Target Practice PV | E. Baird closed

Ernest knows that it probably isn’t where he belongs, but he still slipped himself into the dueling club room. He figured he could sneak in, use their dummies to practice, and learn a thing or two. Each of them showed how much they were used, covered in a variety of different marks and torn edges.

He stepped up, everyone seemed busy enough so that he could walk relatively without too many looks over. He made it halfway to the dummies when action at the farthest room took his attention. A thump sounded as one of the dummies was set flying across the floor, making the part goblin flinch.

“Oh my Gringotts, that was amazing.” He said, unable to stop himself from voicing his awe, “Are you a dueller? Or give out advice or something. . .” He felt awkward asking someone for advice out of the blue, but he knew some knowledge from the right person could easily make him a lot better when he was able to join the team next year.

Ernest himself knew a good bit of spells already, but he was struggling with some of them even after knowing them for weeks now. He fidgeted with his wand as he waited to see if she had any ideas.

Reducio

Biometrics Age 12, Slytherin first year Height 4"4 [1.3m] | Weight 80 lbs [36.2kg] ─────────────────────────── Important physical characteristics Pointed eyes, longer fingers, slightly yellowed skin under bright light ─────────────────────────── Fluent Languages Key "English." | "gobbledygook" He understands slight French

Stats Stam 4 | Eva 5 | Str 4 Wis 6 | Acc 6 | Arc 5 ─────────────────────────── Special Race Goblin ─────────────────────────── Spells in Trunk Reducio Dancing-Feet Spell • Tarantallegra - Charms 1 Mending Charm • Reparo - Charms 1 Levitation Charm • Wingardium Leviosa - Charms 2 Wand-Lighting Charm • Lumos - Charms 3 Wand-Extinguishing Charm • Nox - Charms 3 Locking Charm • Colloportus - Charms 4 Unlocking Charm • Alohomora - Charms 4 Umbrella Spell • Pluvia Velo - Charms 5 Green Sparks Charm • Verdimillious - DADA 1 Red Spark Charm • Periculum - DADA 1 Curse of the Bogies • Mucus ad Nauseam - DADA 2 Opening Charm • Aberto - Astronomy 1 Fire-Making Spell • Incendio - Herbology 2 Knockback Jinx • Flipendo - DADA 3

Date: 22 March 2024
Time: after classes
Location: Duelling Club

· · ─────── · 𖢨 · ─────── · ·

Koko stood, staring at the dummy, her nose slightly scrunched up and her cheeks slightly pink with exertion. She wasn't built for duelling. Not at all. But it was wonderful that something halfway decent had come out of her wand, even if that 'something halfway decent' had been entirely unexpected.

She moved away from the dummy, almost in a state of shock, and she stared down at her wand as she lurked near the wall. The stupid thing had never done her well when she had really needed it – where had its finesse been in the Common Room when the spiders had attacked? Where had it been in the Dungeons?

Maybe it was time to let go of that grudge. But Koko's mind would happily run away from that train of thought when a child's voice drew her back to reality.

She raised her eyebrows, her amber eyes widening as the boy, who had to be a first year judging from his height, expressed... appreciation? admiration?

She would do her best to hide a horrified expression with her eternal resting smile when he asked her for duelling advice. Oh, Merlin. He couldn't have asked her about Quidditch manoeuvres, or even Herbology? Duelling? Really?

'Oh, er, no, I'm not on the duelling team.' A great start, really. Absolutely wonderful. 'I play Quidditch for Slytherin.' She tapped her wand against her leg. 'I mean, I suppose I could try to give you some advice?'

But what advice could a Quidditch player possibly give someone about duelling?

Well... both sports highly valued evasion and stamina. She supposed she could start there.

'Well, it's important to stay in shape, mentally and physically. You have to really know your spells – in duelling, there's no room for failure, as that could seriously hurt you or your teammates. And then you have to evade all incoming attacks, and those that you can't evade, you have to be able to withstand.'

She eyed the child in front of her, suddenly realising that she hadn't learned his name. She held out her right hand – the one without the wand – in front of her. 'I'm Koko, by the way. What's your name?'

