HP - Shadow Monarch!

Chapter 140 - Rosaria Valenstein.

[Chapter Size: 2200 Words.]

Third Person POV

London.

...

...

"You are...?!." The words of the woman in red, spoken in Romanian, broke the brief silence in front of the forest near the castle. Dracula's daughter was quite surprised to find a young man there, clearly human, a wizard in other words, accompanied by a magical creature, seemingly prepared to enter her father's territory, which was very strange.

The man only stared at her, narrowing his eyes, seeming to recognize her and wondering what damned luck had brought him to meet this woman in such a place.

As for the girl, still unsure of what to say, even with her 200 years of experience, she knew that few things surprised her so much, and this was one of them. She looked at him curiously for a moment. At first, she thought of covering her nose, imagining a stench wafting toward her, but noticed there was no foul odor coming from the human—at least, not from that distance.

"It can't be..." she murmured, barely able to control her body as she stepped forward, leaning in slightly to sniff the air from more than five meters away. As she got closer, she confirmed there was no strange smell. He, on the other hand, observed her actions with distrust and wariness.

"What are you doing?" he asked in English, making her stop at about three meters away, still trying to catch a scent, but without success. His accent, undeniably British, quickly revealed his identity.

"So it is you..." she began to piece things together. There could only be one reason for this. Of course, he was indeed the person she had been pursuing in England.

Time seemed to freeze at that moment. Snape realized he would have to take her down if he wanted to pass, and it wouldn't be discreet—at least, not if she could keep up with him. Quickly, he drew his wand, while she, in turn, widened her eyes, leaving her lips slightly parted. Before Snape could act, she was just as fast and cast a spell.

"You came all the way here... What luck for me. I can hardly believe it!" she exclaimed, fearlessly lunging at him. After all, she had fought him before.

In the next moment, their spells collided. A red beam clashed with Snape's magical energy, generating an explosion that lit up the dark forest and echoed everywhere, while both were thrown back. Nearby creatures and inhabitants around the area heard the impact of their clash in the forest near the castle.

When the dust settled, both were on opposite sides of the field. Snape landed effortlessly, while the woman vanished and reappeared nearby, moving with a calm gait, keeping her eyes on Snape. Despite her leap, she walked with a natural elegance across the terrain.

"You're different from back then... You're stronger," she observed, glancing at her own hand, burned from the impact, before looking at Snape with renewed interest. In her mind, she wondered how this human had become so powerful in just over half a year.

"Maybe I don't need to hold back anymore," she murmured with an excited smile, staring at the young man before her. He seemed different now. Despite everything, she didn't find it unpleasant. He was young and, to her, certainly a man she could call the most handsome she had ever seen, which left her feeling invigorated.

"Before we continue this..." she said suddenly, as Snape kept his gaze fixed on her, his wand already poised. "Surely, this place will be swarming with creatures after our little skirmish. But first... I want to know your name," she demanded.

"..." Snape didn't answer. He continued to look at her, prepared to strike at any moment, while raising a hand to the Graphorn, which seemed eager to join the fight. It was better if it just stayed back and observed.