Aderyn imitated Beth () as she demonstrated the spell. She winced as a mental image of herself accidentally levitating and then dropping another student popped into her head. Shrugging it off, she turned to face on of the dueling dummies. Deciding to just jump in and give it a try, she waved her want and spoke the incantation.

"Impedimenta!"

The mannequin gave a little shudder and hopped up, hovering a half inch off of the ground for a few seconds before thumping back down onto the floor.

Magnus waved is wand in a horizontal motion like Beth showed and wandered off to a free dummy. "Impedimenta," he said, trying several times but no results. It was obvious he was becoming frustrated.

As she repeatedly practiced the jinx, getting varying reactions out of the dummy each time, Aderyn glanced over and noticed Magnus () having some troubles of his own. Deciding that two minds were better than one and that together they could probably improve much more quickly than they could apart, she walked over.

"Need a hand? I'm struggling a bit myself, but I'm sure we can figure it out!"

He laughed with a frustrated sound, "gonna pull me 'air out if I can't figure this out. Would be pleased to get some 'elp, cos right now I'm sittin' 'ere like a prat waving me wand and nothing is 'appening." Shaking his head as a self reminder to calm down, he sighed. "Sorry, letting meself getting to worked up."

Aderyn patted Magnus' () shoulder gently.

"I understand, I get that way, too, when I can't get a spell to work. Maybe it's the intent - I struggle with offensive spells because I never intend to hurt anyone, even in a duel, so it always takes me some time to work up to it. Maybe really focus on what you want the spell to do to the dummy and try again. See it happening in your mind's eye and try to translate that image through your wand as you cast."

He thought carefully on her words. It was true, he had been just saying the words without any actual desire or intent other than the spell working. Narrowing his eyes a little he thought of the werewolf that attacked him, standing there. Granted if it was a real scenario he'd want something stronger than Impediment. Waving his want in the horizontal motion he yelled, "Impedimenta" right at the dummy's chest. The dummy flew backwards, hitting the wall. Magnus was full out beaming and pulled Aderyn into a hug. "You are brilliant you are! Maybe if you are afraid o' hurting someone, think instead o defendin' yourself against something that scares you?"

Aderyn yelped in surprise as Magnus () pulled her into a hug, laughing and embracing him back as she realized she wasn't about to fall over.

"Nah, I'm not brilliant, but thanks! I just know that setting an intention helps me in all sorts of other magic. Maybe I'll have to try that."

Pulling away from the embrace, she flicked her wand at the dummy and it righted itself without any trouble. Pondering on it for a minute, she imagined being attacked by a rogue group of acromantulas. Biting her lip as a bit of real fear licked at her, she pointed her wand, slashed it horizontally at the dummy, and shouted "impedimenta!"

Watching the dummy as it spun around on its base twice before falling to the floor with a hard thud, she smiled. It was nowhere near as strong as what Magnus had managed, but it would give her a chance to use another spell, or at the very least to put more distance between herself and her target.

"It worked! I just hope I never have to use it against real acromantulas..."

Magnus did his best half smile as Aderyn managed the spell too. He clapped and beamed. "Well done!" Then the thought of those giant spiders made him swallow hard. He'd heard what they could do to people, no thank you. He laughed nervously, "thank Merlin for that. Don't fancy meeting one of those, thank you."

Aderyn nodded, her expression sympathetic.

"I can't even look at pictures of them in our textbooks, they're just too awful."

"tis 'ow I got adopted actually. The Lees were visiting a relation that got a nasty bite from a baby acromantula that they cross bred with a venomous spider. They visited me whilst visiting her. Course when the Lees adopted me, she told 'em that they needed to return me to Mungo's or she'd stop talking to 'em. Said I was a beast in child clothing and such... Mum and dad don't talk about 'er."

Aderyn listened, her expression sympathetic.

"I can't believe how horrible some people can be. I wonder how she'd feel if someone called her an aberration of some sort. The nerve of people. Thankfully there are a great many more of us who are sympathetic than those who are not."

"She said it to me face too. Said I'd posioned them against real humans," Magnus said solomly, "won't lie it 'urt at lot. But everyone's been real supportive and nice 'ere and o' course me new mum and dad too. I'm glad for it, I'd 'eard of how werewolves used to be treated so I'm 'appy."

"I've never been ostracized, but I know what it's like to be treated differently, being half-fae, and I can assure you that I'll never treat you like any less than a friend. Now, let's see how our spell casting is going - I challenge you!"

With a grin, she skipped off a short distance away, standing to face Magnus. She figured she could pull off a shield charm if he wanted to try the impediment jinx.

"Nor will I, you're me friend. Plus your wings are really pretty." He bowed like a proper challenge, waved his wanted and said, "impedimenta."

Aderyn anticipated Magnus' jinx and brought her own wand up, shouting "protego!" Magnus' jinx hit the shield and caused it to ripple like water. Aderyn felt almost a static sensation on her skin as the shield buckled a bit around her and was relieved when it dissipated, leaving her unharmed.

"That was awesome!"

"As was your shield charm. Come now, attack me," he said with a mischievous smile

"Thanks!"

Aderyn was tempted to use one of the other spells they'd learned before that she'd mastered a bit more, but she decided to stick with practicing the impediment jinx. Raising her wand, she spoke the incantation with a flourish of her wand, her intention set with the reassurance that Magnus would be able to shield himself against any harm.

Magnus readied for the spell. "protego," he said. The shield went up around him but not as effective as Aderyn's. Her spell hit his shield and there was a spark and a force pushing him back a bit.

[img align=left]http://i.imgur.com/ewypPQR.png?1[/img]Beth watched Aderyn () and Magnus ()' duel. "That was great! You both have improved so much. Soon you'll be professional duelist," she said as she applauded for them.

She turned toward the other members and said, "Would any of you like to practice dueling? We'll be having our first tournament soon."

(OOC: I hope everyone had/is having a lovely holiday. ^_^)

"Thanks," he said smiling, "Couldn't've done it without Aderyn's 'elp."