[Third Person's PoV]
There was an uproar, loud and chaotic. Students shouted, some screamed, and a few even tried to climb over one another in panic. The Great Hall descended into pure bedlam as the news of the attack spread like wildfire.
It took several sharp explosions of bright purple firecrackers—launched from the tip of Professor Dumbledore's wand—before the noise began to die down. The booming cracks echoed through the hall, grabbing everyone's attention.
"Prefects," Dumbledore commanded in a low, authoritative rumble that carried over the now-silenced crowd, "lead your Houses back to the dormitories. Immediately."
Percy Weasley instantly sprang into action, practically glowing with purpose. "Follow me! Stay in formation! First years, stick together!" he barked, weaving through the crowd like a general at war. "No need to panic, the Golem won't harm you if you follow instructions! That's it, stay close behind! Make way, first years coming through—excuse me! I'm a prefect!"
While most students were being herded out under the watchful eyes of professors and prefects alike, Arthur saw the opportunity he needed. With the chaos providing the perfect cover, he slipped through the crowd, unnoticed. At least, unnoticed by the staff and Headmaster.
Two pairs of eyes, however, did catch sight of him.
Lance and Gwyneth, standing a good distance away, spotted Arthur's silent departure. Their eyes widened in surprise, then narrowed in unspoken agreement. They exchanged a quick glance—equal parts confusion and concern—before giving each other a firm nod. Without a word, they too slipped away from the crowd, following Arthur's path in secret.
Of course, where Arthur went, Merlin was never far behind. It didn't need to be said; she had already vanished from sight the moment the panic began.
Arthur sprinted down the empty corridor, his footsteps echoing off the stone walls. His eyes were narrowed with purpose, his brow furrowed in grim determination. In one swift motion, he flung aside his school robe, freeing up his arms, and reached into his holster by his hip to retrieve the one item he always carried with him—his Grimoire.
The ancient tome floated beside him, glowing faintly with magical energy as it opened on its own, flipping rapidly through pages before stopping on the correct spell. Arthur extended his right hand, palm forward.
A complex, glowing magic circle erupted into existence before him—an intricate design of runes and symbols forming a pattern of dazzling precision. Without hesitation, Arthur ran straight into the circle, leaping into the spell's center. The energy surged over his body like a wave of blue light.
[2nd Tier Magic: Haste]
His speed exploded, blurring his silhouette as a vivid blue aura surrounded him. His hair whipped wildly behind him, and his robes fluttered like banners in the wind. He raced forward, heart pounding, thoughts racing.
'What the hell is going on with the Golem? I spent hours preparing for a troll fight—I even memorized its weak points from the books in the library! But this… this doesn't feel right.'
As he neared the girls' bathroom—he suddenly heard it.
A bloodcurdling scream pierced through the corridor.
"AHHHH! STAY AWAY!!"
Arthur's heart skipped a beat. That voice—it was unmistakable.
'Hermione!'
His body moved before his mind could catch up. 'It doesn't matter what I'm facing. I'll fight whatever's in front of me. No matter what!!'
Without slowing down, Arthur reached into his shirt and pulled out a necklace—a chain with a tiny, intricately detailed sword charm hanging from it. With a yank, he tore the necklace from his neck, in one fluid tug.
The charm shimmered in his hand, expanding in an instant. After-images traced its form until it materialized into full size—the legendary sword Caliburn now gripped in Arthur's hand, glowing faintly with latent power.
Arthur didn't pause. He slammed the door to the girls' bathroom open and charged inside, ready to fight—and then he froze.
His eyes widened in disbelief at the scene before him.
Standing in the center of the shattered bathroom was not a troll… but a monstrous knight. Clad in obsidian-black armor that shimmered faintly with enchantments, it towered over everything. In its hands was a massive ebony blade, jagged and ominous. The knight's face was hidden behind a horned helmet, from which a single glowing red eye peered out like a burning coal.
The bathroom itself was in ruins. One of the stalls had been cleaved diagonally in half, the door lay in splinters across the tiles. Debris littered the ground.
On the cold floor near the shattered stall, sat Hermione. Her face was streaked with tears, her body trembling in fright. She stared up at the armored behemoth in absolute horror, frozen with dread.
The Knight Golem slowly raised its colossal sword, the air groaning as the obsidian blade ascended. Its blood-red eye burned brighter, locking onto the terrified girl cowering beneath it. For a single, dreadful moment, time seemed to freeze.
However Arthur was already on the move.
Without a second thought, without even a hint of hesitation, Arthur charged forward in a blur of motion. He yanked Caliburn from its sheath and flung the scabbard to the side, the gleaming blade catching the flickering light of the shattered bathroom fixtures as it spun.
Just as the Knight brought its massive sword down in a brutal arc aimed directly at Hermione, Arthur appeared between them in an instant—so fast it was like he had teleported. Metal collided with metal in an ear-splitting clang that sent sparks flying in every direction.
