Behind a Stone Pillar
Draco Malfoy crouched stealthily, unnoticed by anyone. His eyes were locked on the troll and Lucien's group, a smirk tugging at his lips. He wanted to mock their stupidity for not running away immediately. Part of him also considered shouting for the professors—not out of concern for their safety, but because it would be the perfect chance to catch them breaking the rules red-handed.
Who cared about their well-being? They were just annoying Gryffindors—Potter, Weasley, Granger—and that Ravenclaw, Lucien.
"Hey, Draco, scoot over a bit," a voice whispered suddenly, startling him. He whipped around.
"Daphne? What are you doing here?" he hissed.
Daphne Greengrass, crouched behind him, shot him a glance. "Mind your own business."
Draco couldn't figure out what this high-born girl was up to, but he wasn't about to cross the Greengrass heir. Grudgingly, he made room for her.
---
In the Corridor
Lucien stood with a relaxed wrist, wand slightly raised, his voice calm. "In combat, whether facing a wizard or a magical creature, the first thing you should do is gather as much information as possible about your opponent."
He paused, then asked, "What are the characteristics of a troll?"
Hermione, ever the quick student, answered instinctively. "Trolls are incredibly strong, have low intelligence, move relatively slowly, have thick skin, and possess decent magical resistance."
"Well said. One point to Gryffindor," Lucien replied with a faint smile, easing the tension of the trio—Harry, Ron, and Hermione.
With a flick of his wand, Lucien cast a series of spells in rapid succession:
"Glacius!"
"Diffindo!"
"Bombarda!"
For demonstration purposes, he held back, keeping the spells' power within a reasonable range. A thin layer of frost coated the troll, followed by several small cuts appearing on its body. The explosion pushed it back a few steps.
The troll shook its head, its thick hide barely registering the pain. With an irritated roar, it charged toward Lucien, its heavy feet pounding the floor.
Not bad, Lucien thought. Combining specific spells and casting them in sequence does make the flow smoother and builds momentum. The Weasley family's spellcasting techniques were impressive.
As the troll lumbered closer, Lucien remained unfazed. "In a fight, always keep an eye on your enemy, but don't ignore your surroundings. If direct magical attacks aren't effective, try manipulating or using the environment."
With a light wave of his wand, the floor in front of the troll turned slick and glossy. Crash! The troll slipped and fell flat on its back, its head smashing into the ground, leaving a small dent. Its club flew out of its hand.
Lucien deftly flicked his wand, redirecting the airborne club to land harmlessly to the side.
As the troll struggled to its feet, angrier than ever, the ground beneath it transformed into a muddy swamp. Its legs sank deep into the mire, trapping it.
Glancing at the trio, who were no longer as panicked as before, Lucien continued calmly, "Fear is normal when facing a powerful enemy, but don't let it control you. Use it. The courage to overcome fear is stronger than the fear itself. Channel that courage into your magic."
Harry, Ron, and Hermione nodded, half-understanding. His words made sense, but they weren't sure how to put them into practice.
Lucien pulled out a small green gourd and tipped it upside down. "In wizard combat, spells are the most practical and common tool, but they're not the only one. Potions, alchemy, herbology—they all have practical applications."
"Waddiwasi!"
Several Chinese Chomping Cabbages tumbled out of the gourd. Before they hit the ground, the spell propelled them toward the troll like projectiles.
Crunch! Crunch!
The troll let out a low, pained roar as the cabbages' sharp teeth sank into its tough hide, refusing to let go. Its long, gnarled arms flailed, ripping the cabbages off and even biting one in retaliation.
But the next moment, the troll spat out the cabbage with a grimace, tossing the others aside in disgust.
Lucien smirked. Chinese Chomping Cabbages really are inedible, huh? Even a troll can't stomach them.
Still, their bite was impressive—strong enough to pierce a troll's thick skin. While they couldn't kill a troll in a few bites, they'd be more than effective against a human. Perfect for a trap, maybe mixed in with a Devil's Snare.
As the troll freed itself from the mud and charged again, fueled by rage, Lucien decided the demonstration was over.
"If conventional methods can't stop the enemy, you're left with two options," he said. "One: make a strategic retreat."
Harry caught on instantly, ready to grab the still-confused Ron and Hermione and bolt.
But Lucien's next words stopped him in his tracks.
"Or two: use truly powerful magic to blast the enemy to bits."
Lucien pulled several small vials from his pocket, each containing a different potion with unique effects. With a point of his silver-black wand, the troll's discarded club began to tremble violently, twisting and morphing.
The club's wooden texture warped and expanded, transforming into a serpentine body covered in razor-sharp black scales. Its head split into a crocodile-like maw filled with jagged teeth, and four black eagle claws sprouted from its underbelly. Its eyes were insect-like compound lenses, glinting eerily. No horns adorned its head, but jagged white bone spikes protruded from its spine. The tail was a grotesque fusion of a scorpion's stinger and a centipede's body, its pincers snapping like scissors.
The creature leaped into the air, swallowing the potion vials whole. Its scales parted, releasing a black-green mist, and its breathing produced a harsh, metallic scraping sound. A piercing cry—part eagle, part wolf—erupted from its maw.
In an instant, it collided with the troll.
Lucien had already conjured an air barrier to contain the toxic mist. The creature latched onto the troll's neck, its serpentine body coiling tightly around it. Its claws and scales tore into the troll's flesh, leaving bloody gashes.
As the troll's bones creaked under the pressure, Lucien assessed his creation. Not bad.
This chimera, crafted from fused flesh and bone, lacked magical abilities but surpassed the physical limits of ordinary creatures. It could rival some magical beasts—a true chimera, likely what the ancient wizard who wrote the Chimera Codex had envisioned.
As for even stronger, more wondrous creatures? That would require further research into magical creature transfiguration or combining alchemy to create semi-mechanical beings.
With a thunderous crash, the troll collapsed, hitting the ground hard. Its exposed skin was tinged black-green, a clear sign of poisoning.
Lucien waved his wand, dispelling the toxic mist and dropping the air barrier. He directed the chimera to drag the troll over.
Well, it's… kind of dead.
Looking at the limp, ragdoll-like troll, Lucien felt a twinge of regret. He'd hoped to keep it alive for materials like troll snot. This was his first time using a fully fused chimera in combat, and he hadn't gauged its strength properly.
Oh well. I'll store it for now. If it lives, great. If not, it's dinner for the Acromantulas.
Lucien pulled out a black gourd and stored the barely-alive troll inside.
As he did, the chimera's nose twitched, its compound eyes swiveling toward a nearby pillar. Those eerie, translucent eyes locked onto a pair of wide, terrified ones peering out from behind it.