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

Haven grimaced as the spells hit her, full force, wheezing for a breath. She forgot about this part of dueling, and she was not a fan. Why did she sign up for this, again? And why did she stay in it? Every single time, she asked herself this question, and yet, here she still was, in her fourth duel. Her participation was a mystery. She didn't even remember agreeing to join the team in the first place, either, and then she committed herself while she was under the influence of a very mysterious position.

But, she reminded herself, it was too late to back out now. She was already here, mid-duel, and her teammates were relying on her. Plus, if she wanted Marcus to take a bath, she'd have to stick around and win. Or lose spectacularly enough that he pitied her. Or if he didn't behave himself. There were a lot of stipulations riding on this duel, and it was really hard to get her pygmy puff to try and take a bath. She'd like to think his refusal to take regular baths was the reason for his constant crustiness, but Haven knew that was just part of the Marcus charm. She just had to... oh wait, she was in the middle of a duel.

She turned her full attention back to the duel, giving her best, most menacing cartwheel. Now she wasn't very good at cartwheels, and she wasn't the most graceful, with her noodle arms and all, but there was a solid attempt.

"Ka-chow!" she said menacingly, channeling her inner Lightning McQueen as she bared her wand. Although the Hufflepuff, a bright ray of sunshine, wasn't known for being menacing either. She was about as scary as a puppy playing in a ball pit. But she was trying, which is what mattered.

Really the WORST part of the duel was the beginning. It always seemed to happen the same way. The captain said begin, and then it was like all heck broke loose. Spell after spell, explosions, things like that. It all seemed to go crazy when the duel started, and then there was nothing to do but try to survive it. And this one was a more brutal one than most....almost everybody got pelted. HE hadn't yet, but both of his team-mates had, and Lea had hit the ground hard just around the same time that Hanako did from Jake's spell. Yes, he liked to petrify at the beginning of the duel because less people standing meant less people flinging spells, which meant more time to think, more time to aim, and less chances of getting pelted from one sude when you were trying to dodge on another. Not that it mattered in this case...nobody had aimed for Jake.

He took stock of his team (who had taken a beating) and the Slytherin team (who, Jake thought, had taken a worse one). He winced at seeing Jack take a devastating hit from Lea's terrifying cracker jinx. Some way to get introduced to your first duel... He wanted to win of course. But was it so bad to want Jack to have a nice time first? (Well, as nice a time as a duel could be, at least). They didn't feel very fun at moments like that.

Well this duel is going in the way he expected it to. Horribly Of course the hufflepuffs were so threatened by him that they had to ensure he couldn't move. Well then. That wouldn't be the first time. He could take it, even if his other teammates were… not doing the best. Especially Jack. Well - Hanako was pretty much in the same spot as the other was at some point in his first duel. So well as they say, what doesnt kill you makes you stronger.

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

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When Mahlioz waved at him, Jack smiled and waved back. It was kind of embarrassing to know a fourth year was probably much more experienced in dueling than he was, but he still planned to do his best. There had to be some benefit to being a seventh year, right? Hopefully he didn't disappoint her or Hanako or the rest of the Viridian Vipers.

"Let's not let him die too early~" Hanako told the fourth year loud enough for Jack to hear, causing his fellow seventh year to roll his eyes. He knew his dormmate was trying to rile him on purpose.

"I'm not going to die," he insisted. There were preventative measures in place for that. But he could very well get knocked out cold and badly hurt, which he guessed was what Hanako had in mind.

Haven's insults regarding 'slithery watermelons' made it very hard for the Welsh teen to hold back his laughter, but he managed to do so behind a good-natured smile. Especially when Jake called out to him from their opponents' side.

"Hey, Morris," he greeted back, raising his hand in salutations. "Not long ago, actually. I've been trying to get on the team for a while, now, but it took some time. I kind of feel bad since I'm pretty sure I'm nothing compared to the Slytherins I was supposed to help replace this year when the former duelists graduated. But I'm definitely going to give it my best regardless," he assured Jake with a grin. "I look forward to seeing what you've got."

---------------------------------------------------

What Jake had, apparently, along with his teammates, was almost too much for Jack. But of course, if anyone would have been able to work well as a team, it would have been the Hufflepuffs. Jack should have expected that, especially since he'd heard Jake had been the captain of his house's dueling team for a number of years by then. He just...hadn't been able to picture it for some reason. Gentle, shy Jake? A dueling team captain? Yet there Jack was, paying the price for his underestimation.

"'Battered like this morning's pancakes'," Jack repeated under his breath after having heard their announcer mention his situation. Yes, that was definitely Piérre, though he might have taken a polyjuice or volubilis potion or something to sound like he did just then. And he (she?) was right about Jack. If not for his determination not to get knocked out on their very first round, he wouldn't have been still been standing. Things didn't look good toward the notion that he might last a second round, but he had to at least try.

He hadn't ever thought the Cracker Jinx could have been so damaging, hurting not only him, but Hanako, who was in range of the attack. Lea's spell spread unfortunately spread the spell to Hanako who was hit by it directly as well, causing Jack to be hurt with radius damage, too. The redhead might have practiced his spells often enough, but he had underestimated how much he should have practiced his evasion and stamina instead. It annoyed him so much that he was already almost down for the count. He was the one dragging his team down during his first duel and he was one of the eldest on the team, even if also one of the newest. How humiliating.

