Chapter 52. Flame Ignited.

[ Room of Requirement ]

Traver and Emmeline carried out Severus's instructions, informing all the other members discreetly.

All eight members started, completing their weekly reports, hopeful that Severus would finally halt the training. To avoid drawing attention to their escapades from ghosts and students, they skillfully used the Cave Inimicum, a spell modified by Severus to be more effective and last longer.

Reaching the Room of Requirement, they found Severus engaged in a conversation with Lily Evans and Narcissa Black. Silently taking their seats, they patiently waited for Severus to conclude his discussion.

Anticipating the introduction, most of them had no objections to Severus's decision of allowing Lily and Narcissa to join the group. They trusted his judgment.

When Severus finished his talk with Lily and Narcissa, he turned towards the assembled group, acknowledging their presence since their arrival.

"Good evening, everyone. Today will be the final debriefing before I depart for a while, so let's keep it brief," Severus said, gesturing towards Lily and Narcissa. "This is Lily Evans of Gryffindor House and Narcissa Black of Slytherin House. They will be joining us from today, both in the light and the shadows. Does anyone have a query about my selection?"

"No," the other eight responded in unison.

"Good. As you all have been informed, I will be taking a leave of absence for at least 1 month. I have laid out the schedule for you all to follow," Severus said, addressing the members gathered in the room. "The room on the left corridor of the 3rd floor of the castle is assigned to our club. I want you all to start phase 2 of Operation H. Get as many required students as possible to join the club. This club will be our outlet. Find those whom you believe are capable of joining the shadows. Get close to troubled students, those who are not going to be part of the shadows, and make them open up. Send me a compiled report after a month."

Dorcas raised a question, "The instructions are clear, but do you think students are willing to relocate and leave their houses?"

Ashton added, "Yes, while those who have suffered will be exhilarated, others might not want to join the organization?"

Benjy further elaborated, "What Ashton says is true. No matter what benefits the organization might provide, some might not join it. It will be hard to wash out the years of wiring installed in them. Pure-bloods might have been cooperative in school till now, but they fear their parents' wrath."

Severus, amused by their responses, asked a question of his own, "What made you join me?"

Emmeline replied, "Operation W and Operation H."

"Operation H," said Ashton.

"Operation H and Operation W," Amelia revealed.

"Operation H," said Noelle.

"Operation H and Operation W," said Travers.

"OperationH," said Dorcas.

Barty Jr. chimed in, "Your magical powers."

Benjy startled everyone, including Severus, with his answer, "You."

Though Severus knew what Benjy meant, he was still taken aback by the way he phrased his words. The other occupants of the room looked at Benjy in confusion.

Emmeline nudged Travers to get his attention and whispered in his ear, "I didn't know Benjy swings that way. I am confused about whether to support Benjy pursuing our boss, or if I should support our boss and his new girlfriend. Though I prefer to support this ship since it's exciting and seems forbidden," she said with a crazed expression.

Along with being a talented witch, Emmeline had an obsession with reading BL romance.

Travers, feeling exhausted, raised his brows in response to Emmeline's weird fantasies. He had had enough of her peculiar thoughts.

"You should control your thoughts and words near Severus. If he even catches a hint of your fantasies about him or anyone else in this group, he will ensure you never think of him that way. And by god, if Narcissa Black over there finds out about your explicit writings, she would not hesitate to use the Cruciatus Curse on you. I've told you a hundred times that it's not right to incorporate real people into your fictional stories," Travers said, satisfied with the fear that crossed Emmeline's face at the mention of Narcissa.

Gulping, Emmeline grumbled, "Fine, I won't talk about my creative imagination that is above your level of intellect. You can ban me from talking, but you can't stop a writer's imagination."

"Be careful, Em. If you continue to torture me with your fantasies, I might let it slip to Severus. And if you anger me further, I will sell you out to Miss Black," Travers warned with a smile, causing Emmeline to grumble and swear.

"Okay, I will stop it, but you have to promise me that you won't tell the boss and lady boss about this,"

"Hmm--Okay, but I am sure Severus already knows about it. He has been in our minds for a long time during Occlumency Practice. That's why you get harder training than us," Travers revealed, leaving Emmeline shocked.

Benjy scanned the room, noting the silence that settled after his statement. The expressions on their faces were strange as they looked back at him.

