Year 2 Part 4

  … …

  I leaned back, angling my body so that I didn’t need to use my Shield Charm to deflect the bolt that was streaking towards me. At the same time, without needing to vocalise anything, I was firing off a trio of bolts from my wand at my opponent. At the other end of the duelling stage, Enya Delaney shifted as well, moving slightly to avoid my attacks.

  This was the last of a trio of challenges made against me within the wand-duelling club over my ranking that I had received after I’d been attacked. Along with Randel Milton and Angus MacLean, Delaney wanted to use the perceived weakness I’d suffered from my attack to claim one of the podium positions in our year and house. Milton’s challenge had come in the Slytherin chambers as he was too far back in the rankings to directly challenge me at the club, but both Delaney and MacLean were in the Top 10 from First Year – along with being third and fourth in our house behind Vesta Malfoy and me – and as such, the duels were taking place in the school facilities.

  The other two had already been defeated over the last week, both with clean three-to-zero victories, and I was already up two-to-zero against Delaney. The major difference was that she was taking longer to defeat.

  Neither MacLean nor Milton was a bad duellist for our year, far from it in fact. However, Delaney was, like myself and the daughter of House Malfoy, a step above the rest. None of our trio had suffered a defeat in the first few months since the wand-duelling club began, with every victory being at worst three-to-one. Because of that, the fact that Delaney and I were duelling for the spot behind Vesta had drawn a large crowd.

  I hadn’t been paying any attention to them while the duel was ongoing, but before we had even begun, I’d seen almost every Second Year in the club arrive along with a large number of Third Years. For my yearmates, it was likely they wanted to see what level they had to reach to stand a chance of being at the top of the year, while for the Third Years, I assumed it was an opportunity to scout the most dangerous Second Years for the end-of-year duelling tournament.

  Even with my skills and those of Delaney and Malfoy, I didn’t feel any of us had much shot at winning the tournament. Merlin, the last time a Second Year reached the quarterfinals was over thirty years ago, though both Bellatrix Black and Lucius Malfoy had made the Round of Thirty-Two as Second Years. Still, suffering defeat from someone in a lower year would carry a stigma that would linger well into the new school year, so it paid to observe the stronger candidates in the lower years when they faced off against each other in publicly accessible arenas.

  My feet danced on the platform, guiding me to one side to ensure the group of spells Delaney had cast with her latest salvo missed without me needing to bother using my shield. While I was doing that, she was moving gracefully, angling her shield to ensure the latest collection of quick-fire bolts I’d cast were deflected away without disrupting her casting.

  Wanting to switch things up, after casting another trio of quick-fire bolts, each of them carrying a faint blue hue, I slipped in two rapidly cast Stunning Charms. Neither was expected to strike, but the similarity in colour to the quick-fire bolt might catch her off guard. The real attack came from the quartet of jinxes I cast after the Stunning Charms.

  Knockback, Stinging, Trip, and then Slippery emerged from the tip of my wand at somewhere close to my current maximum casting speed. I wasn’t tipping my cap fully, but with the score two-to-zero in my favour, I wanted to see if I could score a perfect victory. Not only would it separate me from Delaney, but it would also place pressure on Vesta Malfoy before I challenged her for the top spot in our year. Ideally, it would also work to ensure that I had fewer unworthy challenges for the rest of the year.

  While it was useful to spar with my yearmates, few could truly trouble me. That was why I, abusing that I had it, spent a lot of time inside my Lord’s Chest. Inside that, there existed a training room designed for the current Chief MacLeod to train at levels that would be on par with an Auror. I’d yet to even get past the first level of the system, but already I was feeling the benefits of training using a system designed for adults.

  As I worked to deflect, or in a few cases, counter the spells racing towards me, I watched as Delaney dealt with my latest onslaught. The quick-fire bolts were, as expected, avoided or redirected with her shield. While I had hoped one of them might disrupt the Shield Charm enough to grant me the final point I needed for victory, that didn’t happen.

  The pair of Stunning Charms were avoided, Delaney sliding gracefully to ensure they sailed clear of her. While I worked to deflect her spells with my shield, and my wand cast another series of attacks, I smirked as the first of my jinxes struck her shield. The flicker of concern that appeared on her brow meant she’d been caught out in some way by the jinx, and while she’d blocked it, I saw the move had cost her momentum.

  It wasn’t quite enough to disrupt her casting or take down the Shield Charm, either of which would grant me the point needed for victory, but I knew I was close.

  A grunt slipped from me as something unexpected struck my shield, and I snarled in annoyance as the charm flickered, costing me a point. I readied a barrage of quick-fire bolts, my emotions rising at losing the point – the first I’d lost so far this year, in fact – and I felt them leaking into my magic. However, before I could cast them, Delaney stumbled back, her shield failing before my last jinx struck her.

  She lost her footing slightly, and as she fell to a knee, her wand slid from her grasp.

  “Winner, Dòmhnall MacLeod!”

  The call came from Professor Buckland and was accompanied by a round of cheers and hearty claps from those watching. Without Delaney or me having to do anything, the spells we’d cast while on the platform dissipated. It had been designed to ensure that the loser didn’t take unnecessary damage if defeated, but spells remained in motion. It hadn’t kicked in during my first duel as the quick-fire bolt I’d used against Damien Blackwood had been overpowered, with what I now understood was a hint of Destructive Magic, but it had for every victory I’d claimed since then.

  I lowered my arms, slipping my wand back into its holster while dismissing my Shield Charm. A glance at the wall behind me caused a flicker of annoyance to flash over my face. While I had won, as I’d thought, I’d lost a point when my shield flickered near the end of the duel. Still, a three-to-one victory over the person directly below me in the rankings wasn’t something to be angry about.

  Moving forward, I walked towards the centre of the platform and waited for Delaney to do likewise. It took her a few moments to recover her footing, as Professor Buckland needed to counter the jinx I’d cast on her. As she approached, I didn’t see any hint of irritation on her face.

  “Well fought,” I stated as I extended my hand.

  “Likewise,” she replied as we shook. “That grouping of jinxes after the bolts was a nice trick.”

  “Thanks. Still working on getting it mixed in with the bolts so they don’t stand out as much, but it works for now.”

  Delaney offered me a short giggle. “I’d say. Though next time, try not to strike a lady with the Slippery Jinx.” She shivered slightly as we stopped shaking hands. “I feel like I’ll need a dozen showers to get clean.”

  I smirked at her comment. While the jinx made a surface, or in her case, a person, slippery, it didn’t leave behind any residue once countered, dismissed, or ended. That said, I understood her dislike of it, having been struck by it several times during my training before starting Hogwarts. “Don’t go hiding behind your gender, Delaney. You’re one of the best in our year, boy or girl.”

  She smiled, using one hand to brush back a lock of hair from her face. “Thanks.”

  Nothing more was said between us before we turned and walked off the stage. As we reached the floor, our friends gathered around us. Those inside our house were more reserved than others with their comments, though most were generally positive.

