Through the thick cloud of dust, Professor Flitwick could no longer see exactly what Leo was doing.
All he could make out was a dark figure weaving through the remaining stone lions before charging straight toward him.
“Stupefy!” Whoosh!
The instant Professor Flitwick finished the incantation, the sharp sound of something tearing through the air reached his ears.
A fist swept up beside him almost immediately afterward.
Boom!
The thunderous impact rang through the classroom, and Professor Flitwick distinctly felt his Shield Charm distort beneath the tremendous force behind the blow.
‘Is he serious?’ The crushing pressure radiating from Leo’s fist made every hair on Flitwick’s body stand on end.
His instincts were practically screaming at him that he absolutely could not allow that punch to land cleanly.
“Flipendo!” “Hm?” Leo had been preparing to follow up with another attack when a powerful force suddenly stopped his advance, causing his next punch to strike nothing but empty air.
“Stupefy!” “Petrificus Totalus!” “Incarcerous!” Professor Flitwick fired three spells in rapid succession, but none of them were aimed directly at Leo.
Instead, they were positioned to seal off the routes Leo could use to evade.
Leo’s body flashed aside, twisting with astonishing flexibility as he slipped through the narrow gap between all three spells, only to be struck by a nonverbal Freezing Charm that Professor Flitwick had hidden behind them.
A layer of frost immediately spread across Leo’s body, slowing his movements considerably.
“So those three spells just now were feints.” Leo sidestepped another Stunner, then sprang into the air to clear a steel trap that Professor Flitwick had Transfigured out of the floor beneath him.
“Exactly.
You’re far too fast,” Professor Flitwick replied.
“If I don’t restrict your movement somehow, I won’t have any way to deal with you.” With a sweep of his wand, the small stones scattered across the floor began to float into the air.
They expanded until each was roughly the size of a fist, then hovered around him in preparation for the next attack.
“Wingardium Leviosa!” “Engorgio!” “Oppugno!” The enlarged stones suddenly shot toward Leo at bullet-like speed.
Leo hooked one foot beneath the broken hind leg of one of the stone lions he had smashed earlier, flicked it into the air, and caught it in one hand.
He immediately began swinging the heavy stone limb around himself, using it to protect his entire body.
The broken lion’s leg became a dense blur in his hand.
Every stone that came flying toward him was struck aside before it could reach him.
Professor Flitwick manipulated the incoming rubble like a conductor leading an orchestra.
With each precise movement of his wand, he caught the stones Leo had knocked away, turned them back into ammunition, and sent them hurtling toward him again in a relentless barrage.
In the middle of the exchange, Leo quietly shifted closer to a chunk of rubble about the size of a basketball.
He suddenly kicked upward.
The stone shot into the air and flew straight toward Professor Flitwick’s head.
“Reducto!” The Reductor Curse struck the rock and shattered it instantly.
Dust and powdered stone burst outward, perfectly concealing the broken stone lion’s hind leg that Leo had thrown immediately behind it.
Bang!
The stone limb slammed into Professor Flitwick’s Shield Charm and was violently deflected backward.
Leo, however, had already charged forward the moment he threw it.
He reached out and caught the rebounding stone leg in one hand.
Veins bulged across his arm as he swung it down with overwhelming force, bringing the full momentum of his charge behind the attack.
“Protego Maxima!” “Protego Totalum!” “Fianto Duri!” Professor Flitwick cast three defensive spells almost instantaneously, layering a thick magical barrier in front of himself.
BOOM!
A tremendous explosion shook the classroom.
Dust surged outward in every direction, swallowing the entire room in a dense grey cloud.
“Professor Flitwick!
Leo!
Are you both all right?!” Hermione cried anxiously.
“I’m quite all right.” Professor Flitwick casually flicked his wand.
A tiny whirlwind appeared and swept through the classroom, gathering all the dust and carrying it away until the room became visible again.
He stood there completely unharmed.
Leo, meanwhile, was now empty-handed.
The stone lion’s hind leg he had been using as a weapon had been completely destroyed in the collision.
“I think we’ll stop here for tonight.” Professor Flitwick smiled.
“Mr.
William, I must admit that your fighting ability has genuinely astonished me.
