"You'll be coming only if you can find me.'' Adi smiled innocently. Gosh, would he ever get tired of their little banters? Apparently not. But not that he cared. It was all so much fuuun!
................

Alright, so Adi may joke around a lot but not when it came to his feelings for AJ. "I do love you,'' he said repeated firmly. She must get that through her addled mind. But he guessed she didn't remember how insecure he could get in that state. "We'll get you some tacos later.'' Hehe. They could make that date in the kitchens. Tacos and Chocolate Froggies. YUM! "Well, having me in your life is pretty the best thing so yeah, you are winning at it.'' LOL. Him? A cheater? Nope, he played fair. Always did and always will.

Dress? Party? Cue more laughter on Adi's part! Oh man! It couldn't get any better than this! "Quit complaining and get dressed this instant, young lady!'' he said in a high pitched female voice though he had nooooo idea what AJ's mom sounded like.

Buuuuut on the bright side, his Tickling charm did the trick! Had he ever mentioned he liked it when AJ laughed? Well, he did. Maybe that was why he was so late in using Protego Maxima again to defend himself and wound up finding his feet jerking in all directions... because he stood there listening to her.

WOAAAH!

Uh oh. He wasn't going to fall over, was he? Adi flailed his hand about, trying to maintain his balance.

Eden watched Lux go...hmm. The dummy seemed to disappear almost instant--in a weird fashion, too. Eden clapped a little and sighed. "Yeah--good job, Lux--" she said softly, her mind suddenly..mushy.

In an instant, her entire...mood changed. Something was off. She could feel a bad mood coming on...and there was no reason for it. None at all. But she frowned and she twirled her wand once in her hand before pointing it at the dummy she had claimed. Should be easy enough....right....

Since when have easy things been easy for you though, hmm? Never. Lux is probably better than you...you know that? Lux, for Merlin's sake. Eden rubbed her head, frowning more....shaking her thoughts a bit. Okay...."Wh-what spell are we--right--Evanesco--" she said softly, prepping to do the spell again....she didn't know what had gotten into her. She didn't know why she was suddenly feeling so down on herself...especially with Lux, who was sunshine in HUMAN FORM.

"E-Evan--Evanesco--" she cried, shakily, and nothing happened...not even a light from her wand. She sighed and looked down, at her feet. She ran her hand through her hair, taking a few deep breaths.

You got this, McGee...

No...I don't.

"Let me try-let me try again--" she said, though the change in her demeanor was quite visible. Raising a shaky hand at the dummy, she cried, "Evanesco!"

........and nothing.

Bambi had looked ALL over for someone to do the Defence homework with. She didn't want to duel with anyone younger than a sixth year because she preferred learning and not teaching this time. There were some spells that she really did need to work on, and would definitely feel bad practicing on third years.

Then she'd realised - what better person to learn from than a Professor himself? One (cold) trip to the dungeons later, and Bambi had herself a partner. Probably the best partner she could get. The blonde walked into the dueling arena with a determined look about her, taking in the multitudes of kids already there and looking for an open spot.

"See some place we can go, Professor?"

As the dummy vanished, Lux BEAMED. She hadn't practiced this one much since the concept of non-being unsettled her somewhat, but it definitely had its uses and was a good one to know. Fortunately she wasn't required to perform it on Eden because that would have made her very sad.

Twirling her wand happily and eager to see how Eden would do, it took a moment to realize that something was wrong. Knowing how her friend was, she was aware of the occasional sudden mood changes and they could be rather worrying. "Good try, I'm sure you will get it next time." Hopefully it would pass soon, and if not maybe a big hug would help; Lux was always giving those away for free.

Besides, they had loads of time.

Cosgrach followed the blonde at ease. This would be eeeeeasy peeeeeasy. Completely. He was merely doing it for her education. He eyed the people that were there, and shrugged at her.

"We can practise there," he said as he pointed to an empty area, and drew his wand from its wrist holster.

