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Post by MAEVE THORNE on Sept 13, 2023 14:49:34 GMT -5
The party in the Slytherin common room had already started, she judged. It might even be more zestful than last year, since winning the Quidditch Cup two terms in a row could boost house pride. As the captain of the winning team, Maeve would be expected to participate. Quite a few housemates might want to congratulate her, too.
However, she was not feeling festive. She realized that her absence would be noted, but that didn't matter. She would not be a student at this school tomorrow, like as not. And if Corvus went straight to a faculty member after the match, they would go looking for her at the common room first. Being led out of there by a grim-looking adult was not how she wanted those people to remember her.
After switching back into her school uniform at the locker room, she went to the castle - with a bit of a detour, to avoid the spectator crowd headed the same way. Coming to the Room seemed like the only reasonable option. If she was turned in today, whoever came looking for her would check here second - and none of her peers would witness any of it.
She paused at the entrance, surveying the room. Spellcasting practice was not at all alluring at the moment. Brewing a potion might be a good distraction, but she doubted she could focus sufficiently. That left reading. The fifth year went to the seat the unwelcome guest usually occupied, unlocked the drawer and selected one of the books she hadn't studied yet.
While she read the first chapter, her ears remained pricked - she expected a Head of House to enter at any moment. By chapter three, it was becoming clear that any such unpleasantness would be postponed at least until the following day. It might have been better to just get it over with today... Still, Maeve chose to remain here instead of joining the celebration, which she was sure would last well into the night. If Corvus was waiting until tomorrow to tattle, at least she would avoid any obligation to graciously accept praise for what might have been her very worst decision.
Post by OCTAVIAN CORVUS on Sept 14, 2023 7:15:31 GMT -5
The celebration had been skipped by more than one. The cheering and chanting was of little interest to Octavian, who had no real inclination toward Quidditch, and saw the championship - and sport - as little more than a distraction. There were far better uses for ones time, in his opinion, which resulted in his present task: to locate the wayward Seeker for Slytherin, Maeve Thorne.
It had been a surprising turn of events for Quidditch, beyond the match itself. An understanding had been in place, one that Octavian had been very interested to see play out, and had been ambivalent about the choice Maeve had made; on the one hand, she had maintained her principals, yet on the other had knowingly moved against him. There had seemed to be little-to-no hesitation, she had flown for the golden ball almost as soon as it appeared, and thus the die cast.
Octavian stood before the entry of the Room of Requirement. As the match had drawn near, he had found less paths crossing with Maeve within the magical space, despite efforts to anticipate her visitations and even being unable to enter at times. Yet, presently, it seemed that it had manifested; the door had materialized, it was a familiar one, and Octavian understood the underlying reason and purpose for suddenly regaining access to Maeve's personal space.
The door opened, Octavian stepped inside, and then closed the opening in his wake.
"Congratulations on the victory, Captain," Octavian said into the area, as he observed the room, and soon caught sight of Maeve at the desk. "A surprising - and revealing - series of events, if I do say so myself."
Octavian had come alone, that much was obvious, but whether the other Slytherin could deduce why just yet remained to be seen.
"Furthermore, it would seem that despite what we discussed and the pending time for a decision, you felt dedicated to clambering for momentary peer glory even in the face of potential ruin... I remain uncertain if that is pride, stubbornness, stupidity, confidence, or all of those to some degree."
The older Slytherin offered a smile as he walked closer.
"An intriguing choice, I admit. I can only surmise that you felt comfortable with whatever the outcome of faculty intervention, perhaps with hopes of returning to your old school? And that you have allowed me access to your Room of Requirement, because you do not feel threatened by me, were the eventuality to occur where I sought you without Professor presence?
"After all, you are the dueling club leader and dueling tournament winner of this year, at such an impressive year level..."
Post by MAEVE THORNE on Sept 14, 2023 8:27:39 GMT -5
She was feeling almost at peace by chapter six, so immersed in the text that thoughts of what tomorrow might bring were reduced to a mere susurration. The sound of the door opening pulled her back into a state of apprehension. Maeve looked up, expecting to see a member of staff, possibly accompanied by Corvus. But it was Corvus alone. Had he not told anyone yet? Why would he risk coming here unaccompanied, so quickly after she unequivocally declined to give in to blackmail?
