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Post by arianna on May 19, 2007 17:46:05 GMT -5
"But what do you do if they get you before you even know they're coming?" Arianna asked, shifting uncomfortably on her feet. She knew this was serious business, but it didn't fully sink in until Raynor's explanation. The brace on her knee was a reminder that she had failed every one of those rules. She hadn't been aware and after the initial attack, the other rules were pretty much useless when she couldn't even lift an arm. "Pray that they won't kill you as you lie there, helpless, with half the bones in your body shattered..."
The girl bit her lip. She felt like she wanted to cry suddenly. She wasn't going to, though. And even though she was tempted to leave the class, Arianna didn't do that, either. She needed to stay and learn. Maybe next time she would be able to keep her eyes open and catch the culprits before they got her.
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Corey Faulkland
Wizard
Quality Quidditch Supplies Clerk
Life is like a roulette wheel: Seventeen. Red.[on:Good show!][of:Bugger...]
Posts: 682
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Post by Corey Faulkland on May 19, 2007 22:00:04 GMT -5
Alright so it was clear there was no formality, clear that there was on mutual respect, no nothing except for wands, spells and vocabulary. It was exactly as he'd thought it was, well, that sure as hell made life alot easier to comprehend. Act fast, hit hard, his knowledgeably, be confident in your tactic and know yourself. Well if you boiled it all down tot hat it was certainly pretty simple to remember for the long run. Simple to remember, but complex to initiate. Life was such a conundrum.
He had no questions, or at least, no questions that weren't half-arsed remarks. As much as he wanted to cut the seriousness of the discussion with another knife of sarcasm, he highly doubted it would be taken twice nicely. The young and soon to be of-age wizard gave a half glance to Ari as she spoke and found himself piecing puzzles together. Her question, while hypothetical in wording, seemed truthful in tone and yet it was one of those questions where you couldn't just come out and ask 'did that happen to you' without getting your morals and respect questioned.
And so silent it would be as his physical attention went back to Raynor, while mentally so he remained far from.
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Gail Lawrence
Witch
Leaky Cauldron Waitress
Just looking for something new.
Posts: 274
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Post by Gail Lawrence on May 26, 2007 17:36:48 GMT -5
Gail had been slouching in a corner, her eyes half-lidded. “Review” sounded suspiciously like “naptime,” but the wrath of Raynor was not something she wanted to incur. She smiled lightly at the class’ attempts to find the five rules of dueling, though Gail always had the impression they were more “guidelines” than actual rules. She muffled a snort at that, but her attention was quickly caught by Raynor’s speech. She meant business. All of a sudden, practical application was no joke, and review sounded like something worth staying awake for.
As Raynor asked for questions, Gail pulled out her journal and began jotting down notes on her lecture, for such it had been. “Agility. Speed. Skill. Efficiency. Vigilance. Strength.” Extracting her wand from her sleeve, the Ravenclaw stared at it for a moment and frowned. That last one cause some trouble, with a new wand and all. She needed to learn how to use it—and fast—from someone who knew.
Ari’s question pulled her from her melancholy musing. No one in the class seemed willing to answer the question. Gail didn’t know either, but she quietly whispered, “Improvise,” as she waited for the real answer.
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Post by Tamis Raynor on May 29, 2007 20:27:46 GMT -5
It was a sad thing indeed that Gail's response had been whispered too lightly for Raynor to pick up. She would have greatly enjoyed it, but, as it were, the question Arianna had proposed hung in the air with the cold certainty of an accused stepping forward to have a noose place around his neck. It was a silence that even Raynor herself was weary of intruding upon.
Part of her wanted to relent; to ease the mood of the current discussion. Every time she felt that elongated stab of pity and every time she concurred to lighten the mood more than she already dared... Shaw's all-too-familiar face filled her vision. And now, as she looked upon the girl, her gaze dropping for a hairline second to the Ravenclaw's injured leg, she was forced to harden her heart.
She wondered if this was how the Auror Trainers felt everyday. With the current outlook of the world, she felt like she was doing their job.
"If you are still able, you do your best to recover and fight back; protect yourself. If the abrupt attack of your opponent left you immobile," she couldn't forced herself to use "death" or any of its synonyms, "then your opponent had the better understanding of the first rule; agility."
Allowing this to sink in for a moment, she studied the faces looking back at her and nodded. Despite how serious the topic had become, there was still a faint smile locked on Raynor's lips and an unexplainable glint of excitement that illuminated the back of her eyes. Yes, in the end, Raynor lived for this and always had; whether she realized it or not. The thrill of a duel, to walk that line with only your skills and knowledge to back you -- but there was also an understanding of the consequences lurking there.
