"Lupin!" Snape's face, once etched by shock, flared with sudden, burning intensity.
He drew his wand smoothly and advanced purposefully toward the werewolf.
"Stop right there!" Pedro bellowed, his gaze cold and unyielding. "This is my private chamber — no harm shall come to anyone here. If you want a duel, take it outside!"
Snape's dark eyes flickered with old, bitter memories. He ignored Pedro completely and kept walking.
Barely over four feet tall, Pedro was easily brushed aside, stumbling awkwardly — much to Anton's bewilderment.
"I'll make you pay!" Pedro bellowed. With a sharp crack, he reappeared instantly in Snape's path, face flushed with rage. "Get out!"
Yet all he could do was glare up at Snape's torso — his small frame made him barely noticeable. Snape paid him no mind, his gaze locked on Lupin's pale face.
"Lupin!"
He flicked his wand sharply. "Incendio!"
Boom!
A massive, complex magic shield crashed down from above, striking the wooden floor and shielding Lupin from view — causing Snape's spell to fizzle and dissolve into thin air.
Pedro snapped his fingers, and the glowing device in the hall's corner flared to life.
In a heartbeat, he swelled to over two meters tall, fingers thick as dragon claws, magic surging through him. "This is your last warning, Snape. Leave now!"
His eyes burned with unwavering vigilance, but held back from striking first.
Not out of principle. In fact during the Dark Lord's reign, Snape's name had become one of the most feared and respected in the entire wizarding world.
Pedro would never admit it, but every dark wizard and cunning creature knew the truth — Snape had been the Dark Lord's most loyal and trusted servant.
His name alone made them tremble. He was a man without limits or conscience — killing not only on his master's orders, but turning on his own kind without a moment's hesitation. To him, mercy was a word that simply did not exist.
"Lupin dies today. And if you dare stand in my way…" Snape's cold stare pierced right through Pedro. "…I shall not hold back."
"Over my dead body!" Pedro stood his ground firmly. One hand upheld a massive shield, while glowing symbols swirled around the other. "If you want my patient, you'll have to go through me first."
Over in the corner, Fiennes let out a dry, low chuckle. "Pedro's got no choice here. He made an Unbreakable Vow to you — if Lupin dies, he dies right along with him."
Anton pressed his lips tight, eyes locked on the two adversaries. "You really think my Shield Charm could stop his Killing Curse?"
Fiennes stopped short, completely stunned.
"Are you out of your mind?" he burst out, equal parts shocked and exasperated. "I thought you'd learned better from me. You're clever — how can you fail to see what you're up against?"
Anton simply shook his head, his face grave and weary. "There are things we can do... and things we simply cannot."
Though spoken clearly in English, Fiennes pretended not to understand. Still, he leaned in urgently, trying to reason with him. "Don't be stupid! That's Snape you're going up against!"
"You're just a child who's barely mastered a few spells," he said, his voice sharp with worry and frustration. "You haven't the faintest idea what you're dealing with."
Boom!
Wooosh! .
The clash erupted in an instant—curses blazed through the air: one full of murderous intent, the other driven by desperation, both raw and unrestrained.
Before long, cracks snaked across every surface. The charm-expanded space shuddered violently, fragile as a bubble about to burst.
"Protego!"
Anton cast two quick Shield Charms to shield himself and Anna. Blasts of magic exploded all around; splinters of furniture went flying, striking his barriers and sending ripples shimmering across their surface.
He watched the furious duel with steady focus, then suddenly flicked his wand toward the floor. "Protego!"
Snape's Expulso curse blazed through the room, slamming into the pale blue shield with a deafening crack— dispelling it instantly.
And yet!
The floorboards below remained completely unscathed.
They had held firm.
A surge of power rushed through Anton, his mind racing to find a way to break the deadlock.
Just then, Lupin let out a piercing roar. Thick fur erupted across his body, his limbs stretched, and his face twisted as the transformation took hold.
Anton was about to spring into action—only to realize Anna had woken up unnoticed. Slipped free from his grip and bolted desperately toward the passage at the hall's far end.
Fiennes, wild with despair, glanced at Anton, who stood ready to intervene. drifted upward amidst the swirling chaos of spells, cackling madly. "Hahaha… There's no hope left for you. That boy is as good as dead—he was my last chance. But it doesn't matter… you'll all die too. Come with me… come with me!"
Chaos erupted through the hall.
Anton silently wished for a single spell that could calm everyone down. This is pure madness!
Pedro had completely lost his mind. Eyes blazing red, he shrieked, "You human butchers! You murdered my parents, slaughtered my kin, wiped out my people! I want every last one of you dead — dead!"
Goblin magic worked differently from wizard magic, following its own strange, fierce laws.
Behind Pedro, a figure materialized: a purple-skinned being, almost mechanical in appearance, with five heads and ten arms, drawing back a massive longbow.
Exterminate: All Humans
Fiennes flung himself between the two, only to recoil with a shudder as an arrow flew through his ghostly form.
Snape waved his wand, blasting searing yellow light. Fiennes shrieked and retreated, then Snape immediately turned to face the goblin again.
Now fully transformed, Lupin was nearly impervious to magic; spells barely grazed his skin, leaving only faint streaks of blood. Like a wild beast, he tore savagely at the sticky bonds holding him captive, roaring with unrestrained rage.
Meanwhile, the gelatinous barrier holding him at bay grew ragged and smoked, clearly on the brink of collapse.
Anton and Anna faced even graver danger.
One arrow slammed right into their shield — it shook violently and caved in, almost breaking apart completely. Before Pedro could fire another, Snape's curse hit its target dead on.
"Petrificus Totalus!"
Gritting his teeth, Anton dashed straight to Anna. In that desperate instant, every instinct roared: protect her at all costs.
The entire building shrieked with a piercing wail, twisting and convulsing violently.
At last, he grabbed Anna's hand and roared over the roaring chaos: "Have you lost your mind?!"
She stood her ground, gaze steady and unyielding. "The Time-Turner is in there—I can't let it be destroyed!"
"Are you sure it's worth all this?" Anton asked, stunned by her recklessness.
She gritted her teeth, eyes shining with determination. "It matters more to me than my own life!"
Anton drew a sharp breath, then nodded sharply. "Alright — let's move!"
They raced for the workshop. Runes blazed on cracking walls, debris flew everywhere, He cast Shield Charms over and over, weaving protection around both himself and Anna, again and again until his head throbbed as if it would split open.
The floor itself had shattered—great slabs heaved upward while others dropped away into dark, gaping chasms.
Anna stumbled toward a nearby shelf, grabbed and opened a heavy case, then strained to drag the towering eight-meter tall machine beside it.
But it wouldn't budge.
"No! No!" Anna strained with every ounce of strength, her small frame shaking, tears pooling in her eyes.
She looked up at him, her gaze desperate and pleading. "Please… help me!"
A searing pain stabbed through Anton's mind. He shook his head sharply, then pulled her back firmly.
"It mustn't break—it can't!" she sobbed, her voice muffled as he held her close against his chest.
"Protego!"
Releasing the spell brought him only a fleeting moment of relief. He raised his wand again. "Wingardium Leviosa!"
His head throbbed like it would burst. Mustering every last ounce of strength, he waved his wand—and the massive 8‑meter machine folded effortlessly into the case. It clicked shut on its own and drifted toward him.
Anna caught it instantly, wrapping her arms tightly around it.
"Thank you!" she cried joyfully, and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek.
Anton froze, eyes blown wide in utter shock.