Chapter 296: Daphne's Decision
Disclaimer:
Harry Potter and all of its characters belong to J.K. Rowling. I own nothing but the original characters I create.
"Dialogue"
'Thoughts'
-Author notes-
Chapter 296: Daphne's Decision
Harry held the staff in front of him to intercept the sharp claw of the nundu.
He saw the incredibly sharp claw beginning to cause an indentation on the surface of the goblin steel artifact. Something that should be almost impossible.
"Depulso!"
The nundu was pushed back but was not deterred in the slightest. Its intent still lingered and it was already preparing to charge again.
"Gladius." The staff transformed into a long single-edged sword, made of the same composition as the staff.
Normal steel was not enough to cut through its tough hide, but goblin steel was several grades higher in terms of sharpness.
However, he could not stop at just that.
"Divulsa." A baleful purple aura enveloped the blade.
"Accelerato." He felt his muscles tense as the enhancement charm took effect. This would allow him to move much faster but would also tear his bones and muscles apart if he kept it for too long.
The nundu jumped in the air with both its claws ready to cut him into shreds.
But then, all of a sudden, Harry disappeared from view. This took the nundu by surprise and made it lose its focus momentarily.
It all happened in less than a second. The invisible cursed blade slashed the beast across its chest before it had a chance to understand what had happened.
Harry had not moved from his spot, he had merely used his ability to become invisible as a distraction to create an opening in its defenses.
He then moved aside, allowing the nundu to fall behind him.
The cut had been deep, but not deep enough to reach its internal organs.
However, Harry knew that this was already over.
The nundu let out an indescribable roar of agony when it felt the curse eating away at its insides. Its powerful hide could not protect it from this type of damage. And Harry had empowered the corrosive curse as much as it was possible to do so.
Even a massive dragon would have been corroded in seconds with the amount of magic he put in it.
When he glanced back, all that was left was a pool of blood and some bones.
The two other beasts had stopped their assault on the magical shield when they heard the agonizing noises from their brother. It was then that they realized something...that wizard was not just another prey for them to hunt but a predator like them.
The creatures were intelligent enough to recognize they were in a dangerous situation and, against their usual instincts, it was best to work together and eliminate the threat.
They then proceeded to ignore Daphne and Xeno, who were considered harmless to them, and focused on Harry.
'Great… now I have to deal with two of them at the same time.' One had already been difficult enough.
His eyes moved to one of his rings. It was still shining brightly, meaning it still had plenty of magic in it, but… that was not going to last forever.
'Should I activate the other two and go all out?...' He considered it for a moment, but… during the one and only test he had performed, the moment he activated the full Nine Arkstone Array, it would be followed by a powerful surge of magic that would shake the surroundings with tremendous violence.
'If I end up collapsing the chamber, it will all be for naught. But it's not like I have run out of tricks.'
The two nundus moved at an incredible speed and were already in front of him.
His staff had recovered its original shape, but his body was still under the effect of the speed charm, allowing him to react faster.
"Incendium."
Viridescent flames erupted forward like a volcano, covering his vision.
Even with their incredible resistances, the two beasts knew better than to get hit by that cursed green fire. So, making use of their incredible speed, they moved away before being touched by the flames.
Daphne and Xeno were watching everything from inside the protective barrier.
Xeno was, of course, very worried, but the wizard knew his limits. The only thing he could accomplish if he tried to fight alongside Harry would be to get in his way and maybe cause them both to die.
Daphne had a different idea in her mind.
"I have to do something…." She could not stand there and continue to watch any longer. It wasn't that she didn't have trust in Harry to win, but more that she did not want to just be one more person being protected by him… she wanted to be at his side.
Her eyes moved to the dead nundu. There wasn't much left of it, but there was only one thing that interested her.
"That blood should be enough…" she murmured to herself.
"Don't do anything foolish, little one. Those beasts are not to be trifled with." Xeno's usual playful and aloof demeanor was nowhere to be seen.
"I know what I'm doing." Daphne said with confidence. She was not one to rush into things without thinking. She had a clear plan in mind.
"I have not wasted my summer playing around, Mister Lovegood. I can help him now… I have an idea of what to do."
After saying that, Daphne ran out of the barrier without hesitation.
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