Y41 Dueling Match #1

[Lena Williams]

@Cameron Roswell vs. @Aine Thompson

Lena was surprised she had agreed to proctor the dueling tournament again, but it seemed like a good way to get involved before the baby came. She stood against the edge of the platform rather than taking a step up and looked at the two students. "Make sure to bow and follow all the rules. No spells above your year, please. Begin!"

The duel begins now. You have 24 hours from this to post your first reply, or face disqualification. Once both duelists have posted, you will have 24 hours from your opponents post to reply, or be disqualified. Ensure that you use [URL='https://hogwarts.nz/docs/#Spells%27]the spell list [/URL]for guidance on age-appropriate spells, and read over the [URL='https://hogwarts.nz/threads/duelling-rules.13843/%27]dueling rules[/URL] and [URL='https://hogwarts.nz/threads/duelling-points.13844/%27]points system[/URL]. Please also remember site rules apply, including power/god modding. You can find the site rules [URL='https://hogwarts.nz/docs/#Ruleshere%27]here[/url]. Duels will run until there is a winner or until 6 IRL days have passed, in which case the winner will be chosen by RNG. If you are knocked out or otherwise disarmed/incapacitated, or if you run out of points, you will lose and the duel will end. Have fun!

As an added note: Spectators are allowed to post in this topic once per competitors post, but are forbidden from directly interfering with the duels.

[b]Current Points:[/b] 150
[hr][/hr]RP content[hr][/hr][b]Action(s) Taken:[/b]
[b]Point Changes:[/b]
[b]Points Remaining:[/b]

 

[Aine Thompson]

Current Points: 150

---

Aine didn't know what she was thinking. She hated learning jinxes and curses this year, thinking it had been such a waste of valuable time. But there was that nasty voice in the back of her mind that always seemed to goad her on, taunting and tormenting. And so she'd signed up for the duelling tournament, although now standing here she honestly felt like she might faint, or throw up, or possibly both. Especially given her opponent for this round. Of course she'd have to face Cameron. Why would it be anybody else? She narrowed her eyes at him as they stood up to duel. She still didn't know why he hated her so much, or why he had to spend so much of his time making her feel miserable, but that voice told her she had to stand her ground. Maybe it was a good thing. Now she didn't have to feel as worried about upsetting her opponent. It wasn't like he had any positive feeling towards her. Aine bowed politely as instructed and as protocol demanded (although she was still scowling all the while) and then immediately sent out a trip jinx, being the first spell that came into her head.

---

Action(s) Taken: Cast spell
Point Changes: -5
Points Remaining: 145

 

[Cameron Roswell]

Current Points: 150

---

Cameron knew this was going to end in disaster. He'd seen time and time again that he could barely cast a spell in class, let alone on a duelling platform in front of an audience, but might like the part of him that had tried to trick his body into performing magic before school with adrenaline, he'd hoped maybe all he needed was a little push to actually finally get things right. Of course the push would have to come from someone like Aine he thought grimly, gripping his wand tightly as the professor covered the rules.

Cameron barely registered the instruction to bow, gaze set on Aine as a buzzing noise filled his ears. She managed to get her spell off first, Cameron still struggling to get into a proper stance before he could even think about pulling up a shield charm. The trip jinx hit him square on and he hit the floor hard, feeling his teeth click together with a worrying sound. Winded, he tried to get to his feet, managing to get a knee under him before casting a very wobbly jelly-legs jinx.

---

Action(s) Taken: Hit by spell, cast spell
Point Changes: +15, -5
Points Remaining: 155

 

[Aine Thompson]

Current Points: 145

---

Dimly, Aine was rather shocked that her spell actually hit. She was sure Cameron would have blocked it. Wasn't he the one rubbing it in that she came from a muggle family, that she was so far behind because of it? She paused, her hand hovering mid air as she peered over at him, her bravado faltering just a little. What was she doing? He did send a spell back, though, and in her confusion she very awkwardly dodged it, in a way where she might as well just have been hit by it for how ungainly her movements were. She only just managed to get herself back in to position. She should've shielded, but her brain wasn't working straight. Strategy, she reminded herself. Think fast. Trust your instincts. She paused for a little too long, giving him enough time to get to his feet, before eventually sending out a fairly weak slug-vomiting curse. She'd never done it before, never even practiced it, so she wasn't sure it would work. Mostly she was annoyed, acting on darker impulse, but deep, deep down, she kind of hoped it wouldn't.

---

Action(s) Taken: Spell hit, dodged, cast spell
Point Changes: -20, -10, -5
Points Remaining: 110

 

[Cameron Roswell]

Current Points: 155

---

Cameron was relieved when Aine took a moment to stumble around, giving him time to scramble to his feet. "Are you scared or something?" He called to her, chest aching as he saw he saw Aine hesitate. He realized he probably should have kept his mouth shut though, barely stepping out of the way of her jinx and stumbling again, body still sore from hitting the ground a few seconds ago.

This was way harder than Cameron had been expecting and he felt his hands shaking as he raised his own wand to retaliate, trying to think of a spell, any spell, to hit Aine. It was easy to be angry at her, especially with her throwing spells at him like that, but he someone couldn't bring himself to pick anything to actually try and hit her with. "Expell-Dammit, Expelliaru-" Cameron grit his teeth as his spell kept fizzling out, willing his wand to just word for once. "Expelliarmus!" He finally managed, the red burst of light actually heading vaguely in Aine's direction though Cameron could feel his ears burning, aware how many people, Aine included, who had seen him botch the spell.

