Snape 20: Chapter 20: Leon vs.
Snape Chapter 20: Leon vs.
Snape The first meeting of the Duel Club was scheduled for eight o’clock the following evening.
The dining tables had vanished from the Great Hall.
In their place stood a long gilded platform beneath hundreds of floating candles.
The enchanted ceiling resembled black velvet and gave the room a solemn atmosphere.
Nearly every student in the school had gathered around the stage with a wand in hand.
Excitement filled the hall after rumors spread that Professor Cromwell and Professor Snape would demonstrate the first duel.
“This is going to be incredible!” Ron shouted as he squeezed through the crowd beside Seamus.
“I’ll bet a Sickle that Snape doesn’t last five minutes.” “I support Professor Cromwell too,” Seamus replied.
“But Snape is still one of the best duelists in the school.” Hermione stood beside them with a thick book pressed against her chest.
It was titled The Wizard: The Art of Control and had been assigned by Leon as extra reading.
Even with the noise around her, Hermione continued reviewing the chapters on spell preparation and spell-slot management.
Her brown eyes still drifted toward the stage every few seconds.
On the Slytherin side, Draco Malfoy leaned against a pillar while several younger students gathered around him.
“Just watch,” Malfoy said with a sneer.
“That show-off is finally going to be exposed.
Professor Snape is a real dueling master.
Cromwell only knows how to throw people around.” Had Leon heard him, he might have wondered whether Draco had already awakened a Bard feature related to outrageous remarks.
“They’re here!” Harry shouted.
The crowd immediately fell silent.
Leon Cromwell and Severus Snape stepped onto the stage from opposite sides.
The difference between them was striking.
Leon wore a dark blue robe embroidered with silver lines.
He casually turned his ebony wand between his fingers and looked as relaxed as if he were taking an evening walk.
Snape remained wrapped in his usual black robes.
His pale face showed no emotion and his dark figure resembled a bat preparing to strike.
A cold pressure seemed to follow him onto the platform.
Harry glanced toward the staff section and found it nearly full.
Professor Flitwick stood on tiptoe to improve his view.
Professor McGonagall watched with a severe expression, while Dumbledore sat in the center and smiled with obvious interest.
“Hello, Harry!” Hagrid waved from the rear of the crowd.
He had to bend forward so the students behind him could see the stage.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione waved back.
Leon stepped into the center and raised one hand for silence.
“Good evening.
Professor Dumbledore has allowed me to establish this club so you can gain real combat experience and learn how to protect yourselves during dangerous situations.” He paused and glanced toward Snape.
“To show you what a serious battle looks like, I invited Professor Snape to assist me.
Together, we will demonstrate a duel between experienced spellcasters.” Snape said nothing.
His upper lip curled slightly as he stared at Leon.
The two professors took their positions.
They bowed and raised their wands before their chests like swords.
Three seconds passed.
Both moved at once.
“Expelliarmus!” Snape cast first.
A brilliant red bolt crossed the stage and struck Leon before most students could react.
Leon did not move from his position.
A translucent violet barrier appeared in front of his chest.
[Arcane Ward] The Disarming Charm shattered against the ward and scattered into harmless sparks.
Leon’s ebony wand remained firmly in his grasp.
At the same time, he completed his own spell.
“[Magic Missile].” Six crimson darts erupted from the wand tip.
Unlike ordinary curses, the missiles did not travel in straight lines.
They curved through the air from different directions and locked onto Snape with perfect accuracy.
“Protego!” Snape reacted instantly and raised a shimmering shield.
The first four missiles struck the barrier in rapid succession.
Two vanished on impact while the others ricocheted toward the ceiling and the staff section.
Dumbledore raised one hand.
Both stray projectiles transformed into silver starlight before they reached the spectators.
The shield had reached its limit.
It shattered with a sharp crack, allowing the final two missiles to slam into Snape’s shoulders.
He grunted and staggered several steps backward.
His foot suddenly slipped.
While firing [Magic Missile], Leon had also cast [Grease].
A large pool of slick yellow fluid covered the floor beneath Snape.
The Potions professor nearly fell in front of the entire school.
His hair swung across his face as he fought to regain his balance and hide his furious expression.
Leon had already prepared another attack.
An orange sphere of flame formed before his wand.
It crackled with heat and forced the students closest to the stage to retreat.
The signature spell of many Wizards.
Third-circle [Fireball].
Leon sent the flaming sphere toward Snape.
The Potions professor had no time to question how Leon had linked his spells together so smoothly.
“[Protection from Energy]!” Boom!