Realizing how his words might have been misinterpreted, he quickly clarified, "I didn't mean it in that way. I just don't swing that way. What I meant is that I joined the group because I believe in Severus and his resources. I mean he is not bad looking, but I prefer girls—"

"We get the point, Benjy. We understand what you meant," Severus interjected, sparing Benjy further embarrassment.

While Benjy was an analyst, he could be too forward and formal in social interactions. Severus couldn't help but feel disappointed; he had hoped one of them would grasp the deeper meaning behind his question.

"I am disappointed. I thought one of you might answer me correctly—though your answers are part of the correct answer. Your reasons for joining me were Operation W and Operation H, but those weren't the sole reasons you walked into the bar that day," Severus said, looking each of them in the eyes. "I sent a letter to each one of you with the things you desired, wishes you hoped would come true, and goals that seemed difficult, almost impossible to achieve. Each of you had a different goal, and I understand you wouldn't want me to share them with others. The promise of fulfilling those goals motivated you to step into the bar that day. Similar to you, most humans have goals, desires, wishes— even the laziest have to fight to keep their laziness. And just like I found yours... Forgive me if you still hold it against me for using Legilimency on you. I would be a fool not to use the best weapon in my arsenal to gather information. Believe me, I don't want to be in your minds— they are peculiar places to be in, some worse than others." His eyes fixed on Emmeline.

"What I mean to say is that you have to find the string that motivates a person to live. You can only convince those who have a string we can use; those with no goals or desires are hard to convince or save. And you have to remember I am not running a charity. We will take those who are willing; there's no crying at every door possible. Those who have worth will see the opportunity; the ignorant aren't worth the effort. You just have to learn where to look and pull the string when required."

Complete silence descended on the room as everyone stared at Severus, realization dawning upon them.

Each person contemplated Severus's words, some considering his method, while others felt a bit uncomfortable with it, but all came to an agreement.

"So, you want us to use Legilimency to see who would be willing or not?" Lily questioned, voicing what was on everyone's mind.

"No,"

"Huh?"

"No, it would be up to you if you want to use it or not. What I want you to do is find the string and pull it. While I needed to use Legilimency, you might not. Most of you have a good image going on for you, use that. Understood?"

"Yes."

"Okay."

"Okay, Boss."

The sounds of agreement echoed through the room.

"Now, that is out of the way, here—" Severus flicked his wand, conjuring a pile of handwritten books and a few papers on the table. "—these books are handwritten by me, so use them wisely. Each book contains spells, potions, hexes, curses, and charms with detailed explanations. And these papers contain the details about the other 14 students who work under me." The papers and books floated directly into everyone's hands.

"You have other students working for you?!!"

"14?!!!"

"For how long?"

"Why didn't you tell us?"

"Since when?"

"Why did you need them?"

"Why is the paper empty?"

"You lied to us."

"How can you hide such a thing from us?"

"We are supposed to be a team."

Chaos erupted in the room; everyone was shocked, including Lily and Narcissa.

Severus's revelation about having others work under him caught even Narcissa off guard. He had never mentioned them before, not even in passing.

"Silence!!" Severus's voice echoed through the room, immediately silencing everyone.

"First, I did inform you that I had three groups of eight students planned, whom I wanted to approach. You eight were just the first group I met and inducted into my organization. After forming a team with you all, I have been in contact with the other 16. Two of them didn't want to be a part of the organization. Second, do you think students were so easily swayed by the newfound help from just you eight? With the other 14, I made it easier for you all to shine and be the beacon for them to seek. You may have done your tasks wonderfully, but it was not exceptional. I brought down the difficulty of your task just so you could perform well. And third, DON'T EVER raise your voice at this table. You are civilized people, so behave like one. Now, you can ask the questions that are bothering you."

"Why are these papers empty?" asked Lily, breaking the awkward silence.

"Well, Lily, they are not empty; the text is just invisible. It will turn visible after I have left. When you meet them at the club, you will find out soon."

"But why?"

"Because who doesn't like a little surprise,"

After Severus concluded the briefing, they commenced their training session. Narcissa and Lily were stunned to witness a new side of him during the training.

He appeared entirely different from his usual self.

Severus proved to be a stern and demanding teacher, expecting a great deal from those he trained. A perfectionist.

They hadn't anticipated that Severus would be so relentless and cruel.

