Gideon Drake and the Fire Within (Harry Potter Sequel/Spinoff)

Chapter Forty-Eight: Unleashed

All at once, Professor Blanchard's body was enveloped in fire and lifted from the ground. The flames continued to spread in mid-air and a towering, monstrous form began to take shape. Arms, legs, and a two-horned head made of fire sprouted from the raging torso, where the silhouette of the professor's limp body could just about be made out inside.

As the flaming monster's feet reached the floor, where the grass beneath swiftly burned away, it let loose an almighty roar and then, turned the flickering spaces where its eyes would be in the direction of the two frightened boys standing below.

The fiery beast seemed to smile, revealing a set of flickering, flaming fangs. Suddenly, it pulled a burning arm back and took a mighty swipe at Gideon, who was still rooted to the spot in fear. Gideon was thrown backwards, but not by the impact of the monster's fiery claw.

Alex had yanked him out of the way, but the incredible wave of heat that followed in the arm's wake knocked them both off their feet. Alex got up and started dragging Gideon across the grass, away from the beast. It was useless, though. Such a huge thing needed only one or two steps to close the small gap they had made between them, and Gideon watched in horror as it did just that.

Gideon took a deep breath and snapped himself out of his reverie. 'Stupefy!' he yelled shakily. The jet of red light hit the monster but seemingly had no effect. Gideon got to his feet with Alex's help and suggested the Frost Spell.

Together the boys cried, 'Glacius!'

The beast howled as streams of icy air blasted its burning torso. For a fleeting moment, the boys revelled in their success. However, they quickly realised it had not been howling in pain, but laughter.

'What pathetic magic is this?' the monster taunted in an impossibly deep and terrifying voice.

Gideon was shocked that the giant beast of fire could talk. What on Earth was this creature and what could the boys do against it?

'We've got to run, Alex!' Gideon determined, and threw his entire stock of Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder at the monster. It landed and a black smog filled the area as the boys fled.

'There will be no escape!' the monster roared and simply blew their distraction away with an incredible blow of its hot breath. Then, it raised its arms and the entrances to the courtyard were walled off by high flames.

'Let's just try different spells, something has to work!' Alex suggested, and they let loose a flurry of all the magic they knew. Some of the spells would impact the beast's flames with a noticeable flicker but otherwise, he was completely unbothered, and he showed so with his continued laughter.

The beast began to advance. The boys retreated, firing spells all the while until they found themselves backed into a corner.

'Time to burn, wizards!' the massive creature told them. Then, it appeared to swell, raised its head and expelled an incredible breath of fire.

With one last apologetic look to the boy he had so foolishly put in danger with his plan; Gideon closed his eyes tightly and futilely raised his left hand as if to shield himself. Death wasn't so bad. He had expected the heat that followed would be unbearably painful, but the warmth wasn't altogether unpleasant.

'Gideon!' Alex urged.

Gideon opened his squinting eyes. They were not dead. They were not burning. The fire around them had stopped short of a translucent blue field being projected from Gideon's left hand. The ring that had so annoyingly affixed itself to his finger was shining.

Just then, the flames disappeared, along with the blue light. The boys were alive, but their predicament was far from over.

'What is this?' the monster roared. 'You dare defy my power? BURN!' It unleashed another breath of fire, more powerful than the last.