2024/25 Stage 3 Slytherin vs Hufflepuff: Match 1

Her final official duel at Hogwarts. It was hard to believe that such a thing had come and that she was only months away from completing her whole time at the school. Ruby wasn’t a hugely sentimental person, though—maybe the time for that would come, but not now, not on the piste. This was a place for action and calculation, not feelings. She was just here to have fun—duelling was one of her favourite activities, and having a public stage on which to test herself was a good and enjoyable opportunity.

She was pretty certain that she would win this duel; she knew how capable she was and Bridget and Astrea had proven to be excellent duelling teammates. The trio of seventh year Slytherins were quite clearly the top of the school currently, and they had faced students of higher years in the previous duels, so it would take a lot of bad luck for them to lose. However, there was always an element of unpredictability to duel outcomes, so they would still have to put in some effort to ensure the win. Ruby glanced at her teammates, giving them a nod of acknowledgement and encouragement that said everything that needed to be said.

Doing as strategised

Credit to Prat Pass

It was her last-ever duel at Hogwarts and Bridget's nerves were strangely absent. Or perhaps they had already run out, kicking off uncharacteristically early while she tried to study yesterday and now fizzling to a measured calm. The whole room was buzzing, encouraged by Galton and his knack for a theatrical opening, but she was still, holding her wand and breathing slowly. This was the last time, yes, and she'd worried in anticipation of what last even meant, the weight of it, but now there was a duel. She did not know the answer to the rest of the questions, but she did know this: taking the stage when their names were called, filtering past the applause, dipping her head to her opponents, feeling the wood under her feet.

By now she was used to having Astrea and Ruby at her side, too, and the way they supported each other wordlessly, exchanging glances now and supporting each other once the start was called. They were intelligent, driven, and cool-headed teammates, and she was glad she was going to finish this with them. It was all of their last time and she wanted to win this as much for their sakes as for hers; they had worked for this, proven their skill over and over, and now they only had to end on the same high note. She expected Hufflepuff to put up a good fight, but she wasn't here to settle for anything less than victory.

Action: Doing as strategized

"I have my wand this time!" Haven reassured her teammates, out of breath as she took her spot at the piste. This time, she had actually forgotten her wand, but for once in her life, she had arrived early to get Marcus, her pygmy puff, set up so he could watch the duel. Thanks to his insistence on leaving early to get a good seat, Haven had just enough time to run back to her dormitory and grab her wand. She suspected it would be very hard to do without it.

With a bright smile, Haven waved to their opponents. It was their last duel. How sad! It was hard to believe that the end of the school year was so close, and her final year at Hogwarts was fast approaching. And NEWTs. Gross. She hated standardized testing. And any testing. And schoolwork in general. Honestly, she still wasn't entirely sure how she had managed to get into dueling... and more surprised that they kept putting her on the roster. But since she was here, might as well have fun!

"We should definitely have some cake after this," she told her teammates. "Ooh, or biscuits! My ma sent me a package with some just yesterday! We should do that. And maybe we'll win this time, too." Haven flourished her wand about a little bit, doing a spin before getting into her stance, much reminiscent of a chicken about to attack, but with a little more bounce, considering she was nearly vibrating with excitement thinking about the biscuits waiting for her. Hopefully Marcus would get to see her do something cool and not just pass out.

Lea could only stare in reaction, contemplating how she had managed to get in this position. Haven's sugary absent-mindedness only heightened the Hufflepuff's stress, although the newly acquired wand was a step in the right direction. Already this seemed like a duel that Lea wouldn't see the end of with a wary glance towards Astrea- hairs raising at a glance in their direction yet unable to keep her gaze off. Ruby had already knocked Lea out a few times before and Bridget had found a lot of success throughout her career.

"That sounds lovely- let's just... focus on this for now, please." The Fifth Year cast a pleading glance towards Lindsey, hoping the older Hufflepuff would be able to help out. Despite it all, there was an assurance of being with the same group each stage this year, a comfort in their presence and capabilities. "Good luck, have fun?"

“Mmm?” Mumbled Lindsey as she met Lea’s hopeful eyes, an elastic band held between her teeth as she gathered her hair into a ponytail. Haven might or might not still have the surge of adrenaline flowing as she had just retrieved her wand, and Lindsey chuckled when her teammate merrily brought up the topic of cake and biscuits. She gave Lea a reassured look, deftly finished doing her hair (and finally got rid of that elastic band which prevented her from speaking), before she joined the chorus. “Right. We won’t get to the lovelier part until we survive this.” She suggested, her tone lilt. “And it’s always better to share victory biscuits, isn’t it?”

