The Magical Extraction Charm

Standing beside the tank, Professor Tywin tapped the glass with his wand.

"Repelling a Grindylow is simple. Don't let it grab you, and use the Extraction Charm.

"But take note: you must understand that this spell requires a firm will to succeed."

"Oh, Mr. Wolf, don't look at me like that," Professor Tywin said in a whisper. "Confidence is something you certainly have.

"Slytherin and Ravenclaw are, I dare say, the finest houses at Hogwarts. Many outstanding wizards have come from these two houses."

Most of the Slytherin students wore smug smiles.

Professor Tywin continued, "And if you fail, there's no need to be afraid. With me here, what is there to fear?"

"Come, let's first say the Extraction Charm without our wands. Repeat after me... Hassak!"

"Hassak!" the whole class said in unison.

"Good," said Professor Tywin. "Very good. But I'm afraid that was only the easiest part. You know, simply saying the incantation isn't enough.

"This is up to you, Judy."

Judy Crouch walked forward trembling, not from fear, but from excitement.

Tywin stood beside Judy, and she could smell a pungent perfume.

The tank shook again, and a faint growl came from inside.

Holding his ebony wand, Tywin asked softly, "Now, Judy, are you afraid?"

The girl shook her head, her face flushed bright red. From a distance, her freckled face looked like a spoiled dragon fruit.

Professor Tywin said, "Then I'll open the tank."

Judy's hands trembled, and she began to feel afraid.

But she didn't back down. After all, the professor was standing beside her.

A beam of green light shot from the ebony wand. The tank made a snap, and the cover on top opened automatically.

Green horns appeared first. A sickly green creature pressed its face against the glass, making faces as it repeatedly flexed its long, thin claws.

The Grindylow slowly emerged from the water. It had a bulbous head and hideously ugly little arms like octopus tentacles.

It let out a snarl, its mouth reeking of rot. Its densely packed, sharp yellow teeth looked like a row of painted steel needles.

William's roommate Marcus Belby trembled all over, his face flushed and his eyes wide and round. He looked as though he had come up with some bold idea.

Judy Crouch seemed scared silly. She stood rooted to the spot, unable to move.

Professor Tywin said gently, "Judy, don't be afraid. I'm here. Hold your wand steady!"

At the professor's words, Judy seemed to summon her courage. She raised her wand, but was too tongue-tied to speak.

The Grindylow advanced on her aggressively, its claws suddenly stretching out like vine whips.

Marietta grabbed William's arm again, just after he had pulled it free. She gripped it tightly, as if she were rolling walnuts in her hand.

No, with that kind of force, she was clearly crushing walnuts, determined to crush his bones!

"Ha-Hassak!" Judy shrieked.

A noise rang out, like the crack of a whip. Confusion appeared on the Grindylow's face as one of its long fingers suddenly vanished into thin air.

It lost its balance and slipped to the floor with a slap, its remaining claws flailing comically, like Snape lying in a hospital bed and trying to dock points.

Professor Tywin shouted, "Arthur, step forward!"

Arthur walked forward with a stern face. The Grindylow slid to his side as if skating and reached out with its claws again.

The claws glowed green and looked crystal clear.

"Hassak!" Arthur shouted.

There was another pop, and the Grindylow lost another claw.

Students continued to step forward one after another. Once one Kalindylow had been stripped of all its claws, Professor Tywin grabbed another from the tank.

Soon it was Cho's turn.

Professor Tywin warned them loudly, "Never aim the Extraction Charm at a wizard. It's a very dangerous spell.

"Once, I accidentally stripped a wizard's clothes off, and another time I nearly..."

Before he could finish, something unexpected happened.

Judy Crouch, one of the first to cast the spell, charged straight over. Whether she was too excited or her confidence had grown too great, no one knew.

She aimed her wand at the Grindylow... and Professor Tywin behind it.

The Extraction Charm-well, she wanted to see the special effect of "taking robes off" that Professor Tywin had mentioned, just as Tywin had done to some unknown wizard.

Wizards weren't all that sensible, let alone young wizards in an excited state.

Professor Tywin hadn't expected this either. His full attention was on Cho.

A brilliant beam of light passed through a gap between the Grindylow's claws and headed straight for Tywin.

More precisely, for the top of his thigh!

A strange, intensely uncomfortable sensation shot like lightning from Professor Tywin's thigh down to his lower leg, as though his bones were being sucked out.

Everyone gasped. The bones in Professor Tywin's right leg were simply gone.

Unable to support himself, he collapsed to the floor, and his ebony wand rolled away across it.

Tywin's leg didn't hurt at all anymore, but it didn't feel like a leg either. It was just like a thick, flesh-colored rubber long john.

He tried to move his thigh, but it didn't respond.

"Ahaha-" Professor Tywin forced a laugh. "That's the other result I mentioned: extracting the bones!"

Judy Crouch was scared silly again, and Professor Tywin didn't dare offer any more encouragement. This was what happened when you flirted too much!

Professor Tywin lay on the floor, surrounded by the young wizards, but no one came forward to help.

He reminded them irritably, "All right, somebody hurry up and take me to the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey can-"

"Ah!"

A sharp, piercing, dolphin-like shriek suddenly rang out!

Everyone had forgotten about the Grindylow. It had been secretly crawling across the floor, and once it was close enough, it suddenly lunged at Cho and Marietta, who were nearest.

Marietta panicked, screamed, and waved her wand around wildly.

Luckily, William dodged quickly. Otherwise, that hard walnut wood wand might well have poked his handsome face.

Young wizards' magic was extremely unstable, and when their emotions fluctuated wildly, magical outbursts could easily occur.

Nearly every young wizard had experienced one before starting school.

And so, the instant Marietta saw the Grindylow lunging at her, she had a magical outburst.

The tank exploded in an instant, glass shattering all over the floor!

The tank didn't look large, but the space inside had been expanded with an Undetectable Extension Charm, concealing a full six Grindylows.

They crawled out of the tank, brandishing their claws and glaring viciously at the young wizards.

None of them had ever seen anything like this. They turned and ran for the door, shoving one another.

Professor Tywin was terribly unlucky. He lay on the floor, grimacing, with numerous footprints on his expensive robes.

He nearly became the first professor at Hogwarts to be trampled to death.

----Professor Tywin's separator----

(Tywin: A Lannister always pays his debts. Esteemed wizards, I'll repay your recommendation votes twofold!)

Thanks to Muye Canglan and Ink-Stained Crow for their tips (//?//)\