Ch. 76 A real Dueling Club

The next day as me and Professor Flitwick finalized how the dueling club would work, the Herald was being distributed across the country.

'MINISTRY HARMING OUR FUTURE DUE TO FEAR?

by Martha Cromwell

For centuries Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry has been our proud establishment for young witches and wizards of any origin to learn the wonders and intricacies of magic. We have studied in those hallowed halls, made friendships that would last a lifetime, found the loves of our lives and many have sent their children to attend as they had before them.

We are proud to believe they will receive the best magical education possible in the world.

But is that true?

Is Hogwarts truly the best educational institution available in the world?

We have researched this fact intensively and what we have found is almost shocking.

Let us start with the current educational curriculum available for students at Hogwarts. As almost all of you know, there are 7 subjects required for every student before their OWL's: Astronomy, Charms, Defense against the Dark Arts, Herbology, History of Magic, Potions, Transfiguration and Flying during ones first year. These are the foundational blocks any wizard builds himself upon. Then we are offered additional choices to broadened our horizons by being adding another two of 5 subjects: Ancient Runes, Arithmancy, Care of Magical Creatures, Divination or Muggle Studies.

These are all of the current subjects available to any students currently attending the illustrious school.

But here is something most people have never known, which is that the Ministry of Magic has slowly but surely eliminated advanced fields of studies from Hogwarts original availabilities. That's right. Ever since the school has received the title of the best school in the world, it has slowly been forced to limit its classes due to Ministry pressure through 'suggesting' certain classes to be unnecessary, making cuts or even sometimes embezzling the budget designed for classes they disapproved of.

Did you know that less than one hundred years ago, Hogwarts was also a training ground for aspiring healers? That's right. Students who's wishes in life were to heal others could study it with the proper grades after passing their OWL's. This has been identified to be the leading cause in the decrease number of new healers available since becoming one has become increasingly difficult without proper training.

More recently, Dueling has been under attack in our country. Something the school once offered to students as well. It was a means to help students compete in legitimate ways, akin to the Quidditch cup, and better themselves before coming into a world that holds many dangers. Dangers we are told to ignore and others want us to believe don't exist, but are there whether we like it or not. These students who had learned how to duel, later became prominent members of our proud Hit Wizards and Aurors. The very people who protect you and me from dark wizards, criminals, maniacs and even more petty offenders. But they are also cutting back on the proper funding and maintaining of these forces as you read this.(for more on this subject, head to p.12)

That is not all. Alchemy was removed. Enchanting was removed. Warding was removed. Artificers studies were removed. And to be honest, muggle studies has become a joke at the school. Have any of you ever been in a muggle area? How many so called 'horseless carriages' line the streets? We have not updated the curriculum in the last 150 years!

All of this is because the Ministry was afraid of not being in control. They were afraid driven and motivated youths would bring too much change. That the magic learned would make them ignore them or not work with/in the Ministry. So they slowly brand difficult or harder to monitor studies as dark. Choke out anything they can't and still they continue to sell the idea that our children are getting the best education in the world?

Uagadou teaches alchemy, wandless magic and proper animagus courses. Durmstrang teaches proper dueling. Beauxbatons holds enchanting and alchemy classes. Mahoutokoro teaches Dueling, enchanting and ancient Magic. Ilvermorny modernized it's courses, includes more divination schools, self-transmutation and dueling. And many of these teach children starting at the age of 7 instead of eleven.

So how is that we still hold the tittle of best school in the world when our own Ministry smothers the potential out of our children? When lifesaving courses are stamped out by greed and fear? And can you live with this ladies and gentlemen?

Because I believe it is time to give our children a better future than what he could have. We have already lost enough in our country. Don't let us lose our future too.'

'Well then. If that's the version that made it into the paper, I wonder how bad the original was.' I think to myself after reading Martha's article. She is one the my original twelve, but I also know how vocal she can be about issues. That being why her husband is in charge, since he can calm her down usually.

Putting down the paper after I was done with it, I noticed a fair amount of people actually reading their own copy of the Herald. Some Slytherin's had some too. A lot of people thinking about the classes and chances that had been offered. And since that was the case for the kids, the reaction of the parents will be interesting to see.

'I'll set up an account for Hogwarts itself to fund the reopening and supplying of classes. I think it'll help the schools reputation if they show actual results.' I thought as I planned on pushing things a step further.

This is actually a seed I'm sowing for the future. Simply because I can change what happens with the country, but to make true lasting improvements, it needs to come from the next generation. And so this seed, if fed and watered properly, will hopefully grow into a tall and sturdy tree.

For now I do what I can from within Hogwarts and today it involves the true dueling club. A place for people to learn and hone themselves against their peers and instructors.

Professor Flitwick was announcing his taking over of the dueling club during each of his classes that happened before the next weekend, while I also announced that I would be the current president of the club in the Exchange. So the word got out pretty fast that this time was going to be a real dueling club. One supervised by one of, if not, the most successful dueling champions in modern times and presided by the best student in the school.

It was announced that it would be happening during the weekends and that for our first day, the professor and I would be holding an exhibition match between the two of us to demonstrate the true heights the basics can reach. He had already tested my skill and we were excited to have some fun against one another.

That created a whole new kind of buzz in the castle. A student vs Professor match! The very thought was exciting. Plus it was between an ex-champion and a student no one knew the true limits of. Apparently the twins have already started a betting station on how it'll turn out.

Finally the day of the exhibition arrived. There were so many people wanting to witness an actual duel that we had to hold it in the Quidditch pitch to accommodate everyone. Not that all these people wanted to learn how to duel, but it was an exciting event in the middle of much fear. It let them forget and enjoy magic again.