Their startling opponents were being alarmingly quiet compared to the chatter on the Hufflepuff own side, and okay, she had to admit, considering who those seventh years were, she might be a bit incredulous at her claimed victory. But anyway—adhere to Haven’s good spirits and what Lea had said, she grinned nevertheless. “Sure we will, Cap.” She might don’t exactly have faith in securing a win, but she has always trusted herself in enjoying a good match.

If only to seize strategic normality amid the weight of one’s final duel, Astrea had tactfully avoided indulging in exceptionality while preparing for the year’s final stage. It would do Slytherin no favours to place one match’s worth over another while preparing for every possible possibility, after all. In the past few months, Astrea had thrown herself anew into plan-making in much the same way she handled any other subject— readily, procedurally and, unsurprisingly, with unwavering commitment to duty. She could acknowledge a last duel’s significance after ensuring victory, when all of their terribly clever hypotheticals of Hufflepuffs’ spellwork were nothing more than cleared hurdles in their long-winded path.

While the end of a perpetual era loomed, the tireless effort of a job well done would make more of a statement than overconfident camaraderie ever could. She’d miss few of Hogwarts’ quirks and many of its missed potentialities after graduation, but at least this quiet alliance could not yet escape her. Despite it all, it was the duelling piste that had raised her from adrenaline’s far-flung mania. From her first few skirmishes to her eventual rise towards steady partnership in the senior leagues, Astrea had cultivated talent only by grasping at the hilt of inhumanity. Taking her respective place upon the piste, there were more words shared in steadied nerves and ready glances than could be feasibly conveyed by her leaden tongue. So soon, she would never stand upon this piste as a worthy combatant, nor would she ever able to disparage both teammate and enemy alike for unnecessary commentary.

It was strange— too often, Slytherin’s eldest Vipers found themselves amid graduating peers. Just as many times before, they remained at odds with their chatty, over-familiar house rivals. It was as if Hogwarts’ houses functioned on separate worlds, with what the differences in their collective duelling cultures. Made beacons of unspoken solidarity, the Vipers’ ever-present silence seemed ever-starker by promises of butterbeer and team bonding. Astrea had always preferred it this way, but her role as a root cause of strict conduct likely could not be taken as anything more than biased propriety.

As their moderator announced the significance of the day’s implications and their Hufflepuff counterparts chatted amongst themselves, Astrea allowed herself only a few moments of grateful acknowledgement before turning towards more pressing matters. Establishing solidarity surely didn’t necessitate the intensity to which her gaze sharpened on their opponents, but it was all too obvious the frosted difference between aloof mutual assurance and truly critical dissection. With Astrea cast severe and statuesque in the face of tested opposition, it would take more than lucky talent to dismantle a system of success.

Action: Doing as strategised.

Round 1

Astrea vs Lea

Reducio

Astrea Soleil Neptune cast Impedimenta at Lea Hirsch
Wisdom DC: 13
Wisdom Check: [d20: 12] + 16 = 28 > 13→ Success
Accuracy Check: [d20: 18] + 20 = 38
Evasion Check: [d20: 6] + 17 - 8 [Trip] = 15
38 > 15 → Hit
Effects: The target suffers –5 Evasion or –5 Accuracy (chosen randomly) every round until both stats become 0.
Effect Location [d2: 1] → -5 EVA (1: EVA, 2: ACC)

Bridget vs Lindsey

Reducio

Bridget Collins cast Confringo at Lindsey Springhall
Wisdom DC: 17
Wisdom Check: [d20: 7] + 17 = 24 > 17 → Success
Auto-miss Check: [d20: 4] < 19 → No auto-miss
Auto-dodge Check: [d20: 17] < 19 → No auto-dodge
Accuracy Check: [d20: 12] + 17 = 29
Evasion Check: [d20: 19] + 8 = 27
29 > 27 → Hit
Damage: (150 + 10 ARC × 15) * .9[TP] = 270

Ruby vs Lea and Lindsey

Reducio

Ruby Cazares spell spreads Ventus at Lea Hirsch and Lindsey Springhall
Wisdom DC: 11 + 2 [LC] + 2 [SS] = 15
Wisdom Check: [d20: 17] + 17 = > 15 → Success
Auto-split Check 1: [d20: 17] < 19 → No auto-split
Accuracy Check 1: [d20: 4] + 17 - 2 [SS] = 19
Lea Evasion Check: [d20: 10] + 17 - 8 [Trip] = 19
19> 19 → Imp. Hit
Damage: (50 + 12 ARC × 15)*.5 = 115
Duration: [d3: 2] → 1 round (1-2: 1 round, 3: 2 rounds)
Effect: –2 Evasion for the duration
Auto-split Check 2: [d20: 4] < 19 → No auto-split
Auto-dodge Check: [d20: 11] < 19 → No auto-dodge
Accuracy Check 2: [d20: 19] + 17 - 2 [SS] = 34
Lindsey Evasion Check: [d20: 1] + 8 = 9
34 > 9 → Hit
Damage: 50 + 12 ARC × 15 = 230
Duration: [d3: 1] → 1 (1-2: 1 round, 3: 2 rounds)
Effect: –4 Evasion for the duration

