Chapter 41: Class 2/2

"Okay. Now that we are done with the watersports, are you up for learning the shield spell." Padma and me dried us off with the hot air charm, really handy that one.

"Using magic was NOT fair." Padma complains.

"I never claimed to be. Now, back to spell."

Padma grumbled but decided to put it aside for now.

"Now, I realised that I was teaching you the spell wrong."

"Aha! I knew you were the problem." Dora jumped at the chance to blame it on me.

"No, not really. I was wrong in expecting you guys to think about something you want to protect, because honestly- teddy bears are not going to work."

"Let me speak." I say as I see Dora ready to argue.

"What we will do is give up on the shield spell for a while and learn something much easier to help facilitate the process- that means to make it easier Parvati."

"I knew that!"

"Sure you did." Padma comments from side.

"Okay so what are we gonna learn?" Penelope asks.

"We are going to learn the tickling charm."

"I already know that one, as you know." Dora claims.

"Yes Dora, I know. I learned it after you used it on me after all. And Penelope I get it you know it too, so help these 3 learn it and I'll tell you how it helps."

They just shrug and we each pick one to teach the charm to. Being a fairly easy one to cast, they learned it fast.

"Now that you have learned it, time for 'Rictusempra'." I point the wand at Hermoine and she rolls over in laughter.

"Why….. did you...…. do that?" She asks huffing to take air.

"Because, I thought what better motivation to protect something than your own body. I did think to use the stinging hex, but felt they might be a little too much so tickling charm it is."

"So what. We are just supposed to fire it at each other?" Penelope questions.

"No, I fire it at YOU. You try and conjure a shield to protect yourself."

"What! So you just fire tickling spells at us and we just take it?" Parvati asks in annoyance.

"You don't take it, you try to use the shield spell to protect yourself. Look I don't have any other way to teach you. We tried the normal way, it didn't work. Now I chose the MOST harmless spell I can, if you have a better idea I am all ears."

"But…. It is not fair. We may not even put up a shield all day and you just tickle us for the whole time." She fires back.

"We won't know it if we don't try it. And what will you lose? A bit of laughter isn't gonna hurt you."

"But… you don't have anything to say?" she looks for support from others.

"*sigh* I may regret saying this, but I am in." Penelope is the first to join my side.

"Me too." Hermoine next.

"Hey!"

"Look Parvati, what do we have to lose? Laughing isn't gonna hurt, and we might really pull it off this way, no harm in trying." Penelope reasons with her.

After listening to Penelope, she agrees along with Dora and Padma.

"But if we just have to try and defend, why did we learn it as well?" Hermoine asked.

"....... That is a very good question... that I don't know the answer to...….. We can just use it at the end if you all manage to get a shield up. Like a battle royal."

"I am not going to lose." Dora declares.

Against whom? No idea, but after her all of them said the same thing.

'Now the fun begins.'

"Now the fun begins."

"You said that out loud." Dora points out.

"I know. Now let's start."

What happened next was not nice........... for them. I had a blast slinging tickling charms one after the other. We did take multiple breaks in between when it became too much for them to bear.

"Rictusempra"

"Protego"

"YES!!!!" Penelope manages to deflect the spell.

'It was only for a second, but it is a success.'

"Yes yes yes. I did it." Okay, someone is really happy.

She jumps over and wraps me in a hug, making me bounce with her too. And I was a willing participant.

"Finally."

"Let's continue. I wanna do it again." Good, she's fired up. And I can see other get a bit serious too as it gives them hope.

"Well then let us double down."

"Huh! No wai-"

"Rictusempra" There ain't no rest in the middle of the grind.

I again start slinging at them with Penelope manages to get up a weak shield now and then. After what felt like an hour we get our second success.

"I did it as well. I DID IT!! Did you see it?" Now it is Padma jumping around.

'Fells nice to see them get it.'

We continued with this till dinner time and at the end I had them sling the tickling charm at each other for fun.

'I have to say, I am pretty satisfied with the result.'

By the end of it, all of them were able to manage some form of a shield, however thin and unstable it might be. And all of us had a smile on our faces.

"I say today was as productive as it gets. Now let us go and stuff our stomach."

"No, I am not in any position to eat. My stomach is still hurting from all the laughing."

"Mine too."

"I feel like I won't be able to even tomorrow."

"Well, I am going to have dinner. See you tomorrow." I turn around to make my way towards the Great Hall.

"No you don't." Penelope exclaims.

"Why not?"

"Because now it is our turn." Hermoine says.

"I feel like I will regret asking, but turn for what."

They all point their wands at me and I sling mine out as well.

'Not gonna do this without wand.'

"Rictusempra"x5

"Protego" I manage to deflect to two of them with the others hitting me.

I try to keep my composure because they immediately fire the next volley.

"Gu- Hahaha – ys. Yo- Haha- don't nee- hahaahha- this. HAhaahaaha- stop."

At the end I was rolling on the ground trying to take air in between laughs.

"Sto- HAHahhaha. Ple- Hahahahaha. Please st-Hahahaha."

They finally stop after.... I don't know when.

"hahaha – you all are- haha-" I still can't talk.

They all lay down beside me and laugh as well, for what reason? I don't know. We all just laugh and giggle at the sky for the next few minutes.

"Well now I can't eat dinner either."

"Good"x5..................…