"Hold on a sec."
Harry wiped sweat from his brow, watched as Piper did the same. They had been swapping and blocking spells for over an hour. The sun was beginning to set, causing the clearing in which they practiced to dim. Harry massaged his right elbow, which had hit the ground hard when he failed to block one of Piper's strikes. She, though, had a visible bruise on her cheek from such an attack.
"Anything broken?" she asked, seriously.
He shook his head. "You?"
"Nope." She looked around the clearing, scanning for unwanted visitors. Since she had explained her ability to see through invisibility cloaks, Harry had never questioned her sight. She seemed to look miles into the forest, her eyes constantly darting as if tracing the path of every creature before her. Harry waited patiently until she was satisfied.
"I want to show you something." She walked towards him, planted her feet and said, "Hit me with any curse. Make it very strong."
Harry was confused. "We've been through every attack spell I know. What are you..."
"I've only been able to block a handful of them," she said, fingering her wand as she spoke. "You're powerful, but I know a blocking spell that can repel any spell. Be it stupify or even the Unforgivable Curse."
Harry was intrigued. "You can block the Avado..."
"Don't finish that." Piper crossed her forearms, creating an X in front of her. "I've never tried it with that curse, but it should be powerful enough. I've only seen it used once before, and I read about it last night. Now I want to try it."
Harry looked at her, unsure of what to do.
"Hit me with your best shot, Potter."
Harry didn't want to hurt her, but without a strong attack spell to test the block's abilitiy, it would do them no good to learn it. He took a deep breath and muttered the strongest curse he could think of. Jets of red shot from his wand, steering towards Piper, lighting the semidarkness. Harry heard her scream a strange word, then slump to the ground.
"You landed her in the hospital wing? Harry, what were you thinking?"
Harry walked beside Ron and Hermione. He had begun trying to explain the large gash along his cheek, and somehow he'd let slip what he and Piper had been up to after Quidditch practice every evening.
"I didn't mean to." He hadn't mentioned how long they'd been going, nor the blocking spell Piper had tried to use.
They reached the Great Hall and made to take their seats when Harry saw Piper running towards him from the head table. Her cheek was no longer bruised, though she ran with a slight limp. She nearly knocked him over and she pressed her body against his to whisper in his ear.
"Voldemort's in Hogsmeade! You have to go before he tries to enter Hogwarts!"
Harry's books fell to the floor. He noticed then that Dumbledore, Snape, and Hagrid were missing from the head table. Piper had already begun her sprint from the Great Hall.
He looked over at Ron and Hermione, who looked confused. Without a word, he turned and sprinted from the Hall.