An Old Bully...And A New Friend...


At the training hall two groups of 15 people were seated on each side of the dueling platform. It was a large platform unlike the small ones used for the school purposes. This platform was specially built to accommodate approximately 5 people against one person duel. A short slightly stout bearded man stepped on to the platform and walked to its center.
“ok gentlemen are you ready?” and someone cleared their throat and the man apologized, “don’t worry ladies you are welcome too” and there was a ripple of giggling and laughter.
“are you people ready? Today we will have the second batch perform the mock duel”
“Auror Charles Braggley if you may,” the stout man called another man from the crowd. He was tall unlike the man who called him. He had a clean shaven face and graying hair with light blue eyes.
“good afternoon, everyone. Without wasting much of the time I will call Mr. Benson and Mr. Lowen onto the platform”
Two nervous looking 18 year olds stepped in. One was tall and lean with sandy colored hair and brown eyes and his opponent was a burly slightly shorter than the former with hazel eyes. They both went to the opposite ends of stage and then walked back to the center placed their wands in front of their faces and then away and then turned back to their original places and started at the count of 3.

“EXPELLIARMUS”
“REDUCTO”
“STUPIFY”
“RICTASEMPRA” and the hexing and cursing continued from very basic hexes and curses to the most complicated ones and the at last the tall guy flicked his opponents wand by “EXPELLIARMUS”

“good, guys but still there is a lot of scope for improvement. You will improve within these 3 years. Now next,” said Braggley and he called a young girl called Miss Rebecca Coates and another young guy called Mr. Edland. Braggley asked Mr.Crosby to join Edland in 2 on1. They started off well and in the girl put an end to her opponents.
“impressive Miss Coates. Better luck next time Mr. Edland and Mr. Crosby” said Braggley.
It was already 4 in the evening and they had only half an hour’s time. When the young witches and wizards were getting restless Braggley called in
“Mr. Macmillan step in please” and a raven colored hair, green eyed tall athletic looking guy stepped in.
“Mr. Blackwell will you step in please,” said Braggley with slight amusement in his voice
“yours will be the last duel for today. So are you ready?” asked Braggley and both the guys just nodded.

All this while Harry along with his batch mates was observantly noting every move of every person who dueled in front of them, but now his batch mates were getting restless. Harry looked around and caught Malfoy’s eyes piercing at the green eyed tall guy in front of him on the center stage. Malfoy looked up at Harry but just gave a curt nod and went back to observing guys in front of him. Harry looked straight at the girl who was sitting with Macmillan sometime back and who had impressed Harry and others with her dueling skill. “what’s her name?” racked Harry, “Coates, Rebecca Coates, right,” he thought. At the count three Harry snapped up and saw Macmillan dueling with his opponent. Harry remembered all his DA members who had worked so well and who had dueled during the war. Macmillan looked like he too must have had an experience. The way he moved his hand quickly and flicked the most hexes away and how he quickly was dominating his opponent interested Harry. Though Macmillan was still raw there was confidence in himself that helped him through. Towards the end Braggely shouted some other wizard’s name and that young guy was shocked when he was told to join Macmillan 2 on 1. The new wizard did as he was told but there was no change in Macmillan’s face and he concentrated hard on the two of his batch mates in front of him. The dueling was becoming faster and to make it furious Braggley called Malfoy against Macmillan to join them on 3 on 1. Something passed through Macmillan’s eyes but Harry couldn’t figure out what. Macmillan was dueling faster and furiously and was avoiding getting hit. All 4 of them were tired. Since Malfoy had joined late he wasn’t tired that much. He saw Macmillan hesitate for a second and within that second
“SECPTUMSEMPRA”
“PROTEGO” and the curse backfired and Malfoy escaped the backfire and it hit Macmillan’s batch mate and he was covered in blood with a deep gash.

