Summer Duels 2025
Saturday, 16th August, 2025
Summer camp was just beginning, and what better way to start the competitive spirit with the summer duels? Though, with the day's high temperatures, there would be a chance the duels would be more heated than usual (pun intended). The audience would need cooling charms while sitting through these matches, especially if someone decided to throw out a fire-making spell or two. The duellists, on the other hand, would have to brave the sun. If only the London Quidditch Stadium had some sort of indoor facilities to keep the sun out of people's eyes while they tried to aim spells or watch the chaos unfold.
While Hogwarts remained out of the summer duelling championship, there were less participants than the year before. Indeed, there were only three matches, all on one day, rather than a few spread across the whole weekend. Not only that, most of the participants were juniors, with the oldest player being a Seventh year and the second-oldest player being a Third year. Whether it was because a good chunk of last year's duellists recently graduated and were, therefore, no longer able to participate or some decided to try something new, one could only guess. Still, these games were bound to be interesting...
Match 1 - 13:00 - 14:00 [LINK]Castelobruxo: Manu Macedo, Ariam Vargas, Ariana Westonfield-Rivera
vs.
Beauxbatons: Aurélie Nathalie Duval, Geneviève Caussade, Phelan Emile
Moderator: Lea Hirsch
Match 2 - 10:30 - 11:30 [LINK]Durmstrang: Alicia Matthews, Rafael Kraus
vs.
Ilvermorny: Sutton Sinclair, Lucy Hills
Moderator: Prat Pass
Match 3 - 15:00 - 16:00 [LINK]Koldovstoretz: Vladislav Liam Gunther, Irina Liliya Zvereva
vs.
Durmstrang-Tenūsa: Nikolai Volkov, Moray Morcant
Moderator: Alyssea Brown
OOC: This is the spectator thread for all of the above duels. This is not a moderated thread, so standard site rules apply!
For ease: Please look at the timetable and make a specific note at the top of your post stating which duel you are watching/commenting on to minimize confusion for other players.
“I hope she'll be a fool — that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool.”
― F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby
Summer Duels 2025
16/08/25 | duelling piste
As Hans took a seat in the spectators he could not help but feel a wave of worry washing over him. While he offered Nikolai support before he walked towards the piste, but there was always the sinking feeling that he shouldn’t have been here and it was Hans’ fault for allowing him to be. He shouldn’t have been duelling so soon after October, and especially not when he had not practiced for so long, especially when there had been so many other, far too important, far too stressful things, to draw his focus.
Needless to say Hans’ attention was pinpointed on Nikolai, but the corners of his eyes could not help but draw him into another familiar figure. A recipient, or perhaps target, of a saviour complex that had been developed over the events at Hogsmeade, feeling so lost after his brother wouldn’t allow him to talk to him, much less help him, what was originally extended as a helping hand hand turned into emotional ineptitude. He should have known better than believing he would be as ready to share his heart’s deepest sentiments to just anyone he found distressed and in tears, and no doubt he had done more bad than good. How much more guilt was the world going to pile on him for just an one hour duel?
His eyes briefly flicked to the moderator as the duel began. Nothing out of the ordinary in her announcement, although the situation was not made much better after Nikolai being split up from the rest of his teammates. Even that little familiarity was taken away. Clapping along with the rest of the crowd as Nikolai stepped up to the piste at his name, the distant look in him was not a particularly reassuring thought. Having not used his wand in so long, much less trained with it, the very scene in front of him made him tense in apprehension. The duel could have two outcomes, and even if the result was victory, Hans wasn't sure Nikolai could leave untaxed by a win in a sport where the objective was hurting the opponent.
Hans closed his eyes briefly, before they were forced open was the unmistakable sound of the clash of spells entered his ears. None of them were from Nikolai though. Metelojinx, Steleus, one Mimblewimble that hit him. One had cupping his cheek, he leaned in. Almost as if he was frozen, there was barely an attempt made to dodge. Yet another round passed by, and it was as if the entire piste had been frozen, one sole spell being casted as thunder crackled emptily overhead. Needless to say there was something wrong, yet all their moderator did, dismissive as she was, only called for them to amuse her. Hans had seen similar displays in his races, opponents and even teammates who seemed lost, frozen in place as nothing happened. But this was not any other person, and rapt in concern, he was beginning to have second thoughts about why he hadn’t been more assertive in Nikolai dropping out from the team.
And just as he as about to ask someone to do something, relief finally crept into his heart as Nikolai casted his first spell. Watching intently at the simple Tarantallegra was sent towards Irina, perhaps Hans would have clapped and cheered if it were still Nikolai’s first duel. Yet today he was not quite sure what to do, and instead only watched intently. One year’s victory was certainly not worth whatever meant distress this brought, and in full frankness, Hans, however proud of Nikolai he was, would rather they stop now than watch it continue.
Yet continue the duel did, and as Koldovstoretz’s duo took on a haggard look from the joined attacks of Nikolai and his foreign teammate. A flipendo sent Irina back, with far more strength than Hans had expected. Where Nikolai had summoned that Hans did not know, but soon enough pride had soon turned to worry. A pacifist fighting like a gladiator, and with a strength at the dark arts, or any magical arts, that Hans couldn't deny. There had to be guilt somewhere in that equation. Nikolai seemed to have been phasing in and out, and that didn't settle Hans' heart any more. Of course, he wanted to cheer him on, but a part of him couldn't bring himself to do it. He should just know, however, that if he would glance towards the stands, he would be there.
Briefly, as Nikolai seemed to have collected himself enough to do something, Hans allowed his gaze to flick towards the target of his spell: Irina, the very same girl he had failed to comfort. Swallowing back sudden guilt of the past, he realised she was certainly holding up far better than he thought she would. This was not some act of doubt, but derived from the fact she seemed barely able to stand and on the verge of collapse. Another fault of the incompetent moderator; even if Irina was strong, health should have been the priority and she should have been escorted out. He blinked a few times at the thought, quite unlike of himself; the events at Hogsmeade must have warped up his thinking as much as it did anyone else's.
It was just a sport, not all too different from racing, and the boy he loved would do okay, because he was strong.
It would have been unfair to say Hans held expectations. No, he simply had faith. He had faith — faith that the duel would end in victory. It hadn’t. The loss had not left Hans in disappoint, only slight surprise. It ought to have been expected with the lack of practice, but Nikolai’s talent was not lost on him. Yet perhaps this talent shown in a different factor: resilience. In fact, he was proud Nikolai stood through the whole thing. But he was just glad it was all over.
Once Nikolai returned, Hans would offer him some words and an embrace if he wanted it.
@Nikolai Volkov, @ Irina Liliya Zvereva
banner by Oonagh Brown
banner by Oonagh Brown
you will burn and you will burn out; you will be healed and come back again. and i will wait for you.
Archer Duncan | Anthonie Engelbrecht
Archer Duncan | Anthonie Engelbrecht