"Harry Potter- Ravenclaw"Chapter 172: Sectumsempra—The Shadowless Blade
Traversing the cavernous tunnel felt like wandering through a forsaken graveyard.
Beneath their feet, endless shards of bone crunched softly; behind them, the pipes above whispered and rattled with distant, unsettling noises. Occasionally, a draft would sigh through the tunnel—first chilling their spines, then rushing past with a hollow whoosh, the sound eerily like the bones themselves exhaling their ancient regrets.
The passage was dim and treacherous. For safety, Wyzett cast a Night Vision Charm, the world sharpening in ghostly clarity so he could avoid the pitted ground and lurking hazards.
Their formation was tight—Dumbledore led, Snape brought up the rear, and Wyzett kept pace between them, all senses alert as they pressed deeper.
"Hold up," Dumbledore murmured, suddenly halting.
Wyzett peered ahead. In the gloom, the silhouette of something monstrous loomed—long, coiled, unmistakably serpentine.
With a flick of his wand, Dumbledore sent a ripple of magic skittering across the ground. A fat rat, startled into motion, darted through the bone-littered path, weaving nimbly toward the hulking shape.
"It's only a shed skin. Let's have a closer look," Dumbledore said, his tone returning to its usual, gentle cadence as he stepped forward.
It was, without question, the largest snakeskin Wyzett had ever seen—easily wide enough for an adult to crawl inside.
From his pocket, Dumbledore produced a small silver device, shaped like an old-fashioned lighter. With a soft click, a sphere of blue light blossomed from its tip, pulsing with a living glow.
Bathed in the light, the shed skin shimmered a vivid emerald, intricate patterns swirling along its length—magnificent and terrible.
"This is a basilisk's shed skin," Wyzett said quickly, recalling the earlier clues—the swarms of spiders fleeing the castle. "I saw spiders escaping, but didn't have time to investigate. Basilisks are their mortal enemy. Only a basilisk could drive them out like that."
"A basilisk..." Dumbledore stroked his beard. "Well, fortune favors us—we haven't run into the creature itself. That would be... inconvenient."
Snape stepped forward, scrutinizing the snakeskin. "Excellent quality—far superior to African tree snake skin. Wyzett, break it down for me."
"Understood." Wyzett approached, treating the task as he would any magical material. He raised his wand and cast, "Diffindo!"
The spell struck with a dull thud, leaving only faint white marks.
Basilisks, classified XXXXX for a reason, were not like ordinary magical creatures; they were bred by dark wizards, engineered for resilience. Their resistance to magic was legendary—perhaps even greater than that of dragonhide.
Wyzett frowned, considering alternatives. The Ancient Magic: Enhanced Severing Charm (Basic) would be ideal, but he hesitated. What if the ancient magic interacted unpredictably with the basilisk skin? He remembered how even his Mandrake, normally so unruly, seemed unusually docile when exposed to these energies.
Snape's intent was clear: he wanted to use the basilisk skin as a superior substitute for African tree snake skin. Minimizing risk was paramount.
...
Drawing on his research into the Enhanced Severing Charm, Wyzett decided to merge its principles with the standard cutting spell. He focused on increasing the spell's penetration, adjusting his casting to blend fluidity and force—uniting precision with power.
Resolved, he raised his wand, moving it slowly with a delicate, trembling flick of the wrist. "Diffindo!"
Shhkt!
A sharp, clean cut opened along the skin, the sound both crisp and lingering.
"Fascinating technique," Dumbledore remarked, stroking his beard. "A single incantation—but by varying your wandwork, you cast multiple times in quick succession. You also controlled the spell's speed to ensure simultaneous impact. It seems you've done quite a bit of work for Professor Snape."
"I was helping him build experience—a necessary part of learning," Snape replied, curling his lip. "What's your point?"
Dumbledore's eyes glinted with fox-like mischief. "The Severing Charm, like all magic, is about control and precision—gentle division rather than brute force. In my view, Wyzett has mastered those aspects. Perhaps it's time he learned something more... efficient. Wouldn't you agree?"
A cold smile flickered across Snape's face. "Ah, the vanquisher of the wizarding war, the only man the Dark Lord ever feared... Should I take this to mean that the great Albus Dumbledore wants me to teach a student Dark Magic?"
"Precisely. Pity you've graduated—I can't award Slytherin three points," Dumbledore said with a wink. "Besides, Wyzett always had... interesting views on Dark Magic."
"Very well." Snape narrowed his eyes, moving to Wyzett's side. "Enough. How long do you plan to waste time here? Shall I conjure you a bed for the night?"
Wyzett lowered his wand, eyes bright with anticipation as he produced his notebook.
"Hmm..." Dumbledore unwrapped a sherbet lemon and popped it into his mouth, then conjured another plump rat, sending it scurrying into the unknown.
"I'll only say this once," Snape said, eyeing Dumbledore's nonchalance with disdain. "Repeat after me—Sectumsempra!"
Wyzett pressed his wand to his temple, using mental magic to review the spell—intonation, mouth shape, pronunciation—then spoke clearly: "Sectumsempra!"
"Don't forget the Severing Charm's control and precision. I'll explain this only once," Snape said, voice low and intense. "Focus your attention. Gather all your magic into a single point, then extend that point into a line..."
Wyzett listened closely, jotting down notes. The logic of Sectumsempra was reminiscent of the Ancient Magic: Enhanced Severing Charm—even though Snape's explanation was brief, he understood.
If anything remained unclear, he could revisit it with mental magic—or simply ask Snape directly. By now, he was more than used to the professor's teaching style.
Snape moved to the far side of the basilisk skin, Wyzett following close behind.
"I'll do this only once." Snape raised his wand, his gaze sharp. "From here—all the way to the tail. Watch closely! Sectumsempra!"
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