Merlin and Hermione were standing in the middle of Hogsmeade, the village unusually quiet as a cool wind swept through the cobblestone streets. Merlin crossed her arms over her chest, her sharp eyes fixed on the young witch before her.
"So, Ms. Granger," Merlin began in a calm yet probing tone, "I'm told that last year you and the boys were attacked by a troll."
Hermione's expression immediately faltered. Her lips pressed into a thin line, and her eyes flickered with unease. She lowered her gaze slightly before answering softly, "Yes, Professor… it was frightening."
Merlin tilted her head, studying Hermione's reaction carefully. "The troll?" she asked, her voice even, though there was a weight behind it.
Hermione shook her head quickly, her brows knitting together as the memory surfaced. "No… not the troll itself. How powerless I was. I felt… so helpless." Her voice cracked faintly, her fists clenching at her sides.
Merlin's stern features softened ever so slightly, and she gave a slow nod. "Good," she said firmly. "Being afraid of helplessness isn't a weakness — especially if you wish to be better."
Hermione blinked at her in surprise, then a small, grateful smile spread across her face. "Thank you, Professor," she said quietly. Straightening her posture, she asked with growing determination, "So, Professor… what will be my task? From the question you just asked me, I'd assume you intend to have me face a troll?"
Merlin's lips curled into a faint smirk. "Obviously," she replied, her eyes glinting with approval. "I'd have been worried if you weren't able to figure that out from context. Yes, you'll be facing a mountain troll. It'll be along in a minute. I want you to defeat it. You don't have to kill it — but you do need to subdue it. And I shall not interfere. Show me that you're not helpless."
Hermione's heart skipped a beat, but she clenched her jaw and gave a resolute nod. Planting her feet firmly, she raised her wand, sliding instinctively into a stance that showed both her nerves and her determination.
Merlin gave a slow, satisfied nod, her coat stirring faintly in the breeze. "Good," she murmured.
Moments later, the ground shook violently as a thunderous crash echoed through the village. A massive mountain troll came barreling through a building, shattering stone and timber as if they were paper. Dust and debris filled the air, and with a guttural roar that rattled the square, the beast locked its beady eyes on Hermione and stomped forward, bellowing its challenge.
From their recliner perched casually on top of Hogwarts Castle, Tet and Hestia observed Hermione's battle against the troll below. The girl darted quickly across the square, her small frame giving her the advantage of speed as she narrowly avoided the troll's massive club. Rather than trying to take it down with heavy spells, Hermione relied on basic castings to keep its attention, luring it into charging headlong into buildings and obstacles.
Hestia, still nestled comfortably in Tet's embrace with her head resting against his chest, watched with bright eyes. "That girl has potential," she murmured softly, her voice warm with approval.
Tet smirked faintly, his eyes narrowing with sharp focus as he studied Hermione's movements. "Yes," he said with calm certainty. "I'm almost certain Merlin has picked her as one of her two apprentice candidates. She has the right idea… but she needs to hit it with something more solid. Those buildings aren't gonna cut it."
Hestia tilted her head in agreement, her hair brushing Tet's arm as she replied, "Agreed. Of course, if she had some stronger spells, she'd have an easier time."
Tet chuckled, reaching over to the small cooler they'd brought along. He pulled out a couple of chilled strawberry sodas, handing one to Hestia before cracking open his own. He took a long sip, his brows rising in surprise as the taste hit his tongue. "Whoa… this tastes better than usual."
Hestia's lips curved into a soft, playful smile as she looked up at him. "Do you like it? I made it myself."
Tet glanced at her, eyes softening, and leaned in to kiss her cheek gently. "It's delicious, dear. Thank you."
Hestia giggled sweetly, her cheeks tinting pink. "You're welcome, darling," she said, her voice bubbling with affection.
With that, the two of them snuggled closer together, sipping their sodas as they returned their attention to the fight below, Hermione's determination reflected in their watchful eyes.
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Hermione had begun to realize she needed to switch tactics. The buildings weren't strong enough to even daze the troll, much less knock it out. Sweat beaded at her brow as she ducked another powerful swing of its club, the air whistling past her ear from the sheer force of the blow. Her mind raced as her brown eyes darted across the battlefield, scanning desperately for something—anything—she could use.
That's when she spotted them: multiple wooden beams jutting out from the rubble of the destroyed buildings, and thick trees still rooted firmly in the ground.
Thinking quickly, Hermione raised her wand with determination flashing in her eyes. "Diffindo!" she shouted, her voice sharp with focus. A beam cracked cleanly, the edge now cut diagonally into a wicked point. Her heart pounded as she repeated the spell again and again, carving beams and trees alike into jagged stakes until the battlefield was littered with massive, deadly points.
