Overpractice Doesn't Make Perfect PV Percival Gray Closed

Date: November 13, 2021 (Saturday), around 9 a.m.

For almost two weeks after the duel with Aryaan Shamsi, Liana didn't dare to practice any spells. What good was casting at dummies that barely moved and didn't fight back, with as much time to focus and aim as she needed? Once all that effort had to be tested in a real-life magical combat, it meant nothing. Less than nothing. Being able to execute splendid spells and hit stationary targets made her overconfident in her abilities. It made her think she was any good, when in fact she wasn't. Two backfiring spells in a row while facing her peers who had next to no experience? Missing the vast majority of her attacks and yet again horribly failing a spell when duelling a Quidditch player who had barely ever practiced offensive spellcasting? She was actually really bad at this. And it hurt a lot more than she let on. She came to Hogwarts with a desire to rise as a duellist, she had had a headstart due to having been tutored privately, she was supposed to be at least above average. And yet, while her spells worked in the safe environments of a classroom, they completely missed their target or just exploded in her face when used in a fight.

Thus, with the exception of joining Avery in the pet training event, Liana spent the last few weeks avoiding her usual companions. Avoiding everyone, for that matter, even her own usual self. She didn't go to the library for any extracurricular research, nor did she visit the DADA classroom to learn new spells. She did sleep a lot, though - a small part of her worrying that she'll soon be as lackadaisical as Matthew Gray, a large part of her not caring. However, after spending what seemed like an eternity just doing the bare minimum, she started getting restless. A few Es emerging here and there instead of her usual Os served as a wake-up call, too.

And yet, concentrating on the words in her textbooks proved to be difficult. Her mind kept coming back to the failures that had kept her down. She didn't exactly want to do any duel practice, but it seemed that until she resolved this issue, her brain would not let her focus on academics. There was no way around it. Hence, it was with an anxious heart that she approached the door of the Duelling Club, praying that there would be nobody inside. For once, her wish was granted.

The girl slipped inside, doing her best to ignore the cold, clammy feeling of her palms and the intense pounding in her chest. Never had she ever felt so uneasy in this place that not even a month ago was one of her top ten favourite areas in the castle. She headed over to the lined up dummies on wheels, and pushed one of them away from the others, into the center of the room. Then, feeling jittery, she walked some ten paces away from the inanimate opponent and leveled her wand at it. Worried about a spell going wrong, she chose to start with something that would cause no damage even if her cherry wood piece decided to act out.

''Obscuro!'' A blindfold materialized over the unseeing eyes. That was encouraging. ''Incendio!'' The dummy was blasted with a jet of fire, although none of it stuck. Was it enchanted to resist flames or did she just cast too weakly? ''Incendio!'' This time, the target caught fire. Which was a satisfying sight, but also a hazard. ''Extinguo!'' The flames were quenched. ''Flipendo!'' Struck by a flash of blue light, the dummy rolled backwards, hitting a wall behind it and coming back almost to the same spot where it had been placed initially. Well, this wasn't going too badly. Of course, it never did when practicing against something that couldn't dodge or cast back.

Deciding to create more of a challenge for herself, the redhead drew a spiral with the tip of her wand. ''Fumos!'' Quite quickly, the room filled up with smoke, making it difficult to see, although she could still make out the tall lifeless shape that was her foe. ''Tarantallegra!'' The dummy's legs began twitching with an irritating squeak that sounded like a cry for some hinge oiling. This was a bit too easy still. Liana closed her eyes and spun around on her heel, trying to mildly disorient herself. Upon opening her eyes, she located her noisy target and, without a pause, incanted, ''Expelliarmus!'' The spell narrowly missed and hit a wall, which soaked it up. With a slight twinge of annoyance, the first-year repeated her spin before casting again. ''Expelliarmus- aargh!'' A blinding red firework burst out right in front of her face, and her wand was torn out of her grasp. Sucking air in through her teeth at the sharp pain in her fingers, she squinted through the smoke, trying to make out the floor and locate her wand. This was no easy task, especially since she failed to notice which direction it had flown to.

''Where in Merlin's name..?'' the girl muttered, feeling both abashed and vexed at the same time. This search could take forever.

Action summary: Casting a number of spells, conjuring smoke, then losing her wand due to backfired Disarming Charm. Currently trying to locate it in the smoke-filled room.