55 CH55 - An Inevitable Clash

With his eyes closed, Edmund greedily sucked the fresh countryside air into his lungs, relishing its purity. Tom's brain prior to Hogwarts had consisted solely of memories of the London smog, clogging his airway and making his eyes water. In the 1940s, enterprises were the heart of the city. Unadulterated breathable air was a rare commodity, replaced by the fumes from the massive industrial plants that lined the streets.

The isolated nature of Hogwarts was troublesome in many ways, but Edmund would always appreciate this aspect of it.

As he inhaled and exhaled, he could feel his connection with magic dilate and contract in time with it. He could perceive the very pulse of the earth, the pounding 'heartbeat' of the ley lines.

This new awareness had become a constant for Edmund since the advent of Beltane. Typically, he was used to waiting for the effects of his rituals to wear off so he could return to some sense of normalcy. In this case, he found himself wishing for the opposite. Being able to sense the bond was reassuring to him. It served as a way to center himself in a way he previously had been unable to achieve.

Like everything else, however, he had gotten used to the feeling quickly enough in the following weeks.

May was drawing to a close, and only a fortnight remained till the end-of-year exams commenced.

Since the last quidditch match had finished—disappointingly to Jeremy, in Gryffindor's favour—the atmosphere of the entire school had shifted to a state of laser focus. Socialization had become less of a priority, as most students could be found crammed inside the library at all hours of the day.

For Edmund, this presented the perfect opportunity he had been waiting for. Nobody would be too bothered by his absence. Even if he decided to vanish for most of the weekend, it would not be the most suspicious thing in the world, especially considering his known propensity to get lost in his work.

Opening his eyes, he watched the moon hanging in the sky at its very apex. Its light was bright and strong, but as it filtered down to the forest floor, it became less and less luminous. For his purposes, the issue was irrelevant.

Turning his eyes downward, he gazed into the endless tunnel before him. The sight was ominous enough on its own, even without knowing what lay within.

"Ready?" the speaker asked calmly. "There is no need to rush if you are not."

"I cannot delay any longer. With each day, the dark lord becomes more agitated. He may have granted me two years, but with the prize so close, his patience has waned," Edmund explained quietly. "Besides, it makes no difference. I could always prepare more. There will always be more ways to eliminate risk. At some point, I have to take the plunge. There is no reason today can't be that day."

The speaker hummed. "Believe, and you shall achieve."

Edmund smiled back at her. "I know."

Taking one last glance at his surroundings, he began moving forward.

"See you in a bit," the centaur murmured from behind him.

Edmund raised his right hand into the air in farewell without turning around.

It was show time.

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- (Scene Break) -

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Edmund trudged through the darkness silently. Compared to the previous time, when he had been keen to explore the area more thoroughly, his attention was directed entirely in front of him. The trickling water soon reached his feet, accompanied by the pleasant glow of the sprites along the walls. Everything within the pathway was identical as if it had been preserved in stasis since he had visited last.

However, things had changed within Edmund himself. He was a wizard of a much higher calibre than he had been when he clashed with Moros in the past.

The beast would not find such an easy challenge in him now.

Even in that instant, Edmund could feel the manticore's mind ahead of him at the end of the cavern—a twisted, monstrous mess of brain matter melded together haphazardly. When Edmund was approximately halfway through the passage, he knew the anomalous creature had detected him. His danger sense, which had been steadily growing more insistent, suddenly jumped exponentially in power, giving Edmund all the information he needed.

Using his enhanced memory, he came to a stop a few feet from the very spot he had been first attacked during his previous encounter.

"You know I am here," Edmund said lowly without fear. "I know you are here. I would say we are beyond the point of playing these games."

"I was momentarily surprised by the sheer stupidity that can arise in the human mind," Moros' grating voice sneered from the shadows. "But, who am I to stop you if you wish to walk to your death so easily?"

"Big words from one incapable of fulfilling their threats. All bark, no bite," Edmund mocked.

Maybe the insults were a mistake. But Edmund knew that the manticore's foolish arrogance had allowed him to escape the last time. Perhaps invoking it could serve a purpose once more.

"Good," Moros chuckled, but the strain in his voice gave away his wrath. "The more confidence that fills you, the more joy I will get from ridding you of it."

Edmund smiled grimly. "Your pride will be your undoing."

Dropping the invisibility barrier around him, the manticore stepped into the light with a snarl. "My pride is what makes me who I am! Whether I live or die, I will do it as myself!"

Edmund took the chance to look him over as he spat his words. The creature looked furious, but otherwise, none worse for wear. His eyes held no hint of the toying nature that Edmund recalled.

He would not be going easy on him this time.

"I can respect that," Edmund responded.

The other magical beasts were also focused on him, their heads wrapped around Edmund in a half circle as they extended from Moros' massive frame.

From left to right: the shrake, the graphorn, the horned serpent, Moros' human face, the hide-behind, the erumpent, and the acromantula.

Six of the heads stood at attention, ready for the confrontation that was to come. One, however, was not in such good condition. The horned serpent looked half dead as it was tied from the neck upwards to Moros' flank. Its range of movement had been fully restricted, and its attacking capability restrained by a makeshift muzzle around its mouth. Its danger sense was still functional, however, judging by the faint note Edmund had heard chiming before Moros revealed himself.

In all capacities, the creature had been neutralized.

Its treachery against its master may have saved Edmund, but had netted it a world of pain and suffering.

He would not forget the beast's sacrifice.

§I have returned, as I vowed,§ Edmund hissed with respect. §I will fulfill my promise to you this day. You have my word.§

Edmund was given no response, save for an imperceptible dip of the horned's serpent's head—the only action it was capable of.

Its wariness might have been attributable to its situation or a lack of faith in Edmund. Regardless, it would see the truth for itself soon enough.

Turning sideways, Edmund limited the dimensions of his body facing the manticore, decreasing the area that could be hit. His wand came upwards to a ready position, prepared for battle.

"No more words?" Moros questioned. "I can live with that. It will only make the screams I rip from your throat that much more delightful."