· · ─────── · 𖢨 · ─────── · ·

@Ernest Baird

calming presence is in effect (allies: Ernest Baird)

stats & abilities

Reducio

(stats are accurate to 22 March)
stamina: 20 - evasion: 10 - strength: 3 - wisdom: 7 - arc power: 5 - accuracy: 17

part-veela alluring - evasive maneuvers - part-veela scream - calming presence - part-veela charm - keeper’s catch

Ernest felt slightly embarrassed as he listed her speak because he had wrongly assumed she was a dueling student. If she could do all that and wasn't even dueling, does that mean he's not as good as he thought he was? “Oh- Sorry for assuming, you just looked so skilled when you hit that dummy..”

When she spoke about being on the quidditch team, Ernest nodded alone. He could see how quidditch could have made her good at casting spells just like dueling. He was more focused on the dueling aspects though.

He listened to her advice, nodding alone. It all seemed like it could be called common sense, but it was helpful. He'd always thought about dueling as knowing as many spells and being confident in those spells as you could. He never thought about the fact that you would have to withstand spells being thrown back.

“How can i practice taking spells coming my way?” He thought out loud. He figured throwing spells at a mirror and trying to miss them wouldn’t help him any. He looked back up at Koko when she introduced herself, not even noticing that he had looked down while he was thinking. “Oh, My name is Ernest.”

Reducio

Biometrics Age 12, Slytherin first year Height 4"4 [1.3m] | Weight 80 lbs [36.2kg] ─────────────────────────── Important physical characteristics Pointed eyes, longer fingers, slightly yellowed skin under bright light ─────────────────────────── Fluent Languages Key "English." | "gobbledygook" He understands slight French

Stats Stam 4 | Eva 5 | Str 4 Wis 6 | Acc 6 | Arc 5 ─────────────────────────── Special Race Goblin ─────────────────────────── Spells in Trunk Reducio Dancing-Feet Spell • Tarantallegra - Charms 1 Mending Charm • Reparo - Charms 1 Levitation Charm • Wingardium Leviosa - Charms 2 Wand-Lighting Charm • Lumos - Charms 3 Wand-Extinguishing Charm • Nox - Charms 3 Locking Charm • Colloportus - Charms 4 Unlocking Charm • Alohomora - Charms 4 Umbrella Spell • Pluvia Velo - Charms 5 Green Sparks Charm • Verdimillious - DADA 1 Red Spark Charm • Periculum - DADA 1 Curse of the Bogies • Mucus ad Nauseam - DADA 2 Opening Charm • Aberto - Astronomy 1 Fire-Making Spell • Incendio - Herbology 2 Knockback Jinx • Flipendo - DADA 3

@Koko Riddle

Date: 22 March 2024
Time: after classes
Location: Duelling Club

· · ─────── · 𖢨 · ─────── · ·

Koko's face reddened slightly when Ernest complimented her spellwork. She had never considered herself a very adept spellcaster; often, she had found that spells simply wouldn't cast. As such, she had focused on Quidditch and other, less spell-heavy, studies. But from what Ernest had said, it seemed that magical potential had not been entirely wasted on Koko after all.

She raised an arched eyebrow when Ernest asked about withstanding spells. 'The first step to taking a spell is simply avoiding it,' she said bluntly, a paragon of common sense and the obvious. She would elaborate, however: 'But to practise... get hit. Or don't, it's up to you. But the best way to get better at taking hits is to take them in the first place. If you get knocked out, you have someone cast revivify on you, and you get up again and keep practising.' the same mantra heavily applied to Quidditch – take enough bludgers, and one day, they won't hurt in the same way anymore.

This was advice Koko felt she was warranted in giving. She'd duelled a bit when she was younger, and she'd always been doing rather poorly by the end of the duels. But now that she was older and was more practised in being hit by both spells and bludgers, she thought she could very well take hits. For her, it was the issue of actually making spells work that troubled her.

She would remember his name. The older she got, the more the kids of Hogwarts tended not to blend together. Additionally, and perhaps unassumingly, the older she got, the taller the other kids seemed to get. This child was, for once, not taller than her. That would help her remember.

