Training for the Dueling Tournament Part 2

[Brian Getathorn XIX]

Brian was wearing his Ravenclaw robes wondering if he might be able to get them modified so that they were better equipped for dueling. He thought about asking Zazuka since she knew how to sew but then decided against it. Brian rarely ever visited the cliffs but since too many students were practicing in the Dueling chamber and the Quidditch pitch had been booked for Slytherin's training session it seemed like the only places where Brian could train was the cliffs or the forest. The forest was filled with dangerous centaurs among other creatures and so it didn't make sense to go up in there and risk getting into trouble. Brian knew a short cut from the Quidditch pitch up into the cliffs where there were a few caves nearby and so took it in order to maximise his time.

Brian stared at all the boulders and wondered which spells might be usefull. "Wingardium Leviosa!" Brian said making the swish and flick movement that caused a rather large boulder to float into the air. When Brian was a first year using this spell he'd never have been able to lift a boulder like this and while it wasn't floating high it was still able to move about. Brian gave a thrusting movement with his wand causing the boulder to be ejected away as if it had been released from a catapult. Brian ran over to the edge of the cliff and saw as the boulder made a large noise cracking itself on the way to the ground. Brian wondered if that trick might be usefull when he participated in the tournament, at the very least it may give him an element of surprise.

 

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

Andy felt lately like she was walking on air, she now had a constant smile on her face and truly felt as if she were at peace with the world at last. She didn't know what tomorrow had in store for her but that didn't matter anymore either. For the first time in a while she was really happy, her relationship with her mother was back on track. She was getting on brilliantly with her siblings and the unexpected gift of Luxen's store though a complete shock had let her meet Dominicus. Still she had to meet and discuss with him the fact that there was nothing there for them, no letter she had sent had reached him but had all returned to her.

Today she strolled about the cliff tops, Bruin was in class and she found that being on top of all her assignments gave her a moments reprieve. School life was comfortable enough providing she did stay on top of her work, being with Bruin and wanting to spend every waking hour with him and Kat's illness had left her very little time for Zuka. They chatted after class usually and this was fine in a way but Andy missed their get togethers. They had so much fun at the quidditch game when Andy had sneaked out to the Ravenclaw stands and cheered for them including Brian. As she walked around a corner humming lightly to herself she stopped dead in her tracks. The very boy himself was standing there levitating boulders.

Andy looked first at him and then the direction in which she had come. They had not spoken now in quite some time, she missed his friendship that was true but it was by his hand and not hers so she really felt it was up to him to resolve it. This she also knew would never happen in a month of Sundays so slowly she began to turn around the way she had come.

 

[Brian Getathorn XIX]

Brian looked over at Andromeda having seen her appear but noticed how she was trying to head back down. It had been so long since Brian had truly seen Andromeda that he didn't even recognise this person shrinking away from him. Had Brian truly not changed throughout the years at Hogwarts? Andromeda had apparently gone through some form of metamorphesis with Zazuka doing the same and yet Brian was still the same if only a bit different. Brian felt a flash of anger at this thought, it hadn't been his fault. He's not the one that gave Zazuka a horrible childhood so that her life at school would become a thousand times better, and it certainly hadn't been his fault that Andromeda went out after the Halloween Feast and got herself bit by a Werewolf. Brian knew these were harsh things to think but he needed something to make him feel better.

Brian knew the only thing muggle or magical that could do that right now was Andy, Brian really wanted to see the old Andromeda the one that was pure energy and confidence, that never seemed to rely on anyone but herself. Brian had known her and liked her alot back then and missed her greatly when she left the school. Yet when she came back she was different and more distant resulting in a truth Brian didn't really want to hear coming out. Andromeda rumormill had it, was dating Bruin and had been seeing quite a few guys since the end of their third year. Brian himself had only been dating Zazuka who also seemed to have more experience then he did, though not for lack of trying. Was this how life would always be? Brian decided to end this pointless discussing in his head as he turned and faced Andromeda.

Brian looked at the back of her hair as he found an unusual amount of courage, he knew what would probably result from this but had decided to give it a shot. It would make Zazuka feel better and they wouldn't be able to say that Brian never tried. "Hey Fiorelli!" Brian called out deciding to use her surname instead of the more informal first name to which Brian had been accustomed to saying in the past. "Do you want to practice with me for the tournament?" Brian asked knowing that launching a few jinxes and hexes at each other would do a world of good while prepping them for the upcoming tournament. Brian wanted to be tough and ready for whatever would come their way.

 

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

Andromeda heard him call her by her surname and frowning turned to face him. It had been so bloody long since he had said anything at all to her that she had nearly forgotten what his voice sounded like. Sure she had heard it in passing when he had been chatting with Zuka and even in class when asked a question but he had used her surname. Andy stood there a moment wondering what he was up to when he suggested they practise together.