In rounds of duels, spells were displayed and explained. However, the training was vastly different from any they had experienced before.

Severus didn't show concern even if they sustained injuries. While he had potions and spells on standby for healing, he didn't shy away from making the duels intense.

They fought in both teams and as individuals.

By the end of the session, they were left completely exhausted, both mentally and physically.

"Now that the training session is over, and you all have had your duels with each other, and have at least a basic understanding of each other's strengths, why don't you all come at me at once? It would at least make me bleed once today," Severus challenged.

Lily and Narcissa displayed initial shock on their faces, but upon seeing the other eight members not reacting to his request, it became apparent that they were familiar with Severus's arrogance.

"Fine, give us some time to recover," Benjy said, with the other seven nodding in agreement.

Narcissa and Lily exchanged confused glances, but Severus gestured for them to give it their all, which only fueled their competitive nature.

The group gathered around a circular table, leaving Severus to his own planning

Benjy, with a serious glint in his eyes, leaned forward, taking charge of the discussion.

"We all know Severus is formidable, but with our combined skills, we stand a chance today," he said. "Lily, even though you just arrived, your charms expertise are at the top and will be crucial. We need traps, hexes, and enchantments to catch him off guard."

Lily nodded, her red hair shimmering in the candlelight. "I'll prepare a series of Protean Charms, linked to each other. If he evades one, it'll lead him right into another."

Narcissa, sitting elegantly, interjected, "And I'll rain transfigured objects laced with curse spells. A touch will weaken him, making him more vulnerable to our attacks. Before anyone doubts me, I am not going to hold back just because Severus is my boyfriend. He is willing to let me get bloodied as you saw, and I am going to do the same."

Narcissa knew Severus wouldn't want her to hold back, and she knew he wouldn't hold back on her too.

Benjy's eyes brightened. "Perfect. Now, Nolle, I want you to focus on defensive spells. Keep us shielded and be ready to counter his curses."

Nolle nodded meekly, fully aware of her limitations, but determined to do her part.

Ashton, chimed in, a nervous smile on his face, "I've been working on something special. Transfigured and charms spells shaped like sculptures – beautiful and deadly. Armored Knights providing us cover." His inner artist slipped through.

Emmeline added, "That'll catch him off guard. He won't know what hit him."

Amelia, leaned back in her chair, assessing the plan. "I'll focus on keeping him busy with rapid attacks. Benjy, you and I can work together to create an opening for the others."

"Sounds like a plan," Benjy agreed. "Dorcas, your defensive skills are exceptional. I need you to cover our flanks and provide backup where necessary."

Dorcas nodded, her expression determined. "I won't let anything get past me."

Barty, who had been quietly observing, finally spoke up, "I can take care of most dark arts surprises he might throw at us. I've got a few tricks up my sleeve."

Benjy grinned. "Good. Let's review our roles one more time. Lily and Narcissa set the traps and curses. Ashton, get your knights ready. Amelia, focus on offense and defense. Dorcas, support our defenses. Barty and Nacissa, be our dark arts experts. Nolle, protect us with your defensive magic. And I'll take the lead, coordinating and adapting our strategy on the fly."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

Lily placed a reassuring hand on Nolle's shoulder. "We'll support you, Nolle. Just stay focused, and we'll handle the rest."

The circular table was now abandoned, and the duel had commenced in the Room of Requirement.

Lily, Narcissa, Benjy, Nolle, Traver, Emmeline, Barty, Ashton, Dorcas, and Amelia formed a semi-circle, their wands at the ready. Severus stood before them, a smile playing on his lips.

"So, are you ready? Or do you need more time?" Severus taunted, his voice dripping with confidence. "Well, either way, show me what you've got."

Without hesitation, Lily and Narcissa took the lead. Lily flicked her wand, and a series of Protean Charms sprang to life, intertwining in the air. But Severus seemed to anticipate their moves, deftly evading each trap.

Narcissa, undeterred, transfigured small objects into cursed projectiles and launched them at Severus. He dodged most of them effortlessly, but a few managed to graze his arm, drawing a small trail of blood.

"A minor annoyance," Severus sneered, wiping away the blood with the back of his hand.

Even though he was capable of using spells wandless and non-verbally, he choose to handicap himself so that they could have an advantage over him. Keeping his more dangerous spells hidden.

