“How things have changed,” Delphini smirked. “During our Hogwarts days, I never would’ve imagined this many people to be on your side.”

 Lorenzo’s face contorted with fury; he struggled, snarling, as Teddy and Victoire held him back from trying to strangle Delphini.

 “Lorenzo, what is this bitch talking about?” Sirius asked, shooting a nasty look at Delphini.

 Lorenzo’s eyes flashed with anger as he recalled his first History of Magic lesson.

 “Why did we decide to allow mudbloods into Hogwarts, anyway?” Delphini asked snarkily. “They’re stealing magic from us real wizards!”

 Everyone in the class, including Professor Greengrass, gasped in horror. Lorenzo trembled with anger, his fists clenched.

 “Hey, Diggory, shut up!”

 “What? Did I say something incorrect?!” Delphini scoffed shamelessly.

 Lorenzo banged his desk, glaring at her. A few girls sitting nearby gasped, but Teddy Lupin, a Hufflepuff, gave him a thumbs-up, smiling.

 Ever since then, Delphini picked on Lorenzo every chance she could; she nitpicked him constantly and found every passive-aggressive way in the book to provoke him.

 “Hey, Santini, why do you hate Delphi so much?” one of the Slytherin girls who were always whispering and giggling with Delphini once asked him.

 “She never did anything to you, you’re just being ridiculous,” another Slytherin girl retorted.

 Lorenzo recalled how much he hated bumping into the Slytherins in classes and corridors, as they all treated him like he was something stuck to the bottom of their shoe.

 Lorenzo bounced back to reality, still glaring at Delphini, but this time, it was different; he knew that there were more people on his side than hers, that he was doing the right thing, and that his side would win.

 “Never mind, mate,” he said to Sirius. “It’s complicated.”

 “Still afraid to duel me, are you, Santini?” Delphini scoffed. “You may be an Auror, but you’re still about as skilled as a baby. An itty, bitty baby.”

 Lorenzo watched as the 41 witches and wizards surrounding him immediately pulled out their wands, daring Delphini to make a move.

 “You lot back off,” he said. “I’ll deal with her myself.”

 Sirius, Andromeda, Teddy, Victoire, Arthur, Molly, Lucius, Narcissa, Ron, Albus, Rose, Scorpius, Lily, Hugo, Bill, Fleur, Dominique, Louis, Percy, Audrey, Lucy, her sister Molly, William, Daisy, Professors McGonagall, Longbottom, Davies, Flitwick, Slughorn, Greengrass, Hagrid, Madam Johnson, Charlie, George, Ginny, Dean, Seamus, Ernie, Henry, Luna and Rolf obeyed, their eyes shifting.

 “Bow to me, Santini,” Delphini said, smirking. “Show respect to your superiors.”

 Lorenzo ignored her, glaring at her defiantly.

 “Expelliarmus!”

 “Protego!”

 Delphini caught herself before he could disarm her.

 “Diffindo!”

 The light green light from Delphini’s wand hit Lorenzo in the face, slashing him with blood.

 “Levicorpus!” he retorted.

 Delphini was hoisted into the air, dangling upside-down on her ankles.

 “How dare you attack a girl, you pig!” Pansy shrieked before pointing her wand at Delphini. “Liberacorpus!”

 Delphini jumped onto the ground with ease, not bothering to thank her most loyal follower, before pointing her wand again.

 However, Lorenzo was quicker.

 “Stupefy!”

 Delphini fell to the ground with a large thump, dropping her wand next to her. Pansy, Alyssa and a few others gasped.

 Delphini stood up, pointing her wand at Lorenzo, glaring at him.

 “Crucio!”

 Lorenzo screamed in pain as those on his side gasped, panicked and shrieked; it hurt them to see their leader, who always seemed so strong, in such a state.

 As Delphini and her supporters cackled in joy, Sirius, Andromeda, Teddy, Victoire, Molly, Narcissa, Albus, Scorpius, Professors McGonagall, Longbottom, Ginny and Ernie drew their wands.

 When Delphini stopped for a split second, leaving Lorenzo on the ground, still groaning in pain, Sirius pointed his wand at her.

 “Petrificus-”

 “Expelliarmus!”

 Sirius’s wand went flying, much to his frustration.

 Delphini turned back towards Lorenzo, pointing her wand at him.

 “Avada Kedavra!”

 The Great Hall filled with angry gasps.

 “Lorenzo!”

 Sirius, Andromeda, Teddy, Molly, Narcissa and Professors McGonagall and Longbottom immediately ran over to him while Victoire, Albus, Scorpius, Ginny and Ernie charged at Delphini.

 “You killed him!”

 “Murderer!”

 Luckily, Lorenzo was still breathing weakly, trying to catch his breath.

 “He’s alive,” Professor McGonagall announced. “Delphini must’ve missed.”

 The crowd cheered with joy and relief while Delphini’s supporters broke into sighs of frustration and anger.

 Just then, there was a loud boom coming from outside the castle, which made everyone in the Great Hall spring into action. The Second Battle of Hogwarts had officially begun.