  “Who cares about a pair of smelly snakes! Let me show you what a true wizard can do!”

  “Didn’t I flatten you when you challenged me, Ackles?” Francis Bickerstaffe responded to the Gryffindor boy as he walked onto the platform, pushing past several other students from all houses but his own.

  “A fluke, Bickerstaffe. One I will correct before the end of the year.”

  Irritated, Vesta responded before Bickerstaffe could. “Keep telling yourself that, Ankle, but it's never going to happen. Just like the rest of your house, you’re not worthy to even lick my shoes clean.”

  Ackles spun around, his wand in his hand as he prepared to respond to Vesta’s remark. It wasn’t a scathing one, but Ackles had an arrogance to him that reminded me of Carrow at times, though with less control. “Why you little blood wh…”

  “Ackles!” Professor Buckland cut in with authority, some of his power leaking out to assume control of the situation. “Get on the platform for your duel or I’ll deduct twenty points from Gryffindor.”

  Ackles glared at Vesta, a fire in his eyes hinting at bad blood between them that extended beyond any Gryffindor-Slytherin rivalry. I didn’t recall there being anything in my lessons on wizarding society about the two Houses having grievances, but it appeared that one existed between my two yearmates.

  “Go on and do as you’re told, kitten,” Vesta commented with a smug little smirk that I couldn’t help but find amusing.

  “Malfoy, enough,” Professor Buckland remarked, though with less firmness than when he’d spoken to Ackles. “Stop trying to incite trouble.”

  “Yes, Sir,” Vesta replied, offering a small bow in the process, though I doubted she was sincere. An opinion that I suspected the Professor shared, based on the way his eyes narrowed slightly. “Now,” Vesta continued, turning her attention to me and Delaney, “that wasn’t bad, but I don’t think either of you will be taking my throne.”

  “You do recall what they say about pride,” I commented, ignoring how Vesta had slipped her hand onto my forearm. Yes, she was doing the same with Delaney, but even though we were young, there was a difference. Particularly when one considered how often Vesta chose to stand close or even right next to me. “I hope the fall doesn’t hurt you too badly.”

  Vesta gave me a grin a tiger would be proud of. “If, by some miracle, you do manage to make me fall, I’m sure you’d be willing to help me back up afterwards, right, MacLeod?”

  “Oh, for Merlin’s sake, just announce it already.”

  Vesta turned to the speaker, her hands not slipping from my or Delaney’s arms. “Now, now, Munro, you’re one to talk, given how you seemed glued to the hip of Astra.”

  I slipped from Vesta’s grasp while she was busy engaging in another round of teasing and lightly tormenting our housemates, and moved away. My duel was over, and I had no interest in either dealing with Vesta’s behaviour currently or watching Ackles duel with whomever it was he was facing. While he had finished in the top twenty students in our year at the end of First Year, I’d watched him duel three times this semester – twice with a wand, once with a sword – and nothing I saw concerned me.

  Moving slowly across the room, my thoughts stayed on Vesta, though only in relation to the duelling club. At some point, I would be challenging her for the top spot in the year, but just like myself, I knew she had yet to display everything she was capable of when challenged for her position. That said, what I had seen was very impressive, and unless something strange happened in the coming years, she would develop into a very dangerous witch to face in combat, much like Bellatrix Black.

  “Chief MacLeod. A moment, if I may?” Even as a partition of my thoughts stayed focused on Vesta and others concerning their skills with wand duelling, the majority of my focus shifted to the speaker. Rather interestingly, it was Lucius Malfoy. Even more unusual, he wasn’t accompanied by his followers, lackeys, and the others who were generally around him.

  During my First Year, he had solidified his control over his year within Slytherin, even managing, from what I’d seen in passing, to gain some support from purebloods in Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. While he had no inroads into Gryffindor, he was in most ways the central figure of his year; a position I intended to acquire within mine by the end of this school year.

  “Heir Malfoy,” I replied, lowering my head slightly in respect. “What might you wish from me?” I’d had some interaction with Lucius Malfoy, but not as much as I might prefer. My plans to gather him as an ally, and thus keep him, his House, and his influence from Voldemort’s control still existed, but chances to do so had been limited. More opportunities arose, ironically, from his sister seemingly showing an interest in ingratiating herself with me.

  “Several things, however, given our current location, I will refrain from discussing them and focus only on the most pertinent. Your display against the Delaney girl was acceptable for your age.” I stayed quiet, ignoring the gentle rebuke. “While I do not expect you to be any better with a wand than you were with a blade, perhaps you might like to test yourself against me with one?”

  I took a moment to consider the offer. My thoughts travelled back to the sword duel which we had engaged in earlier this month after I’d recovered from the assault on my person. I had, as expected, lost badly, barely managing to threaten him on the way to a five-to-one defeat. Still, the fact I’d managed to score a single strike against the second-ranked sword duellist in the year above mine had been encouraging, at least to me.

  To the rest of the class, it had discouraged them, and I’d yet to receive a challenge in the club that warranted me moving beyond second gear to defeat them. As such, I’d begun watching the Third Years when they duelled and then spent evenings reviewing their movements while completing my assignments for class.

  There were some duels that I wanted to examine in more detail, but with the uncertainty of whether I was still being monitored by one of the school elves, I couldn’t head into the Fearann ????na Scáthanna and abuse the fact that time moved faster there. I had enough experience and training that I could slow time to the degree that a minute outside the Fearann ????na Scáthanna was the same as fifteen inside. It wasn’t yet a major difference, and Aífe was capable of making that almost so that an hour inside was equal to only a few minutes outside, but it was still a time boost that I wanted to exploit.

  “I would be honoured to do so, Heir Malfoy, though I suspect the outcome would be little different from when we duelled with swords.” I wasn’t arrogant enough to think I had any chance against him, but the opportunity to test myself against him was worth taking. That said, I felt the fact that he was now offering to duel me with wands after doing so with swords suggested I was being tested in some way. Perhaps a response to Vesta’s interest in me this year, however, I couldn’t directly ask about that, as I would be running the risk of interfering in the business of House Malfoy.

  “Excellent.” He looked over my shoulder to where Ackles' duel had begun. “Should we do so here or retire to the Slytherin chambers for a private duel?”

  “I don’t fear a loss of respect within my year if, as we both expect, you defeat me in a duel. However, I would prefer to avoid letting those outside our house glimpse what either of us is capable of.”

  Lucius’ lips twitched in what I took as a sign of amusement. “I do not believe that either of us have anything to concern ourselves with regarding those in other houses, save perhaps Ravenclaw if any commit their focus to duelling. That said, I concur that duelling publicly would be offering up information that could weaken your standing at the end of the year; something that I would prefer did not occur, as you are the only one I feel is worthy to challenge my sister.”

  “Vesta is as skilled with a wand as she is with her words.”