While he didn't want to use the Eye of Lumina Mortis, it wasn't just a physical aspect that was changed in his eyes, he can involuntarily sense the magical spells coming in his direction. It was a subconscious skill of his, a passive attribute. Giving him a huge advantage and disadvantage to him.

Meanwhile, Ashton's artistic prowess came to the fore as he transfigured life-sized knights from thin air. They sprang to life, charging at Severus from various angles.

It was an unexpected attack, and even the skilled Severus was caught off guard. He quickly cast a blasting curse, shattering the knights to pieces.

Emmeline and Amelia seized the opportunity, launching a flurry of spells at Severus. He parried some with ease, but others came too fast for him to handle. He had to put up his own shields to protect himself, leaving him momentarily exposed.

His magical senses were overwhelmed by the number of spells coming at him, making it a bit harder to dissect the array of spells.

"Keep up the pressure!" Benjy called out, leading the group in a coordinated attack.

Dorcas focused on defending her allies, her shields strong and impenetrable. She kept Severus from targeting the others, giving them the space they needed to continue their offensive.

Barty, true to his word, expertly countered some dark spells that Severus retaliate with. His spells intertwined with Narcissa's curses, causing confusion and forcing Severus to divert his attention.

Nolle, though less confident in her offensive abilities, diligently kept everyone protected with her defensive magic. She weaved intricate barriers and repelled any curses that managed to slip through.

Severus, while toying with them, was now finding himself slightly more challenged than he had anticipated. A smile played on his lips as blood dripped down his cheeks

The combined efforts of the group proved formidable, catching him off balance and injuring him further.

"You're not bad, I'll give you that," Severus said with a hint of acknowledgment, as he deflected a particularly powerful spell from Amelia with ease.

"But we're not done yet," Benjy replied with a grin.

Severus' eyes narrowed, and his senses heightened. He was more alert now, ready to anticipate their moves. He retaliated with renewed intensity, his curses precise and dangerous.

One by one, the other members of the group fell, leaving only Benjy standing against Severus.

Bloodied and bruised, they stared at each other, both knowing this was the moment that would decide the outcome of the duel.

"You fight well, Benjy," Severus acknowledged, wiping the blood from his brow.

"I had to." Benjy retorted, his voice steady despite his exhaustion.

They circled each other, their wands raised.

Narcissa, Lily, and the other seven members watched in awe as Severus and Benjy dueled. The spells flew from their wands effortlessly, as if they were merely speaking words.

Benjy attacked Severus ferociously, trying to break through the seemingly unbreakable defense that Severus had created around himself.

However, the usually calm and collected Benjy began to grow frustrated.

Each spell he cast seemed to have no effect on Severus.

'Why? Why is the gap between us so vast? He wasn't this powerful when I started Hogwarts. He couldn't even take on those four Gryffindors not long ago, yet now he not only takes on all ten of us but defeats nine of us easily. Despite my various spells and strategies, he remains undefeated. Just a few days ago, he was a bit—just a little bit—beatable if I went all out and used my martial training alongside dueling, but now it seems impossible. Not only his spells, but his very presence alone tilts the duel in his favor. Maybe, just maybe, if I go all out, I could at least put a dent in his defense.'

"Circumdarus Caligos!" Benjy cast a bright red line nonverbally, which shot into the ground and covered the whole room in mist.

"Protego!" Lily swiftly cast the spell to shield them from any incoming attacks in their direction. The others followed suit, knowing that Benjy's spells were more damaging than usual.

"What is Benjy planning?" Nolle muttered, hoping for Benjy to finally win.

Throughout the training, Benjy had been the one pushing himself the hardest to try and best Severus, but he had never secured a victory.

One by one, the others had given up hope of winning against Severus, but Benjy persisted. He trained harder than ever, determined to win a duel against Severus, but he was met with disappointment each time.

Countless hours were spent strategizing, practicing, and learning, all with the goal of defeating Severus in a duel.

Benjy wasn't going to give up easily.

He wanted this win.

He wanted to make Severus take him seriously.

He must succeed, or all his hard work would go to waste.

Using the mist as cover, Benjy launched an array of memorized spells at Severus's position, hoping to keep him busy while he moved toward him at high speed, aiming to catch him off-guard.

