The stadium was packed long before the duel was scheduled to begin.
Tier upon tier of marble seats curved around the enormous dueling platform at the center, each row filled with witches and wizards who had traveled from across the magical world to watch the final match of the tournament. Enchanted lanterns floated high above the arena, casting bright light over the marble stage while powerful wards surrounded its edges, ready to contain any stray magic that might erupt during the duel.
A restless murmur moved through the crowd as spectators discussed the upcoming duel.
This was the final.
Only two competitors remained.
Among the audience sat Gilderoy, watching quietly beside his mentor, Flitwick. Lockhart had fought his own battles earlier in the tournament and reached the semifinals, a result that had surprised more than a few observers. Now, with his own matches behind him, he could focus entirely on the duel unfolding before him.
Flitwick leaned slightly forward in his seat, his sharp eyes studying the stage with professional interest. The former dueling champion had been observing every match with careful attention, and the final promised to be the most intense contest of the entire tournament.
A resonant chime echoed across the stadium.
The announcer's magically amplified voice followed immediately after, rolling through the arena with effortless clarity.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the final duel of the tournament will now begin."
The conversations in the stands faded almost instantly.
"Representing Britain—Miss BELLATRIX BLACK"
Cheers erupted from a large section of the audience as Bellatrix stepped out from the competitors' entrance and strode toward the platform. She walked with unmistakable confidence, her posture relaxed yet purposeful, as though she had expected to reach this moment from the very beginning. Her wand rested loosely in her fingers, her dark eyes gleaming with anticipation.
Bellatrix climbed onto the dueling stage and turned toward the opposite side, her dark eyes already focused on the entrance where her opponent would appear.
The announcer continued.
"And representing China—Miss LEI LING."
Another wave of applause spread through the arena as Lei emerged. Unlike Bellatrix's bold stride, her movements carried a quiet steadiness that suggested control and grace. She approached the platform calmly, her gaze fixed on her opponent as she stepped onto the polished stone surface.
For a moment the two witches stood facing one another across the stage.
The contrast between them was striking.
Bellatrix radiated intensity, her stance aggressive even before the duel had begun, while Lei Ling remained balanced and composed, her posture suggesting patience rather than urgency.
They walked toward the center of the platform.
Both competitors bowed.
The protective wards surrounding the stage flared faintly as the duel officially began.
Bellatrix attacked first.
The moment she straightened from the bow, her wand snapped upward and a brilliant red jet of light erupted from its tip.
"Stupefy!"
The stunning spell streaked across the stage with blinding speed.
Lei Ling reacted instantly, twisting sideways just in time for the spell to flash past her shoulder before slamming harmlessly into the arena barrier. Sparks scattered against the invisible shield while Bellatrix had already begun casting again.
"Expulso!"
The explosive curse thundered forward, forcing Lei Ling to raise her wand in swift defense. With a sharp flick of her wrist she redirected the blast upward, where it detonated against the protective wards above the platform in a burst of light and sound.
Bellatrix did not slow down.
Her next spell followed almost immediately. More brutal than the first.
Then another.
From the very beginning, her strategy was obvious. She intended to overwhelm her opponent through sheer offensive pressure.
Spells poured from her wand in rapid succession—stunning curses, cutting hexes, blasting charms—each incantation flowing into the next with barely a pause between them. Bright streaks of magic crisscrossed the air above the platform, illuminating the stage with flashes of red, blue, and violet.
Lei Ling retreated across the marble surface.
Her movements, however, showed no sign of panic. Instead of attempting to match Bellatrix's aggressive casting pace, she focused on positioning and mobility, slipping sideways between incoming curses while redirecting or deflecting those she could not avoid entirely.
Bellatrix advanced steadily, maintaining relentless pressure.
A blasting curse struck the platform and shattered the marble, sending fragments skidding across the stage before the protective wards contained them. God forbid any of that debris reached the audience—being killed by decorative flooring would have been an unfortunate way to end the evening.
