A Quick Fix Prodigal Learner Finished

George had a tendency to let things get out of hand. One thing he had never gotten the hang of, however, was cleaning up after himself. His new knowledge of charms had led him to all sorts of shenanigans - an after-hours romp with the help of lumos, some cruel pranks on his roommates with tarantallegra. He had a knack for charms, and the interest to back it up. He hadn’t been brave enough to cast spells beyond his year before, but he thought this was the one. Finite incantatem - a spell for stopping spells. It was an odd one to start with, as you needed a spell to stop in the first place. Same reason they taught incendio before extinguo, he supposed. He had written ahead of time to get the professor’s attention so he could demonstrate the spell. The boy walked through the halls to the classroom, murmuring to himself, and remembering his practice.

Freddie, Jake Morris’ stuffed dog, had been set up on top of his trunk. He made a perfect test dummy when Jake wasn’t there to cry over his mistreatment. The dog wasn’t alive, even if he could dance like he was, so George wasn’t sure what the problem was in the first place. Thankfully, Jack Warren had no qualms with stuffed animal testing. He sat nearby, a willing accomplice to the stuffie abuse, as George tried in vain to correct a well-cast dancing feet spell from Jack.

“Fi-nite incantatem!” George said, getting his emphasis all wrong. He whipped his wand in the correct motions, but there was nothing behind it. With a frustrated groan, he watched as the little stuffed dog danced again, a taunting gleam in his beady black eyes. He looked toward Jack for some sympathy. “What am I doing wrong?”

Jack sighed, glancing at his friend, “Look, mate. It ain’t Fi-Night incantatem. It is latin, right? So maybe you should say it differently. Try fi-Nee-tay. Maybe that’ll work.” His words were confident, even if his experience would beg that he shouldn’t be. By no means did he actually know what he was doing but it was worth the attempt.

George chewed his lip, staring at Jack as the last life was danced out of the stuffed dog and it fell limp again. He glanced at it, then looked to Jack again. He almost didn’t want to try it - if he were wrong, it was another pointless attempt, and if he were right, George would have to stomach that smug look Jack got on his face when he was right about something. The studious badger held his wand in both hands, letting it flex underneath as he resisted the urge to snap it in frustration. It was worth a try. “Hit it with another tarantallegra.”

Clearing his throat, Jack positioned himself in a preposterous way. His legs were spread apart by miles. He had nearly put himself into the splits. Outstretching his wand arm, and a glance at George, Jack flicked his wrist and spoke. “Tarantallegra.” Slowly the dog rose to its feet, turned around, stuck out its rear end, and began to twerk.

George rolled his eyes at the ridiculous position Jack took, and the dance that the dog performed. Did he need to kick George’s pride while it was down? Maybe the rage helped hone his focus, because George drew his wand up and swung it around like a maestro conducting an orchestra. “Finite incantatem!” he spat, ending with a final thrust forward at that stupid stuffed dog. Again, it fell limp. George was ready to scream - until he realized that was what he meant to do. “I- it worked! Jack!”

The look on Jack’s face was terrible, as usual. That smug grin was plastered across his dumb face. Jumping back to a normal standing position, Jack just continued to grin at George. “Maybe I should tutor you or somethin’. You’re pretty shite at casting spells without my help.” The boy raised his arms, and tucked his hands behind his head as if he was relaxing in bed. Smugness radiated off the first year Hufflepuff.

George could still feel anger bubbling up inside of him as he remembered that stupid look on his face. But that wasn’t the most important part of his memory - the correct incantation. Standing there in front of Professor Vernatis, it was the only thing he needed to have in mind. He had even brought his assistant to help demonstrate.

Freddie the stuffed dog was thrown unceremoniously onto the floor of the charms classroom. George began with a demonstration of another charm - dancing feet. “Tarantallegra!” He knew this one well by now - Freddie hopped up and started doing a jig. Time for part two of the demonstration.

“Finite incantatem!” A swish of his wand, and a properly enunciated incantation. The little stuffed dog fell still, and George turned to look at Professor Vernatis with a smug grin on his face.

WC: 830 words, with 193 written by Jack Warren. Posted with his permission and Jake's permission to use his items.
Spell is finite incantatem.

Reducio