Makiya stood at the center of the sea of flames, his eyes fixed on the retching Voldemort. His robes fluttered violently as massive amounts of magic swirled around him, and he held his wand high.
"This feeling... hurk!" Voldemort forcibly swallowed the unicorn blood that had welled up in his throat. Just as he tried to speak, that slimy, foul, and bitter 'aftertaste' surged into his brain once more, making him gag uncontrollably.
After losing his body and becoming a mere soul, Voldemort had become exceptionally sensitive to the fluctuations of magic. Even while possessing Quirrell, he retained that powerful magical perception and could clearly feel the intense tremors emanating from Makiya's surroundings.
The spell this little brat was brewing was bound to be extraordinary. If he didn't respond soon, a hastily cast counter-spell would surely fail to hold it back.
"Hurk!" A large clump of unicorn blood sprayed out again. Quirrell's face was as pale as a sheet; even the face of Voldemort growing on the back of his head was twisted and contorted, as if it wanted to vomit along with him.
This was truly disgusting. Where on earth did this damned brat learn such foul magic?
Furthermore, who exactly was the inventor of this revolting, bottom-tier magic—and the one that could tie dicks into knots?
Voldemort cursed incessantly in his heart. He swore that if he ever caught the one who invented these spells, he would make them suffer a fate worse than death.
As Makiya released his magic, the originally chaotic flames seemed to be drawn by some powerful force, beginning to gather and swirl in a rhythmic pattern.
The flames spun rapidly from the outside in, forming a massive vortex like a black hole in the universe, greedily absorbing all the heat in the vicinity.
At the center of the vortex, the fire grew denser, its color gradually shifting from orange-red to a dazzling golden yellow. Then, a blurred silhouette slowly emerged from within.
A clear cry rang out from the heart of the inferno, spreading quickly through the Forbidden Forest. It instantly pierced through the dense trees and reached all the way to Hogwarts Castle.
A massive fire phoenix soared into the sky from the flaming vortex. Its deafening cry echoed through the clouds. Every one of its feathers burned with a fierce blaze; the fire was bright and searing, its radiance illuminating a vast stretch of the Forbidden Forest.
"This kind of magic..." Voldemort's eyes widened, his pupils reflecting deep astonishment. "How can someone your age cast a spell of this magnitude!"
The sheer volume of magic Makiya released completely overturned Voldemort's worldview. In the world of Harry Potter, there was no explicit division of magic levels—no such thing as a 'mana bar.'
The scale and intensity of a spell usually depended on a wizard's talent, willpower, knowledge, and depth of research into a particular magic. These things generally had no shortcuts; they could only be accumulated bit by bit as one aged.
Consequently, adult wizards held an overwhelming advantage over young ones—unless the adult was an incompetent slacker.
This was exactly what surprised Voldemort the most. The combat techniques, casting proficiency, and magical intensity Makiya displayed were far beyond what any young wizard his age should be capable of.
If it weren't for the fact that Voldemort was intimately familiar with the fluctuations of Dark Arts and sensed nothing unusual from Makiya, he would have suspected Makiya was like Quirrell—possessed and controlled by some master of the Dark Arts.
The fire phoenix soared above the Forbidden Forest and dived downward accompanied by a sharp cry. Its sharp, golden beak was aimed directly at Voldemort's chest, trailing waves of heat.
The golden light radiated in all directions as if a small sun had fallen to the earth. The three-story-tall giant phoenix, carrying a boundless wave of fire, engulfed Voldemort.
"AAAAAAAAAGH!"
A painful scream escaped Quirrell's mouth. The agony of flames scorching his flesh briefly suppressed the urge to vomit. Voldemort instantly rallied his magic, gathering a sickly green light.
"Avada Kedavra!"
The Killing Curse lunged through the flames, but it gradually eroded and vanished within the golden sea of fire. The fire phoenix's size shrank slightly, but as Makiya continuously released more flames, it quickly returned to its original size—and even expanded a bit more.
On another patrol route, a towering giant was walking slowly with a double-barreled shotgun in hand. Behind him, three little figures followed closely, afraid to lose their way in the dark and terrifying forest.
The giant was, of course, Hagrid, and the three young wizards were Hermione and Ron.
"The forest has been a bit dangerous lately," Hagrid said, his sharp eyes scanning the woods for threats. "There have been frequent attacks on unicorns. Judging by the wounds, it's likely the work of some dark wizard who's wandered here."
Mentioning this filled Hagrid with rage. "Those dark wizards are simply lawless. How could they hurt the little cuties in the forest?"
Hermione and Ron shared a look behind his back, unable to agree with Hagrid's use of the word 'cutie.'
Suddenly, a series of explosions and tremors erupted from ahead. The powerful vibrations traveled through the ground, rising from the soles of their feet to their entire bodies.
"What's happening over there?" Ron swallowed hard, his voice trembling as he spoke.
"Hmm, might be mountain giants fighting," Hagrid said, scratching his head. "They've always made a lot of noise when they scrap."
The next moment, a massive fire phoenix flew into the sky. Before their stunned eyes, it released endless light and heat before slamming violently back down toward the earth.
*Gulp.*
Hermione swallowed as she tried to recall everything she had read in books. 'Do mountain giants know magic? Especially fire magic on this scale?'
That couldn't be right. Didn't the books say giants were dim-witted and only knew how to swing clubs with brute force?