Within a split second before Harry could blink his eyes he saw a violet stream of light coming towards Macmillan and he quickly jumped but before he could say anything Macmillan shouted the shielding charm with a complex wrist work and placed his arm above his face and bent his head as if he was shielding himself and that did the trick the curse backfired but it hurt some other guy. The trainers ran towards the wizard and took him away quickly.
“Bloody moron and his signature move,” muttered Harry and pushed himself through the people and went straight towards Malfoy. After Snape, SCEPTUMSEMPRA had become Malfoy’s favorite curse. Though it was Harry who discovered the curse from Snape’s old Potions book it was Malfoy who had taken its patent for use after war. Harry heard Malfoy talk about it in one of the training session when the trainer asked him about any worse curse prior to killing curse with almost similar effects.
“you foul, loathsome, evil, cockroach. What the hell do you think were you doing sending deadly curses!” shrieked Harry and the entire hall went silent and everyone turned towards them.
“what is with you Potter? Did I bring in old memories back to you? Memories hurt, don’t they?” he said icily and before he could speak any more Harry’s wand was in his face. He gave his dirty smirk and hissed, “always love to bully and show off don’t you?” and the whispering increased in the room.
“mind your tongue, Malfoy,” said Harry threateningly. Harry hadn’t come to face Malfoy past the entire month. Though Malfoy was in Harry’s batch he barely looked at Malfoy and nor did Malfoy acknowledge Harry’s presence. But today Harry felt as if he was back in school with his wand out at Malfoy’s face and ordering him to shut up.
Macmillan who was clutching his stitches out of exertion looked up at Harry and Malfoy having a head off. Rebecca came up.
“Shaun you alright?” she asked concernedly
“I am fine Becca just over exerted, that’s it,” he said panting and bent with his hands on his knees.

Malfoy and Harry glared at each other but then Malfoy looked at Shaun on the other end and shouted, “hey foreigner looks like you need to pull up your socks man. You have disappointed me,” he said and left smirking at Harry.
“hey you know what I wouldn’t disappoint your stinking death eater of a dad!” shouted back Shaun standing up and if anyone who was breathing in the room stopped with a gasp and the room was deadly silent. Shaun’s friend went white as snow as she helped him stand and looked at him. Malfoy turned back quickly and glared at Shaun and did a non verbal curse but Shaun and Harry both of them called “PROTEGO” together and Malfoy was backfired hitting his body on the wall behind him.
Few of them helped the unconscious Malfoy up and took him to the infirmary wing glaring at Macmillan.

Harry walked towards Shaun as he sat down on the chair.
“you alright?” he asked sitting on his toes.
“yeah, yeah” said Shaun as he drank the water which his friend handed over.
“don’t bother about Malfoy. He is an outright git,” said Harry
“I don’t need to be told, he looks like one,” said Shaun giving a weak smile and Harry nodded
“I am Shaun Macmillan,” Shaun introduced himself.
“yeah I know,” said Harry, “never got a chance to talk to you for past entire month. Only got a chance to observe you and your friend” and with that Rebecca looked away not making any eye contact with Harry.
“you guys work really great together,” he said
“thanks,” said Shaun.

As the day ended Harry, Shaun and Rebecca walked out of the Ministry and found a car waiting outside the Ministry
“hey son,” called out a man as the window rolled and Harry saw a raven headed brown eyed gentleman sitting in the driver seat. He himself was dressed in robes.
“hey dad”
The gentleman got out of the car
“oh so these are your friends Shaun?”
“hm…yeah dad, Rebecca has been my friend from the beginning and I just got a chance to talk to Harry today”
“Rebecca Coates, I presume, nice meeting you young lady”
“nice meeting you too sir”
“Harry Potter I presume,” said Mr. Macmillan
“yes, sir”
“nice meeting you too,”
“nice meeting you, sir,” said Harry politely.
“I think I should leave, Shaun,” said Rebecca and with slight nod to both Harry and Mr. Macmillan she left.
“can we drop you down, son?”
“oh no that wont be needed, sir. I think I will…oh there it is” he said as the Knight Bus came into view from the corner of the road.
“I think I will go in bus sir, thanks once again,” he said
“alright, see you soon son” he said and opened his car door to get in
“meet you tomorrow in class Harry,” said Shaun as he went towards the passenger seat.
“yeah, see ya,” said Harry as the bus reached where he stood. The car pulled up the curb and drove past the bus and the Knight took Harry back to the Burrow.

that was for today...have a nice day...:-)