Disclaimer: Ditto from previous chapters.
Thanks to shell, ONIX-21, Darkness-Lightness, & Amane-Misa16. All the feedback is very much appreciated! Glad you guys are enjoying the story.
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Chapter 7
Skills
Harry fidgeted nervously outside of the Three Broomsticks and asked Hermione again, "Who do you think you'll be dueling?"
Ever since the last Order meeting both Gryffindors had been caught between excitement and apprehension at what was discussed. Dumbledore had announced that the newest recruits were going to be pitted against some of the more experienced Order members. It was more for fun than anything else, and an exercise to get the new and old members more comfortable with each other, but Hermione suspected that Dumbledore wanted to gauge the talent or lacktherof that would be displayed.
What Dumbledore also had not revealed, was who they would be pitted against. He claimed it was so members wouldn't be able to research each others weakness's before the duel. After all, you can't research a Death Eaters weakness before you go off and fight one.
The duels were to take place later in the evening and to pass the time Hermione had decided to take Harry and go shopping for their training grounds.
Instead of answering Harrys question she merely sighed in annoyance and posed a different question, "Do you mind if we stop at Flourish and Blotts first? I haven't scoped out their collection of books.. if there is anything of use."
"Of course I don't mind," Harry said to Hermiones already turned back and start off after her. Merlin was she an eager one.
Flourish and Blotts didn't turn out to have much use. A few healing books Hermione did not have but all of the other tomes were all duplicates of what she had previously purchased in India.
"What else could we possibly need for the room?" Harry asked, exasperated, "And what is it called anyhow? It's a bit awkward just calling it 'training ground'."
Hermione halted in front of Harry so abruptly that he nearly crashed into her, but merely sidestepped her instead.
"Interesting topic of conversation, Potter. What ever were you discussing?" Malfoys snobbish voice asked, coming from Hermiones left side.
"Bugger off, Malfoy," Harry sneered.
Instead of listening, Malfoy made himself comfortable. He leaned against the brick wall of Weasleys Wizarding Wheezes, "Would I get the answer if I asked Dumbledore?"
In a flourish of robes Harry launched himself at the pale haired annoyance, his wand drawn up under Malfoys chin, "You are trying my patience and best be moving along quickly. Need I remind you of my immense amount of skill in wand work over you?"
Malfoys gray eyes flickered momentarily with fear and he shoved Harry back roughly, shooting a hateful glare at Hermione before he apparated away.
"I thought not," Harry smirked, turning away from the empty space that was once what Malfoy occupied.
"Merlin he's bloody annoying!" Hermione exclaimed.
"Hopefully that prevents him from posing any awkward questions to Dumbledore."
Hermione's eyebrows drew together in concentration, "I'll think of an explanation, should it come to that. For now I think it's best we separated for the time being. I have other errands to run."
Harry pulled Hermione into his arms for a quick hug, you never knew when you'd get your last one these days, "Take care, i'll meet up with you later."
Instead of apparating away, Hermione turned and walked a ways down Diagon Alley. Her thoughts were a mess. So much to do and not nearly enough time, so much to learn, research, and put into practice. She simply did not have enough time for it all and wished desperately for a time turner to magically fall into her hands.
Unfortunately she knew that was not going to happen and immediately halted her pity party, apparating down the road aways from her training grounds. House, specifically.
Hermione spent the rest of her afternoon pouring over Dark Arts books testing out spells and committing them to memory. Constant Vigilance. Moody would be so proud of her.
It felt like a second in time had passed from when she came to when she stepped out of the house into the cool night air.
When she stepped into Number 12 Grimmauld Place, the first thing she heard was Malfoy's voice whining, "It seems like all we do is fight now. Everyday, I can't get one by without getting into one scrap or another."
"Get used to it," Hermione told him as she breezed by on her way to the meeting room, she felt ready and excited for the dueling that was to come. Adrenalin was already pumping through her veins. The anticipation would probably asphyxiate her and she chuckled at the thought, imagining herself choking on her own breath in excitement.
She took her seat at the long table and waited patiently for the rest of the Order to wander in. Getting right to business, Dumbledore called out, "Potter, you will be dueling against myself and Professor Snape.
Loud murmering erupted out of the rest of the Order, mostly the new recruits wondering if they would have to also have a go at two fully trained members at once. Most hoped not, Hermione on the other hand was practically salivating at the opportunity.
Dumbledore reached his weathered, wrinkled hand into a pocket of his midnight robe and withdrew a battered Reebok sneaker, throwing it on the table soon after, "This," he started, "Is a port-key. If everyone could kindly place a body part on it, any will do, we can be on our merry ways and begin this nights festivities."
Once the last member touched the old sneaker, a familiar tug pulled in Hermione's stomach and she found herself falling roughly on her back, landing on soft grass. The wind knocked out of her, it took her a moment to regain her breath. Looking around, she noticed that it wasn't just her landing in an undignified manner. Bleeding port-keys.
The Order had been keyed into a large field, nothing could be seen for miles other than grass and hills. What she could see of them anyhow, it was pitch dark.
"Lumos," Dumbledore casted, lighting up a significant breadth.
"If a few of you could cast a Lumos for us, we will begin," Dumbledore announced.
Hermione was one of the many who instantly casted the spell and Dumbledore nodded, satisfied. "Assume your stances, Moody, Harry. The duel ends if you fall, or if you're rendered incapable of casting spells."
Harry moved across from the two elder wizards and raised his wand hand above his head, wand pointing towards the offenders and extended his other arm infront of himself, extending his fingers and flexing them.
"Begin," Dumbledore barked.
For a split second Harry wondered whether or not he should expose that he could do wandless magic to the rest of the ground and made a decision not to and surprised everyone by casting his wand to the side carelessly and casting a silent protego before shooting off a conjuctitis, blinding Moody instantly, thus knocking him out of the duel.
Despite his injured eyes, Moody walked away from the duel with a smile on his face. Proud that all of the hard work Dumbledore and himself had put into the young man was shining through.
While Harry watched Moody walk off Dumbledore took the opportunity to cast two Stupify's in rapid succession. The first which was absorbed by Harry's shield, and the second barely got through and stunned Harry, thus ending the duel.
Harry silently cursed himself at his idiocy and Hermione was just a bit disappointed that it didn't last longer. She was interested in seeing any display of power out of Harry or Dumbledore.
The rest of the dueling went by in a blurr of the elder members crushing the younger until it came time for Hermione's duel.
"Hermione and Severus." he announced.
The two quickly got into their stances and immediately after Dumbledore shouted for them to begin, both witch and wizard blasted spells at each other. It became hard for onlookers to tell who was shooting what, it was clear that if both weren't skilled, they were at least extremely fast and had a depth of knowledge on spells the viewers surely did not.
They ducked, dodged, and shot until one of them became tired and clumsy. Much to Hermiones dismay it was her who fell to aLocomotorMortis followed quickly by a Flipendo, which knocked her back into the ground.
All in all she thought it was a good exorcise although it lacked the fear and seriousness of what a real duel would have. After she got off the ground she wandered over to Harry, chatting with him and observing the rest of the dueling. Some members in their boredom had begun mock duels of their own to pass the time until Dumbledore would call all of the dueling to a halt.
Another hour went by and finally Dumbledore proclaimed they were all free to go.
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