Chapter 104: Firestorm
Noah and Harry left quickly, leaving Draco Malfoy standing there in a daze.
The two didn't even glance back, and no one paid Draco any attention. While part of him felt relieved, another part felt furious.
He felt like he'd been looked down upon.
No—more than that—he'd been completely ignored.
It was the same kind of feeling he got when dealing with house-elves. But this time, he was in the elf's place... and Noah and Harry were the ones walking away like they were superior.
That twisted thought lit a fire in Draco's chest.
Without thinking it through, he made a decision—he would follow them.
If this had been the Draco of five years later—more mature, more composed—he might've stopped himself from doing something so reckless.
But right now, he was just twelve years old. He didn't have the maturity or self-awareness to hold back. So he trailed after them without hesitation.
---
"What do you think you're doing? Still trying to cause trouble? Go back to your dormitory," Noah said sharply, hearing footsteps behind them and turning around.
Noah was walking with Harry toward the source of the mysterious voice when he noticed Draco tailing them.
"Are you a professor or a prefect now?" Draco retorted. "Even if you're powerful, you're still just a second-year student. You don't get to boss me around!"
For once, Draco sounded brave—or at least tried to.
Noah blinked, then actually chuckled.
Looking at Draco's trembling form, he shook his head in disbelief. "Listen, this monster doesn't care what house you're in. Slytherin or not, it'll attack you all the same. Go back."
"No!" Draco said, forcing himself to stand tall. "If what you say is true, then it'll go after Slytherins sooner or later too. If you're going to confront it, why can't I?"
Despite hesitating for a moment, Draco chose to stay and follow.
Noah didn't know how to respond to that. He hadn't expected Draco to insist on coming along.
To be honest, Noah didn't have the best opinion of Draco Malfoy. His main impression of the boy was that he was arrogant and full of himself. Sure, he married a beautiful woman in the future, but that was about it.
Still, Noah had read some things—like author interviews and commentary. Even J.K. Rowling had expressed, through Astoria (Draco's wife), that Draco wasn't a bad person—just someone who'd grown up under heavy influence from his family, especially Lucius Malfoy.
As a kid, Draco had genuinely believed in pure-blood supremacy. He'd looked down on half-bloods and Muggle-borns. But over time, he changed. Not completely, but enough.
He never became a full-fledged Death Eater in spirit. He was pressured, afraid, and ultimately too hesitant to kill Dumbledore. He had a conscience... something the true Death Eaters lacked.
Draco wasn't evil. He was a tragedy.
Noah sighed. The kid in front of him had been raised in a twisted environment. His sense of right and wrong was skewed. But deep down, he wasn't rotten.
"Guess that old saying is true," Noah muttered. "Man is born good by nature…"
He shook his head and focused. Now wasn't the time for philosophy.
---
Harry had drawn his wand. They were getting close.
Noah did the same, gripping his wand tightly. Basilisks might be legendary, but they're not that easy to kill…
"Noah, I hear it nearby," Harry said, eyes scanning the shadows nervously. "What do we do?"
"Be careful," Noah said grimly. "And whatever you do—don't look it in the eyes."
"But if we can't look at it, how do we fight it?"
"Simple," Noah replied. "We blind it. Once it can't see, it's just a regular venomous snake."
"Right… got it."
Harry swallowed hard and gripped his wand tighter. Draco, following behind, was just as tense.
He wanted to ask how Noah planned to blind the creature—but he didn't dare.
He wondered what his father would do in this situation.
After thinking about it, he realized… Lucius Malfoy would've turned and run.
Draco was starting to regret his decision. Why did I follow them again?
This thing came from the Chamber of Secrets… and that makes it practically my family's monster!
---
Just as the three were on high alert, a voice suddenly called out behind them.
"Well now, what are you young lads doing out at this hour?"
Harry and Draco jumped. They turned and breathed a sigh of relief—it was Nearly Headless Nick.
Harry clutched his chest. "Sir Nick! You scared us!"
"Scared you? Nonsense. I'm everywhere," the ghost said with a dramatic flair. "But really now… a Gryffindor, a Ravenclaw, and a Slytherin sneaking around after dark? What would Mr. Filch say? He's been in quite the foul mood lately. Says he's been insulted. Poor soul. His cat was killed, you know."
"Really?" Harry said absently, the sound growing louder again in his ears. "That's… terrible."
Noah remained silent. Nick's appearance means the basilisk is close. Very close.
He gripped his wand tighter. A golden glow shimmered faintly at the tip—clear to everyone watching.
Harry immediately got into a ready stance. Draco turned pale. Nick, however, was still oblivious.
"What's going on, boys?" Nick asked cautiously.
"Please be quiet, Sir Nick," Noah said quietly. "We might be in danger."
"Well really, my name is Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington. Or Nearly Headless Nick, if you must…"
"Whatever. Just hush."
Noah cut him off. He focused on the sound above him. It was getting louder.
He looked forward—there was a window. Dust trickled down from above.
His eyes widened.
"Close your eyes! Now!"
He yelled, slamming his own eyes shut.
Harry and Draco obeyed instantly. Only Nick remained confused.
"What are you—OH GOOD HEAVENS! WHAT IS—!"
His words were cut off mid-sentence.
Noah, Harry, and Draco winced. The basilisk must've seen him. But there was no time to think about that.
Noah's wand blazed with golden energy. The serpent's hissing grew louder. A putrid, fishy smell filled the corridor.
"What's it saying, Harry?" Noah asked.
Harry, eyes still shut tight, trembled. "It said… it said… three tasty snacks."
"Oh?" Noah replied, calm despite the tension. "By the way, could I borrow your glasses?"
"What?"
"You can't see with them right now anyway."
"…"
"Just kidding."
Noah's voice was calm, even as his wand erupted in golden light. Even with their eyes closed, the others felt the heat.
"Firestorm!"
The magic burst from Noah's wand in a massive wave of heat and light.
The spell was so powerful that even Professor Dumbledore and Professor Flitwick on the top floor felt it immediately.
Professors all over the castle dropped what they were doing and rushed toward the blast.
Even the students felt the explosion of magical power.
Despite the prefects trying to stop them, the curious students began to move—many of the prefects too intrigued to hold back themselves.
The corridor lit up like a furnace.
The basilisk shrieked in pain. Its hissing turned to horrible, bloodcurdling screams.
The smell of burning flesh filled the air.
Noah, Harry, and Draco kept their eyes shut.
Noah's breathing was shaky now. He could feel the drain on his magic. This spell—Firestorm—was not basic magic.
It came from his system space, a high-tier fire spell.
The spells from the system could technically be used at any level, but their true power depended entirely on the caster's magic reserves.
Noah could barely hold it for a minute. He was already dizzy.
He hadn't expected it to burn so much energy.
Maybe I overdid it...
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