Swords and Sorcery & strange Traditions
The original written By: Darth Gojira - - . ID# 4358919 where it can still be read.
Primary pairing: Cho C. & Neville L.
Originally Rated T – last updated: 09-19-2008
Billybob-Csagun36, Id# 12892153 … rewrite - - fist undertaken on 04-26-18
Alternate Universe (AU) Does not follow established cannon.
Sub-title: The rule of 'Morgianna of Abington'
Rated M – just to be safe
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Chapter 11 – blood and sand
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Draco assumed his 'en-garde' stances with practiced ease. But this was when the first notable difference in two very different fighting styles became apparent. - Draco stood stiffly upright, his grip on his sword lose and overall … all but literally dripping with arrogant distain. Neville on the other hand crouched down slightly, with his left arm held level with his chest as if he was holding a classical roman elongated and squared shield there was an ever so slight yellow glow starting at Neville's' left hand and going up his arm to just short of his shoulder. - His Gladius was at eye level as if resting on-top of this semi-invisible/all-but transparent shield. - He stood with feet firmly planted, his balance prefect, like a giant Tortoise (drawn into himself) prepared to receive any attack. There was a long moment as everything seemed to freeze, everyone as still as statues.
The moment was broken as Draco lunged forward, but Neville held his ground. Draco sword swung down from on high, only to be easily defeated by the semi-visible shield. Neville instantly stabbed forward and Draco jumped to the side only barely missed by Neville's' blade. There was a brief pause as a stunned Draco seemed to realize how close he had come to being cut open.
Malfoy then shook his head to clear it before he lunged again, forcing Neville back. Cho saw his strategy with horror: Neville would slowly back into the flames, without having to take a single blow. Fortunately, it looked like Neville realized it, too; as Draco aimed a thrust the tip of his sword at Neville's throat, it was again parried by Neville's shield and slipping under Malfoy's guard the following riposte and drew a deep cut across the light leather armor that only semi-protected Draco's lower abdomen at the point where his legs joined his pelvic region.
"I say unto thee_ 'HOLD' … First blood has been drawn … Do you care to continue, Mr. Malfoy?" Geyer called out as Draco stumbled backwards in near total shock. After a moment or two of stunned disbelief he replied:
"Yes. I'm not a coward", he sneered in defiance. And with that said, he wildly slashed at Neville's legs only to have the blow blocked. - Soon thereafter, they were trading blows, neither one giving ground. … Draco attacking wildly and Neville like a fortress deflecting and only attacking when he saw an opening. And then came yet another pause.
First Neville drove Draco backwards, and was then driven back in turn. Cho could only hear the shuffling of their feet, the sharp ringing of their swords, and her own heart palpitating. She saw from her vantage point the horror on the faces of Draco's parents who had obvious expected the quick death of the stout gardener. In the cave's environment, the sounds echoed, the flames from the battle ring distorting the light, creating a haze around the two fighters. Every step, every stroke seemed to last forever to Cho, as if the irregular but steady sword strikes were determining her destiny.
It grew more obvious after awhile that Neville was deliberately delaying things, saving his strength while Draco's spent his, like a drunken sailor on shore-leave. It was soon clear to everyone who watched, that Draco was beginning to falter. - Still crouched low thus keeping a stern grip on his center of balance … Neville was aiming primarily for the lower arms, lower chest and stomach as well as Draco's upper legs,
Draco never really employed the Roman legionnaire fighting stance. His style if you would call it that; more resembled Errol Flynn in the cinema classic Captain Blood which Cho had watched as a child. She was sure that it was how Draco imagined himself – a buccaneer with a flowing renaissance cape and rapier. - His increasingly wild- 'two handed' -attacks coming from above were aimed towards the neck, upper chest and head. He was clearly the faster of the two, but Neville somehow managed to see the attacks coming and parry them away. Neville was primarily on the defensive with his rare attacks taking Draco by surprise.
Thank goodness for the lessons, Cho thought. There was another pause when Neville's sword slashed Draco's inner thigh, half way between knee and crotch.
"Second blood", Dinsdale declared.
Both boys stopped and stepped away from each other at this announcement… one to catch his breath the other to tend to his wounds. Neville was sweating and breathing hard, and when the Malfoy side requested a break for medical reasons, the Judge agreed out of principle of course. -Luna as Neville's- 'Second' -rushed forward the moment the fire enclosure was turned off, with a bottle of water and a towel in her other hand, but Cho seated nearby couldn't seem to move, for she realized that she was her-self was also covered in nervous sweat.
