HP: Wizardry’s a Hassle, Wand in the Right Hand, Gun in the Left

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As Draco fell unconscious, the headless corpse of the Acromantula collapsed with a thunderous crash, pinning Neville beneath its massive body. A pungent liquid seeped from the creature's wounds, drenching him completely.

The Acromantula's blood was toxic and slightly corrosive. Fortunately, Neville's face had only been splattered with a few drops during his close-range attack, causing no significant harm. However, his body was entirely covered in the poisonous blood. Luckily, he was wearing the alchemically crafted tactical suit Glenn had given him, which provided temporary protection against the corrosion.

But the suit wouldn't hold up forever. Neville needed to free himself quickly, or he would face a slow and painful death.

Trapped beneath the Acromantula's corpse, Neville was drenched in blood, his left arm pierced through. Thankfully, the creature's body hadn't completely crushed him, leaving him just enough room to move slightly.

"Haa… Diffindo." He gasped for breath, his voice trembling with pain. After resting for a moment, he summoned the last remnants of his magic and cast a Severing Charm on the spider leg impaling his arm. The spell succeeded, cutting through the limb.

Dragging his injured arm behind him, Neville crawled out from under the Acromantula's corpse with great effort. Finally, he escaped its oppressive weight.

He collapsed onto the ground, utterly spent.

They had done it. They had actually killed a Class 5X magical creature, even if it had already been severely weakened by Glenn.

It was an unbelievable feat—something neither he nor Draco could have ever imagined. It felt utterly surreal.

Would anyone even believe them if they told this story? Creatures like this were so fearsome that even adult wizards would avoid them at all costs.

Does Glenn face monsters like this every night? No wonder he's so powerful.

Neville's thoughts grew muddled as his magic was completely drained, and his injuries began to sap away his consciousness.

"Am I going to die here? Glenn… why haven't you come yet… Grandma… Mom… Dad…" His vision blurred, and he muttered incoherently as his mind drifted.

His eyes rolled back, and he slipped into unconsciousness.

Nearby, Glenn, who had been watching silently all along, finally lifted the Disillusionment Charm and the Presence Concealment Charm, revealing himself. He walked briskly to Neville's side, pulling several potions from beneath his cloak and pouring them down Neville's throat.

He carefully extracted the broken spider leg from Neville's arm. The unconscious boy flinched violently, but Glenn quickly sprinkled Dittany over the wound, sealing it. He followed up with a Blood-Replenishing Potion and wrapped the injury tightly with clean bandages.

Next, Glenn turned his attention to Draco, whose legs were broken. He used a Hovering Charm to lift Draco into the air, stabilizing him.

After administering a dose of Wiggenweld Potion and a numbing agent, Glenn gripped one of Draco's legs firmly. Locating the correct position, he applied force, realigning the fractured bone with a sickening crack. He repeated the process with the other leg.

Draco didn't move. He looked utterly peaceful.

Poor little dragon… completely unconscious now.

Glenn pulled out a bottle of Skele-Gro and unceremoniously shoved it into Draco's mouth, forcing him to swallow a large gulp. With that, the treatment was complete.

Both of them would need to spend some time recovering in bed, but that was no longer Glenn's concern.

In Glenn's eyes, their performance tonight had already proven their worth.

"Not bad. You've both got talent," he remarked sincerely to the two unconscious boys.

Initially, Glenn hadn't expected them to kill the Acromantula. Surviving for five minutes would have been enough to pass his test. But their performance had exceeded his expectations.

"Lions and snakes, huh." Glenn mused as he carried the two floating boys toward the edge of the Forbidden Forest.

Neville and Draco's fighting styles were polar opposites. Compared to Draco's cautious and evasive approach, Neville was more inclined to confront his enemies head-on. While this made him appear reckless, it also showcased his bravery.

Though perhaps his trembling legs and the inability to run earlier had played a role in forcing him to stay.

But deep within, Neville possessed a fierce tenacity—a desperate, beast-like ferocity that emerged in moments of despair.

A lion. A brave lion.

His courage was commendable, but reckless bravery was not without its flaws.

Draco, on the other hand, had a completely different style. He avoided direct combat whenever possible, instead seeking opportunities to strike decisively. If Neville was a warrior standing on the frontlines, Draco was an assassin or sniper, lurking on the fringes of the battlefield.

This was quintessentially Slytherin. The cunning little snake.

Draco was selfish, unwilling to share the burden of damage with Neville. He was pragmatic, prioritizing self-preservation and attempting to flee when faced with overwhelming odds. Yet, he was also rational. Even in the midst of panic, he forced himself to calm down. Realizing that Neville's death would spell his own doom, he ultimately chose to take a gamble, devising a strategy to turn the tables with a single, decisive blow.

