“Percival Wenlock? Like Bridget Wenlock?” Teddy said in response to the Head Boy introducing himself.
Everyone in the common room turned around to look at the boy.
He was usually silent and reading his books so everyone assumed he just didn’t like to speak.
There was no doubt about him being in the house though, given that the kid preferred to read his books in the common room, even if it was noisy.
It appeared that everyone was wrong and they had just not been interesting enough.
“I’m surprised anyone knows that.” Percival said looking at Teddy, “Not a lot of people are interested in her work.”
Teddy jumped up from his seat on the couch and excitedly said, “Are you joking? Who wouldn’t know about an English witch and Arithmancer. She was the first to establish the magical properties of the number seven and she did it in the thirteenth century.”
“Yes, she did.
And I suppose you could call me a descendent.” Percival said proudly, “But we really don’t go around announcing that.”
“Is it true that she was very protective of her discoveries, so much so that she wrote exclusively in Invisible Ink, upside-down, back-to-front and in atrocious handwriting?” Teddy asked.
“It’s true.” Percival said nodding repeatedly, “In her defense almost all Arithmancers are paranoid, though she was a step above them.”
“Is it also true that she was absent-minded and managed to lose scraps of paper in which she had scribbled invisible notes?” Teddy asked curiously.
Arthur also leaned in to listen to the answer.
Percival sighed deeply and answered in a rehearsed tone, “We don’t talk about that.”
“Just imagine how much progress we would make as a society if we had all her notes.” Teddy said wistfully.
Arthur watched the boy talk and realized that he was actually serious.
It was his first time seeing a math nerd out in the open.
They were certainly…passionate.
“This kids bumming me out.” Percival said.
Turning to Arthur and Cedric he continued, “So tomorrow work for the reschedule?”
Cedric looked at Arthur who thought for a moment and answered, “Yes, tomorrow works.”
…
“Is it true that Bridget Wenlock once chased an owl for 600 miles just to retrieve one of her notes?” Teddy asked sleepily, still in his pajamas.
The boy had probably heard Percival coming to fetch Arthur and Cedric and woken up.
“It’s true kid.
In fact, the note she was looking for then was the one that proved the magical properties of the number seven.” Percival said hurriedly dragging Arthur and Cedric along, “Now go back to sleep.”
They exited the common room and started to make their way to the agreed upon location.
“So you guys ready for the duel?” asked the Head boy leading the way.
“Not as much as we would have liked.” Arthur replied.
“Why did the schedule move up to the first week of December?” Cedric asked the question for the both of them.
“When I heard about the duel the first thing that popped in my mind was the time when Tonks fell down the stairs and got admitted to the infirmary.” Percival said, “Her mother stormed the school and threatened our principal about why her daughter was not home at Christmas. Apparently the letter was mailed to her dad while her mother waited at the train station and got worried. I don’t want that happening again.”
“Is being a Metamorphmagus that dangerous?” Arthur asked as they started to make their way to the lakeside.
“It seems like she’s always getting hurt.” Cedric chimed in with concern in his voice.
“Not usually.” Percival said, “It’s just she’s too talented. I think that she was that talented from a very young age. When Metamorphmagi are that comfortable with changing, they tend to forget what normal is.”
“Like she doesn’t know how a normal body should feel?” asked Arthur only now realizing that his friend was not clumsy, she was struggling.
“Don’t worry about her.” Percival said feeling the low mood and trying to cheer them up, “She’s very tough and surrounded by Hufflepuffs. All the things that make a person successful.”
“That’s true.” Arthur said nudging Cedric who was looking down, “We look out for each other. Don’t we?”
Cedric perked up at the thought of being there to support his friend and announced with certainty, “Yes. Yes, we do.”
…
Arthur and Cedric stared down at Adrian Pucey and Cassius Warrington who were wearing form fitting white shirts and black pants and belts containing some insignia he couldn’t make out from this far.
Arthur was sure that him and Cedric were the only ones dressed for the occasion in their jeans, which they were not scared to get dirty, though he supposed that their pick of clothing had also sent its own message.
He suspected that they had enchanted the clothes, but Percival assured him that wasn’t the case.
“I have enchanted this piece of paper to ring when it touches the grass.
The duel starts when it rings.” Scorpius Avery, the Slytherin Head boy said as he handed the paper to Percival, “For fairness you should throw it.”
Percival checked the paper and found nothing amiss so he nodded to Arthur and Cedric.
After they both got into position about sixty feet apart with their wands at the ready he let the paper go.
…
Arthur patiently waited for the sound and held his wand tighter.
He and Cedric split up right as a sharp ring echoed across the ground, clearly not a moment too soon, because two large chunks of soil crashed straight at the spot they were standing in.
Arthur was very surprised that they had managed to cast their spells so quick, even factoring in that they had been practicing magic only.
Arthur continued running as Cedric took a page out of their book cast a Flipendo right in front of their feet.
They both had to stop their follow up spells and move to dodge the soil thrown at their face.
Arthur used the opportunity close the gap between them.
He didn’t get very far before Warrington saw him and shouted, “Accio soil.” While pointing his wand at him.
Remembering all his training, Arthur jumped to dodge but was confused when nothing happened to the ground below him.
He didn’t have to wonder for long before he felt a crushing force from behind him that knocked all the wind right out of his lungs.
