บท 250: Chapter 250: This Is Not A Game
Cassandra stood atop the enormous Rune-Engraved Serpent, its jagged scales jutting out like sharp rubble.
The damp forest wind whipped through her golden curls, making her look like a Valkyrie!
"Vole's daughter?"
Rodolphus was taken aback by Cassandra's sudden appearance, along with that uniquely massive Rune-Engraved Serpent. He rolled across the ground, dodging Cassandra's barrage of spells.
With a quick Protego Charm, he deflected her attack back toward the serpent, only for the spell to land harmlessly on one of its scales, larger than a human hand.
Though Rodolphus didn't believe Cassandra had killed Rabastan, her presence only intensified his fury. Rabastan had initially separated from him to deal with Cassandra.
Now, here she was, unharmed, while his brother's fate was uncertain—a comparison that filled him with even more rage!
Moreover, he never had the courage to confront Cyrus directly to avenge his brother. From the start, he'd targeted Cassandra and Fischer. Now that they were together, his bloodlust spiked!
"Hey, Vole? What are you doing here?" Fischer glanced at the massive serpent, its three heads flicking out crimson tongues as its terrifying eyes swept over everyone, as if viewing them all as prey.
This was the largest Rune-Engraved Serpent Fischer had ever seen, and in its presence, he felt as small as a rabbit, just waiting to be swallowed.
Due to his fear, he didn't dare get too close to Cassandra, maintaining a safe distance while he and Cassandra warily watched Rodolphus.
The pain from the wound on his back was growing more intense.
"Just happened to run into you," Cassandra said casually.
She wasn't particularly close with Fischer and had no intention of sharing information about the Death Eaters. Fischer might be promising, but he wasn't yet a follower of Cyrus!
"Alright, let's take him down together!" Cassandra readied herself for battle.
The others didn't realize that when she said "take him down," she truly meant to kill Rodolphus!
Ever since the Goblet of Fire had chosen the champions, Cassandra hadn't been focused on the tournament itself.
She knew she wouldn't be the star of this competition, nor did she plan to use the tournament to seek the spotlight.
Helping Professor Cyrus in any small way was the only thing that mattered to her.
Although she wasn't clear on the Death Eaters' plans, eliminating them couldn't be wrong.
She swiftly jumped off the back of the Runespoor and pointed her wand, sending the massive creature barreling toward Rodolphus like a train car.
A Runespoor around two meters in length was dangerous enough to be rated as a 4X; this one, though not as powerful as a dragon, still held formidable strength.
The serpent dove toward Rodolphus as if he were prey, its right head, with its venomous fangs, striking out like lightning!
Rodolphus didn't hesitate to roll to the ground, dodging the attack, then aimed a quick Conjunctivitis Curse at the left head!
Despite its massive size, the Runespoor didn't have the same magical resistance as a dragon, and its eyes were a vulnerable spot. It had already suffered at Cedric's hands before meeting Cassandra; if Rodolphus's curse hit, it might actually lose an eye.
The central head, which relished in its own glory, immediately shut its eyes and turned to shield the left head from the curse. Then, it swung its powerful tail like a whip toward Rodolphus!
Crack!
It sounded as if the air itself had been split open!
Watching the monstrous creature rampage through the forest, Fischer finally dared to approach Cassandra, standing back as he watched the giant snake wreak havoc. Its tail cut through thick fir trees, which didn't fall immediately but leaned, held up by the surrounding branches.
"Where on earth did you find such a monster?!" he asked in astonishment.
"Just happened to come across it." Cassandra didn't elaborate.
She really had stumbled upon the Runespoor by chance, but taming it had required a bit of skill. Even for her, handling such a powerful magical creature wasn't easy, though Cyrus always seemed to have some special ways with serpents.
The ancient magical mark Cyrus had left on her arm wasn't just for decoration; it held Cyrus's power, and conveniently, he was both a Parselmouth and wielded a snakewood wand.