Arthur gritted his teeth as the force of the blow slammed into him. His boots skidded slightly across the cracked tile floor, and his arms trembled from the impact. "Urghhh… Heavy," he growled, holding his sword tightly. Their swords trembled violently against each other as power radiated from the clash.
"A-Arthur?" Hermione gasped, stunned to see him standing in front of her like a living shield.
"Hermione—MOVE!!" Arthur roared, veins bulging across his neck and temple as he struggled to hold back the titanic strength of the Knight. His voice was like a thunderclap of desperation and command.
Jolted from her frozen state, Hermione's entire body flinched. Her eyes filled with terror, and tears streamed down her cheeks. Without a second thought, she scrambled backward, sobbing as she scurried into a far corner, trying to make herself small.
Arthur caught sight of the Knight's leg shifting.
A kick.
Thinking quickly, he dropped low and rolled forward just as the Knight's foot swept through the air above him. He slid underneath the behemoth's stance with precision, grabbing his discarded scabbard along the way and reattaching it to his hip in one smooth motion. The Knight turned with surprising speed for something so massive, its red eye flaring.
But Arthur was grinning now—a wild, almost fanatical grin that made his eyes gleam. 'So this is the Golem. My first real battle…!' he thought with exhilaration.
With a metallic roar, the Golem charged forward, raising its sword and swinging with terrifying strength. Arthur met its strike head-on. Caliburn clashed with the obsidian blade in a flurry of strikes and parries, steel ringing like bells in a storm.
The sheer pressure of their duel shook the walls. Tile chipped and shattered beneath their feet. The entire bathroom was a warzone of steel and fury.
Hermione sat frozen in the corner, hands over her mouth, eyes wide with disbelief. The battle unfolding before her was beyond anything she could comprehend. Arthur—Friendly, charming Arthur—was now dueling a monster fit for nightmares.
The Knight lunged again, slashing downward. Arthur leapt back just in time as the massive sword split the floor, carving a deep, jagged groove into the tile. Chunks of porcelain and debris flew in all directions.
Arthur extended his hand, and his floating Grimoire flipped rapidly through its pages, glowing with red light. A magic circle burst to life at his palm, radiant with energy.
[2nd Tier Magic: Firebolt]
A burst of blazing energy erupted from the center of the circle, a bolt of fire roaring across the space like a comet. The Knight reacted quickly, raising its massive blade in a defensive posture. The Firebolt struck the flat of the weapon and detonated, shaking the room with a thunderous boom. The impact caused the Golem to stagger a single step back, smoke curling around its form.
It was in that instant that Lance, Gwyneth, and Merlin burst into the ruined bathroom—just in time to witness the explosion and the echo of its force vibrating through the walls.
They froze at the entrance, eyes wide, the scene before them unbelievable.
The Knight, unfazed, reached toward the wall and tore a sink free with a single hand, the pipes screeching and snapping like twigs. It hurled the porcelain wreckage toward Arthur with deadly force.
Arthur didn't flinch.
He gripped Caliburn with both hands and slashed downward in a single, clean stroke. The sink split into two halves midair, fragments scattering across the bathroom with explosive impact. The shards ricocheted across the floor, and Hermione let out a startled cry, ducking for cover.
Without wasting a second, Arthur's Grimoire shifted again, its pages glowing blue this time. A new magic circle formed in his hand, and he aimed it at Hermione.
[2nd Tier Magic: Minor Barrier]
A translucent dome of magical energy formed around her, flickering like a bubble of light. She looked up through her tear-stained eyes, feeling the sudden warmth and protection around her.
"Look out!!" Gwyneth screamed from the entrance, her voice laced with panic.
Arthur didn't even turn. He sidestepped calmly, the Knight's blade slicing through the air just inches from his face. The metal passed before his eyes in a blur, the wind of the strike brushing his skin.
His gaze remained steady. Unshaken. Cold.
His golden and blue Grimoire floated beside him like a loyal companion, radiating energy. Caliburn gleamed in his grip, held with precision and confidence.
Although the thrill of battle raced through his veins, Arthur's expression was devoid of emotion. He had trained his mind for this—Occlumency. A tool of mental discipline that helped him remain focused and in control.
Lance and Gwyneth stood dumbfounded, barely able to process what they were seeing. The towering Golem Knight. The carnage of the room. And Arthur—calm, composed, battling it as if he were born for this.
It took them several seconds just to comprehend it wasn't a dream or illusion.
But Merlin… Merlin's attention wasn't on Arthur. Her sharp eyes narrowed, fixed on the Golem itself. Her expression darkened. A chill crept up her spine.
She felt it. The magic radiating from the construct—it was familiar. Too familiar.
Her jaw clenched. Her fists tightened at her sides.
'That magic…' she thought bitterly, her eyes narrowing further. 'I recognize that presence. Morgana… This is your doing, isn't it?'
Her heart pounded as fury bubbled inside her chest.
'Even after all these years… you're still trying to kill him. You haven't let go. You still want Arthur dead…'
And now, the past was repeating itself—one spellbound monster at a time.
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