Marvel's Hogwarts Professor

Hell's Kitchen at Night

The streets of Hell's Kitchen lay still and desolate under the dim glow of malfunctioning streetlights, casting long, eerie shadows that flickered across cracked sidewalks. The grimy alleys and worn facades of abandoned buildings seemed to watch with hollow eyes, as though sharing a silent warning to any who dared to walk these streets after dark. Most locals knew better than to wander Hell's Kitchen at night; the risk was too great, and fear was a wise companion.

But for the gangs, darkness was simply their element.

At that moment, John, a junior leader of the Skeleton Gang, stumbled out of a rundown bar, followed by a group of his rowdy friends. John reeked of cheap whiskey, his steps unsteady, and his voice slurred as he responded to the sycophantic praises of his crew.

"Boss John," one of them slurred, "tomorrow we'll show that coward just how powerful the Skeleton Gang really is."

"Yeah," another chimed in. "He borrowed money and thinks he can just pay back the principal? Doesn't work like that around here!"

A third gang member snickered. "I hear his daughter's not bad looking. Maybe tomorrow you can have a little fun, boss?"

John grinned wickedly, his eyes glinting with anticipation. "If that coward doesn't pay, he'll regret it. Maybe we'll all get to have a little 'fun,' if you catch my drift."

The men laughed, jeering as they swaggered along the empty streets, their voices echoing down the darkened alleyways. Their crude banter continued until, suddenly, one of them froze, his gaze fixed ahead.

"Boss, look," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

At the end of the street stood a woman—tall, blonde, and alluring, her red lips matching the striking red of her tight dress. Her figure was graceful, every step a calculated motion, her long legs accentuated by a pair of scarlet heels that clicked sharply against the pavement. She seemed out of place here, like a forbidden mirage among the urban decay.

The gang members exchanged glances, their mouths watering as they stared, entranced.

"Hey, beautiful," John called out, flashing a sloppy grin as he staggered forward. "What's a girl like you doing out here in Hell's Kitchen? Need a guide?"

His men formed a loose circle around the woman, eager to prevent any chance of her escape. She met John's gaze without fear, her eyes gleaming as she slowly approached him. Her slim hand brushed against his shoulder, her lips dangerously close to his ear as she spoke in a soft, honeyed voice.

"Maybe, I am looking for somewhere… private. Somewhere quiet." Her words dripped with allure, and the gang members leaned in, captivated.

John's breath quickened, his face flushing with desire. "My place is perfect—nice and private. Big bed, just the way you like it."

She laughed softly, pulling back just out of his reach, and her eyes swept over the others. "Any other suggestions?" she asked, her voice a low, teasing whisper.

Eagerly, the men began to offer up their own homes, each trying to outdo the last. As they jostled to impress her, none of them noticed the faint red glow that flickered across their faces whenever her hands brushed them. Each touch left them more pliable, more eager to please, their eyes glazing over in dazed obedience.

"Tell me," she purred, her voice wrapping around them like silk, "where is your headquarters?"

Without hesitation, they divulged everything: the location of the Skeleton Gang's base, details of their numbers, their weapons, and any secrets they held. She listened intently, a satisfied smirk tugging at her lips.

These men were teetering on the edge of darkness, and for her purposes, they were perfect.

As the last details spilled from their mouths, the woman's smile broadened. Her eyes gleamed with a sinister light as she leaned closer, her lips brushing against one man's cheek as she breathed in deeply.

A shivering, neon light flickered from his mouth and nostrils, siphoned into hers like an ethereal mist. The man's body went limp, collapsing onto the cold pavement. The succubus licked her lips, savoring the taste of his soul, a shiver of pleasure coursing through her.

"Delicious," she murmured, her voice dripping with satisfaction. "Such a shame this only lasts a moment."

One by one, she approached the other gang members, drawing their souls in the same way, each man crumbling to the ground as she devoured their essence. When only John remained, she moved in, but suddenly, the heavy rumble of a motorcycle echoed down the street, piercing the silence.

The succubus stiffened, her expression twisting with irritation. "Damn it," she muttered, glancing toward the approaching sound. She recognized that roar—the telltale sign of her nemesis.

Johnny Blaze, the Ghost Rider, had arrived.

She cast a quick glance at the bodies strewn across the ground and raised her hands, weaving dark runes in the air. The symbols glowed an ominous red before sinking into the corpses, which twitched violently and began to rise, animated by her demonic power.

