Friends vs foes

The next day dawned bright and clear, the sun casting a golden hue over the tournament grounds. The anticipation was palpable, a current of excitement coursing through Ilvermorny as students gathered to witness the day's duels. Among them, Abby stood ready, her demeanor a stark contrast to Percival's flamboyance. Where he was a showman, she was a warrior – focused, fierce, and unwavering.

Her opponent was a formidable wizard from Horned Serpent, known for his defensive magic. He faced Abby with a calm, almost stoic expression, his wand gripped tightly in a battle-ready stance.

As the duel commenced, Abby wasted no time. She launched into an aggressive offense, her wand movements sharp and precise. Her first spell was a Blasting Curse, a powerful force aimed directly at her opponent's feet, not to hit him but to disrupt his footing and break his concentration.

He countered with a Shield Charm, the shimmering barrier absorbing the impact of her curse. Unfazed, Abby transitioned seamlessly into her next move, a series of rapid-fire Stunning Spells. Each was aimed not randomly but strategically, designed to force her opponent into a defensive pattern that she could exploit.

Her opponent, maintaining his composure, managed to deflect each spell, but Abby was relentless. She knew that constant pressure was key against a wizard who excelled in defense. Then, with a swift change in tactics, she cast a Conjunctivitis Curse, attempting to temporarily blind him and gain the upper hand.

He narrowly avoided it, but Abby was already moving on to her next spell. She cast a Leg-Locker Curse, a spell that, if it had connected, would have immobilized him completely. He countered with a Freeing Spell, just in time to escape the curse's effect.

The duel was a dance of spells and counters, each participant pushing the other to their limits. Abby's style was aggressive, but not reckless. Her spells were chosen with a purpose, each one building upon the last, a testament to her understanding of magical combat.

Suddenly, Abby feinted with a Disarming Charm, a common spell but delivered with such speed and precision that it caught her opponent off guard. As he moved to counter, she swiftly switched to a more advanced spell, a Binding Curse. The spell shot out like a lasso of light, wrapping around his arms and pulling them tight to his sides.

With her opponent bound and unable to cast, Abby moved in for the final strike. She raised her wand, but instead of casting a spell, she simply tapped his shoulder with her wand, a gesture of respect in ending the duel without further aggression.

The crowd erupted into cheers, impressed by the display of skill and sportsmanship. Abby's victory was not just a testament to her prowess as a duelist but also to her strategic mind and her ability to adapt to the flow of battle.

We moved to greet her with admiration as she stepped off the platform. "That was incredible, Abby," I said, genuinely impressed. "Aggressive, yet intelligent."

"Like an animal that's been cornered," John added, causing Abby's warm gaze to chill instantly. Her eyes turned to the source, her lips twitching into a bestial growl. 

"I do hope I have the pleasure of meeting you on the stage, your grace." She curtseyed, the fowl expression still etched into her features. 

John nodded, "better," he remarked, his gaze straying to the book on his lap once more. 

If he intended to piss off Abby, it had worked, I grabbed her shoulder seconds before the girl split his shoulders from his spine. I shook my head at her glare, my intentions thankfully understood. 

As the sun reached its zenith, casting a warm glow over the excited crowd, John stepped onto the dueling platform. Unlike Abby's ferocity or Percival's flamboyance, John's presence exuded a clash of calm and arrogance. His opponent, a skilled duelist from Pukwudgie house, stood across from him, his eyes keen and alert.

The duel began with a respectful bow, a testament to the sportsmanship fostered at Ilvermorny. John initiated the duel with a calculated subtlety. His first spell was not an offensive one but a Disillusionment Charm. It was a clever choice, designed to blur his form and make it harder for his opponent to target him accurately.

His opponent, undeterred, cast a Revealing Spell, attempting to counteract his Disillusionment. But John was already two steps ahead. He had anticipated this and quickly transitioned into a series of Illusion Charms, creating multiple images of himself, each one a perfect replica. It was a tactic straight out of a book on advanced defensive magic, designed to confuse and disorient.

The Pukwudgie wizard, now facing multiple Johns, cast a Wide-Area Dispelling Charm, in an attempt to clear the illusions. John, however, used this moment to cast a Confundus Charm, subtly altering his opponent's perception and further deepening the confusion.

As his opponent struggled to discern reality from illusion, John shifted his strategy. He began casting a variety of spells, each designed not to harm but to test and probe his opponent's defenses. A Knockback Jinx here, a mild Stinging Hex there, each spell carefully measured in its intensity.

John's style was like a rat with a needle, chipping away at a giant, each move part of a larger strategy, each spell a piece in a cat-and-mouse game. His opponent, though skilled, found himself reacting rather than acting, always a step behind John's calculated maneuvers.

Then, in a masterstroke, John cast a spell rarely seen in dueling – a Memory Charm. I turned to stare at the book set aside on the bench next to Fred. it read: Illusions and memories, the fragmentation of reality. It was a risky move, given its difficulty, but executed perfectly. The charm momentarily clouded his opponent's memory, making him forget the last few seconds of the duel.

Seizing the opportunity, John used a simple but effective Expelliarmus, disarming his bewildered opponent. As his wand flew out of his hand, the illusions faded, revealing John standing calmly, his wand pointed directly at him.

The referee called the match in John's favor, and the crowd burst into applause, impressed by the intellectual prowess displayed in his dueling style.