Spellbound

Chapter 4

Ea sighed for the umteenth time, her boredom taking over most other thoughts. She cringed again as she remembered the spectacle in the hallway.

"Hey, you're that newly transferred girl aren't you?" A boy that had accompanied Brogan had asked, "This is a Third Year class. Your class must be next hour or whenever. You're in the wrong place."

Ea had chosen to ignore him altogether, instead focusing on her classmates, who seemed agitated at this guy. One of her upper-classmen stepped forward.

"If she's here, then here is where she's supposed to be. One of her own house would have told her otherwise already. You should mind your own business, Dorian."

Ea was mildly surprised at the other Hufflepuff and it must have show because the student, Henry, if she remembered correctly, spoke to her next, "We Hufflepuffs look after our own." he stated matter of factly, and a few of her surrounding House nodded sharply.

Dorian scoffed and turned back to talk to Brogan, who had watched the entire scenario without intervening. Ea frowned but turned away, ticked off that people would go out of their way to harass others.

At that time, a short, stoutly old man waddled up to the group and opened the class door.

Now she was confident she was wasting away until the hands-on part of the class. Which seemed to be starting finally. Sitting up from her previously hunched over position, she listened more aptly to what Professor Flitwick was saying.

"Now I know many of you have finished your summer homework, but didn't do much after that. Who would like to demonstrate what they have, or have not learned? Volunteers?"

"I think the new girl should show us why she's in our class, Professor." Ea whipped her head around to glare at Dorian, who grinned snidely at her.

Fine, two can play that game, she thought.

Professor Flitwick looked at Ea, "How about it, my dear?"

Ea smiled sweetly, "I don't suppose I could pair with someone, could I?"

Flitwick beamed at her, "Yes, yes, of course my dear! Who would you like to accompany you? One of your House I suppose? Let's see..."

"Actually, can Dorian assist me? He seems to understand the subject well and I'm sure he can correct me if I'm wrong," she asked. She turned in her seat to face the now wide-eyed Dorian.

Ea stood and moved toward the empty area of the classroom and waited while everyone watched as Dorian faced her. She looked him in his eyes and didn't blink. Her opponent was not affected, but that wasn't the only trick she had up her sleeve.

Spinning suddenly, she whipped her wand through the air elegantly, and as she came about, let her spell fly. The spell quickly sped towards its target, causing pretty sparks and jets of lights to fly in all directions.

Dorian caught it just in time to avoid a faceful of feathers. As it was, the spell had been cast to go off whether or not the target was hit, and the feathers flew around the large Slytherin, who was fuming now.

"She didn't use an incantation! That's unfair! We don't learn that until later in the school year!" It was odd that it didn't sound like whining in his deep voice.

Professor Flitwick laughed, "Then maybe that's why she's in an advanced class," He said dismissively before turning to Ea, "Thank you for that beautiful display of skill, Miss Dursley. 5 points to Hufflepuff, for staying on top of the ball."

Ea turned sharply on her heel to return to her seat, but when she stepped forward, her right foot slipped out from under her on a feather, and she gasped, her lips barely starting to form an incantation to suspend her fall, when a warm band of steel wrapped around her waist. Her head fell back, filling her vision with gray eyes and a smirk that made her irritation melt.