"My brother and his friend have scars from this one." Celandine mentioned, practicing the wand movement a few times. Once she was satisfied she aimed at the stone dummy.

"Defodio!" She jabbed at the Dummy, her wrist angling into a flick. Sure enough it hit, right in the centre of the dummy's head, gouging a hole but only about an inch deep.

"Okay before we try that again. What are you thinking as you cast?" He moved to stand beside her and looked down at her. He'd had some outstanding students in the past, who could do any spell but most of the time were not very effective because their intent was seriously lacking.

"I'm..." Thinking about Copernicus, "... a little distracted, I guess?" Celandine admitted. "I was... I'm supposed to use the ICE method. You know, Incantation, Concentration, Execution, but I just... I guess I don't like damaging things? I never have problem with intent with charms and transfiguration."

Celandine sighed a bit. Incantation she could do. Defodio. Easy. Concentration was the intent part, and the bit where she sorta got distracted sometimes so that even when her Execution, the wand movement and aiming part were completely perfect, she didn't do all that much damage.

Marcus raised an eyebrow at Celandine and he would bet all the money in Gringotts bank that her distraction was a boy. "Miss Toussaint, if you are facing an opponent or creature of some sort you cannot afford to be distracted." He moved a step away from her and pointed his wand at the dummy. A flash of light and a moment later there was a perfect hole right between the dummy's eyes.

He turned back to Celandine. "It's either you Miss Toussaint or your opponent who will be wearing a hole in them. Your method is a good one, now all you have to do is...use it." He stepped back away from her and gestured for her to try again.

"When would I ever face something dangerous like that on my own? I have four brothers, did you know that? They never let me do what I want to do. And anything I can't do for myself, people are always happy to do it for me." She eyed the dummy and let out a huffy little breath. "I can't help being distracted, I totally TRIED and I ended up losing house points. But you know what? Even if I hadn't lost points I'd only be second overall. SECOND! Right now I'm like... fourth or something like that. Do you know how much trouble I'm going to get in for not being the best? And Arithmancy and Astronomy are SO HARD this term!" A slightly panicked look passed over Cela's face.

"But even THAT isn't enough to make me focus because I LIKE thinking about him. He's so smart, did you know that? And he likes that I'm smart too. But I don't FEEL smart! I can't think straight and I don't know what to do and I'm a bad person!" Celandine took a breath, turned and jabbed her wand at the dummy, "Defodio!"

Right through the centre of the chest.

She glared at the dummy and looked back at Professor Lawson a bit helplessly.

Lawson blinked rapidly at Celandine and wondered what in Merlin's beard was wrong with the women of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry? Was he wearing a sign on his back that said 'Take your frustrations out on me.'

"That's all good and well Miss Toussaint, but do you plan on living with your brothers for the rest of your life? Do you intend on calling them for help every time you get into trouble? You have many years ahead of you Celandine and I am sorry to say there is going to be at least one occasion where you will face something dangerous. I am here to teach you to defend yourself, so that it is not your last." Marcus could not believe that one of his best students was carrying on like this. "And I think it's about time you started to stand on your own two feet, I so took you for an independent young lady but I guess I was wrong."

Now he was starting to get to the bottom of the problem here. She had to be the best because her parents would not accept anything less. He sighed deeply as he took in her look. "Cela..."he began quietly..."I understand the pressure you must be under but it's your life and not your parents. They did their time at school but now it's your turn. I am not suggesting that you slacken off but merely do your best, if you have tried your hardest then that should be good enough."

He watched as she cast the spell at the dummy and he was about to congratulate until he caught her look. Yep he had been right, he so should have placed that bet. Teenagers. So predictable. "Cela, you are not a bad person because you are thinking about a boy. It's to be expected, you're at that age." Marcus took hold of her chin and tipped her head back. "Does this boy know how you feel about him?"

