Augustus hadn't expected Snape to be so lenient. Resolving such a major issue with just an essay? Carrying that relief, Augustus left the dungeons and headed toward the Slytherin common room.
Navigating the shifting staircases, Augustus finally arrived at the stone wall leading to the common room. Instead of asking Snape for the password, he stood silently in front of the wall. After a moment's thought, he pulled out his silver wand. A beam of white light shot out, and his body seemed to melt into the air, becoming transparent. Moments later, he slipped seamlessly through the stone wall, reappearing inside the common room.
The Slytherin common room was bustling. Most of last year's Prefects were present, except for Goring, who had graduated, and another female Prefect. Leading the selection for new Prefects this year was a tall, handsome sixth-year boy with ash-blond hair.
"Hey, Augustus! Over here!" Lillian waved at him, her face lighting up as he entered. Augustus nodded and made his way toward the group.
"You're finally here. What happened? You missed the feast; we were all worried about you," Lillian said, relief evident in her voice. Her words drew the attention of the other Prefects.
"Had some trouble on the way—couldn't catch the Hogwarts Express," Augustus explained briefly.
"No train? Then how did you get here?" Draco Malfoy leaned in, curiosity etched on his face.
"Ron's dad's car happened to be nearby, so we drove it. A miserable trip, honestly," Augustus replied with a dismissive wave.
"What? You drove a car? Why didn't you bring me along? That sounds so fun!" protested Hestia Kris, a petite Prefect with long red hair. The only daughter of the influential Kris family, one of the Hogwarts governors, she rarely missed an opportunity for excitement.
Augustus shook his head slightly, clearly not sharing Hestia's enthusiasm. His attention shifted to the dueling circle, where first-year candidates were competing for a spot as Prefects.
As expected, Loki Adams stood alone in the circle. All the others had been defeated.
"This kid's already taken out three opponents in quick succession. Each match lasted less than twenty seconds. Gotta admit, he's got skill," Draco muttered, a hint of envy flashing in his eyes.
"Is no one else going to challenge me?" Loki's amber eyes gleamed with arrogance as he surveyed the crowd. "If this is all it takes to become a Slytherin Prefect, then it's frankly boring. Where's your courage? If you can't even muster that, you don't deserve to call yourself a Slytherin."
Despite Loki's taunts, the crowd remained hesitant. Watching their peers get swiftly defeated had drained any remaining courage.
Suddenly, Loki's gaze locked onto Augustus, who stood observing by the circle. His eyes lit up with excitement.
"Augustus! You're here? Would you do me the honor of a duel? Ever since last time, I've been dreaming of facing you properly. If you defeat me, I swear on my family's name that I will follow you unconditionally. But before that, let's have a battle to remember!" Loki's voice brimmed with fervor, his eyes fixed on Augustus.
Augustus was momentarily stunned by Loki's passion. This boy's thirst for magic was undeniably impressive. If he could temper his flaws, he might indeed have great potential. After a brief pause, Augustus nodded and stepped into the dueling circle. The sixth-year Prefect made no move to stop him, allowing the match to proceed.
"This is getting interesting. That first-year troublemaker dares challenge Augustus? Let's see if he can last a minute," Hestia remarked, her blue eyes sparkling with amusement. She vividly remembered the fiery display Augustus had put on last year.
"Ridiculous. Augustus isn't even in the same league as this kid. He's doomed," Draco said, his tone dripping with disdain. He had witnessed Augustus' true capabilities before, and no mere first-year could compare.
In the circle, Loki's expression turned serious. He drew his wand and pointed it at Augustus.
"Serpent's Strike!" A massive black serpent erupted from Loki's wand, its hiss filling the room with a foul wind. The snake coiled and surged toward Augustus, its sheer presence paralyzing most of the first-years with fear.
"Oh? That's quite the spell for a first-year," Hestia murmured in surprise. The incantation was typically taught in third year, yet Loki had already mastered it.
Unfazed, Augustus smiled faintly. A fiery arrow formed at the tip of his silver wand, blazing with intense heat. With a swift motion, the arrow shot forward, piercing the serpent's weak point with unerring accuracy. The snake writhed for a moment before vanishing into thin air.
Loki's eyes flickered with surprise but quickly hardened with determination. Taking a deep breath, he prepared his next spell—one he had practiced tirelessly. If this didn't work, he would concede.
"Sectumsempra!" Loki's voice rang out as an invisible slash cut through the air, a wave of deadly sharp magic speeding toward Augustus.
"What?!" For the first time, Hestia's calm demeanor cracked. She recognized the spell immediately - a high-level curse that even most advanced students struggled to control. Mishandling it could harm the caster just as easily as the target. Yet Loki wielded it with surprising confidence.
Augustus' silver eyes remained calm as ever. The wind stirred his golden hair as the deadly curse closed in.
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