The fifth year closed her book and placed it back into the drawer. She did not like his tone, nor the words he was uttering with that insufferable air of self-determined superiority. He sounded as though he had her exactly where he wanted her. As he drew nearer, she rose from the seat, her eyes slightly narrowed.
"My refusal to accept your offer can be attributed to the simple fact of me having integrity. I will not betray my team just so you can demand something else later. Was I expected to believe that this would be the only such deal, and that you would never attempt to impose your will on me in the future?" If he started with such a high-caliber request, anything that came after it would be near-impossible to fulfil without fully compromising herself in some way. "I see you are gloating about being ahead in this little mind game of yours. But you are only ahead because you designed the game, you chose the rules, you determined the goal. I have to figure it all out while you are already playing, and you are only able to play because you were lucky enough to find out something about me that I would prefer to keep secret. It ends now. Either go and tell a staff member what you learned about me, or wipe that smug expression off your face and cease acting as though you could destroy me at will."
Maeve moved around the table, removing the only obstacle that had occupied the space between herself and the older Prefect. "I expected you to come accompanied by a faculty member, not alone. And no, I do not feel threatened by you. It escapes me why you do not feel threatened by me, if you are aware of my dueling skills and convinced that I am a villain who grooms innocent Hogwarts boys for committing murder. Why did you not bring a professor along for this visit, when you saw me decline to submit to you in any way?"
Post by OCTAVIAN CORVUS on Sept 14, 2023 9:23:12 GMT -5
Octavian wondered at the statement of integrity. He didn't doubt there was more to it, and he couldn't determine which outcome had been preferred. Perhaps that would be determined later, once the older Slytherin had had an opportunity to speak with his uncle; however, that would have to wait, for there was an edge in her tone and manner that caused Octavian to become preparative. He wanted to push a little more, to encourage a response, to see what Maeve was capable of under pressure or duress.
"Integrity? Perhaps," Octavian muttered as he nodded slowly. "Or perhaps habitual conditioning... simply you enacting previously learned patterns that were reinforced by the immediate environment. In this instance, the Quidditch pitch--"
Octavian added a mocking tone.
"--and Seeker catch, Seeker good."
Though the older Slytherin could admit she had made the correct assumption about the mind games, though failed to realize just how far reaching they were. Octavian had hoped Maeve perceptive of his continued mentions and hints about completing Hogwarts, implying post-school goals and aims; though, Octavian was somewhat relieved that he could count his fellow Slytherin's deductive abilities as a positive trait. Even if they needed some degree of edifying, to broaden beyond their current circumstances, though that would come with time.
"Yes, well done," Octavian said with a smile. "I am pleased that you were competent enough to realize the game was rigged from the start, not many would have, so take that however you will. However, you act as though the game is over, which it is not, and you mistake your involvement currently as being in any justifiable position to control me."
Octavian had tried before, in subtle ways, to see who could pick up minute clues; Maeve had been the most promising thus far.
"And why do I not feel threatened by you? Simple: I have seen what you are capable of, your training and duels. You, on the other hand? You do not know what I can do."
The older Slytherin opened his hands palms up, as he shrugged faintly. His expression was calm, his voice given a factual tone and inclination.
"Here, allow me a chance to provide an insight: recall what you have noticed about me... my academics, my spells, my social interactions. Tell me, then, why my not being afraid to stand before someone like you - someone so evidently more skilled in those areas - is not alarming? What am I hiding?"
Octavian smirked.
"Or am I bluffing?"
The older Slytherin stood straight and stared at Maeve, the faintest hint of a smirk on his lips...
Post by MAEVE THORNE on Sept 14, 2023 10:11:32 GMT -5
Was he trying to provoke her? The implication of her behaving like a well-trained Crup was too obvious a taunt for Maeve to react with any heat. She did feel irritated, though not by the words - they lacked accuracy, and thus were quite incapable of inflicting pain. What irked her was Corvus daring to utter something like that in the first place, as if he was convinced he could affront her without any repercussions.
