Draco had taken the time between his meeting with Hermione and until his training with the team to go to his office, down a stiff firewhiskey and get a handle on his roiling emotions. It was laughable, really. He had lived side by side with pure evil and yet the prospect of seeing a muggle therapist had him panicking. He was sure that Hermione would be able to explain his reaction, but he was at a loss. He would have the upper hand in the session tomorrow. At any time he would be able to simply apparate away, or better yet, just leave. Apparating while in emotional turmoil was never a good idea. It took away from your concentration, which could lead to serious splinching. Spending some time in the hospital was definitely not on his agenda. Between managing his team, preparing classes and figuring out how to approach the Hermione situation, his plate was full.
Closing the clasp of his duelling vest, he turned to the mirror in his wardrobe to make sure it all sat perfectly. Breathing deep, he smoothed the chest piece down. It would be all right. Hermione would be there. Yes. There was no use in obsessing over it now. The decision was made and he could break out in cold sweats tomorrow. Now he had to prepare the gym for his students. He had purchased some new training dummies and wanted to see what they were capable of. According to the supplier they were versatile and could be set to different difficulties, but he wanted to make sure they were safe for his students and what kind of spells were included.
He made his way over campus and waved to the students greeting him. He was still not quite used to being received so openly. Almost all his life peoples' reactions to him had been distant, cordial and at times fearful. Not to mention the mistrust and disdain he'd met in school and after being released from prison. It was a nice change of pace and leaving his company, where people had always treated him with a certain distant deference had turned out to be the right choice. He slept better, was more relaxed and his personal life was looking up for a change. He was still in contact with Jarvis and the others he'd left in charge, but as promised, he remained as a silent partner. Jarvis was doing an excellent job and while the Salem Sentinel had been at the forefront of the heated discussion whether a squib was viable as a CEO of a magical company, the public and more importantly their investors supported Jarvis. It helped that he was familiar to all the movers and shakers on the Eastern seaboard, as he had always accompanied Draco to all of his meetings. And Draco had never introduced him as a servant, but as his assistant. Five minutes of conversation with Jarvis was often all that was needed for any of Draco's business partners to re-assess the quiet man. For them it wasn't important whether Jarvis was able to perform magic, but much more whether he would be able to make them money. And Jarvis could. That was all they cared about. The similarities in their public perception struck Draco out of the blue. Jarvis, the squib, who was now a full-fledged, respected member of wizarding society and him, the ex-Death Eater, who now was known for his philanthropy and equal opportunity company. Whereas they before had been pariahs in certain circles, they were both now accepted and respected pillars of the community. When he'd first begun turning the company around, he'd almost daily received letters from his father, questioning his sanity and business sense. One letter to his mother had put a stop to that. Ever since she had assumed leadership of the company in the UK, she was often in contact with him to discuss business. He had been happy to hear that her and Jarvis had come to an agreement, when Jarvis had travelled to London to meet with her, since she was the worldwide head of Malfoy Enterprises. While she had turned her views around after the war and his release from prison, she was still sceptical when it came to Jarvis. He had said the right things apparently, since she had been full of praise for him in her letter afterwards. Maybe his aunt had worked her over, he speculated, since she had been full of questions about Jarvis in her letters lately as well. Which made him curious, since Jarvis had never mentioned meeting his aunt. Something to ponder and occupy his mind, while waiting for the dreaded appointment with Hermione's therapist.
He'd looked up Adele Miller with the help of his old receptionist, since he was still wary of computers and preferred books, parchment and quill to go about his business. The internet, in his mind, was the equivalent to the Forbidden Forest at Hogwarts. Filled with wonders, but also with dangers he more often than not never saw coming. It had provided his secretary with no end of amusement when he'd had to come to her for help, since he'd opened every email he'd received that day, including one with a virus attached. Computers were not for him. Muggles seemed to like to live on the edge, if even their appliances could get diseases. Which is why he was meticulous in keeping his cell phone clean at all times. And he always kept it warm. If it ever got sick, he would have a problem, since all his contacts' phone numbers were saved in it. Maybe he should transcribe them into his organizer to be on the safe side.
