Hiss!
The serpent flicked its tongue. Hiding within the beast's head, Voldemort controlled the massive creature as it grappled with the phoenix.
The fire phoenix soared while the serpent roared. The two behemoths clashed, their ferocious auras radiating in every direction.
Bathed in flames, the phoenix unleashed a torrent of fire that set the serpent's body ablaze. Undeterred, the serpent lunged like a bolt of black lightning, its massive maw hanging open to reveal jagged fangs. It sank them deep into the phoenix's neck.
Flames poured incessantly from the phoenix into the serpent's mouth, only to be neutralized by the grim pulses of dark magic.
Boom!
Within the Forbidden Forest, wood splinters flew and flames surged. It was as if creatures from ancient myths had descended upon the world to wage a life-and-death struggle in the heart of the primeval woods.
In the distance, Hogwarts had fully awakened. Professors from every house stood guard at the castle's key points, their sharp eyes scanning for any enemy attempting to infiltrate the school.
Students from all years were ordered to stay in their dormitories by their prefects. However, the large floor-to-ceiling windows provided an excellent vantage point. This was especially true for the Ravenclaws, whose dormitories were situated at the highest point, offering a direct view of the battlefield in the forest.
"Look! What is that?"
"I know! That's a phoenix—a huge one! Can phoenixes even grow that big?"
"Idiot, read a book for once. There's no way a phoenix could be that massive, and they don't even look like that. That's a wizard's spell!"
"Impossible! How could magic reach such a level?"
"Nothing is impossible. Are you even a Ravenclaw?"
The young wizards chattered excitedly as the phoenix took flight in the distance, its magnificent silhouette captivating everyone who watched.
"That must be an incredibly powerful wizard!" one girl sighed dreamily. "Maybe he's even a hunk!"
"Give it a rest," a girl nearby said, shattering her dream. "My dad says powerful wizards are all bald and have no noses."
The infatuated girl choked on her words and glared back. "The Minister of Magic isn't bald!"
"And that's why our Minister is useless..."
The serpent radiating black energy looked far too dangerous to provoke, sending shivers down everyone's spines. The young wizards hardly dared to keep their eyes on it.
Students from Gryffindor and Hufflepuff could also see parts of the battlefield, and cries of shock echoed through their dormitories.
The most unfortunate were the Slytherin students; they couldn't see a thing and could only hear the distant rumbles.
Because the Slytherin dormitories were converted from dungeons, their windows looked out into the depths of the Black Lake, where they could occasionally see a giant squid swimming slowly by.
But they had their ways. Using their status, influence, or knowledge, they bribed their prefects and snuck out, racing to the top of the castle for the best view.
Near the battlefield, Malfoy, who had poked his small head out to spy, was completely dumbstruck. Makiya, displaying his immense power, was wreathed in fire like a god of flame standing amidst a raging inferno.
Recalling his previous attitude toward Makiya and the grudges between his father and the boy, Malfoy broke into a cold sweat. He pulled his head back, feeling a chill run down his spine.
Fortunately, Makiya hadn't lowered himself to his father's level. The mere thought of that fire phoenix charging at him made Malfoy feel as if he couldn't breathe.
I have to write a letter to Dad and tell him about today. He needs to stop looking for trouble with Makiya!
While Malfoy's little mind raced, he didn't notice that the numerous ice mirrors protecting Makiya were shattering one by one. The clash of fire and dark magic created massive shockwaves, and the terrifying impact caused the mirrors to burst in quick succession.
Stray jinxes reflected off the surfaces spun out of control, flying wildly through the ravaged forest. Some hit the ground, leaving small craters, while others struck burning trees, toppling charred trunks.
One minor jinx flew straight toward Malfoy. Caught off guard, he was hit right in the forehead. Instantly, a bizarre 'flavor' traveled from his gut to his brain.
Stunned by the sensory hallucination for a moment, the biological nausea rooted in his genes soon surged into his head.
"Blegh!"
Malfoy tumbled backward for a second time, hunched over the ground and vomiting uncontrollably.
Harry: "???"
This was the second time. Every time Malfoy snatched the spot, he would fall back for no apparent reason after only a few seconds. What exactly was happening?
He didn't dwell on it. Since Malfoy had vacated the spot, Harry took the opportunity to fill the gap, staring wide-eyed toward Makiya.
The moment he saw the black serpent, the scar on his forehead flared with agonizing pain. A wave of intense dizziness washed over him, and in a daze, he felt as if he had become the serpent itself, battling the fire phoenix Makiya had summoned.
Boom!
The massive phoenix soared into the sky. The giant serpent coiled around it was caught off guard and slammed heavily into the ground. The impact was so great that Harry felt the boulder in front of him tremble and the soil beneath his feet vibrate.
"Aaaaaagh!"
Faint screams echoed from within the serpent, making those who heard it tighten up, as if they could feel the pain themselves.
