LESSON THREE (ALL YEARS)

She looked around, feeling slightly confused. Because she was kind of new here, she didn't really have time to meet everybody or remember their names and Poots didn't seem familiar at all, so she did what she saw a boy do and waved to everyone.

"I'm the Carvus in the 'Carvus and Poots'. It seems like I'm missing my pair."

Oh, boy. Partners. And we're assigned to it. Hell once more. Selena thought with a low grunt coming from her pursed mouth. Finally, something to make her even mad. Even mental. What a school. She was probably partnered with the Uchitel? A third year? And somehow not really the nice one? But that makes it even more sensible. Some show-off for the both of them as a fact.

The Hitrost sighed exasperatedly and got up from her seat. She looked around, finding that stranger and tapped her foot furiously on the floor. She will never have the guts to go out there and speak the introduction.

Partners, Paloma thought, how exciting .

She looked up when she heard her name called and looked around for a Carvus. She smiled when a girl spoke up, saying she was Carvus, and walked over to where she was.

"Hello," she greeted, "Paloma Poots. Would you like to start on offense or defense?"

Xavia Wolf wrote:A smirk slowly formed on Sheba's lips the moment the teacher called out her and Whelan's name. She chuckled as she pushed against the wall and sauntered towards the other girl. It really was too perfect. After their interesting little chat at the amphitheatre, she was looking forward to talking with her again. Liamz just became her favourite teacher.

The smirk widened as she stopped directly in front of Whelan, mischief dancing in her eyes as she said, "Hello, Cutie. Looks like we've been paired together.”

Ciar smirked when the teacher called out the partners. No prizes for figuring out why she put the two fourth years together. Either of them would have wiped the floor with someone younger than them. Watching the girl from the corner of her eye she was greeted with a perfect vision as Wolf sauntered over.

Slipping her honing block into her bottomless bag the Irish teen pulled out a rag from an inside robe pocket and proceeded to wipe down the blade of her knife. Allowing her gaze to wander over the other girl Ciar made it appear as if she was sizing up her opponent. "So it seems, Gorgeous" she commented finishing the blade and sheathing it at her waist. "I hope you duel as beautifully as you are on the outside or else this shall be over quickly."

Putting her hand in her robes to return the rag to it's pocket she subtly wrapped her hand around her wand. She hoped Wolf would be a worthy opponent. You could tell many things about a person by the way they dueled. Taking a hold of her advantage the teen acted. Faster than many would deem possible Ciar had drawn her wand and said in a level voice, pointing it at Wolf, "Stupefy."

Ophelia followed her partner away from the other groups.

"Hmm, do I want to defend or attack," she pulled her wand out and twirrled it in her hand. She did like a good spree of attacking spells, it helped her with her agression, but at this moment....

"You're the gentleman - why don't we let you attack first."

Smiling at her, Afonka nodded, pulling out his wand. Pausing momentarily to think up a spell, he tightened his grip on his wand. Pointing it at his partner, he said, "Flipendo,"

Ophelia waited for the spell to be cast, looking all together unprepared for the sitituation.

Still when the knockback curse was sent her way she was quick with a response.

"Protego," She waved her wand and only faultered slightly behind her shield as the spell bounced off it harmlessly.

"Not bad Thirdy," she grinned. "Got anything else??"

The beginnings of a smirk dancing across his lips, Afonka watched her block his spell. Noticing the very slight falter of her hand, he frowned ever so slightly.

"Of course I do Fourthy," He snapped to attention as she spoke, grinning. Not pausing, he pointed his wand back to her, "Impedimenta,"

Sheba twisted her upper body out of the way at the same time she cast the spell. A shimmering shield appeared around her and held long enough to send the spell bouncing away. The moment after the spell struck, the shield collapsed. It wasn't the best spell she'd ever performed, but it was pretty good for a first try. She danced lightly to her right, an excited grin appearing on her face as she taunted the other, "Try harder!"

Her years of fighting in Egypt came back to her as she aimed her wand at Whelan without stopping and said clearly, "Diffindo!"

Ciar settled into her well used dueling stance as the fight between the two girls began to settle now that both had cast a spell. The rest of the world seemed to be tuned out, noticeable only in periferal vision and by using honed senses to detect outside interference.

"Protego," the teen cast as the cutting spell zoomed towards her. She hadn't used a shield spell in a while and it showed in her shoddy spell work. She and Ren needed to duel more often using wands then weapons. The pale blue light did almost nothing to stop the spell and Ciar dived to her right to avoid it. It sliced through her black robe a couple inches from the bottom and then deflected off her black dragon hide boots to hit midway up the back wall. "Bloody hell," she swore, "Either I'm getting slow or you're actually trying to hurt me, Wolf."