Cho looked over towards her parents, who seemed to be paralyzed. She noticed Harry gripping his wand so tightly his knuckles flushed white, but he was not alone in breaking this rule as all four points on the compass had a witch or wizard with a wand drawn. - Hermione had been biting on her lower lip so hard as to draw blood, and blinking away tears in her eyes. Ginny meanwhile looked around everywhere desperately … but Ron was still a no show,
On the opposite side, Blaise watched through half-closed slits, impatient and bored, Daphne was painting her fingernails and stretching them out to admire her own handwork. Meanwhile: Theo just fidgeted and shifted his weight from foot to foot thus displaying very feminine body movements. Draco's parents had rushed forward with the healer to tend to Draco two wounds, both dripping from small amounts of blood. Leaving only Graham Montague's shocked expression to give any indication of his realization that Draco was on the road to defeat.
Meanwhile and from above; Geyer had been overlooking the battle very closely, his eyes lazily sliding from duelist to duelist, evaluating the two combatant's very different fighting styles … savoring each nuance like a vulture, calmly watching the last breaths of a dying beast. - After five minutes, the battle resumed
The fighters made one brief attack after another at each other. Suddenly, Draco's foot lashed out sweeping Neville's legs and he fell, Cho jumped to her feet, only restrained by her father's iron grip. She could also see Ginny jump out of her chair.
"Gentlemen - " Dinsdale cleared his throat in vain as they continued.
Draco stabbed down at Neville's chest similar to the downward kill-thrust that he had demonstrated at Malfoy Manor, clearly trying to finish things by killing his opponent, but Neville rolled out of the way, barely … stopping just inches from the flames. Cho had opened her mouth to scream when Neville grabbed Draco's arm, pulling himself up on Draco's off balance position. Her gasp turned to a cheer as his fist (still holding his sword) connected with Malfoy's jaw, with a classic haymaker sending Draco reeling back, moments later neither duelist was holding a sword.
A blinding flash interrupted the brawl. Cho managed to blink away the glare to see Geyer, eyes burning, raising his wand in the air.
"I say unto thee; 'HOLD',", Geyer shouted at the two fighters who broke a-part abruptly. "Gentlemen, please. This place is not meant for a two-fisted; 'Pub brawl'. - You will both abide by the rules of the duel. I don't think either of you would like to be made to suffer any painful consequences, by making any further trouble."
There was an awkward pause. Then both men picked up their weapons again, eyeing each other with suspicion. Cho looked from them to their two primary Marshals. Harry and Blaise still held their wands pointed at each other; only Dinsdale clearing his throat got them to relent.
Then they started again. Draco swordplay was a-lot faster than before and even more desperate. Draco's strength was failing fast and he knew it. - The clashing blades becoming a blur of hot steel. – But Neville stood unmoved; Cho could see Draco's lips pulled back into a bestially insane snarl. - Neville's eyes blazing back at him from behind narrowed slits.
In a blink of an eye, Cho noticed that Neville had finally been slashed- 'ever so slightly' -on the cheek, a mark that was perfectly parallel to his old scar, a parting gift from the Carrow's. Neither duelist seemed to notice. Another blur of steel and the top of Draco's forehead began bleeding badly, hair trimmed back in a slash as if by a maniacal barber. - Clearly hurting; Draco's swings and sword thrusts becoming even wilder and more erratic.
And then another pause as both fighters stepped apart, panting heavily wiping away the blood and sweat.
"Oh dear, those were new robes," Ginny could barely hear Mrs. Malfoy mutter in a disappointed tone, from across the arena.
"The heart – Neville, - the heart. Don't forget to protect the heart. Unless Draco aims for the heart, he'll never stop you," Mrs. Longbottom whispered to her-self, from where she sat next to Lucius, who turned to look at the old witch with horror when he heard what Augusta had said.
The duelists locked swords one last time. - First Malfoy pushed Neville back, and then was shoved back in turn, by the larger young man. They disengaged again _and began again, Malfoy feinting, and then suddenly thrusting at Neville's chest. - Draco missed, but the blade cleanly went into his side. And Neville fell back stumbling down to one knee. - Cho felt her father's arm holding her back. She had instinctively pulled out her wand in fear.
Draco pulled back his sword, grinning triumphantly. Cho felt the room begin to spin. A horrible terror rose inside her. Something held her back, though. 'No, Longbottom has to win', she resolved herself, turning as solid and cold as a stone statute.
Draco insanely lunged forward again, aiming at Neville's throat. To the surprise of everyone in the room, Neville managed to catch the lethal blow with the hilt of his sword, with a quick twisted his wrist … he sent Malfoy's highly expensive weapon flying out of the circle. - Draco stumbled backward unarmed and fell to the sand as Neville slowly straightened up, he was bleeding badly on his left side and clearly exhausted, but he was more than 'strong enough' to press his grandfather's sword to his rival's throat.