Opening the doors to the gym, he smiled. The wide hall's honey-coloured floors were freshly waxed, he had restored the stained glass windows showcasing different runes and spells and the overhead lights had been exchanged for the chandeliers he'd bought. Breathing deep and setting his arms akimbo, he nodded. This was more like it. Before, the windows had been cheap crystal and already cracked in some places due to wide hexes hitting them. He had no idea what had happened to the original chandeliers, since the gym had obviously had some before he came, indicated by the special hooks and pulley systems in place already. The replacement lights had been much too bright, giving the gym a sterile feel to it. He'd found that being relaxed and at ease made training much easier. Besides, the low light helped one identify to some extent what kind of spell was being used by the colour of light emitted from the wand.
At the end of the gym, six tall, wooden boxes stood in a row. He approached them and took the manifest from the little documents pouch affixed to the first. Checking the boxes and the serial numbers stamped on them, he checked whether he had received what he'd paid for. Satisfied he put the manifest away and opened the first crate. The dummy was much more advanced than what he'd seen during his training. It resembled a mannequin in that it actually had legs and it's torso didn't resemble a drum. Curiously he examined each limb and noted that each joint was fully flexible and able to move like the real thing. Turning the dummy over, he waved his wand over its back and a hatch popped open. Thanks to the training he'd received from the manufacturer, he quickly identified the correct dials and the silver plating upon which he had to place his wand to activate the dummy. First he had to specify the grade of difficulty and grade of aggression and then activate the dummy by placing his wand on the plate. Before the dummies had been shipped or even assembled, the manufacturer had come by with the plates and keyed them to Blaise's and his wands. This ensured that no one could misuse or tamper with the dummies. Out of curiousity he had asked what kind of enchantments were placed on the plates, but the middle-aged wizard had not been forthcoming and had vehemently told him not to try and fiddle with the plates or the company would not be held liable for any injuries or deaths resulting. This had sobered Draco immediately. The dummies were of the highest quality and normally used for Guard training around the world. As such, they were capable of devastating magic.
Activating the dummy in front of him was spooky, since the mannequin suddenly stood on his own, swivelled its head to take in the room and automatically approached the nearest duelling carpet. It took position, a practice wand in its hand. Nodding, Draco rose and took position opposite. Raising his wand in greeting, the mannequin copied him mechanically. Taking two steps back, he fell into the traditional ready pose. The moment he did, the dummy started to move. He had set it on medium and found it to be adequate. The 'voice' it used for uttering the spells was a bit hollow, but then that was a recording. Raising both his hands in the air, he stopped the duel and the dummy stood down. Nodding to himself, he moved down from the carpet and to the back of the dummy. Two taps of his wand later, the dummy fell in on itself like a puppet with its strings cut. He would need to personalise the dummies, because their current matte black finish made them very intimidating. Good. Something other to think about than that damn appointment.
xXx
Emilio had stowed his books and backpack in his dorm room and changed into his duelling outfit. Professor Malfoy had made it clear that all of them were to wear the black trousers, boots, white shirt and duelling vest whenever he gave them classes. Whether they would be doing freestyle or not. Checking in front of his mirror whether any of the pieces were crooked, he nodded to himself, satisfied. Smiling to himself, he remembered that his mother had framed a picture of him he'd taken with his phone of himself while dressed just like this. She was so proud of him and let everyone in the neighbourhood know it. Since his mother and grandparents were constantly working, he hadn't yet had time to see them, but they were phoning each other every weekend. Tiny was also calling from time to time and whenever he felt as if things were becoming too much, both his family and friends were there to lend an ear.
A knock on his door had him look up. James was in his duelling uniform as well, despite his hand not being healed yet. After classes James had gone to see the campus nurse and she'd officially banned him from performing magic for the next week in order for his hand to heal properly. Nonetheless he wanted to at least observe. Emilio knew that his friend could learn a lot from that alone.
"You ready?" James asked in his deep voice. Emilio nodded and closed his closet.
"Yeah. You want to go over the charms homework tonight?" He asked. James nodded. Together they made their way down the hall. Other members of their team were leaving their own rooms, all of them in their uniforms. Gunter gave them a smile and a nudge with his shoulder.
