A dragon. Not the young, manageable dragons from the Triwizard Tournament in the movies. This was a Great Dragon—an elder wyrm. Massive, destructive, and sitting at the absolute pinnacle of its species.
Dragons, especially the ancient ones, have a notorious love for shiny things. Where a dragon nests, a treasure trove is sure to follow.
Money was something the four friends were desperately short on for their school-building project. If they could drive this dragon away, the funds needed to purchase magical materials for the castle would no longer be a worry.
The moment Godric Gryffindor heard the word "dragon," his eyes lit up.
His first thought wasn't about the dragon's power, but about the glittering mountain of gold it must be hoarding.
"What's with that gleam in your eyes?"
Rowena Ravenclaw shot a cool glance at the visibly excited Godric. Her meaning was clear.
They were close friends. Sometimes, a single look was enough to read each other's minds.
"We slay the dragon, of course! Don't you think wizards of our caliber should achieve something even more legendary?"
Godric Gryffindor spoke with passion. True to his reputation, his charisma was magnetic. His rousing words stirred the blood, making the others feel a surge of excitement.
It was true. The four of them were renowned wizards, arguably the strongest in the world. An ordinary dragon would be child's play for them. After Godric's pep talk, even the idea of challenging an elder dragon seemed appealing.
"Godric. That is a black dragon."
Seeing his friends getting swept up in the excitement, the ever-rational Salazar Slytherin immediately threw a bucket of ice water on them. He emphasized two words: black and dragon.
Black dragons were known to be the most ferocious and intelligent of all dragonkind. And this was an ancient one—a creature that had likely existed for centuries, if not millennia.
"I know. If it weren't the king of black dragons, there wouldn't be any point in challenging it, would there?"
Godric Gryffindor replied matter-of-factly, as if fighting anything less than the apex predator would be boring.
"If we're going to do this, we need to be fully prepared," Rowena Ravenclaw chimed in, tacitly agreeing with Godric.
She was a woman of wisdom. Before taking any action, she always ensured every variable was accounted for.
---
While the four greatest wizards in history plotted to take down a black dragon, Rey stood outside, pondering how to deal with the titled wizard in front of him: Terence Barrow.
When Rey first heard the name of this fifteen-year-old boy, he misheard "Terence" as "Telunsu" (a brand of luxury milk in Rey's original world). He immediately thought of the famous slogan: Not all milk is called Telunsu.
Terence, Telunsu. One letter difference, but both equally haughty.
Terence Barrow. Salazar Slytherin's disciple. A young, pure-blood aristocratic wizard.
Standing before Rey, everything from his hairstyle to his clothes screamed "impeccable noble." Everything, that is, except for the wand he was pointing directly at Rey's face.
"Before a duel, both parties should bow and state their names," Terence Barrow said, staring unblinkingly at Rey, who was a head shorter than him.
Rey was utterly baffled. He had just finished the dinner Helena Ravenclaw brought him and walked out of his tent, only to be stopped by Terence demanding a duel.
What was happening? Rey's brain was still in a food coma. He had no idea how he had offended this Slytherin noble he was meeting for the first time.
"Um... excuse me, but why do you want to duel me?"
The guy was dead serious about dueling. This wasn't a joke.
Yet, here was Rey, asking for the reason like an idiot.
This was an insult!
Terence Barrow's chest heaved with rage. But no matter how angry he got, the fact remained: Rey genuinely didn't know why they were fighting.
"Boring!"
A melodious voice interrupted the standoff. The beautiful Helena Ravenclaw walked out of the tent carrying Rey's empty dinner plate, saw the two boys in their dueling stances, dropped the one-word critique, and walked away.
"Helena..."
Terence called out, but Helena didn't look back. Terence turned his gaze back to Rey, and this time, his eyes were spitting fire.
---
Oh, shit.
Rey screamed internally. He understood instantly. But he was surprised—Helena was still just a girl. Yet this fifteen-year-old boy was already head over heels for her, possessive to the point of madness. He couldn't even tolerate her delivering a meal. This jealousy was intense.
Surprise aside, Rey went on guard. His right hand gripped the wand hidden in his sleeve. If Terence made a move, Rey would strike.
"Look, please listen to me calmly..." Now that Rey understood the situation, there was no need for this pointless duel.
"Stupefy—"
Helena had ignored Terence, so Terence exploded. He started the incantation, aiming his wand at Rey's chest.
"Expelliarmus!"
But Rey was ready. Before Terence could finish, Rey's wand flashed. Terence only got two syllables out before his wand was ripped from his hand.
Tense, thrilling, and incredibly satisfying.
Of course, that feeling was reserved for the winner. Tasting victory, Rey suddenly understood why Godric Gryffindor was such a duel fanatic.
Victorious, Rey kept his wand trained on Terence and walked up to him.
Although Terence was defiant, he was disarmed. He had lost. His imposing aura deflated.
"You like Helena?" Rey asked with a smile as he got close. He intended to teach this hot-headed boy how to properly woo a girl.
"Don't you dare say her name!"
Terence roared, his anger surging back. If not for the wand pointed at his chest, he probably would have tackled the smaller Rey and beaten him into the dirt.
Being shouted at—with spit flying, no less—made Rey's face go cold.
He had intended to have a reasonable chat, but clearly, talking was off the table.
"Let me tell you something. I have nothing to do with Helena, and I have zero interest in her. Believe it or not."
Rey dropped the cold statement and walked away, ignoring the raging, lovestruck noble boar behind him.
"Terence Barrow. A noble, huh? Damn it, Sir Barrow, where are your manners?"
Back in his tent, Rey wiped the spit off his face, his mood ruined. He cursed out loud.
But as soon as the words left his mouth, he froze.
"What did I just say?"
"Sir Barrow!"
"Sir... Barrow... The Baron!"
Rey's mind raced. Could that angry, jealous noble boy be the Bloody Baron who had terrified him multiple times?
"Yes. It has to be. Who else fits the profile of a noble baron with such an obsessive fixation on Helena?"
"I didn't realize the Bloody Baron had such a terrible temper when he was young. No wonder Helena rejected him. With that kind of violent temper, I'd reject him too if I were her."
Realizing Terence Barrow was the Bloody Baron, Rey muttered to himself, shaking his head.
But just then, Helena Ravenclaw's voice came from behind him.
"Oh? If you were me, whose proposal were you planning to reject?"
---