"Do you want a proper duel or should we take it slow?" Y'know, since these were her weakest spells. He, on the other hand, could practise a few as well do all.

Bambi nodded and followed her Potions professor to the spot and put her bag and clock down on the floor. RIGHT. Yes. Duelling. "Um," she may or may not be a liiiiiiiitle nervous, and probably a little rusty, "proper duel? I kind of want to see how I do with that first, and then if there's something I'm just REALLY bad at we could do again after?" Seemed like a good idea to her, at any rate.

Twirling her wand in her hand, Bambi thought back to the lesson. There were quite a number of spells she was a little sloppy at, and was about to tell the Professor when she thought twice about it. They were going to DUEL. She shouldn't give away her hand like that! Hmm. Feeling a little better with that knowledge, Bambi rolled her shoulders and got into position.

Cosgrach nodded and SMILED at the girl. A proper duel, they would have! He hadn't had any duel since his own Hogwarts - no, scrap that. His first ex wife had... attacked him. Yeah. Ahem.

STILL.

"As you wish," he said, bowed, and got ready. He didn't cast anything yet, though, because this was still HER homework, and waited for her.

When people smiled at her, Bambi automatically smiled back. When authority figures smiled at her, she always felt like she had to overcompensate and up the voltage of her smiles. Therefore, Bambi BEAMED at Culloden and bowed deeply.

OKAY. Duel time. Bambi's mind went back to her training back at Salem, and she took a deep breath. Light on her feet, firm grip on her wand, flexible wrist. She cleared her head of distractions, and mentally ran through all the possible spells that they had been tasked with practicing.

Well, let's start with an easy one? Just to see that she could still do offensive spells? "Immobulus!" she cast, her voice a little too forceful but her wand movement on point. Calm, Bambi. Breathe. Soft voice. Perhaps she could throw in a nonverbal? Hmm.

Kace saw him reflect the spell and he was impressed with his quick reflexes. He smiled and then he saw his wand at the ready and used his quidditch like reflexes and said, "PROTEGO!" and then he deflected the spell. Well he thought he and he realized he was growing long teeth. BLOODY MERLIN. He didn't do it in time. GAH! He muttered the spell, "REUDCIO!" and then the teeth stopped growing.

He breathed heavily and had to think quick on his feet. He was glad his teeth were getting back to normal. He would have to check in the mirror later on. He needed them to be perfect for his mother. He looked at Puck who snorted at him and he glared at her. He stuck his tongue out. "Yeah we are it for practice.." he gestured toward the Slytherin. He heard Cutty talking to him and smirked and thought of a spell quickly to use.

"PETRIFICUS TOTALUS!" and he said it confidently and swished his wand and hoped it worked.

It was getting hard to keep straight the spells she said she needed to work on versus the ones Cutty needed to work on, because really, she could probably use the practice on every one they'd mentioned so far. As they were in the same year, they mostly knew all the same things, though... Sophie was curious - could Cutty produce a patronus? Could he summon up a thought happy enough?

Guess they would find out.

"Good game plan, chief. Let's get the ball rolling." She mirrored his movements and did what he did, thereby bowing again when he did, and a big, goofy grin spread across her face at him letting her go first.

"Okay. I'll help y'out first. We both need the pierce protecting one, so..." Sophie paused, considering wand movements and such before jabbing her wand toward the Slytherin and casting, "Shrowan!" Though she wasn't the best at conjuration prior to this term, the Ravenclaw had been working her bum off to improve in transfiguration, and it paid off - a single arrow shot toward Cutty. And, at that precise moment, she also noticed Culloden was across the room behind Cutty, and she grinned.

This was gonna be fun.

Puck just nodded as she heard Cutty’s explanation. Made sense. “yeah…I wasn’t there the whole detention – badge loss and well that whole mess” she shrugged and then grinned over to Cutty. “Oh hey Cutty, guess who has their badge back?” She beamed and twisted her hand around as if she were showing off a beautiful piece of well, zonk…or some other shiny wonderful priced-just-right item.

