The Hall Descended into Chaos

"Lupin!" Snape's usually glum face, as if his wife had just died, suddenly came alive.

He drew his wand and strode forward with resolve.

"Stop!" Goblin Pedro roared. He glared coldly at Snape. "This is the private territory of Pedro's infirmary. No one kills anyone here! If you want a duel, wait until he leaves."

Snape's gloomy eyes flickered, as if he'd recalled something unpleasant. He shoved Pedro aside and walked in without a care.

Poor Pedro was only four feet tall. Snape pushed him aside by the head, and he stumbled, looking utterly disheveled under Anton's bemused gaze.

"I'll kill you!"

Pedro roared. With a bang, he vanished in a flash and appeared in front of Snape.

His flushed face was clearly furious. "Get out!"

But he was too short, and could only stare at Snape's stomach. Snape ignored him completely, fixing his gaze on the pale face before him. "Lupin!"

His wand slashed through the air. "Sectumsempra!"

Boom!

A massive shield covered in Magic Runes fell from above, smashing through the wooden floorboards as it landed in front of Lupin and deflected Snape's spell.

Pedro snapped his fingers, and the machine emitting light in the corner of the hall whirred into action.

In an instant, he grew to a towering six and a half feet. His thick fingers were like a Dragon's toes, and Magical Power surged around him. "I'll warn you one last time, Snape. Get out!"

Pedro's eyes were full of wariness, but he still didn't attack Snape first.

It wasn't because he had principles. Back when the Dark Lord was wreaking havoc, Snape's reputation in the Land of Chaos had reached its peak.

Although he later refused to admit that he'd been the masked Dark Lord's most trusted servant, the Dark Wizards and Sentient Beings of the Land of Chaos all knew the truth. It had been Snape!

Everyone feared him!

The man had no principles whatsoever. He'd killed White Wizards for the Dark Lord, and even killed Dark Wizards, too.

They were his own people! How could he be so utterly merciless?

"Lupin has to die today. If you try to stop me..." Snape's icy gaze swept over the Goblin. "Master Pedro, then I'll have to be rude."

"Not a chance!" Pedro stood like a hero, holding the pass against a thousand. He raised a massive shield in one hand, while Magic Runes appeared all around his other. "If you want to kill my patient, you'll have to step over my corpse first!"

In the corner of the hall.

The Old Wizard cackled softly. "Pedro has no choice. He signed an Unbreakable Vow with you. If Lupin dies, he's finished, too."

Anton pressed his lips together, watching the two face off. "Teacher, do you think my Shield Charm can withstand his Sectumsempra?"

The Old Wizard jolted in alarm.

"Are you crazy? I thought you'd secretly learned so much by following me around. You're so clever, so why can't you read the situation?"

Anton shook his head. "There are things one should do, and things one shouldn't."

The Old Wizard didn't understand the saying in English, but he still watched Anton anxiously and pleaded with him. "Stop acting crazy! That's Snape!"

"You're just a Young Wizard! You've barely learned anything. What the hell do you know?"

Boom!

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

The battle began in an instant. Spell light flashed as one fighter seethed with killing intent and the other had no way back. They went straight for the most vicious spells.

Before long, the room was covered in damage.

Everything in the room, expanded by the Undetectable Extension Charm, was shaking.

It was like a bubble on the verge of bursting.

"Protego!"

Anton cast two Shield Charms in quick succession, protecting himself and Anna.

Spells exploded nearby. Furniture fragments flew everywhere, striking the Shield Charm and sending ripples across it.

He watched the fierce battle calmly, then suddenly pointed his wand at a wooden floorboard. "Protego!"

Snape's Sectumsempra flew over and hit the pale blue shield around the floorboard. With a soft pop, the Shield Charm shattered and faded.

But!

The floorboard was completely unharmed!

It could be defended!

Anton perked up at once, his mind racing as he tried to figure out how to turn things around.

