At this moment, in the basement of Hogwarts, chaos erupted as three monstrous creatures rampaged down the dimly lit corridor.
Armor suits were being knocked over, statues shattered into pieces, and oil paintings were torn from the walls.
Even the torches and braziers that lined the corridor weren't spared—several were sent flying by the wild swings of massive weapons.
The residents of the portraits shrieked in terror.
Some scrambled into neighboring frames, fleeing for their lives, while others, particularly the noble ladies in grand dresses, hitched up their skirts and ran, utterly abandoning decorum.
Perched silently atop a high relief sculpture, its eyes glowing faintly in the torchlight, Anzu—the magical raven—surveyed the scene. Through its vision, Ted observed the carnage, analyzing the creatures below.
Each of the three monsters was distinctly different.
The first was a grotesque, enhanced version of a mountain troll. Standing at an intimidating 3.5 meters, its body was bulkier than that of a regular troll.
The creature's front was a sickly yellow, while its back was a mottled dark blue-black, covered in warty, crocodile-like protrusions. The thick, leathery hide made it look nearly impervious to damage.
Despite its massive frame, the troll's head was oddly small in proportion, barely the size of a human's.
Worse still, its thick neck made turning its head cumbersome—it could only rotate about 60 degrees in either direction, severely limiting its field of view.
It wielded an enormous wooden mallet, which it swung wildly, smashing everything in its path.
A suit of armor was sent flying over three meters with one hit before being stomped into a flattened mess.
"Anzu, identify it," Ted murmured.
A magical interface appeared before his eyes:
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[Transformed Troll]
Level: 6 (Troll) / 2 (Altered Magical Creature)
Attributes:
Strength: 17
Constitution: 14
Agility: 4
Intelligence: 3
Perception: 4
Spirit: 4
Charm: 3
Luck: ??
Talents: [Troll Blood (Green)]
Skills: Giant Power Lv2, Magic Resistance Lv2, Quick Healing Lv2, Roaring Lv2
Evaluation: An enhanced troll modified with foreign magical blood, significantly increasing its strength.
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Total combat level: 8—on par with a standard Auror. Most adult wizards would have no choice but to flee.
However, its intelligence was pitifully low. Even a well-trained beast would have better tactical awareness.
Anzu ruffled its feathers and tucked its beak under its wing.
'Oh, Merlin's beard! What is that stench, Caw?!'
Ted winced as he caught a whiff through their shared sensory link. His stomach churned, and he nearly gagged. Hastily, he severed the connection to Anzu's sense of smell.
Seeing his distress, Hermione leaned in, eyes filled with concern. "Ted, are you alright?"
"Yeah… yeah, I'll survive." He waved off her concern, still trying to shake off the nausea.
Was this just the troll's natural odor, or had Quirrell's modifications made it even worse? Either way, the stench was practically a weapon in itself.
And there were still two more creatures.
The second monster was a hybrid nightmare of a spider and a praying mantis.
It had the eight legs and abdomen of a spider, but its front resembled a mantis—long neck, triangular head, and two deadly scythe-like claws.
When it lifted its head, it stood at about 1.7 meters tall, but its total body length stretched to nearly two and a half meters.
Its coloration was unsettling—a patchy mix of yellow, green, and gray, making it look almost like camouflage paint.
It might blend well in a dense forest, but within the castle, it was still visible enough.
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[Spider-Mantis]
Level: 4 (Giant Insect) / 1 (Transformed Magical Creature)
Attributes:
Strength: 9
Constitution: 8
Agility: 7
Intelligence: 3
Perception: 5
Spirit: 4
Charm: 4
Luck: ??
Talent: [Camouflage (Green)]
Skills: Knife Slashing Lv2, Climbing Lv2, Compound Eyes Lv2
Evaluation: A fusion of two insect species enlarged through magic. Survival was considered a success.
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Compared to the troll, this creature was weaker, but its potential threat was higher.
At Level 5, its combat strength was roughly equal to that of a fresh Hogwarts graduate.
Of course, most wizards trained for seven years without ever engaging in real combat.
Against a monster like this—cold, predatory, and instinct-driven—they wouldn't stand a chance.
The last creature was much smaller but no less dangerous.
It was a quadruped resembling a wolf or a large hunting dog, standing at about 80 centimeters tall and 1.5 meters long.