In the mist, Benjy could see the blue and red lights from his spells shining, but just as he was about to make his move, his spells were expertly countered.

Severus's silhouette, with glowing blue eyes, appeared in the mist, making him look like a predator preying on its prey.

For the first time since the duel began, Severus took a step, and his voice echoed around the room, "You know, Benjy, I admire your talents in dueling and strategies, but you need to think before casting a spell. Using shining spells in the mist isn't a good idea. They give away your position and negate the purpose of the mist. An experienced duelist can easily spot these spells even from a kilometer away. While most might not be able to counter them, the skilled ones would do so effortlessly. Try something less flashy and powerful, use something more silent and vicious. It doesn't have to be multiple spells; a single well-placed spell can take down your opponent."

With Severus's words came a bombarda spell aimed at Benjy's feet, blasting him against the wall.

"And you shouldn't let yourself get distracted during a duel, Benjy. You are an excellent duelist, but training too hard might disrupt your style," Severus continued, clearing the mist by manipulating the air. "I understand your frustration at not being able to win, even after putting in so much effort. But you must realize that it's not just about how many spells you use or what spells you use; it's about how you employ the spells you've learned. You seem to be getting angry and giving in to that frustration. Stay calm and fight like you used to. A few days ago, you used ordinary spells masterfully, using them strategically to gain an advantage in the duel. But now, you've let frustration guide your spell choices—"

'Just as I planned,' thought Benjy. He purposefully made it seem like he changed his style to get Severus to approach him so that he could catch him off guard this time.

As he strategized, Severus stood before him, his fist full of the mist from before, and his gaze shined blue in the darkness, making him far more intimidating than he normally was. Benjy felt chills down his spine.

'Intimidated, me? I, who faced far scarier opponents from an early age. Get a grip, Benjy. You have faced assassins before. Severus is nothing compared to them. Just stick to your plan,' he reassured himself, steeling his resolve. Benjy levitated all the broken pieces from the ground and transfigured them into sharp objects.

"You know, I should have given up, but I persisted. I persisted because I knew I would be able to catch up to you. And thanks for the suggestion," said Benjy, launching all the sharp objects he had transfigured at Severus from all directions, making sure Severus was concentrated on him.

*Click*

Severus flicked his fingers, turning all the sharp objects into dust, leaving everyone in the room speechless.

'Now I understand why I thought Severus was scary. It's not just his magical powers or his dueling style that makes him frightening. It's his control that makes him so scary—the control he has over the room, the situation, and people. He's a terrifying foe to face in both duels and real life. Everything around him goes exactly as he planned. Any unexpected variable that might occur in his plan is solved instantly or integrated into his strategy. It's not that this was new to me, but the speed at which he calculates and reacts to variables is monstrous. Catching him off guard would require putting myself in the line of fire and creating a variable that he wouldn't be able to solve immediately—something that must happen in a split second.'

Seizing the split second when Severus turned the flying objects into dust, Benjy swiftly kicked Severus's leg and unleashed a powerful Bombarda Maxima, sending him hurtling into the wall on the opposite side of the room.

"Yes!!!" Benjy shouted, overwhelmed with joy at landing a spell on Severus. It was uncharacteristic of him to show his emotions so openly, but he didn't care. He was too happy to mind it.

"Yaayyyy!!!"

"Hoorahhh!! Boss is down at last!!!"

"Way to go, Benjy!!!!"

"Yaaayy!!!"

Nolle cheered the loudest, joined by the other members of the group, except Lily and Narcissa. They both looked at Severus, who was on the ground, with a hint of concern—not for him, but for Benjy.

"You should stop cheering," informed Narcissa.

"Why?"

"Because Severus is just getting back up, and he seems a bit agitated," answered Lily, activating a shield around them once more.

Upon hearing Lily and Narcissa's warning, all the others refocused their attention on Severus, who was dusting himself off as he got back up.

Standing up with torn clothes, "This is where the fun begins," said Severus with a smirk.

"It sure will," Benjy replied, his wounds surprisingly healing up without the aid of spells. His exhaustion vanished, and his focus renewed.

As Severus and Benjy immersed themselves in the joy of dueling, Noelle fiddled with her fingers nervously. While the others were completely in awe and anticipation of the duel before their eyes, Noelle was preoccupied and anxious. She clutched something in her pocket and silently prayed, 'Please don't let Ben get too excited, not now. Not here. Not like this. It would be dangerous for him. I still haven't found it.'

