Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery Year 1

Chapter 4

"And then she just cast some spell on me and left."

Angelica rolled her eyes. "No surprise there. Countless Slytherins have learned, like, a dozen spells before they start school. All to hurt and harass-well-'mudbloods'."

Right after dinner, Dani and Rowan went straight back to the common room to fill Angelica in on the Merula run-in.

"I have no idea what I can do now," sighed Dani. "It isn't even October yet and I've had my cauldron blown up, been trapped the devil's snare room, AND been hit by a curse that we haven't even learnt yet. Mostly because of Alex!"

"Speaking of Alex," said Angelica, "He's showed me something a few years back."

"What?!" Dani asked excitedly.

"There's a book about duelling in the artefact room," Angelica explained. "Alex says it used to belong to Godric Gryffindor, so it must've traced back-"

"A thousand years!" exclaimed Rowan. "Be right back!"

"Hey!" squealed Angelica.

"You're SO not leaving without us!" yelled Dani.

And with that all three were out of the portrait hole.
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"Found it!"

Rowan was holding up a dusty old book. She couldn't contain her excitement.

"Yes, that's the one!" said Angelica.

"I can't wait to learn all the spells!" screamed Rowan.

"I know you can't," Angelica replied. "What about you, Dani? Dani?"

Dani blinked her eyes open. "Wha... How long was I out for? What did I miss?"

"It's just that Rowan found the book," said Angelica. "Are you OK, Dani? We can go get Madam Pomfrey if you need it. What just happened?"

"I... Think I had some sort of... Vision."

"Tell us about it!" said Rowan.

"A walking suit of armour... A staircase shroulded in mist... Ice enceasing Hogwarts, spreading faster and faster..."

Angelica raised an eyebrow. "Ice?"

"It's probably nothing," said Dani. "Let's get out of here."

"By the way," Rowan told the Dani as they went up the west towers staircase, "have you heard that Professor Flitwick was a duelling champion when he was younger? You should ask him for some advice on duelling."

"Totally," replied Dani. "And remember last Potions lesson? Snape told us he'd be teaching us how to brew wiggenweld potion tomorrow. He says it'll be useful in duelling."

"Yes, of course," Rowan said quickly. "According to-"

"Stop it right there, Rowan," said Angelica. "You have the ability to bore the head boy and girl out of their wits."
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All eyes were on Professor Snape as he carefully surveyed the flasks of potion on his desk. He put down Ben's potion and clapped his hands.

"Well, well, well," he said. "I can see that certain Gryffindors have significantly improved, especially the likes of Miss Jackson and Mr. Copper. Miss Khanna continues to show great promise-though I shall give her a higher grade if she stopped being such a crackpot know-it-all."

Everyone laughed-including Dani and the rest of the Gryffindors-except Rowan.

"However," Snape continued, "still, Miss Snyde's potion appears far more superior than all of your combined."

"And WHY are you still gushing over her like that, after she cursed my cauldron?" Dani asked expectantly.

"Five points from Gryffindor, don't make me make it ten. Dismissed."
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"So... Why do you want to learn how to duel?"

After dinner, Dani decided to talk to Professor Flitwick about duelling. Upon hearing her request, Flitwick also got Ben, and they went out to the courtyard.

"I feel like this year's new Slytherins have gotten more aggresive and stuff," Dani said. "I want to learn how to defend myself."

"I assume you know that duelling is prohibited on school grounds?"

"Of course I do. I swear I won't unless I have a very good reason to do so."

Professor Flitwick nodded. "Good. Then I will teach you two the disarming charm, expelliarmus."

"Why me?" Ben asked.

"I see you have a natural gift for charms, Mr. Copper," said Professor Flitwick. "I think this will do you good. Now, can either of you tell me what expelliarmus does?"

"You said disarm, so I suppose it makes you drop everything you're holding?" Dani asked.

"Close," said Professor Flitwick. "Now, just watch me..."
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"How did it go?" Rowan asked as Dani climbed through the portrait hole.

"Amazing," Dani replied. "Ben and I both learned a lot."

"And I'VE been doing some studying as well," Rowan said.

"Then show me what you've learned!"

Rowan rolled up her sleeves, and raised her wand. "RICTUSEMPRA!"

Dani began laughing her head off, and Rowan smiled. Dani caught her off guard and just managed to shout "EXPELLIARMUS!"

Rowan's wand flew out of her hand. They continued for a bit, playfully casting spells at each othet, until Angelica got back to the common room and saw them. "Looks like you're having fun."

"Yeah, I feel SO ready to smash Merula right now."

Angelica shook her head. "Dani, I get that you're mad, but please, don't do anything silly, can you? Do you get me?"

"Yeah, I get you, Angelica, but no promises."

And with that, she turned on her heel and marched huffily back towards the dormitories.