Chương 207: Magical War III
James had endured alone for a long time. Upon returning to Potter Manor, the final defensive line was erected, which proved effective against countless enemies. When the last barrier was breached, the Potters, the Shafiqs, Lupin, and the others defended the house with all their might. Voldemort was surprised by the intensity with which they defended. They should have been desperate, but something seemed wrong. They appeared to have hope, and that was a bad sign, but it was too late.
In the darkness of the night, something moved in the sky. The Death Eaters who looked up panicked when they saw figures riding brooms in the night sky. With each passing second, more people on brooms arrived at the scene.
Voldemort, with an expression of disbelief he rarely allowed himself to show, watched as the shadows in the sky multiplied. An army of wizards was arriving at full speed, like an approaching storm. The Death Eaters, who moments before had felt invincible, began to waver.
How could there be so many reinforcements? Voldemort thought in disbelief. He hadn't told anyone that they would attack Potter Manor. Only the Death Eaters closest to him knew twenty minutes before when they were already marching toward the Potter grounds. There was no way there could be such a quick response.
The figures in the sky began to descend, and what had been a mere expectation turned into an overwhelming reality. Leading the attack was Alastor Moody, followed by all the Ministry Aurors.
In addition to the Ministry wizards, more wizards began to arrive, such as Lupin's family; Alphard and Arcturus Black, Andromeda and her husband, and their friends. Members of the Order of the Phoenix. Members of the Order that James had created, followed by their relatives who were on their side.
A tide of wizards and witches descended like a torrent upon the battlefield. An elderly wizard with silver hair and a beard unnerved all the Death Eaters who saw him. It was none other than Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore.
Severus Snape, or rather Severus Prince, the new heir of the revived Prince family, also arrived. Severus did not hesitate to attack the enemies who were attacking his friends.
The astonishment on Voldemort's face was palpable. His plan, which had started with the promise of a certain victory, was collapsing before him. Now, instead of crushing the Potters without anyone stopping him, he found himself face-to-face with an army that outnumbered them, having suffered many losses due to James.
The battlefield's intensity increased by several levels. What was once a one-sided fight turned into a real war with two powerful sides. Flashes of every color flew through the air, hitting wizards, witches, creatures, etc.
Quickly, the advantage was gained by the Ministry and the Order's army. This was due to the surprise attack, having a slight advantage in numbers, and the morale. Voldemort watched with contained fury as his forces began to waver.
"Protego!" Lupin shouted, stepping in front of his father, Lyall Lupin.
Three spells hit Lupin's shield, which managed to withstand the attack and quickly struck back at the scavengers. Defeating two quickly, only one large man remained, with a cruel appearance, tangled gray hair, and a mustache. He had pointed teeth and long, yellowed nails. A bestial appearance.
"I'll handle this, son," Lyall said with an expression different from his usual one.
Lyall is a world-renowned wizard known for his authority in non-human spiritual apparitions. The Ministry turned to his expertise in dark creatures to help contain the threat from Voldemort and his followers, who used such creatures.
"Oh, look who it is. Lupin… You've grown up, boy," said the burly man with a fierce smile.
"Do I know you?" Lupin asked his guard up.
"I thought my reputation was well known. I'm Fenrir Greyback. The werewolf who turned you into what you are," Fenrir said with a wicked smile.
Upon hearing this, Lupin's eyes widened in surprise for several reasons. First, because of the name Fenrir. A werewolf very well known since the war began in 1970. A werewolf who leads his pack, killing muggles, muggle-borns, and half-bloods under Voldemort's orders. His brutality is known throughout the British magical community.
'Is he the one who turned me into this?' Lupin thought, frowning as his anger increased.
"Don't look at me with hatred. It was your father's fault. Besides, I did you a favor by turning you into a werewolf. A superior power," Fenrir said, and instantly cast a killing curse at Lupin.
Lyall managed to summon a shield and throw it toward Lupin. The explosion caused him to be pushed back and roll several times on the ground.
"Pathetic, you're just a child. I thought the Order you were in was strong. Just rumors," Fenrir said with a disdainful smile, starting an intense duel with Lyall.
"Are you alright, Lupin!?" Diana shouted, worried, helping him to his feet. Her appearance, usually clean and well-groomed, was now dirty.
"Diana... Just collateral damage," Lupin replied, standing up and taking his wand.
"Is that the person who made you suffer so much?" Diana asked, frowning at Fenrir, who was fighting Lupin's father.
"Yes, he's dangerous. I'll handle him. You go and fight with your family," Lupin said.
"I'll fight by your side. I already told you I don't care about your lycanthropy. I don't know how many times I have to repeat it," Diana said, without thinking, and went to fight elsewhere.
Lupin couldn't argue and charged at Fenrir, helping his father alongside Diana. With three against one, they had the advantage, but quickly more werewolf wizards, Fenrir's allies, joined the fight, and they were outnumbered.
At that moment, a powerful voice was heard throughout the place, "Incendio Diabolica!"
Lupin, Diana, and the others present barely had time to turn their heads toward the source of the voice when they saw a fire sphere of an unusual and terrifying color: black as night.
The fireball rapidly grew in size as it advanced toward Fenrir and his werewolf companions. When the sphere reached them, it exploded with a roar.
The black flames incinerated several werewolves. The only one who managed to survive with minor injuries was Fenrir, thanks to his keen instincts and speed.
The fire that spread was extensive, reaching Lupin and the others who were nearby, but the fire did not harm them. It was harmless to them, but not to their enemies.
'James!' Lupin thought, but he couldn't see his friend, who had already moved to another part of the battlefield.
Again, in a three-on-one situation, Fenrir had no chance of winning or escaping. Lyall was able to deliver the final blow, finally killing the werewolf who had so many innocent deaths on his hands.