"I find it amusing that you would rather believe I caught the Snitch out of habit and subconscious desire for more positive reinforcement, when the outcome you hinted at would bring me anything but. Is your need for control over others so great you would rather assign them imagined traits than accept your inability to exert any power over them? What does that say about you?"
She was growing to despise his smiles. "The game is over if I refuse to play it anymore. I am not trying to control you, merely to cut any ties between us. You are the one who has attempted to steer my actions through blackmail and implied threats."
Corvus was acting far more boldly than anyone in his position should be. During their first encounters, he had seemed wary and uneasy whenever she held a wand in her hand. Yet now it almost sounded as though he was certain he could emerge victorious, should she make an effort to punish him for his insolence. But that could not be the case. She had seen him excel in all theoretical lessons and do only a mediocre job when it came to spellcasting. The unimpressive shows of magic were just too consistent, if he had any noteworthy skill in dueling he would have to be putting perpetual effort into keeping it concealed. It was just too... unlikely. Or was it? It would be odd to hide one's talent just to someday shock people by revealing it - but it would be insane to bluff about it to a person who has just called another bluff and risked being expelled for it.
There was only one way to find out. "Are you a secret dueling prodigy, then? So show me what it is you can do." With a smooth motion, she slid her wand out of the holster. "Let us see this prowess of yours, which enables you to throw insults my way with such confidence."
Post by OCTAVIAN CORVUS on Sept 14, 2023 10:51:58 GMT -5
Octavian laughed for a moment, a brief sound, but one that brought a smile to his eye.
"A valiant attempt, certainly, yet let us not forget you are the focus of our purpose here, not myself. I will say that I do not assign anything to you, I am merely trying to estimate, observe and discern... though, I cannot fault you for only believing I have two outcomes in mind, with my approach. Your academic load is almost as large as my own, so attention does tend to shift as needed, for some."
Another jab, a small one, though whether enough to result in action remained to be seen. Octavian's expression shifted back to the calm, emotionless mask he usually wore in the Room, as he listened and inclined his head. It seemed the outright refusal to play the game, as it were, was the line in the proverbial sand. It would appear to be the culmination of the last months, even leading back to when Octavian had first spied Maeve and the Room of Requirement...
And yet.
"As you so eloquently put, I have said a number of things, however they have not been acted upon. Threats, blackmail, propositions, all of these discussions have brought us to this instance, now, where we determine how things might unfold. I do admit to finding it a little exciting, the dichotomy of will he, won't he, and the uncertainty it all creates like a thickening fog between us.
"We will see."
There did seem to be a moment where Octavian could almost see the rapid gears in Maeve's mind turning, assessing and deducing, and it caused him to smile again faintly. Despite it all, she was interesting, certainly. However, it seemed the challenge was set, as the redheaded Slytherin drew her wand in a sudden grip, and it would then be Octavian's response that could determine what happened next.
Finally.
Octavian held out his hands again, as one might expect of an uncertain or nonplussed individual.
"The question is not are you going to let me... it is are you going to stop me."
Post by MAEVE THORNE on Sept 14, 2023 13:34:26 GMT -5
His words sounded cryptic, like something that could only be understood once the appropriate cipher was applied. Was this just another one of Corvus' attempts to make her feel somehow lesser, or did he intend for her to comprehend the full meaning later? Another mind game, nothing more.
"I must admit, I have wondered why you are so persistent in estimating and observing me - especially through such questionable methods. With most other people you are quite civil, at times even charming. Why, before I got to know you, I even thought you were likeable."
Misgivings were sprouting in her mind as he continued to radiate a level of confidence that could only mean he thought he was in control. Did he want her to challenge him? Was that why he was arrogant and impudent towards her - just so he could see how forbearing she was? Maeve did not appreciate the amount of question marks Corvus was bringing into her thoughts. Her instincts were telling her she was walking into a trap, while her mind insisted she had enough proof to be certain of his inferiority in dueling.
Even with her wand aimed at him, the older boy chose to boast rather than backing away or at least producing his own wand. No matter how irate she was, casting at an unarmed person seemed... insipid. Not to mention that afterwards he would just claim she only won because she did not allow him to draw his weapon. Unfortunately, waiting for him to cease drivelling would only serve to considerably delay the duel.
