking somewhere on the platform. Hodge didn't dare breathe, his sharp senses attuned to the faintest ripple of magic. "Get out of the way!" Sirius shouted. But Hodge didn't need the warning—he'd already sensed the terrifying threat behind him. There was no time to turn—
Crash!
The stone pillar beside Hodge shattered, but he was no longer there. Sirius, scanning the surroundings warily, spotted Hodge reappearing a dozen feet away. He gasped—Hodge had Apparated! On the other side, Hodge exhaled in relief. He hadn't expected his first attempt at Apparition to succeed, but it had just saved his life. He'd faced Voldemort before, when the Dark Lord was merely possessing Quirrell, but this was different. The icy killing intent made his blood run cold, as if his very magic was being suppressed.
But surviving that moment ignited a spark of courage in Hodge.
"Oppugno!"
It was Hermione, thrusting her wand from beneath the platform. With a loud bang, a flock of birds burst from her wand tip, flapping their wings and streaking toward Voldemort at breakneck speed. Ron, seizing his chance, cast a Stupefy from his low position, aiming for Voldemort's feet. The spell went wide, but it was enough to enrage the Dark Lord. Two vicious counterattacks followed, blasting craters into the platform's floor in front of Ron.
Ron ducked back down, not daring to show his face again. He shouted at the top of his lungs, urging others to flee. "The Dark Lord—Death Eaters! Get away, call the Ministry!" His warning wasn't in vain. The few people nearby had already noticed the battle—stone pillars didn't just appear out of nowhere, and many had seen the shadowy dragon and the green light that lit up half the sky.
Ron's cry had an effect. Two guards and a handful of older students who had started to approach stopped in their tracks, realizing the danger. The fierce clash ahead made them hesitate. At that critical moment, the old guard in the booth took action. He blew his whistle, clearing the way for the last of the panicked students to escape. As for the Muggle train station beyond the wall, now flooded with a sudden influx of students, he could do nothing about it.
"Watch your openings, stay alert!" Sirius called to Hodge, firing off spells at the reappeared Voldemort while darting between pillars to dodge attacks.
Hodge instinctively switched tactics.
"Tunneling Charm!"
"Tunneling Charm!"
"Tunneling Charm!"
Hodge shouted blindly, and soon the platform was a forest of stone pillars. He threw himself back into the fight, his mind racing for a way to break the stalemate. To his surprise, he realized Moody's combat style was best suited for the situation. Hodge's movements became sharper, more efficient. His spells weren't as rapid as before, but they hit harder. He even mimicked Voldemort, keeping his eyes locked on his opponent. For a moment, he and Sirius worked in tandem, their combined spells hammering Voldemort's silver shield with resounding clangs.
"Something's off," Sirius muttered from behind a pillar, frowning. "Voldemort's too weak." As a wizard who'd faced the Dark Lord multiple times during the war—even in chaotic group battles—he had the experience to say so.
"What?" Hodge called back. Just then, a spell splintered a pillar, its force unrelenting as it tore a gaping hole in the last carriage of the scarlet train. If it had hit Hodge, no healing would have been enough—he'd have needed a skilled Healer to piece his body back together for a decent-looking funeral.
"Expecto Patronum!"
As Voldemort shoved the stone forest aside like a child knocking over blocks, Hodge heard Harry's voice. Was he awake? His voice sounded weak, though. Glancing across the battlefield, Hodge saw no silver stag. Harry's voice persisted, "Expecto Patronum, Expecto Patronum, Expecto—Patronum!" A silver shadow charged from the corner, hurtling toward Voldemort.
An opening.
Hodge leapt from behind a pillar, his wand flashing as a heavy spell rocketed toward Voldemort. But Harry's silver stag didn't connect—Nagini, coiled around Voldemort, sprang into the air, dodging the stag's branching antlers and wrapping around its body like a rope. The corporeal Patronus struggled but couldn't break free. This was exactly what Hodge wanted. With the giant snake entangled, it couldn't escape, and better yet, it was momentarily out of Voldemort's protection.
From the sidelines, an illusory figure flickered into view, raising an ethereal wand…
It was Hodge's magical projection, prepared from the start.
"No!" Voldemort roared suddenly. He swung his wand recklessly, and the Patronus, along with the snake, was blasted away. Half of Nagini's tail tore free from its body. Blood streamed from gashes on Voldemort's—or rather, Quirrell's—cheeks, chest, and arms.
Voldemort stopped attacking. His eyes, red as though dripping blood, swept coldly over the scene. Anyone who met his gaze shuddered, only a few daring to hold it. He raised a hand, summoning Nagini back to him. In the next instant, both he and the snake vanished.
Voldemort was gone.
A minute later, a dozen figures descended from the sky, adorned with Ministry insignias. Only then did Hodge and Sirius, ever vigilant, realize they were finally safe.
Hodge lowered his wand. So this is what a real battle feels like.
————
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