"Yield," Cho heard him rasp. "It's over"
Draco choked back his rage. "I submit … I surrender," he said starting to sob, barely audible.
"What was that?" Neville shifted his grip on his sword.
"I surrender, damn you," Malfoy snob out again in fear of his life.
The flames abruptly died. Neville staggered backwards a step or two, in a mixture of shock and exhaustion, with Draco remaining on the sand, crying uncontrollably … as Neville, barely able to stand himself, quietly began to wipe the blood off his sword before he turned and then saluted the Judge, bowing slightly, ending the duel in the proper form … he then sheathed his weapon. With only their heavy breathing of both combatants being heard, as all the spectators seemed frozen.
It was Luna that started clapping first. - "Well done, Neville," she grinned at him as she moved forward trying to remove Neville's armor to gain access to his wound, beside Luna was the healer with his wand at the ready. - - Leaving Draco on the sand, spread eagle - laying on his back - looking straight up, with no-one rushing forward to aid the loser
The semi-exhausted victor finally turned away from the vanquished and retired to the Chang side of the arena. It was only when he reached the Chang bench, did everyone else become animated again speaking out excitedly and at the same time. Neville's head was spinning so fast he was almost knocked off his feet when Hermione hugged him.
"We did it! They're going to abolish the law, now I just know it! … One week maybe two and the rule of 'Morgianna of Abington' will be gone for good." Hermione said smugly … Meanwhile: Harry pounded on Neville's back playfully, and Ginny was practically bouncing. Neville turned to his beaming grandmother, who gave him a wink before going off to talk to Mr. Dinsdale.
His greatest rush of emotion, however, came to a head; when the Chang's pushed through his friends and actually reached their champion. "Thank you, Neville Longbottom. My family owes you a great debt. You have no idea how …" Mr. Chang started, but his speech was interrupted by Cho who forcefully shoved her honorable father to one side with the force of a pub bouncer, before crashing hard into the already winded young man. Something warm and soft crashed briefly against his mouth which made his entire body tingle.
"Um, thank you." Cho stepped back breaking off the Kiss … with a sheepish grin on her flushing face.
"Kiss your hero properly, Cho," … Mo Chou Chang nudged her daughter.
"Now, here, surround by … everyone. - Now is not the time for such rewards," her husband chided.
Neville turned around, with Harry following his gaze. They heard Astoria suddenly appear into the dueling arena with a loud pop, crying uncontrollably, she then rushed over to the abandoned Draco and dropped down to the sand and all but jumped into Draco arms … as the healer examined him for more injuries. – Daphne still looked bored as she stood off to one side, half-watching as her little sister made a total spectacle of her-self. Meanwhile: Zabini and Montague had abruptly disappeared after the duel had finished in defeat. Leaving Nott behind without a backward glance … who sat on a nearby stone bench looked dazed, unable to accept the loss and feeling such rage that he was actually was looking for something to hit.
Mr. Geyer put back-on his black cape before declaring: "The grievance between the house of Chang and House Malfoy has been settled by the traditional trial by combat - The rule of 'Morgianna of Abington' declares that House Malfoy can make no further claim on anything or anyone within House Chang. I will record the victory of House Chang with The Ministry in due course and both parties will receive my official report and ruling on the sabotage protest within twenty standard business days" – Geyer then turned on the spot …apparateing out.
Neville stripped to the waist, with a huge white (stained red) bandage magically taped to his injured side …sighed, barely able to speak. All he needed now was for the Malfoy's and the rest to go, to and leave him to deal with everything that had happened. - Cho was free and the map safe, so everything would be just fine… eventually.
On the Malfoy side; only the two Greengrass girls and Draco's mother remained, everyone else of the snakes were gone. He didn't seem to notice Narcissa whispering something into Draco's ear as she pulled him up from the sand. Lucius was nowhere to be seen. .
8
"I could use some air right now," Neville finally admitted, as he noticed that the rest of his friends except for the still missing Ron, were having a spontaneous party in the now otherwise deserted dueling arena. A moment later with a loud pop; the last of the Malfoy's and their supporters were gone.
""There's a passage way to the sea over there." Luna pointed-out interrupting his thoughts. "Let's go check it out before we leave," she suggested.
True enough, after a five minute walk and a ducking around two corner's, revealed a beautiful little cavern that opened up to a sheltered cove of the north sea. There was a view of a large stretch of water going off to the west, as far as the eye could see, there were several slits in the roof of the caves entrance opening that allowed the fading light to pour in. Fresh air hit Neville square in the face, clearing the dust, the staleness and the blood from Neville's nostrils and head. None of the celebrants had seemed to notice that the champion and Luna had wondered off from the party, with Neville too tired to care.
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