Attire: Usual weekend kit: Slytherin pride, kilt, no shoes, wolf fang necklace, feathers in his braid.

Reducio

Part 1
1 July 2023
Altanarra, Highlands

Colin briefly wondered why kids who lived in Scotland had to travel all the way to London, only to have to travel all the way back to Scotland and home as he had followed Hamish out of Kings Cross. He wondered how muggleborns accomplished the arduous journey. He tried to ignore Hamish, but his older cousin had been unusually talkative on the platform, and this had annoyed Colin. Hadn't he just called Clair a mudblood? Colin's ire heated up again over that.

Not once, but at least thrice! The word came so easily to Hamish's lips! Hamish had given Colin a dismissive smirk as they stood before the giant hearth that served as a floo portal. Hamish shoved Colin within, and Greebo growled, clinging fiercely to his boy's shoulder. Before Colin could say a word, Hamish grabbed some of the powder, stepped over the hearth stone and called out "Altanarra House!"

Travelling by floo had always been exciting for Colin, and this homegoing should have been no exception, even if it was in the company of his twit cousin. As they whooshed by all the intervening hearths along the line, faint sights and sounds visible as they sped past, Colin wondered why Hamish wasn't just taking to McCoire House. His voice sounded distant and distorted as he asked: "Say, why are we going to Altanarra? That's still miles away!"

Hamish gave Colin a laugh.

Colin didn't like the sound of it. There was no great love between them, but Colin suddenly felt that Hamish might actually be threatening him. Was Hamish playing some kind of game? "Och, stop yer carping, lad. A little walk won't hurt! Anyway, I'm not yer baby sitter!" Hamish's voice was similarly distorted by the weird other place that flowed between the real places one could see through the hearths. To Colin it felt like travelling through a worm hole.

WHUMPFF!!

With a sudden lurch, their journey ended in a huge stone arch. It was the kitchens of Altanarra House. Colin looked out on the faces of the Elves and Squibs who worked in the place. He smiled in greeting. Hamish shoved passed him and ordered a sandwich for himself. Altanarra House, Colin knew, was a local tavern and road house. In the old days, there would often be a traveller staying in the house. Most of the custom now was the locals. Magical and Squibs mostly. The occasional muggle tourist --- usually driving a fast motor car or a bike, occasionally hiking through the Highlands --- rounded out the company in the great room beyond the kitchens. Colin smiles softly. The muggles never knew what went on in the kitchens! Never saw the Elves. Never knew that people could travel from London to this most beautiful of lands through a hidden network of deep magic. He asked for some cheese and milk, which he shared with Greebo.

Colin ate and chatted with one of the younger squibs. She was perhaps a cousin. Elizabeth, she'd introduced herself. She reminded him of Argus and Angus a bit. She'd probably come in from the school up the road. Altanarra School. That's where the squib kids went while he and his wizard kin were home schooled and went off to Hogwarts. Hamish, Colin noted snarkily, seemed miffed that Colin would speak with a lowly squib. Colin turned his face towards Elizabeth and rolled his eyes dramatically. "The road house ain't yer kind of place is it, Hamish lad?" he said with a wink. Elizabeth covered her mouth and giggled. The other squibs looked on somewhat uneasily.

Hamish grunted.

Colin finished his meal and gave his thanks to the Elves of the kitchens. Without a word to Hamish, he got his things together, called to Greebo and headed out the door. He reckoned he didn't need his older cousin's permission to head out for his own home. and boy took to the road. The A-836. Turning right, towards the north, Colin crossed the bridge. He began to whistle a merry tune as he skipped along the empty road. Even though Colin's pocket watch told him was getting late, the bright Sun told him there were still several hours left to the day. It wasn't a mile to the Great Crossroads, as he and his siblings had called the intersection of the A-836 with the B-873 and the Meadie Road that led towards home. When they were younger, it was the Great Crossroads, leading to the four great Kingdoms of Predainia --- Saesoon of the Liche King to the south, Easoon of the Queen of Hearts to the east, Verperia to the west and mighty palace of the Witch Queen, Nordonia of the Rime Queen Beyond the Ocean to the north.

"McCoire." The voice was gruff and came from a little ways behind, just crossing the lesser bridge over the creek.

"HHHHSHSHSHSHSH." Greebo hissed.

Colin ignored the voice, his spirits too high at the moment in his reverie of the times past with Liam and Ciarán and even Argus and Angus. Times and games that would never be played again, now that Liam was dead. Colin would be going home into sadness and grief. But for this last golden moment under the Sun and nearing the Great Crossroads of Predainia, Colin refused to be goaded by Hamish's calling.