"Ready, guys?" He asked in his accented English. Emilio nodded with a grin. Over the last weeks the German was the only one among the team who had made an effort to get to know them better. Professor Malfoy had also paired them for freestyle training a few times and he was always open for questions concerning assignments. Emilio liked the guy. His mannerisms and belongings made it clear that he came from money, but he didn't act entitled at all. Not like some of the other students. Even some of his own team mates were kind of dicks about it at times.
"What do you think is on today?" Emilio asked, as they left Duelling Hall with the rest. Gunter shrugged and turned his face towards the sun, closing his eyes.
"Don't know. Probably more correction of our stances. It's a nice day out today." Gunter finished with a contented sigh. Emilio couldn't help but smile and saw that James' lips were lifting as well. Being around Pollenweber was relaxing for some reason. He was always calm and...dreamy for lack of a better word. He was also the only one, who had suggested to further refine their revenge plans and do some research into Stuart first. Emilio guessed that they should have taken Gunter more seriously, but his absentminded behaviour often led them to believe he wasn't listening or snoozing. A misconception he wouldn't continue to make in the future.
As they entered the duelling gym, they all stopped short. Each duelling carpet already had something standing on it. It was clear that the figures on the carpets were not human. Unsure they looked around and found their professor waiting for them.
"Please come closer. Do not be shy. What you are seeing on the carpets is the latest in duel training hardware. These dummies will help you train. They are spelled to respond to certain cues. Step on the platform, bow and assume the ready position and they will attack. Raise both your hands when you wish to end the duel and they will stand down. Currently I have set them on the easiest difficulty, so that all of you can become used to them. On the weekends the duelling gym will be open to you from now on and either me or Professor Zabini will activate the dummies for you. Any questions?" Professor Malfoy's gaze swept over them and while Emilio was curious why this was happening now, he held his tongue. He was sure that his professor had a good reason. When no one spoke up, Professor Malfoy nodded.
"Very well. Take your positions and watch your fellow team members and the dummies. Note that the dummies have been spelled to assume the correct stances. Check and compare between them and your fellow team members. The first competition is not that far away ladies and gentlemen. Let's get to work." With a wave of his hand he indicated for them to form up. With unsure glances to their fellow team members, the first six ascended the stairs to the duelling carpets. The dummies were wearing similar uniforms, but their heads were simply matte black, as were their hands. If Professor Malfoy was going for intimidating, he'd achieved it.
After two hours they had become used to the mechanic voices and alien appaerance of the dummies. They were exhausted, but guardedly optimistic. While the lesson today was not about outsmarting the dummies and much more about their stances, the contented nod from their professor had them all stand a little taller.
"Very good. We still need to work on your stances this week, but I will incrementally increase the difficulty. That means for you to stay sharp. Wednesday and Friday will be dedicated to freestyle duelling. Please wear your workout clothes on those days, as they allow for better movement. When you return to Duelling Hall you will find the duel roster posted on the community board." At this they all moved closer to him. This was the first indication they'd had of this not simply being a university class, but a competitive sport.
"The roster will remain as is until after our first competition. Afterwards there might be changes. Please get acquainted with your duelling partners. During the competition I am not allowed to give advice. When you are on the carpet, only your second and support are allowed to give tips and suggestions. Only between bouts can Professor Granger, Zabini or I offer you insights." Professor Malfoy's gaze swept over them and Emilio had to swallow, imagining being on his own with his team mate, while spectators were watching. If they lost, it would be on them. During training Professor Malfoy would often shout instructions at them to improve their performance and to show them what to look out for. During a competition that would be out. He would have to trust his team members to fulfill that role. It was a daunting thought.
"Good work today. Have a good evening." With a smile and a wave they were dismissed. Clustering together almost immediately, they eagerly discussed who would be paired with whom. Emilio hoped it would be James. He knew him the longest and was comfortable with him as his partner. They understood each other and during a bout they rarely had to speak to get a tactic in place.
"Do you think they'll let Francesca and me compete freestyle?" Keisha's voice roused Emilio from his thoughts. Smiling brightly, he hugged her to him.
"Sure. Why shouldn't they? The two of you can kick ass when you're not pre-occupied with fluttering your eyelashes at the guys." Grinning he dodged her elbow.
"Shut it wise guy. As long as I don't get stuck with Jeremy or Sabrina, I'm happy." She groused. Worried he took her in.
"Not a fan?" He asked carefully. Snorting she shook her head and checked whether either of the two were close.
