As the headless corpse collapsed to the ground with a thud, Hoffa was completely stunned.
His vision blurred, and his hearing dulled. For a moment, it felt as though his blood surged straight to his head, his heart pounding like a massive drum against his chest. A strange, primal instinct surged from his left arm to his brain, gnawing away at his reason. His eyes turned bloodshot, and his body began to undergo an unsettling transformation.
Hoffa detested Aglaia—he truly did.
He had imagined countless times how much better things would've been if he'd arrived at Platform Nine and Three-Quarters a little later that day, sparing himself the trouble of meeting her. He had even wondered if enduring her antics back then could have prevented all the chaos that followed.
But no amount of dislike could make him indifferent to the sight of an 11-year-old girl dying in front of him. The sheer inhumanity of such an act, committed so brazenly by these three men, was unforgivable!
Unforgivable!!
Though he had no magic left, Hoffa clenched his fist and swung it at Schmidt.
Without realizing it, his arm had begun to thicken, covered in a fine layer of white fur.
Schmidt's expression remained stoic as he raised his left arm, catching Hoffa's punch with ease.
He took a small step back before lifting his foot and delivering a powerful kick to Hoffa's abdomen.
At just 11 years old, Hoffa was no match for Schmidt's strength. The force of the kick sent him flying over six meters, crashing heavily against a tree.
The impact shook the trunk, causing pine needles to rain down.
But Hoffa refused to give in. He struggled to his feet again, even as the bones in his body began to crackle and pop like firecrackers.
The primal instinct from his left arm surged like a tidal wave, drowning his rational mind.
Just as he prepared to launch another attack, a pebble suddenly shot out of the darkness, striking Hoffa squarely on the head.
The unexpected impact jolted him back to his senses, but the sight of Aglaia's corpse reignited his rage.
Another pebble struck him, rolling to the ground afterward.
This second hit cleared Hoffa's mind further.
He began to notice something odd.
The transformations in his body receded completely as he fixed his gaze on the pebbles.
Then he glanced back at Aglaia's corpse.
His racing heart started to slow as an unsettling realization crept in—something wasn't right. The lifeless half-body hadn't shed a single drop of blood.
The figure bitten by the Venom Leopard looked more like a mannequin made of plastic than a human being.
Schmidt seemed to notice something as well. He stopped attacking Hoffa and cautiously approached the "corpse," his expression darkening.
The Venom Leopard continued to chew vigorously on what appeared to be a silver head. Suddenly, the head disintegrated into a puff of blue smoke.
A moment later, the body on the ground also vanished in a loud poof, dissipating into smoke.
The Venom Leopard froze, momentarily confused, its jaws snapping at empty air.
The two dark wizards stood there, dumbfounded.
Schmidt, however, reacted quickly. He immediately realized something was amiss.
Without hesitation, he spun around.
Unfortunately, it was too late. The moment the head in the Venom Leopard's mouth dissolved into smoke, a small figure suddenly dashed out from an inconspicuous corner. Moving at incredible speed, the figure reached Hoffa's side in an instant.
It was Aglaia!
She swiftly threw one arm around Hoffa's back and lifted him up.
The rapid rise and fall of his life felt like bungee jumping off a cliff, leaving Hoffa dizzy and disoriented.
"What was that?" he asked, his voice filled with shock.
"Hmph, a duplication spell. Didn't you learn anything in your curse lessons?"
Her sharp tongue as usual.
After speaking, she supported his head and decisively, without hesitation, poured a vial of potion into his mouth.
As the potion slid down his throat, Hoffa felt only one thing.
It was fiery—blazing hot to the extreme!
Hotter than the spiciest drink Hoffa had ever tasted in his past life.
It felt as if he hadn't drunk a potion, but a full vial of nitroglycerin. The potion spread through his body like a surge of raw magical energy, flowing from his mouth into his limbs and nerves, filling him with an overwhelming force.