"Enough chatter." Maeve slashed the air with her wand, aiming low. "Confringo." Her target was a patch of floor close to Corvus' feet, rather than the feet themselves. The debris that would fly in all directions would still shower him, unless he moved or shielded himself.
Post by OCTAVIAN CORVUS on Sept 15, 2023 8:30:25 GMT -5
Octavian listened, hands still held outward, and continued to smile. He felt the need to respond about his method of discerning or likeability was unnecessary. Instead, the older Prefect maintained eye contact and watched Maeve closely, as he knew she was a fast-acting individual when she chose to be. There was little doubt in Octavian's mind that a duel was to be had, there was a palpable tension in the air, while the scene was set for a confrontation; and the moment was upon them when Maeve made the decision, as she stated the discussion was over.
Octavian grinned, as he stepped forward--
Boom!
--as the explosion of Maeve's cast Confringo erupted. Debris and heat with gouts of flame roiled for a moment, before leaving behind a damaged space. Or it might have, to a greater extent, had Octavian not shielded with Protego, as the final shimmer of the protective spell dissipated against the explosive attack; though, without missing a beat, he flicked the tip of his wand of Elder wood at his opponent:
"Pulsus."
A flash was sent toward Maeve, incredibly quickly after the shield, and despite being a lower year spell seemed to contain a considerable intent and magic power. In his mind, Octavian did admit he might have used a more advanced spell, but couldn't justify maiming Maeve. That wasn't the purpose of the duel, not yet anyway, and so he had decided to try and match intensity with a lesser spell.
"Recumbus."
Another spell was sent toward Maeve, one aimed at knocking her ankles from beneath her. Again, the incantation was delivered with a calm emotionless tone, yet seemed to maintain the power of a far more intensely delivered attack. Perhaps that gave a clearer indication of what the older Slytherin had shared in the past, an example of his culmination of skill and ability; however, he did not discount Maeve's skill, either, and did not allow himself to become a fool of overconfidence.
Wand at the ready, Octavian continued to walk smoothly toward Maeve, seemingly undeterred at being closer for combat...
Post by MAEVE THORNE on Sept 15, 2023 9:33:43 GMT -5
The explosion did not seem to cause any harm to her opponent, which was for the better - she did not intend to inflict a serious injury, merely to spur him into action. She had not anticipated the speed of Corvus' attack, however. It was far above anything she had encountered here at Hogwarts, even at the tournament that had some serious duelists participating. Maeve produced her shield just in time, and saw tiny fractures appear all over its surface as the incoming spell connected with it. The defense held, but only just. There was no time to produce a second shield for the Trip Jinx - she dodged it by moving to the side instead, then immediately went for another attack.
"Stupefy."
Even though this clash had started no more than a handful of seconds ago, she knew, with a chilling certainty, that the older boy had indeed been concealing his abilities. There had been numerous times when he cast charms and jinxes in her presence - in class or outside of it - and he never performed any bit of magic at a standard higher than passable. What he was displaying now - the casting speed, the intensity of his spells - reminded her of a duel demonstrated to Durmstrang students by a pair of professional duelists a few years ago... But those men had been in their late twenties, and had spent years honing their skills. Corvus was in her age group, just a year or so older, and she barely ever saw him practising--
"Incarcerous."
It was satisfying to finally use a variety of spells, rather than the handful Hogwarts permitted in its strict dueling rules. Yet her joy was dampened by the realization that this fight might not end in her favour.
Post by OCTAVIAN CORVUS on Sept 15, 2023 10:10:37 GMT -5
It felt sublime to have the chance to shrug off the proverbial shackles, to finally step out from the self-imposed limitations Octavian had placed on himself, to enjoy the freedom of being able to act and use magic as he did away from others. Against Maeve, he noted, would be one of the first instances of using his abilities more fully; and Octavian couldn't think of a more appropriate and ideal opponent to face, outside of adults, though options were limited at Hogwarts in that regard.
"Protego!"
