Chapter 19: Slicing Through Devil’s Snare**

Edward's body reacted on instinct. His breathing shifted, adopting the rhythm of the Knight's Breathing Technique. He could feel magic coursing through him, sharpening his senses and quickening his movements. But against Devil's Snare, speed alone wouldn't cut it. Warmth and fire were the best weapons. With Professor Sprout still absent and the greenhouse shrouded in darkness, letting sunlight in wasn't an option. Edward had to take matters into his own hands. "*Incendio!*" A jet of flame burst from his wand, igniting the thick, writhing tendrils of Devil's Snare creeping toward him. Though the fire wasn't powerful, it forced the plant to recoil. But the trapped students—Padma and Blaise—were still in trouble. The vines tightened around them. Padma looked on the verge of fainting, and Blaise's voice was barely a whisper. Edward's goal wasn't to fully repel the Devil's Snare with fire. Instead, he ran his straight sword through the flames, charging into the heart of the plant like a war god. His wand and sword moved as extensions of himself. The *Incendio* spell and the flaming blade set the surrounding vines ablaze, slicing through thick tendrils with ease. In moments, he reached the trapped students. But the Devil's Snare wasn't giving up its prey. The unburned vines surged forward, surrounding Edward. Though they feared his flaming sword, their hunger for prey momentarily overpowered their instincts. Edward bent his knees, holding the sword across his chest. With a sharp twist of his hips, he spun like a top, diving into the mass of vines. *Whirlwind Slash*—a technique from the *Knight's Guide to Magic*, used by knights for close-quarters combat when charging into enemy ranks. (*Bookmark 101kan.com for the fastest chapter updates!*) Casting spells while spinning with a weapon maximized his strengths. Severed tendrils fell in heaps, the air thick with the smell of scorched plants. "Good heavens! I was gone for two minutes—what happened?!" Professor Sprout stumbled into the greenhouse, waving her wand to dispel the darkness from the ceiling. Sunlight poured through the glass. The Devil's Snare, like mice spotting a cat, shrank back, slithering toward the shadowy corners of the greenhouse. Edward stood tall in the center, his robe swaying in the breeze. His sword still blazed in his right hand, surrounded by a carpet of charred vines. Padma and Blaise lay crumpled on the ground, either fainted from fear or suffocation. It took Sprout some time to piece together what happened. Apparently, a student's misfired *Lumos* spell had hit the glass case containing the Devil's Snare, accidentally triggering a combination of an Engorgement Charm and an Amplifying Charm. The once-tiny plant had exploded in size, ensnaring Padma and Blaise. "That was far too close, Mr. Bedivere. Thank goodness you were here," Sprout said, clutching her chest and catching her breath. "Could you and the others take them to the hospital wing? I need to deal with the remaining Devil's Snare. I'll join you shortly. Oh, and—ten points to Slytherin!" Sprout hurried off into the greenhouse, still flustered. "Of course, Professor," Edward replied. With a flick, he extinguished the flames on his sword and sheathed it at his waist before moving to help Padma. "Let me handle the girl. You take Blaise," Daphne said, appearing out of nowhere to stop him. ... Soon, Edward's latest feat spread like wildfire through Hogwarts. A story about an eleven-year-old wielding a flaming sword to battle writhing Devil's Snare sounded far-fetched, but it was true. "You hear that? In Herbology the other day, Edward tore through Devil's Snare with his bare hands!" "No, no, I heard he breathed fire, burned the whole plant to ashes, and nearly set the greenhouse on fire!" Walking through the Great Hall, Edward overheard yet another wild version of the story as he passed a group of students. Why were young wizards' imaginations so vivid? He plopped down at the Slytherin table and dug into his breakfast. After a long morning practicing breathing techniques and swordplay, he was starving enough to eat a cow. "Heard about your heroic deeds?" Daphne said, sliding into the seat beside him almost simultaneously. She grabbed a piece of bread and elegantly spread a thick layer of jam. Edward just gave a wry smile. "Seriously, though, where did you get that sword?" Daphne pressed. Without a word, Edward pulled a palm-sized pouch from his robe. In front of everyone, he drew out a gleaming straight sword, its hilt embedded with a sapphire. The surrounding students stared, dumbfounded. Even Daphne's eyes widened. What kind of magic was this? "Undetectable Extension Charm?" Malfoy leaned over from the other end of the table, smirking. "I know about those, Bedivere. You're in big trouble. Using that charm for personal items is illegal unless—" "Unless it's registered with the Ministry," Edward cut in calmly. "Thanks for the concern, Malfoy, but this pouch is fully legal. Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Misuse of Magic Office, Undetectable Extension Charm Registration Number 425. Feel free to have your father check." The pouch had arrived a few days ago via owl from his mother, Anli, as a gift for being sorted into Slytherin. The gem-encrusted sword was from his father, William. The pouch also held an assortment of odds and ends. Edward couldn't fathom how his parents could be so carefree as to send something this important by owl. What if it got lost? His airtight response left Malfoy with nothing to say. He sank back into his seat, scowling, as snickers erupted from the Gryffindor table. "Hurry up and eat," Daphne said. "We've got a whole morning of Potions with Snape. He won't tolerate anyone being late—not even Slytherins." She nibbled on her bread and sipped her juice, a stark contrast to Edward's ravenous eating. It was Friday, and the Slytherin and Gryffindor first-years had two periods of Potions together. Truth be told, Edward was looking forward to it. Though Snape was blatantly biased toward Slytherin, often docking points from other houses—especially Gryffindor—he wasn't exactly fair. But he was at least polite, particularly when it came to addressing Malfoy's jabs at Muggle-born students. That gave Edward a decent first impression of him. Other houses, however, didn't share that view. read more inpatreon ilham20