"Harry Potter- Ravenclaw"Chapter 5: The Approaching Dueling Club
If any student happened to oversleep at lunchtime and missed the news about the "Dueling Club," they'd soon catch up—by the time they arrived in class, talk of tonight's gathering in the Great Hall was everywhere. Professors themselves would be demonstrating real dueling techniques.
No one was more excited than Anthony Goldstein.
He could barely sit still as they waited for class to start, waving his arms with wild enthusiasm. "Dueling isn't just talk—tonight we'll actually get to practice! Finally!"
"I really think they should've done this ages ago! All the spells we've learned so far—they're just chips to wager on victory or defeat!"
"I recognize that line. It's from Wanderings with Werewolves," Terry Boot chimed in, glancing up from his desk. "Who do you reckon will be the one demonstrating?"
Anthony struck a pose, hand cupping his chin. "Could be Professor Flitwick, you know."
"My family told me he competed in dueling tournaments when he was young—won the whole thing, apparently."
"A dueling champion?" Michael set down his quill, shoving his notebook aside. "Professor Flitwick's that good?"
Chris Moon let out a low whistle. "Blimey, never would've guessed! Which tournament was it?"
Everyone now had a better sense of Anthony's family background, so when he said he'd "heard something," it was usually worth believing.
"Let me think… what was it called…" Anthony scratched his head. "That dueling championship… I think any wizard in Britain could enter…"
"Is it the 'All-Britain Wizard Dueling Championship'?" Wyzett offered. "I remember it's held every two years."
"No age limit, so they've got loads of safety measures. There are new entrants every time."
"Yes, that's it!" Anthony slapped his forehead, his eyes lighting up. "There's another one next year, and apparently the winner gets a magical creature's egg as a prize!"
"The All-Britain Wizard Dueling Championship…" Chris sighed. "Even if it's open to all ages, it's not like we'll be in it. Let's just look forward to tonight's Dueling Club!"
…
Michael pulled his notebook over and slid it in front of Wyzett. "Hey, Wyzett, which of these spells should I focus on?"
"Tarantallegra, the Leg-Locker Curse, and the Tickling Charm?" Wyzett scanned the scribbled notes.
"Planning to use them tonight at the Dueling Club, or just for practice later?"
"Tonight, of course!" Michael coughed, trying to sound casual. "There'll be loads of students—I can't fall behind!"
"Heh… I know exactly what you're thinking," Anthony teased. "Next time, wipe your chin—you're practically drooling."
"Oh, like you don't want to show off!" Michael shot back, raising his eyebrows. "Even if you don't, you can't let yourself lose to your opponent, right?"
Wyzett grinned. "I'd suggest combining Tarantallegra and the Leg-Locker Curse. The two together can really catch someone off guard."
With a legendary Auror in his family, Anthony immediately caught on. "Start with Tarantallegra to throw them off, then hit them with the Leg-Locker Curse!"
"Exactly." Wyzett nodded. "In a formal duel, as long as your opponent can't fight back, you win."
"There's a bit in Travels with Trolls where they use those two spells together—left a troll flat on its face."
Anthony added, "If it's not a formal duel, make sure to use a few extra spells—or just grab their wand so they can't retaliate."
"Tarantallegra and the Leg-Locker Curse, got it!" Terry scribbled furiously in his notebook, determined to practice them later.
Chris did the same, muttering the spell names to himself.
…
"Are two spells enough?" Michael asked, looking a bit uncertain. "Shouldn't I have a defensive spell too?"
"Doesn't Lockhart go on about the Shield Charm in his books? What do you think of that one, Wyzett?"
"I wouldn't really recommend it…" Wyzett shook his head. "The incantation isn't hard, but actually mastering it is another story."
"Why's that?" Michael frowned. "It comes up all the time in the books."
"To cast a reliable Shield Charm, you need a really steady heart…" Wyzett paused, searching for the right words.
"If your finger is the opponent's magic, then your Shield Charm should be like your eye!" He held up a finger, suddenly bringing it close to his eye. "Don't blink, not even once…"
"If your heart wavers, the Shield Charm gets unstable—sometimes it's better just to dodge. Really, casting it is all about overcoming your own fear."
"Exactly! That's what my great-aunt always says," Anthony agreed, nodding. "Just learning the spell doesn't mean you'll pull it off in a real duel."
"And let's be honest, the club starts at eight tonight—how late can it go? Ten at most? We've still got Astronomy later, and I haven't heard anything about that being cancelled."
"Fair enough!" Michael nodded. "I'll stick with Tarantallegra and the Leg-Locker Curse for now."
By the time afternoon classes ended, talk of the Dueling Club was everywhere—most students were buzzing with anticipation for the evening's event.
Neville was part of the other group. He looked positively anxious, clutching his notebook and muttering under his breath.
"As long as there's no physical contact… then it counts as dueling…" Fred sidled up, peering at Neville's notes. "Want to borrow a couple of fireworks and just lob them over?"
"Fireworks?" Neville blinked, puzzled. "Are we allowed to do that?"
"Of course not!" George clapped him on the shoulder. "But if you're up against a Slytherin, just light 'em up and go out with a bang—BOOM! We'll remember you forever!"
"Or just pretend your opponent's a Mandrake," Luna suggested dreamily. "All you have to do is help them put on a scarf and socks."
Hannah giggled. "Mandrakes… that doesn't sound scary at all."
Wyzett offered his own advice. "Don't forget to use the Full Body-Bind Curse—didn't you all practice that recently?"
"Luna's right—just think of them as Mandrakes, and the scarf and socks are the Full Body-Bind."
"Brilliant!" George whistled. "You've got a real knack for explaining things!"
"Then let's imagine we're fireworks!" Fred closed his eyes, grinning. "Go out with a bang!"
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