We built additional seating on the ground to let more people sit and to provide a closer view since it was an event happening on the ground. It was similar to how the change a concert setting to a basketball court when both happen in the same arena. Of course the boundaries were properly warded to not let stray or dodged spells hit anyone as well.

"You're really gonna fight Flitwick huh mate?" Asked Christian not quite believing what was going to happen.

"Not really a fight. It's more of a showcase of what people can achieve with proper spell use. So we'll be sticking to charms and jinxes, mostly trying to show skill and creativity in combat. We've also decided to limit dodging. So I'm not going to use my modded spells or battle transfiguration." I responded casually.

"Still, you should be careful Aedan. The man was a champion for good reasons." Cautioned James.

"We agreed to not show a true victory or defeat. We're aiming to showcase what the pinacle for a student should be." I reassured my kind friend.

"It's still great that you're going to be showing off a bit. You almost never attack when you fight us." My little Queen pouted with fake anger.

"I'll be sure to wipe the floor with the three of you next time then." I replied with a chuckle.

"You really gotta tempt the man don't you Tory?" Asked Christian shaking his head.

"Someone has to. Not like you and James will." She replied with a grin.

"Alright you two, I think that's enough playing around. Let's just wish good luck too Aedan. It's about to start." Mediated James calmly.

"Good luck mate. You'll do great!" Excitedly said Christian with a hard pat on my back.

"You are the exemplar for the students, give them something to follow." Peacefully said James.

"You are the greatest in the school by far, show them why you are undisputed." Then declared Tory with a predatory smile.

"Haha! Thanks guys. I'll see you in a bit." I say to them all as I walk onto the pitch.

I can here the roaring cheers of all the excited students. The applause and chanting.

"RAVEN! RAVEN! RAVEN!" Could be heard all over the stands as they stomp their feet rhythmically and chant my nickname.

I walk in my standard Hogwarts Robes, with my hair tied in a loose ponytail as the wind makes it flow behind me. I wave my hand high, greeting the students and get a massive cheer in response.

I finally reach Flitwick at the center of our outdoor dueling ring.

"Quite exciting isn't it? It reminds me of the old days, when one could fight for such glory and prove ones skills in single combat." Said the Professor with a nostalgic look on his face.

"Let's give them a proper show of what that means sir." I reply with a smile.

"Yes. Let's!" He said excitedly.

"Welcome everyone, to this very exciting event! Today we will hold a demonstration of how far dueling can take an individual, even with the basics. You will have the former seven time dueling champion, charms Professor and head of Ravenclaw house: PROFESSOR FILIUS FLITWICK! And his partner for this event. Head Boy as a fifth year, founder of the Exchange, slayer of last years troll, undisputedly the best student in Hogwarts: THE RAVEN HIMSELF, AEDAN BONES!" Was the very energetic introduction from Lee Jordan, who usually did the quidditch announcing, as the whole crowd bursted with excitement.

Then the professor and I turned to face each other, raise our wands as if swords, then bow in respect to each other. The crowd fell into silence as we walked away from each other and set ourselves in proper dueling stances. I will be doing standard practice instead of my personal stance due to this being a demonstration.

"3! 2! 1! BEGIN!" Resounded the opening countdown.

Although I am quicker in general, the professor's smaller limbs allow him to get the first shot as his motions are considerably shorter than other wizards, forcing me to start a chain of spells starting with a counter to his disarming charm, then moving into my own and finishing with a trifecta of stunners. The Professor easily defends my counter attack through deflection and even redirecting the last one to shoot back at me, starting his own quick fire spell chain, as I'm forced to block and deflect a clever series of mildly debilitating jinxes intended to limit my vision, distract me, slow me down or disable me temporarily so he can go for the finisher, ending with a quick one-two involving a stunner to make me block in an awkward position and a disarming charm to finish it. I play along with the man's plan as I raise my wand high for my block, getting a gasp came from the audience at my impending loss, before I strike downward with a severing charm aimed at the spell itself, causing it to split in two and starting my counter attack with me shooting an out-and-in combo starting with an incarcerous to impede the man and shooting quick jab like stunners right behind them twice, before suddenly switching to a leg-lock, disarming and Full body bind charms combo to rush him at the end. Although rushed, the Professor deals with everything I throw at him. We then started to throw spells back and forth at each other, getting into a strange rhythm with each other, until we fired disarming charms at each other and formed a connection as the two beams of red competed against one another, pushing against each other's spell until we both shoot our spells upward to separate them. And since we were at the limit of what basic dueling could afford, we decided to use our dramatic finish as we simultaneously pointed our wands at each other and casted bombarda, causing a rather spectacular explosion in the middle of the ring, dust to fly up and a good excuse to end the duel as a tie.

Although the ending was planed, everything that happened during the duel was dependent on each other's actions, leaving only that final blast to not be a surprise for us.

And as the dust settled, the spectators saw that both Filtwick and I were now out of our designated spaces, meaning the duel was a tie.

"AND IN AN INCREDIBLE FINISH, THE DUEL IS A TIE!" Lee announced, but it was only a second after the announcement that cheers erupted from everyone.

They came to see a duel and they got one. They saw exactly what they wanted to learn. They saw what even the basics of dueling could accomplish in the hands of masters. They had no doubts that a single combo from these two would leave them in defeat. And that's when they are holding back!

So they cheered for the display.

Professor Flitwick And i bowed to each other in respect, then to the audience. Although it was a short event compared to the setup, it satisfied and excited students.

And now they knew Hogwarts had a real dueling club.