Severus took off his robe, declaring, "Round 2, I guess," as he rolled up his sleeves.

"Round 2, it is," said Benjy, his upper lip forming a small grin. Both of them were excited and eager to reveal their next moves.

Taking a deep breath, Benjy thrust his wand forward in a curved gesture, releasing a powerful stream of red fire at Severus. The heat of the spell was felt throughout the room.

Waving his wand in a circular motion, Severus created a large water shield charm—a fusion spell he had created. A jet stream shot out of his wand, blocking the incoming wave of fire in its path. Both spells countered each other, with neither duelists being cornered.

"Immersive, but it's not enough," said Severus, sending a spell in Benjy's direction with his free hand.

Anticipating the spell, Benjy countered it by using the fire to shield himself. The stream of fire formed a giant wall and created a dome, covering Benjy from all sides. With Benjy on the defense, Severus began casting some of his most offensive spells. To his surprise, Benjy fared far better in this round, using the fire as if it was an extension of his hand, and demonstrating total control over it.

"You never showed that you had this much mastery over your fire spells—most of these spells are a bit unusual, don't you think? What secrets do you still hold?"

"For a man who has mentally trespassed my mind and learned of my past just to see if I am worthy of your mission, you doubt your subjects a lot, leader," taunted Benjy, blasting the incoming enlarged metal shield.

"It was a necessity at that time. Tell me, would you have done it any other way if you had the means to get the information directly from the target? Morality had no play in my decision. It was logic that led me to probe into your minds to see if you had the things that you all might desire," explained Severus, thrusting his wand forward in a powerful motion, shooting a spell of glimmering green light, vanishing his fire.

"No," replied Benjy, launching a flock of birds at Severus from all directions. "I would have done the same. Yes, it might have violated some personal boundaries, but it was for the best. It was what gave you the information needed to lure us out and made me, made us hear you. And I'm grateful for it. I'm still waiting for your side of the deal."

"Consider it done. I have found what you needed," Severus assured, vanishing the flock of birds. He then began sending his most offensive spells at Benjy. "Do you know I consider you my most important piece in this game, Benjy?"

"No... Aaagh..." Benjy groaned, clutching his bleeding hand and trying to cover it with his shirt sleeve while also avoiding the onslaught from Severus. The spells were relentless, and Benjy struggled to keep up with the speed of Severus's attacks.

The room was illuminated as if it were a disco pub, with spells flying off from every side. Both Severus and Benjy were giving their best in the intense duel. Although Severus refrained from using his Necro and telekinesis, Benjy still posed a formidable challenge for him. He had burnt marks and cuts on his torso, while Benjy's clothes showed signs of damage, but strangely, he lacked any visible blood from the severe spells launched by Severus.

The grounds below them were riddled with holes caused by the enlarged helmets, spikes, spears, and knights' armor that surrounded them—some molten, some frozen, and some devoured by the ground.

"You misunderstand me. It is not because of your past or your connections. It is you, who is special," said Severus calmly amid the chaos of the duel.

….

The audience stared at their surroundings with a mix of fear and admiration. They knew they could make this place look far worse, but what they truly feared and admired were the two duelists who had caused this chaos. They dreaded being on the receiving end of either of their wands.

Benjy was a fierce, agile, and highly strategic duelist. His speed in casting simultaneous spells was unmatched, leaving opponents struck by the second spell before they could even defend against the first. His arsenal of spells and his precise control over them left them in awe. He was like a raging bull with no limits, ready to charge at any moment.

Severus, however, terrified them even more. He remained calm and carefree even when faced with the most offensive spells, casually countering them and dropping 12-feet enlarged spears onto his opponents, making them question their decision to face him. He moved with an almost preternatural awareness, predicting when and what spell his opponent would use, dodging with ease as if the spells were moving at a feather's speed. He was like the calmness of the sea that held the potential to unleash a devastating tsunami at any given moment. His control over the battlefield was masterful, and they couldn't help but feel like mere pawns in his game.

....

"So you were able to break the lock?" asked Benjy, trying to keep his emotions in check. Despite not sustaining any external bleeding, he felt as if he was being burnt from the inside. He had many secrets locked away in his mind, memories that he wished to keep hidden, and emotions that he suppressed. These words stirred up the emotions he felt on that fateful day, the day that took almost everything from him.

