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Hogwarts : I AM NOT DEMON KING!
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Ben felt the Ironclad Charm settle over him and let out a slow breath.
He glanced down at the young kid and the stunned half-giant and thought, Hey, I'm the professional here.
His expression hardened. "I'm faster on a broom. I'll pull Thornhead away. You two run for the main building and get help!"
He leaned forward, ready to shoot upward.
Anyone with eyes could see how suicidal the plan was. Even if Ben managed to lure the Romanian Longhorn away and buy them time, he'd almost certainly get himself killed.
But leaving two civilians behind while he flew for help? He couldn't do it.
"Wait!" Richie shouted.
Ben looked down, frustration plain on his face. "We don't have time! Thornhead is coming straight at us!"
All three of them turned toward the massive shape growing larger in the night sky.
The Romanian Longhorn's deep-green scales gleamed bronze in the firelight. The most striking feature was the pair of long, blood-red horns on its head—sharp enough to skewer anything it dove at.
Richie spoke fast. "Can't we make some kind of noise or light so the people in the main building notice us?"
Ben gave a bitter laugh. "If only it were that easy! The main building is shielded—Apparition won't get us inside. Everyone there is already scrambling to calm the panicked juveniles and contain the other escapees. The search teams are all out looking. No one's going to spot us from this far away."
The tent was a good distance from the wooden building, blocked by staff dorms, the cafeteria, and warehouses. From here the main structure looked like a tiny matchbox.
That was probably why no one had noticed the burning tent yet—the flames were hidden behind the other buildings.
Getting their attention was the real problem.
"We won't know until we try," Richie said firmly. "The tent's already on fire. If we make a bigger scene, someone's bound to look this way. Then we're saved."
"Besides, that old broom of yours isn't going to outfly a dragon! If you leave, we'll be roasted before we even reach the building!"
Hagrid nodded hard. "Three of us working together beats one person throwing himself away! Three's stronger!"
Ben's determined expression faltered. He started breathing heavily.
Richie's words hit him like cold water. Suddenly he remembered he'd never been in love, never saved up for a new broom, and still had a hundred things left to do. If he died here…
His stomach twisted with fear.
Fear was human instinct. A moment ago duty had pushed it down; now that Richie had broken the spell, the fear came rushing back.
"Okay… okay…" Ben muttered.
Richie didn't waste a second. He laid out the plan.
To a dragon, a wizard on a broom was basically a fly. Close range was risky for the dragon, but from a distance it could just lob fireballs—or ram them with those horns.
Ben's job was to use his broom's agility to harass Thornhead up close and keep its attention. Richie and Hagrid would stay on the ground, draw the dragon's focus, and create a signal bright enough for the main building—or any search teams—to see.
They needed something that would shine like a beacon.
Richie's idea was simple: light. The night was pitch black, so a powerful glow would carry over the rooftops.
The regular Lumos Totem spell wouldn't cut it—they needed something bright enough to rival the sun.
Richie gripped his wand tighter.
He wasn't going to make a pretty pattern. He was going to compress the light, pack it tighter and tighter until it hit the limit, then release it all at once in the sky.
Seconds ticked by.
Thornhead landed heavily on the ground and roared, "ROAR!"
The three of them scattered.
Ben shot into the air on his broom, circling above the dragon and firing distracting spells. Dragon magic resistance was high, so the spells barely stung, but they kept Thornhead's focus on him.
The dragon snorted sparks, then launched a volley of fireballs. Ben dodged at the last second. When fire didn't work, Thornhead swung its massive golden-red horns, trying to impale him.
"ROAR!"
"I'm fine!" Ben shouted, weaving between the horns. "Keep going!"
On the ground Hagrid tore a burning strip of canvas from the tent and waved it like a flag.
"Hey, big guy! Over here!"
BOOM!
A fireball exploded at Hagrid's feet. He yelped and hopped sideways.
The two "annoying insects" only made Thornhead angrier.
Richie backed up a few steps, eyes locked on the dragon.
Bright light… that means Lumos.
Professor Flitwick had taught them the Lumos Totem Charm in the second half of first year. But a simple pattern wouldn't be enough.
Richie took a deep breath and raised his wand.
He poured everything into the spell—compressing the light, forcing it smaller, brighter, hotter—until it reached the absolute limit.
Then he thrust his wand skyward and shouted at the top of his lungs:
"Lumos Maxima!"