"Nope. Jeremy's an idiot, who doesn't take any of this seriously. For him it's all just a lark. Something to occupy his time until his father hands him some kind of business so that he looks as if he's accomplished something. He can't shut up about it. As if being handed everything is something to be proud of. What a joke! And Sabrina! Ugh! All that sugary sweetness just gets on my nerves. You don't buy that innocent act of hers, do you?" She asked a little aggressively. Smartly Emilio didn't say anything and simply shook his head. Huffing she nodded.
"Good. Don't fall for her routines. I don't like how she's been hanging around James either. And she's constantly cozying up to Francis! I bet you she never even knew he existed before she got on the team!" She growled. Suppressing a smile, he finally knew where the animosity towards Sabrina came from. Yes, he didn't like her overly bubbly and smily manner either, but all in all she was OK. And from what he'd seen, Sabrina wasn't romantically interested in Francis, but possibly James. Something he wasn't touching with a ten foot pole. James had been badly wounded once. None of them wanted to bring up that old business.
"Will do. Now let's see who you're going to be paired with." He suggested, after they entered Duelling Hall. All of the others ahead of them were already clustered around the community board. A beautifully drawn roster hung in the middle. Stepping closer, Emilio wanted to check for his name, when he realised that the roster wasn't printed. It was hand drawn. Amazed he took it in. Each name was written in a flowing script. No blotches, uneven lines or corrections. In the lower right hand corner it was signed by Professor Malfoy. How long had this taken? How much discipline? Once more he was floored by his Professor's ability. Shaking his head a little, he again looked for his name. Breathing a sigh of relief, he saw that he'd been slotted for the freestyle team. He still learned the traditional part along with the others, but it didn't come as naturally to him as some of his peers. His grin dimmed a little, when he saw not James' name next to his, but Gunter's. All things considered it could be worse. Gunter was a nice guy and with a little work they would make a good team. Before he could check what had become of his friends, he suddenly had an armful of Keisha and she was hugging him so hard, it was almost impossible to breathe.
"Francesca and I are a team!" She crowed happily. Chuckling he hugged her.
"Congrats, but please ease up a bit? I need to breathe and stuff." He admonished. Laughing she let go of him and mock punched his shoulder.
"Quit whining you..." He never knew what she was about to say, as Francis stormed past them, pushing them out of the way. Both of them were surprised at his behaviour. Normally he was polite and quiet. Concerned both looked after him, as he basically sprinted up the stairs.
"What's up with him?" Emilio asked. Francesca stepped up to them with a worried frown on her face.
"I don't know. He took a look at the roster and then his face kind of closed up and he rushed off." She said, shrugging. All three turned back to the roster, now searching for Francis' name. He was right at the top next to Jamal and, much to Keisha's dismay, Sabrina's.
"I don't get what's wrong. He wanted to be on the traditional team." Emilio said. Keisha shook her head and huffed.
"Yeah, but he wanted to be a duellist. See? It says here he's support." She pointed to the moniker above Francis' name. Both Francesca and Emilio winced in compassion for their friend.
"Shit." Emilio muttered. While he didn't know Francis as well as the others, but he liked the guy.
Before they could form a plan to lift their friend's spirits, the door behind them opened and redirected their attention. The girls immediately smiled, when they saw who it was. Emilio quickly stepped forward to take some of the heavy bags off of Professor Granger. Smiling she thanked him for his assistance.
"Thank you, Emilio. Would you mind putting this in the kitchen?" She asked. Nodding he eagerly inspected the contents of the bags. Vegetables and a whole salami, bread and some cans greeted his eyes. He wasn't sure what she would make out of it, but he was sure it was going to taste great. He noticed that no one around him was talking anymore and looked up from his inspection. Keisha, Francesca and Professor Granger were looking at him with amused smiles. Blushing he hefted the bags and carried them to the kitchen. The girls were chuckling behind him and chatting with their professor, as she followed him.
"This is so great you coming by, Professor Granger." Francesca exclaimed and helped the professor out of her coat and hung it on the usual spot in the kitchen. Smiling Professor Granger thanked her and put on the apron. Curious other team members looked to them.