The [Fireball] exploded against Snape.
The force shook the Great Hall’s windows.
Flames engulfed half the stage and ignited the grease across the floor.
Several students screamed because they believed Snape had been blown apart.
Even McGonagall and Flitwick rose from their seats in alarm.
The smoke slowly cleared.
Snape still stood at the far end of the platform.
His black robes remained intact and not a single burn marked his body.
[Protection from Energy] had absorbed nearly all the fire damage.
“Aguamenti!” Snape swept his wand through the air.
Rain poured onto the stage and extinguished the burning grease.
Leon lowered his wand for a moment.
Admiration flashed through his eyes.
Impressive.
Snape had studied D&D magic for less than a month.
Yet he already used it with remarkable control and adapted to battle without hesitation.
He was truly one of the most talented spellcasters in Britain.
Snape’s expression grew darker.
His eyes now burned with fierce determination.
The first exchange had taught him something important.
Leon’s spells were powerful, but they took longer to form than the familiar magic Snape had practiced for decades.
I need to overwhelm him before he finishes casting.
Snape touched his wand to his chest.
“[Bless].” White light spread across his body.
The next moment, his wand became a blur.
Spell after spell flew across the platform without spoken incantations.
Stunning Spells, Disarming Charms, and vicious curses rained toward Leon from several angles.
The divine guidance from [Bless] improved Snape’s accuracy and timing.
Leon remained calm.
Whenever a spell approached from a difficult direction, a blue hexagonal barrier appeared at the exact point of impact.
First-circle [Shield].
Every attack struck the temporary force field and deflected harmlessly.
Snape prepared another powerful Stunning Spell.
Leon flicked his wand.
“[Counterspell].” The magic gathering at Snape’s wand tip disappeared before it could be released.
A few minor curses slipped past Leon’s [Shield], but they broke against the remaining strength of his [Arcane Ward].
Snape became increasingly frustrated.
Each time he began forming a dangerous spell, [Counterspell] interrupted it.
Anything that escaped was blocked or absorbed before it could harm Leon.
The Abjuration Wizard stood before him like a knight in enchanted plate armor.
“Sectumsempra!” Snape’s suppressed anger finally erupted.
He slashed his wand through the air.
An invisible blade raced toward Leon’s chest.
It was Snape’s most dangerous original curse.
Leon’s expression changed.
The timing was perfect.
Snape had cast during the brief opening between Leon’s spells, which prevented him from using [Counterspell].
His detection magic also warned him that neither [Shield] nor [Arcane Ward] could safely stop the curse.
“Excellent.” Instead of retreating, Leon stepped forward and raised his wand.
“[Bigby’s Hand]!” The air twisted.
A massive hand formed from blue force energy in the center of the platform.
It was nearly the size of a carriage and appeared directly between Leon and the invisible blade.
Screech!
A terrible cutting sound echoed through the Great Hall.
[Sectumsempra] struck the magical hand and carved a huge gash across it.
The force construct flickered as its stability rapidly weakened.
It continues causing damage after the first strike.
Leon was genuinely impressed by Snape’s self-created curse.
Before the hand collapsed, he issued another command.
“Clenched Fist.” The enormous hand curled into a fist and smashed downward.
Snape looked up as the force construct descended.
Apparition was impossible inside Hogwarts and the fist covered too much of the platform to evade.
“Protego Maxima!” Snape also called upon his divine magic and poured all his available power into the defense.
The giant fist slammed into the barrier.
Boom!
The platform shook.
Already weakened by [Sectumsempra], [Bigby’s Hand] shattered upon impact.
Blue force energy transformed into thick mist that covered Snape’s position.
The Great Hall became silent.
Every student held their breath and stared at the smoke.
A bright green light appeared within it.
[Channel Divinity: Preserve Life] The mist dispersed.
Snape knelt on one knee with blood at the corner of his mouth.
Green divine energy moved across his body and restored his injuries at a visible rate.
He raised his head and prepared to continue.
No one stood in front of him.
“Professor Snape!
Behind you!” Malfoy shouted from below the stage.
Snape spun around.
Leon had appeared behind him without warning.
Silver mist still drifted from his robes after the use of [Misty Step].
The ebony wand rested against Snape’s back.
“Expelliarmus.” Red light flashed.
Snape’s wand flew from his hand and traced a wide arc before landing in Leon’s waiting palm.
The duel was over.
Leon looked at the disheveled Potions professor and offered an elegant bow.
He then stepped forward and returned Snape’s wand.
“Thank you, Professor Snape.
That was a magnificent demonstration.” [Reader Event Active]