At that moment, Hermione issued an order over the communicator that baffled everyone, including most of the vanguard team.
"End the magical feint! Activate Plan B! Neville! It's up to you!"
The order was like a pebble tossed into a stagnant pool, sending ripples of confusion through every spectator's mind.
The students watching stopped jeering and exchanged blank looks.
Plan B? They had a Plan B?
Atop the Astronomy Tower, Snape's sneer froze on his lips. He snorted under his breath:
"Just the last desperate struggle of those who've run out of tricks."
Douglas set his teacup on the stone wall and leaned forward slightly, a flicker of intense interest that no one understood passing through his eyes.
Meanwhile, inside Marauders Power's command tent, Fred and George frowned in unison.
"Plan B?"
George stared at the energy readings on the Crystal Screen, as flat as stagnant water.
"Our data shows their morale has collapsed. There aren't any new magical fluctuations. This looks more like surrender."
Neville Longbottom stepped forward.
He put away his wand and replaced it with an ancient, unadorned longsword that glimmered in the morning light.
That single movement brought everyone's confusion to its peak.
"Merlin's beard!"
A Hufflepuff student cried out involuntarily.
"He pulled out a sword! Does he mean to hack through an invisible Magic Array with it?"
Laughter erupted through the crowd again, but this time it carried a trace of bewilderment at the absurdity.
Neville ignored every sound. He drew a deep breath and barked:
"Swiftwind Sword Club, form up!"
The other sword club members quickly formed a peculiar diamond-shaped sword formation around him.
Their movements were perfectly synchronized, every step landing on the same beat.
As the formation took shape, the earlier comical atmosphere of people being toyed with by pranks vanished in