Inside the serpent, Voldemort further drained Quirrell's body. The man's feet were slowly disintegrating under the corrosion of dark magic, and the intense agony transformed into massive amounts of black energy to replenish the serpent outside.
The fire phoenix circled gracefully in the air, spitting scorching flames from its beak like burning cannonballs, bombarding the serpent controlled by Voldemort.
The serpent twisted its body, agilely dodging the fireballs. Its tail swept through the surrounding trees like a steel whip, snapping thick trunks in half. With a flick of its tail, it hurled a tree directly at the phoenix.
Simultaneously, the serpent opened its maw. A dense green light brewed within its thick throat, and the scent of death permeated the air.
Hidden in the shadows, Dumbledore tightened his grip on the Elder Wand. He could sense Voldemort's will within that concentrated green light—that sinister, resolute will was unmistakable. This strike was lethal. If Makiya showed even the slightest hint of faltering, he would intervene immediately.
Most dark wizards were eccentric and cunning because casting dark magic required fueling it with intense emotions—mixing the desire to kill, abuse, and torture into the spell to achieve its intended power.
If someone harbored such malice for a long time, it would be a miracle if their personality remained normal.
The Avada Kedavra brewing within the serpent contained Voldemort's profound killing intent. He had completely marked Makiya as an enemy he wished to eliminate.
Boom!
The green light grew denser, turning a dark emerald hue as it condensed. With a loud scream from Quirrell, the power of the Killing Curse intensified further. The serpent coiled its body then lunged upward like a spring, spitting out green 'lightning' from its mouth.
At the critical moment, Makiya vanished from within the fire phoenix using Apparition. The green light collided with the flames, erupting in a blinding white flash.
The flames were instantly shattered by the green light, which then pierced through the phoenix's entire body, entering through the beak and exiting through the back to surge into the dark sky.
"Makiya!" Harry cried out in terror, looking toward the battlefield and praying that Makiya hadn't been hurt.
"Harry, what are you doing here?" Hermione's voice came from behind him. Harry spun around to find Hagrid standing there, leaning down to check on the still-vomiting Malfoy. Hermione and Ron were panting heavily, looking like they had just run a marathon.
"Hermione, Ron, Hagrid! You're here! Wait..." Harry grabbed Hagrid's large hand. "Hagrid, you have to save Makiya! He's fighting He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, and just now, the fire bird he summoned was shot through by a green light!"
"You said that phoenix was summoned by Makiya?" Ron's eyes widened in disbelief.
They were all first-years, so why was Makiya's life so different from theirs?
Even as a child of a pure-blood wizarding family, Ron hadn't learned many spells yet, but Makiya was already capable of causing such a commotion?
Was this even legal? A spell of this magnitude probably couldn't even be cast by an Auror from the Ministry!
Hagrid was gently patting Malfoy's back. The sheer force made the boy wince, but it wasn't without benefit. The intense nausea mostly subsided, and Malfoy felt much better.
But as soon as he looked up, he caught the heavy scent of livestock on Hagrid. He slumped back to the ground and started vomiting again.
Combined with the taste in his gut, Malfoy felt that for a long time to come, he wouldn't be able to look at pumpkin soup, mashed potatoes, tomato soup, or any other thick, mushy foods.
He couldn't understand why he was always the unlucky one when Harry was also spying!
"Take Malfoy and get out of here. I'll go help Makiya!" Hagrid lifted Malfoy with two fingers, tossed him toward Ron and Harry, and grabbed his double-barreled shotgun.
Just then, a sudden change occurred on the field.
Boom!
Massive flames soared into the sky once more. The remains of the fire phoenix that had been pierced by the green light pulled back together, as if the bird were being reborn from the ashes, soaring once again through the heavens.
The green light had dissipated. Seizing the opportunity, the phoenix dived. Its sharp claws were like burning blades, shimmering with a continuous flow of light.
Possessing the Darkness Heart, Makiya could naturally control the four elements—ice, fire, light, and darkness—as easily as breathing. And the power of light was the natural nemesis of dark magic.
The sharp claws gripped the serpent's back, the tips infused with light sinking deep into its body. Like pouring water into hot oil, the serpent's wounds immediately began to hiss and emit white smoke.
Reeling in pain, the serpent twisted its massive body. The fire phoenix spread its wings, refusing to let go as its claws continuously released the power of light into the serpent's flesh.
Inside the serpent, Voldemort's face was twisted with malice. He spat out another cloud of green mist, enveloping the already crippled Quirrell. The mangled man was subjected to further torment, no longer even resembling a human being.
Immense magical power, fueled by agony, merged into the serpent. Just as Voldemort was brewing his next offensive, Makiya suddenly appeared from a corner, his wand pointed directly at the beast.
The phoenix immediately coordinated with Makiya's movement, flapping its wings to hoist the serpent into the air. Simultaneously, a concentrated beam of pure white light erupted from the tip of Makiya's wand, instantly piercing through the serpent.
Pierced along with it was Quirrell's heart.