Malfoy had, to his credit, long been guarding against Sean's Thorn Curse. He knew it was a favored, and effective, spell in Sean's arsenal.
So, when Sean cast the Incarcerous spell, Malfoy reacted with surprising speed. He quickly retreated, ducking behind a nearby table, while simultaneously firing a Petrification Curse back towards Sean.
Counterattacking in haste, however, Malfoy's aim was off. His Petrification Curse sailed wide; Sean merely had to take a slight step to his left to avoid it completely.
The Thorn Curse, meanwhile, landed squarely on the table Malfoy was using for cover. It didn't shatter the wood; instead, a profusion of thorny vines erupted from the table's surface, spreading rapidly outwards. By the time Malfoy realized something was terribly wrong, the tenacious, barbed vines originating from the Thorn Curse had already snaked around his arm, tightening their grip.
Seeing this unexpected development, Sean's eyes lit up with a flicker of interest. He hadn't anticipated that the Thorn Curse could be utilized in such a versatile manner. It turned out that even if the initial projectile didn't directly hit the target, the spell could still manifest its thorny vines by landing on the ground or another nearby surface. This discovery significantly expanded the potential tactical applications of the spell.
Many spells, Sean was beginning to understand, exhibited more complex and nuanced effects as the user delved deeper into their mastery. For example, the Patronus Charm, at a more advanced level, could be used to transmit messages via remote, spectral conversation. An even deeper, more profound application, as demonstrated by powerful wizards like Dumbledore, could allow the Patronus to directly manifest as a protective barrier, capable of physically repelling a target. Or consider the Shield Charm that Sean had recently obtained; a wizard with deep research and understanding of this spell could effortlessly deflect a wide array of relatively less powerful spells. In fact, the Thorn Curse in Sean's possession was, according to Gavin's notes, a unique, perhaps even signature, spell of the Bulstrode family. Its true potential and effects were naturally not limited to their current extent; further exploration and practice were required to unlock its full capabilities.
Malfoy, now ensnared, couldn't care less about anything other than escaping the painful grip of the thorny vines. He forcefully broke free from their restraint, the effort causing a large, jagged tear to rip open in the fabric of his expensive robes.
Having disentangled himself from the thorns, Malfoy once again waved his wand, launching a continuous barrage of spells at Sean.
However, the LV1 Shield Charm Sean now possessed already allowed him to defend himself with a remarkable degree of calm and composure. The shimmering, blue-white halo of the Protego spell, as Sean expertly waved his wand, pulsed and rippled, each ripple effectively dispelling one of Malfoy's jinxes.
At this moment, Sean quickly scanned the surrounding environment. Seizing a momentary gap while Malfoy was in the midst of casting another spell, he suddenly waved his own wand in a wide circle. Tables and chairs once again spun up from the ground, hurtling towards Malfoy with renewed force. Simultaneously, the heavy carpet on the floor flew up again, unfurling like a monstrous wave, attempting to cover Malfoy just as it had in Sean's previous duel.
"Bulstrode! Don't you have any new tactics?" Malfoy yelled, his voice a mixture of frustration and bravado.
He quickly retreated, narrowly dodging the approaching carpet, while simultaneously waving his wand, blasting all the enchanted carpets, tables, chairs, and benches into a shower of splintered fragments.
Looking at the falling debris of various furniture and carpets, a mocking, triumphant smile appeared on Malfoy's face.
But at that very moment, Malfoy suddenly realized that Sean was gone. Just as Malfoy turned his head, frantically searching for his opponent, a hand suddenly clamped down firmly on his shoulder. Malfoy reacted with surprising speed, raising his wand, preparing to cast a spell behind him. But before he could even utter the incantation, another hand grabbed his neck and squeezed hard, choking the unspoken spell in his throat.
Sean looked at Malfoy, who he now had totally under control. His hands were holding Malfoy's neck and shoulder almost without him even thinking about it. He put a little bit of extra force on his grip, then kneed Malfoy in the stomach. Malfoy made this pathetic little noise, like a scared puppy. Right after that, Sean took advantage and punched Malfoy hard in the face, breaking his nose again for the second time since he'd been at Hogwarts. Snot and tears were running down Malfoy's face, and blood, along with a tooth or two, flew out of his mouth.
