2025/26, Stage 1 Slytherin v Hufflepuff, Match 2

Jake tried to side-step quickly from the explosion that rocked his side of the platform, but he still felt his arm singed - he shook it off. It didn't hurt much, yet, but that had been a close one. Jack had sent that in his direction, but luckily Jake had been watching him and seen it coming. Haven hadn't been so lucky. Jack was of course going to fight until the end - and friendship (or whatever Jack would call it) changed nothing in a competition like this one. It had taken Jake a while to have that sink in. When he was younger he might have had trouble dueling his friends, but he knew it now...and he wouldn't hold back either. He had a feeling Jack wouldn't want it any other way

Round 3

"Both teams are still feeling the other out, sensing where potential weak spots could be in the other." Her golden-amber eyes darted back and forth, watching as another burst of movement transformed into strategy in action. "And Slytherin is in full defense mode!" Hanako swooped in front of Jack as Jake sent firecrackers towards Mahlioz (and Mahlioz' own spell towards Lea and the Hufflepuff team). They would sizzle and crack once more in bright, vibrant colors: Hanako would protect a Protego-shielded Jack with nothing but his stalwart body while Mahlioz suffered the main blast. Meanwhile: Lea would sidestep the blow and Jake would evade the attack almost effortlessly, and while Haven did suffer a few spitting sparks from the vicinity, a powerful healing spell would cause the soothing of the burn and bludgeon injuries that she had suffered up to that point.

All in all... not terribly much had happened, and in fact Lea seemed to struggle to conjure anything more than a hard POP from the tip of her wand that was supposed to have been a Confringo judging by the incantation that he had heard. Piérre tipped his head, the slight ringlets of auburn flowing over one shoulder with the action. He continued to smile, kicking his feet in the air as he was perched on the sidelines with ever-amused intrigue. "A failure to cast from team Hufflepuff! We haven't seen much of that lately! Better luck next time, Miss Hirsch! At least it wasn't a catastrophic failure." Eyes glittered deeply and mischievously.

He checked the time. "There's still plenty of time to turn the tables on this match! Let's cheer them on, shall we? Who's placing bets on who falls first?" Eyes flicked to the crowd briefly before returning to the stage. "C'mon.... I know someone out there is collecting bets..."

There was a (slightly) played-up wistful sigh. "There always is..."

Information

1. You have 96 hours from this post's timestamp to owl your moves to me (Piérre Marchonné) and to make your 50+ word post.
2. Do not hint at your move in your post, as this can give an advantage to the other team.
3. Remember to send your move and make your post before the deadline. If either of these are not completed in time, your move will be void.
4. I will try to moderate early if all actions and posts are in before the deadline. If you do not wish for me to do this, please owl me.
5. Your stats, abilities, and spells are considered locked for this duel. If any are added to your trunk since 13 October 2025, they may not be used.
6. If you have any questions or feedback regarding this match, please feel free to owl or DM me.
7. Handy links: Duelling Rules, Duelling Spells, and the most recent patch.
8. Good luck and happy duelling!

The spectator thread for this duel can be found here.
Come cheer for your House and friends!

Banner by Prat Pass

Jake was right about Jack. He would fight to the end and he wouldn't have wanted any of his opponents, especially Jake, holding back. The unpredictable one that round was a different Slytherin.

Even with some person who was supposedly Piérre announcing what was going on as it happened, Jack was still having trouble getting a grasp on the events that were taking place right before his eyes. He had tried to cast a Protego spell to protect himself, but despite its failure, he needn't have bothered. Because, for whatever reason, Hanako had decided to step in front of him and use his body as a shield to protect Jack instead.

Hanako was one of the last people Jack would have ever expected to do such a thing. They were both supposed to be relatively selfish people who knew the importance of self-preservation. So why was Hanako throwing that all away in a bid to save Jack instead?

"Tone?!" he yelled, "What the bloody hell is wrong with you? Have you gone daft?!"

Not only had he successfully managed to body-block Jack, but he had done so in such a way that there was no mistaking that that had been exactly his intention. He was able to maneuver himself in such a position that Jack, despite his failed attempts at actions that round, hadn't received any damage whatsoever because Hanako took the full brunt of everything. And because his back was to Jack, the redhead couldn't see what kind of face he was making to understand what might have been going through his mind.

@Piérre Marchonné, @Hanako Tone, @Mahlioz Evethisawe, @Lea Hirsch, @Haven Bohannon, & @Jake Morris

Oh how much he missed being paralised. He was about to cast a pretty good spell, eager to show off what damage he could do to those hufflepuffs. Until his gaze caught a familiar confringo and crackers jinx combo that would've out Jack out for good. It was a bad idea. He knew what the consequences were. It ruined what he thought would've been the more breeziest 6th year of his life. Yet, at that last second - he groaned internally and stepped in front of Jack. Focusing instead on the sparks of cracker jinx aimed from mahl to Jack, the spell sending him a hit of dizzyness that made his head fuzzy. He returned to his spot, debating if Jack's yelling was more effective to make him lose focus than the cracker jinx.

" I slipppeedd~ " he said back, rubbing the side of his temples. Knowing his excuse wasn't going to fly. " could you mayyybee keep your voice a little low, my heads killing me right now. Save your yelling until after the duel ".