  “Accurate.” I swore I caught a hint of amusement in that response. “I will acquire a private chamber within Slytherin so that we might duel in seclusion. Once the date, time, and location are set, I will inform you of it. Until then, good day.”

  With that, Lucius turned and walked away. I waited for a few moments before resuming my walk, intent on seeking a quiet corner of the room to review my duel with Delaney. Yet as I walked, my mind remained focused on Lucius’ request for a duel. While there was some logic in making the offer so he could gauge the closest student to his sister, I felt there was more to it than that. Likely it was linked to Vesta; however, until Lucius brought the matter up, which I knew wouldn’t be until after the duel, I would remain in the dark as to the true motives of the offer.

  All I could do was prepare for the duel, and once it was over, see what I could learn from taking on the top duellist in Third Year so that once the end-of-year tournament began, I had the chance to make a statement that served my goals.

  … …

  … …

  “Come on. You can do better than that!”

  The taunt came from Bellatrix, wherever she was, as I made my way around the training course she’d crafted for me. As I slid over a table, my eyes widened as I saw a trio of magical bolts coming for me. Even mid-slide, I worked to alter my body, angling it so I wasn’t forced to cast a defensive spell. Such an action would cost me momentum and thus time in completing the course.

  As the bolts passed over my face, I closed my eyes for a fraction of a second, avoiding the blinding flash of colour so it wouldn’t blind me. My legs hit the ground on the other side of the table, and I pushed forward as my eyes opened.

  Before me, the path split in two, neither offering any hint as to which way I should go nor what lay along their routes. A loud gong sounded, marking the passing of the eighteenth minute of this run, leaving me three more to go before I was out of time. That was something I wished to avoid as Bellatrix rather enjoyed disciplining me for failing to complete a course, which had been a regular occurrence since these training sessions had begun.

  Even as I moved towards the intersection, I reached out with my magic and silently cast a weak detection spell by rolling the fingers on my right hand. It wasn’t one designed to find anyone or anything, but merely an attempt to gather a rough idea of my surroundings. I’d been taught the spell by Finn Dalcassin a week after my attack, and after a month of intense training, I’d taught myself to cast it silently and wandlessly.

  Getting a rough concept of the routes on offer, I headed right. That path, in theory, took me further from the finishing line, which was also where I had started, but magic insisted it was the better path. I inhaled steadily as I rounded the corner, my mind alert and working with two streams of consciousness so that I could analyse challenges with one remaining aware of my surroundings with the other.

  I’d barely moved around the corner to take the rightward path when I sensed movement. A bounce-step to my left took me out of the range of the trapdoor that I’d otherwise have landed on. However, it caused me to slam my shoulder into the wall. I grunted at the burst of pain but pushed it aside and moved forward, intent on completing the course in time.

  After a half-dozen more steps, a flicker of colour to my left had my attention. My body reacted, my mind working faster than it should for my age, and I angled myself to avoid whatever hex or jinx came my way from the spot. I knew it wasn’t Bellatrix casting as such an attack would come from above and not a solid section of wall; however, that didn’t mean I shouldn’t work to avoid being struck.

  I remembered well the first time Bellatrix had brought me into this room, one of several such rooms that were used by senior Slytherins for training. It had similar properties to the Room of Requirement in that its design could be shaped by someone. However, to do so with this room required one to place their hand on a stone pedestal outside the room and invoke the magic, and it was very limited as to what could be crafted, as it was designed for training, with very strict parameters on what could be added inside, with the space limited by the enchantments used in the room’s creation.

  The room would remain as crafted by the student, which Bellatrix claimed had to be at least a Sixth-Year student, as others lacked the magical power to activate the array powering the room, until they left, and none could enter without that student’s permission. Well, no student, as any Slytherin Professor could override the controls and one Professor was always located nearby in a room assigned to them, so they could monitor the training rooms.

  It was from that place that Professor Hunt had been summoned when I’d been attacked a few months ago, and if not for the closeness of that room, it was conceivable my injuries might’ve taken longer to treat and recover from. Perhaps even leaving me permanently weakened, or even dead, if not for my bond with Xenocrates, and others seeing his frantic efforts to leave the Slytherin chambers, there was a good chance that I might’ve died.

  That was confirmed by a letter from Aunt Moire, who, while not officially involved in the investigation into my attack, was monitoring it closely in conjunction with her husband, Chief Finnbarr, and Lord Arcturus. So far, no leads had turned up, and while that was what I’d expected, Moire had, without directly stating it, made clear that she blamed Dumbledore for the lack of progress and inability to interview the older students to assess their locations when I’d been attacked.

  The Headmaster had rightly, if I looked at the matter pragmatically, rejected the idea of every senior student being interviewed by the DMLE over the incident. It was a violation of both their rights, as there was no evidence to link any to the attack, and an overstep by the Ministry and DMLE in particular into areas under the domain of the Headmaster of Hogwarts. Still, even with my understanding of his reasons, it irked me that he was hindering the matter, though thankfully, my investigation had opened up a possible lead.

  Reviewing the memory more intensely had revealed the whispered sounds of voices in the corridors that morning as I moved to and from the grounds of the school. I had matched many of them, including everyone near the Slytherin chambers, with a student in my house, or at least a face. Many of them I didn’t have names for, but most of those who I’d heard out and about that morning had been in Fifth Year, grouping around Andrew Richardson. I’d yet to determine how I would proceed from this point, but I had several ideas, many of which would bring a vicious smile to my face if I allowed them to slip from the depths of my mind.

  Rounding the first corner since choosing this path, I slid to a halt as my mind screamed a warning at me; my eyes catching sight of the thin ropes on the floor moments before I reached them. As I stopped, the ropes snapped to attention, and I realised that if I had not slowed, I’d have been caught in them. While avoiding them was good, they now blocked my passage down the route.

  The gong sounded again, signalling that only two minutes remained. I didn’t have time to backtrack, and based on my internal map, I was close to my starting point, which signalled the end of the course. As half my mind worked to plot the quickest route to the end, the other half processed the rope before me, seeking a way I could slip through it.

  None existed as any gap was tight, and I swore I could sense magic in the rope. Remembering the last time that I’d encountered such a blockage in a course, and how Bellatrix had enchanted the rope to twist around anything that touched it, I knew I needed another way forward.

  Drawing my wand was an option, however, for today’s course, the twisted daughter of House Black had been clear that using my wand would result in a minute time penalty. That was something I couldn’t afford, yet I wasn’t sure of which of the handful of spells I could cast wandlessly that would help me.

  Running through the list in the blink of an eye, I made my choice and lifted my left hand. Firing off a small bolt, one styled on the quick-fire bolt, I struck the rope at certain points I’d noted. As I’d expected, the rope believed something was trying to squirm through there and tightened around those spots. That, as the fifth weak bolt struck a section of rope, resulted in another section widening.