Just then, Lupin let out a bloodcurdling howl. Thick wolf fur sprouted across his body, his legs stretched longer and longer, and his head began to change shape.

Something stirred in Anton's arms. Anna had woken up at some point. She wriggled free and dashed desperately toward the passage on the other side of the hall.

The Old Wizard stared at Anton, who looked ready to spring into action. Finally, he went mad, drifting and bobbing among the spells flying through the air. "Hahaha! There's no hope for me! The little bastard's going to die for sure. He was my last hope. It's over, it's over. You might as well die, too. Come keep me company! Come on, keep me company!"

The hall descended into chaos.

At that moment, Anton wished he had a spell that could calm people down. He'd have cast it on everyone in the hall.

What the hell was wrong with them?

Pedro had gone berserk. His eyes were bloodshot as he roared, "Fight for the Goblins! You human butchers! You killed my parents, my family, and so many of my people! I'll kill every last one of you!"

Goblin Charms were different from Wizard Charms, with their own distinct style.

A Purple-skinned Goblin who looked like a robot appeared behind him. It had five heads and ten arms, each holding a massive longbow. Arrows made of Magic Runes and Magical Power flew out, attacking everyone indiscriminately.

The Old Wizard, who was invincible, would suddenly swoop in front of the Goblin to make faces, then dart in front of Snape, making him shiver with cold and get hit by an arrow.

Snape flung out a spell, and a hazy yellow light appeared. The Old Wizard shrieked and fled far away.

He once again joined the Goblin in battle.

After his Werewolf Transformation, Lupin had incredible resistance to Charms. The spells only scratched his skin, leaving tiny trails of blood. Like a Beast, he tore frantically at the gelatinous cage and roared.

The machine that had spewed out the gelatinous substance had been hit by Sectumsempra. Smoke now poured from it, and it clearly wouldn't last much longer.

Anton and Anna weren't nearly so lucky.

One arrow struck, and the Shield Charm shook as if it were about to break.

Before the second arrow could hit, a stray spell from Snape came flying their way.

"Damn it! Protego!"

Anton gritted his teeth and raced toward Anna. In this situation, he couldn't help anyone else. The only thing he could do was protect the little girl from getting killed.

The entire house let out a shrill cry, twisting and shaking violently.

At last, Anton grabbed Anna's hand. "Have you gone crazy?"

Anna's face was resolute. "The Time-Turner. I can't let it be destroyed!"

"Is it really that important?"

Anna gritted her teeth and looked at Anton seriously. "It's more important than my life!"

Anton let out a deep breath. "Let's go!"

The two of them dashed into the workshop. Cracks in the Magic Runes had appeared across every wall. Wooden and stone fragments flew everywhere, and Anton had to keep casting Shield Charms on himself and Anna.

After casting it so many times, he felt as if his head were about to split open.

The floor had already broken apart. Some sections had buckled up, while others had collapsed into pitch-black holes.

Anna stumbled over to a nearby rack, pulled down a Suitcase, opened it, and strained to drag the enormous eight-meter-tall machine.

It wouldn't budge.

"No, no!" Anna tugged at it with all her might, her tiny body straining. She was on the verge of tears.

She looked up at Anton with pleading eyes full of despair. "Please, help me!"

Anton felt needle-like pains stabbing through his head. He shook it hard and pulled Anna away.

"No! It absolutely can't break!" Anna screamed as Anton pressed her forcefully against his chest.

"Protego."

At least now Anton only had to cast one Shield Charm, which made things a tiny bit easier.

He waved his wand again. "Wingardium Leviosa."

Anton grunted. It felt as if his head were about to explode.

He laboriously moved his wand, and the massive eight-meter machine sank into the Suitcase. With a flick of his wand, the Suitcase closed and flew over to him.

Anna quickly spread her arms and hugged it tightly.

"Thank you!" Anna excitedly kissed Anton on the cheek.

"!!!"