Chapter 678: Flame
It was still midday, yet the Forbidden Forest was as dark as if night had fallen. Only the faint, distant chirping of insects broke the silence.
“Lumos!”
A soft incantation, and a glowing light bloomed from the tip of Wade’s wand. With a gentle flick, the light floated upward, hovering a few feet above his head—like a giant white spotlight had been placed in the heart of the forest.
The endless darkness instantly receded. Towering ancient trees emerged from the thick shadows, their gnarled roots sprawling across the ground like sleeping serpents, ready to trip any unwary foot.
Nearby, a cluster of thin, vine-like tendrils silently extended from a tree trunk toward Wade. The sudden burst of light startled them, and they recoiled instantly—slithering back like agile snakes.
Then, without warning, Wade felt a chill crawl up his spine—the unmistakable instinct of danger.
He spun around, wand slicing through the air in a blazing arc.
At the same moment, a spider the size of a horse leapt from the canopy above, eight eyes gleaming coldly in the light. Thick, bristly legs shot forward, wrapping around him like a crushing embrace.
The spell’s radiant flare struck the creature instantly. A torrent of crimson flame roared to life, engulfing the giant spider in an instant. In the blink of an eye, the fire devoured its charge.
The flames writhed across its fuzzy body, consuming it with a hungry fury. The carapace cracked and popped like burning paper. The Acromantula shrieked in agony, rolling wildly on the ground.
“Fire! Fire!” it wailed. “It’s burning me!”
In the dark corners beyond the light’s reach, a chorus of clicking and clacking echoed through the forest. Two slightly smaller Acromantula burst from behind a tree, seized the burning creature—and instead of trying to save it, tore it apart with brutal efficiency.
Then, from every direction, a swarm of spiders poured forth—some the size of a human fist, others as large as hunting dogs. They fell upon the remains with ravenous delight, crunching through flesh and bone. The forest rang with the sound of snapping, tearing, and gnashing.
And from the deeper shadows, several massive Acromantula slowly emerged, forming a wide circle around the young wizard. Their enormous claws flexed and clicked, their hunger palpable—like they were awaiting a feast.
…
On the stands, the audience watched in horrified silence. Most faces were pale, especially among the Hogwarts students who had once dreamed of sneaking into the Forbidden Forest for adventure. Now, they were trembling, their legs weak with fear.
“Breeding… breeding so many Acromantula… isn’t that illegal?” stammered a young brown-haired wizard.
“Oh, the creatures in the Forbidden Forest are naturally occurring,” chuckled Professor Kettleburn—the retired Care of Magical Creatures teacher. “Of course, having such a large population of dangerous beings so close to the school has always been a concern for us.”
The young wizard stared, silent. Liar! Dumbledore could handle a few spiders—how could he not?
“That kid… can he really handle this?” asked a Bulgarian wizard, turning to his companion. “If he can’t even survive the first round, he’s done.”
“That boy is Wade Gray,” someone else replied. “He’s one of the strongest contenders for the title.”
“Damn it!” A man in the crowd slammed his fist into his palm. “Who could’ve guessed Wade Gray would be eliminated first? If I’d known, I’d have bet on someone else!”
Ferdinand gripped Fiona’s hand tightly, voice trembling. “Don’t worry… there are professors patrolling the Forbidden Forest. Wade can’t be in real danger.”
…
“Human! A human wizard!”
“He used fire! Damn it!”
“Kill him!”
“Eat him! Eat him!”
The spiders roared, advancing in slow, deliberate steps—yet hesitating, afraid of the flame.
Acromantula had never been afraid of fire before. At least not to this extent.
But after a single dark night, when nearly the entire colony had been reduced to ash, their simple minds had made one unshakable connection: fire = death.
Even if Wade looked small, tender, and delicious, the fact that he could summon fire was enough to make them hesitate.
Suddenly, one of the giant spiders inflated its abdomen and shot out a thick, sticky thread.
Wade flicked his wand—lightning-fast—and the web deflected away like a rubber ball.
“Is that all?” Wade sighed inwardly, glancing at a blue bird hovering nearby. “Sorry, Hagrid.”
He didn’t know if Hagrid was watching the live broadcast. But regardless—whether the giant half-giant would later bury his face in Fang’s fur and weep—Wade couldn’t hold back any longer.
To be honest, he’d never understand how Hagrid could love these creatures.
As more spiders began firing venom and webs at him, Wade raised his wand and shouted:
“Blazing Flame Spell!”
A torrent of fire erupted from the tip—crimson and gold, streaked with vivid blue. It surged outward like a fire dragon, spiraling around Wade in a blazing ring, devouring everything in its path.
Wade’s fire magic had been taught by Dumbledore himself—and refined under the guidance of Gellert Grindelwald. Even an ordinary spell, when cast by him, became something extraordinary.
The inferno erupted from the center, instantly consuming everything around. The heat was unbearable.
The giant spiders screamed in agony—eyes bursting one by one in the scorching heat, then their bodies blackened, reduced to charred husks.
The air filled with the stench of burning fat. Thick black smoke curled into the sky, punctuated by the occasional crackle of dying embers.
Ten seconds later, the flames vanished as abruptly as they had begun.
The ground was scorched and barren. The spiders lay as hollow, twisted shells, frozen in their final struggles.
Their remains crumbled further in the residual heat, and a sudden gust of wind swept through—scattering the ashes like gray snow.
…
On the stands, silence fell like a shroud.
Just moments ago, people had been worried whether Wade Gray would even have time to send a distress signal. Now, the only thing left in view was a thin, solitary figure—seemingly fragile, standing alone in the wasteland.
A few Hufflepuff students clapped their hands over their mouths, faces pale.
In the Ravenclaw stands, books fell to the ground with dull thuds. Some students dropped their telescopes in shock.
Gryffindor, after a stunned pause, erupted into cheers—first from the Weasley Twins, their voices rising above the rest.
Slytherin’s stands, however, were unnaturally quiet. Some students recalled past conflicts with Wade Gray. Now, they felt a strange sense of relief—like they’d narrowly escaped death.
Then, slowly, scattered applause began—growing, swelling, until it exploded into a thunderous roar.
(End of Chapter)
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