Octavian called out louder, as he shielded from the flash of Stupefy, deflecting the spell. That might have been disappointing, had it hit, and the conclusion to the duel would have certainly been anticlimactic. Yet, it seemed that, unconstrained by the rules of school or tournaments, a more fierce and fast-paced confrontation was afoot. That suited Octavian just fine, as he stepped to one side as Maeve cast the Rope-Binding Charm.
"Diffindo."
The older Slytherin swished his wand through the air before him, as he reacted to the rapidly approaching ropes, and watched them get severed horizontally in midair. The offensive charm might very well have been a threat to Maeve, as similarly to spells moments ago, there was a higher-than-typical magical potency. Still, Octavian continued to approach his opponent slowly, yet methodically, before he smiled briefly--
"Avis."
--and a swarm of pitch black ravens, nightmarish with milky white eyes and caws like metal on metal, were sent toward Maeve; the flock was numerous, over a dozen, and almost looked like a billowing shadow that moved at speed toward her...
Post by MAEVE THORNE on Sept 15, 2023 10:56:49 GMT -5
Neither of her spells was successful in so much as touching their target, which dismayed the redhead. It got worse quite rapidly when she felt a stinging sensation along her left arm, from shoulder all the way to the elbow; glancing down, she noted the sleeve had been sliced. Judging from the pain, so was her skin - though it didn't feel like a particularly deep cut. Bludger hits hurt much worse, and she was able to suffer through those, too.
It took her a while to realize that she was backing away. Without a dueling platform to limit combatants' movements, it was quite natural to circle one another and look for an opening. But she was moving back instead of around, in response to Corvus' relentless advance. When they started, the wall had been some ten yards behind her. How close was it now? She couldn't risk a look, but she ceased moving and stood her ground for the next attack.
The conjured birds were far more ferocious-looking than anything she had ever seen produced by this spell - at least within the setting of a duel. Avis was only ever used in an attempt to hit the opponent with a barrage of mostly-harmless creatures, and only viable in those competitions where being touched by any spell meant losing. These ravens, on the other hand, looked like they could inflict considerable damage with their long, sharp beaks and massive wings.
"Incendio!"
There was a barely noticeable undertone of fear in her voice as she exclaimed the incantation. The jet of fire that burst out of her wand engulfed the avians, filling the air with a miasma of singed feathers and burned flesh, as well as some agonized caws that quickly died down.
Post by OCTAVIAN CORVUS on Sept 16, 2023 20:45:40 GMT -5
The ravens were consumed by the flames of Maeve's spell, as Incendio reduced the conjured avians to crisp before they disappeared with dying caws. It had been a good defense against the type of spell, to overwhelm numbers with a wide spew of fire, though it had been expected; and it gave Octavian a chance to utilize the moment of chaos of feathers and flames, as he turned to aim a spell toward a nearby object:
"Incarcifors."
And across the room, one of the training dummies came to life; and with a crack and creak, the body split in half, like a broken ribcage, as the curved wood turned into something like a mouth. It started to bound toward Maeve, intent on enveloping and catching her, bouncing and hopping on the singular metal base it had instead of legs. Across the way, Maeve fired back, which turned Octavian's attention, as he whipped his wand round to face her.
"Protego!"
An Impediment Curse, it had been an interesting choice, though Octavian could see the benefits in a duel. So far her spell choice had been effective, each one capable of ending an opponent's ability to respond, which only served to up the stakes of the encounter. In response, and to assist his training dummy turned living opponent trap, the older Slytherin fired off with another spell:
"Locomotor Wibbly."
Things were getting interesting and Octavian was enjoying himself, despite the danger and risk to both opponents...
Post by MAEVE THORNE on Sept 16, 2023 21:55:37 GMT -5
The wave of heat from the fire spell, combined with the stench of burning birds, made for a hellish environment. She saw a few pieces of furniture getting licked by the flames; luckily, nothing was set ablaze and the air gradually cleared as the tortured ravens blinked out of existence. Her jinx was blocked, but that did not come as a surprise. Far more shocking was the apparition Corvus sent at her, the training dummy transformed into something nightmarish. In this chaos, she had not seen nor heard him utter the incantation. It was fortunate how loud the thing was, shaking the floor as it approached.
