The most bewildered people in the room were Vanessa and her fellow Aurors. One moment they were managing a few sparked tempers, and the next, the situation had escalated into a full-blown public duel.
"Alan, why are you being so impulsive? They baited you specifically so you would issue a challenge. How could you fall for such a transparent trap—and then demand to fight ten at once?" Arthur asked, his voice thick with anxiety.
"He's right, Alan. This is my fault; I should have stepped in and shut them down the moment the insults started," Vanessa said, looking dejected.
"Let's get the Minister and Dumbledore," another Auror suggested. "I don't know what's keeping them, but they've been delayed far too long. They need to see this."
"I appreciate the concern, truly, but this is a challenge I initiated. I have no intention of letting these men off the hook so easily," Alan said, shaking his head calmly. "Vanessa, please just focus on maintaining order. This hall is spacious, but stray spells could easily injure a bystander if we aren't careful."
Far from taking their advice, Alan began issuing commands.
"Are you serious? You're actually going to fight them right here?" Vanessa asked, staring at him in shock.
"Of course. Isn't Minister Bagnold trying to turn up the pressure? I'm just adding a bit of fuel to the fire," Alan sneered.
"I can't tell if you're arrogant to the point of delusion, Wilson, or so confident that you simply look down on the rest of the world."
The deep, silky, and dangerously familiar voice drifted from just behind his shoulder.
"Professor Snape. I didn't realize you had arrived," Alan said softly, not bothering to turn around. "I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint your assessment. I'm neither arrogant nor overconfident; I just have a bit of a fixation on cleanliness. When I see something filthy, I can't help but want to scrub it away."
"Professor Snape!" Vivian jumped, startled by his sudden presence. "Why do you always appear like a ghost?"
"I've been watching this theater for some time now. The plot of your performance is remarkably amateur," Snape drawled dismissively.
"Blame the men across from me, then. I can hardly be held responsible for the lack of talent in my supporting cast," Alan laughed.
Arthur was nearly frantic. "Alan, please, reconsider. With all these reporters watching, if you lose, you'll be the laughingstock of the wizarding world by dinner time."
Alan remained unmoved. "Don't worry, Arthur. I don't walk into a fight unless I know exactly how it ends."
"Indeed. Since when has the boy ever done anything without a calculated plan? You should be worrying about the ten fools on the other side of the floor," Snape remarked, his eyes glinting.
Alan caught the subtext in Snape's voice and offered a knowing smile.
"This is madness..." Arthur sighed, realizing he had lost the argument.
"You seem quite sure of yourself," Snape said, glancing at the opposing group. "Though I should warn you, Yaxley's crew were children compared to these men."
"It's rare to hear you speak so much, Head of House," Alan teased. Snape responded with a familiar, cold snort. "How about a wager, Professor?"
"A wager? On what terms?" Snape asked, his voice dropping an octave.
"On whether or not I win. If I do, you have to tell me a secret," Alan suggested, his eyes narrowing.
"What sort of secret?" Snape asked, suddenly wary.
"Nothing too taxing. Perhaps the counter-curse for Sectumsempra?"
Snape raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised that Alan was even aware of that particular magic. After a moment of silent calculation, he nodded. "Very well. And if I win, you must do something for me—a favor to be named at a later date."
"Deal," Alan grinned.
"In that case, I bet you win. A total, crushing victory," Snape said, enunciating every word with deliberate clarity.
Alan blinked, momentarily stunned. He realized he'd been outmaneuvered; he'd expected Snape to bet against him to maintain his cynical persona. Now, he was the one feeling the pressure of expectation.
"Avery favors the Knockback Jinx and the Full Body-Bind. You needn't worry about Lucius; he is mostly decorative. The others are roughly as capable as Yaxley was. I trust your 'cleanliness obsession' can handle such a small mess?" Snape leaned in to whisper the intel directly into Alan's ear.
"Thank you for the scouting report, Professor," Alan said with a helpless shake of his head. "It seems I was reckless to gamble with you. It's a bottomless pit of trouble."
Snape looked as though he wanted to allow himself a triumphant smirk, but he restrained the urge, maintaining his stony composure as he drifted toward the edge of the clearing.
Vanessa and the other Aurors, seeing that Alan was committed to his path, gave up on persuasion and moved to establish a perimeter. Avery and Lucius were ready, having lined up their eight companions in two rows. They faced Alan with expressions of cold, predatory anticipation.
"Alan, if you're looking for a beating, don't blame us for giving it to you," Lucius said, his chin held high. "It's not too late to admit your mistake. Confess that you lied to the Minister out of vanity, and we might let you walk away."
"Don't bother being the saint, Lucius," Avery sneered. "Our 'hero' is far too proud for that. We should be worrying about what Bagnold will say when we break her favorite toy."
"This duel continues until one side is incapacitated or surrenders. Let everyone here be a witness," Alan said, ignoring their taunts.
"Agreed!" Avery and Lucius barked in unison.
Alan offered a graceful, traditional dueling bow. Then, he turned his head toward his friends.
"William, Charles, Vivian, Evan, Bill—watch closely," Alan called out, his voice carrying across the silent hall. "When you find yourself in a one-against-many engagement, there is a specific way to dictate the flow of battle. I am only going to demonstrate this once."
Charles and the others were dumbfounded. They hadn't expected a tactical lecture in the middle of a ten-man ambush. They could only nod in stunned silence as the first sparks began to fly.
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