Maurise did not waste any time and immediately stated his purpose.
"Professor Moody, I would like to request a practical combat duel with you," he said bluntly.
"Oh, a practical combat duel." Moody took quick steps toward Maurise, revealing a neurotic and terrifying smile. "Why would you want to do that? Got someone you want to teach a lesson, eh?"
His tone was not particularly friendly.
To the side, Sirius set down his coffee, casting a curious glance their way.
"Something like that," Maurise answered after a moment of thought. This statement was somewhat accurate. He did indeed want to teach Sclep a lesson.
"But more importantly, I want to know exactly how wide the gap is between myself and a top-tier wizard."
Hearing Maurise's declaration, Moody let out a low, mocking grunt.
He looked Maurise up and down. "A top-tier wizard? You should find a sparring partner more suited to your own level, like your classmates. I do not oppose private dueling practice."
Maurise had anticipated this answer. He was fairly familiar with the skill level of Hogwarts students. While there was no shortage of exceptionally talented individuals, they still lacked the challenge he needed.
Thus, he spoke with complete honesty. "That kind of duel would not satisfy me."
To better illustrate his point, he added, "Even when it comes to Sirius behind you, I could fight two of him at the same time."
Judging from Sirius's previous performance in the Shrieking Shack, this was likely an overestimation.
Hearing this, Sirius paused, his expression turning incredibly stiff. That was a bit of an insult to his pride as a wizard.
"That was only because I was using an unfamiliar wand, and I had been locked up for over a decade," he retorted. "Things are different now. We can have another duel, and I will show you my true skill."
Maurise merely smiled faintly. 'Ha, sore loser.'
With a seasoned veteran like Moody present, he had completely lost interest in Sirius.
"May we?" Maurise looked back to Moody. "Of course, if you are unwilling, I will not force the issue."
Sirius felt entirely ignored. He stood up and was just about to say something when Moody beat him to it, stepping right up to Maurise.
"Cast a Shield Charm, boy. Let me see what you are capable of. Do not tell me you haven't even learned that spell yet."
Maurise complied. "Protego!"
With a gentle flick of his wand, a transparent barrier expanded in front of him. The entire process was clean and sharp, without a single flaw to be found.
Sirius blinked in disbelief. This Shield Charm... why did it look even more proficient than his own?
"How was that, Professor?" Maurise turned back to Moody, waiting for an evaluation.
Moody stared at the slowly dissipating barrier for a few seconds and nodded. "Not bad. A very respectable Shield Charm." He paused, then said in a flat tone, "But I still will not agree to a practical combat test."
What a clean and absolute rejection.
Maurise did not bother asking for a reason. He merely shook his head in regret. "Very well."
However, right at that moment, Sirius spoke up. "You aren't scared, are you, Moody?"
Maurise turned his head to find Sirius leaning back with his hands clasped behind his head, looking exactly like a bystander eager to watch the world burn. That expression of his looked highly punchable.
"Do not try to goad me," Moody's voice turned freezing cold. "I will be keeping a close eye on you. You have not cleared your name in my books yet."
Sirius shrugged nonchalantly and continued in a leisurely tone, "Guiding a student in a practical combat test is part of your duty as a professor. Refusing does not sound like a choice you would make, Moody."
The office suddenly fell silent. Maurise kept his mouth shut. These two seemed like they were about to tear each other apart. It was obvious they did not get along very well.
A few seconds later, Moody turned back to Maurise and said crisply, "Come along, boy. If you want a combat test, we are taking this outside."
Having said that, he took the lead and headed for the door, his wooden leg making loud thumping sounds against the floorboards.
Maurise scratched his head and noticed Sirius winking and grimacing at him. Goading might be an old trick, but it was highly effective.
'Thank you,' Maurise mouthed silently.
The two of them followed Moody down the corridors, descended the staircases, and made their way to the castle's back doors. There was a wide, open expanse of lawn here with virtually no obstructions, making it an excellent location for a duel.
"Nice weather we are having," Sirius said, leaning against a nearby tree trunk. He looked up at the sky and narrowed his eyes.
It was exactly as he said. After a solid week of torrential rain, Hogwarts was finally experiencing a long-awaited sunny day. The sunlight could not exactly be called warm, but it was plenty bright.
"Begin whenever you are ready. Do not mind me," Sirius announced, looking at Maurise with clear anticipation.
He had experienced Maurise's skeleton magic firsthand in the Shrieking Shack, and it had left a profound impression on him. Where exactly had a seemingly ordinary student learned such abilities? This kid was likely hiding a mountain of secrets. Sirius himself had not been able to find a way to deal with those skeletons. He wondered how Moody would handle them. He was incredibly eager to find out.
"Let us begin," Moody declared, standing in the center of the clearing. His wand was gripped tightly in his hand as he watched Maurise calmly. "Since this is a practical combat test, I cannot guarantee you won't get hurt. You may take the first strike."
Maurise instantly felt the pressure rise. Between Moody and Sclep, who was actually the stronger wizard?
"I will make the first move then," Maurise warned. He instantly slashed his wand through the air.
"Kruk... Tak... Gûl." (Bone Calling)
A massive bone spike, thick as a man's thigh, materialized in the air to Moody's left and shot forward with vicious speed. This was merely a probing strike.
Moody sidestepped smoothly. The bone spike grazed past his shoulder and hurtled straight toward the tree trunk behind him... right where Sirius was standing.
Sirius had never expected to end up in the line of fire while just watching the show. "Hey!" he yelled, leaping to the side and glaring at Maurise. "Watch where you are aiming!"
Maurise ignored him completely. He had been watching carefully, and he had calculated the angle of the bone spike perfectly.
"What kind of magic is that?" Moody asked. "Transfiguration?"
Although he had seen Maurise wave his wand, the trajectory of the movement was highly unusual and entirely outside his realm of knowledge. It had even been cast nonverbally.
"Something like that," Maurise nodded, the corners of his mouth turning up in a faint smile. "Be careful, Professor. The next wave of attacks will be much more intense."
He swung his wand again, casting Bone Calling once more. This time, however, it would not be just one solitary bone spike.
An overwhelming number of bone spikes materialized in the air behind Maurise, blotting out the sun and casting a dense, terrifying shadow over the ground. Under his meticulous control, the intensity of this impending attack would be completely identical to the one he had unleashed against Sclep.
...
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