Tiberius shivered the entire way from the castle to here, though always careful to have not been seen. But for whatever reason -- perhaps he'd adjusted to the cold -- when he finally arrived, his shivers stopped.

Stepping forward out of shadows, he called out, unconcerned about being heard. "I'm here."

Perhaps bringing a companion along with her to the Pathways had been a stupid idea, but at least she had gotten rid of him now. Although she had never stepped into this part of Hogwarts before, Madiison knew exactly where she was going, not really even caring about making noises which could attract the attention of creatures residing in the area once she was sure nobody had followed her into the forest.

She hoped she would reach her destination soon. The deeper she ventured into the forest, the colder she felt. The girl started rubbing her hands to warm herself, but it was no use.

And ... alas.

She was here.

"I have arrived." She spoke, stepping into the arena.

Stepping out from behind a large tree and looking pretty sinister, Samuel waved his wand and lit the torches that surrounded the arena. He peered at the two students in front of him, "I hope for your sakes that you weren't followed" he said as he scanned the surrounding area.

There was no point in starting the duel until the others were here. He turned his attention back towards the two and frowned, they weren't exactly what he was used to but it was all he could scrounge up. "Why don't you two warm up and get some practice in until the others arrive."

Might be a good idea to see what they could do before he placed the odds down.

"I wasn't. Made sure of it," Tiberius nodded firmly before heading over to the edge of the arena to practice, aware of Mr. Surly Barkeep's displeasure. Feh.

Defense, first, he thought to himself. Flicking is wand up, he whispered, "Protego," letting the shield form, holding a moment, and then dropping it, before repeating the spell a few more times. Satisfied, he mentally ran through the spells he thought he might use in his head.

No sense is practicing them where he opponent could see. She might get some ideas. He hoped to surprise her.

Peering over his shoulder at her, he wondered what she might use. Hoping to catch a glimpse, he turned and faced her to watch her practice.

Madiison frowned, wondering for a moment if the nameless boy would have followed her into the forest and to here, but then she shook her head. He couldn't have. He wasn't looking when she had disappeared and she had made sure there was no trail leading him here.

They were safe.

Nodding in agreement yet again, Madiison watched the other boy walk off and practice the shield charm. Repeatedly. It got boring. So, like a good little girl that Madiison had NEVER been before, she walked off to find another, private spot to practice.

Of course she was clever enough not to let the boy know of which spells she could cast. Di turned around so her back was facing the boy and she started to run through the spells one by one, whispering them to her wand instead of saying them out loud and watching the sparks disappear into the forest.

Giggle.

Oh, this boy was going to go DOWN.

Rosita Chiquita-Banana stood on the edge of the arena staring at the two combatants. She'd been to many fights of this kind, although never between children! It was so exotic and exciting.

The woman pulled her yeti-fur coat tightly across her shoulders as she leaned across the fence. "Yoo-hoo! LEETLE BOY! Come here." She waved a pair of gloves (embroidered with unicorn hair, of course) at the boy to get his attention.

Tiberius looked around the arena, his attempt to gauage his opponent's skill not as successful as he'd hoped. He was certainly the only 'leeetle boy' around at the moment, so whoever that was, she must be calling to him.

Squinting against the brightness of the flames, Tibi searched the perimeter, his eyes finally coming to rest on a woman with, what he thought to be an outlandish coat... waving her gloves at him?

Stepping over to her, as he thought it simply a polite thing to do, he nodded in response. "Yes, ma'am?" he asked, smiling a little cheekily. He thought he might rather like being the center of attention.

"Yes, turn turn turn," she twirled her finger, directing him to spin around so she could get a look at him. Rosita did NOT bet money on a lame Abraxan, and she never bet on a clear loser.

But she did like a good fight, oh yes!

"And like theeeees," Rosita held up her scrawny arm to show off her muscle. Well? Show us what you've got, child!

Tiberius quirked an eyebrow, no longer amused, though not letting the smile drop from his face.