---

Action(s) Taken: dodged spell, cast spell
Point Changes: -15
Points Remaining: 140

 

[Aine Thompson]

Current Points: 110

---

Aine looked away for a moment, face burning, before remembering she was supposed to be paying attention to her opponent. "Just...wanted to make it fair," she managed to reply, digging in her heels to solidify her stance. He managed to dodge the spell, at least. Even in her annoyance she knew she would've felt completely awful if she'd managed to make him vomit up slugs. Although she might have felt a little pleased with it at first, just quietly. "Protego," she cast, remembering to shield this time. At least her shielding was consistent when she remembered to do it, it was the one spell she could actually manage in class normally. Still, she found herself completely thrown off by the difficulty he was having with casting the spell, that ended up blocked by her shield. She was struck with a strange pang of empathy, her expression faltering, before quickly shaking her head, bringing back her focus. It served him right for picking on her. That was going to keep her adrenaline up. She couldn't afford to lose this, not now. And if he was going to give her a hard time and laugh at her, then laugh some more he would. "Rictusempra," she intoned, a little more confident in this than the slug-vomiting curse (but not by much).

---

Action(s) Taken: cast spell x2
Point Changes: -10
Points Remaining: 100

 

[Cameron Roswell]

Current Points: 140

---

Cameron just gripped his wand tighter as Aine goaded him back, gritting his teeth as she was able to successfully block his spell. It shouldn't have been a surprise, it was a simple enough thing to do, but it still highlight just how much Cameron was struggling. He knew he was one of the worst spellcasters in their class, was distinctly aware of it, but Cameron hated being able to see in such stark detail just how big the gap in his abilities was already, especially against someone like Aine. She'd only just learnt about magic a year ago. It wasn't fair.

Cameron's stance must have been messed up, or he was unfocused, or he just sucked, because Aine's spell broke through his attempt at a shield charm almost immediately and he staggered. For a moment nothing happened but then Cameron felt the uncontrollable giddiness, trying to choke down the laughter as he attempted to level his wand, his stomach aching as the almost hysterical giggles burst out of his mouth. "St-hahahah- Sh-stahahahh! Stupid-Seehehahhaha- Stupefyhahaa!" He barely managed, the spell laughed from his wand already half fizzled out before it even got close to Aine as Cameron wrapped his free arm around his stomach, bent in half to try and control the laughter."

---

Actions Taken: Hit by spell (uhoh), cast spell
Point Changes: +15, -5
Points Remaining: 150

 

[Aine Thompson]

Current Points: 100

---

If magic was so closely tied to emotions, as Aine was constantly reminded, then hers was a complete maelstrom. Why wasn't he hitting her? Aine was not good at magic, unless she was in the right frame of mind (which was usually frustration). Surely he was better than she was, wasn't he? She certainly wasn't laughing as her spell hit, though she felt like maybe she should have been revelling in it. But there was something in the back of her mind protesting, that this wasn't fair at all. And yet another part yelling at her that he deserved this, he was always picking on her and it served him right. But the fact remained that he wasn't really fighting back. She did have to take a step back to dodge the attempt at a stunning spell, but she also kind of wished he'd hit her with it. At least that would give her some peace for a second.

"Dammit," she groaned, pausing briefly. "At least hit me like you mean it." Aine didn't know why she was exactly goading him on in this manner, but the words spilled forward before she could help it. Surely the fact that he seemed to have a vendetta against her would help him, right? She put a hand to her face, taking a deep breath to right herself. For once, sense was winning out. "Expelliarmus," she cast, shutting out the voice that wanted to kick him while he was down.

---

Action(s) Taken: spell hit, dodged, cast spell
Point Changes: -20, -10 -5
Points Remaining: 65 (oop)

 

[Valerius Bianchi]

Valerius was still mad at Aine. But he couldn't help himself, and stood quietly in the back of the crowd of onlookers. She was his friend... sometimes. He leaned against the wall, his hands in his pockets. She was doing well. He had known she could. He bit his tongue to keep from cheering as she cast a successful spell again. He was opting for silent support today.

 

[Cameron Roswell]

Current Points: 150

---

The laughter was starting to make Cameron feel sick, a feeling compounded by the heavy weight of the audience's eyes and, more importantly, Aine, as he struggled to even manage a stunning spell. He could only manage a glare, teeth clenched around the giggles that continued to force their way out of his mouth preventing him from snapping back at her in the way that he wanted. He was starting to feel light-headed from it all, furious that Aine was winning, that everyone else was getting to see it, and all he could do was giggle hysterically like an idiot.

Aine took a long pause, giving Cameron at least a chance to try and stand up right from the hunch he'd formed from gripping his sides, breath coming out in a giddy wheeze. He managed to raise his wand, but he could bring in enough air for form the words for a shield, only able to let out a sharp "hah!" as his wand flipped anti-climatically from his hands, moving in a gentle arc over to Aine's side of the stage.

Cameron could start feeling tears start at the corner of his eyes and he hoped to God or Merlin or whoever that everyone just passed it off as a side-effect of the spell, barely waiting for Professor William's to call the duel before stalking to grab his wand and scramble off stage, making sure to bump Aine's shoulder even as it forced another peel of laughter from his chest as he rushed off.

---

Actions Taken: Hit by spell, lost, maybe cried a bit
Point Changes: -150
Points Remaining: 0 (rip)

 

[Lena Williams]

Lena kept a special eye on the second years, as even though there spells weren't necessarily as deadly, you never knew what to expect with them. She saw Cameron's wand fly through the air waved her arms. "Ms. Thompson is the winner! Mr. Roswell, please-," she started, before seeing that he was already out of the hall. "Umm, Ms. Thompson's the winner!" she said again, a little awkwardly.