Nova walked through the quiet halls of Hogwarts, enjoying the rare stillness the castle offered at night. The torches along the walls flickered lazily, casting long shadows that stretched across the stone floor.
He had given Harry and Hermione an hour to prepare for the journey ahead. Yes, Hermione is also tagging along for another world trip/battle. Hermione insisted on traveling with them the moment she realized Harry was going, and Nova had agreed without argument.
Letting her join made sense. She was sharp, steady, and emotionally invested in Harry's choices, even if she tried to pretend otherwise. Besides, he knew she would worry herself sick if they left without her.
As Nova moved through the corridor, he went over the structure of the deal once again. The agreement between him and Harry was simple in words but shaped by strict rules established by the System. Harry would assist him in a two-versus-two battle in the Black Clover world, using all of his abilities without holding back.
In return, Nova offered Harry the opportunity to travel to another world for free — something most beings could not even dream of doing. Hermione was included as well, since she had chosen to accompany Harry. Their world travel would be completely paid by Nova including food, shelter and money for buying anything.
However, the System never allowed travel for free without some form of balance. Transporting another person across worlds required an official contract, and the moment that person gained something valuable in the new world, the System would automatically place that gain under evaluation.
The traveler would owe Nova a small percentage of its worth. That least percentage began at ten, which Nova himself can adjust according to situation or contract terms.
But for Harry, he set the lowest percentage as a gesture of goodwill. He was asking the boy to fight beside him, after all, and Harry had agreed without hesitation. Offering him the lowest rate made the exchange feel fair, even if the final outcome leaned in Nova's favor.
He continued down the hallway, his boots echoing softly. The truth was undeniable: Harry and Hermione would eventually owe him a debt. The Black Clover world offered many treasures, but the most significant gain was the grimoire itself.
Every person who entered that world received a grimoire naturally, as if the world chose them. That acquisition alone would create a debt that neither Harry nor Hermione could avoid.
Even if they obtained their grimoires through effort, fate, or pure luck, the System recognized the item as a valuable gain and would require compensation.
Nova viewed it not as exploitation but as the natural consequence of multiversal travel. He offered something rare and powerful — a month-long access to another world — and the System ensured that the balance remained even.
He did not cheat them. He did not hide the rules. He simply operated within the framework of the ability that defined him. Harry and Hermione knows that they would be in debt, but still agreed to travel as gaining grimoire would increase their strength. In fact they may even get a elemental or special type magic, based on their affinity.
"In the end," Nova murmured, "it is still an equal trade. Just not a free one."
Nova reached a wide stretch of corridor where the moonlight slipped in through tall windows, washing the stone floor in silver.
The torches along the walls flickered faintly as if reacting to the shift in the air. Something felt off. He slowed his steps. He felt something brushsing against his senses. He frowned and widened his perception.
He felt various spells and charms surrounding the corridor. All with single intent, to let nobody enter the corridor and keep all the sound and magic inside. Someone had gone to the trouble of sealing off an entire section of the corridor.
Nova raised an eyebrow.
"Well," he murmured, "that's suspicious."
He took a few more steps, the air growing heavier as he walked deeper into the restricted space. The stone walls absorbed sound strangely, and even his footsteps felt muted. Whoever set these wards wasn't playing around. They wanted privacy. They wanted secrecy.
And whatever was happening, it was happening now.
Nova rounded the next corner—
—and immediately saw a duel in progress.
Spells shot across the corridor in violent arcs, splashing against shield charms and ricocheting off stone. Footwork scraped loudly, wands slashed through the air, and bursts of colored light illuminated the walls in erratic flashes.
Nine students — all older, all wearing dark robes — were attacking a single figure at the far end.
A girl.
A blonde girl whose hair caught the light like gold spun from fire. Her stance was defensive yet elegant, wand movements sharp and precise. Even in the chaos, her posture remained steady, refined, and unmistakably foreign.
Nova recognized her instantly.
Fleur Delacour, the Beauxbatons champion for Triwizard Tournament. A very beautiful blonde rumoured to be a half-Veela, known for beauty that bordered on supernatural and magic that shimmered with fire and allure.
She was powerful, but she was fighting alone against nine, and these weren't harmless jinxes. The boys were hurling spells meant to overwhelm and corner her, forcing her backward step by step into the narrowing corridor.
Nova's eyes narrowed. The nine boys moved with a predatory coordination, their black robes making them seem like shadows given form. Their spells weren't the clumsy attempts of students having a spat; they were a concerted effort to break her, to wear her down.
Fleur was a tempest of silver and fire, her wand a blur as she cast "Protego Totalum!" to shield herself from a barrage of "Stupefy!" and "Expelliarmus!" charms. The shield flared brilliantly, but the sheer force of the combined assault made it shimmer and weaken.
"Stop running, you French whore!" one of them snarled, his voice a guttural rasp. He fired a "Locomotor Mortis," which Fleur leaped over, the jet of green light missing her feet by inches.
"Veela bitch thinks she's better than us!" another spat, his face contorted with an ugly mixture of lust and rage. He cast a "Tarantallegra," forcing Fleur into a brief, frantic dance that left her vulnerable.
A "Petrificus Totalus" shot towards her, and she only just managed to twist away, the spell hitting the wall with a loud thud.
Their words were fouler than their spells, a constant stream of venom meant to poison her spirit as they cornered her body.
"Look at her, still fighting. Stupid slut doesn't know when to give up!"
"I'm gonna break that pretty wand of hers and shove it—"
"Ah, you Veela slut, once we catch you, we are gonna keep you as a sex slave!"
The last curse, spoken with chilling certainty, hung in the air. It wasn't just a taunt; it was a promise. Nova saw the shift in Fleur's eyes. The fierce defiance was still there, but beneath it, a flicker of genuine terror began to bloom.
She was tiring. Her breaths were coming in harsh, ragged pants, and her movements, though still graceful, were losing their speed.
A "Densaugeo" spell grazed her shoulder, making her cry out in pain as her teeth momentarily elongated. She stumbled back, and the pack of boys closed in, their wands raised, their expressions triumphant and depraved.
They had her. They knew it. And from the looks on their faces, they were going to enjoy every second of it.
Nova had seen enough. He raised his hand and removed the notice-me-not spell from himself.
He started walking towards Fluer and the sound of his steps made every single one of the nine boys freeze. They turned as one, their predatory grins vanishing, replaced by shock, fury and then fear at the interruption.
The apparent leader of the group sighed in relief as it wasn't a professor but someone unknown. With his wand now pointing at Nova, He snarled," "Who the fuck are you?"
Fleur, clutching her shoulder, stared at Nova with wide, disbelieving eyes. One of perks of being a Vella, is that they can sense power of others. And from this guy she felt overwhelming amount of power within this guy.
Nova ignored the boy's question entirely, his gaze sweeping over the group with a cold disdain that made them flinch. He looked past them to Fleur, giving her a subtle, smile.
x------x
[CHAPTER 154: (THE FINAL DUEL) IS AVAILABLE ON MY P@TREON]
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