"I am not a show pony," he said seriously, but politely, crossing his arms in front of his chest and most decidedly not turning nor flexing. "I might be small, but I'm quick and hard to hit. My aim is good, too."

He grinned at her again and winked, leaning forward with a whisper. "You can bet on me."

"Thees one, he has the heart of a little lion," Rosita decided. She twirled her finger again, just in case he changed his mind about not showing off.

"Leetle GIRL!" She shook her gloves at the GIRL this time. Perhaps she would spin.

Tiberius stepped back, smiled and then half-bowed in farewell. He did not want to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with his opponent for the time being. "Enjoy the match, ma'am," he said politely.

He turned away then, perhaps with a bit of a flourish, and looked back at her over his shoulder. It wasn't a spin, to be sure, but it was deliberate enough to give her the opportunity to appraise him, after all.

But he still wouldn't spin on command. No no.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cassirin

"Thees one, he has the heart of a little lion," Rosita decided. She twirled her finger again, just in case he changed his mind about not showing off.

"Leetle GIRL!" She shook her gloves at the GIRL this time. Perhaps she would spin.

Being rather lost in her own little bubble, Madiison had managed to miss the events which had transpired around her with the strange woman wearing a pretty clothes and her opponent. She was far too busy practicing. It wasn't until she heard 'Leetle girl' that the girl finally paid attention to the arena.

Her eyes found a woman, waving her gloves at her. Oooh. Di liked those gloves. They were preeeeeetty. Smiling, Madiison bounced right over to the woman with the pretty gloves. "Yes, ma'am?" She asked in her cute and innocent manner.

"WoOoOoOoO hOoOoOoOo!"

As she marched happily into the arena, one hand clutching a bag of coins and the other clutching her coat, Alora Lassley began hooping and hollering. "Man, I love these things!" Clearly, someone was just a little too hyped up for her own good.

"Are we ready to get good 'n started?" she questioned, her expression getting brighter and brighter by the moment. She fist-pumped her right hand, the one holding the coat, into the air.

"WoOoOoOoO hOoOoOoOo!"

As she yelled, she swung the coat around and around and around.

"WATCH WHAT YER DOIN'" The old man with the sour face snapped at the woman who had nearly hit him with her coat A MILLION TIMES. He couldn't believe people like the woman were allowed here. "I'm tryna see the combantants" he told her as he pushed past to try and get a closer look at the children.

After several minutes, he gave a hem and haw and left to look at the other arenas.

Hopefully away from swinging coats.

"Polite. Small. I do not know..." She twirled her finger in a circle. TURN TURN TURN.

"How old are you, leetle girl?"

Oh. No.

Prospero Erke didn't try to hide his displeasure as the coated broad went ahead and helped herself to a little information above himself and the others. A small smirk played on his lips as he realized he could do the same. He reached his pale hand into his coat and drew a gnarled, grey wand and casted at the young boy contestant.

"Tarantallegra!" His gruff voice bellowed out as he directed the jinx towards the boy to test his reflexes.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cassirin

"Polite. Small. I do not know..." She twirled her finger in a circle. TURN TURN TURN.

"How old are you, leetle girl?"

Madiison blinked at the woman. She BLINKED at her. Of course she was polite! Her mother would have been very unhappy if she wasn't. Not to mention how disappointed her grandmother would have been.

The red eyed the woman's finger. It seemed to be turning around in circles. What the h- OOH! Turn? Giggling lightly, Madiison twirled on the spot for the lady with flourish. "I am thirteen, ma'am." She informed her and pointed at the gloves. "Those are very pretty gloves."

Oh, what was this commotion? Di turned around to see a man with his wand out. Oh, my!

With her big eyes wide, Madiison watched the spell run towards the boy. Oooh, dear.

When an older man with a rather unpleasant face pushed past her, Alora stopped swinging her coat and took a few steps back. "Some people are just so touchy...," she mumbled, making a slight face at the old geezer.

Nobody was going to rain on her parade, though! With a quick change in expression, her eyes flickered away from the man and back towards the children.

"WoOoOoOoO hOoOoOoOo!"

