When Chaos Meets Steel
After the presentation, everyone went back to focusing on their projects and, at the same time, began preparing for the fair.
Nick walked calmly around the room, observing the students' ideas with interest. They were quite modern proposals, surprisingly advanced for their age.
He headed toward the corner where Harry and the others were once again working on their machine.
"Master, why didn't you tell us you were coming?" Hermione asked, her voice a mixture of reproach and happiness.
Daphne greeted him enthusiastically with a smile, while Draco and Harry greeted him with respect.
Nick returned their greeting with a gentle smile and, with a paternal gesture, patted Hermione and Daphne on the head.
"I wanted to surprise you," he replied calmly. "So, tell me, what are you working on?" he asked with genuine interest, fixing his gaze on the peculiar machine in front of him.
The four of them began explaining hastily, their eyes shining and their voices full of excitement. Nick listened patiently, smiling every now and then.
"… The problem is we always end up with this," Daphne said, lifting up a strange, incomplete golem: it had five arms, but no other limbs.
Nick observed the machine with patience, studying the details before speaking.
"Maybe the problem can be solved by dividing the functions into different compartments for each part," Nicolás suggested, with the ease of someone who had already seen the answer from the beginning.
The four of them opened their eyes wide, glanced at the machine, and without hesitation ran to make quick adjustments where Nick had pointed out.
Watching them rush around, Nick couldn't help but smile.
Almost an hour passed between adjustments and corrections. Finally, Daphne lifted the completed golem above her head with pride.
"We did it!" she exclaimed.
The others shared the same satisfaction. The machine was ready; it only needed to be sent to the company so it could begin being used, after a few tests and minor corrections.
Harry looked out the window and noticed the sun was already beginning to set. Some students were also starting to leave, a clear sign that it was time to return to the dormitories.
…
"Should we use our machine for the fair?" Hermione asked excitedly.
"Better to find something else," Draco replied, shaking his head. "After all, this one will be used in our company. If we show it there, it'll be like helping the competition."
Before they could continue, they saw Neville walking nervously, his eyes fixed on the ground as if desperately searching for something.
"What's wrong, Neville?" Hermione asked when she saw him.
"Ah… hi. I think my wand fell out of my pocket and I can't find it," he said worriedly, his voice trembling. "It's the one my mum bought me…" he added, almost in tears.
The four of them frowned instantly and exchanged looks.
"Don't worry. Where was the last place you used it?" Harry asked, stepping closer and giving him a reassuring pat on the shoulder.
"In the Herbology club," Neville answered.
Draco checked his pocket watch and nodded seriously. "We still have an hour before curfew. We'll have to hurry."
The four of them set off with Neville, heading toward the castle's club section. They walked carefully, scanning the ground in case the wand had fallen along the way.
"Do you think the wand thief has shown up again?" Hermione asked, her expression serious.
"But this is different from the other cases. The others had theirs stolen while they were sleeping. Neville said he had his at the club," Daphne pointed out, doubtful.
"Maybe he changed his method," Harry murmured, not dismissing the idea. "All we can do is search thoroughly. And if we don't find it, then most likely it's the same culprit."
Neville grew even more nervous at his words. Until now, none of the stolen wands had been recovered; the victims had all had to buy a new one. The only exception was Ron Weasley, who had been loaned a spare wand by the school, though it barely accepted him.
"Don't worry, Neville. Maybe you just lost it yourself," Hermione said soothingly. "Once you find it, you'll have to be more careful."
She slipped her hand into her pocket to show him an example, but suddenly froze.
The others stared at her as she quickly turned her body and opened her robe pocket. It was completely empty.
Hermione lifted her gaze nervously, feeling all eyes on her.
"It's not here," she finally said.
Harry looked at her with a hint of mockery.
"You have to have—" he began, but suddenly stopped. His eyes turned cold as he drew his wand. At that very moment, a dark chain shot out from the side and coiled around the crimson handle, ripping it from his hand in a burst of sparks that forced him to let go.