These two, so contradictory and opposed, had unconsciously formed a synergy. Together, they had slain a monster that neither could have defeated alone.

The battle was a success. Based on what he had witnessed tonight, Glenn had already determined the general direction of their future training.

"Don't disappoint me," Glenn said softly, his expression calm and unreadable.

Exiting the Forbidden Forest, Glenn carried the two boys back to the castle. First, he brought Draco to the Slytherin dormitory, placing him on his bed and securing his legs with splints.

Then, he floated Neville to the Gryffindor common room. Using the password Neville had given him earlier, he entered and located Neville's bed. Casting a Silencing Charm to avoid disturbing the other boys, he gently placed Neville down.

The other Gryffindor boys were sprawled across their beds in various awkward positions, fast asleep. Glenn placed a few potions on Neville's bedside table, along with a note detailing how to use them, before quietly leaving the room. Of course, he didn't forget to close the door behind him.

As he climbed out of the Gryffindor common room's entrance, Glenn suddenly felt a presence behind him.

"Professor Dumbledore." He turned and greeted the old wizard, sighing inwardly.

Once again, he hadn't noticed Dumbledore's approach.

Dumbledore's expression was complicated as he looked at Glenn. He had witnessed everything tonight.

"This is too much for them, and for you as well. You're all just children," Dumbledore said gently, his tone more like a concerned elder than a reprimanding headmaster. "When trouble arises, we adults are here to bear the burden. There's no need for you to push yourself so hard."

Both of them tacitly acknowledged that Dumbledore was aware of Glenn's nightly activities. Though the headmaster didn't explicitly call out Glenn's rule-breaking, it didn't mean he approved of Glenn's relentless self-training.

He's just a child. Why does he push himself to such extremes, sacrificing everything to grow stronger?

Over the years, Dumbledore had come to trust Glenn completely. Despite the boy's cold and ruthless demeanor in battle, Dumbledore saw the purity in his heart—perhaps even more so than his peers.

But why had Glenn, who grew up in a loving and normal environment, developed into someone so... twisted?

Emotionally, he was deeply flawed. Yet, buried within him, there was still love.

He loved his parents, his friends, and everything he cared about. But he was also cold and unrelenting, dealing with anything that might threaten those he loved with brutal efficiency.

This twelve-year-old boy was fighting desperately to climb to the pinnacle of strength, as if only by doing so could he protect everything he held dear.

At any cost—even his own life.

These two extremes had warped him into something unrecognizable.

"Thank you for your protection, Professor. But you can't shield us forever. Only by becoming stronger can I feel secure. This is simply my way," Glenn replied, his expression unchanging, his tone unaffected.

"As for Neville and Draco, they chose to follow me in pursuit of strength. I will train them in my own way. If you wish, I can ensure their safety during training. But asking me to stop is impossible."

Neville and Draco were valuable allies for the future. Glenn saw no reason to waste such resources.

"If they choose to withdraw, I won't stop them. But, Professor Dumbledore, please don't interfere with me or with them." Glenn removed the black silk covering his eyes, revealing his abyss-like, pitch-black gaze. He stared calmly at the old wizard.

His eyes radiated a mysterious depth, like a black hole pulling everything into its void.

Azure blue eyes met pitch-black ones, and the two stood in silence for a long time. Dumbledore showed no anger, only a deep sadness.

He knew he couldn't change Glenn's mind. There was nothing he could do.

Dumbledore's face twisted with a bitter smile as he nodded reluctantly, agreeing to Glenn's request.

He understood that even if he refused, it would make no difference. Glenn would carry on regardless.

"Thank you for understanding. If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave." Glenn replaced the black silk over his eyes, turning and disappearing into the shadows.

Dumbledore remained where he was, deep in thought.

Maybe I should ask the professors to help Hermione get closer to him. She might be the only one who can rein him in.

But no, if Glenn realizes we're using Hermione, it'll only make things worse.

What a headache!

Even someone as wise as Dumbledore couldn't find a clear solution to save Glenn from himself.

Perhaps time will heal all wounds. Let things take their course.

He shook his head, lingering for a moment to watch Glenn's retreating figure.

That brat... staying up all night, now dragging two other kids into this mess. He's really testing the limits of my old bones! I don't have the energy to keep up with you three troublemakers!

Dumbledore's complex thoughts faded, replaced by exasperation.

Glenn, leaning on his staff, left the brightly lit corridors behind, strolling down the long hallway. His figure grew smaller and smaller until he disappeared into the darkness.