Rolling gracefully back to her feet Ciar's wand and feet were flying as she seemingly danced towards her opponent. "Rictumsempra. Locomotor Mortis," she fired off rapidly one after the other aiming for the other girl as she circled expertly to her right.

Sheba couldn't help the smug satisfaction she felt when her spell struck. Granted, it was only a couple of inches off of the bottom of Whelan's robes, but it still struck. She really wasn't trying to hurt the other girl, but the entire point of this was to learn how to properly cast a shield, was it not? And the only way to create an effective shield was to try and reflect difficult spells. She didn't think Whelan wanted her to go easy, but perhaps she was mistaken. Her entire body was humming with adrenaline and excitement as she side stepped to the left and said, "If you can't handle it, Whelan, just say so. I suppose I can use easier spells."

Just as the words had left her mouth, the two spells Whelan had cast shot straight for her. The other girl's shouts keyed her into which spells they were and she chose to be hit with the lesser of the two, just in case her shield failed. Ducking her head, she spun out of the way of the giggling spell and quickly cast protego. Her shield appeared, wavered once, and disappeared.

She cursed under her breath as the leg locking spell hit her and she landed on her butt hard, her legs locked together. Thankfully she had kept her grip on her wand and she quickly muttered the counter curse before jumping back up. Narrowing her eyes at the other, she shot off two spells in rapid succession, "Petrificus Totalus! Flipendo!"

Lena rolled her eyes at the girl she had been partnered up with. It was yet another first year Hitrost - Vikenti, her name was. (Honestly - she was starting to have a vendetta with the Hitrosts. Okay, minus Phillie and Nyx. Or maybe just the first years? Yeah. Just the first year Hitrosts.) She seemed just as annoying as William, but not as... well, ignorant? Boastful? Well, screw all of that crap. If Lena didn't make a proper stand against a first year and actually lost, well... she wouldn't kill herself, but she'd be ashamed, embarrassed, and definitely mad.

It didn't take Lena long to realize that the first letters of their last names both started with 'V'. If Professor Liamz had partnered them up just for this purpose (Merlin, Lena hoped not) then that woman seriously needed to get her priorities sorted out. However, Lena mentally cursed herself of making such a big deal over such a small matter, even if it was mentally, and she didn't show many - if any - signs of thinking about such stupid things.

She finally stood up tall and walked straight towards Vikenti. That girl was just sitting there, waiting for her to move. Stupid first years! They think they're the shit, don't they? She walked over towards her and announced, "Oi! Vikenti! Listen up! Cast me a spell, and I shall use the Protego Charm, kapeesh?" She saw that Vikenti saw still tapping her foot, waiting for her to come. "For Merlin's sake. Vikenti!"

Ophelia smiled and blocked this one as well. Dueling was one of the only classes she put an effort into.

"Ooh, strong, strong - quick on the go back too thridy," she tilted her head in modest impressiveness. It was nothing to brag about but still, "But now lets see how you are at blocking."

Without waiting for an awknowledgement she wnet right from that comment to a spell.

"Stupefy!"

"Oh, hey there", she responded and smiled, feeling a wee bit disappointed that Poots was a girl, but still happy because she appeared normal to here. "Well, when you're offering it like that, offense for me please."

Ciar did some quick mental calculations as her eyes quickly darted around the room. Once she started using a spell again it didn't take her long to get back into the swing of things. The other girl shot off a couple spells at her and the Irish teen reacted within seconds.

She conjured a pale blue shield which absorbed the first spell and then died. With only a split second to make a decision Ciar closed her grey eyes and felt the knockback spell hit her in the chest. Using it's momentum she flipped backwards and landed with a small thumb five feet back from where she began, heels together and arms extended to the side, wand still firmly in hand.

With big bouncing steps Ciar moved back to her original place and even a bit closer to Wolf. "You know you still haven't told me your name," she commented as she proceeded to shoot off her spells. "Immobulus, Expelliarmus" Another step. "Conjunctivitus, Immobulus."

"Alright," she said, holding up her wand, "Whenever you're ready."

Sheba cursed loudly as she dropped to her knees, the first two spells shooting over her head and striking the wall behind her. Her determination rose and she quickly casted protego, a strong blue shield appearing around her. The other two spells bounced off and went in two different directions before hitting the walls. The shield was holding and Sheba grinned. Maybe now she wouldn't have a problem avoiding the rest of Whelan's spells.

With a flick of her wand, she dismissed the shield and smirked. A few steps forward and she was almost within touching range of the other girl. She twirled her wand between her fingers as she said, "You'll have to find out for yourself. I'm sure it won't be too hard. I know you'll figure it out without too much difficulty."

