Harry Potter and the Order Of the Phoenix [155]
“Hermione! Lavender! Use your most powerful defensive spell on Neville’s clone!” yelled Harry. The two of the nodded, looking slightly confused, and ordered their clones to use the spells.
“Ennervate!” yelled Lavender’s clone.
“Kooverta Maximus!” yelled Hermione’s.
“Bakatcha!” yelled Harold.
“Teaming up against me again, eh Harry?” said Neville. “Ha! I’m not pathetic like I used to be anymore Harry, I can take whatever you give me… and give it right back, plus some!” Harry glared at Neville, watching him give a small laugh.
Once again, the three spells hit Neville’s clone at the same time. At first, it looked as though it was going to work. The flame turned from its blinding white, to a light red. Then, just as Harry was getting his hopes up, it started spinning, swirling, and growing. Large chunks of fire shot off in every possible direction, destroying everything they landed on by causing it to burst into flames.
“AAAHHH!” yelled Lavender’s clone as a flame hit her, sending her hair ablaze. She ran around the arena, as Hermione’s clone desperately tried to put the fire out with some water from her wand, holding her hand over her hair, trying to prevent it from turning into a small inferno. After a few seconds, though, the flame shower stopped.
“It’s the most powerful shield in the world, Harry,” said Neville. “It absorbs offensive energy, and turns it into defensive energy, and it also absorbs defensive energy, turning it into offensive energy! There’s no way I can lose!” Neville’s eyes started to bulge as he spoke those words, and he laughed out loud, with a huge mouth, showering saliva all over.
“Now, Harry Potter,” he yelled, “let me show you the true power of what I have become! Clone, you know what to do!”
Neville’s clone nodded his head, and brandished his wand.
“Korewa Jigokudesu!” he yelled as loud as he could, almost shaking the room. Beneath the feet of the other three clones, a small crack appeared, that grew larger, quite quickly. As it grew, it started turning a bright red, and appeared as though it was getting hot since the clones were wincing and trying to step off of the cracks, even though they were unable. Then, the cracks turned into holes right beneath the clones, and out of the abyss came an inferno, engulfing each clone. Harry couldn’t tell if the fire was breathing, the way it flowed like a snake, it almost looked alive.
Harry heard the screams that the clones gave, even though they were quickly drowned out by the roaring of the fire. Within seconds, however, the fire was gone, along with the crevices… and the clones. Not even a pile of ash was left. Harry, Hermione, and Lavender just stood there, dumbfounded at what had just happened. Professor Flitwick broke the deafening silence with some applause.
“Excellent work, Mr. Longbottom! Excellent! Top notch, I must say! I am always a fan of students who invent their own spells!” He flew right over to Neville and wrapped his arm around his shoulder, like a father would to his son. He started talking to him, completely unaware that he only had about two minutes of class left, and he still had to announce the winners of the duel. Except for obviously Neville, it appeared to be a tie.
“Ahem!” coughed Hermione loudly, causing Professor Flitwick to look at her.
“Yes, Miss. Granger?”
“Um… Professor? The results?” he looked at her for a second, as if not understanding what she was saying. Then, he appeared to pop back into reality.
“Oh! The winners, yes. Well… Mr. Longbottom, of course… and… you, Miss. Granger… and… well, Lavender did get her hair caught on fire, so, Harry beat her in that so, Mr. Potter too! You three are the winners!”
Harry let out a sigh of relief, at least he had gotten the O.W.L. Hermione looked satisfied, and Lavender looked indifferent to his decision. Neville, on the other hand, continued to talk to Professor Flitwick. He still had a excited look about him, and his eyes looked large, and they twitched every few seconds… Harry wondered if he was okay.
“That was some spell Neville used,” said Hermione,