 Norman - bronze down, moving on to silver; Desiree - still on bronze Rhibear ~ Madam Solo ~ Dark Brooding Girl ~ Accio Jedi ~ Gryffinclaw ~ Just a doll
The slightest hint of a smile showed on Norman’s usually stoic face. He had to admit participating alongside the students sounded pretty fun. “I might have to take you up on that, Dhruv,” he replied. “I’ll try to leave your dummies intact.” That sentence may have been meant as a joke. He’d hold off for now, at least until he heard what the activity entailed. Those instructions seemed pretty straightforward.
Bluish-green eyes scanned the room, and seeing that there were more than enough to go around, he stepped up to the nearest dummy. Normally he would quietly observe his colleagues’ activities from the sidelines, so as not to take the focus off the host. Not his circus, not his monkeys. But given Hogwarts’s track record for dangerous situations, he thought the students could benefit from seeing him in action.
He was already formulating a strategy as the dummy sprang to life. It was the same strategy he used in every duel: maximum non-lethal damage. In a real duel, his first instinct would be to take his opponent’s wand, but the dummy had none. He’d have to take out its right hand instead!
If there was one thing Norman had learned about dueling, it was never give the opponent a chance to gain the upper hand. As such, he hit the dummy with everything he had straight out of the gate. He aimed a Jelly Fingers Jinx at the dummy, and that was only the first spell. “Pertificus Totalus! Flipendo!” If this was a real duel, he would’ve cast the spells nonverbally so as not to let the opponent know what was coming, but he thought hearing him might help the students.
While his first spell missed its mark, his second did not. The dummy froze in place, leaving it in the line of fire for the knockback jinx. Norman watched with satisfaction as the dummy toppled over, but there wasn’t time to dwell on it. About a moment later, the dummy turned silver and came back to life.
One round down, more to go!
Desiree smiled. Was it really that obvious that she was trying not to yawn? And here she thought she was being subtle about it! Turning her head to one side, she let out a biiiig yawn. There, much better! Now that she had that out of her system, she was ready to listen to Professor Khanna’s instructions.
Ooh, the dummies were modified to shoot spells? So cool! Could they please learn which spells were used to do that? Desiree was much more interested in that than dueling, but she’d give the dueling a go too! As she glanced at her dummy, she wondered what color it would turn when she defeated it. Ooh, she hoped it would be pink!
Drawing her wand, she watched the dummy come to life. Which spell should she use? How about Risctusempra? Could the dummy even feel tickling? It would be funny if it could! She giggled to herself, imagining the dummy doubled over with laughter. Only one way to find out… “Rictusempra!” she cast. Did it work?
Apparently not. The dummy dodged her spell and sent one at her. She moved just in time to avoid being hit with the Curse of the Bogies.
__________________ Old voices I had thought long since dead whisper of another life I might have led
If I could take that second chance, If I could make my life anew, If only dreams came true... |