He shot up from the ground, leaping to his feet, his pupils contracting. His mind became laser-focused, and the magic swirling inside him made him desperately want to release some of it.
Schmidt's expression changed. Without a word, he and his two companions raised their wands in unison.
The spells they unleashed illuminated Hoffa's pupils, while the Crumple-Horned Snorkacks swarmed toward him from all directions. The Venom Leopard leapt from afar, its body propelled by a thick cloud of poisonous mist, soaring several dozen meters.
Unfortunately, just as these creatures were about to reach Hoffa, he and Aglaia vanished into the Forbidden Forest.
The Snorkacks crashed into the ground.
The Venom Leopard plowed through two large trees.
Two spells ripped through the Snorkack group, sending purple blood splattering in every direction.
But none of it managed to kill the one person who should have been killed.
Seeing the situation unfold, Schmidt remained emotionless, but one of his subordinates, enraged, punched a nearby tree trunk with such force that blood flowed from his hand, though he seemed unaware of the pain.
"How can he be so slippery?!"
He roared in German.
Schmidt, however, remained calm. "No matter where he runs, his goal is the school. Head to the exit and stop him—don't let him enter Hogwarts!"
His guess was correct. Hoffa's destination was indeed the school, and he was running in the exact direction to reach it.
Hoffa had considered setting up a decoy, but no matter how he did it, his goal was always to return to the school. Rather than waste time, he decided to be decisive and head straight there.
With his Ghost Step, Hoffa could cover more than two meters with each stride, even while carrying Aglaia.
However, Aglaia couldn't keep up with Hoffa's speed.
Though she was 1.4 meters tall—tall for an 11-year-old—her legs couldn't keep pace with Hoffa's rapid movements.
After running for a hundred meters, Hoffa stopped the Ghost Step. Just as he was about to continue,
Aglaia, pushed by the momentum, tripped on an oak tree root and fell to the ground.
Hoffa turned around to see her clutching her ankle, her lips tightly pressed together as she curled up beneath the tree.
"Can you still walk?" Hoffa asked.
"I can."
Aglaia replied with a tremor in her voice.
Hoffa immediately grabbed her arm and draped it over his shoulder. But after taking just one step, she cried out in pain.
"I twisted my ankle."
It was no act. When Hoffa lifted her sock, he saw her ankle swelling visibly.
"Damn."
Hoffa furrowed his brows as he noticed the dark wizards were rapidly approaching. Without a second thought, he crouched down. "Hurry up, I'll carry you."
Aglaia hesitated for a moment, but when she heard the voices behind them, she stopped caring about her injury and quickly threw herself onto Hoffa's back.
Hoffa's body was only eleven years old, and even running on his own was exhausting enough. Carrying someone almost took his breath away.
But in a moment of desperation, he cast a floating charm on his shoes and clothes. Immediately, the weight lightened considerably.
Just as Hoffa lifted Aglaia, a cold voice echoed from behind.
"A real wizard wouldn't stoop to running away. Didn't your parents teach you this, little boy? Or perhaps you don't even have parents, just a mudblood?"
The voice was provoking him, but Hoffa's expression remained calm, unaffected. He continued forward, ignoring the taunts.
The voice came again.
"I'm curious—are you really just going to take it? Don't you feel humiliated? A man who sees escape as his only goal—what kind of future does he have?"
Aglaia's eyes were filled with concern as she lay on Hoffa's back. She placed her hand over his ears to block the words.
Hoffa gently removed her hand, his voice calm yet chillingly firm:
"I'll run ahead. You keep an eye on them. If any spell comes flying, warn me immediately."
Her determination was reignited by his calmness, and she nodded firmly.
"Got it!"
Schmidt continued to provoke, while his companions waved their wands frantically.
Spells rained down on Hoffa like a storm.
Hoffa leaped over two obstacles in quick succession, and Aglaia suddenly warned him.
"Watch out for the spells!"
Hoffa immediately activated his Ghost Step, taking Aglaia into the shadows with him.
