"Well that was a bust," Freddie said as they made their way back down the tunnel. "We didn't even get to finish our duel."
"That's okay, Freddie. I still feel like it was good experience for us both," Ada replied. "We can do it again some other time."
"Yeah. You did really well, I think."
"You too."
"Plus we got the drop on two fully grown wizards," she said with a grin. "Even if it was an accident."
"Yeah. You didn't seem to like them very much," Ada commented. It wasn't a question but Freddie felt compelled to answer anyway.
"It's not...well... Severus doesn't like them, that's all. They were in school together."
"So do you think they're bad people? Can we not trust them? They are members of the Order after all. Dumbledore must trust them."
"I dunno," Freddie said, shaking her head. "I guess if they were really bad Ziggy would've acted differently around them. Like with Karkaroff at the Potions Championship."
"Ah. I suppose we can trust them then," Ada said, stopping to give Ziggy and affectionate pat.
"Mm," Freddie said noncommittally. She wasn't going to say it to Ada – but she didn't trust Sirius Black as far as she could throw him. Something about him just rubbed her the wrong way. But she didn't want to sew dissension between Ada and other members of the Order of the Phoenix...not when Snape was the only real reason she had for feeling this way.
"When is your next day off?" Ada asked as they approached the end of the tunnel. "Maybe we can duel again. I want to get in as much practice as I can before I have to go home."
"I won't be off again until next weekend, but maybe I can find time to meet with you again this week, maybe after dinner? Then we'd have a couple of hours to practice at least until curfew."
"Oo yes! That would be wonderful! ...Do you think that you can teach me to use Occlumency and Legilimency during a duel? I was trying, but it gets so hard to focus with so much going on at once. I'd really like to be able to tell what spell my opponent is going to use before they cast it – or at least keep them out of my head if I can't manage that!"
"Hmm," Freddie said thoughtfully. "I think I can try and do that – if you can make it through one of our duels without using a single spell out loud."
"I accept your challenge," Ada said resolutely, grinning as they came to a stop near the entrance.
"It might be harder than you think," Freddie warned. "It seems the longer a duel goes on the harder it is for you to keep your focus and use nonverbal spells."
"I know," Ada admitted. "But I'll keep working on it. Maybe I can get some of my classmates to have practice duels with me..."
"Are you allowed to do that?"
"Not at Beauxbatons. Students are only allowed to duel in a classroom, under the supervision of a teacher. But we are not at Beauxbatons, are we?" she said with a crooked smile.
"No, I suppose not," Freddie chuckled, then grew serious. "I don't think it's a good idea for you to try to go down to the Shrieking Shack without me. I don't want you getting hurt and really no one is supposed to know that passageway is there."
"Oh I won't, Freddie. I won't take anyone else down there," Ada promised. "I'll try to find another place where I can practice. I have a lot of free time now that our end-of-term exams are over, I can spend some time exploring the castle and grounds."
"Good idea. There are all sorts of hidden passages around Hogwarts, there's probably some I haven't even found before. And it can be a lot of fun looking for them, too."
The silver watch on Ada's wrist beeped and she checked the time.
"It's 12 o'clock," she announced. "I suppose I should make an appearance at lunch. I don't want anyone to notice I'm gone – plus I'm absolutely starving."
"Me too. Breakfast seems like a long time ago. I guess dueling really works up an appetite! I'll stop and get something in London before I go into work I guess."
"You can't come eat in the Great Hall with me?"
"I wish," Freddie said, shaking her head. "I'm not a student and I'm not a teacher or staff member. Someone would notice."
"If your French wasn't so bad we could say you were my sister," Ada chuckled.
"Hey!" Freddie said, mock-wounded. "My French isn't that bad."
"Non, juste ton accent," she teased. "It's obvious you did not grow up in France."
"C'est la vie," Freddie said with a dramatic sigh. "Alright, you should go and eat your lunch. I'll go up first and freeze the tree, then you can come out."
"Oui oui." Ada extinguished the light from her wand and cast her Disillusionment Charm. "Au revoir, Freddie."
"À bientôt," Freddie said before transforming. She crawled out through the tunnel's entrance with Ziggy following closely behind her.
Freddie quickly batted the knot on the Whomping Willow with one paw and froze it before the tree even had time to register that she was there. She meowed to let Ada know it was safe, then waited by the tree trunk trying to determine if her invisible friend had come out, mentally counting the seconds until the tree would unfreeze again. She saw blades of grass bending as Ada climbed out of the hole.
"À la prochaine. Until next time, Freddie," said Ada's disembodied voice as she moved away from the tree. Freddie tried to track her movements with her eyes, but quickly lost sight of her. Come on, she thought, nudging Ziggy lightly, and the two kneazles made their way towards the Hogwarts Gate.