“Five spells? Well I’ll have a go at this whoever wins?” She grinned because really who would want to fight the loser of the duel? “Then whoever lost afterward,” she beamed and grinned over to them.

“Awww…Kace…” she sighed and watched as the teeth were shrunken just a bit. “I think you have to stop the movement first?” She shrugged, “besides radicchio is a lettuce.” Yes she gave him a wink. Because that was clearly important here.

When Kace's teeth grew in, all Cutty would think that somewhere out there, there was a witch who was looking for a brother who could bit an apple through a white picket fence. It was strange how no matter what you were, there was always someone there to chase you down-or love you as it is known to those of us who aren't Cutty.

He let his mind drift a bit to Eden and Phoenix and the colour of Puck's lips as she flashed him her badge before straightening completely and being unable to move. Now would be a really good time to practice wordless and wandless magic. There was the commonly used spell that Cutty could do wordlessly with good result, but without use of his wand or tongue it proved impossible for the dark haired boy and so he remained. On his back like Amortentia.


This was going to be fun. The smile on his face said he thought as much. It even increased when they were joined by Cosgrach Culloden, who it seemed to Cutty just wanted to be like one of the students.

HAHHAhah hAHAHHAhAhahahaahHAHaHa!!

"Duro!" He said, his wand out and aimed at the arrow flying toward him. He dodged last minute letting it crumble to the ground. If he hadn't made it, missed by timing or centimeter, Sophie's arrow would've gone straight through his shoulder. He did NOT consider this. In fact, either for ignorance or arrogance (possibly both) he did not consider this practice dangerous for either of them.

"I like it when you call me Chief." She could've meant this sarcastically, but Cutty gave no nevaminds about it. It happened. And that was all that mattered. "Hit me me again, Brown." He said, open for another one of her shots.

Merlin what they were actually becoming friends? What if it lasted? For a long time like? And then he eventually had to say, 'Hit me again, Thompson-Fuller.'


Ugh.

...Yo, kid was WEIRD.

Sophie watched with curious eyes as Cutty did not, in fact, practice Impiriano at all with this one, and instead opted for a different spell - it was cool, though, and she snickered to herself when he had to jump out of the way. Really, that hadn't been the best defense for himself, but... maybe he wasn't really trying to defend himself so much as be creative and have a good time.

He seemed exhilarated, at least. She noticed the brightness in his eyes with interest. He was... really enjoying this already, wasn't he? Very in his element. It was nice to see.

Was he being serious about the name thing? She decided so, which made her snort with laughter, then she raised her wand at him again. "Okay, chief. Ummm." There was too much quick-thinking involved in a dueling scenario for homework purposes, and she was glad that Cutty didn't seem to mind her wanting to talk through it and discuss things a bit as they went. She liked going first and the fact that he was letting her act first. The power was in her hands.

...But there was too much suspense right now. "Time out. I can't do this. Not till I see your patronus. It's distracting. Can you actually do it? Can I see? Please?" She was grinning from ear-to-ear and couldn't STOP. She just wanted to KNOW, okay? "Do you have a good enough memory for it? Do I need to send a tickling charm your way to help, too?" Like he offered to do for her? HMMMM?

Cosgrach beamed back too. This duel was going to be great, he knew it. He might even be a gentleman and let her win, y'know? Yeah. Completely. Boost her ego.

Okay, time to focus. He didn't glance at other students not to be distracted, and therefore, didn't see Sophie and Cutty yet.

The moment he saw her pronounce the first syllable, he yelled "Protego!" to shield himself. He wouldn't go down at her first try. As soon as his 'protego' was finished, he cast "Tarantallegra!" at her with the correct wand movement. He was taking it easy on her too, until she got used to it.