"They won't let me go! Nobody will! There is always SOMEONE watching me. I wouldn't call them for help sir, but there are always people around me wanting to do things for me. Independent. You were wrong sir, because I've never had the chance to be until this term and I'm messing it up already."

Well geeeee he totally didn't get it did he?

"Toussaints don't do 'good enough'." Celandine told him. "If I don't do well in school, I'll be pulled out and homeschooled. Alone. With rules and expectations and stupid pureblood ideals and punishments. And alone."

She looked up at him, a completely miserable expression on her face. "I'm thinking about the WRONG boy. I hurt people! I hurt Plymouth! And Barry and Raiden because they like me and I don't like them back! And there are probably a whole BUNCH of other boys that like me that I probably hurt too."

When she got worked up, Cela sorta just assumed that whoever she was talking to knew what she was on about.

"Then tell them Cela. Tell the people who are doing things for you. To stop it because you can do it yourself. Make them listen to you. You've certainly made me stop and listen to you." Marcus gave her a slightly confused look. "If you want me to help you then you're going to have to tell me what exactly is wrong. How are you messing up?"

There wasn't a whole lot he could do about the family situation. The best he could do there was to help her with his subject but he also wouldn't play favorites either.

"Okay I'm not exactly sure what you are talking about but I am going to take a stab in the dark anyway. These boys that like you but you don't like them back in that way will just have to deal. Sure they might be hurt for a little while but they will get over it. You have to be happy Celandine because if you're not, then really neither will those other boys." He took a deep breath debating on what and how much he should tell her.

"I was once in a band. Did you know that? A long time ago now and I was seeing a woman who used me, so that she could get closer to the singer of the band. To say I was devastated would be an understatement, took me a long time to get over that. What I am trying to say is that you need to tell the other boys you are not interested because you like someone else. The longer you leave it the worse it will be." Honestly the girl was speaking to the wrong guy. He was trying his best but he didn't know if he was actually helping her at all.

"What happens if things don't change and they just get mad?" Celandine asked, "And what if I say I don't need help and then I do and nobody wants to help me anymore?" She frowned, "I'm messing up because I can't concentrate on my school work. It used to be easy. All of it all the time." True, she wasn't distracted by as many other things back then and everything was pretty much either black or white. Now there were soooo many shades of grey, Celandine had no idea what to think.

Celandine stared at Professor Lawson, horror-struck. "Does that mean that I'm using Plymouth? I don't... I... I never... I... he..." cue lip wibble. "... I can't help it and I'm stuck and it isn't up to me anyway and I don't know what to do!"

She wrinkled her nose and let out a sad little sigh before something Professor Lawson said sunk in.

"...You were in a band?"

Ooooookay he was so out of his league right now that it wasn't funny. Marcus truly wanted to help the young girl but she had so many questions and he was running out of answers for her. "Cela, I think it would be a good idea if maybe you went and spoke to your Head of House about your concerns. I want to help you but I seriously think I am out of my depth here and I don't want to give you any bad advice."

Oh dear he hadn't meant that at all. Gah...this is why he should not get caught up in these talks. "No, no I didn't mean that you were using Plymouth. Just that if he is not the one you want to be with then you should tell him, so that he can find someone else to make him happy." He ran his hand through his hair, why did he have the feeling he was just making things more complicated. "Go talk to your Head of House Cela."

Marcus shot her a sort of warning look. "Yeah I was and that story is for another time Miss Toussaint and I would appreciate it if you didn't run around and tell everyone that either." He patted her gently on the shoulder. "Let's practice your dueling another time when you aren't so distracted."

"I guess Professor Vindictus IS kind of made of awesome." Celandine agreed a little glumly considering she hadn't quite gotten the answers she wanted.

She'd sort of tried telling Plymmy before and not managed it at ALL. Maybe Vindictus WOULD have some good advice, though she sort of thought she'd have to knock on his door with another excuse at hand and work the whole thing about boys into the conversation.