John and the other charmed gang members stared blankly, waiting for her command, as the succubus formed a defensive perimeter. She let out a frustrated sigh, stepping back and tracing a circle with her heel on the pavement, the ground splitting open in its wake. A blood-red pentagram materialized, glowing beneath her feet, the lines spreading outwards like veins.

The motorcycle's roar grew louder, and then, with a blaze of fire, the Ghost Rider appeared at the end of the street. His skull, engulfed in hellfire, glowed like a beacon in the night, his hollow eyes fixed intently on the succubus. Without hesitation, he pulled a flaming shotgun from his waist, aiming it squarely at her.

"Succubus," his voice rasped, thick with the authority of judgment, "you die here."

The succubus smirked, her own eyes alight with malice, but her hands trembled as she prepared her escape. With a flick of her wrist, she triggered her teleportation circle, watching as the red pentagram pulsed with energy. She felt a surge of triumph—until the magic faltered, the energy vanishing into stillness.

No…

In that heartbeat of panic, she realized her failure. The hellfire bullet from Ghost Rider's shotgun burst forth, striking her squarely. She screamed, the fire consuming her, her body wreathed in a writhing inferno that devoured her flesh and soul alike. Her agonized wails echoed through the empty streets, and in mere moments, nothing remained of her but a small pile of ash, scattered on the breeze.

The Ghost Rider turned his gaze to the remaining bodies. A flick of his wrist brought forth a flaming chain, which he swung through the air, the flames latching onto the corpse puppets. In a flash, they ignited, reduced to ash under the hellfire's unforgiving heat.

But when he reached John and the remaining charmed gang members, he hesitated. These men were guilty, but their sins weren't as dire as the succubus's.

"Look into my eyes," he commanded, his voice a low, deadly growl. "Let me judge your sins."

The flames in his skull's eyes burned brighter as he peered into John's soul. Fragments of memories, each a snapshot of the man's guilt and wrongdoings, flooded into the Ghost Rider's mind, a visceral recollection of every dark deed.

"Sinners deserve no mercy," he rasped, sealing John's fate.

Hellfire flared, consuming John, leaving nothing behind but a mound of black ash. The other gang members, released from the succubus's charm, staggered back, unaware of the horrors they'd narrowly escaped.

The Ghost Rider retracted his chains, letting the hellfire dissipate. But before he could turn and leave, he sensed a presence at the far end of the street. Slowly, his gaze fixed on the figure—a man in a black robe, watching him with a calm, detached interest.

The Ghost Rider's motorcycle roared to life, pulling up beside him. The shotgun reappeared in his hand, aimed directly at the stranger. "Come out!" he barked, his voice filled with menace.

The man stepped forward, his expression composed. "The fire of hell, the eyes of judgment…" he murmured, almost in awe. "I recall that Zarathos once served under Mephisto's hand. I never imagined…"

At the mention of Mephisto, the flames around Ghost Rider surged, his skull blazing with fury. "You know Mephisto?" he demanded, his voice laced with rage. "Tell me everything."

The man in the robe chuckled softly, his gaze steady. "Of course. The Lord of Hell's reputation precedes him. Who hasn't heard of his schemes?"

The Ghost Rider's patience waned. "If you know something, speak. Otherwise…" He lifted the shotgun, ready to enforce his demand.

The man raised a hand, unfazed by the threat. "I just helped you take care of that succubus. Is this how you repay your allies?"

Ghost Rider, driven by a relentless need to eradicate evil, didn't care for diplomacy. He took aim, his intentions clear. "If you won't tell me, I'll see for myself."

The robed man's eyes narrowed, seemingly prepared for this outcome. As Ghost Rider fired, a translucent barrier shimmered into existence, absorbing the hellfire. The impact left cracks across its surface, but the barrier held firm. Undeterred, Ghost Rider fired again and again, each blast weakening the shield.

The man slowly backed away, his gaze meeting Ghost Rider's with a mix of respect and defiance. "If you truly wish to learn more of Mephisto," he called out, his voice echoing, "there's a place you can go—a place where all your questions will be answered."

With that, the barrier shattered, fragments dissolving into the air, and the robed man vanished. In his place, a single black card floated down from the sky, landing gracefully in front of the Ghost Rider.

Ghost Rider reached down, his flaming skull tilted in curiosity as he inspected the object. It was a black magic card, faintly pulsing with a dark energy.

To anyone familiar with SHIELD, the card's origin would have been unmistakable.

It was a magic card.

==============================================

Support me at [email protected]/goldengaruda and check out more chapter of this FANFIC or more early access chapter of my other fanfic translation.

==============================================