  Ideally, I’d wait for it to widen further, but time was against me, and after bracing, I leapt forward, twisting as I dove to slip through the wider gap.

  I grunted as I felt my side clip a rope, and braced, expecting it or others to grasp me. I felt one cord brush over the back of my lower right leg. As best I could in mid-flight, I turned my leg to avoid my shoe catching on the rope. The rope seemed to pull back, and I waited to see if I’d done enough.

  I felt the rope clip the lip of my shoe, negating some of my momentum, but it didn’t catch fully. As I landed on the other side of the rope trap, I rolled forward and pushed on. Ahead of me, I saw Bellatrix waiting, that familiar insufferable yet attractive smirk on her face. I knew I had more than enough time to make the finish line, and felt a smile spread over my face as I neared the end and the Sixth-Year girl.

  My smile stilled as Bellatrix’s smirk shifted, taking on a darker air. As her eyes narrowed, my focus shifted to her fingers. My eyes widened as I saw the tip of her wand appear in her grasp, and as she raised her arm, I realised what she intended.

  Not wishing to be denied my victory, I pushed myself harder, seeking to reach the line before she could…

  A flurry of bolts raced from her wand, each carrying a hint of extra colour beyond the standard red I’d expect. My brow rose in fear as I understood she wasn’t casting the Stunning Charm, but was instead using the quick-fire bolt, each altered with hints of another spell. I had no idea what those alterations were and had no intention of letting her strike me with them.

  Stolen novel; please report.

  A shifting of one foot as it struck the ground had me pivot to my right without sacrificing too much forward momentum. The first trio of bolts sailed past me, though I had no time to be pleased with myself as the next pair were angling for my face; Bellatrix having predicted my move before I’d made it and cast accordingly.

  If there had been time, I’d have growled in annoyance. As there wasn’t, I placed all my focus into avoiding the pair of bolts bearing down on me. My right hand landed on the wall to my side, and I pushed off it, pivoting on the ball of my left foot. The move cost me sight of Bellatrix and the later-cast bolts as I spun to the left of the passage, but it ensured the pair of bolts missed.

  Any joy at avoiding those was short-lived as I found myself facing another trio of bolts. These three were covered in a faint, sickly green colour that, while not threatening, wasn’t in any way encouraging. The trio were bound for my chest, and there was no way to dodge all three, given my last move.

  In desperation, I lowered my arm. “Aegis!” I growled, channelling magic as best I could into casting the shield charm wandlessly. The shield that appeared wasn’t as large as the one I used for duelling, nor did it look as stable. However, it formed, which was all I needed.

  As I shifted my arm, angling the shield to deflect the bolts I knew I couldn’t avoid, I swore I saw a flicker of something on Bellatrix’s face. I didn’t focus on it, keeping my attention on the bolts as the shield managed to bolt one bolt and deflect another enough that I could slip around the third.

  The shield failed after deflecting the second bolt, and I grunted as I felt the drain casting the spell wandlessly had taken out of me. That desperation move had cost me power, but it had helped me not just make it through those bolts but ensured the next pair didn’t come at me. Bellatrix hadn’t predicted me doing that and had fired her spells off with the expectation I’d leap off the wall. It also forced the next two groups of bolts to be out of place, which, while a relief as it offered a momentary respite, my mind was already processing that she was casting based on what she expected me to do.

  I had to change my tactics at least as much as I could without giving away what else I could do that she didn’t know about. I couldn’t play all my cards in a simple training exercise as she’d just use that against me the next time she dragged me here.

  Soon enough, after perhaps four steps, Bellatrix was casting again, a scowl that carried joy on her face. My heart rate quickened as I watched her send a half-dozen bolts my way; each glowing a deeper, brighter red.

  That was new, and as they angled towards me, I put aside thoughts on how she’d seemingly enhanced the bolts and placed my focus on avoiding them. The first two were slid between thanks to quick footwork, though I grunted as the second grazed my side. Not enough to cost me momentum, but enough that I felt the sharp sting of the strike.

  The third bolt I managed to duck under, choosing that path instead of spinning away from it. That ensured the next two sailed wide, my choosing the less-obvious path allowing me a moment of peace. The sixth bolt was easily stepped over as it went low, seeking to strike my leg. It would’ve done so if I’d moved as Bellatrix had expected to avoid the fourth and fifth bolts of the group.

  The gong sounded again, meaning a minute remained, yet I didn’t mind. I was barely ten metres from the finish. The closest I’d managed since she’d started pushing me through these training regimens. The downside, however, was that I was moving closer to Bellatrix, meaning I had less time to react to anything she cast.

  She knew that, and I felt my heart flutter for a moment as she moved with a speed I’d not seen before. Her wand danced around, charms, hexes, and Merlin-knew what else erupting from the tip as she cast a dozen spells either silently or with little more than a whisper. The only upside I could feel regarding the impending assault was that there was no attempt for her to extend her aura and thus try and dominate me with her power. That meant she wasn't actively trying to maim me, though I suspected if any of what she’d cast struck me, it would hurt like a motherfucker.

  My left foot came down, and I shifted my weight with just the ball of it pressed into the ground. My body tilted, seeking to slide between the first two encroaching spells. As they turned towards me, adapting to my move, my eyes widened in shock. Behind all the spells, I saw a vicious yet oddly evocative smile spread over Bellatrix’s face. Even as I tried to adapt to the fact that the first two spells of what should be the final volley altered their path to seek me out, I swore she was enjoying this as more than just getting to cast magic at me.

  Putting that aside, I lifted my hands. “Aegis!” I snarled, putting everything I had into casting either a larger shield or two smaller ones. The latter was the outcome; something that seemed to shock Bellatrix as much as it did me.

  With the shields, each barely wider than my palm, cast, I guided them to deflect the tracking spells. Once they were pushed away, I moved my hands forward as I raced towards the finishing line. None of the other spells had seemingly angled towards me, and as I pushed away or slipped around the majority of the volley, I felt triumph rise within me. The line was only a few metres away and…

  “Agh!”

  The pained sound slipped from me as something struck my back, and pain coursed through every nerve in my body. I fell forward, the shields I’d cast dissipating as I lost my concentration. However, since I was falling, the remaining spells in Bellatrix’s volley sailed over my head. That was only a small comfort.

  “Oof!”

  That sound slipped from me as I crashed onto the ground. My head bounced with a hard crack of the solid floor while my left arm got caught underneath me, twisting painfully as I slid forward.

  I blinked in confusion, trying to work out where I was. As my vision returned, I saw Bellatrix moving closer with her wand drawn. My eyes, however, tried to focus on something just ahead of me.

  Even as the tip of her wand glowed as she prepared to cast something, my right arm pushed forward.

  The gong rang out as I felt my fingers flop onto the ground, though that was the last thing I remembered as everything faded away.

  …

  “Good, you’re finally awake.”

  My eyes flickered, the light of wherever I was hurting my head. No. Wait. My head hurt before I opened my eyes.

