It was Saturday, and there was a modest crowd assembled to watch a procession of duels in that weekend’s school duelling tournament. In the bottom division were first, second and third year competitors, hoping for some house points and to reach that cup. Professor Storm thought it was optimistic if they made it past the first few spells without falling flat on their backsides or sprouting antlers. However, Defence Against the Dark Arts lessons had proved a worthy training ground for the aspirational duellists.

The previous competitors left the platform, one with green hair and the other half dragged, half carried by his friends, having fallen off due to a well timed strike of Tarantallegra. His legs were still flailing uncontrollably, and nearby classmates giggled. It was perhaps in the Defence Professor’s distraction that he had ‘forgotten’ to cast finite to cancel out the jinx, or maybe he thought it a worthy lesson.

“Hericho,” Professor Storm read from his list, stood at one end of the platform, “and Sellaphix!” He didn’t appreciate tardiness, or sweets on the platform…

“Take your marks, wands raised in salute,” he instructed clearly, “about turn, and one - two - three.”

   "Smell - a - phix" someone sang out, hands cupped over their mouth, but Frank didn't rise to the taunt. He'd studied. What had initially possessed him to sign up for a duelling tournament was a guarded secret, but he'd really not known what to do stranded on that beach opposite Norman Shufflebottom. Of course, even if he had known how to defend himself his magic hadn't been working at the time, but still. It was time to show his mustard.

He took his mark against Akira, did the presenting of wands, and made the bow. And then it began!

On the advice of older students, Frank had pre-planned and practiced his opener with the turn included. No need to leave anything to improvisation, not on his first bout.

"Digilock!" Frank shouted with a hesitating flick of his wand. He knew as soon as he cast it that he'd fouled it up.

---

E2 - unsuccessful

Akira had put herself down on the list for the tournament for a couple of reasons, firstly was if she got housepoints for Ravenclaw people may like her more! Second was she wanted to improve her dueling and was good practice! Third was to test some spells she had read properly! She had read up on alot of spells she wanted to try and had practiced, sadly transfiguration of her opponent wasn't possible, but the battlefield was her testing ground! She also did want to showboat a little to show off that she wasn't all sweets and minimum effort, its only minimum in her own year!

She heard a few snicker as she climbed onto the stage and walked up to Frank, she presented her wand with a small and friendly smile, they were both Ravenclaws! It wouldn't matter who won or loss. Although he may be teased for losing to a girl younger then him, but they would be dumb to do so as she could threaten them! She gave her curt bow and took her steps away.

Frank had casted, she had a chance as his didn't work. She wanted to test big, show off unconventional or something cool, both were good choices! She didn't really have a plan other then a handful of spells she had read, practiced a bit and wanted to try.

"AH-Viss!" She called out clearly, she wasn't counting on flock of birds appearing like those who have been taught to use the spell would manage, she was happy she was able to conjure a couple that flew out towards her target. And that she wasn't having them fly from her mouth again.

Birds? Birds! Akira, sweet and sugary Akira Hericho was attacking with birds? Frank didn't have much time to cover his head before being harassed by pair of angry chickadees.

But down in his low crouch he was in a great position for a tripping hex!

"Accido!" he said and aimed for Akira's ankles.

---

D2 - success

The birds had worked! Akira was so happy! The little birdies didn't last long with her skill but she counted it as a hit against Frank! She was very good at this and it was showing! With the battlefield as her lab she would experiment with spells and master the secrets of spell casting!

She had her next spell prepared, how about some water? That can be very good to blow him back, it was used for riot control after all so why shouldn't it work against a Ravenclaw?

As she prepared to cast however, she was suddenly staring up at the sky...ceiling...thing...the air blown out of her as she muttered the incantion "Aqua eructo" in shock. Her hand aimed forwards...now upwards as she fell backwards? Causing a squirt of water to shoot from her wand upwards....forwards when falling backwards? And rain down onto herself like a terrible fountain.

With a thud she landed on her back, was the world always this spinny? She hadn't eaten too many sweets had she?

The spectators erupted in laughter and cheers as Akira drenched herself. Frank couldn't help but join in as well. He felt a little bad taking advantage of the self-own, but this was Dueling Club and in Dueling Club you took advantage!

He took a couple steps forward and uttered, "sorry, Aki," before he said, "Singulto!"

It was the Hiccuping Hex - just as annoying as the real thing and maybe would make her fumble an incantation.