Lei Ling spun away from the explosion and retaliated with a sharp cutting hex that forced Bellatrix to raise a quick shield.
The two spells collided midair and burst apart in a spray of sparks.
The crowd responded with a rising murmur of excitement.
Even in the early moments of the duel it was clear that neither witch intended to hold anything back.
Bellatrix pressed forward again, her wand movements becoming faster and more fluid as she increased the pace of her attacks. Each spell came with precise timing, forcing Lei Ling to constantly adjust her footing as she evaded one curse after another.
Lei Ling's response relied on movement rather than direct confrontation.
She stepped lightly across the stage, pivoting around incoming spells and sliding through narrow openings in Bellatrix's barrage. Whenever an opportunity appeared she returned fire with quick, efficient counterspells that forced Bellatrix to defend herself briefly before resuming her assault.
From the stands, Lockhart watched closely.
Bellatrix fought like a storm.
Her magic carried an explosive aggression that few duelists could withstand for long, and the speed of her casting made it difficult for an opponent to establish any rhythm of their own.
Yet Lei Ling had not collapsed under the pressure, adapting quickly to the relentless barrage while Bellatrix's smile widened slightly, clearly enjoying the challenge as her wand began to move even faster.
The duel intensified with each passing exchange.
Spells collided and exploded across the stage while the protective wards shimmered faintly under the constant impacts. Bellatrix attempted several wide-area curses designed to restrict her opponent's movement, forcing Lei Ling closer to the edge of the platform as the pressure mounted.
Lockhart narrowed his eyes as he followed the shifting pattern of the duel.
Bellatrix was attempting to trap her opponent.
Lei Ling seemed to recognize the strategy as well, and rather than allowing herself to be cornered she pivoted sharply. A burst of fire brushed the side of her robes as she moved, the heat singeing the fabric before she pushed upward and lifted off the ground into the air.
A ripple of surprise passed through the stadium as her feet rose several inches above the platform and she glided backward through the air. The movement was smooth and controlled, achieved without the aid of a broom or any visible device.
Even Bellatrix paused for a brief instant.
Lockhart felt a flicker of surprise as well.
Wtf? I though Wizards and Witches couldn't fly without support?
Her position in the air granted her a new angle of attack, allowing her to fire spells downward while drifting sideways to avoid Bellatrix's retaliation. One curse streaked toward Bellatrix's shoulder, forcing her to raise a quick shield before responding with another curse.
The duel entered a new phase.
Bellatrix's deranged grin returned almost immediately.
Unable to follow Lei Ling into the air, Bellatrix adjusted her tactics instantly, snapping her wand upward and sending a barrage of spells after the airborne witch as she tracked her movement across the platform.
Lei Ling twisted and drifted through the air, narrowly avoiding several attacks while returning fire with precise counterspells that flashed downward toward Bellatrix's position.
For several exchanges the balance remained uncertain.
Then Bellatrix increased the pace again.
Spells streaked upward faster than before, forming a dense barrage that limited Lei Ling's movement through the air.
Her attacks became even more aggressive.
A binding hex shot toward Lei Ling's shoulder.
A fireball spell followed immediately after, roaring across the space between them.
Lei Ling twisted aside to avoid the flames, but the brief distraction created a narrow opening in her defenses.
Bellatrix reacted instantly.
A crackling bolt of lightning erupted from her wand and tore across the space between them before Lei Ling could react.The spell struck the thin sheath of air that naturally enveloped her body, electricity arcing through it and sending a violent shock through her frame.
Lei Ling's muscles jerked with the shock, her balance thrown off as she hard slammed onto the marble platform. The impact left her momentarily stunned, sprawled against the polished stone, as the crowd gasped at the sudden turn of events.
Holy shit!
That was brutal.
Bellatrix lowered her wand, eyes gleaming with triumph as the silence settled over the arena, every spectator realizing the duel had reached its decisive conclusion.
---
Here is the chapter as promised. Drop stones as usual.
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