'Why? Why is he so skilled? He wasn't this strong or skilled before. How could he break through my defenses? How dare he lie to me when I asked what he saw in my mind? No, think calmly, Ben. Don't give in to anger or your thirst for battle. But is he like me? Does he possess other powers? Will I be able to defeat him if I just give in? Can I finally control it?'

"Maybe you might," said Severus, appearing before Benjy.

"Even now, you continue to use Legilimency."

"It is an important asset in duels, and the duel isn't over yet, is it?" said Severus, leaning closer to Benjy with a smirk. "And yes, I have powers other than magic. I am like you. But I choose not to use them, while you fear your own abilities. Is this what your father taught you, Benjy? To hide your power, never utilize every weapon in your arsenal, and keep them concealed. Just like the last time, you are too cowardly to do anything. Even the most offensive spell is useless in the hands of an incompetent foo--"

Before Severus could finish his taunt, a large gust of crimson fire spiraled around Benjy, sending Severus flying to the other side of the room, pinned against the wall with an invisible force.

"MERLIN's BEARD!!!" shouts Barty, along with the others, except for Noelle, who watches in horror. She tries to leave the area but is caught by Lily, who holds her hand and pulls her back inside the shield.

"Please let me go!! Mr. Prince and Ben are in danger. I have to stop Ben before he does anything to Mr. Prince." Noelle tries to use her wand, but her wand is missing.

"No, listen to me. Severus has this under control," said Narcissa, holding onto Noelle's wand.

"How do you know he has this under control when he bloody crashed against the wall?!! You don't know how dangerous it ?!!! He might fucking die!!!" Many were surprised to hear Noelle swear. She was the shy, timid girl of the group.

"Look, I really wanna know what is happening to your friend, but I think Severus has this under control, or at least I hope he knows what he is doing because he's got that maniacal grin he always has whenever he invents his greatest spells. Look at him, he is smiling at that crimson ball with blood dripping from his mouth, despite being crashed by some force," said Lily, making Noelle look at Severus, who had a crazy grin on his face that made her flinch, and fear for the safety of her friend Benjy rather than Severus himself.

Looking at the crimson cloud clearing a little, Severus whispered, "Finally, rise my Crimson Knight."

The audience watched as Severus regained his calm state. It was as if he expected this to happen. It was as if he was aiming for Benjy to go crazy. That excitement he showed vanished, replaced by intrigue.

"Begone." As soon as the words left his lips, the force pressing him against the wall started to dissipate. Severus landed on the ground. Despite the dissipation, Severus could still feel the tremendous force pushing against his spell.

While maintaining the push against the force from Benjy - or rather, the crimson cloud - he quickly made his way towards the others.

"Give me the veil in your pocket," ordered Severus, to Noelle.

"What ...are you talking about?" stuttered Noelle, moving away from him.

"I know enough to know that he needs it the most right now. Either you can hand it over, or you can wait to be disintegrated by that flaming cloud. You can hand me that potion, and as a bonus, I will take care of your friend, and maybe I will help him stabilize that obscure cloud over there."

"Can you really help him?" asked Noelle, handing over the potion to Severus.

"Maybe, I have never learned about a Hybrid Obscurus before - definitely not one that is a phoenix Hybrid Obscurial."

"OBSCURUSSSS!!!"

"PHOENIX!!!!"

*Click* Severus flicked his fingers, cutting out all the buzz others were causing. Even Lily and Narcissa were shocked by the new revelation. What they didn't know was that even Severus had no idea that Benjy was a hybrid Obscurial of Phoenix.

Due to Lumina Mortis, Severus was able to deduce that Benjy was an Obscurial, but he was hesitant to deduce the other clashing magical power that exists in Benjy's body.

Benjy's unique body composition led Severus to sort him out.

Making a cut on his finger, Severus quickly made a rune on the ground - the rune of protection. As soon as Severus completed the rune, a green dome started to cover the audience. This rune was something he learned from scrolls from Merlin's Vault. The rune had three lines along with a star inscribed in a circle.

Feeling the push against him increase, he jumped to the side.

'So, this is an Obscurus. Fascinating.' Just as Severus stood, facing the crimson cloud, it began moving. Now, stood the prey and its predator - But who the prey and who the predator was, yet to be determined.