_{sobbing, will write more .. when i can.}

"Oh please don't let him escape..." Why it was being brought up now Lea hardly knew, but she would suffer the consequences were he released from his bath if a still stinky and sopping mess pygmy puff tore through their dormitory. Perhaps this was the distraction that the Sixth Year could blame when her spell fizzled out before it could even leave her wand, the commentary certainly not helping. It was a difficult spell, surely some credit could be given for the attempt- but that wasn't how duels worked and failure was a dangerous act. But one had to risk it for the biscuit, right?

It really wasn't the time for it, but Jake couldn't help but be curious watching Jack and Hanako together. Hanako stepped in front of the spell aimed for Jack...Jake's eyebrows raised slightly because he wouldn't have expected Jack to want Hanako to do that - it seemed he was right from the way Jack reacted. Jake wondered if Hanako even knew he was going to do that, or if he had just done it on instinct. Jake hadn't spent time alone with Hanako since they were young kids, but from what he'd seen in the dueling chamber, Jake had a feeling that Hanako didn't often think about what he was going to do or say before he did it.

As much as he had to focus on the duel, the spells that were coming his way, and trying to weaken his opponents, Jake couldn't help but keep SOME of his focus on Jack to see what was going to happen next.

Well, their luck had to end at some point, didn't it. Not that they had been incredibly lucky to begin with, but Mahlioz had dared to hope - they wouldn't be repeating that mistake. (that was a lie and they knew it, their optimism was annoying sometimes). Her spell missed and while it did manage to get Bohannon, the effect was minimal. Meanwhile, Jack cast protego and despite that, Hanako decided to body block him. Mahlioz couldn't blame the ginger for his reaction, though she was glad he was still alive somehow. Honestly, she was a bit surprised any of them were. That crackers jinx from Morris hurt.

october 19 2025 | morning slot banner by aiden choi Reducio @hanako tone @jack burnett Reducio action: as strategized

english | french | thoughts gif by ava winchect Reducio the outfit Reducio sta 9 | eva 10 | str 4 | wis 11 | arc 9 | acc 11 wandmaker (5% auto-dodge) | perfectionist | calming presence (allies: hanako tone and jack burnett) | spell spread

Round 4

The stage under his duel had simply ended up as a non-stop fireworks display, quite literally, as Lea sent another intense and visually perfect spatter of fireworks across the stage. Hanako was still refusing to budge from his spot in front of Jack, suffering an immense amount of the subsequent burns and sizzles of the magically-conjured firecrackers. In this position of protection, Jack fired back at Haven with a pristine blasting jinx, the piste almost shattering with the force of the arcane magic and leaving the Hufflepuff hanging on by a thread.

But it was the unfortunate fate of Mahlioz to be the first casualty of the match, as Hufflepuff seemed determined to take out the youngest among them with a flurry of swiftly executed spells. While Lea's firecrackers weakened her resolve, a duo of Flipendos from Jake and Haven struck her on either side, knocking her back and out cold on the ground.

"Stop!" The moderator demanded, throwing both her hands in the air to make herself seen. Bone white yew wand flicked easily, conjuring the magic that was demanded of it to first levitate and then to escort Mahlioz' unconscious self to the side and out of danger of further harm. "Sublevo brevis!"

When this was done, she spun on a heel and then smiled again. "Well well! Our first casualty of the match from team Slytherin!" Looking over the remaining two, there was a slight grimace. "That typically doesn't bode well, especially in the state Misters Tone and Burnett are left in." But that smile quickly returned, along with that deep seated sparkle. "Buuuuttt... they wouldn't be the house of cunning if they believed that numbers dictated everything." He glanced at Haven. "Hufflepuff is also developing a few weak spots as well."

He shrugged. "So... Continue!" And she backed off to the side to allow them to continue at it.

Information

1. You have 96 hours from this post's timestamp to owl your moves to me (Piérre Marchonné) and to make your 50+ word post.
2. Do not hint at your move in your post, as this can give an advantage to the other team.
3. Remember to send your move and make your post before the deadline. If either of these are not completed in time, your move will be void.
4. I will try to moderate early if all actions and posts are in before the deadline. If you do not wish for me to do this, please owl me.
5. Your stats, abilities, and spells are considered locked for this duel. If any are added to your trunk since 13 October 2025, they may not be used.
6. If you have any questions or feedback regarding this match, please feel free to owl or DM me.
7. Handy links: Duelling Rules, Duelling Spells, and the most recent patch.
8. Good luck and happy duelling!

The spectator thread for this duel can be found here.
Come cheer for your House and friends!

After her previous failure, Lea was certain to spend those precious extra seconds inscribing the spell into the sky. Her only focus was the spell and the two targets before her, the two eldest snakes preoccupied with a spat of their own. So much for saving, Lea wanted them both gone- but even when targeted with a blast of his own, Hanako still moved to protect Jack. She was bewildered, to say the least, but happy enough to let someone just fall into her attack as it just made her job easier.

The shout from the moderator turned her attention to the fallen Slytherin. It was unfortunate that Mahlioz was the first to fall as the youngest on the piste, but that was how it often went. Still, it seemed the younger student had improved significantly since Lea last witnessed, a valuable support now gone.