A barrage of chaotic spells landed harmlessly in the empty space.
When they reappeared, Hoffa had already gained a significant lead on the two pursuing him.
Schmidt squinted, not giving up. He saw the boy getting closer to the exit of the forest.
"Little girl, are you from the Merva family?"
The cold, mocking voice reached Hoffa and Aglaia's ears.
Hoffa cursed inwardly, what a treacherous bastard—knowing that provoking him would be useless, he resorted to attacking Aglaia instead.
As Hoffa ran at full speed, he quickly said to Aglaia, "Don't listen to him!"
Aglaia bit her lip tightly, her face pale.
"I heard that creatures like Merva are only good for one thing—screwing around with men. Were you here in the forest looking for some thrills with him?"
Aglaia's arm shot out as she turned her head, her lower lip clenched between her teeth, her eyes turning bloodshot in an instant.
Hoffa panicked and grabbed Aglaia's arm tightly.
"Get out quickly! Once we're out, we'll be safe!"
The cold voice persisted relentlessly: "I heard that Mervas sleep with many men throughout their lives, but never for long—don't know if that's true."
Hoffa was horrified and wanted to warn Aglaia, but it was already too late.
Aglaia trembled as she said to Hoffa, "You go on without me, don't worry about me."
"Hey! Don't be foolish! A gentleman waits ten years for revenge!"
"I take my revenge on the spot."
Before Hoffa could say anything more, Aglaia pushed him off hard and slid off his back. After landing, she drew her wand and, limping with a twisted leg, hobbled toward Schmidt.
Her eyes were bloodshot, her face like ice.
Hoffa saw that they were already at the edge of the Forbidden Forest. When he noticed this little girl was actually turning back, he nearly died of frustration.
As long as he could reach the castle, as long as he reached the castle, he would be safe.
He glanced at the exit of the Forbidden Forest, closed his eyes in anguish, and swore loudly.
"Dammit!"
After cursing, he stomped his foot and turned, charging toward Aglaia.
Aglaia waved her wand, shouting meaningless incantations in fury.
However, Schmidt merely tilted his head indifferently. Three winged demons charged toward Aglaia, enduring her spells. They grabbed her face and tore away the cloth covering her face.
The toxic gas from the poison pouch leopard instantly entered Aglaia's heart and lungs.
She clutched her throat, unable to say a word. All she could do was glare at Schmidt in furious helplessness.
"Fool."
With that, Schmidt kicked her squarely in the forehead, sending her flying. She slammed into a stone by the stream, her head splitting open, blood flowing freely. Without hesitation, she lost consciousness immediately.
Hoffa lunged forward, reaching out to pull Aglaia away.
But at that moment, an invisible rope tripped him.
One of Schmidt's other associates rushed out from the depths of the Forbidden Forest. He grabbed Hoffa by the back of his robes and lifted him off the ground with one hand.
Hoffa raised his wand, but it was swiftly snatched away by the dark wizard and thrown to the ground.
Schmidt coldly looked at Hoffa and said, "Weakness and sympathy will eventually get you killed. If you don't learn to discard these impurities, how can you rise to a higher level of existence?"
Hoffa didn't respond. He clenched his teeth and extended his hand.
The familiar sensation of being connected by blood returned. The wand sensed Hoffa's danger and flew toward him.
As it flew through the air, it rapidly transformed. By the time it landed in Hoffa's hand, it had turned into a sharp, cross-shaped dagger.
The dark wizard holding Hoffa saw a flash of cold light in the darkness and immediately frowned.
He clenched his fist and swung it toward Hoffa's temple.
Hoffa, however, quickly swung the dagger sideways, slashing violently behind him.
As the blade moved, it elongated.
The dark wizard behind Hoffa realized the danger and decisively abandoned his attempt to strike him.
He shoved Hoffa's back hard and leaped backward, trying to distance himself.
He succeeded.
But it was already too late.
The blade rapidly lengthened, and a silver crescent flashed through the air.
(End of chapter)
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