https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-673-The-Secret-Passage-in-the-Office/13453070/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-675-The-Great-Battle-and-the-Collapsing-Space/13453072/
Chapter 674: Stay Here and Reflect
Chapter 674: Stay Here and Reflect
Noticing this, Ivan gripped his wand tightly and quickened his pace, greeting casually as if they were having a casual conversation.
"Good evening, Professor Moody..."
Mad-Eye Moody's stiff body finally moved. He slowly turned his head and used his peculiar magic eye to scrutinize Ivan, his tone calm. "Hals, what brings you to my office in the middle of the night?"
"Isn't it obvious? I'm here to see you, of course", Ivan said nonchalantly, his gaze sweeping the room. He was searching for Barty Crouch Jr., who might be hiding in the shadows.
However, the area was quite dim, and the light from the candles was limited. Ivan could only vaguely make out a bed in one corner and a large cabinet on the right. Both places could potentially hide someone.
"Aren't you going to explain yourself, Professors?" Ivan asked, his eyes returning to Mad-Eye Moody after a quick scan of the room.
Ivan didn't rush to attack. He had been in the office for a few minutes, giving the other party enough time to prepare.
Moreover, Mad-Eye Moody's obvious stance, standing there straight and waiting, clearly indicated that he was luring Ivan into an attack.
"There's nothing to explain, Hals. It's surprising you found me here tonight, but it's convenient. I was just thinking about how to draw you here..." Mad-Eye Moody spoke slowly, his scarred face appearing even more menacing in the flickering light.
Ivan's pupils constricted. He hadn't fully grasped the meaning of Moody's words, but a sense of danger already gripped his heart. Suddenly, the door of the cabinet on the right exploded open.
"Avada Kedavra!"
A hoarse, sharp voice reverberated in the enclosed space, and a blinding green light flashed through the air.
Ivan instantly activated his Dragon Transformation and rolled nimbly to the side, narrowly avoiding the spell. A crater formed in the wall behind him.
At the same moment Barty Jr. attacked, Mad-Eye Moody also raised his wand. However, before he could cast his spell, an unknown pressure disrupted his movements.
Even Barty Crouch Jr., who was on the other side, was affected, his actions slowing down.
Ivan, though unsure of the cause, wouldn't miss this rare opportunity. He immediately pointed his wand at the mirror behind Mad-Eye Moody. Using the Summoning Charm, the large mirror flew over and crashed into Moody, knocking him off balance.
Ivan pressed his advantage, casting a second spell almost immediately.
"Petrificus Totalus!"
Considering that Mad-Eye Moody was under control and not a true enemy, Ivan refrained from using a lethal spell. Instead, he opted for a more restrained approach to subdue him.
A dazzling beam of light flashed through the air, and Mad-Eye Moody grabbed the mirror to block it. However, before he could breathe a sigh of relief, he felt the petrification effect spreading from the edge of the mirror. Moody's face turned pale, and he quickly kicked the mirror away.
Barty Jr. had now adapted to the mysterious pressure, his bloodshot eyes fixed on Ivan. He and Mad-Eye Moody formed a pincer movement, casting spells in rapid succession. The dark room was filled with a barrage of spell beams, crisscrossing and weaving through the air.
Ivan relied on his protective ring and Dragon Scales to hold his own against the two of them. He knew that a two-on-one fight was highly disadvantageous and that he needed to restrain one of them to deal with the other first.
Fortunately, this was precisely what he excelled at!
"Expecto Patronum!" Ivan's wand flicked, and a stream of white light mist quickly emerged from the tip, coalescing into a proud Unicorn in less than a second.
Accompanied by a sharp neigh, Unicorn Shadow galloped through a mist of light toward Barty Jr.
"Reducto ~ (Sectumsempra)!" Barty Crouch Jr. didn't understand why Ivan was casting a Patronus Charm here, but he wasn't about to let the other's Patronus get close. He raised his wand and fired a spell.
However, to his surprise, the spell beams passed right through Unicorn Shadow, leaving only a trail of white mist.
Is this really just a Patronus?
Seeing that his spell had no effect, Barty Jr. felt a twinge of doubt, wondering if Ivan was just trying to distract him.
As he thought this, the ethereal unicorn had already closed the distance, moving with astonishing speed. It reared up on its hind legs and brought its hooves down with a powerful stomp.
Distracted, Barty Crouch Jr. barely managed to cast a Protective Charm on himself before being kicked away by the unicorn's hooves.
On the other side, Ivan was multitasking, controlling Unicorn Shadow while simultaneously engaging Mad-Eye Moody. The rings on his fingers glowed, and multiple spells shot out like a barrage of cannon fire, giving Mad-Eye Moody no chance to catch his breath.
But the elderly Auror's agility was unexpectedly nimble. Thanks to the effects of a Transfiguration spell, his wooden leg moved more smoothly than his real one. With a few rolls, he evaded Ivan's continuous casting and kicked over a cabinet for cover, blocking a Stupefy spell.
Mad-Eye Moody's magical eye, always spinning, observed every move Ivan made, predicting his spells by the casting gestures and finding ways to counter them.
After a prolonged assault, Ivan finally decided to go all out. With a wave of his wand, invisible magic blades sliced through the air, cutting the heavy cabinet in two.
Mad-Eye Moody, hiding behind the cabinet, felt his hair stand on end. He pushed off with all his strength, rolling to the side and narrowly avoiding the blades. However, his wooden leg was grazed and immediately snapped in half.
Without pausing to stand, Mad-Eye Moody launched a counterattack. The cabinet halves quickly transformed into two bizarre leopards, charging at Ivan.
Ivan smiled. This was the first time he had encountered someone who could match him in Transfiguration magic. With a casual wave of his wand, the leopards rapidly grew in size and then exploded.
Wooden debris rained down from the air, only to rise again under Ivan's guidance, whistling toward Mad-Eye Moody.
"Impediment (Impediment Jinx)!" With his legs injured and unable to dodge, Mad-Eye Moody released a Shield Charm to block Ivan's magic.
The wooden debris battered against the magical barrier, quickly breaking through it.
"Expelliarmus~ (Expelliarmus)" Ivan raised his wand again, and a red beam struck Mad-Eye Moody, sending him flying.
Mad-Eye Moody crashed into the wall behind him, his wand flying out of his hand and landing nearby.
"Stay there and have a good think... Professor!" Ivan used a Stunning Spell to knock out Mad-Eye Moody, his tone laced with mockery.
The Imperius Curse has no counter-curse. It would be very difficult to restore Mad-Eye Moody to his normal state, so it was better to stun him...
(End of Chapter)
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