"McCoire!" The voice called louder, and was closer. Colin realised that Hamish must have been running along.

"Go away! I can find my way home from here!" Colin could indeed see, looking to the right of the narrow road, the three mighty arches of the stout grey stoned bridge over Mudhadal, the muddy river in the dale as the ancient Sea People called it. Another minute of brisk walking brought him to the parapet of squared grey stones. Greebo was growling low.

Hamish put a strong hand on Colin's narrow shoulder. He turned the younger boy, shoving him onto the bridge. "I'm talking to you McCoire! What was all that, chatting with that squib like she was a real human, like she was yer equal? You---!"

"Shut it Hamish! I'll talk to whoever I want to!"

"No. That's not good enough, laddie. You need to learn yer place. Just as those lousy squibs need to learn proper deference."

"Deference!? What ---? Did you hurt her? Elizabeth?"

"Never mind what I did or did not do back there." Hamish got up close to Colin, looking down his nose at his young cousin. "And as for that ugly mudblood of yours. Aye, you need to learn---"

Colin drew his wand from its sheath inside his right sleeve. Colin had had enough

Part 2
1 July 2023

"JACULOR!" Colin roared.

"Fuck---!" Hamish, used to things being thrown at him on the quidditch pitch, dodged Colin's bullet deftly, the small stone ricocheting off the far parapet of the bridge. "Diffindo!" Hamish was unaware of his younger cousin's own agility and watched in dismay as the bright arc of his own spell dissipated against the pavement where Colin had stood not a moment before. He snarled. "Ye're a little muggle fucker, McCoire!"

Colin's face reddened, not so much from his usual embarrassment, but from anger. He took that slight as a deprecation against Clair, and that would not do! "FLIPENDO!" he shouted!

"CONFRINGO!" Hamish countered at the same time! The brilliant flashes of magical energy zung past each other with brilliant fractals of trailing dissipation. Colin knew the end would come quick! The spells slammed into their targets! Colin's was quicker and he watched as Hamish was tipped over the parapet!

WHAAMMM!! Bits of broken pavement and shards of stone slammed into Colin's body as he thrown down and rolled forcefully into the parapet wall! Colin groaned. "Colin lad, why do we always get into fights with older wizards?" His mind flew back to last years duels with Dan Palmer and Opeila Winters, both much older and stronger wizards. His wand clattered on the pavement. He grabbed it as he heard a huge splash from river below.

Hamish must have rocketed himself up from the water, because he landed on the parapet soaking wet and looking like a raving werewolf. "You're dead, McCoire!" he roared. Colin had just gotten to his bloodied knees as Hamish lit into him again! "DIFFINDO." Hamish's wand sliced through the air like a sword. Colin felt the magic slice through the cloth of his shirt, buttons flying in every direction. The searing pain of the slicing hex cut through his skin and blood gushed from his wound.

"Two can play that game, Hamish! DIFFINDO!" Colin slashed at Hamish's left side, cleanly slicing off his cousin's hand!

Hamish bellowed like a wounded bull! Blood flowed from his arm! "FLIPENDO!!"

"Expelliarmus!" Colin cried out as he fell back against the parapet. Hamish closed in on him, his wand still firmly in his hand.

Hamish gave him a terrible, angry grimmace. "I told ye to learn yer manners, ye little hauf staunner! Ye're no match fer me! I warrant ye're no better with that tadger than ye are with wi yer ain boaby, Caileann. I swear ---!"

"Jaculor!" Colin shouted as Hamish descended on him. "Jaculor!" he shouted again! And "JACULOR!!"

Three bullets sped from the tip of Colin's wand! Each one wobbled slightly but all three closed in on Hamish's anger bloated face!

BLAP! The first bullet smacked Hamish right on the bridge of his nose, and with a sickening snap, Colin knew it was broken! YES!

SLUP! The second bullet shot right up Hamish's right nostril, lodging itself firmly in place somewhere deep inside! YAH! Ye'll need more than a tissue to dislodge that lot!

THUMP! The third bullet, the strongest of the three, smashed directly into Hamish's right eye! Whoa. With a gut wrenching squelching sound, it disappeared, and all kinds of clear juice squirted out.

With a roar, Hamish jabbed his wand at Colin's chest and roared "DIFFINDO!" The shock wave the spell created slammed immediately into Colin's already bleeding body and sent him bouncing back into the parapet wall. He couldn't remember if his head hit the grey stone or not. The last memory of Colin McCoire was the sensation of Hamish's heavy boots slamming into his crotch and his belly.

Colin fell into blackness.

@Clair Fernandez | @AngelFyre McCubbin