Without hesitation, Harry raised his other hand and unleashed a crimson magical pulse. The impact revealed what had until then been invisible, throwing it violently backward.
Before them appeared a house-elf, one Harry had seen several times before. This time, however, its eyes reflected a different intent.
"What are you doing?" Harry demanded, his pupils glowing red as his aura of chaos filled the air.
The elf did not answer. Nervous, it raised a hand to snap its fingers, but Harry extended his own and froze it in place, trapping it with chaos magic.
The elf struggled desperately, unable to move, while Harry stepped forward to retrieve his wand. The others could barely process what was happening; everything had unfolded too quickly.
Before Harry could touch the wand, he turned his head sharply, his expression hardening. A dagger flew at him, and he stepped back just in time to avoid it. The distraction, however, freed the elf. Trembling, it snapped its fingers and vanished in an instant.
The others tensed, moving into guard.
"Neville, I think your wand will have to wait," Harry said with a strained smile, while his aura of chaos flared more intensely around him.
From the shadows, a figure emerged. Its steps were slow, steady, and each one echoed like an omen.
Hermione was the first to recognize him, letting out a gasp: "Superior Luciel?"
The blond boy looked different. He wore a Beauxbatons uniform modified with armor: metal pauldrons, gloves, and boots up to the knees, all inscribed with faintly glowing runes. His platinum hair moved slightly with the wind, and his face, cold and emotionless, was almost unrecognizable.
"Well, president, I'd like to believe you're just out for a walk… though it doesn't seem very casual, armed and in full battle gear," Harry said with sarcasm.
Luciel gave no answer. His hands slowly descended to the hilts of the two swords at his waist. A metallic flash filled the air as he drew one of them.
Harry fixed his gaze on him, narrowing his eyes. "He's being controlled," he murmured to his friends. Then he signaled to Hermione, who immediately pulled Neville away to safety.
Draco and Daphne stepped up beside him, wands at the ready.
"Swords in a wizard duel?" Draco muttered with irony, though no one joined in. They all knew how dangerous Luciel was, even when he held back. And now, with that armor, the magic radiating from him was suffocating.
Luciel shifted into a guard stance. The runes on his boots flared, and in a blink, he covered ten meters to appear just a step away.
"Expelliarmus!" Draco shouted.
"Stupefy!" Daphne cast.
Luciel, without a wand, raised his swords. The runes etched into the steel lit up, and with a single movement, he slashed through the spells as if they were fragile threads of light.
Daphne's eyes widened in disbelief. Draco swallowed hard.
Harry didn't hesitate. He raised both hands and unleashed a massive crimson blast. The surge of chaos roared like a firestorm and slammed into Luciel, hurling him backward several meters. He flipped in the air before landing on one knee, softening the fall with lethal grace.
In the next second, he was moving again, zigzagging with impossible speed.
Harry lifted the ground in his path to destabilize him, but Luciel drove his sword down and cut through the stone as if it were paper.
A red flash lit the scene: one of his gauntlets glowed, and suddenly he hurled one of his swords. Harry dove to the side; the blade grazed his face, leaving a thin line of blood across his cheek.
The sword, however, flew back into Luciel's hand the moment his gauntlet glowed again.
Harry took a deep breath, never breaking eye contact. "I need you to find my wand. And if possible… my mother," he said gravely, holding his stance.
"We can help!" Draco replied urgently.
"No. My wand is far too dangerous. I need you to go," Harry answered firmly, leaving no room for argument.
Daphne and Draco hesitated, tense, while Harry, wrapped in his crimson aura, kept his eyes on the enemy. Even so, deep inside, he could sense it: Luciel was holding back, fighting against something invisible that controlled him.
Harry smiled bitterly. "Great. And to think, I was only joking when I said if Hogwarts was supposed to be the safest school in the world, I didn't want to imagine the others."
The chaos magic swirled violently around him, crackling with power, preparing for the next clash.