"Thanks for the assistance. I am sorry I couldn't drop by in the mean time, but, as you know, classes take up a lot of my time now." She explained, while twisting her hair into a haphazard knot and secured it at the back of her head with a hair tie. Keisha groaned, while leaning to the kitchen island.
"Do I ever! There's so much to do and catch up on." She complained, helping to set out the ingredients from the bags. She didn't know what their professor wanted to cook, but she assumed that if they didn't help, they wouldn't get any. Francesca rolled her eyes at Keisha's antics, while Professor Granger gave an indulgent smile.
"It's always hard in the beginning. I had to start from scratch myself when I started at Hogwarts. Before I turned eleven, I had no idea I was a witch. I just knew weird stuff sometimes happened around me." Professor Granger offered Keisha some peppers. "Please clean and slice these. As you can see, with hard work and determination, the gap you are currently facing cannot stop you from achieving anything you want." She held their gazes for a moment. They all gave small nods. Jamal and James joined them in the kitchen, having to push some of the others out of the way. Within minutes, Professor Granger had them working on cleaning and cutting vegetables into bite sized pieces. Meanwhile their professor had cleared a large area on one of the counters and was rolling out dough.
"Can I help?" A hesitant voice had Hermione turn around.
"Ah, Ms Felidae. Yes, please. Could you get the oven's baking trays and put baking paper on them? Since we're preparing dinner for all of you, we are making pizza." With a wave of her hand, Hermione indicated the Southies behind her busy with preparing the vegetables which would later be the topping. Lorelei smiled at that.
"Sounds great. I'll get right on those trays." She said and started hunting for the baking trays in the cupboards around the oven. Before they knew it, the kitchen was filled to overflowing with students, who all wanted to help. Especially when it came to putting toppings together. It was something completely new to them to see one of their professors cook for them. When the last tray was in the oven, Hermione washed her hands and hung up her apron.
"Head up and wash up everyone. Those pizzas won't be ready for another fifteen minutes." She shooed them out of the kitchen. Laughing and eager for the pizzas to be done and ready for consumption, the students left for the stairs.
"Feeding the ravenous pack, Granger?" Blaise drawled behind her. Slapping his arm, she picked up her glass of water and moved to the spacious common room. Following her, Blaise plopped down in one of the comfortable couch chairs.
"Draco asked me to come over tonight to explain about the support role. He mentioned that he would ask you to come as well." She took a seat opposite him on the sofa, leaning back and crossing her legs.
"Yes. He expects our students to have questions. Though I don't know why. Being on the freestyle team is pretty straight forward." He complained. She threw him a knowing smile.
"You wanted to visit Jane tonight?" She asked. Sighging he drew imaginary designs on the leather armrest.
"I'd planned to, but she shot me down when I saw her today. Something about getting more research done. Do you think Draco will tell her she can't have more of his stupid books if I ask him to?" There was a little bit of a whine in his voice. She couldn't help herself and had to laugh.
"I don't think so, sorry Blaise. And besides, part of why you like Jane is her intellect, yes?" He groaned at this and sunk deeper into his seat.
"Yes. That doesn't make it any better. What am I supposed to do all by my lonesome tonight?"
"Well, you are a grown man, so I am sure as an adult you are perfectly capable of coming up with something on your own. Maybe try reading a book?" She managed to get out without laughing. Grumbling he shook his head.
"Meh. I have nothing worth reading right now. Do you think she would mind if I came over. Just for a few minutes."
"I can't really say. You know her better than I do. Would she mind?"
"Probably not. As long as I don't interrupt her. I could watch another play on her telemission." He mused and looked to her for confirmation. Biting her lip to keep from laughing she only nodded and hummed in agreement.
xXx
Francis sat on his bed in his room and stared at his hands. Support. Again. He'd trained so hard, given it his all and again he'd not made the cut. He knew that his reflexes could be better, but with Professor Malfoy and the others he'd thought he'd at least get a chance. Biting his lip and breathing through his nose, he tried to keep the tears at bay. His eyes were burning with the unspent tears, but he breathed through it. Standing, he almost ripped the duelling uniform off himself. Normally he took care in putting it on and taking it off. He'd taken pride in wearing it. Now it only seemed a mockery of his aspirations and dreams. Leaving it on the floor, he stomped over to his closet and changed into jeans and a t-shirt. Slumping down at his desk, he put his head in his hands. His father would be disappointed. Again. Why didn't anything ever go right? A knock on his door pulled him out of his misery.
