"Tsk! Annoying brat!"
Snape wanted nothing more than to deduct 100 points from this arrogant boy on the spot.
But with the giant constructs closing in on him, Snape had no time to waste on insults.
Still, he wasn't particularly worried.
For most wizards, this situation might seem dire, but for him…
"Scoff~"
Hermione, who was still reeling from the shock of Ivan controlling five giants simultaneously, was completely stunned when she saw Snape throw back his robes and transform into a dark gust of wind, rising into the sky.
There was no such thing as pure flying magic in the wizarding world.
So… what was this?
Snape… could actually fly?
"It's truly impressive, Professor."
Ivan looked up at Snape, who was floating ominously in the moonlight, and offered genuine praise: "Is this a magic of your own creation? What's the principle behind it?"
He could tell that this wasn't just some clever use of a floating charm on the robes—it was real flying magic.
But how had Snape achieved it?
Even with Ivan's magic eye and enhanced vision, he couldn't immediately discern the secret behind Snape's flight.
'There's a magical glow inside him.'
Is it a magical potion? Or some kind of magical transformation?
Ivan could only speculate that Snape's ability to fly was likely a result of some incomplete form of magical transformation.
The stone giants and tree beings Ivan had conjured couldn't reach Snape while he hovered in the air.
Ivan kept them in their form but stopped actively controlling them to ease the mental strain.
He hadn't yet reached the level where he could imbue his transfigurations with souls.
This made the giants nothing more than inanimate objects once Ivan released some control, and Snape could destroy them with his magic whenever he wished.
"Not going to attack?"
Ivan assumed that Snape, being an experienced wizard, wouldn't resort to using something as unsporting as the hit-and-run tactic.
Still, even if Snape did play like that, Ivan wasn't worried.
His magical reserves were deep and seemingly limitless.
Even if Snape destroyed all the giants, Ivan could just wave his wand and restore them in an instant.
Ivan thought: If you want to drag this out, I can keep this up for a whole day.
"Hmph."
Snape, on the other hand, clearly noticed Ivan's plan.
Snape didn't attack again, nor did he plan to reveal the secret of his flying spell to Ivan.
Right now, there was only one question running through Snape's mind: If I can fly, how will Ivan deal with it?
Boom!!
However, before Snape could taunt or test Ivan, a blinding beam of magic shot towards him.
"This kid!"
Instinctively, Snape moved to counter the attack, but the moment their spells collided, Snape's magic was overwhelmed, collapsing instantly with no resistance.
"Impossible!!"
He quickly cut off the magical connection and dodged, as if he were avoiding a firecracker about to go off.
The magic beam, undeterred, sped toward a nearby hill. Snape, glancing back mid-air, watched in shock as his eyes widened.
BoOOom!!
The hill exploded, rocks and dirt flying through the sky, with a deafening roar echoing in the distance.
Snape: ∑(OvO"!!
Is this kid trying to kill me?!
Snape had never imagined magic could wield such destructive power — enough to obliterate a hillside with a single beam.
Damn, is this even reasonable?
Was he, Snape, falling behind, or had the outside world progressed way too fast?
Was Snape, at just 32 years old, already going to be left behind by the new generation?
"Professor, this is also because..."
Hermione, equally stunned, glanced at Dumbledore beside her. The old man sighed lightly, sounding almost amused. "Well, it's a good thing I had the foresight to set the magic barrier a bit larger."
Otherwise, the magic beam just now might have shattered even the triple-layered protective barrier he had cast.
Hermione didn't even know where to begin her thoughts.
She was genuinely thankful that she had accepted Ivan's invitation to witness this earth-shaking duel between wizards!
Although she had no real way to compare the skill levels of other adult wizards to the two dueling in front of her, that didn't stop her from wanting to scream in amazement.
Ivan!
Hermione thought, You're incredible!
"Huh~~"
Snape exhaled deeply, his irritation toward Dumbledore—whom he now suspected had Alzheimer's—growing.
That old man was clearly setting me up!
The only thing Snape could be thankful for was that it was only October.
Had it been colder, and given how high he was flying and how long they had already been fighting, he'd have frozen to death by now—even if Ivan didn't manage to kill him first.
"Do you want to continue?"
The situation was crystal clear, and Snape begrudgingly acknowledged Ivan's strength.
This kid was a freak.
Unreasonably powerful magic, multiple spells, and the ability to perform Transfiguration while multitasking.
And let's not forget that magic beam that could double as a top-tier blasting spell. Snape really couldn't imagine how he was supposed to defeat Ivan.
Then again, it worked both ways.
Ivan, on the other hand, also had no real answer to Snape flying around like this.
The latter was hovering above with an air of superiority, as if he was already invincible.
"Well."
"As a warm-up, this was quite sufficient."
"So, what comes next…"
Ivan lowered his wand and looked calmly toward Dumbledore, who was watching from the distance.
The old man sensed something. He raised his hand, gently placing it on the little witch's shoulder, and smiled kindly at Ivan.
"..Headmaster?"
Hermione was confused, but being the clever witch she was, she quickly pieced things together. "Is Ivan about to perform some powerful magic?"
She recalled that Ivan had mentioned before that he would tell her a secret.
"He's chosen you, Miss Granger," Dumbledore said with a knowing smile. "Please remember, a person only trusts someone if he truly sees them as a close friend. Friendship is an innocent form of love and love is the most powerful magic in the world."
"What?"
Hermione was baffled and couldn't quite follow Dumbledore's train of thought.
But there wasn't time to dwell on it, as something extraordinary was happening before her eyes.
In the distance, surrounded by the fiery glow, Ivan began to exude a terrifying aura.
"What... is that?!"
Hermione's throat tightened as she stared at the strange black substance flowing out of Ivan's body—something between mist and oil, dark and foreboding.
With all her knowledge, she couldn't identify what it was.
But Snape was completely stunned.
"Impossible."
__________
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