A slow smile spread across her face, she was alot taller than him now and Andy wondered if his growth had been stunted by his arrogance. She also knew she was wicked with a wand and removing hers she twirled it momentarily on the tips of her fingers before grasping it, readying it for any possible wand motion.

"Getathorn" she greeted him in return, "Bring it on, I'm sure you could do with the practise".
She took the edge off her words by giving him a smile that resembled those of her mischievous extroverted self that she had been so long ago back on the Hogwarts Express when they had first met. The thought flitted through her head that if she beat him would he acknowledge their friendship or would they return to the silence once again? With Brian she could never be sure of anything.

 

[Brian Getathorn XIX]

Andromeda was almost a year older then him and while he had grown a little, she still remained taller then he was. Brian however was quite skillful with a wand and while he may be lazy during class he had been reading somethings on his own. He'd learn only a few things but set out to research them and put them into practice. Andromeda seemed like the perfect test dummy to try out his hard work. Brian decided that even though the clffs were a dangerous place to have a duel and if they were caught they would definately get in trouble to still follow the proper dueling precedures as he bowed low. "Fiorelli, if you think this is just practice for me then your in more trouble then you think" Brian said with a rather cold snip, This was more then practice for Brian. This was Research and Developement for the upcoming tournement and Andromeda was going to be his test subject.

 

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

Andy shook her head exasperated already.
"Well you're the one who asked to practise. Stop with the waffling already. You Ravenclaws are all procrastination and not enough implementing" she smirked as she bowed low enough herself but never breaking eye contact with him.

"Bring it on, you're girlfriend isn't here to protect you now" she winked at him and waited to see what he had to challenge her with.

 

[Brian Getathorn XIX]

Brian began thinking about the situation, defeating Andromeda in a duel even with his learned arts would be rather difficult but he did have the element of surprise on his side. Brian rosed his head and began thinking about exactly what would take Andromeda quickly. Brian looked at her fiercely, Then with quick precesion pulled out his wand and called out... "Expelliamus!" Brian knew that the spell probably wouldn't work however it was all part of his plan as he began figuring out everything needed in order to take Andromeda down quickly. Brian knew that Andromeda would probably get cocky and it would be then that he would take her down.

 

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

Andy sized up the situation and knowing they were on dangerous ground duelling on the cliffs she wondered if she should call a halt to it. As much as a hot head as she was, she knew Brian had plenty of moments where his own hot-headed nature had come into force. She saw his expression change and figured he'd be a useless poker player. He sent an 'expelliarmus' her way and with a quick swish and flick blocked it with 'finite'. No sooner had she done this than she repositioned herself swiftly and cast the 'confundus' charm his way. Andy had learnt a lot in her duel against Bruin and any emotions she had would be kept firmly in check. This was not a duel she was prepared to lose, not against Brian of all people anyway.

 

[Brian Getathorn XIX]

Brian dodged the spell as he moved away. "Everte Statum!" Brian called out knowing that the spell could likely push Andromeda off the cliffs and into her death. It was lucky then that Brian wasn't aiming at Andromeda but instead at the higher cliffs that surrounded her. Brian knew that the spell would hit the cliffs and cause a few boulders to tumble down towards the pair of them. Brian would be ready of this and Andromeda would not, this would give Brian the perfect strategic advantage to quickly take her out and win this little match. Brian wanted to show Andromeda that he was more then capable at taking her down and that he was capable at thinking outside the box, this was thanks to dueling with Zazuka that he'd been able to learn how to fight so dreamily in a way.

 

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

Andy moved aside as she thought the spell was aimed for her but watched instead as some boulders broke off the cliff face and began to roll fall towards them. Lifting her wand she used the advanced third year spell the professor Lloyd had taught her to blast them out of her way.
"Reducto" she called out and swinging around abruptly shot "Furnunculus" back at Brian, leaping up onto a small enough boulder that stood beside her. So he was gone hot-head mode already.

Ridiculous, how did he ever think to win anything if all he could do was use cheap parlour tricks. Andy just about had enough of him as it was. Their first encounter in ages and he was trying to knock her off the cliff.

 

[Brian Getathorn XIX]

Brian had already taken Andromeda's actions in consideration, so by the time she had casted her spell Brian had already moved inside one of the many caves that were burrowed into the cliffs. Brian could feel the tocks falling off the cliffs as he quickly turned back and pointed his wand at Andromeda safely on top of her rock like a sitting duck. As the last of the rocks were falling, Brian pointed his wand at her "Confundo!". Everything was going exactly as Brian planned as he went back into the caves and began thinking of a gurrella tactic he'd learned. The caves were dark and Brian knew he had to move carefully, as he hid himself ready for Andromeda to come searching for him. She probably thought Brian was being crazy however Brian was calm and ready.

