"Vera Verto!"
As the spell took effect, the ground began to shake violently!
Under Hermione's terrified gaze from the corner, the connected sinks in the middle of the bathroom rose and fell like liquid—transfiguring—until a Stone Giant nearly as large as a Mountain Troll slammed viciously into the Troll before it could react, knocking it straight out of the bathroom!
"What was that?!"
Ron's terrified cry rang out amid splintering wood.
Through the light haze of dust and debris, Damon hurried into view. Without greeting the other two beside him, he immediately cast another spell.
"Expelliarmus!"
A crackling flash shot toward the Troll's right hand holding the club, disarming it at once.
"Levitation Charm!"
Almost the instant the Troll dropped its club, it flew to Damon's side, ready for use at any moment.
What awaited the Mountain Troll next was a brutally one-sided beating—and Damon's unrestrained laughter.
"Hahahahahahaha!"
"Get up! Is that all you've got?"
"Incendio!"
"Immobulus!"
Damon waved his wand, relentlessly attacking the Troll pinned down by the Stone Giant.
Since coming to this world, this was one of the rare times he had found something truly exciting.
Hadn't one of the reasons he had spent two hard months grinding Charms and Transfiguration alone been for this very moment?
Fighting was awesome!!!
Standing at the bathroom entrance, the trio could not stop themselves from trembling all over even as mere spectators. Their eyes followed Damon's every movement without blinking, as though they were watching a celestial being!
"When did Damon become this powerful?"
Hermione watched Damon's wand-wielding figure. Even the Troll's constant wails could not make her look away.
"Merlin's beard, I'd believe you if you told me he was an adult wizard who had already graduated."
Ron's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. His mouth hung wide open, his face full of disbelief.
"I almost feel like I'm watching a sci-fi movie," Harry muttered, filled with shock and envy. "When did Damon get so far ahead of us?"
Only now did the three of them truly understand just how enormous the gap between them and Damon was.
Before such a powerful monster, Hermione had nearly been scared senseless, her entire body going limp. Ron's brain had practically shut down; without someone giving him orders, he probably could not have done anything at all.
Harry asked himself honestly: if it had been him, he might have even forgotten how to cast a spell.
"Boom!"
The sound was like a war drum as the Troll's head slammed into the wall, sending large chunks of stone flying. It was so loud that one could not help wondering whether its tiny head could withstand it.
Damon had no intention of holding back. The previously shattered Stone Giant became whole and powerful again after a second Transfiguration. Its enhanced hand partially shifted shape, seized the Troll's little head, and smashed it against the wall again and again with a bang! and another bang!
The Troll's cries gradually faded from loud, agonized shrieks to weak groans, until it was barely breathing and fell silent.
"Is it—dead?"
Hermione was the first to ask.
Ron and Harry stared cautiously at the motionless Troll on the ground, neither daring to say a word.
Before they could breathe a sigh of relief, footsteps sounded, drawing nearer—swift and forceful.
Professor McGonagall, Snape, and Quirrell entered one after another.
"Oh! Heavens!" At the sight of the wreckage, which looked as though it had been ravaged by spells, Professor McGonagall even forgot to reprimand the young wizards for their recklessness.
But when she discovered that Damon was at the center of it all, she became absolutely furious.
"Damon! What on earth do you think you're doing?!" Her voice carried a frost-cold anger, but the other two professors clearly heard the concern in McGonagall's tone, which surprised them both.
"I'm deeply disappointed in you! Why would you do something like this?!"
At that moment, she was like a lioness whose cub was in danger, every hair standing on end. Yet her face had gone deathly pale, almost entirely drained of color, as though she had experienced some terrible horror.
Damon looked into Professor McGonagall's eyes and understood what she truly meant—You have such a bright future. You had no need to take such a risk, and you should never have taken one!
"Isn't it obvious, Minerva?"
Snape cast a cold glance at Harry. Only after confirming that he had not been harmed did he continue:
"Clearly, our Duelling Prince believes himself capable of anything. Even a 4X-rated Troll means nothing to him—no, perhaps he had been looking forward to this all along, waiting for a fine opportunity to show off his knowledge and tricks."
"Looking at how ambitious he is, he does bear some resemblance to The Dark Lord. Perhaps you should hand this boy over to me and let me teach—"
"Thank you, Professor Snape, but that won't be necessary!" McGonagall looked at Snape expressionlessly. Anyone could tell that she was even less pleased than before. "Damon is a student of my House. How he should be taught is my responsibility."
"I don't think it is anyone else's place to tell me how to do my job."
"Cool, Professor McGonagall."
Damon smiled and casually cast Reparo and Scourgify.
Thus, the enormous statue returned to its original form, becoming the sinks in the middle of the bathroom once more, while the damaged surroundings repaired themselves under Damon's spell.
Although all three professors had already noticed the enormous Stone Giant, their expressions still shifted slightly when they saw Damon effortlessly reverse the Transfiguration.
"You have already mastered Transfiguration from inanimate objects to animals? Didn't you tell me last week that you were still a little short?"
"Yes, Professor, just a little short. Isn't one week enough to finish?"
Damon put away his wand and casually dusted off his hands.
Seeing his utterly nonchalant attitude, even Professor McGonagall was somewhat speechless. "So, after mastering this advanced Transfiguration, you decided you were capable of handling a Troll alone and came here?"
Just as Damon was about to speak, Hermione, who had recovered her senses, stepped forward and said:
"Sorry, Professor McGonagall—they came looking for me. I thought I could handle it alone, you know, because I'd read about Trolls in books and knew a lot about them."
"Miss Granger, Gryffindor will lose five points because of this."
"I'm very disappointed in you. If you are not hurt at all, you had better return to Gryffindor Tower at once. The students are all enjoying the Halloween feast in their Houses."
Hermione nodded. Before leaving, she turned to look at Damon. Seeing that he could still wink at her so casually, she hurried away—what had just happened had been far too intense for her, and she needed somewhere safe to rest.
"Now, let us discuss what is to be done with you, Damon!"
Professor McGonagall looked at Damon and the two little ones behind him, her expression grave.
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