The corridor seemed to shrink.
For a moment, time itself felt frozen.
On one side stood Harry Potter.
On the other stood Lord Voldemort.
Two enemies.
Two destinies.
The battle that had been written into wizarding history was about to begin.
But this time…
History had witnesses it was never meant to have.
Albus and Scorpius stood only a few steps away.
And beside Voldemort—
Delphi held the glowing Time-Turner.
---
Harry's eyes moved carefully across the corridor.
He noticed the two unfamiliar boys immediately.
But he didn't question it.
There was no time.
His focus returned to Voldemort.
"So it ends tonight," Harry said calmly.
Voldemort's thin lips curled into a smile.
"It ended the moment you walked into this castle."
His red eyes flickered briefly toward Delphi.
A silent signal.
Delphi understood instantly.
She stepped backward slowly.
The Time-Turner began spinning in her hand.
Scorpius whispered urgently,
"She's about to change the moment!"
Albus raised his wand.
"We have to stop her!"
But Voldemort moved first.
"**Avada Kedavra!**"
A bolt of green light exploded from his wand.
Harry reacted instantly.
"**Expelliarmus!**"
Red light clashed with green.
The two spells collided in the center of the corridor.
Magic erupted like a storm.
The air crackled violently.
Walls shook.
Dust rained from the ceiling.
The legendary duel had begun.
---
The force of the clashing spells pushed everyone backward.
Scorpius grabbed the wall to stay upright.
"Okay!"
"That's terrifying!"
Albus forced himself forward through the magical shockwaves.
Delphi was still behind Voldemort.
Still holding the Time-Turner.
Still preparing to change the timeline.
If she succeeded—
Everything would be lost.
---
Harry and Voldemort circled each other slowly.
Both wizards were incredibly focused.
Harry's wand moved with sharp precision.
Voldemort's magic felt darker.
Older.
More dangerous.
Spells blasted across the corridor.
Stone pillars shattered.
Windows exploded outward.
The castle itself seemed to tremble under the power of the duel.
Scorpius shouted over the chaos,
"Albus! I have an idea!"
"What?!"
"If we destroy the Time-Turner!"
Albus immediately understood.
Without it—
Delphi couldn't change history.
He nodded.
"Good plan!"
Scorpius pointed.
"She's moving!"
---
Delphi was slowly circling the battle.
Waiting for the exact moment to interfere.
The Time-Turner glowed brighter in her hand.
She whispered softly,
"Just a few seconds more…"
Lightning flashed through the broken windows.
Outside the castle, the battle continued to rage.
Inside this corridor…
The fate of the entire wizarding world balanced on a knife's edge.
---
Harry suddenly spoke.
His voice was calm despite the chaos.
"You've lost, Tom."
Voldemort laughed coldly.
"Have I?"
He raised his wand again.
But Harry didn't attack.
Instead he spoke words that history would remember forever.
"There are things you will never understand."
Voldemort sneered.
"Love?"
Harry nodded.
"Yes."
The word echoed through the corridor.
For a moment—
Even Delphi hesitated.
---
Albus saw the opportunity.
"Scorpius!"
"Now!"
Both boys ran toward Delphi.
She turned sharply.
"You foolish children!"
She raised her wand.
"**Stupefy!**"
A blast of red light shot toward them.
Scorpius dove to the side.
The spell exploded against the wall.
Albus didn't stop.
He aimed directly at the Time-Turner.
"**Reducto!**"
The blasting curse struck the device.
The glass hourglass shattered instantly.
Light exploded outward.
Time energy burst into the air like shattered lightning.
Delphi screamed.
"No!"
---
The broken Time-Turner fell to the ground in pieces.
The spinning magic stopped.
The timeline froze.
History snapped back into its original path.
Delphi fell to her knees in shock.
"My plan…"
"Everything…"
Voldemort turned briefly.
His red eyes filled with anger.
"You have interfered."
But the duel had already reached its final moment.
Harry raised his wand.
Voldemort did the same.
Both spoke the spell at the same time.
"**Avada Kedavra!**"
"**Expelliarmus!**"
Green and red light collided once more.
But this time—
History remained unchanged.
The Elder Wand refused to harm its true master.
The killing curse rebounded.
And the Dark Lord fell.
Lord Voldemort collapsed onto the cold stone floor.
Defeated.
Just as history had always recorded.
---
Silence filled the corridor.
The war was over.
Again.
Harry lowered his wand slowly.
Around him the sounds of battle faded.
The defenders of Hogwarts had won.
But Harry's eyes now turned toward the two strange boys standing nearby.
Albus felt his heart pound.
His father was looking directly at him.
History had been saved.
But now…
They had to face the man they had been trying to protect.
---