HP: god of potions

Chapter 128

Gray Snape wasted no time. He reached out, his fingers clenching into a fist as he willed the air around the assassin to constrict. Oppugno! The very shadows that had once shielded the figure now betrayed them, forming into writhing tendrils that lashed out at their master. The assassin countered with a swift slash of their dagger, slicing through the magic-infused darkness, their cloak billowing unnaturally as they once again vanished into the shadows.

Hermione, now recovered, sent a silent Bombarda toward the nearest darkened corner, forcing the assassin to move. The explosion rocked the room, sending papers and debris flying. A bookshelf was ripped apart, raining tomes and splintered wood onto the floor. The assassin reappeared mid-leap, launching two more poison-tipped daggers—one at Gray, one at Hermione.

Gray Snape reacted instinctively, conjuring a shield with a flick of his wrist while simultaneously twisting his fingers, altering the very air currents in the room. The dagger meant for Hermione was suddenly yanked off-course, embedding itself harmlessly into a shattered cabinet. Hermione took advantage of the distraction, her hands forming precise gestures as she cast Expulso, a wave of concussive force blasting outward.

The assassin tumbled through the air but landed gracefully, rolling into the shadows once more. Before they could disappear completely, Gray's eyes flashed. With a single decisive motion, he cast Lumos Maxima. A burst of searing white light erupted from his palm, momentarily turning the room into a sunlit inferno. The assassin recoiled, their cloaking magic momentarily disrupted, their form flickering like a broken mirage.

Hermione capitalized on the opening. Impedimenta! The slowing charm took hold, and the assassin's movements dulled, their enhanced agility faltering just enough for Gray Snape to step in. With a swift motion, he reached out, fingers splayed. Diffindo! A razor-sharp arc of magic sliced through the air, aimed directly at the assassin's cloak.

The assassin twisted, barely avoiding a fatal strike, but their cloak was torn from their body, exposing them fully. A second later, Hermione's Petrificus Totalus hit home. The assassin's limbs locked up, their body stiffening as they toppled backward onto the floor, paralyzed.

Breathing heavily, Gray Snape and Hermione stood over the fallen intruder. The living room was in ruins—chairs overturned, the desk obliterated, books and papers strewn across the floor, scorch marks seared into the walls from errant spells. Gray nudged the motionless figure with his foot, his expression unreadable. "Well," he muttered. "That was more fun than paperwork." Hermione exhaled sharply, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "We need to find out who sent them."

Gray Snape crouched down, peeling the steel mask from the assassin's face. He froze as he took in their features. "Interesting, it seemed like they both worked well together. So, the Order of Merlin attacked them for the first time," Gray Knight thought before his thoughts quickly turned jealous. "It must have been nice going through all seven years of Hogwarts with no trouble," he muttered, his voice tinged with bitterness. Just then, a distant whisper pierced through his mind. "GRAY!" The voice jolted him awake.

Gray arrived back in the observatory of the TARDIS, his vision momentarily disoriented before locking onto Rachel. She was in the midst of casting her domain, a powerful barrier expanding outward, wrapping around the TARDIS like an ethereal cocoon. He tried to move, but his body was paralyzed, as if he was still merely a passenger in his own flesh. However, his paralysis was quickly forgotten as his eyes took in the sheer magnitude of what loomed before them.

For the first time, Gray saw something that defied description. No words could encapsulate its sheer size and power. Not abomination, not gargantuan, not even enormous felt sufficient. It was a presence beyond comprehension, something that made even the air around it feel like it was crumbling under its existence. The creature attacked.

A force unlike anything he had ever experienced collided with Rachel's domain, and it would have reduced the TARDIS to dust had Gray not manifested his own domain. Their combined forces barely withstood the impact. The sheer collision of energies tore apart the space around them, creating a violent rift. The TARDIS was dragged into it, falling through dimensions like a stone sinking into an endless abyss.

But even amidst this chaos, Gray's mind remained sharp. His fingers subtly moved, and just before they were completely torn from the scene, he managed to collect a small fragment of the horror that had tried to annihilate them. Even now, in the face of absolute devastation, Gray was still thinking about collecting materials.

Their fall was suddenly interrupted by yet another force. Something else collided with their position—a projectile, an RPG in the shape of a shark, glowing blue. The explosion detonated beneath them, a shockwave spreading outward. The blast wasn't enough to damage the TARDIS itself, but the world beneath them was utterly eradicated.

Buildings crumbled, streets fractured, entire sections of the terrain were erased from existence as if they had never been there in the first place. A deep, gaping crater remained where civilization once stood, burning blue with residual energy.

Gray, however, seemed entirely unfazed as he landed the TARDIS. Rachel, on the other hand, was furious. "Seriously?! You were thinking about collecting materials in that situation?!" she snapped, exasperated. A stupid grin spread across Gray's face as he held up the piece he had taken from the horror. "I didn't think about it," he corrected smugly. "I did it."

Rachel groaned, running a hand down her face. "You are unbelievable."

Gray chuckled. "So, how did we even end up in that situation? The last thing I remember, we were sleeping peacefully." Rachel crossed her arms. "It just came out of nowhere," she muttered before mumbling under her breath, "No, you were. I couldn't fall asleep in that position."

She turned, expecting him to tease her, but instead, Gray's expression grew serious. He narrowed his eyes as if sensing something familiar. Without hesitation, he teleported away, securing the TARDIS before Rachel could even react. Rachel finally took in her surroundings, and what she saw left her stunned.