 

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

Well and truly fed up now Andromeda lowered her wand as Brian fled into a cave. Andy hadn't even known there were any really around here but she didn't often come down this way to begin with. Didn't the silly boy know that in a duel at the tournament he wouldn't be able to hide from his opponent. Debating whether or not to simply leave him there Andy waited for a few moments, then with a sigh she walked towards the cave, her wand at the ready. Typical of Brian really, she fumed. Standing at the mouth of the cave, Andy took a few steps inside and cast the Hominem Revelio spell to show her where any human (could she call Brian that?) was hidden within the cave.

 

[Brian Getathorn XIX]

Brian saw Andromeda enter the cave, Brian wasn't sure excatly how this would help him in a duel but it would definately be helping him in real life situations. Brian knew that in real life, dueling under rules and restrictions would only soften you. This would definately give Andromeda and himself a definite edge as Brian pulled out his wand and pointed at Andromeda's back. "Stupefy!" Brian called out as he ran back outside the cave. Brian knew that Andromeda was tough and probably wouldn't be taken down so easily but as long as he kept this up he would be sure that the two of them would be able to get better and better at dueling. Even if Andromeda herself would be unable to see this for what it truly was.

 

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

It was a good thing her own spell had shown her where he was as he tried to slip out unnoticed but throwing a 'stupefy' at her in his rush to get out again. Andy dropped to the ground and let the spell careen against the cave wall, blowing a few chunks out of it as it did so. Turning around she was flabbergasted now. Was the boy simply trying to play wizarding tag or something. She knew in around four months time he was going to turn 15 years and would finally be the same age again as herself and Zuka but the difference between them had never seemed so huge before.

Andy didn't know whether it was because girls simply matured faster than boys or whether it was because she was nearly a year older than him but challenging someone to a practice duel and then running and hiding like a silly kid did not sit well with her. She had very little time to spare as it was, her extra classes took up a lot of her time and any small bit of free time she did have she gave to Bruin or the girls. She did not want to waste it now on a boy who used to be her bestfriend.

She walked out of the cave and stood there looking at him.
"I don't know what silly game you're playing at Brian but it's like this. For nearly a year you have refused to speak to me and now all of a sudden you want to forget that and play a really daft game here instead of practising like you had asked. Well stuff it and stuff you! The next time you say anything to me it better be an apology or I'm leaving".

 

[Brian Getathorn XIX]

Brian felt a bit of annoyance at Andromeda's words, So she seemed to think he was just playing around. Brian decided to think of something that would show Andromeda a lesson. Brian rolled out from behind the rock, "Try this on, Reducto Maxima!" Brian said with anger as a burst of red light shot from his wand. Brian was angry at at Andromeda for all her talk, as if one duel would put everything back together. For some reason Brian knew this battle was something more then just practice for the duel. Brian felt alot of anger at Andromeda for becoming something else, she was someone Brian didn't know and it really got on his nerves. She probably thought she was better then he was or something like that. "Your gonna loose, just like Gryffindor when we face them!" Brian said with a wicked smile.

 

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

Andy shot out the protego charm and side stepped just incase too, or more like side jumped. The boy had definitely lost the plot and she really and truly couldn't care less any more, he wasn't her problem.
"Brian grow the hell up and go get a life" she turned and began to walk the other path back to the school.

 

[Brian Getathorn XIX]

For some reason Brian's anger seemed to be growing... he had never felt so angry at anyone in his life. Perhaps it was more then just what was going on with Andromeda that made him upset, Athena had been missing for more then a month now and everything was suppose to be better without Andromeda and for an extent it truly was. If that was the case then why was he so angry at her. "Stupify!" Brian shouted even though Andromeda's back was turned, Brian didn't intend for the shot to hit her though as he aimed it so that it would go near her but not hit her. Brian had a feeling that he needed some type of closure with Andromeda, something that made everything clear and certain. "This isn't over yet Fiorelli and the next one won't miss!" Brian shouted angrilly to Andromeda's back. Brian wanted to see the beast within, he hadn't seen it in a long time. Even before Andromeda had become a Werewolf, there had always been something inside of her, a fire, or something similar that had long sense been dead. Brian wasn't leaving untill he saw it again, at least one more time.

 

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

She couldn't believe he had actually thrown a shot at her while her back was turned. He called out to her but already it was too late, she was incensed as her fingers curled tightly around her wand and spinning around on her heels while crouching at the same time, Andromeda fired back at him.
"Petrificus Totalus" her amber eyes were flaring and if she could honestly growl at the little git she probably would have.

