Harry Potter: I am the Legend

"You think I'm afraid of you?"

Malfoy leapt onto the classroom platform, prompting the surrounding students to scatter.

"Keep those words for yourself."

Aglaea retorted as she jumped onto the platform as well.

Professor Melers folded his hands into his robe sleeves and stepped forward, positioning himself between Malfoy and Aglaea. He spoke calmly:

"I have never opposed students resolving conflicts in the standard wizarding way. However, in duels held within the school, there is one rule: stop when the point is made.

As the arbiter, my decision will be final and unchallengeable. Do either of you have any objections?"

Both remained silent, shaking their heads.

Professor Melers continued, "According to traditional dueling protocols, you are allowed to choose two assistants each. These assistants will replace you if you fall, and the duel will be decided in a best-of-three format. Violations result in elimination."

Without hesitation, Aglaea turned to Hoffa and Miranda. Miranda shrugged and stepped to stand behind her on the left.

Seeing Aglaea's piercing blue gaze, Hoffa knew she was serious. She wanted him as her assistant in this duel.

He silently moved to Aglaea's right, narrowing his eyes.

Hoffa had a hunch that this Malfoy wasn't like the useless Draco Malfoy he'd heard of in another time.

Abraxas Malfoy spun around, his green robe sweeping dramatically, and pointed at Tom Riddle and another tall Slytherin.

"You two, with me!"

The three strode confidently to the opposite side of the classroom.

Tom Riddle smirked faintly, though his gaze lingered on Hoffa's face.

At that moment, every wizard in the classroom stood up. Regardless of their house, they solemnly drew their wands and slashed them downward in unison, as if performing some kind of ritual.

Hoffa whispered to Aglaea, "Are you sure about this? If not, let Miranda or me take your place."

He was being truthful. Malfoy didn't seem incompetent at all, and while Aglaea knew a lot, her lack of real battle experience put her at a disadvantage compared to him or Miranda.

Aglaea frowned. "Shut up. Unless I fall, neither of you is to step in."

As soon as she finished speaking, the students around them slashed their wands downward heavily, shouting in unison—a formidable and awe-inspiring scene.

Hoffa glanced at the students, their expressions solemn as they pointed their wands at the ground. Then he noticed the Gryffindor headmaster, meticulously recording everything on parchment.

He realized this duel wasn't the lighthearted spectacle he'd initially thought. This wasn't like the duels 50 years later, where onlookers treated it as mere entertainment.

These wizards respected tradition and adhered strictly to the rules.

They honored the art of dueling.

On the platform, Aglaea and Malfoy had quieted down. Both wore serious expressions, their focus evident.

"Three, two, one—begin!"

"Serpent Spirit!"

Malfoy was the first to act, sweeping his wand forward.

A translucent serpent suddenly materialized behind Aglaea, lunging to bite her.

Aglaea agilely rolled aside to evade. "Storm of Ravens!"

She spread her arms wide, and countless ravens emerged from her robes, flapping furiously as they swarmed toward Malfoy.

Malfoy smirked as he watched the ravens approach. "Is this all you've got, Delraces?"

With that, his eyes widened, radiating sharp focus.

A razor-sharp mental force field sliced through the air.

The raven swarm abruptly changed direction, turning back toward Aglaea.

Miranda crossed her arms, slightly impressed. "A severing spell? He cut the link between Aglaea and her magic. Not bad."

Hoffa's expression grew more serious. Developing a personal mental field at this age was no small feat; anyone capable of this was far from ordinary.

Aglaea hadn't anticipated this outcome. Her face turned pale, and she instinctively stepped back. But the ravens moved faster, and in an instant, they engulfed her, pecking at her face with sharp, relentless beaks.

The scene was utterly horrifying.

Despite the dramatic scene unfolding, none of the wizards present, including Professor Melers, Hoffa, or Miranda, made a move. Even Malfoy gripped his wand tightly, staying on high alert.

Bang!

Aglaea, wrapped in a swarm of ravens, vanished on the spot.

It was a duplication spell, a trick she had mastered earlier.

The next moment, she reappeared less than two meters in front of Malfoy, raising her wand: "Expelliarmus!"

Malfoy, prepared for such a move, retreated three steps and swiftly waved his wand. "Protego!"