Offering a halfhearted shrug, she glanced down at Ernest again. If he were to scan her gaze, he would notice a sense of weariness emanating from her, something more than tiredness. 'If you're up to it, I could send a few spells your way. Or you could throw some spells at me. Or both. Practice makes perfect, after all.' Her tone would harden slightly on the word perfect, her eyes narrowing, her lips pressing into a firm line after she finished speaking.

She was not cross with Ernest, and her gaze would remain soft. However, her calming, resting smile had faded as she extended the offer.

· · ─────── · 𖢨 · ─────── · ·

@Ernest Baird

calming presence is in effect (allies: Ernest Baird)

stats & abilities

Reducio

(stats are accurate to 22 March)
stamina: 20 - evasion: 10 - strength: 3 - wisdom: 7 - arc power: 5 - accuracy: 17

part-veela alluring - evasive maneuvers - part-veela scream - calming presence - part-veela charm - keeper’s catch

Ernest wasn’t going to pretend he thought of something as simple as don’t get hit. He was embarrassed he didn’t even think of that as something to really train. He just thought about having the strongest spell or knowing the most, he didn’t even think about the fact spells would be headed his way too. He didn’t even try to give a response for the bit of common sense he hadn’t even had the sense to think of.

The older girl continued anyway, suggesting to get hit as a way to get used to it. The thought of that immediately made the first year want to quit before he was even on the team. Ernest knew he would have to get hit anyway when he was actually on the team. There was no way he wouldn’t be on the team; so many older students were on the Slytherin team, even more on the other three houses’ teams.

“I- Well, I guess that makes sense,” He said, he was still a little vary, and he knew he shouldn’t just offer himself up to be hit with spells by this random kid, but. . . He didn’t know why but she seemed so calming. He figured she wouldn’t hit him with anything he couldn’t handle.

Ernest nodded once, to her or to himself he couldn’t really say, before speaking, “I would like that, practicing with you. Maybe we can start by me trying to evade before- before you actually hit me?”

Reducio

Biometrics Age 12, Slytherin first year Height 4"4 [1.3m] | Weight 80 lbs [36.2kg] ─────────────────────────── Important physical characteristics Pointed eyes, longer fingers, slightly yellowed skin under bright light ─────────────────────────── Fluent Languages Key "English." | "gobbledygook" He understands slight French

Stats Stam 4 | Eva 5 | Str 4 Wis 6 | Acc 6 | Arc 5 ─────────────────────────── Special Race Goblin ─────────────────────────── Spells in Trunk Reducio Dancing-Feet Spell • Tarantallegra - Charms 1 Mending Charm • Reparo - Charms 1 Levitation Charm • Wingardium Leviosa - Charms 2 Wand-Lighting Charm • Lumos - Charms 3 Wand-Extinguishing Charm • Nox - Charms 3 Locking Charm • Colloportus - Charms 4 Unlocking Charm • Alohomora - Charms 4 Umbrella Spell • Pluvia Velo - Charms 5 Green Sparks Charm • Verdimillious - DADA 1 Red Spark Charm • Periculum - DADA 1 Curse of the Bogies • Mucus ad Nauseam - DADA 2 Opening Charm • Aberto - Astronomy 1 Fire-Making Spell • Incendio - Herbology 2 Knockback Jinx • Flipendo - DADA 3

Date: 22 March 2024
Time: after classes
Location: Duelling Club

· · ─────── · 𖢨 · ─────── · ·

Koko nodded at the boy's suggestion. 'I can try a few non-damaging spells first anyway, so that if you do get hit, you're not hurt by them.' Despite doling out detentions like sweets on Halloween, Koko didn't relish in the boredom or danger of her peers. Rather the opposite, in fact; sometimes it was tough love that helped them adapt to dangerous situations best. Such was the approach she would take with Ernest.

Ernest, however, did not seem very keen to actually be hit, so Koko resolved to herself to try a bit less than usual. Although she had been training her accuracy for Quidditch, there was no point in actually trying to absolutely annihilate a child. That just spoke poorly about her and her values.

The first spell she would use was a simple disarming charm. 'Expelliarmus,' she incanted.