  I tried to lift my arm to check my forehead, where the pain was focused, only for someone to grasp my wrist.

  “Easy there. You took a nasty blow as you landed. Nothing a simple potion can’t handle, but you should try to stay still.” Everything was confusing as my mind swirled and the world spun, yet I turned my head slowly to where I felt the voice was coming from, fighting to ignore the fresh pain that the action caused. “By Morgana, do you enjoy not listening to others or something?” The voice continued, a slight tone of anger creeping into it. “Stop moving, you fool!”

  I blinked as I remembered I knew the voice, but not who it belonged to.

  A shadow seemed to fall over me, and as my eyes slowly managed to focus, I understood it was caused by the face of someone. A girl, I realised, based on the hair that fell around her face, shielding us within.

  “Here,” the voice said as the shadows moved and whatever was against my right side shifted. “Drink.”

  I felt something be placed against my lips, and feeling I should listen to the girl, I slowly sipped at the liquid as it was poured into my mouth.

  A grunt slipped from me, followed by a cough at the disgusting taste. “Oh, quit whining and drink it!” The girl… no, the woman growled. “Stop being an idiot, Dòmhnall, and take your medicine.”

  It took time, the taste of the potion unpleasant, but I managed to swallow all of it.

  “Good boy.” There was a slightly amused tint to her tone as whatever was placed against my lips was pulled away. “Now, just stay still and let the potion do its work.”

  I closed my eyes, turning my thoughts inward. As the pain eased, I remembered the training course. Something, probably one of Bella’s spells, had struck me from behind, and I’d fallen. My hand had moved forward, the gong had sounded and then nothing before I woke up here.

  “Feeling better?”

  I opened my eyes and looked up, seeing that it was Bellatrix who was looking down at me. The sight of her face was partly obscured by her chest, and I blinked as I understood my head was resting on her legs. I nodded slowly, mindful of any lingering pain the action would cause.

  Bellatrix smiled. “Good. For a moment, I thought I’d have to call a Professor, which would be awkward for both of us.” She chuckled softly; the sound one I found delightful, as her body seemed to vibrate when she laughed. “I knew you were intent on getting better, but Morgana’s tits, Dòmhnall, it was only a training course, not life and death.” Her smile widened as she used one hand to gently push some hair from my face. “Still, wandlessly casting the Shield Charm, and then doing it with both hands… As impressive as I expect from you,” She remarked softly, being oddly gentle with me, which was off-putting.

  “Thanks,” I replied, the potion doing its work and clearing the haze of my mind and the pain in my body. “Did I win?”

  Bella stared at me for a moment before blinking. “Did you…” Her words trailed off, and she growled. For a moment, I thought she was going to get angry, something that felt certain when her hand against my head pressed tightly to pin my skull against her stomach.

  Yet no aggressive reaction came. Instead, she laughed gently and shook her head. “Yes, Merlin-damn you, you managed to finish the course. Just I might add,” she added as her eyes locked onto mine, “but you did complete the course.” The smile that came to her face was one I knew well, and I prepared myself. “Which just means I’ll have to make it more difficult.” The remark was about the best I could hope for.

  “Good.” My reply was simple but honest. If I wanted to get stronger, if I wanted to be ready to strike back against those who’d attacked me, and others who would seek to harm me and those I cared about in the coming years and decades, I had to unlock every ounce of power I possessed. I was in a race to war with others, and the rival leaders had decades of experience and training on their side. If I wanted to survive, never mind win, the coming war, I had to push myself beyond my limits every chance I could.

  Bellatrix’s smile softened, and she brought her hand back to my face, this time brushing it against my cheek. “Such determination. Tell me, what is the cause of it? The loss of your family, the recent attack or something else?”

  I stayed silent and kept my mind clear as her eyes met mine. With her betrothal to Rodolphus, until either she managed to break it or I found a way out for her, I couldn’t risk her learning too much about my plans.

  She chuckled. “No matter. It’s not like I’m your betrothed, so there’s no need for you to tell me. We’re only distant cousins, even if you are one of the better ones,” she said softly, her lips twitching with mirth. “Still, you completed the course, so that’s worthy of a prize.”

  I watched as her head lowered. Her eyes stayed on mine as her face came closer. “I really shouldn’t do this,” she whispered as her face neared mine, “but I’m not giving that bastard my first,” she added softly as her tongue flicked along her lips.

  My eyes widened as I felt, for a second at most, her lips touch mine. She pulled back before I had any time to savour or process the moment, and as I looked at her, for a fraction of a second, I saw pain in her eyes.

  “If only,” she whispered as she sat back up. She didn’t finish the sentence, choosing instead to look away. But I had a fair idea of what she was thinking.

  I lifted an arm and placed my hand on hers that was resting against my face. “He doesn’t deserve you,” I said firmly.

  “And you do?” she asked as her gaze returned to me; the moment of weakness gone, replaced by an amused glint.

  “No. Not as I am now. But you’re incredible, Bella. You deserve someone who can bring out the best of you, not a fool like Lestrange.”

  Bella stayed silent, seemingly searching for something in my eyes. “You’ll make some girl very happy one day,” she said, her smile not as happy as it could be. “Perhaps the young Miss Malfoy?”

  I blinked, caught out by the sudden shift in topic. As I recovered, I understood she didn’t want to dwell on her betrothal, which was understandable. I had plans to try and help her escape it, but for the first time, I found myself wanting to do that not because Bella was powerful and I wanted her free of Rodolphus and Voldemort, but because I wanted her for myself.

  “Vesta has her appeal, but she’s not perfect,” I replied, leaving unsaid certain things I might otherwise say. I was still too young for her to believe my intentions were anything more than care for my cousin. I had the experiences of another life, an adult one, inside me, but I wasn’t one in this life, not yet. Merlin, I’d not even started puberty properly. “Very few are.”

  Bella’s smile widened. “Like I said, you’ll make someone very happy one day.” She turned her head, her free hand moving to her face out of my sight. “Now,” she continued as she turned back to me, “enough lazing around. The potion has worked its magic, so get up and get ready. We’ve still got the room for another half-hour, and I’m not finished training you for today.”

  “Slave driver,” I snapped without any venom.

  “And don’t you forget it,” she retorted, her smile one of warmth and enjoyment.

  … …

  … …

  My head snapped back, barely avoiding the hex that had been aimed at my face. A quick shift of my feet helped me avoid the following pair of spells that raced towards me. At the same time, I fired off as many quick-fire bolts as I could. I didn’t expect them to strike my opponent, but I hoped they might concern him enough to slow down his rate of casting just a little.

  With the hand my Shield Charm was deployed around, I pushed forward, a small grunt slipping from my lips as my opponent’s next volley of spells struck the shield. Thankfully, unlike earlier in the duel, it didn’t flicker and thus cost me another point. As I was already down two-to-zero, another strike against me would mean the match was over and why I’d pushed more of my magic into the shield after the first time the shield had not just flickered but outright failed.