Clang!

An iron barrier descended from above, erecting a shield to block the spell.

However, when Aglaea's spell struck the shield, it caused no reaction—not even a sound.

Malfoy's expression darkened. Another illusion.

The real Aglaea appeared behind Malfoy, her face filled with disdain, and unleashed a Bat Spirit Curse.

In the critical moment, Malfoy forced himself to remain calm and glanced at the tall Slytherin standing near Tom Riddle. The tall Slytherin immediately stepped forward, preparing to cast a spell.

But at that moment, it was as if time slowed. Both Malfoy and the Slytherin moved sluggishly, their actions resembling those of someone lost in confusion.

The tall Slytherin froze completely, unable to react, while Malfoy's expression seemed to solidify.

The Bat Spirit Curse hit Malfoy squarely, sending him tumbling to the ground. He rolled several times, his body covered in bats as he clutched his chest, furious. He stood up, roaring, "You're cheating!"

(Hoffa, sensing something was off, turned to Miranda and asked, "Was that you?"

Miranda, tilting her head slightly, murmured, "A slow ray."

Hoffa raised an eyebrow.

Miranda sighed softly. "She still lacks experience in magical combat. In a duel, you have to guard against more than just your opponent.")

On the platform, Aglaea snorted and pointed at the tall Slytherin. "Who's cheating now?"

Malfoy glanced at the silent Professor Melers, then stood up with a cold expression, flipping his robes dramatically.

"Don't get cocky. So what if you win this round?"

Aglaea laughed haughtily, her disdain and triumph blending seamlessly. "Get lost. Even if someone paid a million Galleons, you'd still be useless!"

Malfoy gritted his teeth and turned to Tom Riddle behind him, waving angrily. "Riddle, your turn!"

Tom Riddle showed little emotion. He tilted his head slightly to glance at Malfoy before calmly stepping forward. He drew his yew wand, approached Aglaea, and gave her a slight bow before bowing again toward Professor Melers.

Professor Melers nodded slightly.

Aglaea, now brimming with arrogance, tilted her chin up and sneered at her new opponent. "You, Riddle?"

"Indeed. Please, do your best," Riddle replied politely in a low voice.

"Bring it on," Aglaea said smugly, twirling her wand between her fingers.

Without wasting time, Riddle pointed his wand at Aglaea. "Death Needle Barrage."

A curse shot from his wand, transforming mid-air into a dense cluster of steel needles.

Aglaea, unimpressed, raised one hand. "Talicos Skita."

A flamingo-like shield materialized before her.

"Apologies," Riddle said with a faint smile from across the dueling platform.

Reversing his yew wand, he knelt on one knee. His eyes turned pitch black, his expression contorted with malice, and he pressed his hand to the ground.

In that instant, an eerie wave of magical energy spread outward, making the hair on the back of Hoffa's neck stand on end.

A shadowy force shot out from beneath Riddle's palm, darting rapidly toward Aglaea and coiling around her entire body.

Her expression shifted drastically as her arm went limp, causing her shield to vanish. Her entire body seemed to collapse as if all her bones had been drained. The steel needles, now mere inches away, loomed ominously in the air.

Miranda gasped. "This is bad—cursed magic! Hoffa, go!"

Before she could finish, Hoffa had already vanished from his spot the moment Aglaea's shield disappeared.

The next second—

Boom!

A massive broadsword plunged into the ground, intercepting all the needles.

The sound of clattering echoed endlessly as the steel needles dissipated. Hoffa pulled the broadsword from the ground and turned to look at Aglaea.

Aglaea lay on the ground, pale, her lips turning blue as she bit her lip tightly.

"Don't get distracted," Riddle hissed softly.

"Chain Bind!"

Boom!

Three glowing violet chains shot from Riddle's wand, whipping through the air toward Hoffa.

Hoffa turned slightly, kicking Aglaea aside before vanishing again.

The chains smashed into the ground, breaking through the floor. Riddle retreated swiftly, his movements sharp.

In the shadows, Hoffa moved even faster.

He activated the life-transformation spell, and when he reappeared, he was already standing in front of Riddle.

The sharp sword hovered less than a centimeter from Riddle's forehead, cutting off several of his strands of hair.

The crowd gasped in unison.