Haven vs Ruby

Reducio

Haven Bohannon cast Oculitumescere at Ruby Cazares
Wisdom DC: 14 + 2 [LC] = 16
Wisdom Check: [d20: 13] + 11 = 24> 16 → Success
Auto-miss Check: [d20: 9] < 19 → No auto-miss
Accuracy Check: [d20: 5] + 11 = 16
Evasion Check: [d20: 12] + 14 = 26
16 < 26 → Miss

Lea vs Ruby

Reducio

Lea Hirsch cast Offendo at Ruby Cazares
Wisdom DC: 16 + 2 [LC] = 18
Wisdom Check: [d20: 1] + 12 = > → Crit. Failure
Effect: Lea has -8 EVA this round

Lindsey vs Ruby

Reducio

Lindsey Springhall cast Confringo at Ruby Cazares
Wisdom DC: 17
Wisdom Check: [d20: 5] + 14 = > 17 → Success
Accuracy Check: [d20: 7] +14 = 21
Evasion Check: [d20: 20] + 14 = 34
21 < 34 → Miss
Damage: (10+ 12 ARC × * .9+[TP] = 95.4

10:30 on Saturday the 3rd, May 2025...

The match-up may have been a tad uneven in grade level from the start, but Galton didn't think it would really mean anything. That was until spells started flying.

The Snakes would send off a barrage of balanced spells towards the Badgers. Where he'd normally seen them favor raw firepower, they went for a more nuances spell selection this round. Astrea would aim to debilitate with a Impedimenta, while Ruby looked to coil them in a whirlwind. Bridget would be the heavy hitter, sending a confringo down piste. The Badgers were not without a tactical plan of their own though. Lea would go for a cheeky trip on one of the snakes while the other two laid into them. Haven sending a Oculitumescere and Lindsey - she wouldn't let the Snakes be alone in dishing out explosions.

Both sides moved seemed perfect on paper, but execution would trip up the Badgers, literally. Lea would fail to cast her trip jinx so badly her spell found herown legs. Both Astrea and Ruby would be able to capitalize on the error. Astrea hitting her with a Impedimenta and Ruby barely catching the Badger in a split ventus. Lindsey would be sucked into the same wind stream just as Bridget's confringo crashed into the poor duelist. Haven's oculitumescere would veer off target and miss Ruby. The Badgers' only form of revenge would be from the shrapnel that shot out at Ruby from Lindsey's missed confringo.

Galton remembered his duel against the trio of snakes in the fall. He remembered how quickly they'd been overwhelmed by the Vipers. He could only hope the Badgers would not suffer a similar fate. They'd only exchanged one bout of spells, it was still anyone's game.

Information

1. You have 96 hours from now to write your posts. A minimum word count of 50 is needed per post.
2. In the same time period, send me (Galton Lansdale) your team's actions per owl. Do not hint at your actions in your post.
3. Unless asked not to, if all actions have been submitted and posts made, I will (hopefully) be moderating before the deadline
4. If you don't post in the allotted time frame, your action is void.
5. Your Stats, Abilities, and Spells have been locked to what they are now for the duration of this duel.
6. Please owl or message me if you have any questions or concerns!
7. Best of luck, let's have some fun!

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

Credit to Prat Pass

They did not start with an all-out barrage. Bridget often liked a direct approach, but an opponent caught up in wind or magical slowing would have a harder time fighting back and these spells were a longer-term investment; it was like they were spinning a spider web to reap from later. Still, Bridget was in charge of the one explosion in their opener, the Confringo cracking from her wand unsubtly next to Astrea and Ruby's efforts, though Ruby was still disturbing the area with the spread force of her Ventus.

Bridget's target was Lindsey, which was a pretty straightforward exchange. She aimed, it hit, and maybe between her and Ruby's efforts they'd disrupted her enough to make Lindsey's own Confringo easier to avoid the worst of. The standout moment of the duel's start was an unfortunate hiccup on Lea's part, her tripping spell sweeping out her own feet. There were probably few worse ways to start a duel, though no serious harm had been done yet.

Action: Doing as strategized

Lindsey bit her lips, groaning as spells showered on her. She steadied her stance in the gust of wind, and tried hard to ignore the growing pain in her body. With all their spells missing the targets and a strand of hair falling from her impeccable braid perfectly blocking her left eye’s view, she tutted to herself with slight annoyance. Their opponents clearly knew what they were doing in their final battle. This was going to be a rough match, for sure.