YES THAT WAS HER, HELLO!

Observing? Maggie looked around the room too, mimicking his actions. Hmm. That sounded mighty boring. Especially if he could be working with her instead. Yes? That sounded like a really good idea. And she'd only JUST COME UP WITH THAT. She was so awesome, seriously. And clever.

And opportunistic even though she probably didn't even know how to spell that.

"I am, if you are." Homeworking that is. Hehe.

It was cute how he thought he would be able to escape from her even if they were both only joking around. "No need to run because I will find you," she said in her best imitation of a clingy girl's voice.

Mmmhmm, he kept throwing around that love word, but AJ didn't think he knew what it meant. Not that she really cared one way or the other in her confused state. Tacos and sleep, please? Apparently that was too much to ask because they were still dueling. Why? She had no idea. "Tacos now." What part of that was he not getting? Was it the best thing ever? "Maybe somebody that wasn't shooting spells at me constantly would be better." Just saying.

Her mom was giving her a hard time. Of course she was. "Nooooo. Make Angel go and tell everybody it's me. Nobody will know the difference." Perks to sharing the same face as someone else.

The non stop tickling sensation was still as present as ever, but knowing that she was making Adi dance uncontrollably pretty much made up for her discomfort. Now she was laughing at the sight of him, and from being tickled. Why not have just a little bit more fun? "Impedimenta." HEHEHEHE. Hopefully it would work.

Bambi watched as her spell bounced harmlessly off Culloden's shield and vowed to do better the next time. Where the seventh year lacked in spellwork and confidence, she more than made up for in agility. Light and easy on her feet, Bambi leaped out of harms's way, stumbling a little but recovering quickly.

Without missing a beat, Bambi pointed her wand directly at the Professor's face. Specifically his mouth. "Lentesco," she cast, drawing a horizontal line and praying her aim was still as good as she remembered it. In quick succession she then cast, "Rictusempra!" and held her stance.

Agile, wasn't she?

Cosgrach nodded to himself a little as he thought of his next spell: Confundo, gonna cast nonverbally. Since she wanted a real duel, he would even -

"Protego!" Again, this time around his face. The previous 'protego' would hopefully protect him from the second spell as he non-verbally sent a Confundo! her way.

She was fierce!

Eden took a deeeeep breath and had to FOCUS. This spell wasn't too difficult--she could DO this--she just had to shake her rude thoughts away, and QUICKLY.

UGH.

But she kept breathing deeply...and doing something her Mam had told her to do when she felt like this...clearing her throat, she counted to three, and on each number, she thought of something good about herself...

One.....you're really good with snakes...and you have your license and everything...

Two...you have pretty eyes and people like your eyes, McGee....

Three...you're smart and stuff even if not everyone SEEs it...

And with those thoughts now swirling around, she bit her lip and squinted at the dummy before her. "Evanesco!" she cried, and when the spell didn't work, yet again, she growled and rounded on the dummy, again, and blasted her wand at it, SCREAMING the spell--"EVANESCO!"

And....miraculously....it disappeared. O_O The dummy was no more. And Eden panted a bit..."Okay." She said. "I'm fine." She hissed at Lux, basically a silent warning not to come NEAR her in this state...

Kace saw Puck show her badge and he was impressed she got it back with getting detention and all that. He gave her a thumbs up and smiled in approval. He shrugged and was being a sore loser here. He motioned for her to come up there and help me. "Cans youz helpzzz meez?" he asked. He needed this charm to wore off.



Then as he asked Puck for help, he saw Cutty just standing there. He had his eyes concentrated on him. What in the bloody merlin was he doing? He furrowed his eyebrows in confusion and had one skeptical brow raised. Whatever he was doing it wasn't working on him. He didn't feel anything. He just wanted Puck's help. WAIT! His spell worked because he wasn't moving! SWEET!

Agatha walked into the dueling arena, her face already slightly red and a frown in place. This time it wasn't her typical frown, it was more of a mixture between annoyed and worried.