"Yes?" He asked in a hoarse voice. The door opened a bit and Keisha stuck her head in. Concerned she took him in and frowned when she saw his uniform on the floor.
"You OK?" She asked softly and closed the door behind her. Scrubbing his face with his hands, he cleared his throat.
"Not really, but I will be." He attempted a smile for her. Nodding she gave a small smile back and rubbed his shoulder.
"It's going to be fine, Francis. The professors never do anything without a reason. They are all here, so I guess you can ask them after dinner. Professor Granger brought all the stuff needed for pizza." She tried to cheer him.
"OK. I'll ask after dinner." He said and felt a new kind of determination coming over him. Yes. He would ask them. Granted, he wasn't the fastest, but he was the best tactician. That had to count for something, right? Surprise pulled him from his musings, when she hugged him and left without another word. Softly he touched his cheek. Had he imagined it, or had Keisha just given him a kiss?
Dinner was different than the other nights, since the rest of the students had moved into Duelling Hall. Normally each of them would make his or her own food and either eat in the dining or common room. Today the pizzas they had made were set out buffet style with sodas on the dining room table, while all of the team members mingled and talked. Their professors were in the middle of it. While Professor Zabini was perfectly happy to eat the pizza from a napkin on his hand like Professor Granger, Professor Malfoy had sat down transferring his slice with knife and fork to a plate and cut it into bite sized pieces. The Southies were used to having dinner with their professors and were not shy about asking questions and joking with them. After some time, the other students adjusted to this different kind of relationship with their teachers and joined in. When the pizza was finished and everyone full, Professor Malfoy called for their attention.
"As you all have had an opportunity to look at the roster, I am sure you have questions about the roles you have been assigned. Freestyle teams, please accompany Professor Zabini to the common room. Support, please join Professor Granger in the dining room and traditional duellists and seconds with me to my office." As their professor had asked, they broke into groups and followed their respective professor to the room assigned. Before Francis could follow the rest into the dining room, Keisha clasped his hand in hers and gave a small squeeze.
"Remember what I said." She whispered. Nodding he breathed deep. He had been prepared to go toe to toe with Professor Malfoy. Not Professor Granger. He wasn't sure how to approach her with this. He wasn't good when it came to conflict and especially not when it was with women. As one of the last, he entered the dining room. As Professor Granger waved her hand, the old style sliding doors recessed into the walls closed behind him.
"Welcome." She smiled and sat at the head of the table. Slowly each of them took a seat. She took them in for a moment before speaking again.
"I am gathering from your expressions that when you read support it was not what you were signing up for, when you tried out to join the duelling team." Some of them, including Francis blushed and looked down.
"There's no need to be shy about it. Everyone looks at the duellists and thinks that they are versed in all the spells and how quick they have to think, etc. etc. While the quick thinking part is correct, the strategy, tactics and in-duel decisions are made by their support staff. In other words, you." At this they all looked up, surprised. She smiled softly and folded her hands, while raising an eyebrow.
"Oh yes. Professor Malfoy, Zabini or I cannot give you any advice during a duel. Adjusting the tactics or overall strategy during a duel will be up to you. Not the second, not the duelist, you. Which makes you the most important part of the team. It is your responsibility to know your duellist's opponent and to help him or her defeat them. You call for a time-out and you decide when the second will take over. All of you are ahead of your peers when it comes to spells, hexes and potions. As such, you will be the ones to call out plays to your duellist and with the board approved potions treat him or her if needed. Other teams have specialists for the treatment, but we trust you to take care of your team mates.
"Others might try to belittle you for being support, but do not let those comments get to you. Those who really understand the finesse that is duelling will know what your contribution is. And what a difficult job it can be. I am not trying to fool you or talk the position up so you will be content. What I have just laid out for you is what Professors Malfoy, Zabini and I will be expecting from each and everyone of you the minute your duellist steps onto the carpet. Any questions?" She was heartened to discover the formerly slouching students sitting much straighter and with a new gleam in their eyes. Francis felt a new glow in his chest. He'd often wondered why duellists often had so many people with them and now he knew. And he wouldn't disappoint. He would be the best support Sabrina and Jamal could have.