Through Severus's wand and his finger rose a silent storm of frost, covering the whole room. The crimson cloud shook violently, moving towards Severus at lightning speed. The ice around the room started to melt. The heat and fire from the cloud threatened to burn everything to the ground. Even the shielding charms that Severus put up began to tear from the outside as the parasite grew nearer to him.

Tearing through the shields, the cloud hit Severus, sending him to the ground. The pain Severus felt was excruciating.

'This is more painful than I thought,' he thought, looking down at the burn on his torso, which was turning black. Despite the pain, he got what he wanted. This was a part of his experiment, his observation. The act of performing magic was what he enjoyed the most. Newer and more magical powers brought him the joy of being a wizard.

A thick layer of air, an invisible shield, started to separate him from the cloud. Severus had two goals when he enraged Benjy; one was to genuinely help Benjy control his magical powers, as he didn't like having a defecting piece on his board, and the second was to study a living Obscurus.

Pushing away the crimson parasite, Severus pointed his wand at the raging cloud and started to blast it with his most offensive spells.

'Let's see if physical attacks have any effect on it,' he thought, transfiguring the nearby stone into large spikes and launching them at the cloud.

However, the spikes passed through the cloud, disintegrating into ash.

'Check 1: Obscurial isn't present in any physical form,'

For the first time, Severus could see a glimpse of white empty eyes staring at him through the raging firestorm.

'Check 2: White eyes,'

He noted as he prepared for his next moves. The crimson cloud then spread around the room, attacking the shield that was protecting the audience gathered around into a cocoon.

'Interesting. There wasn't any mention of cocoon formation in the book "Obscurial" by Raczidian,' Severus observed. From the cocoon tore through a mighty bird, a being born of hatred, rage, pain, and fire. It looked like a phoenix, but it was not just any normal phoenix. It was a Hoo-Hoo, 7 feet tall and 8 feet wide. Its wings flapped up and down, staring down at Severus with hatred and vengeance.

'Fascinating. I thought Benjy was just a Hybrid Phoenix Obscurial, but it seems his body is more complicated than that. And an Obscurus doesn't have a conscious or an ego. It has only one goal - to end the person the Obscurial hates or the ones who were the reason for its creation. Raczidian wrote a detailed procedure to create an Obscurus. That sick fuck went into details on how to hurt children both physically and mentally to create--'

Severus paused as the pain from the darkening injury on his torso worsened.

Even when he tried to heal it, the effects of the injury continued to worsen. While Severus hated the pain, he was also interested to see the reaction his Necro was having to the magical curse left on him. His Necro was slowly eating up the curse on his body, but at a very slow pace, making the curse its own.

While evaluating the Obscurus, he continued to defend and attack the beast. It attacked Severus fiercely and violently with everything it had. Severus avoided all attacks, being careful not to come in contact with the cursed fire.

"It is as if its whole body is a curse, a dark magical entity. While it is noted as a Dark creature, there was no proper record of its properties. Anything it touches continues to decay. Spells nor physical bodies work on it. There are some spells I could use to take it down, but they would be too dangerous for Benjy. The only useful things are telekinesis and shield charms for now."

This wasn't a battle of flashing spells or skills; it was a battle of wills. It was a battle of intent and control.

Seeing its attacks being ineffective, the bird turned invisible to gain the upper hand. On witnessing the bird turn invisible, Severus closed his eyes, activating Lumina Mortis. When he opened them again, his eyes lacked the usual obsidian shade; they now burnt brightly in blue.

To Severus, the world around him disappeared, replaced by a world filled with blistering colors. In this world of colors, a shadow full of darkness was in constant battle with a bright crimson fire of purification.

Amidst the war between the Curse and the fire of purification and healing, a small green light flickered with uncertainty, suffering from the constant battle between two parasites.

"Only one chance. I have to get it right," Severus thought with conviction as he moved at blinding speed - improved by his Necro and a magical spell of acceleration.

Using shield charms directly between the Curse and the crimson bird, Severus reached the flickering light. As soon as he touched it, his shields broke.

"SEVERUS!!!!!"

----

A/n: My biggest chapter yet. It took a while to complete it but I hope you liked the duel. The next chapter is the last chapter. I have completed the rewrite with it.

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