Open Getting A Head Start

[Apolline Fontaine]

Apolline had been disappointed that there had been no duelling in the semester, but she had also known that it wouldn't really matter since for her, she wouldn't have been allowed to participate. Now though, as a second year, now she was allowed to do so, and intended to do so. She wanted to be good at it. Wanted to win. Glory to her name and all that. Apolline had therefore decided to come to the duelling chamber where she knew she could at the very least practice some of the spells that she would be able to use and she felt like it would give her a bit of an advantage when it came to it.

 

[Anisha Khatri]

If Anisha thought about it, she could still get angry at the lack of dueling tournament last year. She knew that logically it didn't actually end her streak of winning, but it still felt like it. It was stupid, and she really hoped it would come back this year. Dueling was fun, probably the best thing to do at this school, and Anisha was good at it. She really hoped it would continue again this year, she had a Ravenclaw to beat after all.

The girl made her way to the dueling chamber, wondering if she could find the new SDA leader and figure out if they were planning on holding the tournament. If she couldn't find them, she figured she might as well train and practice some spells. But as she headed into the chamber, she just saw a young girl. "Oh, hey." She said, then she tilted her head. "Are you lost?"

 

[Apolline Fontaine]

Apolline glanced at the girl who arrived at the duelling chamber and then shook her head. "No, I was looking for the duelling chamber," she explain, somewhat unnecessarily, all she had needed to say was no she wasn't lost. "I'm allowed to be here," she then added, almost as a question, with the slightest inflection in her tone.

 

[Anisha Khatri]

Anisha hadn’t meant her question rudely, but she realised it probably sounded that way. She shrugged. “Of course you’re allowed to be here, I was just making sure since it’s a bit out of the way.” She said to the girl. “Are you here to practice?” She asked, glancing around. “I was hoping to do that myself. Or talk to someone if I could, but they don’t seem to be here.” Anisha didn’t actually know who had taken over the club, but she knew it wouldn’t be this girl who was at most a third year. “Can you duel?”

 

[Apolline Fontaine]

Apolline gave a little reassured expression. She had been sure she would be allowed there, but this helped her feel a little more comfortable with being there. "I am," she said before glancing a little around as the girl did. It would be better to practice with someone, but Apolline was sure that practicing with someone older than her wouldn't be smart. "In theory, yes," she replied. "But, I haven't yet been able to do it in practice,"

 

[Anisha Khatri]

Anisha smiled as the younger girl confirmed she was here to practice. Even if she was a third year, she couldn't have any dueling experience here yet, since the tournament last year had been canceled. "What year are you?" She asked, sizing the girl up. "I'm a good duelist, won champion for my year all years I participated." She said with a small shrug, deciding not to mention that was only twice. A two-year streak was still good, right? And it would have been three. "Maybe I can help?"

 

[Apolline Fontaine]

Apolline was very impressed that this girl had won two tournaments. She wondered if there had been one during the last year, that it might've ended up with there being three wins, which was pretty amazing. "Second year," and Apolline nodded eagerly. "I'd appreciate it, any tips or advice would be helpful,"

 

[Anisha Khatri]

Anisha had the idea the girl was impressed by her winning, which made her happy. It also made her take a liking to the younger girl immediately. "Yes, alright." She said, clapping her hands. "First, you need to know that as a second year, you don't have the best spells at your disposal yet. But that's okay, you have everything you need." She told her, starting to talk animatedly. "To win a duel you need to do one of two things, you need to either knock your opponent out or disarm them. So a good call is to practice the stupefy charm, as well as expelliarmus."

 

[Apolline Fontaine]

Apolline nodded along as the girl began explaining it to her. Giving her actually useful advice on how to do in a duel. It wasn't that she was expecting the girl to be unhelpful, but just she expected it to be a little laced with unhelpful things. "I'm pretty good at stupefy already," Apolline claimed boldly. "I can also manage a trip jinx, does dropping your wand count as losing?" she asked. Wondering if just dropping a wand would count or if she'd need to like grab it.

 

[Anisha Khatri]

Anisha nodded as the girl said she was good at stupefy. "Good, that's a useful spell, but you should also practice your blocking spells. I prefer to focus on attack, but it's undeniably useful." She told her. She smiled at the younger girl's question, it was a good one. "If they drop their wand they lose, so if you manage that you win automatically." She said with a nod. "A trip jinx could result in that, but they might hold onto their wand. I recommend the disarming spell."

 

[Apolline Fontaine]

Apolline nodded in understanding at each of the different things that the girl was telling her. She thought defensive magic would be quite useful, but having spells hit was necessary for success. She wondered if it would be possible for someone to forfeit. To make them forfeit. "Okay," she agreed. "Are there any specific second year spells which are good to know?"