  Given I was taking on Lucius Malfoy, the top-ranked Third Year, in a private duel, it was hardly a shock that I was losing. However, the ease with which he’d overwhelmed my Shield Charm with his opening volley had caught me off-guard. After the fight, I knew I’d be reviewing this heavily to get a sense of where I was in relation to the year above and see how I could improve. However, with the onslaught of spells that Lucius was sending my way, I didn’t have time to think about it now.

  His speed was a step above what I’d faced before. Not massively as I was able to track each spell as it flew from the tip of his wand, but enough that I understood I really had to step up my game if I wanted to make any mark on the end-of-year tournament. Well, tournaments, I thought as I shifted my body, angling it so the latest assault of charms, hexes, and jinxes failed to touch me since I’d already duelled and lost to Lucius with blades.

  As my feet slid over the ground, moving to one side of the narrow platform we were forced to duel upon as we were in the lower years, an idea came to mind. It wouldn’t win me the duel – that was already lost – but it might well grant me a point against Lucius. That might help me gain some insight into both how to challenge the older years in the tournament and potentially draw his attention towards me beyond duelling.

  As fast as I could, I launched a wave of quick-fire bolts, slipping into them a variety of charms and jinxes that had similar hues of red to them. I didn’t expect any of them to strike, but as they were all focused on Lucius’ left-hand side, it should force him to move to the right.

  While I twisted, avoiding a trio of hexes from him, I pushed my body as hard as I could, launching a series of charms that were aimed at his right-hand side, where he would have to shift to avoid the previous attack. However, within this second wave, I angled two spells down instead of right.

  I couldn’t afford to simply watch the spells as they raced through the gap between us. I was continually having to shift and move to avoid taking another strike that would end the duel. A duel that, while not lasting long in relative terms, felt as if it had already taken twice as long as any I’d fought in against my fellow Second Years.

  My eyes tracked the kaleidoscope of colours inbound towards me as my mind processed them and worked to plan out routes to avoid them. I was pushing my mind as hard as my body, and I could feel the strain building in my limbs as they protested at my movements. Even with the fleshcarving arrays and having unlocked my third Pathway recently, I was struggling to keep this pace.

  As my head snapped back, avoiding one particularly sinister, green-coloured hex by a few hair lengths, I wished I’d had time to carve the third flesh array onto my body. I had it set, however, knowing that I’d need more than a few days to recover from the carving, I was holding off until the Winter Break in a few weeks to deploy it.

  Even as I watched him deflect my trick attack and move just slightly to the right as I’d hoped, I knew that I wasn’t going all out, but this was as close to it as I’d come. Of that I was sure. My wand flicked up, snapping off countercharms to negate the flurry of spells, almost the full spectrum of the rainbow, that was inbound for my chest even as I kept a watchful eye on Lucius as he shifted further to his right.

  I allowed a small grin to slip onto my face as, while he deflected and countered the charms aimed at his upper body, one of the pair that I’d targeted low splashed over his shin. He stumbled back, though his wand was still alert and casting, ensuring that none of the other spells in that volley, nor the one behind it, struck him.

  Still, I was pleased that I’d managed to strike him at least once. A fact confirmed by the deep, echoing sound of a bell within the room we were in, deep within the Slytherin Chambers. “Point, MacLeod.”

  The call came from Asmodeus Wessex, who had agreed to be the judge for this duel. As a senior and prefect, he was allowed to oversee duels between students in the lower years. Because he was one of my tutors, and his aunt was Lucius’ mother, he was considered suitable to adjudicate as he had ties to both of us.

  For a moment, my eyes met Lucius’. I wasn’t sure what the expression was in them, perhaps a mixture of irritation and respect, but once the moment was over, he was casting again. This time at an even greater speed.

  I blinked as his wand seemed to grow, its movements so rapid that I seemed to be wider than his arm and casting at a rate that I knew was going to overwhelm my defences. The sheer volume of spells that erupted from the tip and were inbound towards me would’ve, when I was younger or in my other life, have caused me to freeze up.

  Here and now, however, I didn’t.

  My feet were moving, my mind already in overdrive to track, identify, and predict the assault inbound for me. Before I prepared to engage it, I caught sight of Lucius standing still, almost as if he had taxed himself with the insane fury of colour that raced towards me through the gap between us. Uncertain if it was a trap or not, I knew I had to take my chance, and I fired off as many spells as I could before I was forced fully onto the defensive.

  My wand and free hand danced in the air as I cast counters, or even shot off simple bolts to intercept some hexes, while my Shield Charm rolled around, my arm and wrist in constant movement as I worked to deflect and block everything that I could manage.

  I could feel my heart racing as I moved, pushing myself beyond my limits in an attempt to survive the assault. The word around me would’ve seemed like a blur to a muggle, so fast was I moving to counter everything that Lucius had, and probably still was, casting towards me. Magic might seem slow to those who could wield it, but that was because as we grew our ability to think, process, and react evolved beyond that of mere muggles, and with my fleshcarved array, I could push myself even further.

  I grunted as my wand was a fraction of a fraction of a second too slow to cast a counter, and I was forced to tilt my head to avoid a jinx. Another sound slipped from me as my left foot dragged along the wood of the platform instead of lifting fully. That forced me to shift my knee awkwardly, but I managed to avoid being struck. Yet as I felt my body starting to slow, I kept pushing. I wasn’t going to fall to this-

  Wait! When did he move?

  The thought splashed over my thoughts as I caught sight of Lucius through the onslaught, and I saw that, without even appearing to have done so, he had shifted from one side of the platform to the other. Even as I fought to survive, a part of my mind reeled in disbelief at his movement. Based on where he had been before, he couldn’t have moved to this new position in the time that had passed. It simply wasn’t possible. Not unless…

  ‘SHIT!’

  I snarled at myself mentally as I realised that, however he had shifted, it wasn’t important. What was important was that the angle of his spells that raced towards me had altered because of it, and thus, my planned defence was flawed. Even as I frantically tried to adjust, my body protested, and I could only watch as a simple charm, either a Stunning Spell or a quick-fire bolt, was inbound for my shin, with there was nothing I could do to stop it.

  I braced for the strike, accepting my defeat, and channelled what magic I could internally in an attempt to negate the strike before it landed. It was all in vain, however, and a moment later, as my leg gave out and I fell to the ground, I felt my body and mind shut down.

  … …

  “Ow,” I muttered as I woke, finding Lucius and Asmodeus standing over me.

  “As you are likely aware, Malfoy won,” Asmodeus stated with an amused smirk as he offered me a hand. I reached for it slowly, being cautious in case I’d hurt myself when I’d fallen unconscious. It was unlikely, but one could never be too careful.

  “I think we all knew that was going to happen before the duel started,” I said without any annoyance as I took the hand and allowed the Seventh Year student to help me to my feet.