Everyone knew this was the final battle. No one held back. It was kill or be killed. They couldn't afford to be merciful.
Elsewhere, Sirius, Emily, and Toby were facing old acquaintances. Slytherin classmates who had joined the Death Eaters: Rabastan, Mulciber, Avery, and Dolores.
Sirius managed to break Rabastan's mask, recognizing his old rival. He was not surprised that Rabastan was with the Death Eaters. He already knew.
The difference was the experience and training that Sirius, Emily, and Toby had received, allowing them to defeat their equals after a period of battle.
Not far from there, Severus Prince Snape was facing Lucius Malfoy. An old Slytherin senior who had given him advice when he joined the house in his first year.
Despite the age difference, Severus did not appear to fall behind against Lucius, who had a broken mask, and his long blonde hair was now visible.
"Snape, traitor!" Lucius shouted angrily. Severus's expression did not change, and he continued attacking relentlessly, with Malfoy gradually retreating, unable to gain the upper hand.
"Now I am Prince!" Severus exclaimed, casting an Expelliarmus that disarmed Lucius. Before Severus could cast a killing curse, Malfoy's father appeared with his hands raised.
"Wait, we surrender!" said Lucius's father, who no longer had his wand and looked a mess. He had managed to escape from Fleamont and Richard Potter by a miracle but was now wandless.
Snape halted his killing curse but quickly cast two stunning spells. Both father and son fell unconscious. Severus bound them with a rope and pocketed Lucius's wand.
In a more distant part of the battlefield, a fierce battle was taking place between two witches. The fight had reached the corridors of the Potter mansion.
Gwen looked at the witch in front of her with icy eyes, who laughed maniacally and cast a killing curse at her.
With a flick of her wand, Gwen conjured a wall of ice that protected her from the killing curse. Dozens of ice shards flew everywhere as the killing curse struck the wall.
The ground around them was covered with a thick layer of ice, the air was freezing and sharp, with frost crystals clinging to the walls and the shattered furniture. Each breath produced visible vapor. Bellatrix seemed more affected by the freezing temperatures, as she was not used to them like Gwen, but the Death Eater continued to fight, disregarding her condition.
"Your boyfriend killed my husband! So I will kill his future wife! Crucio! Avada Kedavra!" Bellatrix screamed maniacally.
Each word was filled with visceral hatred. Her wand spewed green and red rays that collided with Gwen's defenses, creating explosions and flashes that illuminated the dark interior of the mansion.
Gwen, panting and with her face drenched in sweat and frost, defended herself with all her strength. Despite the fatigue she felt in every muscle, she continued channeling her magic, conjuring ice shields to deflect the curses and launching ice spears at Bellatrix, who either dodged or destroyed them with a flick of her wand. But every time Bellatrix dodged one of these spears, the ground around her froze a little more, restricting her movements.
"Attack, ice girl!" Bellatrix shouted, laughing maniacally as she cast a killing curse.
Gwen created another ice wall that exploded again when struck by the unforgivable curse. Bellatrix's movement stopped when she saw that Gwen had disappeared. She was no longer behind the wall.
Gwen appeared to Bellatrix's right. She had used a short-distance apparition technique. A variant that no one else used, as it was a method created by James, Lupin, Severus, Toby, and herself.
"Ice Hastam!" Gwen shouted, conjuring an ice spear. The cold emanating from the spear was different from the previous ones, but that was barely noticeable.
The spear flew toward Bellatrix, who, thanks to her skill and quick reflexes, managed to dodge it by a margin. The spear embedded itself in her right arm. It was better that it was her arm rather than her heart. Besides, it wasn't the arm she used to wield her wand.
Gwen watched with a cold smile as Bellatrix, confident and with no trace of worry, pulled the ice spear out of her right arm. The Death Eater seemed unfazed by the wound; in fact, she reveled in the apparent invulnerability the ice provided her.
"You almost had me, bitch! Too bad your ice is helping me," Bellatrix said with her characteristic mocking tone, shaking her injured arm with disdain. There was no blood, only a cold that kept the wound sealed, preventing her from feeling pain.
Instead of showing concern, Gwen let out a low, cold laugh, her eyes shining with contained malice. "I do have you," she said.
Bellatrix frowned, her arrogance giving way to a hint of concern. "What do you mean by that?"
It was then that she felt it: a penetrating cold, not only surrounding her arm but beginning to spread internally, like an icy serpent slithering through her veins. Panic quickly replaced confidence as the cold advanced at an alarming rate, spreading from her arm to her chest, her neck, and beyond, infiltrating every corner of her being.
"It's cursed ice, Bellatrix. A cold that spreads like poison, but much faster and much more painful. It invades your veins, seeps into your bones, and freezes every cell in your body from the inside out," Gwen explained with a cold smile. The same cursed ice from the Ice Vault. If it enters your body, it's fatal; it doesn't just freeze you.
Bellatrix tried to raise her wand, but the cold had already reached her hand, making any movement impossible. Her body began to tremble uncontrollably, not from fear, but from the advancing hypothermia taking hold of her. Her eyes, once filled with madness, now only reflected fear as she felt the ice solidifying inside her.
Her breathing became irregular, her lips turned blue, and in one last desperate attempt to free herself, Bellatrix tried to scream, but all that emerged was a faint whimper before the ice finally reached her heart, stopping it instantly.
With a dull crack, Bellatrix's body turned into a solid block of ice, a statue capturing her final breath of life. A very terrifying statue.
Gwen fell to the ground, breathing heavily. She had several cuts bleeding from the shards of the ice walls exploding. In addition, she felt a fatigue that no previous battle had ever made her feel.
'I hope James is okay,' Gwen thought with concern.
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