KEEP IT, LOSE IT (HOGWARTS LEGACY FANFICTION)

Chapter Twenty Eight

Mary, ignoring their banter, stepped closer to the birdbath and traced the edge of the stone door with her fingers. "It's strange," she murmured, more to herself than to the others. "this place... doesn't look totally abandoned, and the lantern still works, maybe because of magic, but..."

Before she could continue her analysis, a sudden movement caught her eye. Goblins—followers of Ranrok—emerged from the shadows, their eyes glowing with dark magic. Their leader sneered, raising a twisted wand. 

"You won't leave here alive," he hissed, his voice dripping with malice.

Sebastian and Ominis quickly moved into defensive stances, standing close together. Mary, who had been slightly farther ahead, kept her position, her wand ready.

"Of course they'd be here," Sebastian muttered, his eyes scanning the advancing goblins. "How did we not see this coming?"

Mary tightened her grip on her wand. "They're probably after the same thing we are," she said grimly.

The battle erupted in a flurry of spells and curses. The goblins attacked fiercely, but the trio held their ground. Sebastian and Ominis fought side by side, their coordination smooth and practiced. Mary, despite the distance, sent precise, powerful spells from where she stood, her magic overwhelming the goblins with ease.

One by one, the goblins fell, their dark magic extinguished by the trio's sheer determination.

When only one goblin remained, panic flashed in his eyes. Realizing he was outmatched, he turned to flee, his intention clear—to warn Ranrok of their presence.

"He's getting away!" Sebastian shouted, his voice tinged with urgency.

Without hesitation, Ominis raised his wand, his expression determined. With a quick, precise movement, he cast a spell Mary and Sebastian had never seen him use before. A conjured serpent materialized from the tip of his wand, its sleek body coiling in mid-air before striking out with lightning speed. The goblin barely had time to react before the serpent wrapped itself around him, its powerful coils tightening until the goblin was immobilized.

As the last goblin struggled helplessly in the snake's coils, Sebastian raised an eyebrow, clearly impressed. "Didn't know you had that in you, Omi," he said, a smirk tugging at his lips.

Mary glanced at Ominis, surprise and curiosity in her eyes. "I thought you weren't fond of those kinds of spells," she said, her voice gentle yet questioning.

Ominis gave a small shrug, his expression serious but calm. "I'm not," he replied. "But sometimes they're necessary, as now."

With the immediate danger over, Mary moved swiftly to take control of the situation. She pointed her wand at the fallen goblins, casting a series of binding spells that wrapped them in magical restraints, ensuring they couldn't move. 

As she finished, she sighed, her voice carrying a note of guilt. "It would probably be better if my binding spell were stronger... but these goblins have ancient magic too. This should hold them for a while, though... at least this way, I don't have to resort to other ways..."

Ominis, pleased with her approach, stepped closer and lightly touched her hand. "That's a good choice, Mary. You did well," he said, his voice warm and reassuring.

Sebastian, however, didn't share Ominis's sentiment. His expression darkened as he glared at the restrained goblins. 

"They don't deserve that kind of mercy," he muttered, his tone edged with anger. But seeing the weight of guilt still heavy on Mary, he held back further objections. "Let's just hurry and get into that cave," he added, his voice softer but still laced with frustration.

Mary nodded, though worry flickered in her eyes as she looked at Sebastian. She understood his hatred—how could she not? A goblin had cursed his sister, leaving him with a wound that would never truly heal. But the depth of his resentment troubled her. Even as she turned toward the cave entrance, she couldn't shake the tension that lingered between them.