"But today, and for one day out of the week from here on out, I intend to prepare you for circumstances like the one Miss Shriver just mentioned. For one day out of the week, starting today, you will get up on this stage and duel with one of two options. 1) you can face off against another students using any means without serious injury." A small smirk, "in other words, anything that won't have the nurse coming for my head. Or 2) you can go up against me, but nonverbal spells only, and you are allowed to use any legal spell you can think of."
A major distinction that. Raynor was, after all, a fully trained -- if retired -- auror. She was willing to risk a hospital trip herself, but not to the students. It would give them a chance to see what a real fight would be like, but it was also more risky. The first one was safer, and an effective use of review. But it was only baby steps because...
"While you may fight enough other now, and in fact I encourage it, you will have to be able to successfully disarm me at the end of the year to pass this class." They were Seventh Years and rightfully did not need to pass, but those actually seeking Defense careers... not passing their N.E.W.Ts DADA course would be a very crucial downfall.
"So, who's first and against who?"
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Corey Faulkland
Wizard
Quality Quidditch Supplies Clerk
Life is like a roulette wheel: Seventeen. Red.[on:Good show!][of:Bugger...]
Posts: 682
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Post by Corey Faulkland on May 29, 2007 21:02:45 GMT -5
While his ears continued listen to words and his mind slowly refocused, the speech their Professor had given a mere moment ago rattled through his brain repeatedly until it was sure he understood the game and that the cards had been dealt. He knew he shouldn't do it, he knew he'd most likely lose, he knew alot of things including that right now he was being a stubborn, pig-headed git and walking blindly into what was liable to be more than one annoyance for the next hour or so. But above all of that, he knew he wouldn't learn unless he stepped up now, plus it beat running the risk of Raynor calling him out on account of the whole Jones incident last term--and, they couldn't do this in the halls without losing points. Bloody regulations...Head Boy or not he was bound to them. This brought another question to mind, not that he planned to test it...
Could he dock points from himself?
no matter, that was certainly far from the point and task at hand. The Gryffindor boy took a glance at the others before raising his hand from his position of current residence. He feared what he was about to do, only because knowing his luck no one else would volunteer, but he also feared it because while he was good at thinking of spells on the spot, he was afraid he wouldn't be able to treat like an actual duel.
While yes it was meant as a test, he would always have that reassurance he was in a classroom and with all practical training purposes set aside that would always be a big false sense of security. The real world and the walls of Hogwarts were two completely different places, now certainly more than ever...and yet in some ways not different at all along the same lines.
He said nothing, no speech of confidence, no words of jest, not even the slightest in sarcastic remarks. He simply raised his hand--raised, and waited and prayed someone else would step up so he wouldn't have to cross wands and wits with a dragon. It was of course, the last thing any of them probably wanted to do.
After all, Lions, were supposed to be Kings. And Kings, fought their own fights.
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Deryn Morgan
Ministry of Magic
Auror-in-Training Witch
Posts: 648
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Post by Deryn Morgan on May 29, 2007 21:45:38 GMT -5
Deryn hadn't even been paying attention to the class until Raynor asked for a volunteer. Her hand shot like a bullet into the air, eager to participate until she saw who else had raised their hand. She quickly pulled it down, but knew that it had been clearly visible in the air before. Now all she could do was wait to see if she was called on.
It was a silly and childish thing to do, pull her hand back down like that. For Merlin's sake, they were 17-years-old. One would have thought a person would be at least a little bit mature by then. Deciding she was being foolish, Deryn raised her hand again to volunteer, not caring who she was going against. It really shouldn't matter.
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Post by arianna on Jun 2, 2007 21:17:13 GMT -5
Arianna's hand also went up, though slowly, hesitantly. If Raynor went for the first to volunteer, she would not be picked. Did she want to do it? No. Honestly, Arianna did not. Had it been any other day, she would have been eager to battle against any one of her classmates. She felt she needed to, though. Perhaps to gain some confidence back. Or to get some aggression and frustration out. Would she get in trouble for getting out of hand, as she was sure she might? Or would Raynor simply think she was trying to make things extra hard for the other seventh years and feigning the attitude of an enemy: uncaring and determined to destroy those in front of her. Perhaps, but Arianna would first have to get past the fear and uncertainty she currently felt.
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