  Asmodeus chuckled. “Yes, but the fact you scored a point is something to be impressed with. Being able to do so against the top of the year above is something few could manage.”

  “Indeed. Against Augustus Prince, I have yet to score a point,” Lucius offered, referring to the top duellist in Slytherin, and second best overall, in Fourth Year. “A fact that continues to concern me with the tournament coming at the end of the year.”

  “Prince, for all his arrogance, is considered the favourite for a reason, Lucius,” Asmodeus commented as he let go of my hand and then lightly patted down my robes, helping me straighten them out. “Now, unless there is anything else you require, I will depart.”

  Lucius and I offered him nods of thanks, and a moment later, he vanished, choosing to apparate away after taking a step back. From what I understood, apparition within your house was possible, at least in public locations. However, it wasn’t allowed within the sleeping corridors – I hadn’t learnt the reasons for that, but I could hazard a few guesses – nor was it possible to apparate into or out of the house chambers. That, I assumed, was to ensure students didn’t enter the chambers of other houses. The only ones capable of ignoring that were the staff and the elves, though I’d never seen an elf moving openly about the Slytherin chambers.

  “You did better than I expected.” I turned at Lucius’ words and saw what I was interpreting as a smidgen of respect in his eyes. “The altering of directions of certain spells within an attack was well-timed, and not something I had expected you to be capable of at the current time.”

  “Thank you.” I paused for a moment, considering things, before continuing. “At the end, you did something to shift your position.” Lucius raised an eyebrow but remained silent. “One moment you were in one place, the next you had shifted. The move was too great to be anything you should have been able to achieve, yet you did so. Might I ask as to how?”

  “You may ask; however, I see no reason to explain it to you.” That was the answer I’d expected, so I wasn’t irritated by it. “However, if you are able to defeat Vesta before the tournament begins, and if you have not already discovered the method I used, then I will provide you with a hint.”

  “Thank you. For the duels we’ve had and the challenge you’ve just issued.” I offered a small nod as I spoke. He had no reason to tell me anything, so the setting of goals was more than I’d hoped for. “Truthfully, I hadn’t expected you to show any interest in any Second Year bar your sister.”

  “Vesta is more than capable of standing without my protection. However, she is still my sister. I would be remiss in my duty as her brother to ignore her completely, nor investigate those with the capacity to challenge and maybe even defeat her.”

  I offered him a small smile, amused to see a hint that he wasn’t as cold as he often appeared. “I intend to take her place,” I said with certainty.

  “As is to be expected. For all her potential, she is a girl. Powerful she might be, but it is a simple law of nature that, all other things being equal, just as a witch is superior to a male muggle, wizards are superior to witches. It is no more than the laws of nature.”

  I nodded, keeping my thoughts to myself on that matter. “If I might ask, Heir Malfoy, what of those born with magic to muggles or squibs? Where do they place themselves in the laws of nature?” I hadn’t intended to bring the matter up, but given we were alone in the chamber, I felt this might be a chance to gauge his opinions on a handful of matters so I had a better understanding of how I might shift him away from Voldemort’s faction and ideally into mine. “They have magic, so by default they would be above muggles, would they not?”

  “They would,” he agreed, his words cautious, “however, I would still rank them below those such as ourselves who come from ancient and noble stock.” I inclined my head, conceding the point. “I will, on the basis that it is not mentioned to any bar ourselves, admit to finding myself impressed with your efforts with several of the muggleborns. They are beneath us, that cannot be debated, but those you have shown an interest in have… displayed potential to be more than just deadweight within our world.” He took a moment before continuing. “Might I ask why you have shown this interest, as it places you at odds with most of our house?”

  “Magic makes might,” I replied quickly. “Yes, they were born to muggles, and are sadly drenched in the inferiority of the muggle world; however, they have magic. Where it came from, or how that came to be, I cannot say. What I can say is that anyone with magic is superior to any muggle, and we should educate them in the ways of our world so that they can offer something to it beyond trying to undermine our way of life with inferior muggle ideals.”

  “You believe that they can be of value to our society?”

  “I do, though they require education and training to be so,” I smirked, suspecting where he might go with this line of questioning and decided to cut it off before he did. “Those like the Headmaster and others feel we should integrate muggleborns because they can offer something to our world, perhaps even discover a way so that muggle ideals could infiltrate and replace our customs if not lead to a point where we could find peace with the muggles.” I scoffed. “Such concepts are fatally flawed. Every creature, from the lowest insect to the most powerful wizard, fears that which is different or greater than it. They seek to undermine and corrupt those superior to them so that they might bring them down to their level and destroy them.

  “I will not dismiss muggles as inherently useless as individuals. However, as a society, they are dangerous. Not in the way you are or I might be with a wand and magic. No, they are dangerous because their weakness and fear make them target those different to themselves. They care nothing for the planet nor others upon it. Only that they are right, and many will do whatever it takes to remove those they consider different or dangerous.

  “I will admit to you privately that I am uncertain if most muggleborns can have the flaws placed into them by the muggle world removed. However, I believe we should find ways to bring them into our world so they might provide value. It would also remove the threat of them being forced back into the muggle world, and once war occurs between us and them, the muggles do not have access to magicals to attempt to counter us with.”

  “You believe the muggles are a threat to our world?”

  “Yes and no,” I replied with a chuckle. “Even a hundred muggles is no match for a single wizard or witch. Perhaps not even a thousand. However, I believe that the moment the majority of them learn of us, they will seek to either destroy our way of life or enslave us to serve them. There are, from what I am told, perhaps two hundred thousand witches and wizards in these Isles. At the same time, there are around fifty million muggles on the islands.”

  “Their numbers offer them little protection against a single wizard. With simple illusions and spells that we know without having even completed our OWLs, I believe we could cripple the muggle government of this country in a single night.”

  “Possibly. However, the moment we do so, we give every muggle a target to fear and attack. In a war of survival, they would do whatever it took to win. I have no proof, but I believe that many muggles in the corridors of power all over the world are aware of our world, yet they pretend to know nothing so that we might ignore them. As we remain lax in our belief that muggles are primitive and that they still fight with weapons that cannot harm us, we grant them time to develop new creations. Weapons that could rival what more powerful spells are capable of.”

  Lucius looked at me carefully, his eyes seeking answers from my face that I wasn’t going to offer without being asked. “You fear them?”

  “I fear what they might do if allowed to strike first.” I paused and glanced around the room, making sure once more that we were alone. “I believe that, perhaps, a certain figure whose name I will not state within these walls, may have had the right idea. War with muggles is coming, and for the greater good, we must prepare for it.”

  I watched the Malfoy heir carefully, trying to judge his reaction to my words and the clear, without openly stating it, stance I held regarding Grindelwald and his core ideals. “Such talk could be construed as challenging the will of the Wizengamot, if not the ICW and the Statute of Secrecy. However, I remain uncertain as to why this relates to your tutoring of muggleborns. Particularly when you express doubts over them.”

