Whoosh!
Accompanied by a sharp whistle, the longsword seemed as though someone had pressed rewind, suddenly snapping back into his hand.
George struck at the same moment, but he was just a fraction too late to catch the blade.
He clenched his fist hard, feeling nothing but empty air in his grasp, and a tinge of regret rose within him.
If he had caught the blade just then, Neville's Summoning Charm would instead have become his aid, helping him instantly close the distance and reach Neville.
Neville took a deep breath, his feet never stopping as he continually used the Obstacle Curse to create footholds, running swiftly through the air.
At the same time, he alternated between the Repelling Charm and Accio. The longsword seemed to possess a life force of its own as it darted and wheeled above the swamp, launching surprise attacks at George from every tricky angle.
The tide of battle had turned once more, and now it was George who had been caught off guard.
Neville had not mastered the Silent Summoning Charm and had to recite the incantation each time he summoned the longsword back to his hand.
Yet those repeated incantations only put even more pressure on George.
George's original plan had been to use three Portable Swamps to restrict Neville's movements, then use the close-range advantage of the magical armor to suppress him.
But he had never expected Neville to be holding back, concealing a Summoning Charm and an Obstacle Curse. By using the swamp as a barrier, Neville had returned the battle to its initial state—the rhythm he was most comfortable with.
The bog that had originally been meant to trap Neville had now become a shackle beneath George's feet.
It made it difficult for him to cross the swamp and launch