Her smirk transformed into a grin as she swung her wand and fired off a series of spells, "Stupefy! Petrificus Totalus! Confudus!"

Deuling was one of those classes that Afonka would have to admit that he wasn't anything more than average in. He wasn't great at it, and he wasn't terrible at it. But if there was one thing he was good at, it was moving.

So when he saw Montague's spell speeding in his direction, the first thing he did was move to the right. The spell whizzing past his ear, Afonka straightened up, "I guess you could say I'm not bad at blocking,"

Shrugging, he quickly pointed his wand at her, "Immobulus,"

Phillie blocked his spell, and smirked slightly, "So you're quick on your feet Thirdy. That's a good thing to have. Though I do believe were supposed to be practicing the spell."

She twirled, he hair splaying about her before stopping and grinning at him again.

"After all, sometimes you just won't be able to get out of the way, Petrificus Totalus!!"

Smiling at her, Afonka watched her twirl, shrugging ever so slightly at her comment about practicing the spell. Protego wasn't a difficult spell to do, as he'd known it since his first year. But it was true that he'd barely used it since then.

As her spell came flying in his direction, he took the opportunity to practise, "Protego," Her spell colliding with his bluish shield, he smiled satisfactorily.

"I think I'll be alright if that day comes." Running through a repertoire of spells, he quickly chose one, "Stupefy,"

Ciar was getting tired of playing games with this girl. She wanted a name and bloody hell she was going to get it. When the Irish teen wanted something, no matter what it was, she made sure she got it. Watching the other girl closely she noticed the movement before the spells were even spoken.

"Protego," she roared losing all sense of decorum. The blue shield quickly sprang up as her emotions fueled her spell. All three of the offensive spells bounced off and Ciar took the few remaining steps between her and her target with lightning speed. With a strength she didn't remember possessing she grabbed Wolf by the back of the neck and captured her mouth in a rough kiss. "Now will you tell me your name," she asked with a gasp as she tore her mouth away from the other girls.

The wand slipped from her grip and clattered loudly on the floor as she froze completely. Her mind was wiped clean of any thoughts as she felt Whelan's lips against hers. She knew the other girl would eventually get tired of her little game, but she certainly wasn't expecting this reaction. Though... if that's how she was going to react...

The shock was slowly wearing off and she was just begining to respond when Whelan pulled away and she swallowed the whimper that threatened to escape. Her hand slid up the other's arm and softly grabbed her hand, pulling it away from her neck as she whispered, "I didn't know you had it in you... Ciar."

She slowly backed away, putting distance between her and the temptation in front of her, picking her wand up off of the floor as she did. Ciar had won. She had dropped her wand. Granted, the method that the other used to win wasn't what she was expecting, but she should have. Expected it, that is. Ciar was known for doing radical things after all.

A small laugh bubbled up out of her as she shook her head. Interacting with Ciar was exactly how she imagined it would be. Entertaining and frustrating all at once. She absently ran a finger over the scar on her face as she calmed her laughter. Shooting the other girl a grin, she finally said, "You won, so I suppose I should give you a reward. My name is Xavia Wolf. But you, my little one, can call me Sheba. Count yourself fortunate. I very rarely let people use it."

Still waiting for his partner William watched closely the fight between the two older girls, he was engrossed he watched every muscle twitch, the way they spoke how they maneuvered their wands. He stood with his mouth firmly closed as they performed the most magnificent art in front of him.

He tried to remember the spells they used, but his eyes widened and his mouth dropped open when the two girls kissed. He looked around the room whether anyone else had seen it, he looked away and kept searching for his partner still shocked.

Selena glared at the Uchitel once she turned for the annoying and furious voice. She stayed on her position, slightly advancing her foot forward on a ready stance. She grabbed her wand from her pocket and pointed it directly at Vorstenbach. Her eyes on the prey and her mind thinking furiously inside of her head.

Stupefy. The Hitrost spoke silently in her thoughts and watched the jet of red light coming from her wand. Hell. She can do non-verbal spells whenever she feels like it. Way cool.

Selena smirked and crossed her arms, that pride somewhat overwhelming her. Too tough to be actually a firstie.

Lena easily blocked Vikenti's spell with a swipe of her wand. (Her reflexes were, after all, bloody perfect) "Protego!" her voice boomed, sending waves throughout the room. Well, hopefully. Lena knew her voice was loud enough to shatter anything. She was a little shocked that this little firstie actually knew how to do nonverbal spells; Lena herself had tried and failed numerous times. Perhaps it was just for this spell, and Merlin hope it was.

"Well done," she muttered, twirling her wand in her hand. "Now, my turn. Tell me when you're ready."

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(ooc: selly dear, first years can't do nonverbal spells yet. it may be part of her personality, but still...)