Then, the entire room fell silent.

Riddle's face was pale with a hint of coldness, but he remained calm. He put his wand away, stood with his hands behind his back, and sneered:

"Transfiguration? Interesting. But, Hofar, has your defense magic deteriorated to the point where you can't even cast a simple shield spell?"

The people below were stunned and began whispering.

Hofar paid no attention to Riddle's taunts. The sword transformed back into his wand, and he stepped back to Aglaia's side, kneeling down.

Aglaia's eyes were bloodshot, her breathing labored, and her body was twitching uncontrollably.

"What did you do to her?" Hofar asked.

"What's wrong? Do you want me to explain every spell to you on the duel field, Hofar Bach?"

The Slytherins burst into laughter.

"Quiet." Professor Meles's calm voice silenced the laughter immediately.

He walked up to Tom Riddle, scrutinizing him with a strange gleam in his eyes.

"I can hardly imagine that you've mastered such obscure and profound dark curses. Truly worthy of a descendant of Salazar Slytherin. But can you break the curse? If not, I think you may find yourself in Azkaban."

"Watch closely."

Tom smiled slightly, raised his hand, and clenched his fist.

A dark shadow detached from Aglaia's collapsed body.

With a swift motion, his wand pointed at a nearby potted plant on the classroom windowsill. The shadow immediately wrapped around the plant, and it withered away, drained of all life, and died on the spot in a bizarre display.

Aglaia finally began to recover. She collapsed into Hofar's arms, drenched in cold sweat, gasping for breath, though her breathing slowly steadied.

Professor Meles clapped his hands together. "Very good, extraordinary talent. I haven't seen a young person like you in many years."

He then slowly walked over to Hofar, his face showing a hint of regret. "Your reflexes were textbook-perfect, and your transfiguration was commendable. But unfortunately, you broke the rules of the duel."

Professor Meles's tone was regretful.

"Though your reaction time was fast, this isn't a Transfiguration class. In my assessments, only dark magic and defense spells are allowed. So, you both failed this exam."

With that, Aglaia violently pulled away from Hofar's arm, staggering to her feet. She kicked a nearby chair aside and stumbled out the door.

Hofar and Miranda exchanged glances and quickly followed her.

After chasing her for a while, they finally caught up to Aglaia.

In a corner on the balcony, she clutched the railing tightly, her lips pressed together in frustration and despair.

Hofar looked at her, knowing that she had likely fallen into the lowest point of her life.

He whispered to Miranda, "You shouldn't have let me take over. If you had used your spells, we might have had a chance."

Miranda shook her head. "You reacted faster than I did. Even if I had gone, it wouldn't have mattered. Once he used that spell, Slytherin's group had already won."

Hofar furrowed his brow and asked, "Then what exactly was that spell?"

"His other spells were quite ordinary, just standard attack curses. But the one he cast on Aglaia…"

Miranda's face paled as she bit her lip, remaining silent.

"The Slytherin Curse."

Aglaia's hoarse voice interrupted them.

"It's a dark magic curse created by Salazar Slytherin himself, one of the most powerful curses in existence. It can drain the victim's life and magic, weakening them to the point where they can no longer cast any spells."

"That powerful?"

Hofar was stunned. That shadow was actually a rare curse, one created by Salazar Slytherin himself.

"Is there no way to break it?"

"Almost impossible to break," Aglaia continued. "Once it's cast, there are only two ways to counter it: one is to transfer the curse to another life, and the other is to kill the caster and destroy their source of magic. Otherwise, the curse will follow the victim until they are weakened to the point of death."

Hofar gasped. "Doesn't that make Riddle invincible?"

"Not quite invincible." Miranda sighed. "Any extraordinary magic comes with an extraordinary price, especially curses, which have significant side effects. It has a huge backlash on both life and reason.

Legend has it that Salazar Slytherin himself went mad in his later years due to casting this curse and eventually left the school. But that's just a legend; whether it's true or not, no one really knows."

She fell silent, and the three of them were quiet for a long time.

After a while, Aglaia finally began to pull herself out of the shadow of failure, sneering as she spoke:

"However, I think that, at least for a while, that Slytherin student, Mavolo, will enjoy his moment in the spotlight."

(End of chapter)

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