Warrington had summoned the previous chunk of the ground he had thrown causing it to hit Arthur and scatter into multiple smaller chunks upon which the spell lost it’s pull.
Why did the spell not avoid an obstacle?
What enabled it to crash into him?
Why did some summoned objects break through windows?
Did intent really decide so many things?
Arthur couldn’t focus on any of those interesting magical interactions as he tried to gather his bearings.
When Arthur hurriedly managed to raise his head, it was to Warrington still standing near Pucey.
The tall boy pointed his wand at Arthur and chanted, “Accio wand.” Arthur realized, with horror, that he was no longer holding his wand.
He must have dropped it in the collision because it floated from right in front of him and zoomed into Warrington’s hand.
Warrington threw Arthur’s wand towards Pucey and pointed his wand again.
He didn’t the chance to cast anything though.
Just then, he was hit with a chunk of soil straight in the face.
Arthur stayed stunned as he watched the boy go down before he heard, “Get up Arthur!!”
Arthur didn’t need to be told twice as fully stood up to look at the surroundings.
He found that Pucey had managed to levitate Cedric’s shoes, probably taking advantage of his friend helping him.
Cedric could get very hurt if he gained some altitude.
Since Pucey was distracted, Arthur started running as fast as he could towards him.
Cedric was spread on the ground with his feet trying to fly above him and his wand nowhere to be seen.
The boy was fully upside down when he finally reached Pucey.
Hoping the reserve quidditch player would be agile enough to not get hurt from the awkward fall Arthur fully tackled Pucey to the ground.
The thing about Wingardium Leviosa, it required the caster to have excellent concentration on the levitating object.
Adrian Pucey must have really been concentrating because he didn’t even realize that Arthur had closed the distance, or maybe he had never considered Warrington going down.
Whatever it was Arthur took the chance to look for his wand which was right where Pucey had been standing and turned to look at Warrington who was starting to stir.
Arthur took a deep breath and pounced on Pucey’s back.
The kid had also dropped his wand and was searching for it.
Barely restraining the struggling boy on the ground Arthur aimed his wand at the now fully standing Warrington and said with all the intent he could muster, “ACCIO Belt.” This story is hosted at novelping(.)com.
Arthur didn’t pause to watch the spell be cast as he turned his focus on Adrian Pucey who had managed to get into an uncomfortable position and was grabbing Arthur’s right hand, incapacitating his wand arm.
Since punching wasn’t allowed Arthur tried pulling himself away from the kid and get some distance.
Pucey for his part countered, by standing up abruptly causing them both to fall backwards.
Their backwards fall too was interrupted, by Warrington crashing right into the two of them like a train, sending them all flying in different directions.
Arthur was pretty sure he had a concussion, he was feeling really nauseous and was starting to see double.
While it felt like a long time, only seconds had gone by after he had tackled Pucey.
Arthur was realizing that he had underestimated the minute details of the summoning spell because it had caused him to seriously get hurt twice that day.
Arthur was just struggling, trying to stand up before the Slytherins when he felt his arm being grabbed.
“Let’s go.” said Cedric picking him up, “Follow the plan.”
“My wand.” Arthur managed to say through the dizziness as he felt like throwing up.
Thankfully Cedric got the message.
“Accio wand.” he said and handed Arthur his wand, “Come on. I’ll help you walk.” They quickly made their way to the two boys trying to stand up.
Cedric walked towards Warrington and Arthur walked towards Pucey.
“Let’s do this.” Arthur said to Cedric as he held a confused Pucey and pulled him up.
“Wh..What?” Pucey said clearly still confused and maybe a little concussed.
“You wanted magic. I’ll get you magic.” Arthur said to the Pureblood, suspicious of the entire duel.
Pucey had already won, Warrington had thrown Arthur’s wand to him and he had Cedric disabled, but he continued.
Clearly winning wasn’t his purpose here.
“Say goodbye to your eyes.” said Arthur in his meanest voice.
“Why always eyes?” Pucey asked pitifully, barely standing up as he tried not to fall.
Arthur ignored him and nodded at Cedric.
With their experience from the duel they were even more sure of the plan.
“ACCIO Dungbombs.” They shouted together and got ready to use their human shields.
Hopefully the twins had added enough chili powder to incapacitate someone.
…
“They wanted to argue about the Dungbombs.”, said Percival leading them back to the castle, “Thankfully we now have enough leverage.”
“Can we even WIN the house cup?” Arthur asked doubtfully.
“We don’t have to.” Percival said, “They just have to loose to the Griffins.”
“And Pucey was fine with the result?” Cedric asked, “He doesn’t seem like the type.”
“It’s not up to him.” Percival said, “As they probably say in Slytherin, stay in line or stay out.”
“All that for glory huh?'” Arthur asked gaining a deeper insight into the house.
“Speaking of glory, you guys should probably clean up before going to the infirmary.” Percival said holding his nose, “Not very glorious smelling like that.”
The Dungbombs had splashed onto them too.
…
Trying his best to sound pitiful and hurt Arthur said, “Madam Pomfrey, we tried using the summoning spell on the ground and hurt ourselves.”
Madam Pomfrey looked at the suspiciously clean students before her.
One of them was trying to sound not guilty, which in her experience was a clear sign of guilt, and the other was trying not to look her in the eyes.
She reluctantly let them in.
Someone else could worry about what the kids did, she was just the healer.