Reducio

Koko wis:
[d20: 4] + 7 = 11. Success.
Accuracy
[d20: 14] + 17 - 5 (her not Trying to hit him) = 26
Ernest Evasion
[d20: 12] + 5 = 17

26 > 17 -> Ernest is disarmed.

Ernest's wand gently dropped from his hand; perhaps he was lucky Koko was not a good spellcaster. She bit back a swear and offered him an apologetic smile. 'Sorry, I didn't mean to–'

Perhaps for her, this was an exercise in control. For that, at least, the next attempt would prove more fruitful. 'Lubricus.'

Reducio

Koko wis
[d20: 6] + 7 = 13. Success.
Koko accuracy
[d20: 1] + 17 - 5 = 13.
Nat 1, it's not in the duelling system but I consider this an auto-miss because it would have to target someone else.

Koko's cheeks reddened when her spell flew way off course and hit the ground near a dummy on the other side of the room. That was... rather embarrassing.

Opting for another spell, this time one she had used a few times, she said, 'Steleus,' and waved her wand.

Reducio

Koko wis
[d20: 8] + 7 = 15. Success
Accuracy
[d20: 15] + 17 - 5 = 27
Evasion:
[d20: 11] + 5 = 16
27 > 16 -> Ernest is hit with the sneezing hex.

Koko's embarrassed from deepened. 'Are you okay?' she asked the smaller boy, moving closer to him. 'I can try to fix it – Finite Incantatem.'

Reducio

Koko wis:
[d20: 19] + 7 = 26
Accuracy (in case you choose to have Ernest dodge):
[d20: 14] + 17 - 5 = 26

· · ─────── · 𖢨 · ─────── · ·

@Ernest Baird

calming presence is in effect (allies: Ernest Baird)

stats & abilities

Reducio

(stats are accurate to 22 March)
stamina: 20 - evasion: 10 - strength: 3 - wisdom: 7 - arc power: 5 - accuracy: 17

part-veela alluring - evasive maneuvers - part-veela scream - calming presence - part-veela charm - keeper’s catch

OOC note: feel free to RP Ernest picking up his wand between spells, or also him choosing to dodge the Finite Incantatem; it is up to you.

Koko was quick with her demonstration; so fast in fact; that Ernest was disarmed before he could even attempt to get into the dueling stance. Sure, the wand fell to the floor gently, as if it was softly plucked from his hand and placed on the ground instead of magic being used on him. It wasn’t that bad, but he was sure that a real disarming charm would not be near as softly cast.

“It’s fine,” He mumbled, focusing mostly on what she was doing rather than her apology. Her second spell directed itself behind him, the goblin turning to see it throw the dust off a dummy and then fizz out. He figured that was not what she was aiming for but he didn’t think she would feel very good if he said something so he decided to just turn back and continue to watch her.

Only, the second he turned back, he was hit with a spell; it tickled his nose like he had just consumed a teaspoon of pepper. Ernest’s eyes watered as he tried to force the spell’s effects away, only to sneeze loudly, a groan following. “That spell sucks,” He said nasally.

He looked up to try and get his eyes to stop watering, only to hear her start to say another spell. Oh god lord, he thought, hurrying to dodge the next spell with a side-step. Only after did he realize what the spell was. “Oh, right, thank you.”

Reducio

Biometrics Age 12, Slytherin first year Height 4"4 [1.3m] | Weight 80 lbs [36.2kg] ─────────────────────────── Important physical characteristics Pointed eyes, longer fingers, slightly yellowed skin under bright light ─────────────────────────── Fluent Languages Key "English." | "gobbledygook" He understands slight French

Stats Stam 4 | Eva 5 | Str 4 Wis 6 | Acc 6 | Arc 5 ─────────────────────────── Special Race Goblin ─────────────────────────── Spells in Trunk Reducio Dancing-Feet Spell • Tarantallegra - Charms 1 Mending Charm • Reparo - Charms 1 Levitation Charm • Wingardium Leviosa - Charms 2 Wand-Lighting Charm • Lumos - Charms 3 Wand-Extinguishing Charm • Nox - Charms 3 Locking Charm • Colloportus - Charms 4 Unlocking Charm • Alohomora - Charms 4 Umbrella Spell • Pluvia Velo - Charms 5 Green Sparks Charm • Verdimillious - DADA 1 Red Spark Charm • Periculum - DADA 1 Curse of the Bogies • Mucus ad Nauseam - DADA 2 Opening Charm • Aberto - Astronomy 1 Fire-Making Spell • Incendio - Herbology 2 Knockback Jinx • Flipendo - DADA 3