It has been a very long time since I felt anything resembling the excitement of the duels I fought when I was younger…
but if we continue much longer, I’m afraid the two of us are going to destroy this classroom.” “That was incredibly satisfying!” Leo lowered his gaze to his clenched fists, a broad and completely unrestrained smile spreading across his face.
“Reparo.” Professor Flitwick pointed his wand around the classroom several times.
The shattered pieces of the chandelier rose from the floor, reassembled themselves, and returned intact to the ceiling.
The battered floor smoothed itself out as every crater and crack disappeared.
Window frames that had been smashed by flying stones pieced themselves back together, and before long, the classroom had been restored to its original condition.
“Mr.
William, you’re even stronger than Dumbledore made you sound.” Professor Flitwick summoned three chairs and gestured for Leo and Hermione to sit.
“You’re giving me too much credit.
You’re incredibly strong yourself, Professor Flitwick.” Leo sat down without ceremony.
“That really was unbelievable…” Hermione was still completely baffled by what she had just witnessed.
“Leo, were you using some kind of magic during that fight?” “Yes, that is something I was wondering about as well.” Professor Flitwick summoned a tea service and began pouring tea as he looked at Leo curiously.
“Why is your body so extraordinarily strong?
I admit I’m rather interested.
Of course, if the answer involves something private, you don’t have to tell me.” “The truth is, I don’t know either.” Leo spread his hands helplessly.
“Professor Snape examined me before, and even he couldn’t figure out what was causing it.” “Severus examined you as well?” Professor Flitwick continued pouring the tea while falling into thought.
After considering it for a while, he finally said, “In that case, I don’t have anything else to ask about it…” “Professor Flitwick, I have some questions about the magic you used just now…” Hermione immediately jumped in before the conversation could end.
“There’s no need to rush.
Ask them one at a time.” Professor Flitwick smiled warmly.
He greatly appreciated Hermione’s eagerness to learn.
Leo sat quietly off to one side while Hermione questioned the professor, repeatedly replaying the battle in his mind.
His fight with Professor Flitwick had been the hardest battle he had experienced so far.
Of course, the encounter with Dumbledore did not count.
Calling that a battle would have been ridiculous.
That had been nothing more than an old master casually entertaining an overeager child.
Quite a long time passed before Hermione was finally satisfied enough to finish her discussion with Professor Flitwick.
When she stood up, she was holding a notebook that Professor Flitwick had Transfigured for her during their conversation.
Its pages were densely covered with the notes she had taken.
“Finished?” Leo stood up as well.
“Then let’s head back together.” Before leaving, he bowed to Professor Flitwick.
“Professor, want to do this again sometime when you’re free?” “Certainly.” Professor Flitwick nodded.
Hermione and Leo left the Charms classroom together, both wearing expressions of complete satisfaction.
..
Outside, the last traces of sunset faded quietly into the darkness, leaving only the faintest reminder that daylight had ever been there.
Over the following weeks, Leo, Harry, and Hermione all became increasingly busy.
Their assignments for the various Hogwarts subjects already took up a considerable amount of time, but each of them had other things occupying their attention as well.
Leo regularly found time to spar with Professor Flitwick.
Harry had Quidditch practice three evenings every week.
As for Hermione…
Hermione seemed to have been busy from the moment she first arrived at Hogwarts.
Recently, however, she had begun spending even more of her time studying and practicing Charms.
It was not until Halloween drew near that the festive atmosphere finally gave everyone a chance to relax a little.
“Come to think of it, why do we even celebrate Halloween?” Leo asked curiously.
“Isn’t this supposed to be a Christian holiday?” “We celebrate Christmas too,” Ron replied.
“Why worry about it?
We get time off, a huge feast, and presents.
What more do you need?” “Fair enough.” Leo nodded.
Then his eyes shifted toward Ron.
“Speaking of which, Christmas isn’t that far away.
What are you getting me?” “Huh?” Ron froze.
“…Er, do you like jumpers?” “How about you give me Scabbers instead?” Leo shrugged.
“Then I won’t have to think about what to get Harry.” Ron stared at him, having absolutely no idea what Leo was talking about.