 

[Brian Getathorn XIX]

Brian glared at Andromeda "Protego!" Brian said with cool indignation while he deflected the spell. "Come on Fiorelli, a first year could've done better then that" Brian said with a bit of coldness. "You should try something like this" Brian said as he pointed his wand at her, he would use one of the more powerfull spells. This was one that he'd gotten particularly good at and was sure would blast Andromeda back. "Everte Statum!" Brian said with a sharp jab in Andromeda's direction, the tip of Brian's wand exploaded as it always seemed to do with this spell. If Andromeda wasn't carefull and think quick she would surely be blown off the cliffs to meet a hard end, Brian didn't want that to happen but he also wanted to make sure she realised he wasn't a child and he wasn't playing around. She would need to take it seriously if she wanted to take him down, as serious as he was taking it.

 

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

Andromeda knew every spell beginners to advanced from first year to fourth year, so his repeating the advanced version of depulso didn't totally phase her. She made to step aside from it but got hit in the shoulder. She went careening against the rocks to her left, hitting her head and scratching up her other shoulder. The shoulder that had been hit was cut and bleeding and Andy winced. It was also the shoulder with the werewolf bite. The old wound had been reopened, her robe and school jumper were torn but these were the least of her worries. She had experienced pain much more than what the upstart in front of her ever could imagine, she could stand here all day getting bombarded with spells that they both had learnt in class and yet none would ever compare to what she had been blasted with in Durmstrang.

Andy felt as if she were leaving her body, sequestering on the astral plane to relieve her mind of the frustration she was now feeling. She lifted her wand and whispered 'episkey' the spell the healers had taught her due to the inordinate amount of injuries she had to survive from Durmstrang. Did Brian really think she needed practice? She had been doing it simply because she thought they could be friends again, that somehow it was his olive branch. She was glad that Bruin was in class, if he had come out to meet her like she had first asked him he would surely be sending Brian off the cliff top. Andy stood up, pushing herself off the rocks and using scourgify to tidy herself up a little.

She hoped the minor healing spell would hold until she got to the hospital wing but a 'cursed bite was a difficult one to call. It was stinging like crazy, ok it was hurting her like mad but there was no way she was going to admit that to Brian. Her eyes smarted with tears as she fought against the pain. She then lifted her hand to her head and taking it down again, saw it stained with blood. This for some reason didn't hurt like her shoulder did but she raised her wand all the same and used the minor healing charm on that also.

Turning to face Brian she had a look of pure disgust on her face. Once upon a time she knew him like she knew her own heart, they had been so inseparable as best friends but right now she was glad that they had stopped being anything to each other nearly a year ago. She stood her ground and bowing slightly, Andy took up the challenge again.

"Animare-rocks" Andromeda trained her wand at the smashed rocks around Brian and watched as they came to life.

 

[Brian Getathorn XIX]

Brian was a bit curious at the choice of spell Andromeda used. Animare brought small and inanimate objects to life however it didn't necessarilly mean that they would do anything except move around randomly. Brian felt a rather pointy rock hit him in the forhead and scowled with a wince of pain. "Oh, enough of this!" Brian said as he felt some type of wound open up on his head, Brian had drawn first blood but Andromeda was fight back. "Finite!" Brian said as he disabled the spell Andromeda had used on the rocks. Brian had his wand pointed at Andromeda wonder what spell would be best, then Brian decided on using a darker spell. This spell might even get Brian into trouble if he used it wrong, then again Brian had already crossed that territory. "Serpensortia!" Brian said as a rattlesnake came shooting from the tip of his wand towards Andromeda. The snake landed on the ground and began shaking it's rattle preparing to strike. Brian didn't know that a rattlesnake would be the one to pop out of his wand and was ready to kill it should it actually bite Andromeda but also standing guard to strike at her when her eye was off guard.

 

[Andromeda Fiorelli]

Andy was more than fed up of the whole proceedings, now he was sending a snake her way. Andy used the locomotor charm and flung it off the cliff, not even watching as she did so but kept her amber eyes trained on Brian. As if he truly was wasting her time she looked briefly at her watch and smiled, Bruin would be finishing up class soon and she had planned on meeting up with him as she usually did.

"We're done here Getathorn, go play some where saver before you hurt yourself" she turned and started to walk away once more. She was not wasting her time any longer on someone she no longer cared about, granted she had entertained thoughts that they might be actual friends again some day but he put to them good and quick today. He belonged in Slytherin house not in Ravenclaw, sneaky and underhand tactics didn't become a person of that house.