Hermione opened her mouth, clearly about to ask Harry what had happened, when Victor suddenly shoved both Harry and Hermione's heads down.
"Get down!"
A red curse tore through the air above them and smashed into the wall behind them, blasting stone from the surface.
Harry immediately drew his wand.
"Death Eaters!" Victor shouted as he rose from behind the cover. "Get ready!"
More figures appeared at the end of the passage, wands already raised. Victor didn't recognise most of them, but there was no time to wonder why they had come to Gringotts.
He stepped forward and flicked his wand.
"Confringo!"
The curse struck the floor between the Death Eaters and sent a violent blast through the passage. Several of them were thrown backwards, while the others scattered to avoid the debris.
Harry fired immediately.
"Stupefy!"
One Death Eater raised his wand to block it, but Hermione's spell struck him from the side.
"Expelliarmus!"
His wand flew from his hand.
Another Death Eater appeared behind them.
"Crucio!"
Victor spun around and raised his wand.
"Protego!"
The curse struck the shield and splashed harmlessly against it.
Victor's expression hardened.
"You really picked the wrong place to start a fight."
He swept his wand toward the attacker.
"Diffindo!"
The spell slashed through the stone beside the Death Eater, forcing him to jump aside. Harry followed with another Stunning Spell, knocking him unconscious.
More footsteps echoed through the corridor.
Hermione looked toward the approaching voices.
"There are more coming!"
"Then we will move," Victor said.
A Death Eater stepped around the corner and immediately fired.
Victor sidestepped the curse.
"Avada Kedavra!"
The green light passed inches from his shoulder and struck the wall.
Victor's expression went cold.
He raised his wand.
"Expulso!"
The blast hit the floor beneath the Death Eater, throwing him backwards and knocking him unconscious.
Harry stared at Victor for a second.
"That was close."
"Too close," Victor replied.
Hermione pointed toward the vault.
"The Cup!"
Victor looked back.
The Hufflepuff Cup was still lying on the floor.
"We're not leaving without it."
Harry grabbed it carefully while Hermione kept her wand trained on the corridor.
"Then let's get out of here!"
Victor nodded and turned toward the approaching Death Eaters.
"You two go."
Harry frowned. "What about you?"
Victor raised his wand.
"I'll catch up."
Hermione immediately understood what he intended.
"Victor, don't—"
A barrage of curses suddenly filled the corridor.
Victor stepped forward to meet them.
"Go!"
Harry and Hermione ran as Victor threw up a shield, deflecting the incoming spells while forcing the Death Eaters back with successive bursts of magic.
Victor caught sight of Harry and Hermione disappearing around the far end of the passage. Once he knew they were out of immediate danger, he stopped holding back.
The Death Eaters advanced together, filling the corridor with curses.
Victor lowered his wand.
"Fine."
He raised it again.
"Fiendfyre."
Fire erupted from the tip of his wand.
It did not spread like ordinary flames. The cursed fire twisted into enormous serpentine shapes, racing along the stone floor and climbing the walls. One shape suddenly reared above Victor, forming the gigantic head of a basilisk before lunging toward the advancing Death Eaters.
The corridor became an inferno.
Death Eaters scattered, firing Shield Charms and protective spells, but the Fiendfyre consumed everything in its path. Wands, robes, broken stone and piles of abandoned treasure vanished inside the flames.
Victor kept his concentration locked on the cursed fire.
The basilisk-shaped flames swept through the corridor, forcing the remaining Death Eaters to retreat.
One of them raised his wand.
"Avada Kedavra!"
Victor twisted aside as the green curse passed him.
The fiery basilisk lunged.
The Death Eater disappeared beneath the flames.
Victor immediately brought the Fiendfyre under control, preventing it from spreading toward the vaults.
He turned and looked down the passage.
Harry and Hermione were already gone.
"Good."
Victor lowered his wand and began running after them before the cursed fire could consume anything beyond the area he had chosen.
Behind him, the basilisk-shaped flames continued to writhe through the corridor, leaving the surviving Death Eaters no choice but to flee.
Victor finally reached the entrance of the vault passage and spotted Harry and Hermione waiting there. The Ukrainian Ironbelly was still nearby, its enormous head turned toward them, watching their every movement.
Hermione saw Victor first and immediately hurried over.
"Victor!"
She threw her arms around him.
"It's good you're fine."
Victor gave her a quick hug before looking toward Harry.
Harry was still holding the Hufflepuff Cup.
"What happened to the Death Eaters?" Harry asked.
Victor glanced back toward the passage he had just come through.
"Well..."
He shrugged.
"Crisp fried."
*****
A/N : 🔥 On Patreon🔥
⚡ A 15-chapter early access is available for those who want to read ahead ⚡
👉 patreon.com/JakeA30