---

C1 - success

Akira couldn't *hiccup* help it! The damned spell! Frank was *hiccup* now her mortal enemy, only a fiend would *hiccup* stoop so low as to do hiccups! Damn *hiccup* him! She was oka- *hiccup* okay with him doing dirty tricks *hiccup* but this dirty! She will make sure he *hiccup* feels her wrath back at the common room!

She *hiccup* got up, sopping wet like a mermaid out of water...can mermaids leave the water? T- *hiccup* his something she would need to check up on later. Important *hiccup* research! But now Frank had committed a *hiccup* warcrime that she could not ignore!

"Lu HIC!" She went red and waited for the next one to come. *hiccup* "LUMOS SOLEM!"[1] *hiccup*

She aimed her wand and the light fired off! If...if..i-*hiccup* if he fights dirty so shall she!

1.	2B = a success etc.

"Ah!" Frank yelped and covered his eyes, and he wasn't the only one. Akira had taken out half the room with the blast of blinding light and was recieved with shouts of protest.  Frank forced his eyes open and tried to blink away the stars. This was officially not fun anymore.  A tightness welled up from his stomach.  He rubbed the heel of his hand in his eyes, his vision still dazzled, and tried to fire off a spell.

"Digilock!" Fazed and stumped, he resorted to his first spell of the duel, but his aim wasn't true.

---

A5 - unsuccessful

She *Hic!* had him on the *Hic!* run! His spell had *Hic!* and now he was vulnerable! And as such she can *Hic!* get her own spell *Hic!* This was very good for herself and she *Hic!* should press the *Hic!*

Maybe she *Hic!* should give him some of his own *Hic!* medicine. But then she is no better then *Hic!* him! Now it was his *Hic!* time to be caught by the water! He laughed at *Hic!* her getting wet so he would be drenched now! She started to flourish her wand to press the advantage!

"Aqua Eru*Hic!*"[1] Oh no.

The spell back*Hic!* and caused her to suddenly cough up wa...*Hic!* water!

1.

E5, Fail.

Even though he was still blinking hard from the affects of Akira's light spell, she'd left him another opportunity for a clean cast. He took the chance and tried the tripping jinx again, but it just went funny again. Casting spells in class was so much easier - he'd never expected dueling to be so much different. They were stood further away than normal, everyone was watching, you had to concentrate while someone was casting right back at you!

"Come on!" he huffed in frustration.

---

A2 - Miss

Ha! Frank had *HIC!* failed his spell! What *HIC!* an idiot! As if Akira could *HIC!* fail with her spells or anything, just *HIC!* do not mind the previous ones that sprayed herself *HIC!* with water. Those were *HIC!* n't failures! The spells had gone *HIC!* off...in a way...she *HIC!* guessed? But now she had a perfect opportunity! She *HIC!* needed to impress them with her spellcasting genius! *HIC!* Her magnificent genius!

"HIC! EXPRECTO PARTRONUM!" oh[1]

She wanted her sweets...

1.

A2, fail

"Expecto...?"

Frank stood back on his heels. Akira knew the Patronus Charm? He wasn't the only one to momentarily hush in anticipation to see what form a Patronus from Akira Hericho would take. But they'd have been in eternal suspense because Akira fumbled the incantation. There was no silvery slip of light forming into some cute and cuddly fluffy thing (which would be Frank's theory), only a very juicy opportunity to Frank to land a good riposte.

"Arresto Momentum!" he incanted deftly.

---

B2 - Success

She *hic* was just getting ove- *hic* er her failing to get her spell off. She *hic* knew the incantation and movement that *hic* was easy to find out but not easy to cast *hic* as it needed special thoughts. Her *hic* getting the incantation wrong did not help *hic* though. So that didn't go off too well at all did it really. She had *hic* tried to use it before but all she really got was a *hic* complicated flashlight so nothing really good at all.

But now, everything was...sluggish. *hic* was she going in slow motion? It was somewhat fun-*hic* y. Like when at a night club and the strobe lights are on white *hic* lights and everything seems like its only moving in *hic* the white lights. This was so weird.

Can she *hic* get a spell off?

"Wingardium Leviosa!" She *hic* tried to cast, but her body was moving too slow. By the time she eve- *hic* managed to start moving her wand to start the spell, she had long finished saying it.

This *hic* had to be cheating! Frank was *hic* dirty!