However, its front legs were noticeably longer than its hind legs, forcing it to move with a hunched, ape-like posture.
Its fur was gray near the lower body but transitioned into golden hues up top, and atop its forehead was a short, sharp horn.
Most alarming of all was its mouth—filled with jagged, metallic fangs that glinted menacingly in the dim torchlight. Even a wizard's protective spellwork wouldn't hold up against a bite from those jaws.
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[Unnamed Horned Beast]
Level: Level 3 Magical Creature
Attributes:
Strength: 6
Constitution: 6
Agility: 6
Intelligence: 3
Perception: 5
Spirit: 4
Charm: 4
Luck: ??
Talent: None.
Skills: Claw Lv2, Pounce Lv2, Bite Lv2.
Evaluation:
There's no clear concept behind this creature. The creator seemingly attempted to construct a new magical beast, but the result appears underwhelming.
It lacks unique abilities and its combat prowess is mediocre at best. Even the Identification Spell failed to assign it a proper name, which suggests that it either lacks a true physical form or was artificially created without a base creature.
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In that sense, it's similar to a Basilisk, conjured rather than born. However, since the creator neglected to name it, the best descriptor available is simply "Unnamed Horned Beast."
This isn't an isolated case. The wizarding world is filled with experimental creatures crafted by ambitious magic users.
Most of them, however, fail to withstand the test of time, perishing in a few generations or even within their first.
Hagrid's giant hybrid snails, for example, lacked practical use and struggled to survive in the wild, leading to their quick demise.
Ted decided to name this particular creature: Professor Quirrell!
Because, let's be honest, if there's anything suspicious and vaguely dangerous lurking around, it's probably connected to Quirrell.
"How is it? Do you see what it is?" Harley asked impatiently, her green eyes flickering with excitement.
Ted stretched out his hand. "Hold my hand. I'll show you what I see."
The group hesitated. Was Ted secretly practicing some unknown form of magic? Still, curiosity won out, and soon five hands were stacked on top of his.
Using his psychic abilities, Ted projected the image seen through Anzu's eyes directly into their minds.
This was a new trick he had been developing—an advanced form of familiar bonding. The connection between a wizard and their familiar was often deeper than most realized.
Some, like Dumbledore and his phoenix, Fawkes, could even cast spells through their bonded creatures.
Ted had recently discovered that his connection with Anzu allowed him to hear what it heard and see what it saw.
Now, he was taking it one step further, sharing those visions with his friends.
As the images formed in their heads, three creatures emerged in their vision.
"Gulp." Jerry audibly swallowed.
"That… looks a little dangerous," Ron muttered, his face paling. The sight of the spider-mantis' twitching legs nearly made him collapse.
Neville, wide-eyed and trembling, whispered, "Should we, um… go back?"
He clutched his wand tightly, worried that this might be his last adventure before ever getting another lecture from his grandmother.
Harley, however, was determined. "We have to try! We're not fighting them head-on—we just need to stall them long enough for the professors to arrive!"
Hermione frowned, keeping her voice steady. "And how exactly do we stop them? Fire making charm? Severing Charms? I doubt our spells have enough power."
At least they weren't overestimating themselves. That was a good sign.
Too often, kids their age thought they could punch through steel plates, dodge arrows mid-air, or wrestle a bear barehanded. A bit of caution was reassuring.
Ted smiled at their level-headedness. "So… I recall there's a secret passage nearby. Worst case scenario, we run."
The Weasley twins had spent ages uncovering Hogwarts' hidden pathways, stumbling upon various passageways and concealed doors.
One such tunnel was in a nearby basement. If things went south, they could use it to escape.
With that in mind, Ted assessed their situation.
Among the three creatures, the Horned Beast was relatively weak. Stronger than a wolf, sure, but not by much.
Any competent fifth-year student could handle it, provided they stayed calm.
The Spider-Mantis, on the other hand, was a real threat. It was fast, agile, and packed a deadly punch.
Fortunately, it lacked magical abilities. With the right spells, they could still deal with it.
But the Modified Troll?
That was an absolute nightmare.
Trolls were already monstrous in size and strength, and this one had been enhanced. Its skin naturally resisted magic, meaning most spells would barely faze it.
It was like trying to take down an armored tank… with a handful of pebbles.
The one saving grace? Trolls were notoriously dumb. No tactical thinking, no advanced magical abilities—just brute force and an awful stench.
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Word count: 1512