The troll roared, its small, ugly eyes narrowing on her. Hermione gritted her teeth, her grip on her wand tightening as she caught its attention once more. "Come on…" she muttered under her breath, her legs trembling but her stance steady.
With another earth-shaking roar, the troll charged at her. Hermione's breath caught in her throat, but she forced herself to hold her ground until the very last moment. Then, with perfect timing, she dropped low, sliding under its massive legs and rolling clear just as the ground shook beneath its weight.
The troll thundered forward—straight into her trap.
It realized too late. Its beady eyes widened as it tried to halt its charge, but its bulk betrayed it.
Hermione spun around, her wand snapping up. "Depulso!" she cried, her voice ringing with all her fear, anger, and determination. A powerful blast of magic shot from her wand, slamming into the troll's back with crushing force.
The beast roared in surprise and pain as it was thrown violently forward, its body crashing directly into one of the sharpened stakes. The wood pierced straight through its chest, the sound wet and sickening as the troll howled in agony.
Hermione froze for a moment, her eyes wide, her breath ragged in her throat. The troll groaned, staggering as it pulled itself off the spike with monstrous effort, leaving a gaping, bloody hole in its chest. Its eyes locked on Hermione once more, filled with nothing but fury.
Hermione stumbled back a few steps, her wand trembling in her grasp. Her chest rose and fell rapidly as the troll staggered toward her… and then, slowly, its movements faltered. The light in its eyes flickered, dimmed… and finally vanished.
With a thunderous crash that shook the square, the mountain troll collapsed to the ground, lifeless.
Hermione let out a long, shuddering sigh of relief, her shoulders sagging as the tension bled out of her body. Her hand went to her chest as if to steady her racing heart.
From behind her, Merlin clapped her hands together, her voice warm with approval. "Well done. You knew brute force wouldn't work, so you made clever use of the environment and managed to take it down without a scratch."
Hermione turned toward her, exhausted but glowing faintly with pride.
"And as promised," Merlin continued, her eyes sharp with anticipation, "I shall now teach you some high-level magic. Now, pay close attention. This spell… is called Perfect Cube."
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Tet nodded with satisfaction, a small smirk tugging at his lips. Then, without hesitation, he scooped Hestia up into his arms and said, "Alright, I think we're done here. Time to return to Bobby's house. They should be finishing up their games soon, and I'll need to be there to greet them."
Hestia's eyes lit up with excitement, and she clapped her hands together. "Oh, that adorable girl that loves cookies is there, right? I'll enjoy cooking for her. Let's go then!"
Tet chuckled warmly, and in a kaleidoscope of swirling, shimmering colors, the two of them vanished.
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Meanwhile, in the Chamber of Secrets, Tom Riddle—currently possessing Ginny—stormed toward the towering statue of Salazar Slytherin, only to stop dead in his tracks. His eyes widened in fury as he took in the scene before him: the statue lay ruined, several parts of the chamber were shattered, and the ground was littered with bloodstains and glinting silver arrows. Most damning of all, the basilisk was nowhere to be found.
Tom's face twisted with rage, and his voice echoed throughout the chamber as he roared, "Where is my basilisk?! What happened here?!"
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Back in Tet's realm, Artemis was lounging lazily in the garden, stretched out in a hammock as she sipped from a tall glass of iced tea. With one hand, she waved dismissively and said, "A little to the left."
Apollo, standing a few feet away, grunted in effort as he dragged the massive taxidermied basilisk across the grass. Sweat beaded his forehead. "Like this?"
"No, no—back to the right a bit," Artemis replied casually, not even lifting her head.
Apollo sighed heavily, clearly exasperated, but did as she asked.
"Back a little… and perfect! Thanks, Apollo," Artemis said cheerfully, finally giving an approving nod.
Apollo turned to her, his expression a mix of irritation and disbelief. "You could have helped, you know."
With a mischievous smirk playing on her lips, Artemis tilted her head and replied, "Why do stuff I don't feel like doing when I have a little brother to do it for me?"
Apollo scowled, crossing his arms. "How do you know you're the older twin?"
Artemis raised an eyebrow, leaning forward with a smug grin. "I literally delivered you."
"Whatever," Apollo muttered, rolling his eyes as he turned away. "I'm going back to the theater."
As he walked off, Artemis gave him a casual wave and called out cheerfully, "Have fun, baby brother!"
Apollo let out a loud, frustrated groan, his shoulders slumping as he stomped away, clearly annoyed by her teasing.