"This... this is..."
Snape stared at Ivan, who was gradually being enveloped by the swirling black mist.
Every hair on his body stood on end. It was the kind of primal fear one feels when confronted by a top predator.
"Obscurus..."
Snape had never encountered a real Obscurus, nor had he seen its host—an Obscurial.
Decades before he had even entered Hogwarts, the Obscurus was believed to be extinct worldwide. The last recorded case of an Obscurial was over sixty years ago.
"Are you an Obscurial?!"
Snape vividly recalled the documented cases of Obscurials from his studies. A young witch or wizard who harbored an Obscurus was doomed to die before the age of ten. And yet, Ivan seemed to control this power effortlessly—something unheard of.
"I call myself an Obscurialist as I can control it with not much difficulty."
"Now, let's start the second round, Professor," Ivan said, raising his head. His eyes gleamed with an eerie silver light, seemingly capable of pulling in and consuming one's very soul.
It was different from the sickly appearance of past Obscurials like Credence.
Ivan radiated an ethereal, cold beauty, as if bathed in silver moonlight—mysterious, deep, and dazzling. It was impossible to look away.
"And this time, Professor, I hope you won't hold back."
Ivan added, as his body slowly began to float. The black mist coiled around him, thick and heavy, filled with the anguished howls of unseen phantoms.
"Bw..." Ivan's gaze grew colder and more detached, and Snape felt a chill deep in his heart.
"This powerful obscurus inside his body.. He'll die," Snape muttered to himself. It's common knowledge that a person like this, if not now, will surely die young.
"What is this feeling?" he wondered.
Meanwhile, back at Hogwarts Castle...
Professor McGonagall, dressed in her nightgown, bolted upright from her bed. She hurried to the window and peered toward the Forbidden Forest, concern etched on her face.
Due to the barrier Dumbledore had placed, McGonagall couldn't see what was happening within.
But she could sense it.
"This kind of Magic...?" Professor McGonagall muttered to herself, rubbing her arms as if trying to shake off a growing sense of unease. "This magic is... terrifying. It's unsettling."
Without a second thought, she quickly changed out of her nightclothes and headed in the direction of the magic.
Professors Flitwick and Sprout, too, had felt the same ominous magic and were already making their way toward the source.
Even Professor Quirrell, in his quarters, felt the overwhelming presence of the dark magic. The figure behind him—Voldemort—was abruptly roused from his slumber.
His crimson eyes flickered open, filled with shock and disbelief.
"Master?" Quirrell stammered.
"Silence, fool!" Voldemort hissed sharply.
He tuned in carefully to the magical disturbances he was sensing, and his expression darkened considerably.
"Who is it?"
"Who possesses such magic?" Voldemort's thoughts raced. The magic was so immense, even stronger than what he had at his peak.
Dumbledore?
No, that couldn't be right!
A wizard's magic is unique, and Voldemort was well acquainted with Dumbledore's magic. It didn't match. The wand chooses its master based on that magical signature.
This wasn't Dumbledore.
"Though it's faint, this magic seems to be in battle with someone," Voldemort mused. "And the magic opposing it…"
He recognized it immediately.
"Severus?!"
'What is happening?'
Snape was locked in a fight with the wielder of this strange and powerful magic!
Voldemort's curiosity was piqued, and he wanted nothing more than to investigate.
However, in his current weakened state, he had no choice but to retreat back into slumber, frustrated and unwilling.
Before succumbing to sleep, Voldemort gave a final order to Quirrell: "Find out who is fighting Snape!"
The owner of that magic, dark and charged with negative energy, certainly wasn't someone to be taken lightly.
Perhaps, there was still a chance for cooperation.
"Yes, master..." Quirrell said timidly, "I will find out."
Boom!!!
Suddenly, the ground beneath Ivan erupted violently, the trees around him torn apart and shattered into fragments.
Rocks, soil, and even the five stone giants Ivan had conjured earlier were swept up into the swirling black fog, becoming nourishment to further strengthen the dark force.
Dark tornadoes spiraled up into the sky—one, two, three…
It was like a scene from the apocalypse.