"It's wizards!" Hagrid's expression darkened. "There are strange wizards fighting. I'm going to take a look. You lot head back the way you came, right now."
With that, Hagrid gripped his shotgun and strode through the dense brush, vanishing into the darkness.
"Come on, let's go too!" Hermione didn't even think before grabbing Ron's hand and running forward, following closely behind Hagrid.
In the Headmaster's office, Dumbledore had a Fizzing Whizbee in his mouth, looking blissfully happy as the sweetness dissolved.
Opposite Dumbledore, the stern Professor McGonagall sat poised in her chair, her brow furrowed.
"With all due respect, Headmaster Dumbledore," McGonagall said in a low voice, "you are being far too indulgent with Makiya and Harry. First, they spread alchemical firearms, and then yesterday they dared to do what they did on the Quidditch pitch. They have no respect for the school rules whatsoever."
McGonagall took a breath and continued, "The punishment of patrolling the forest is still too light. I fear they won't realize the gravity of their mistakes and will simply do it again next time."
"Relax, Minerva." Dumbledore picked up a small plate and held it out to her. "Would you like a Fizzing Whizbee?"
McGonagall was irritated by Dumbledore's casual attitude. she took two deep breaths to calm her anger and reluctantly took a piece of candy, popping it into her mouth.
Oh, Fizzing Whizbees really were delicious.
"There's no need to worry. Makiya is a boy with his own ideas, and not a single student was seriously injured in that fight, was there? Makiya is capable of maintaining control. He did very well." Dumbledore's wise gaze peered through his half-moon spectacles at McGonagall, as if he could see through her heart.
"But he broke the school rules!" McGonagall stood her ground. "Unless you change the rules, I will impose a much harsher punishment next time."
"Oh, of course. He did break the rules, so I shall have a talk with him," Dumbledore said with a wink. "The boy is very clever. I believe he will find a perfect solution."
"I hope so." Having received a satisfactory answer, Professor McGonagall's tense body relaxed.
In the next second, a blinding golden light suddenly pierced through the window, illuminating the Headmaster's office.
"What's going on?" Professor McGonagall stood up abruptly and rushed to the window, seeing a massive pillar of fire rising from the direction of the Forbidden Forest.
No, it wasn't just fire; it looked like some kind of magical creature.
A giant phoenix was born from the sea of flames, spreading its wings to soar across the sky, wantonly radiating light and heat.
"Is that... magic?" McGonagall's voice was laced with profound disbelief.
"I believe so." Dumbledore also walked to the window. "Exceptional fire magic, and Transfiguration... Good heavens, what remarkable Transfiguration skill. Minerva, you really should invite him to join your Transfiguration Club."
McGonagall's face was tight. "Headmaster Dumbledore, now is not the time for jokes. A strange wizard has appeared in the forest and can perform magic of this level. It is far too dangerous."
Suddenly, something occurred to her. "Good heavens! It just so happens that I punished Harry and the others with forest patrol today! No, I must go find them immediately."
"I'll go." Dumbledore drew the Elder Wand and held back the agitated McGonagall. "Minerva, go and soothe the children of the various Houses. Make sure they stay in their dormitories. Inform all the professors to stand by their posts and wait for my word."
"Can you protect the children until I return?" Dumbledore looked at McGonagall with a solemn expression as he finished his sentence.
"I will!" McGonagall said firmly.
Having received her confirmation, Dumbledore did not hesitate. He immediately cast Apparition, and his figure vanished from the Headmaster's office.
At Hogwarts, the right to Apparate belonged solely to the Headmaster; everyone else had to walk.
*Whoosh!*
Dumbledore appeared inside the Forbidden Forest. Looking at the fire phoenix rampaging through the trees ahead, his face was full of emotion and wonder. 'Has he already grown to this level? Makiya, you are even more outstanding than Tom!'
The phoenix cried out as flames scattered, turning the nearby woods into a sea of fire. Voldemort's figure flickered within the flames, his screams echoing.
In reality, these were screams caused by Voldemort desperately draining Quirrell.
Black air currents spiraled around Voldemort's body, carrying away a massive amount of heat. Makiya's magic was too terrifying. After weighing his options, he chose to sacrifice Quirrell.
If he turned and fled now, Voldemort could escape if he was willing to pay a certain price. However, his pride as the Dark Lord would not allow him to flee in panic from a child.
It was bad enough being defeated by Harry when he was an infant. After surviving on the brink of death for all those years, to return only to be unable to defeat a first-year student... it would make him a laughingstock among the Death Eaters.
The fluctuations of Dark Magic spread through Quirrell's body. Tiny black lines raced along his blood vessels. Wherever the magic passed, cells and tissues were relentlessly drained, causing excruciating agony.
The strength of magic was linked to emotion. The more painful and intense the emotion, the greater the power of the Dark Arts.
Professor Quirrell's body began to crack from within. His skin peeled away bit by bit, revealing the pitch-black flesh beneath. A rot-like, nauseating stench mixed into the sea of fire.
As Quirrell let out a pained roar, a large amount of black gas surged out from the orifices of his body. An invisible force spread through the fire, controlling the black mist to condense and merge, gradually forming a thick, menacing, giant python.
The python was also roughly three stories tall. Within the billowing black mist, two scarlet lights flickered like lanterns, staring dead at Makiya, who was still controlling the sea of flames.
[Support the story with Reviews, Power Stones, and Comments—they mean a lot and keep me going! 30+ chapters waiting on patreon.com/elite_reads]