Mysterious Person

"Professor, what's the situation inside the castle now?" Sean called out.

At his reminder, everyone tightened their grip on their wands.

"They're all Ashwinders! I've never seen so many in my life!" Kettleburn appeared perfectly normal, still the same rough Care of Magical Creatures professor. Yet even George and Fred could tell that something was wrong with his refusal to move from where he stood.

"Professor, could you come over and help us? A student has been injured, but Madam Pomfrey has fainted for some reason," Sean continued calmly.

If nothing unexpected happened, Professor Kettleburn would not come over...

Sure enough, Kettleburn's expression turned impatient. "I have more important matters to deal with. Leave this place quickly. I'll notify Professor Dumbledore next, and he'll come help that poor child."

Sean narrowed his eyes slightly. Kettleburn really was guarding something. That blue glow beside him was most likely it.

"Charlotte, Professor isn't acting normally..."

Charlotte nodded softly. Gripping her wand, she said in a low voice, "Fall back first and see what's going on..."

Before she could finish, Kettleburn grew even more agitated. He viciously jabbed the ground with his wooden prosthetic. "Leave!"

The group exchanged looks and slowly retreated toward the infirmary door.

"Kettleburn." Just as they reached the arched stone doorway, a cold voice of indiscernible gender rang out.

Kettleburn's beard trembled. He opened his mouth with difficulty. "I can't. They are my students."

"I'm only putting them to sleep for a while." The voice was low, laced with temptation.

"No, no..." Kettleburn shook his head in anguish.

The voice snorted coldly, as though it had lost patience.

"Go, Kettleburn!"

Then Sean and the others saw the Care of Magical Creatures professor's agonized, conflicted expression turn blank. He raised his wand and walked toward them.

"Stupefy!" A red beam shot straight at Sean.

"Protego!" Charlotte conjured a transparent barrier. The red light ricocheted away and blasted a large hole into the stone wall.

"Wingardium Leviosa." Sean hurriedly cast a Levitation Charm, pulling the unconscious Madam Pomfrey over to keep her from being hurt.

"Professor, wake up!" Charlotte dodged a spell and cried anxiously.

Having brought Madam Pomfrey and Percy outside, Sean shouted, "It's useless. He's under the Imperius Curse."

Though he had yet to see an explanation of the Imperius Curse, Kettleburn's vacant appearance was enough to identify it.

Though Kettleburn was old and missing both an arm and a leg, he was still immensely powerful.

Cedric, Charlotte, and George barely managed to hold off his assault together.

For a time, spells flew wildly through the infirmary.

Sean, meanwhile, watched the other areas with complete focus. He had no idea where the Mysterious Person controlling Kettleburn was, and he also had to guard against a possible sneak attack.

Suddenly, something was thrown from the shadows, and George immediately raised his wand.

"Reducto!"

The object exploded in midair, scattering transparent shards around them.

It was a glass bottle. Red liquid sprayed out after it shattered, releasing a strange scent.

This is bad... Sean's heart sank.

"Hissss..." The distant Ashwinders abruptly froze in place.

Then every Ashwinder nearby surged madly toward them!

Now they were really in trouble!

Sean immediately dragged the unconscious Percy and Madam Pomfrey farther back.

Ashwinders poured in endlessly from every direction. They gathered in ever-increasing numbers, and the sheer amount made Sean's scalp tingle.

There was no time to stare down each one individually.

Without further hesitation, Sean swung his wand. "Protego Diabolica!"

Bright blue flames burst from the tip of Sean's wand, enveloping and protecting the group.

The flames rose up. Though they were nowhere near as spectacular as a gas stove's flames, they firmly encircled Sean and the others.

Everyone except the expressionless Kettleburn had their attention drawn to it.

Surprise flashed through Charlotte's eyes. What spell was this? Even as a seventh-year, she had never seen it before.

But the Ashwinders had no such thoughts. Drawn together by that potion, they charged forward one after another.

The first Ashwinder turned into a cloud of ash the instant it touched the blue flames, without even letting out a hiss.

But the other Ashwinders acted as if they had not seen it. Their eyes were bloodshot, and nothing remained but violent instinct as they hurled themselves into the blue flames one after another.

However, the spell did not disappoint Sean. Though the flame barrier was only a thin layer, whether several Ashwinders piled together or leaped at it, the moment they touched the fire, they turned to ash in an instant.

"Grindelwald really is terrifying..." Sean could not help but marvel inwardly as he watched the growing pile of ashes before him.

No matter how fearless the Ashwinders were of death, not a single one could break through the ring of fire.

"Come back." The hidden voice called out.

The expressionless Kettleburn swiftly retreated to the other side of the infirmary and concealed himself from view.

Then a whispering hiss sounded out, an eerie language.

Sean's eyes widened. This is?!

He saw the Ashwinders that had been charging forward halt in unison, then slowly retreat and gather one by one in front of the ring of fire.

Sean's expression immediately darkened.

Parseltongue... Was that hidden voice Tom Riddle?!

Sean's breathing grew uncontrollably heavy.

Charlotte and the others approached with their wands raised warily. Looking at the strangely behaving Ashwinders ahead, she asked gravely, "W-what's happening?"

Sean looked awful as he said quickly, "Don't worry about it! Get inside! The flames won't hurt you!"

The possibility of Voldemort appearing directly at Hogwarts had never been part of his expectations!

"Ah..." From the other side, that androgynous voice let out a regretful sigh.

Immediately afterward, a flash of spell light appeared, and dozens of Ashwinders rapidly swelled in size before Sean's ring of fire!

"Damn!" It was the first time Sean had cursed in front of others, but no one cared about that now.

Sean's spell level was not high enough, and the flames he formed could only make a small circle. It was already crowded with several people inside, while the Ashwinders, following the instructions of Parseltongue, swiftly surrounded the entire ring of fire.

"Enjoy all this, ha..." The voice laughed with delight, then fell completely silent.

The person, who might or might not have been Voldemort, had not acted personally. That was barely good news for Sean.

However, the enlarged Ashwinders completely surrounded them. Then, they all began to tremble.

The noon chapter will be a little late. I'm back home for a banquet, and there's no computer at my hometown.

Also, please vote~