Sean let go of Malfoy, watching as he just collapsed onto the ground, totally out cold. Then, Sean kicked Malfoy's wand across the floor, making sure it was way out of reach. Only then did he let out a slow, steadying breath. That whole thing with Jensen, when he'd tried to hit Sean with a spell from behind, had really taught him a lesson. It was harsh, but he'd learned it. From then on, Sean decided that when he was dueling someone, he had to make sure they absolutely couldn't fight back, especially making sure they didn't have their wand.
[Duel Won!]
[Conditions Met: Victory Against Draco Malfoy (Second Year Slytherin Student).]
[System Commencing Random Ability Extraction from Defeated Target: Draco Malfoy.]
[Extracting...]
That familiar little buzz went through him.
[Extraction Complete!]
[New Ability Acquired: Petrification Curse (LV1)]
Sean didn't think what he got was amazing, but it wasn't bad either. It just so happened to make his Petrification Curse even better, raising it to Level 2. That was definitely a cool little surprise.
After dealing with Malfoy thoroughly, Sean didn't hang around the common room any longer.
He told Goyle and Crabbe to take their knocked-out leader straight to the hospital wing. As usual, the official excuse for Malfoy's injuries was blamed on some "failed magic experiment."
Back in his room, Sean sat down at his desk and calmly went back to studying the Potions books he'd borrowed from the library. Meanwhile, Sean's actions had once again shaken things up in Slytherin House.
"This Sean… really…"
Samuel and Irina had also heard about what happened. While Sean and Malfoy were duking it out in the common room, the two fifth-year prefects had been busy preparing for their O.W.L. exams. When they finally returned to the common room, they were met with the shocking and unsettling news.
"Irina," Samuel said, his voice tinged with concern, "regarding this matter, do you think the Malfoy family will intervene?"
Irina looked at Samuel, then nodded slowly, her expression thoughtful. "I have heard," she said, "that old Lucius Malfoy dotes on young Draco very much. While other families might not necessarily step forward to intervene in their children's school disputes, I think it is very likely that Lucius Malfoy will. Moreover," she added, "Sean beat Malfoy quite severely this time. Although those injuries won't be too troublesome for Madam Pomfrey to treat, Malfoy did suffer quite a bit of pain and humiliation, so…"
"Then what should the two of us do?" Samuel asked, a note of apprehension in his voice. "We certainly didn't know before we offered our support that this Sean could cause so much trouble."
Irina was clear about Samuel's underlying meaning. She thought for a moment, then said, "Let's pretend we don't know about this matter for now, and simply observe the situation as it unfolds. You should remember that Sean is, nominally at least, a member of the Bulstrode family. Although his parents are both Squibs, the blood flowing in his veins is indeed that of the Bulstrodes. Let's first see what the Bulstrode family's attitude will be before we decide on our own course of action."
She paused, then continued, "To take a step back, our two families originally have no significant connection or alliance with the Malfoy family. If Hogwarts manages to withstand the pressure from Lucius Malfoy, then we will proceed as usual, maintaining our tentative association with Sean. If Hogwarts does not withstand the pressure, well, we will make a decision then, based on the circumstances."
"Alright," Samuel agreed, deferring to Irina's more cautious approach.
The commotion caused by Sean and Malfoy's duel was not, however, limited to Slytherin House, or even to the confines of Hogwarts.
That very same evening, Lucius Malfoy had already learned about the incident. Without any hesitation, he went directly to Hogwarts. After visiting his son, Draco, in the school hospital and confirming the extent of his injuries, Lucius Malfoy, seething with a cold, aristocratic anger, arrived at Dumbledore's Headmaster's office. There, he found that his son's godfather, and his own close personal friend, Severus Snape, was already waiting with Dumbledore.
"Dumbledore," Lucius Malfoy began, his voice dangerously soft, "I think you should give me an explanation. Give me an account for this… outrage. Furthermore…" Lucius's gaze turned towards Snape, the raw anger in his voice slightly subsiding as he addressed his friend. "Severus," he said, "our family and yours have always been good friends. You also bear some responsibility in this unfortunate matter."
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