Freaks: Year Two

Hey, Is That The Snitch?

"Okay, so what have you two figured out?" Jasper asked back in the Ravenclaw secret room with his brother and Christopher. He had been away for only a few minutes much to Christopher's complaints and exaggerations.

"Well, we think we figured it out," Toby corrected.

"Whatever, let's try it," Christopher said, voice already impatient. He was getting sick of all the failures with the bloody thing. He had spent countless nights trying to figure the spell out by himself, with his brother or with Jasper, some nights being quite painful and upsetting. Once they succeeded with it, that was one less thing to worry about.

"Well, what are we trying out?" Jasper asked.

Christopher looked over to Toby. "Tell him will you?"

Toby looked over to his brother, nervous because what if it didn't work after all? Still, they had to try. He opened his mouth and said, "Well, I was thinking about the lessons I have been overseeing while I have been here," he started, "and I remembered the class with...I forgot his name but he was really short and had glasses..."

"Charms class?" asked Jasper.

"Yes, I think so," Toby said with a nod. "And well, Meg was asking all these questions and one was about whether a muggle could use a wand or not–that's what you call us, right?" Jasper nodded. "Right so, she was asking about that and the professor said it was impossible and so she then asked if a wizard and muggle can use one together–I think she wanted me to have an experience with wielding magic–and the teacher said it could happen, but it would actually confuse the magic."

Jasper was curious. "Confuse it? Wouldn't it not be affected?"

Toby shrugged. "That's just what the teacher said. A muggle can use a wand, but it won't work...the magic apparently would go everywhere and create destruction or like you said, not work at all...it depends really."

Jasper slowly nodded. "So...if we used it at the same time...what would happen?"

"It would apparently confuse it...maybe stop the spell being cast...or was it being half cast...it would create an incomplete spell," Toby said. "It is all trial and error, really but what I was thinking if we somehow disrupted the spell, we could somehow manipulate it to our liking...maybe somehow getting it into the box...like if it isn't fully cast the shield won't go anywhere...it just...kind of gets cast and stays in place...look I have the image and idea in my head, but we have to try it first."

Jasper stared at him, finally understanding what Toby was saying. If the shield charm was cast, but the power somehow got confused therefore not allowing it to get to a destination, they could somehow move the source of power into something...in this case a box.

"Wow, that's really smart," Jasper said to his brother. He had wide eyes. "If...if it works, wow! That's genius!"

"Well, it may not work–" Toby started, nervous at his excitement.

"But it may, so come on," Christopher said, losing his patience. "Stop being so negative and do it! Come on."

"Wouldn't it be better if an older student did it?" Jasper asked.

Christopher shook his head. "Not for this. Magic is all about determination, like I told you last year...and even though I know I can fucking do it for you...I think what we need is well...love and the only way we can achieve that is through family right? Having you two do it, even though you're younger, you're brothers...that is powerful. More than anything. So...go on."

Jasper and Toby both looked over at each other. Could this really work? Was Christopher really right about how the two of them being brothers that they could make it work? Toby's idea seemed quite plausible and with Christopher's hypothesis maybe they'd finally reach a solution, but it didn't erase the absolute anxiety they both felt.