The final Defense Against the Dark Arts class for first-years was about werewolves, a creature Kael was certainly not unfamiliar with.
They resemble wolves, but can walk upright, have slightly shorter muzzles, and their bodies are covered in grey fur, with sharp, hook-like claws at the tips of their fingers.
The creature in front of him was undoubtedly a werewolf.
But wasn't this creature supposed to transform only during a full moon?
So what was this... a daylight werewolf?
There was no time for Kael to ponder; he quickly shrugged his arm, and his wand slipped from his sleeve into his hand.
Every description of werewolves includes the same line: their brains are chaotic, lacking any rationality, and they attack all living things before them purely on instinct.
This werewolf was no exception.
It stared at Kael, its eyes full of cruelty and bloodlust.
There was no choice; Kael was simply the closest.
The werewolf opened its mouth, revealing teeth at least two inches long, with murky saliva slowly trickling through and dripping onto the brownish-red floor.
"Plop..."
"Roar!"
As the werewolf leaped towards him, Kael was a step ahead, chanting a spell.
"Debilito!"
"Thud..."
The werewolf's movement stalled, its body involuntarily tumbling to the side.
Thanks to Oren, who in the last class gave a detailed breakdown of werewolves' traits, information beyond what's in books.
According to him, werewolves often choose to leap when attacking prey, essentially striking from above.
A soft ground can make them lose footing, which suits this situation perfectly.
Though the werewolf quickly regained its stance, it was enough for Kael.
He dared not return to Hagrid's ward, there wasn't time, and turning to open the door would expose his back to the werewolf.
Kael did not hesitate, quickly stepping back to increase his distance from the werewolf, while raising his wand.
The floor ahead began to rise, soon forming rows of stone cones, only a few inches high.
These stone spikes are not only sharp but also incredibly sturdy; even a thick-skinned werewolf would find walking over them painful.
It attempted to climb the wall...
"Clang!"
At this moment, a ward door was forcefully opened, and Hagrid's massive figure appeared in the corridor.
He rushed out the moment he heard the commotion outside.
Upon seeing the werewolf, Hagrid was stunned for a moment but quickly spotted Kael nearby.
Hagrid's face turned red with anger.
"You beast, how dare you attack a young wizard!"
He tore off the door and hurled it like a discus.
"Bang... Ow!"
Hagrid's aim was precise; the door slammed heavily into the werewolf, eliciting a howl of pain.
Even Kael instinctively drew a sharp breath; he could clearly hear the "crack" as bones broke.
The werewolf, though mindless, retained basic animal instincts, and, terrified, it shot Hagrid a glance before turning and fleeing.
Watching its retreating form, Kael's pupils constricted, and he shouted, "Hagrid, the stairs are that way, we can't let it get through!"
"I know."
Hagrid hurried to catch up.
But he was too slow, his hospital gown clinging like bandages, preventing any real movement, let alone catching a werewolf.
Even Kael easily overtook him.
"Kael, come back!"
Hagrid shouted as he tried to tear off his gown while running.
"Damn it, where are the St Mungo's people?"
On the other side, Kael, who had rushed out, was also filled with apprehension. It was a werewolf after all, and if bitten, he'd basically have to say goodbye to Hogwarts.
Unlike Lupin's situation, with so many people at St Mungo's, it would be impossible to hide if he got bitten.
But he couldn't just watch a werewolf charge to the first floor to attack unsuspecting victims.
"Fortunately, there's Hagrid."
Hearing the heavy footsteps behind him, Kael felt somewhat assured.
As the werewolf slowed down upon reaching the corridor staircase, Kael immediately pointed his wand.
"Impediment!"
"Knockback Jinx!"
The two spells hit the werewolf in succession, causing it to pause momentarily before crashing into the wall behind.
Kael looked back.
Professor Kettleburn was lying on the hallway floor, wielding his wand with his remaining arm.
The earlier Knockback Jinx was his doing.
"What are you... doing..."
Suddenly, a young voice echoed.
Kael turned sharply. At some point, a chubby, round-faced boy had appeared at the corner of the stairs.
He was clutching a lunch box, gazing at them in sheer terror, clearly frightened out of his wits.
Not only Kael, but the werewolf also noticed this unexpected presence.
Its dim eyes glimmered with vicious light again, struggling to lunge at the boy.
"Debilito!"
The werewolf, just rising, staggered and fell once more.
Kael waved his wand, transforming a metal railing in the hallway into a sharp spear, which he hurled at the werewolf with all his might.
The spear only slightly pierced the werewolf's skin, unable to penetrate further.
But Kael wasn't counting on success with just one try; after throwing the spear, he immediately cast another spell.
"Knockback Jinx!"
Just like a hammer driving a nail, the spear, amplified by the Knockback Jinx, pierced through the werewolf's chest, pinning it to the ground.
"Kael, get away... uh!"
Hagrid finally arrived, seeing the pinned werewolf, and slowly lowered his raised arm.
Apparently... his help wasn't needed.
"Could you go find someone from the hospital?" Kael asked the boy, "Tell them there's an out-of-control werewolf on the second floor."
The boy seemed petrified by the scene before him, only responding after Kael repeated his request twice.
"O...kay..."
He cast Kael a fearful glance before sprinting downstairs.
"I think he might be scared," Hagrid commented from the side.
Even he had been quite startled just moments ago.
"Not much can be done about it," Kael shrugged. "And being scared is better than becoming a werewolf."
By this time, Professor Kettleburn, now equipped with his prosthetic limb, limped over.
"Sorry, child, I was careless."
"I should have cast another spell back then."
Kael shook his head. "It wasn't your fault, professor."
The werewolf had already lost most of its capacity to resist; it was seeing the boy that drove it into a frenzy.
And the boy had been at the stairway corner, outside Professor Kettleburn's line of sight.
...