No matter how they looked at it, the defeat of Litleo made both Harry and Ron feel an immense pressure.
A whole term had passed, yet Houndoom's strength remained overwhelming.
After knocking out Litleo, Houndoom still wasn't satisfied—it gathered flames in its mouth once again, ready to unleash another blast straight at Sandshrew!
At that critical moment, Hermione didn't hesitate. She hurled another Poké Ball from her hand directly at Houndoom.
The Poké Ball struck the Houndoom squarely on the forehead with a loud crack, nearly stunning it on the spot.
But what left it even more confused was the tiny Pichu that popped out from the Poké Ball.
"Pichu, use Nuzzle!"
The adorable little Pokémon immediately rubbed its cheeks, generating faint sparks before pressing its tiny hands against Houndoom's body!
A surge of electricity coursed through Houndoom, making its entire body shudder with discomfort.
Even so, its movement speed and aggression didn't waver. Instead of aiming its fire at Sandshrew, it tilted its head upward and spat flames directly at Pichu!
"Pichu!"
The little Pokémon barely had time to cry out before the flames engulfed it completely, knocking it out in an instant.
Hermione clenched her fists tightly. "Harry, Ron… that's all I can do."
Giving her Pichu a final supportive buff was already the limit of her Pokémon's strength. If she sent out the other two, they'd likely be defeated in seconds.
"Thank you, Hermione," Harry said firmly.
Now, three Pokémon stood locked in a tense standoff.
"Houndour, use Bite!"
"Sandshrew, use Stomp!"
Harry and Ron shouted in unison. Their Pokémon charged at Houndoom from opposite directions, trying to cut off its escape.
But Houndoom reacted instantly, leaping high into the air—nearly six meters up—dodging both attacks before swooping down with Thunder Fang, aiming straight at Houndour!
"Petrificus Totalus!"
Hermione's Pokémon couldn't fight anymore, but her magic could.
A flash of the Full Body-Bind Curse shot out, freezing Houndoom midair for a split second, its movements turning sluggish.
Harry seized the opening—not to dodge, but to counterattack.
"Use Bite!"
Houndour struck first, its fangs colliding with Houndoom's at the exact moment Thunder Fang discharged. To everyone's surprise, Houndour's attack landed first!
"Sandshrew, Stomp!"
Sandshrew leapt up, gathering Ground-type energy under its claws and slammed down hard on Houndoom's back, smashing it into the ground!
BOOM!
A cloud of dust and debris shot into the air as Houndoom's body hit the floor.
Harry and Ron both held their breath, unsure whether that attack was enough to defeat it.
The three of them craned their necks, peering through the haze, hoping to see Houndoom collapse—
—but what burst from the smoke instead was a terrifying counterattack!
Houndoom roared, shattering the dust cloud around it. Dark energy swirled across its body before launching outward like a shockwave toward both Houndour and Sandshrew!
"What's that!?"
"Get back! That's Revenge!" Hermione's face turned pale.
Moments ago, Houndoom had taken a combination of Houndour's boosted attack and Sandshrew's super-effective strike. If Revenge hit, both of them would be finished!
Even with Hermione's warning, Harry and Ron were too late to react.
The dark surge slammed into their Pokémon, sending them flying. When they hit the ground, both Houndour and Sandshrew had spirals in their eyes—completely out cold.
"Return, Houndour."
"Come back, Roundy."
The two could only withdraw their Pokémon helplessly.
"Houndoom's still that strong…"
"But compared to before, we actually hurt it this time," Harry said with determined eyes. "We still have four Pokémon left. We can beat it!"
But Ron shook his head sharply.
"No, Harry!"
"Don't forget—we still have to face Snape! You can't risk more of your Pokémon!" he said firmly. "Leave this one to me!"
"What?"
"Ron, are you insane!?" Harry shouted, incredulous. "Both Inferno and Nimbus are Fire-type! You'll have no advantage against Houndoom!"
"But it works both ways!" Ron snapped back, pushing Harry aside as he pulled out two Poké Balls.
"Gengar! It's my turn now! Come on out—Inferno, Nimbus!"
As his Pokémon emerged, the fiery Houndour named Inferno glared at Houndoom with burning determination.
That guy… my old boss.
It trembled with excitement. If it could defeat its former leader, wouldn't that prove how much stronger it had become?
And Ron really did have a chance—Houndoom had already fought Gengar and Quirrell earlier, using up much of its stamina.
Now its Attack and Special Attack were both weakened, and it carried several minor status effects. Its combat power had fallen sharply.
With Harry and Hermione ready to provide magical support, the tide could finally turn.
"Nimbus, use Agility! Then Stomp!"
"Inferno, use Smog!"
Both Pokémon attacked in tandem, while Harry and Hermione cast spells to disrupt Houndoom's focus. Their magic wasn't strong, but enough to interfere momentarily.
"Petrificus Totalus!"
"Wingardium Leviosa!"
Hermione repeated her binding spell, freezing Houndoom again, while Harry's Levitation Charm lifted a heap of dirt, slamming it into Houndoom's face—his own magical version of Sand Attack, blinding it completely.
Ron seized the chance and launched wave after wave of attacks.
—
THUD!
At last, the proud Houndoom toppled to the ground.
Across the field, both Nimbus and Inferno also fainted, completely drained.
"Come back—you both did great," Ron said softly, smiling with pride.
"Ron, you did it!" Harry grinned. "Are Nimbus and Inferno all right?"
"They're exhausted, but fine. And yeah… this is our victory!" Ron laughed, beaming with relief. Without Harry and Hermione's magical assistance, Houndoom's relentless power would've wiped them out long ago.
Even now, the fallen beast was proof—Houndoom was never easy prey.
"All right, we need to move quickly. If Snape gets the Philosopher's Stone before us, it's over!" Hermione urged.
Harry and Ron nodded immediately, hurrying onward.
Gengar, however, didn't look pleased. Its ever-present grin had faded into a rare frown.
Silently, it stepped aside to let them pass. Then, its body shimmered and faded into transparency as it glided ahead, vanishing into the final chamber to wait.
(End of Chapter)