The duel had begun; student against teacher. This was bound to prove who was boss, who deserved the respect; if she won, would he respect her more than he had respected anyone else besides Dumbledore? Deep down he did respect Albus but it was his student, who had caused him much grief through flashbacks and giving him reason not to trust him that he lost his respect for her; now was her chance to gain it back... or was it?
Severus lazily flicked his wand and blocked Ari's spell as it shot at him, he glared at her with hatred only Harry, and Harry alone had seen; his expression as dark as his eyes. "Langlock!" he muttered under his breath as he flicked his wand lazily towards Ari; it was rare Severus would allow his spells to be heard; gave more of a challenge to the opponent. 'This should shut her up...' he smirked to himself, flicked his wand again at her and muttered, "Petrificus Totalus!"
Ari flicked her wand once and blocked both the spells that shot towards her, "You have to try harder than that, Severus!" she sneered, twirling her wand around in her hands.
"Have it your way then!" Severus said challengingly. He kept his wand pointed at her and focused with everything he had, "Fiendfyre!" he muttered, almost silently.
Ari, rather than flinching, held her ground; she smirked as a great wall of fire flew towards her. She slashed her wand in the air and caused a wall of water to come over it, she focused it, unblinkingly; a few seconds later, not even smoke was to be seen.
"Quite the dueller you are... your father's gifting I see." Severus smirked; deep down, he was rather impressed by her skills. Severus gave his wand a sharp flick, slashed the air towards her, muttering, "Sectumsempra!"
Caught off-guard, Ari moved just that few seconds too slow as she attempted to block the spell. She fell to the ground, deep wounds opening up on her body; blood slowly gushed out of each one; still, she did not flinch.
Severus smirked under his breath; almost cackled, "Need to be a bit more... quicker next time." he knew he could heal her if he needed to. He pointed his wand at her, his wand over his head in case she decided to attack. He deliberately gave her a chance just to be fair on Dumbledore's child; this was, afterall, a fair duel; Severus didn't like to cheat... unless he had to.
Ari pointed her wand at each of her wounds and muttered, "Vulnera Senentur." at each; she and Severus watched as her wounds healed themselves; Severus' wand still poised in the air at her. Once each of Ari's wound vanished, she leapt to her feet. Severus was sure she was staring into her soul with the way she gazed at him; wickedness in her eyes as she smirked. 'Try this on for size!' she said to him in her mind, she threw her wand forwards, in a bloodcurdling voice, yelled, "CRUCIO!"
Severus didn't have much time to react, his heart raced as he flicked his wand, "Pro-" his block was cut short as he fell backwards, wreathing in pain, his body tensing, "Aggh... st-gaah!" he yelled, the agony was unbearable as he twitched around on the ground, as though he were attached to a high-voltage electric fence. He continued to twitch even as Ari laughed and broke the spell.
After a moment of twitching, Severus lay still, on the ground. He staggered to his feet; the pain now bearable, he glared at her, feeling the same hatred he had for James, Voldemort, Harry and Albus put together once Lily had died. Without another thought, his lips curled into a wicked smirk, his eyes narrowed. He pointed his wand at the ground, "Serpensortia!" he then focused his wand at her and concentrated, "Imperio!" he muttered, 'A snake and imperio... she will be bitten for sure... if one doesn't work... the other will.' he sniggered to himself.
Severus smirked as the spell hit Ari; the look of concentration on her face, her eyes scrunched shut, told Severus she was attempting to fight it.
He kept his wand pointed at her, focused harder, making the spell stronger; meaning everything he wanted to do to her; he focused on the curse alone, uncertain of how strong her mind was, but not caring; his gaze focused; almost blank, apart from his eyes which were unblinking as he concentrated as hard as he could; apparently Ari was doing the same to fight it off as, she too, had the same glare, concentration written all over her face, she growled as she scrunched her eyes tighter, focusing her mind; blocking the spell out.
Severus' eyes narrowed, he was unwilling to let the curse up until she fought it completely off, a caught a glimpse of the snake inching near her, its head raised, mouth open, showing it's fangs; its tongue flicked in and out of its mouth as it smelt out its pray, it reared up into striking position; any moment, it would bite. Severus knew she wouldn't be able to fight it off, though half of this was his hopes; he knew she wasn't weak; she had proven it and she was a Dumbledore.