"I won't tell anyone that you were in a band and that a lady used you to get to the lead singer and broke your heart, sir." Celandine told him earnestly. "Okay. I... guess I better figure out how to not be distracted anymore then. Thank you Professor Lawson, the girls in my house are wrong about you, I think they just think that you are pretty, but you are kind of like me, really cool and smart too." She was completely serious.

"See you in class, Sir." Celandine reholstered her wand and turned on her heel, picking up her bag as she left the arena.

PFFFFFT! Might just learn something. Who said he wanted to? Grrrrr, Lawson was so MEAN! Why didn't anyone else see this...

BUT... Jake was learning things... mmmhmmmmm, eavesdropping helped. But... Cela was nice... did he want to rat her out? Oh the HUMANITY!

Waaiiiitttttt... she was... having to stop. That meant...

HE WAS NEXT!

Eeep!

Thomas entered the dueling arena hoping that he didn't forget any spells that he learned a week ago. Thomas walked to the dummies and pointed his wand at it and said,"Stupfy," his wand shot out a dark red thin ray which hit the dummy very hard. Thomas smiled and again pointed his wand at the dummy and said,"Expelliarmus," and in a moment a yellow flash hit the dummy. Thomas scratched his head wondering why the spells are now very simple. Thomas again pointed his wand at the dummy and said,"Levicorpous," and then a yellow flash hit the dummy and turned it upside down. Thomas put his wand in his pocket and left the arena.

Victoria looked round when someone called her name and then she saw Thomas walk into the arena, could she duel with someone she loves.

Thomas saw Victoria and waved at her with a small smile. Thomas was about to leave the arena but his book fell out of his bag, Thomas picked up the book and saw a spell that he hadn't tried yet. Thomas pointed his wand at the dummy and said," Trantallegra," nothing happened to the dummy not even a push. Thomas again pointed his wand at the dummy and said, "Trantallegra," this time a white coulor fast trail hit the dummy. Thomas read in the book that this spell will force your opponent to dance.

Marcus walked toward Jake, a devilish grin on his face. "Mr Upstead, get your wand out and start practicing on one of the dummies. Let me see what kind of spells you know." As he moved passed the young boy to place a notice on the door, he said very quietly. "I trust Miss Toussaint, not to say anything about what she heard today. I hope that I can trust you also Jake because if I hear one whisper of that piece of information outside of this dueling arena. I will hang you from the ceiling by your underwear. What do they call it again...a wedgie?"

He smirked as he walked toward the door and stuck the notice to the door.

...

That threat... just...

... made it seem like there was certain information that Lawson didn't WANT to be shared... and... Jake wanted things to happen that Lawson didn't want. And Lawson wouldn't be that cruel... right? Erm...

Well, Jake could run fast.

"Sir... I don't know that many spells... I don't really know any," he added, frowning at the man. "And... and... my wand. Errrr... I left it... wiiiiiiiith Professor Morgan... erm... can I go get it?"

Teehee.

Lawson spun to face Jake, a wand in his hand. He tossed it to Jake, as he walked back into the middle of the arena. "You can practice with that one until you can get yours back." He looked over his shoulder at Jake and smirked again. Did the kid really think he was that stupid? What they seem to forget is they he too was once their age and some of the things he had done as a teen. Well lets just say it made Upstead look like an angel.

"That is why you are here Upstead. To learn. Surely you must know some spells? Because if you don't then I seriously suggest you repeat a year." He folded his arms across his chest and nodded his head toward the dummy. "Oh and if you thought that was an empty threat before, then you don't know me very well."

look like an angel? he IS an angel
 

LAWSON WAS THROWING THINGS AT HIM!

Oh.

"Errrr," Jake bit his lip as he he caught the wand and looked at it. "That won't work... erm, it isn't my wand... and..."

And Jake knew his wandlore. Oh yeah, if he didn't make it in the quidditch business, then he wanted to be a wandmaker. Or... something. Or... nothing.

