 astronomizzle ♧ gryffinDORK | & the rest is drag ♣ #badluckDerf
Iris, having caught sight of JT’s near-miss and subsequent accidental demolition of a pumpkin, couldn’t help but giggle. "Great minds," she smiled, pointing ahead at her own messy attempt. As much as she enjoyed observing JT, she needed to recenter and brace herself - especially seeing as the next pumpkin was levitating into place at the far end of the track. She exhaled slowly, forcing herself to focus without her signature overthinking. No unnecessary calculations, just the intent of the spell. Stop. Halt. Delay. No kaboom and no splat.
As soon as the sinister-looking gourd began its charge, she raised her wand, her grip firm but not tense. This time, she cast before desperation could cloud her execution. "Impedimenta!" The spell shot forward, striking the pumpkin square in the center of its ridiculous smile. It didn’t blast backward like before, nor did it stop as cleanly as she would have liked. Instead, it lurched and slowed as though caught in invisible molasses or like the air was made from Auntie Eureka's cure-all split pea soup. It wobbled midair, its momentum visibly struggling against the magic pressing down on it, and for a brief moment it seemed like it might stop completely. But alas, little by little, it inched forward, the resistance wavering as her spell faltered and the pumpkin eventually broke free, coming to a rolling to a stop just over the yellow line. Not a failure, but not a perfect success either. The blonde let out a breath and blew some wisps of hair out of her face. It was better than last time, but it still lacked consistency. She needed to fine-tune the balance between power and control, to strengthen the hold without slipping into raw force...
...at another time, apparently.
The Ravenclaw lowered her wand as the pumpkins froze in place, rolling her shoulders as she considered the professor’s question. It was a good one and one she’d already begun dissecting before they had even asked - hence her Bombarda conclusions. "For me, it was a midway point. I could get the spell to work, but the precision was inconsistent." She frowned slightly, glancing at the remains of the pumpkin she had accidentally blasted earlier. "I think the discrepancy between intent and outcome comes down to subconscious influence. If part of your mind is straying toward a different spell - one that feels instinctually more effective in the moment - it could override your actual intent, even if only slightly. Impulsively." She paused, gathering her thoughts some more before continuing. "That could mean the best prevention method isn't just practicing the spell itself, but strengthening the ability to maintain singular focus. If the mind wavers between two different forms of magic, the result will be unstable or explosive." Again, her eyes glanced over at her pumpkin bits and then over to JT's. Iris tapped a finger against the side of her wand, delving more into her thought process because she had been invited to do precisely that. "It makes me wonder if training through contrast ... meaning you like... practice spells with opposing effects back to back. Might help reinforce control."
With all that, Iris gave a small nod and rolled her wand between her fingers in place of a fidget spinner to distract her thoughts and prevent her from spewing more theories. Practicing in the Dueling Arena would at least provide a more controlled setting...one where she wouldn't be distracted by rogue thoughts of rune inscriptions or ancient gourd carvings. Probably. She pulled her coat tighter around herself as the crisp air settled in, then turned to JT with a soft smile and glint of expectation in her gaze. "Practice with me in the arena?"
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When you're stuck in a moment and your spark has been stolen .................................................. ...........
this is our time to own it, so own it.....................................
baby we were born with fire and gold in our eyes |