  “Muggleborns have magic, and magic makes might. Ergo, they have might. While not comparable to those of Ancient Clans and Houses and the secrets we hold, it is still might that should be considered. With a war coming, would it not be wise to ensure that their might is not available to the enemy?”

  “That could be arranged by removing them from existence.”

  “It could, but doing so deprives us of might as well. Both in the lost potential of the muggleborns and of those who failed to take out the more powerful of those born in the muggle world. Consider that those muggleborns, and even some halfbloods born in the muggle world, with us in Hogwarts have higher magical potential than many born into our world. Would you consider wasting that power simply because of their place of birth? Would it not be wiser to harness it so that we might be stronger as a people when war with the muggles finally comes?”

  Silence filled the chamber, and I wondered if I had perhaps overplayed my hand. I had revealed a fair bit about my thinking on the future, and while I hadn’t crossed any line that would see me brought before the Wizengamot or Ministry for exposing views considered heretical or illegal, I was certainly hinting that I was heading down that road. Yet the chance to, if not gain Malfoy as an ally here and now, then at least have him consider my thoughts was one I felt worth taking.

  “I cannot deny that there is logic in your words and thoughts. That said, I remain unconvinced that even a sizable minority of muggleborns will amount to anything of worth. I will not, however, impede your experiment with them, as so far it has not brought you or our house into disrepute. Instead, I will choose to continue to observe the performances of your two muggleborn toys in your year.”

  I considered mentioning Severus and Lily, but chose not to. With the former, it was already half-known in the house that I was helping the boy; something that was easy to explain away due to how we had met in Diagon Alley and his mother being from House Prince. It did cost me a small fraction of influence, but his performance in classes this year had overcome that already. As for Lily, she was simply a friend of my cousin áine, whom I was watching over, so few realised I was as active in helping her as I was.

  “That is all I could hope for. After all, the experiment is far from finished,” I replied with a small smile. It appeared Lucius was receptive to at least some of my ideals, which was a decent base to start from.

  “Returning to the previous point, and why I initially requested this duel,” he reached into his robes, making sure to do so with his non-wand hand. “I bear a letter from my father, Lord Abraxas, for you, Chief Dòmhnall. It regards a potential alliance between our families.” I took the envelope he pulled from his robes slowly, quickly developing an idea of what it might say. “There is no reason for you to reply quickly, as I am sure that you have and will receive many such requests over the coming months, including, I suspect, one from Lord Black. All my father and I ask is that you give the matter due consideration and, before the start of the following school year, confirm whether you are interested in pursuing this alliance or not.”

  “I will review the offer once in private,” I said as I slipped the envelope into my robes. “I do hope that in the coming months and years, we might have more chances to both engage in training duels and perhaps develop an understanding of how we, once both seated in the Wizengamot, might help shape and direct our country if not the wider world.”

  “Of course,” Lucius replied with a partial nod, the faintest hint of a smile touching his lips. “However, who can say what the future holds?”

  With that, he turned and walked away, leaving me alone. My hand drifted to where the letter rested. The way Lucius spoke of Arcturus made clear my initial assumption about it, and why Vesta had seemingly claimed the spot at my side this year had been correct. Lord Abraxas hoped that I might consider a betrothal between myself and Vesta.

  It was an interesting offer as it would easily grant me a connection to Lucius and, through that, a chance to shift the loyalties of House Malfoy and their vassals. However, while Vesta certainly displayed the potential for power and would make a suitable lady for any noble Clan or House, ever since that training session with Bella, I found myself hoping I might find some way to take her from Rodolphus, or if she managed to free herself from the betrothal before I could, that I found a way to gain her attention and then affection.

  Vesta Malfoy would become a powerful witch, of that I had no doubt, yet I was certain she wouldn’t surpass Bella. Nor, perhaps, would she match her in beauty, though there I couldn’t say for certain, as, even though I’d only met her once, the current Lady Malfoy was a regal beauty.

  I shook my head, pushing such thoughts aside. I had no rush to make my choice, and as Lucius had stated, there would be others who offered a daughter to me in the hopes of an alliance with me. Most, I expected, would arrive on or after my thirteenth birthday, as that was the age at which such things could be publicly revealed if the Chiefs and Lords involved wished it. The moment I turned thirteen and no such notice was placed in the papers, many would come out of the woodwork with offers.

  Still, as I walked towards the door, intending to head to my room and once in the chest, read the letter, I couldn’t help but wonder if many already felt an arrangement existed between me and Arcturus. Lucius certainly felt so, but nothing existed because I’d made clear I wished to avoid that while young. One would come, but I wondered who would be offered to me.

  A small smirk spread on my face as I scratched my chin. Assuming that certain events developed the way they had in the other timeline, then there was a chance I could use that knowledge to gain the chance with Bella once she was free of Rodolphus Lestrange. Something that, even if I couldn’t have her as mine, I would work for, as she deserved far better than that moron.

  And of course, by ancient laws that few could use and fewer even remembered were still legal for Scottish and Irish Clans, I did have the potential to take multiple wives. Thus, if I were brave enough to attempt it and had the patience or stamina to handle it, I could consider more than one girl as a bride.

  Putting that matter to one side, my thoughts turned to the duel I’d just had with Lucius. As I’d expected, I’d lost, but scoring a single point against him was encouraging. Yes, I didn’t think he was going all-out, at least not until after I scored the point, but it was still an encouraging result.

  I had unlocked my third Pathway, which helped close the gap in power between us, though he probably had already unlocked his fourth Pathway, or was close to doing so. Each subsequent Pathway granted less of a boost to magical potential than the previous one, but it meant that when I next faced a Third Year, likely in the end-of-year tournament, I’d be at a disadvantage there. Even more so against a Fourth Year.

  Something that would help counter that gap, or so I hoped, was the next fleshcarving array. I had deciphered the concepts the tome revealed, and using that as a base, I had created my third array. This one, if I had everything right, which I was certain I did, would increase my overall durability and improve my recovery rate further. Add in that, in theory, it should also see my bones and joints strengthen as I matured, and it was going to be useful.

  Scoring a point in a duel revolved around disrupting the shield of your opponent, knocking them off-balance, or interrupting their casting. The array should help mitigate that last way of scoring a point against me, though, until I tested it in a duel, I couldn’t be certain of that.

  The other thing that would help, though it was something that everyone went through, was simply growing up and maturing. By the end of the duel, my body had tired, the muscles, fibres, ligaments and everything else unable to keep going at the pace I was pushing them. I could, if I started increasing the training I did each morning and evening, work to accelerate the improvement of my body. Yes, for this year, the boost would be minimal, but given five or so years, it would result in a far greater improvement than most would experience, and that was before I considered the fleshcarved arrays – both present and future – that I had.

  I had lost the duel, but at least now I had a minimum level to reach, and what was the point of pushing oneself if there wasn’t a target to aim for?

  … …

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