Easter in 1991 happened to be the last day of March, and Elvis Heller finally made his move.
In the early hours of the morning, Karl O'Laughlin, having discovered the situation via the marauders map, left the Slytherin Dean's office.
In the dark and silent Castle, he walked up the marble staircase and quickly arrived at the fifth floor.
After using Charms to move the mirror aside, Karl walked into the passageway that hid many secrets.
As far as his eyes could see, the space in the secret passage was very spacious, becoming even more absurd the further he went, making him wonder if an Undetectable Extension Charm had been cast here.
Karl glanced at the marauders map; Elvis Heller was not far ahead and had been lingering there for a long time.
He put away the map, gripped his wand in his palm, and prepared to give dear Professor Heller a little surprise.
Without concealing the sound of his footsteps, Karl strode forward.
Soon, he saw Elvis Heller, who was on guard as if facing a formidable enemy.
"Is it you? Karl O'Laughlin?"
"Oh? Professor Heller? The night is long and sleepless; I thought I was the only one who couldn't sleep. I didn't expect you to be the same."
Elvis Heller stared fixedly at Karl, silent for a moment before continuing, "Why are you here?"
"I couldn't sleep so I came out for a stroll, and I just ended up here while walking."
Karl's gaze swept past Heller and landed on the huge, smooth wall in front of him.
A magic circle about 10 feet wide and long was carved there, shimmering with an orange-red light in the darkness.
"Are you creating art here?"
"Creating art? That's not entirely wrong, but I am not the one who created it."
Elvis Heller's usually stiff expression became distorted, carrying an unsettling fanaticism.
"This was carved by the great Herpo the Foul himself! It is your honor to be able to see this!"
"Perhaps," Karl nodded noncommittally. "Can you tell me what you are trying to do?"
"That depends on your choice," Elvis Heller drew his wand and aimed it at Karl. "Although I don't know why you appeared here, it just saves me an extra trip."
"Originally in my plan, you were just a spare pawn, but I didn't expect a piece to disrupt my arrangements."
"But it doesn't matter, because this at least let me see your performance. It's quite good; you are qualified to join us and become one of those who follow Herpo the Foul."
"Mr. Orolin, please answer immediately: do you accept my recruitment?"
Karl looked at the phantom image of parchment appearing in front of Elvis Heller and, for a moment, suspected he had walked onto the wrong set.
Is this something a Wizarding world could pull off? He had already associated it with demonic contracts or some such nonsense.
"What happens if I accept? What happens if I don't? What are the consequences?"
"After accepting, you will naturally witness the miracle created by Herpo the Foul with me and bathe in the supreme divine light! Otherwise..." Elvis Heller's eyes gleamed with malice. "Of course, you will die here!"
As he swung his wand down from above, a ghostly green light struck toward Karl like lightning.
"Boom!"
Karl, who had been prepared, flicked his wand, and a row of stone floor tiles in front of him were flipped into the air, blocking the Avada Kedavra amidst a deafening blast.
"Whoosh!"
Violent black Fiendfyre appeared out of thin air, transforming into various monsters and rushing toward Elvis Heller, covering the sky and earth.
The scorching high temperature churned the airflow in a very short time, whipping up a howling gale in the secret passage.
"Professor, you can't just promise pie in the sky when recruiting employees; at least talk about the benefits and compensation, right?"
Facing such a terrifying scene, veins popped out on Elvis Heller's forehead.
He turned his wand around in his hand and thrust it forcefully into the ground. "Finite Incantatem!"
A bright yellow light bloomed instantly, colliding and intertwining with the black Fiendfyre, temporarily blocking it.
Although he knew that Karl had learned the Fiendfyre Curse and used it to destroy Lord Voldemort's Horcrux.
But Elvis Heller did not expect Karl's control over the Fiendfyre Curse to be so absurd.
Not only did it directly mimic into flame monsters, but there were clearly no combustibles in the secret passage, yet the summoned Fiendfyre was getting stronger and stronger, appearing endless.
Seeing this scene, Karl couldn't help but show a strange expression.
Who exactly is the villain here?
You have to know that before this, he had always fantasized about using Finite Incantatem to block someone else's Fiendfyre.
However, this feeling was quite good, and he just wanted to say: ramp it up.
Seeing the power of the Fiendfyre growing heavier, Elvis Heller suddenly waved his left hand and clenched it tightly in the air.
"Boom!"
The stone bricks on the ceiling and both side walls seemed to come alive, crashing down into the sea of fire.
Amidst the huge noise, the entire Hogwarts Castle seemed to experience an earthquake, shaking violently.
Karl moved flexibly, dodging the debris that was like bullets.
Watch my Fire Style: Dragon Flame Song!
His wand traced an elegant arc in his hand, controlling the Fiendfyre to transform into several fire Dragons that spiraled upward, weaving through the falling stone bricks and pouncing toward Elvis Heller with bared fangs and brandished claws.
"You really shock me, Mr. Orolin! Such Fiendfyre reminds me of Gellert Grindelwald from decades ago! The same terrifying talent that makes people jealous!"
Elvis Heller slashed his wand again to cast several Avada Kedavra, scattering the fire Dragons that were biting toward him.
"But the commotion is too loud, and I don't have time to play with you anymore."
"That's not for you to decide!"
Karl clasped his hands together in front of his chest, with his wand held horizontally between his palms. "Incinerate!"
The scattered Fiendfyre suddenly shot into the sky, surrounding and enveloping Elvis Heller like a curtain.
"You cannot kill me! The radiance of Herpo the Foul protects his pious servant!"
The magic circle on the wall suddenly lit up with a blinding orange-red light, actually sweeping away the violent Fiendfyre.
And Elvis Heller, taking advantage of this opportunity, dove into the magic circle and disappeared.
Karl quickly chased after him, while his wand danced and spun at his fingertips, and the Fiendfyre appeared again.
West: Scorching Sun Prison Garment!
The black Fiendfyre burned fiercely around Karl, as if he were wrapped in a cloak of flames.
He looked back once, then plunged into the magic circle without hesitation.
A strange feeling, like passing through a film of water, and he arrived in a huge plaza space.
The height was invisible, and the surroundings were hidden in darkness.
Karl held his wand horizontally in front of him and looked toward the circular Stonehenge in the plaza.
These towering stones were bound with thick chains shining with runes, and the end of the chains was an altar in the center of the stone circle.
At this moment, Elvis Heller was kneeling in front of the altar, kowtowing and worshipping continuously.
Karl noticed the thing on the altar; it was a jade-like stone emitting a red light, about the size of a basketball.
And above the stone, a figure was floating, shifting between illusion and reality.
After seeing the appearance of this figure clearly, Karl's eyes widened in shock.
"Peeves?!"