Lina felt the broom in her hand and frowned slightly. Hooch's instruction was surprisingly direct and straightforward. Most of their classes touched a bit on theory before the magic ever began, but flying a broom had no theory to it at all. This touch makes the broom go left, right, up, down. All practical, all immediately demonstrated and practiced.
Harry had many of the same thoughts. He floated up to her from below with a grin. "I like this class," he said.
Lina shrugged. "It's okay. I wish I knew how the broom worked."
Harry frowned. He had only mastered the levitation spell; his Raywing was still a bit shaky. But this broom, it was like he knew what to do before Hooch said anything. He had no idea if the broom was good or bad, only that it did what he wanted it to do. And the drain on his magic wasn't too bad either. "Why does it matter?"
Lina scowled at Harry. "You know better than that," she snapped. "You can't master something without knowing how it works!"
"Yeah, with our magic. This stuff is a lot easier."
"That doesn't mean you've mastered it," Lina grumbled. Harry had always approached his studies with a half-hearted approach. He was powerful, no doubt there, and talented, but he didn't have the drive to learn more than he had to to cast a spell. He'd always be second rate with that kind of drive; hard work always beats talent in the end.
Harry's response was cut off when Ron yelled "Harry! Watch out!"
Harry glanced around quickly and rolled, spinning around the axis of his broom, and dove. Malfoy swooped through the air Harry used to be in, gaping at the boy's surprising maneuver. Harry spun again and pulled up, skimming the grass with his toes but otherwise unharmed.
"Malfoy!" Hooch raged from below.
"Sorry, professor!" Malfoy called. "My broom didn't turn right!"
"Five points from Slytherin for your carelessness!" Hooch snapped. "Mr. Inverse, are you alright?"
"I'm fine, professor!" Harry called back.
"Very good. Five points each to Mr. Weaseley and yourself, for quick eyes and quicker flying. You're a natural, Mr. Inverse."
Harry caught Ron, circling a few dozen feet above, and the two shared a grin of victory.
The Slytherins, meanwhile, glared at Malfoy.
After class, Harry watched Malfoy and his toadies for a few moments before walking off after them.
Lina was at his side in moments. "You sure you want to do this?" she asked.
"He started it," Harry said. "And not just once."
"That doesn't make this the right way to deal with him," Lina pointed out.
"You don't even know what I'm going to do," Harry objected. They were getting close enough that Malfoy saw them coming. The bleach-blonde boy was looking a little uncertain, but had it mostly covered by a contemptuous sneer.
"Yeah I do," Lina said.
"It's not exactly hard to figure out, Harry," came Ron's voice. Weasely had run to catch up with his friends when he saw what was going on. "Don't do it. If a professor sees, it'll be Gryffindor that loses points."
Harry looked back at Malfoy. Crabbe and Goyle were between them now, and they all had the confidant, sneering look of bullies ready to do what they loved.
Harry slowed. As mature as his otherworldly education had made him, he was still a child, and the system of points was something that his immature mind could understand and take at face value. Losing points was a bad thing, especially after the hit Lina gave them early in the term. “Are you going to stop me?” he asked.
“No,” Ron said slowly. “He deserves it. I've got your back.”
“No,” Lina said. “But what do you get out of this?”
That thought stopped Harry short. Lina smiled slightly; while she looked like an eleven year old, she had a much more adult outlook than her current peers. Harry was mature enough to work this out himself, her little brother just needed a push to think things through rather than just react.
Harry looked back at Malfoy and his goons. It would make him feel good, sorta, but...they were no match for him. A single freeze arrow was more destructive power than most students before the fourth year could produce, if what he'd seen so far was accurate. He had nothing to prove, nothing to win. “I guess...nothing?” he half-asked.
Lina nodded. “Do you still want to give them a thrashing?” she asked.
“Yeah,” Harry said instantly. “But they're not worth it.” He turned to head back to the Gryffindor tower.
He must have said this last part a bit too loudly, because Malfoy turned purple. “What did you say!?” he bellowed.
Harry stopped and half-turned back to Malfoy, as did Lina and Ron. “Well everyone knows I'm stronger than you in a fight,” Harry pointed out. “Why should I risk getting in trouble?”
Malfoy's mouth worked for a moment. “Okay then, if you're so sure, I challenge you to a wizard duel!”
“Oh?” Harry asked.
“Oh, you probably never heard of a wizard's duel with all that 'sorcery' you learned,” Malfoy sneered. “Just the two of us, wands only, tonight in the trophy room.”
“You forgot the seconds,” Ron sneered.
“Shut up, Weasley,” Malfoy growled. “I'll take Crabbe as my second.”
“I haven't said yes,” Harry protested. “This sounds pointless. Why should I fight you in a wands-only duel?”
“Yeah, where we're from, sorcerers' duels tend to be loud, public, and to the death,” Lina pointed out.
Malfoy didn't doubt that at all, but he knew better than to show fear in front of his toadies. Or on the other hand, deny it to Lina's face. So he stuck with sneering. “What, you want something from me?”
“It's bad business to get into a fight for nothing,” Lina said with the airs of one passing on great wisdom.
“Will a galleon do?” Malfoy asked lazily. “You could get Weasley here some decent clothes. If you won.”
Lina and Harry both had sparkles in their eyes and a pair of abacuses appeared in their hands. The Inverse twins put their heads together and tacked beads back and forth as they discussed appropriate bets. Finally the two seemed to come to an agreement. Harry looked to Malfoy. “The bet is three galleons, twelve sickles.”
“What?” Malfoy asked, stunned. “That's crazy.”
Harry adjusted a few beads. “And seventeen knuts for the crack.”
Malfoy twitched slightly. “...fine.”
Harry extended a hand. “Then we have an agreement. I'll take Lina as my second.”
Malfoy looked at the outstreached hand, snorted, and walked away. “Don't forget to bring your money, Potter,” he sneered.
Harry sighed and turned around. Ron was looking at him oddly. “What?” he asked.
“Four galleons?” Ron croaked. “That's a lot of money.”
“Yes it is,” Harry agreed easily. “Anything less wouldn't be worth the risk.”
“But what if you lose?” Ron asked. “It's a wands-only duel. You can't use any of your sorcery to beat him.”
“So what?” Harry asked. “Malfoy's taking the same DADA we are. It's not like he has a bunch of spells we don't.”
“You don't know that,” Ron protested. “He's from a wizarding family. Who knows what he's learned from them!”
“You really shouldn't do it anyway,” a girl said. The trio looked over.
Lina placed the girl's face first. “Hermione?”
“I heard what you were planning,” she said. “You really mustn’t go out of the dormitory after dark. Think of all the points you'll lose us if you get caught!”
“I don't recall asking your opinion,” Harry said bluntly. “And it really isn't any of your business.”
Hermione glared at him and turned to Lina. “Come on, Lina, I know you've got more sense than this.”
Lina shrugged. “Gold beats points,” she pointed out.
“This is really very selfish of you,” Hermione complained.
“I don't really have a problem with that,” Lina countered.
The three walked away, leaving Hermione fuming and uncertain.
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(Posted Sat, 18 Feb 2012 20:10)
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