Dropping her bag on the floor, she took her wand out and sharply waved it a bit. She would open her textbook and pick the speels before Aegis arrived, but... no. She would try and remember some from the lessons. Hm.

Frown.

....

O_O

SWEET CIRCE that was unsettling.

Startled, Lux stared at Eden as she had a mini freak out and blasted the dummy away into nothingness before rounding on her. Errrrm... "Good job?" Yeah, no glaring please because she had gotten the message to STAY AWAY. No hugs for Eden and they would move on to the next spell.

"So... Expecto Patronum?" Might be a good idea. Maybe the HAPPY thoughts required for a patronus to work would help get rid of the anger... Besides, Lux was curious to see what form hers would take since she had only ever tried the spell out once and it had been ages ago. She was much better at spell work now that she had more confidence in her abilities.

"That's because you're a stalker.'' Not just any stalker but his stalker. Hehe. And still her confused state was funny. Except for the part where she thought he didn't love her but that was his fault, wasn't it? He had thrown the Confundus charm at her. It would wear off. "Tacos and Chocolate Frogs,'' Adi promised before snorting. Right. "Never thought I would hear you complain about someone throwing spells at you.'' AJ ALWAYS loved a good competition or challenge.

"Everyone will know the difference.'' Still in the fake female voice, the fifth year continued. "She is more feminine than you. Now for goodness sake, put on that fancy dress!'' LOL. AJ and dresses? The two did not particularly go hand in hand.

Oh yeah. He was totally going to land on his bum. Adi could already feel himself falling backwards... but wait. He was falling ever so slooooooooowwwwlllllllyyyyyy. Huh?

It took him a while to fully realise AJ had used on him the jinx that he had demonstrated in the last DADA class. But hey, maybe it was a good thing she used it. When he landed on back instead, it didn't hurt as much as he thought it would because of the reduced speed. He lay there staring up at the Arena's ceiling, trying to catch his breath.

Thankfully, the Impediment jinx didn't last long but he had lost his wand in the process... and his feet were still jerking."Great job, AJ! You're getting a whole lot better with your spell work.'' Indeed she was and Adi was SUPER proud of her. "How about you casting 'Finite on my feet for me?" Oh and she was back to normal now, riiiiight? No longer confused?

Hmm. SO THEN. If Toby was figuring this out right, they were both doing the homework and both needed a partner, so maybe... JUST MAYBE... yes.

"Fancy partnering up with me, then?" he said cheerfully to the Slytherin. "That'd be cool, right?" He thought about also pointing out that he really was hopeless at some of the more offensive spells, but decided that maybe he'd not NEED to show that, if they were about to demonstrate.

Though, he still felt iffy at casting AT a student. Especially a student like Magdalena, who he'd helped a bunch in Potions last time. It just felt like... BETRAYAL. But... they were supposed to be learning how to get better at these spells for a reason, so... y'know.

Toby twirled his wand through his fingers again, running through a mental list of spells that he needed to really work on and try to improve. Likelihood was that he wouldn't end up doing much, or any, damage, honestly. Maybe Maggie could totally handle herself in the Duelling Arena. Wouldn't surprise him.

Wow....wow...just Wow...He managed to convince Agatha Hapgood to do the Homework with him. He had to look over the Bulletin a few times and wrote out the spells on a small piece of parchment, and read up on as many of the ones he didn't know about to try and become a better Wizard.

Better than when he left.

"Agatha, surprised you beat me here." He said as came out of nowhere behind her. He took out his wand and flicked his wrist a bit while holding onto it with his thumb and forefinger tightly. "I was thinking. For the Homework we could actually use it to Strengthen our Shield Charms." See so improving their offensive spells would also work, Aegis was more focused on having the Best shield he could possibly cast. "Unless you want to just have a fully fledged duel first?" See what they could properly improve on.