...and the swinging of the coat began once again. "Let's get good 'n started!" she called out.

Tiberius stopped in his tracks as he heard a spell echo across the arena from behind him. There was no time to check to see if it was coming for him.

So he assumed it was.

Wand already in hand, Tiberius tucked and rolled left, turning to face the sound as he flicked his wand and yelled, "Protego!" His speed surprised even him, but he smirked none-the-less as the spell bounced off the shield and he rose, unharmed.

He let the shield drop, keeping an eye on the gathering crowd, as he addressed the barkeep that seemed to be in charge. "Oi, I thought I was here to fight her, not the spectators?"

"Leave the leetle boy alone, you old goat," Rosita shook her gloves at Prospero.

It was flirtation. Clearly.

"Thank you, my dahling. The gloves, they are unicorn hair." She twisted them to show the sparkle. "You beat the leetle boy. Do it for Rosita."

She turned away from the fence to go place her bet.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cassirin

"Leave the leetle boy alone, you old goat," Rosita shook her gloves at Prospero.

It was flirtation. Clearly.



"Thank you, my dahling. The gloves, they are unicorn hair." She twisted them to show the sparkle. "You beat the leetle boy. Do it for Rosita."

She turned away from the fence to go place her bet.

Madiison giggled as she looked at the pretty gloves.

Unicorn hair?

But ... wasn't that ... ? Nevermind. Madiison smiled the lady, nodding enthusiastically at the idea of beating that boy. And winning. "I will." Then, the girl bounced right back to her corner and started to practice again.

When did they staaaaart?! Pout.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anna Banana

When an older man with a rather unpleasant face pushed past her, Alora stopped swinging her coat and took a few steps back. "Some people are just so touchy...," she mumbled, making a slight face at the old geezer.

Nobody was going to rain on her parade, though! With a quick change in expression, her eyes flickered away from the man and back towards the children.

"WoOoOoOoO hOoOoOoOo!"

...and the swinging of the coat began once again. "Let's get good 'n started!" she called out.

That one was annoying. He'd made his mind up about that. Prospero visibly winced everytime the lady opened her mouth. "A little patience. You should try it." His expression snapped into a sarcastic smile. "You do know what patience is, don't you?"

Quote:

Originally Posted by AmbiguouslyMe

Tiberius stopped in his tracks as he heard a spell echo across the arena from behind him. There was no time to check to see if it was coming for him.

So he assumed it was.

Wand already in hand, Tiberius tucked and rolled left, turning to face the sound as he flicked his wand and yelled, "Protego!" His speed surprised even him, but he smirked none-the-less as the spell bounced off the shield and he rose, unharmed.

He let the shield drop, keeping an eye on the gathering crowd, as he addressed the barkeep that seemed to be in charge. "Oi, I thought I was here to fight her, not the spectators?"

Prospero tucked his wand between his arm and his torso to give a slow, but nonetheless quite impressed show of applause. "Good forrrm." His r's rolled just a tiny bit in what was left of his South African accent. On the boy, no doubt, was where Prospero would be placing his bet. He looked above the heads, his eyes searching for Huxley.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cassirin

"Leave the leetle boy alone, you old goat," Rosita shook her gloves at Prospero.

It was flirtation. Clearly.

"Do not worry yourself, Madame." He said apologetically, though he spoke with the sort of tone that gave nearly everything he said a vague sort of insincerity. "I was merely testing the boys reflexes." He flirted back coolly.

...and just like that, the swinging of the coat stopped.

What was wrong with people today?!?! This was supposed to be a happy moment---there were kids....KIDS!!!...out there. Where was all the excitement?!?! Alora knew she should have brought her sisters along. At least they'd be a hoopin' and a hollerin' with her.

They may have even brought their coats along, too. It'd be a swingin' good time for all!

"Well pin a rose on your nose," she spat back. "Patience, hmm? So I guess that little leg dance you caused was just made of the will to wait?"

Fiesty. This one. "Not at all, Madame. Merrely the will to see what my money would be placed on." He gave her a wink and a patronizing chin-tickle.