Even the triple protective barrier, set up by Dumbledore himself, began to tremble, showing signs of cracking under the immense pressure.
"What... what is this?"
Hermione stood frozen, unable to comprehend the power Ivan was now unleashing.
She had never imagined that such terrifying strength was hidden within him.
The sky, the earth, the forest—everything was consumed in silent darkness.
Amid the swirling blackness, flashes of red lightning streaked through, pulsing like the veins of a living creature.
Above the Forbidden Forest, a massive black and red vortex had formed, swirling ominously, covering the sky.
"Roar!!!"
Hovering in mid-air, Ivan spread his arms wide, and the Obscurus behind him let out a monstrous roar, as though it had a life of its own, bellowing at Snape.
"Professor, go ahead," Ivan called, his voice cold and unfeeling. "Any spell will do, even the Killing Curse."
The Killing Curse could not be blocked by a Shield Charm, but physical resistance wasn't impossible.
The Obscurus swirling around Ivan had absorbed so much material that it could gather and form a solid defense, able to stop even Avada Kedavra!
Unless Snape's magic was powerful enough to break through all the layers of defense created by the Obscurus, it wouldn't be able to reach Ivan's actual body.
Otherwise...
The Obscurus was the strongest barrier—a shield providing Ivan with absolute protection!
'Dumbledore, you old bastard!!!' Snape cursed inwardly.
At this moment, all Snape wanted to do was strangle that old man for dragging him into this situation.
Fight Ivan—the Obscurialist?
What a joke!
Snape's instincts, along with the magic coursing through his body, were screaming at him to flee from the monstrous power in front of him immediately!
Now, for the first time, Snape truly understood the terror of the Obscurial.
It was nothing like the descriptions in the books. The real thing was far more horrifying than anything written down.
This was no longer a force that one or two wizards could handle alone.
To deal with Ivan, who had fully unleashed his Obscurus powers, it would require dozens—if not hundreds—of elite wizards, all attacking him relentlessly.
What chance did Snape have on his own?
"Muffliato! Sectumsempra!" Snape cast the spells with his all force, sending the powerful curses hurtling toward Ivan.
But before they could even get close, it was swallowed up by the swirling black mist surrounding Ivan, disappearing as though it had sunk into the depths of an endless sea.
The sight made Snape's expression grow even darker. Dumbledore! You lied to me!!
"Reducto! Confringo!" He shouted a loud and maybe this was the first time one had seen him shout loudly.
But still, nothing happened.
This had to be one of Dumbledore's tricks!
Not only had Dumbledore broken his promise, but he had also casually revealed Snape's darkest secrets. Now, he had thrown Snape into a fight with this... thing Ivan had become.
I trusted you, Dumbledore!
Snape's heart sank under the weight of betrayal. This wound will never heal.
"What's going on here?"
"What... what is that?"
At that moment, Professor McGonagall and the others arrived, looking on in shock as they witnessed the scene unfolding before them.
As soon as they arrived, the three professors immediately noticed the faintly glowing transparent barrier and, not far away, two figures—one large and one small.
"Albus?" Professor McGonagall spoke first, seeing Dumbledore standing there calmly. At the sight of him, the three subconsciously breathed a sigh of relief.
But upon seeing Hermione, McGonagall's heart leapt again.
"What is going on?" she demanded. "Why is Miss Granger here? And Albus, shouldn't you give us an explanation?"
"No need to be nervous, Minerva," Dumbledore replied with his usual calm demeanor. "And Pomona, Filius—my apologies for disturbing you all."
Dumbledore's carefree attitude was infuriating, and even the ever-good-natured Professor Sprout found herself frowning.
This wasn't just about being disturbed. If anyone didn't know better, they might think Voldemort himself had invaded Hogwarts!
"Professor, it's Professor Snape and Ivan," Hermione finally chimed in, unable to remain silent.
Seeing there was no other option, she quickly explained the situation to the three heads of house.
When they heard that Ivan had actually challenged Snape to a duel, the three exchanged incredulous looks. It seemed almost unbelievable.
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