I Am the Real Backup Plan

A loud clicking sound came from the bushes nearby. A moment later, several ugly, hairy spiders with long legs, large claws, and eight eyes rushed out of the woods into the three people's sight.

"Wizards!" The Acromantula stared at the three humans before them, excitedly moving their large pincers and making sounds that were difficult to discern.

"Kill them."

"Eat them."

Albert saw fear in Isobel's eyes. Although the girl still appeared fearless, she was afraid of becoming food for these monsters.

Compared to Isobel, Rowena Smith seemed far more excited, completely gripped by a morbid frenzy, having refrained from killing them with his own hands all this time, waiting for this moment.

Rowena Smith intends to feed Albert and Isobel, the two candidates, to the Acromantula as revenge against the Wildsmith Family.

Seeing its prey right in front of it, the Acromantula could no longer contain its rage and hatred and charged towards the three wizards, ready to tear them to pieces.

"I hate giant spiders!"

Albert muttered, ripped the amulet from his waist, and swung it at the charging Acromantula. The poor spider bounced back like it had hit a wall, crashing heavily to the ground.

"Huh, you even have magical items." Rowena Smith stared at Albert again and sneered, "Looks like you have quite a few amulets hidden on you. But they can't save you."

"I know, I didn't expect this thing to save us." Albert released the amulet, letting it fall directly into the rotten soil, and strode towards Isobel, muttering to himself, "I just wanted to do something before I die, so I wouldn't have any regrets."

"Do something?" Rowena Smith brandished her wand, repelling the charging Acromantula, and scoffed, "Your dying words?"

Albert ignored him, stared into Isobel's eyes, and said earnestly, "Be my girlfriend!"

The surroundings fell into a deathly silence.

"Interesting, very interesting!" Rowena Smith scrutinized the two with a critical eye, finding the scene quite comical. He prepared to continue watching and waved his wand to repel the Acromantula that pounced on them.

"Actually, you guys are really unlucky," Rowena Smith suddenly said. "Originally, I didn't intend to kill you. I just wanted the Werewolf to bite you and turn you into Werewolf. Those old guys would probably be furious if they knew their candidates had turned into Werewolf! Unfortunately, those two Werewolf managed to break free of my Imperius Curse and escape."

"No, I think I'm lucky. At least I don't have to become Werewolf," Albert said calmly. "I'd rather die than become Werewolf."

"Isn't it good to be alive?"

"Of course it's good, but you won't let me live."

"Yes, blame the Wildsmith Family!" Rowena Smith said with an apologetic expression. "It is said that when Werewolf and Werewolf mate under Full Moon, they will give birth to a wolf with intelligence. If it weren't for that accident, we might have had the chance to witness the truth of this matter."

"Your perverse sense of humor is disgusting!" Isobel glanced at Rowena Smith with disgust, then stared back into Albert's eyes, pondering the meaning the other was conveying to him.

"So that's why you gave us so much information about Werewolf," Albert suddenly said, "Just to see our terrified expressions?"

"Anyway, those Werewolf deserved to die, so it's good to make use of them." Albert was disgusted by Rowena Smith's ugly face. "At least you can continue to live. Unfortunately, they escaped, so I can only feed you to the spiders."

"I heard you're keen on hunting down Werewolf. Are you afraid your plot will be exposed?" Albert sneered.

"Alright, enough nonsense, those big guys are itching to get started. You have thirty seconds left, thank my mercy!" Rowena Smith said, and then started a countdown.

"You hunted those Acromantula, deliberately provoking them, just for this?" Albert murmured, ignoring the countdown. "It makes perfect sense that two Hogwarts students who trespassed into the Forbidden Forest were unfortunately killed by the crazed Acromantula."

"Yes, you're smart. But I'm curious, what drove you to do something so stupid? Do you think you can beat me?" Rowena Smith wasn't angry that Albert ignored them, and continued the countdown, "Twenty seconds left!"

"Be my girlfriend!" Albert repeated.

"Mmm!" Isobel responded, though she didn't know what Albert wanted to do, she was prepared to do as he instructed. She cupped Albert's head in her hands, kissed him, and, without Rowena Smith noticing, plugged Albert's ear with her index finger.

Albert also reached out and put his arm around Isobel's waist.

"It's so touching, I almost felt sorry for you." Rowena Smith continued the countdown, "Only ten seconds left, cherish these last moments!"

Rowena Smith suddenly shut his mouth and squinted as he saw Albert pull a long, cylindrical object out of his pocket.

"Don't struggle in vain." He raised his wand and pointed it at Albert. "Throw that thing away."

The cylindrical metal object slipped from Albert's hand and fell onto the decaying leaves, suddenly emitting an incredibly eerie sound.

In the instant before Rowena Smith collapsed, in his distorted vision, he saw the two people who had been standing there... appearing in his Apparition!

This... is impossible!

These were the last thoughts lingering in Rowena Smith's mind: he had actually been tricked by... that brat.

The wizard, who had been so arrogant just moments before, collapsed without warning, and the strange sound still echoed in the Forbidden Forest.

The Acromantula, which had been keeping a close watch on the three from the outside, was also affected and swayed, almost falling to the ground.

The strange sound didn't last long; a hand picked up the Banshee's Howl that had fallen to the ground.

The owner of this hand was none other than Albert Anderson, who had just Apparition.

Beside him, Isobel, also wearing Earplugs, was using the Imperius Curse to control the giant Acromantula. Although these creatures were suppressed by the Banshee's Howl, they were not completely unconscious; their evil, Dark Creatures allowed them to resist the curse of the Banshee's Howl.

"It seems you have lost, Professor Smith."

After Albert had completely taken control of the situation in Isobel, he shut down the Banshee's Howl, put the Dark Magic Item back in his pocket, and slowly walked up to Rowena Smith. Smiling, he said to the unconscious wizard, "From the very beginning, you had already lost!"

I am Albert Anderson's backup plan!