 

[Anisha Khatri]

Anisha considered her reply carefully, she liked having this sort of mentor role, and wanted to give actually good advice. “I’d say the knee-reversing hex could be a good one, it could catch opponents off guard, but it’s a bit trickier.” She admitted. “But it’s good to use a variety of spells, keep them on their toes.”

 

[Apolline Fontaine]

Apolline nodded, she didn't know the knee-reversing hex, but she could agree it was probably a good one. One which wasn't duel ending but could certainly - if it hit - help along the way to wanting the duel to end. "A variety is good," she repeated, though not to question, as if to just cement it in her mind. "What's your favourite spell?"

 

[Anisha Khatri]

Anisa had to think about the girl's question for a moment, she shrugged after pondering it. "I'm not sure if it's a favorite, but I tend to default to the disarming spell when I can't think of anything else, it's always a good backup." She told her. "Want to practice it?" She suggested.

 

[Apolline Fontaine]

Apolline had expected her to have a favourite spell, or a favourite so far spell. The gryffindor nodded with a wide smile. "Please!" she said, maybe a bit too eagerly, but wasn't about to restrain herself. She wanted to get better at it, to get better at her spells so she might actually succeed in the duel.

 

[Anisha Khatri]

Anisha smiled at the girl's enthusiasm, taking out her wand and pushing up her sleeves. "Alright." She said with a smile. "I'll use it on you first, then I'll talk you through it and you can try to disarm me." She told her, then quickly pointed her wand at the younger girl and cast a spell. "Expelliarmus!"

 

[Apolline Fontaine]

Apolline was very excited about it, she moved to stand in front of Anisha. she nodded, but of course was not quick enough to block the spell, so her wand flew easily out of her hand and into the older girl's hand. "Oh dear, I need to get faster too," Apolline commented with a shrug.

 

[Anisha Khatri]

Anisha wasn’t surprised she had managed to disarm a second year, buit she was still pleased with how quickly she had managed it. She smiled at the younger girl. “No worries, that’ll come with practice.” She told her, handing her her wand back. “It’s important to be quick but steady with this spell. It’s easier to disarm someone who is just holding their wand loosely, but you won’t encounter that in a duel.” Anisha moved back again and took a relaxed stance. “Still, it’s easier to start that way. Try disarming me now.

 

[Apolline Fontaine]

Apolline took her wand back and gave a somewhat strained smile, embarrassed a little by how easy it had been for the older girl. She nodded at the encouragement. She took her stance with her wand out and after taking a moment said. "Expelliarmus," she managed to at least cast it, but wasn't sure if Anisha would let her win her wand or if she would block the spell.

 

[Anisha Khatri]

Anisha had to really force herself not to defend herself or to duck out of the way. She hadn't gripped her wand very well, so it flew out of her wand at the first attempt. She smiled at the younger girl. "Yeah, good job." She said. "Though as I said, unless you're facing someone really bad, they'll be holding their wand a bit better." She said. "Wanna try again with me attempting to stop you?"

 

[Apolline Fontaine]

Apolline felt a little pride at managing to get the spell to work, though it was undercut by the older girl saying she had had it easy. Apolline wanted it to be a challenge even if she was out-matched by this girl. She just wanted to be good at it. Apolline nodded eagerly. "Please,"

 

[Anisha Khatri]

Anisha smiled encouragingly at the girl as she said she wanted to learn more. "What's your name, anyway?" She asked, realizing she wanted to know. She wanted to see how she would do in the upcoming tournament. Anisha took a duelling stance, holding her wand more firmly like she was also planning to cast a spell. "Alright, try again."

 

[Apolline Fontaine]

Apolline smiled, "Oh, it's Apolline Fontaine," she introduced herself to the older girl. "What's yours?" she asked before taking a duelling stance, mimicing how the other girl was doing it. Wanting to have the right stance that she needed. She took a moment to steady her breath and then cast again, "Expelliarmus,"

 

[Anisha Khatri]

Anisha nodded as the girl introduced herself, she had a pretty cool name. "I'm Anisha Khatri." She said, smiling with a feeling of pride as the younger girl copied her stance. Something about this teaching thing was kind of nice. She took a better stance herself, though she still didn't properly defend herself. She beamed as her wand shot out of her hand again. "Hey, good job! It felt stronger that time."

 

[Apolline Fontaine]

Apolline smiled as Anisha introduced herself. Apolline had taken the stance, and watched happily as the wand shot out of her hand. "Thanks!" she beamed happily, so pleased that it had been stronger, that she might've managed to do better. "It felt stronger," Apolline added, though she wasn't really sure if it really had been.