"Don't know anything for this type of thing... 'cept the sheild charm..." Jake muttered, regretting that. He wasn't really in the mood to start with that. He didn't have his wand, he wasn't very happy and... darn it, he was just told he may as well repeat a year. "And I'm crap at magic anyway, so it hardly would make a difference whether I did that or not."

"It'll work. You're only going to be doing simple spells with it." Marcus moved around the room, changing things here and there all the while keeping Jake in his peripheral vision. He knew all about wandlore too, so he wasn't having that excuse used.

"You are crap at magic because you give up too easily." Lawson turned on him, his wand pointing straight at the young Hufflepuff. "I can't do it, I'm no good at magic..." he mimicked in a whiny voice... "blah, blah, blah. This is not what I want to hear from a student. Perhaps Professor Kazimeriz was right about you. You are going to end up in an early grave."

He gave his wand a quick jab, "RICTUSEMPRA" he roared, sending the tickling charm in Jake's direction.

Satine wondered into the Dueling Arena. She wasn't really here to duel anyone. She just really wanted to watch some of the duels, but she wasn't sure if that was allowed.

She waited until Professor Lawson was done talking to the young boy and then she spoke timidly, "Professor, do you think it would be okay if I just say in here and watched? I don't want to interrupt anything, though."

Out.

Of.

Order.

"Hey!" Jake exclaimed angrily, frowning at the man in front of him. Not what he wants to hear? Hmmm. "We don't always get what we want," Jake pointed out, managing to juuuuuust about stop himself from glaring. "And it won't work!" he added. Jake's wand was the only one that worked for him.

The.

Only.

One.

Ohhhh, he went there. The early grave thing. Oh no he diii-iiiiiint. But apparently, oh yes he did. Scowling, Jake realised there was a spell heading in his direction, almost too late. But, he'd been wary of the wand that was pointed at him, so he reacted.

Not with a sheild charm.

Nope.

Diving out of the way, Jake looked up in horror at the bloke, before scrambling to his feet and running to the door. "Hmmm... I do recall hearing something I shouldn't have," he called out, feeling a little... evil.

With his wand still pointed at Jake and never fully taking his eyes of the kid, Marcus gave Satine a warm smile. "Of course you can Satine. You could probably even show Jake here a thing or two." He snorted as he turned back to the second year and his eyes narrowed somewhat.


"How would you know, you're too scared to even try. It may even work better than your own." Marcus smirked then as Jake started to get a little fired up.

He watched as his spell left his wand and headed straight for Mr Upstead and of course instead of fighting back he took the easy way and dived out of the way. Marcus shook his head at the kid, oh he was going to make a man of him yet...even if it killed him. It was then that he heard Jake's words, he turned towards the kid.

Oh.

He.

Did.

Not just make a threat?

Raising his wand he gave it a flick and sealed the door with an invisible barrier and then he walked towards Jake Upstead, a lazy smirk on his face. Oh this was going to be fun!

"My wand is my wand!" Jake exclaimed, throwing the stupid stick down. "I can only use mine. It's just what I do..." I mean, you don't wear someone else's shoes, right? Even if they fit better. Ew. Exactly.

Totally not a cleanfreak.

Ooooooh, Lawson... struck a nerve, have we?

No.

He.

Did.

Not make a threat.

He.

Merely.

Made.

A statement.

Oh... oh, wait. Jake thought he was home free as he reached the door, before he slammed straight into something that he couldn't see. DIRTY TRICK!

"What are you doiiiiing?" Jake muttered suspiciously, eyeing the other girl who was watching. "This... this is... false imprisonment!"

I'll 'ave you for this, Lawson. Mwaha.

Dani wanted to work on her duelling. She saw a note that said she could, so she tried to enter. But the door wouldn't open. Strange. She hadn't heard of this door ever being locked. She started banging on the door. "Helllooooooo!" She shouted. "Is anybody in there?" Why couldn't she get in? That wasn't fair. She kicked the door. "Owww." Well that didn't work. So she stood there and pouted at the door.