Chapter 12: Sparks Fly
The courtyard was silent, as if the entire school held its breath, waiting for the inevitable clash. Theo's wand was raised, eyes blazing with anger. scorpius stood firm, his grip on his own wand steady, despite the storm of emotions brewing beneath his calm exterior.
"Last chance, Malfoy," Theo sneered, his voice laced with venom. "Step away from her, or I'll make sure you regret it."
rose 's heart thudded painfully in her chest, but she refused to stand by and let scorpius face this alone. Before she could say anything, scorpius took a step forward, meeting Theo's glare head-on.
"I'm not going anywhere," scorpius said, his voice cold and resolute. "And if you think you can change that with a duel, then you've already lost."
The crowd of students shifted uneasily, sensing the tension that was about to break. Theo's lip curled in fury. With a swift motion, he flicked his wand, shouting, "Expelliarmus!"
The spell shot toward scorpius like a bolt of red lightning, but he was ready. In a heartbeat, scorpius deflected the spell with ease, sending the force ricocheting into the ground with a loud crack.
Theo's eyes narrowed, clearly unimpressed. "Stupefy!" he shouted, his wand flashing with the curse.
scorpius was quicker this time, dodging the spell with a sidestep and countering with a sharp Protego! that sent a shimmering shield between them. The sparks of Theo's curse fizzled as they collided with the barrier, and the courtyard erupted into murmurs of awe and anticipation.
rose 's breath caught in her throat. scorpius was holding his own, but she knew this fight wasn't just about dueling skill. It was about everything—the weight of their families, their houses, and the unspoken rules that had governed Hogwarts for centuries. She could feel eyes on her, wondering if she would intervene, if she would defend scorpius or let him fight alone.
"Is that all you've got, Theo?" scorpius taunted, his voice dripping with calm disdain. "You're trying to prove something, but all I see is you flinging spells around like a first year."
Theo's face flushed with anger. "You're nothing without her, Malfoy," he spat, his wand raised again. "Let's see how strong you are without her by your side. Incarcerous!"
Thick ropes shot from Theo's wand, aiming to bind scorpius, but before the ropes could even reach him, scorpius slashed his wand through the air, shouting, "Diffindo!" The ropes were instantly severed, dropping uselessly to the ground.
Without hesitation, scorpius pressed forward. "You're wrong, Theo. I'm not weaker because of rose . I'm stronger. And nothing you do is going to change that."
Before Theo could fire off another spell, scorpius raised his wand. "Expelliarmus!"
The spell hit Theo squarely in the chest. His wand flew from his hand, sky