Up and Down

Momentum and Inertia

The thumping of blood in her ears is like drums of war. All the pain and misery and heartbreak the three of them had to endure over the course of this year was because of the machinations of one person.

And Anna finally has a face to put her anger to.

She doesn't quite know what she will do.

The beat of ancient magic under her skin is thrumming with power.

She catches a glimpse of Olesya and her friend walking to the Viaduct bridge. Anna grits her teeth and sprints after them.

"Hey!!"

Both girls turn. Anna takes a good look at the second one for the first time. She is so small, shorter than even herself, delicate, innocent-looking.

Her thin mousy hair is tucked into a neat low bun at the back of her head. She eyes her suspiciously.

"Yes? What do you want?"

Anna opens her mouth, closes it, her thoughts bouncing around inside her skull so fast she can't get a hold of a single one.

"What's your name?"

The petite girl blinks, clearly not having expected such a question.

"Danica."

"Well, Danica," Anna raises her wand at her, her smile manic, "I know what you did. You are coming with me."

The girl's eyes narrow, and beside her Olesya's wand swishes through the air and Anna feels a presence pushing into her mind.

But she expected that to happen. Her mother's lullaby is singing through her mind, walling off her through tsp and intentions.

"You did it," Danica hisses, reaching for her own wand, "you got into my head!"

"Wasn't me, actually, but you aren't going to believe that," Anna jumps back, assuming a defensive stance, just in time to deflect a Bombarda with a shield, "no, not going to believe that..."

Olesya has been commanded to attack her, that much is clear. She is strong, she knew that much, even a blocked spell making her feet slide backwards on the stone of the bridge. Chunks of rock crumble into the water below and people turn to face the deafening sound.

Anna weaves and ducks, trying to avoid injuring the Champion. She is but a puppet, when the real problem is...

"Confringo!" Anna throws a Blasting curse at Danica who blocks it. Her eyes gleam with malice, and Anna knows before the incantation even leaves the other girl's lips.

Red lightning shoots forward from Danica's wand, but Anna guessed right. She swings her arm in a wide arc, and Olesya is yanked in front of her by the pull of ancient magic, the spell hitting her instead of Anna.

Danica shrieks, cutting off the torrent of pain as Olesya collapses and twitches on the floor, and Anna jumps over her.

The emerald light flashes as she is in mid-air, unable to change her direction or speed. Anna covers her head with her arms, knowing full well it will be of no use.

There is no terror, no hesitation, there is no time.

She just knows it's over.

The wild magic bursts out of her, shaking the castle to the very foundation. The stronghold of ancient magic that Hogwarts is answers her silent plea. The stone of the bridge liquefies and shoots up like a geyser, blocking the spell. It absorbs the attack and splits into arcing strands of silver.

Landing on her feet, Anna points her wand in that flowing, deliberate way she learned from Isis, and the silver streams follow her motion, weaving into a metallic eagle. It screeches and swoops at the girl across the gap in the bridge Anna created, slashing her with sharp talons.