So much for this not being a team sport, he thought bitterly to himself.

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

Round 2

The firecracker jinx, the famous spell of duelling that had quickly been picked up by almost all years that could cast it consistently, was not done with its debut yet as Haven sent a spatter of them across Slytherin's side. Hanako, thankfully, was on the ground as the magic spat over his head, but just as last time, Jack was caught in the radius, singed by sparks and popping crackers and this time Mahlioz suffered a full frontal assault--the youngest Slytherin on the board was no longer entirely unscathed. While Hanako managed to break his bind thereafter and get to his feet, Mahlioz's powerful doubled spell seemed to have dredged up a wild stroke of inspiration--Hanako's and Jack's wounds were healed almost instantly and any lingering pains of the Petrification Curse that could have been malingering upon the former serpent would no longer affect him.

Lea, on the other hand, continued to motionlessly struggle against the arcane binds--she was not a well-built young woman, as was the common tendency among those of the dueling mantle--but Jake's spell put her back on her feet, alleviating not only the curse but also the stiffness that often came with the breaking of the spell early. Wind continued to whip about Haven, hindering her movements, and it was in that opening that Jack would cast another Confringo, blasting the piste beneath her feet and spreading it even to Jake, whose agility saved him from the worst of a full contact but still resulted in splinters being relegated to his shins and ankles for his troubles.

Piérre watched with a slight smile. So far nothing had gone terribly out of the ordinary as it often did whenever he conducted a match. Had the duellists been improving behind the scenes or had his lack of direct physical presence somehow confused Lady Luck into thinking that just another mundane moderator was overseeing this match? Well, only time could tell. He continued to watch with eager anticipation, breath held slightly as her fingers knotted about the chrysoprase crystal necklace's string idly.

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!

Lea had enjoyed the privileges granted by living in a wizard society as she had a strong knack for understanding spells and casting with quite a bit of strength. But it was times like these where the Hufflepuff was reminded of just how little training and time went into her physical self as the mind failed to convince a single finger to move. She had left a non-magic life behind so completely. How aggravating it was, yet she couldn't even scowl to express her frustration. It would be Jake who saved her, an immediate glare whipped around to the snakes. "Thank you." Her voice dripped with irritation, but she hoped Jake realized it wasn't for him.

Amazingly, Jack was still alive. Mahlioz was half expecting her reparifors to have no effect whatsoever, considering her usual luck and the fact that it was the first time she had split a spell at two different people in a duel. Not only that, but the spell looked really, really good - it seemed the duelling gods were looking out for her. She couldn't help from pumping her fist with a "Yes!!" when it worked out. Alright, alright, they had a chance. Sure, Lea was out of her petrificus totalus, and Haven Bohannon had hit Mahlioz themselves with a crackers jinx (fair revenge, they could admit), but Hanako was also free and Jack's confringos kept impressing. They could still even out this playing field.

october 19 2025 | morning slot banner by aiden choi Reducio @hanako tone @jack burnett sorry ara for the accidental ping T-T 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

" O- Hey you're alive! How——— unexpected" . Hanako commented, wondering if he should be rather envious. He was certain he struggled staying up on his feet in the first few years of his duels. That was a rather relaxing round for him- a rare occurrence. Maybe he should taunt the hufflepuffs to hit him again with the same spell. That being said, his teammates possibly potentially still needed him so.. urhgh.

He sent a look at Mahl as let out an enthusiastic yes, ' its too late to be celebrating- dummy' was the look he'd give them.

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

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By the miracle that was Mahlioz's healing spell, Jack did not get knocked out as it seemed likely he would have. But how much longer could he last for? Was he still his team's weakest link? When his confringo spells went off and did some terrific damage to their opponents, he felt more like a glass cannon - powerful, if fragile. No wonder Hanako had kept begging him to teach him the spell.

It hadn't escaped Jack's notice that Jake had winced upon seeing him be so viciously attacked by the Blazing Badgers. Good ol' Jake. Of course he was feeling sympathetic - maybe even empathetic - toward his opponents. That was one thing that made it hard not to like the boy. Well, young man, now. But sympathy or not, no one could afford to pull their punches. They had to go big or go home, and if Jack was going to be out soon, he wanted to make sure his presence in the duel had at least counted for something.

Preparing once again for the worst-case scenario, he grinned and did his best to continue to keep on his feet. "Oh, shut up, Tone," he said with a sneer, shaking his head, though the action made him somewhat dizzy. Maybe that hadn't been a good idea after all.

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

"Owww..." Haven groaned, splinters hitting her shins. "What the donkeys? Why did you have to do that?" She pouted a little, pulling a larger splinter from her arm and pressing against it to stop the bleeding.

"We're going to show those soapy sappy slithery snakes... those soggy tater tots..." Haven always said the silliest things with the most disdain, glaring across the piste at them. "I am not going to let Marcus escape that bubble bath... He's really stinky."