Date: 22 March 2024
Time: after classes
Location: Duelling Club

· · ─────── · 𖢨 · ─────── · ·

If he hadn't agreed to this, she would have felt a lot worse. As it was, she kept cringing internally, hardly able to make eye contact with the boy. Even as he attempted to sidestep her Finite Incantatem Acc: 26 > Eva: 24 -> Hit. and it still managed to hit him, she couldn't help but feel momentarily horrified that she had caused this. Some duellist she would have been. They said aspen wands were duellists' wands – that was something Koko had never understood.

'It does suck, I agree.' She shrugged sheepishly. 'But, at least you're better now?'

This was positively mortifying. By Merlin's pants, what if another sixth year walked in here and saw her casting spells at a younger kid? Would they understand she was helping them? Would they think she was a ruthless jerk? Or would they think she was simply so bad at casting that she couldn't duel someone her own age.

She blinked to stall the onslaught of concerns in her mind, focusing on Ernest instead. Right. Helping him was more important.

'Just let me know if you want me to stop, okay? Or if you're not okay to go on and need a minute to rest.'

Tentatively, she readied her wand for casting once again. 'Um. Rictusempra.'

Reducio

Koko wis:
[d20: 19] + 7 = 26. Success.
Accuracy
[d20: 1] + 17 - 5 (her not Trying to hit him) = 13. Rip.


Nat 1: essentially an auto-miss.

Maybe it was worth duelling a younger kid if she couldn't even hit her target. Koko stared numbly as a very-well-cast rictusempra shot across the room. She had no words, at least none she considered appropriate to utter in front of a first year. She could only force her jaw to stay glued shut, could only swallow the embarrassment that threatened to blanket her very existence.

If she was supposed to be good at anything, it was aiming. This was a bloody disappointment.

Once sufficiently convinced she was not going to embarrass herself further by opening her mouth, she levied her wand and muttered, 'Nec Divinos Crepitus.'

She'd rarely used this spell before; only good luck would tell if it worked.

Reducio

Koko wis
[d20: 18] + 7 = 25. Success.
Koko accuracy
[d20: 7] + 17 - 5 = 19.
Ernest evasion
[d20: 8] + 5 = 13.

19 > 13 -> Hit

If we're doing damage, he'd take 125 damage and suffer -3 wis for 1 round.

At least this time the spell went where it was supposed to. For Koko, it was an explosive cracker jinx, and once again, she had no words. She could only watch as Ernest struggled to evade the popping crackers, and she could only cringe away from the noise. There had to be something wrong with her, if this was the spell that went right.

She frowned slightly, trying to think of another spell. This was actually a lot harder than she had thought it would be.

'Spongify.'

Reducio

Koko wis
[d20: 17] + 7 = 24. Success
Accuracy
[d20: 14] + 17 - 5 = 26
Evasion:
[d20: 7] + 5 = 12
26 > 12 -> Ernest is hit with Spongify.

Target
[d6: 3] -> legs, -4 evasion

She cringed minutely, watching the spell hit Ernest in the legs. Just the idea of her legs being like jelly made her shudder. She did not like inflicting this sort of horror upon others, she was learning, even if it were to help them.

At least it was a damn good spongify. She had that going, at least.

She glanced at Ernest again. 'If you'd like, I can use the general counter-charm on that so we can have a fresh slate. Unless you'd rather just leave it?'

· · ─────── · 𖢨 · ─────── · ·

@Ernest Baird

calming presence is in effect (allies: Ernest Baird)

stats & abilities

Reducio

(stats are accurate to 22 March)
stamina: 20 - evasion: 10 - strength: 3 - wisdom: 7 - arc power: 5 - accuracy: 17

part-veela alluring - evasive maneuvers - part-veela scream - calming presence - part-veela charm - keeper’s catch