Paddy watched the others all taking their turns. She was surprised that duelling had been slightly easier than potions, but she was definitely looking forward to whatever they learnt next. She hoped it'd be the spell to deflect the stunning spell that Beth had mentioned. She felt strangely comfortable already with her "almost-friends" - nobody her own age had even made an attempt to befriend her before, so she wasn't quite sure when they would become real friends, but almost-friends were more than she'd anticipated at this stage.

()

Gaia noticed her friend taking her turn. "Great job Harper! () Aderyn and I have been practicing our wand movement and zapping this smaller dummy here." gaia smiled and pointed her wand at the dummy, took a breath and aimed, "Stupefy!" a read light hit the dummy in the chest knocking it back some. Smiling she turned to Beth () "Could I have a shot after everyone else has gone?"

[img align=left]http://i.imgur.com/ewypPQR.png?1[/img] Beth smiled as she watched everyone take a turn with the dummy. She exclaimed, "Everybody has been such a great job!"

Turning to , she replied, "Of course. Give it your best shot!"

"Would you like to give it a try too?" she asked Charlotte ().

()

Gaia ran up to the main dueling area and took a deep breath. "Stupefy!" a red light hit the dummy on the stomach and stopped. "I DID IT!" Doing a little dance she celebrated and stepped of to continue chatting with her friends waiting for the next spell.

[img align=left]http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b174/theatticbox/harper4.png[/img]Harper watched the others for a while, memorizing the wand movements they used. Once she decided she could imitate it, she gave it a shot. She took a deep breath.

"Stupefy!" she shouted as she mimicked the wand movement. The red jet of light seemed brighter than before and managed to make the dummy stop. She beamed and gave a highfive.

[img align=left]http://i.imgur.com/ewypPQR.png?1[/img]Beth clapped for and Harper () and shouted, "Awesome job, you two!"

"It seems like everyone is ready to learn our next spell. Anybody, want to use the spell against the dummy?"

[img align=left]http://i909.photobucket.com/albums/ac299/blissfuldaisies/Random/Dueling_zpsy1yj9od9.png[/img] ()

"Yeah!!!! You did it!"

() "I AM SO READY!!! Let's go!" Grinning Gaia got ready to continue trying.

"There are other variations of this charm. In order to use this form of this charm you must say Protego (pro-TAY-goh). The Shield Charm can be use against any spell except the Killing Curse."

"I will need someone to help me demonstrate this spell. Who would like to volunteer as my opponent?"

[img align=left]http://i1382.photobucket.com/albums/ah279/AderynJones/Aderyn%20HAs/AderynDuelling_zpsas6xvkyf.png[/img]

Aderyn listened intently as Beth () described the shield charm. While she was still not overly confident in her skills in dueling, she decided that she might as well give the spell a shot. A shielding charm was much more amenable to her than an offensive spell, and she hoped that whatever she had to do, she could pull off.

"I'll help," she offered, raising her hand and smiling a bit nervously.

( )

Gaia was excited about this new spell. It is one she knew she could do well. Her dad had made her practice wandless for a very long time. It was a simple way to protect the owls. "If anyone needs my help I am right here." Gaia pointed at the floor with both hands and rocked back and forth on her feet. She was excited and a little impatient.

Magnus looked at his friends and Rowan () wondering if he should let them go first. But then he spotted and her impatience and he found himself in front of her without consious thought. Maybe he would be friends with her too? After all, she was the Care of Magical Creatures club leader and he'd already gotten on well with her. Plus she knew his secret. "'Llo, Gaia. Wanna try to teach an inept person like me?" He asked with a smile, rubbing the back of his head. He was pretty sure she'd know he didn't think of himself as inept and was actually just that relaxed he felt he could joke.

() "Inept?" Gaia asked incredulous... and then she laughed out loud prompting her to cover her mouth. "I highly doubt you are inept my friend!" A little lower she added "You have killer instincts" and nudge him while wiggling her eyebrows. She hoped he got the joke. Nothing like an odd girl making jokes about something so serious, but she was the kind of person to open up to everyone who would be crazy enough to come her way. Gaia curtsied and said "It would be my pleasure to help you! I am just waiting on Beth's () demonstration for us to be able to practice. I need to work on my Stupefying, so it would be beneficial for both of us!"

He laughed, "now there was no claws for that remark." he knew most people would hear "cause" except her. "Well till then we can bide our time-- paws and reflect about it all." His eyes were sparkling with laughter, lips curled in a mischievous smile. Yep the face of a trouble maker there no doubt. He knew he looked up to no good and didn't care. It was a relief to have a few people know about his "condition" so he didn't feel the need to be guarded.

()

"That was FUR-tastic!. I wonder if we will get to do the different variations as well. I know people use a circular motion for this particular charm, but others use a direct approach with their wand shot. I guess when we are experienced we get to do short handed versions of the spell. Now that would be cool!"

"that'd would be cool. My dad can do it without speaking. He's really good at silent casting. Showed me some this summer. Mum and him had a row you see, she started chucking things at him and he started deflecting. Then they wound up tossing a few garden gnomes before they wound up snogging."

()

Gaia giggled "That is a funny word. My mom is a muggle, so everything I learn from my dad. The owls are fun to take care of and they teach me a lot about others. My dad uses the protection charms from the wild animals looking for shelter and food in the winter. So many owls need a lot of protection when they all mate and we have babies to raise."

"what does your mum think of magic? you like owls a lot, don't you?"

() "I might have a small obsession with owls... my mom is okay with magic. She was surprised when she found out about my dad. It was at a family gathering and they forgot she didn't know yet. She still does things in a non-magical way but my dad helps her. I guess it is the benefit of living close to a sacred forest and surrounded by magical folks."

"that's so cool!" he said, "Did they start magical rows or some such thing? We live in the country. There's a few muggles around but its a fair walk before you get near one of them and an even longer walk to the village. But I like it a lot. Though a sacred forest sounds amazing. I have a feeling your gonna supply me with an owl to love at the rate you talk of them." It was obvious he liked her love of them. He never really had pets before Kippers but he loved the cat deeply and it was obvious she loved him. Maybe an owl could like him too? Of course he didn't know his parents had looked for a long while to find Kippers before taking him to buy the cat on his 11th birthday.

[img align=left]http://i.imgur.com/ewypPQR.png?1[/img] Beth turned to Aderyn (). "Great, come on up. All I need you to do is use the Stunning Spell on me. I will deflect it with the Shield Charm. Are you okay with that?"