The magic of Parseltongue seemed to be even more potent under the enhancement of ancient spells, and it was through this means that Cassandra had commanded the unique Runespoor.
"Forget about it; let's join the fight!" Cassandra elegantly raised her wand and cast a spell toward Rodolphus, who was being chased by this big Rune-Engraved Serpent.
Rodolphus wasn't entirely helpless, though. While large creatures had the advantage of power, being small also had its perks. To the serpent, Rodolphus was as slippery as an eel, nearly impossible to capture.
And the serpent's weak points were obvious. With his skills, it was only a matter of time before he could counterattack effectively. He cautiously evaded the serpent's strikes, aiming his attacks at the head responsible for decision-making.
But Cassandra was not about to let him succeed.
In a split second, she and Fischer both joined the battle. Using the massive body of the Runespoor as cover, they advanced steadily, their bright spellfire flashing through the air like fireworks.
Compared to Fischer's honorable attack style, Cassandra was much fiercer. Every spell she cast was dark magic, each shot aimed at Rodolphus's head or heart, whether it was a slashing curse or a storm of piercing javelins to pierce his body.
Aside from the Unforgivable Curses, Cassandra used everything at her disposal.
The other person itching to cast an Unforgivable Curse was Rodolphus himself.
His skills were formidable, but even he was struggling against three serpent heads and two wands. Often, he didn't even have time to block Fischer's attacks, which, though less deadly, still added pressure.
This was turning into one of the most intense battles yet, with Cassandra and Fischer pushing Rodolphus back step by step, while the Serpent blocked his retreat from the front and behind.
Rodolphus even considered fleeing, but he quickly realized, to his dismay, that this small area had been sealed with an anti-Apparition charm.
"I anticipated that!" Cassandra unleashed a wave of flames, a slight smirk forming on her lips coated with pale green lipstick.
She had prepared ahead of time before charging in. Though cast hastily, the spell covered enough ground to keep Rodolphus contained within this space with steady precision.
Sweat beaded on Rodolphus's forehead as his failed attempt to Apparate left him disoriented with lingering side effects.
"Sabulo!"
In his brief moment of confusion, Fischer's sand burst spell struck him first!
"A—Ugh!!"
Rodolphus's left arm was instantly blown to shreds, and he tumbled sideways, rolling on the ground in a battered state, his expression that of a wounded, fierce wolf.
But instead of facing a vulnerable prey, his gaze met a fierce, radiant venomous serpent!
Just as she had with Rabastan, Cassandra cast a slashing curse, sending an invisible blade slicing straight for Rodolphus's heart!
Rodolphus's pupils reflected the advancing flurry of blades, seeming to split the air into fragments, and in that split second, he felt as if his very vision was pierced by the sharpness of the oncoming curse.
Thud!
A blood-soaked arm fell from the air, landing heavily on the ground.
"My..."
It was Rodolphus's left arm. The flesh had been completely shredded, resembling minced meat splattered across the ground in clumps, while only the stark white bones remained somewhat intact.
"You Will Die FOR THIS!!"
"Wla.." Fischer gagged slightly but held his ground, not daring to look away.
Despite his corpse-like pallor, Rodolphus's fierce eyes remained locked onto them, his gaze sharp and unyielding.
"My my~ Did you shift your body to the right at the very moment the spell was about to hit your heart?"
Cassandra remarked with a quirked brow. "You're a bit smarter than the other one. He took my spell directly in the chest."
"The other one?" Rodolphus seemed to forget his pain for a moment, veins bulging at his temples as he growled at Cassandra like a demon. "You killed my brother!"
"Oh? That was your brother?" Cassandra appeared somewhat surprised but showed no sympathy toward a Death Eater.
"That's perfect, then. I was worried his family would mourn him if he died alone. Now, if I kill you, it'll all be neat and tidy, right?~"
Had Rodolphus not been consumed by his own rage, he might have questioned who was the real Death Eater here.