Maeve had enough anger in her to curse anything into pieces by now. The animated dummy got the brunt of it.
"Reducto!"
Wood and the metal alike burst into a black cloud of dust and ash. It had to be the most spectacular performance of the Reductor Curse she had ever pulled off, yet no time was granted for admiring this feat. The fifth year dodged the incoming curse.
"Expulso!"
Aiming the spell at her opponent would have been her greatest wish... Instead, she directed it at the floor in front of his feet. He kept closing the distance between them, forcing her to move back - she had to stop it, or at least slow it. Blasting holes in the floor seemed as good a method as any. She knew, from experience, that the Room was capable of repairing itself.
"Confundo!"
The second attack was directed at the older boy himself, rapidly cast after the first one. Maeve was struggling to regain some ground and go on the offensive again. She couldn't remember the last time she had to cast so many spells merely to defend from someone.
Post by OCTAVIAN CORVUS on Sept 17, 2023 0:33:41 GMT -5
The animated training dummy exploded in a dramatic manner, as bits and pieces flew about and became smoky ash. It seemed Maeve's anger had started to grow, as her spells became more and more aggressive and lethal. There seemed to be a reluctance to use those kinds of spells on Octavian, which spoke of her degree of self-control, yet there was little doubt in his mind that she imagined his face with those attacks.
The next attack was prepared for, as Octavian made to shield, however it impacted in front of him and caused a hole in the floor. That was interesting, perhaps it spoke of Maeve's awareness of his continuous approach, which had put her off enough to do something about it. Or maybe she just wanted to make a hole to fall into. Either way, there was an opportunity for Octavian to act, as he smirked and muttered:
"Fumus."
There was a sudden bang, explosion-like, before a smoke cloud began to swirl from his feet and circle him more and more. He raised his wand and deflected the Confundo with a shield, which flashed, and served as the closing visual clarity of Octavian as he was obscured by the smoke. The space around him expanded, billowing and thick, as nothing seemed to come out of the mass of smoke for several moments...
Suddenly, Octavian stepped out from the rightmost side of the smoky cover, as he flicked his wand--
"Colloshoo."
--and sent a spell toward Maeve from, what he hoped, was an unexpected angle. He dipped back inside the smoke, before he moved in cover and stopped inches from the hole in the ground, with his wand forward. Octavian leapt forward, as he exited the smoke mass and cleared the gap, to land with a spell cast:
"Flipendo."
The ground was unstable, however, as Octavian had to adjust and sidestep to avoid parts of stone that continued to crumble away into seeming nothingness...
Post by MAEVE THORNE on Sept 17, 2023 1:18:47 GMT -5
The Smokescreen Spell was a rare sight in amateur duels; Maeve would have admired the choice, had it not been Corvus making it. This made it more difficult to aim at him, she had no way of knowing where exactly within the smoke cover he was. She raised her wand, intending to shoot blindly, an incantation forming on her lips--
Before she could switch to a Shield Charm, the hex hit. Her boots became stuck to the floor as though they had fused into it. She felt the downward pull and did not risk testing its strength by lifting her foot. This was nothing like the feeble attempt she had witnessed in their Defence Against the Dark Arts class. He had been pretending, she realized. Of course he had.
"Finite Incantatem."
Her feet were liberated - a smidgen too late. "Protego!" The rushed shield was not potent enough to block the incoming jinx, albeit it might have weakened it somewhat. She found the answer to her previous concern about how far the wall was, as she collided with it after flying backward some five yards. Breath was knocked out of her lungs and a sharp pain shot up her left elbow, the arm suffering a second injury in the span of several minutes.
Still, she held on to her wand, her first instinct after finding herself airborne having been to protect it rather than soften her own landing. She drew in a shaky breath, not pausing to assess the damage and see if she should try using a healing spell on herself. This called for some heavy ammunition, perhaps a spell that Corvus might not be aware of...
"Vulnus Pertinax."
The curse was sent straight at the older boy, albeit without aiming for any vitals. She only hoped he would arrogantly attempt to shield himself rather than step out of the way.
