Chapter 118 Battle With The Werewolf
Hermione burst into the shop, finding it empty.
The room was very dark, and Crookshanks leaped onto the counter between two slender candles burning dimly. Their glow was faint in the darkness of the room.
Next to the candles, there was a steaming cup of coffee. The chair in front of the counter was overturned, and some newspapers were scattered on the floor. All of that told, wordlessly, of the haste with which the owner had left.
"Come in, Evan!" Hermione exclaimed quickly, while searching for something to help them withstand the werewolf. She added anxiously, "The professors will arrive soon, we must continue..."
Before she could finish her words, she heard a loud crash behind her.
She turned around hurriedly and saw that Evan was not following her; in fact, he closed the door behind her.
Hermione was surprised and immediately understood Evan's intention: He wanted to protect her! He wanted to confront the werewolf outside alone!
"No, no!" Hermione exclaimed with wide eyes, and rushed to the door, pushing it in panic.
The shop's door didn't budge; it was locked by Evan from the outside.
"Alohomora!" Hermione gasped violently, feeling a fear in her heart that she had never experienced before. She was worried for Evan's safety.
To her, the monster outside was almost invincible.
With Evan outside, it wouldn't be long before the beast killed him, something she couldn't allow. She frantically struck the lock with her wand.
With a click, the door lock opened.
Hermione used all her strength to push it outward, but it was futile. Although the door was unlocked, Evan was blocking it with his own body and she couldn't move it.
Outside the shop, Evan used his slender body as the last line of defense between the werewolf and his beloved.
"Come in, Evan!" Hermione continued amidst tears, she collapsed and fell to the ground. She cried out in horror, "Please, come in! Come on! You can't face that monster alone. It will kill you."
Outside the shop, Evan's back was pressed against the door.
He heard Hermione's distressed voice. His heart almost stopped beating. He could feel her pounding on the door behind him, wishing to save him.
"No, no, don't let her out!
"It's too dangerous for her, you must protect her."
Hermione was right, if they could hold off Greyback long enough, the professors who had been alerted would eventually arrive.
But before that, he couldn't let that monster come near her.
It was his responsibility, his duty as a man.
Evan perhaps couldn't explain his actions. All he knew was that when you love someone so much, you must protect them in times of danger.
He took a deep breath and made a decision.
From that moment on, this battle was his, and his alone.
Even if Greyback tore him apart, even if he turned into a werewolf, he would never, absolutely never let him past.
Here was his battlefield. Behind that door was his last line.
Evan held his wand firmly against the approaching werewolf. The light at the tip grew brighter. He waved his wand and cast several spells.
Before the silver flashes shot out from Evan's wand, Greyback didn't falter, emitting a terrible snarl from his mouth. He was hit by a spell, flew back, and then rose from the ground advancing even faster.
Becoming a werewolf had made Greyback lose all his senses.
Now he was simply a monster that only knew how to bite and kill; he seemed to feel no pain.
Evan's curse left a scar on Greyback. Yet, it didn't stop him, as before.
Instead, it further infuriated him.
He was approaching, and under the moonlight, Evan could begin to see his reflection in the beast's large, yellow, and crazed eyes.
Greyback lunged at a tremendous speed, and Evan cast another spell that hit him, causing him to bleed.
At that moment, he had so much blood all over his body that none of his scars were visible. However, after being hit by Evan's spell, he grew bolder and increasingly frenzied.
Such are werewolves. In their human form, like ordinary wizards, they can communicate with others normally. Many of them are as gentle and rational as Professor Lupin.
But after transforming, they become the most dangerous magical creatures in the magical world.
In "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" by Newt Scamander, werewolves rank high in terms of danger. Their level of danger is comparable to other magical creatures such as fire dragons, basilisks, centaurs, quintapeds, chimeras, and so on...
A werewolf can attack dozens of adult wizards at once. As their leader, Greyback is the most brutal and fierce of all. It should be impossible for a young wizard Evan's age to face him.
On the other hand, the masked wizard stopped attacking. He stood there with his wand, as if waiting to see Evan torn apart by Greyback.
Evan leaned against the tent, breathing heavily, with Hermione crying behind him.
She kept pushing the door, refusing to give up, and calling Evan's name even after losing her voice.
In front of them, Greyback was steadily approaching.
Evan ceased his attacks. With his level of magical power, if he continued using those spells against Greyback, he would only be wasting what little he had left.
It seemed like he had completely surrendered, but the light at the tip of his wand was getting brighter and brighter.
Evan's eyes remained fixed on Greyback, focusing all his magical power on his wand.
Since common spells have limited effect on werewolves, he thought of resorting to dark magic.
If that could protect Hermione, Evan would not hesitate to use the most malevolent and taboo spells he could find. He watched the werewolf getting closer and closer, knowing he had no way out.
In the cutting wind, the bloody monster, Greyback, hurtled towards Evan.
He waved his claws, eager to tear the boy in front of him apart.
He wanted to slash the boy's throat. He couldn't wait to taste his blood.
Seeing Greyback approaching, Evan remained still. He could smell the pungent scent of blood drawing near. His whole body trembled, but his right hand holding the wand was as steady as a rock. He was ready to use a dark magic he had not fully mastered, one that would consume all his remaining energy. He only had one chance, and failure meant death.
He had to wait for the opportunity; Greyback had to come close enough!
Doing this was like risking his life. It was either tear apart the werewolf or be torn apart himself.
For Hermione's sake, Evan would not retreat. He saw Greyback's sharp and twisted fangs getting closer to his neck.
Right at that moment, he abruptly raised his wand and aimed it at the werewolf's head, emitting a deep blue light.