But he couldn't voice his thoughts. All he wanted now was to tear Cassandra to pieces.
If it were Cyrus, he might have asked Rodolphus why he hadn't thought of this day when he was torturing other wizards. But Cassandra merely raised her wand coldly, aiming it directly at Rodolphus as Fischer watched in stunned silence.
"V-Vole.. Y-You killed someone?" Fischer stared at her in shock. "And now you want to kill another?"
"What's the problem?" Cassandra retorted.
"The problem?" Fischer's voice rose incredulously. He stepped in front of Cassandra, trying to stop the beautiful transfer student from making an even graver mistake.
But Cassandra pushed him aside without hesitation.
"I'm not asking you to get involved. Just stand back and watch."
"Are you insane? This is just a tournament! You'll get us disqualified!"
"Don't you understand, Fischer?" Cassandra's green eyes fixed on him, her gaze carrying a blend of pity and scorn, as if she were addressing a naive, immature child.
"What?"
"You think the fall of Nurmengard was an accident? Haven't you heard of what's been happening in the British magical world these past years?" Cassandra sneered. "You really need to grow up, Fischer. This was never just a tournament. It's a clash of powers!"
In Fischer's stunned silence, Cassandra continued calmly:
"You think the lake is calm on the surface, but beneath it, the currents have been raging all along."
In that moment, a whirlwind of thoughts flashed through Fischer's mind.
Countless things he'd never considered suddenly lit up like sparks of insight!
He realized that the current peace was merely the calm before the storm, and it might take just one flash of lightning to shatter the illusion.
The outcome of the Triwizard Tournament would be that very lightning bolt.
He stepped aside, leaving nothing between Cassandra and Rodolphus.
.....
On the Quidditch field.
Over a thousand spectators watched tensely—Cassandra, who had already killed once, raised her wand again toward the Beauxbatons champion, who knelt on the ground with only one arm remaining, seemingly unable to resist any longer.
Most people had initially felt disdainful of Rodolphus's cowardly ambush on Fischer and hadn't thought much of him, but now, almost everyone felt a wave of pity for him.
"She shouldn't be so brazen," Hermione said, frowning.
Knowing that their opponent was a Death Eater, Hermione didn't exactly object to Cassandra killing him, but doing so in front of more than a thousand spectators wouldn't be wise for Cassandra's reputation.
"Maybe she doesn't care. I mean, she's pretty cool!" Ron said admiringly.
In the Weasley family, killing a Death Eater would be an honor worthy of being inscribed in their family records!
Meanwhile, over at the judges' stand, the professors were in disarray.
Professor McGonagall's face was pale with worry. "We must stop her at once, or else..."
"The tournament continues!" Barty Crouch Jr. interrupted.
"What?" McGonagall looked both shocked and outraged. "Do you know what you're saying, Madame Maxime?"
She stormed over to Barty, her eyes filled with disbelief as she demanded, "That's your student's life on the line!"
"Historically, the Triwizard Tournament has always been a dangerous event. They were prepared for sacrifices before they even arrived at Hogwarts," Barty replied with a stony expression, looking at McGonagall as if the Lestrange brothers' lives meant nothing to him.
"Professor McGonagall, if the Triwizard Tournament is to be revived, then casualties shouldn't be a reason to stop it. This isn't just a game—or do you think this is child's play?"
"Fine! I'm sure they'd be thrilled to have a headmaster like you!"
Irritated by Barty's coldness, McGonagall turned and stormed back to her seat, as though determined never to speak another word on behalf of Beauxbatons' champions.
Meanwhile, deep in the Forbidden Forest, Rodolphus hadn't yet given up hope of survival.
As long as a wizard still holds the wand in his hand, he cannot be considered to have lost.
Just like now, Rodolphus madly ignited the flames from hell!
The fierce fire began to burn!
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