Chapter 115 - Professor Adric (1/2)

Having taken a seat on the edge of nearest to the door, Bethanie most kindly saved the seat next to the door for Terry. Bethanie and the girls were chattering quietly, while Severus and Rowan already had their books open. ”Think we'll get another Stricken?” Severus quietly remarked.

”No,” Rowan hesitated to answer. ”Rather I think, we may be worse off. He does seem to be a bit of a-.” Rowan doesn't finish her sentence as Terry bursts in panting and collapses with gratitude in the saved seat.

”Thank you, Bethanie, you're a real doll,” Terry wheezed as Bethanie merely handed over a clean handkerchief for Terry to wipe off the sweat off his brow.

The class instantly falls silent as the grave, loud footsteps can be heard as lean wizard stomped into the classroom with his robes swooshing behind him. The sharp-eyed wizard in dark gray robes stares down his olive nose at them. Lips already curling with disdain, Professor Adric says, ”Close your books, we shan't be starting with that.”

The Slytherins as a class blink in surprise as usually the first day of class of the year is to go over what they had learned the year before. But nevertheless, they did as they are told and put their books away. ”I am not one for book learning, but I do however believe in physical learning. Get up and line up against the wall,” Professor Adric sternly instructed.

They all scrambled to do so as with a wave of his wand, Professor Adric caused the rows of desks to neatly slide against the back wall. ”Good now, I'll be pairng you off,” Adric rapidly begins to call out the pairs.

”Crowley & Rosier.”

”Greengrass & Flint.”

”Topsy & Fowl.”

”Sicca & Avery.”

”Fawley & Prince-.” Professor Adric pauses at realizing there are two Princes in the classroom.

”Prince?” Professor Adric coldly repeated again as Rowan and Severus step out of line. ”Twins, I see.”

Professor Adric solemnly studies them for a moment, before saying, ”The boy with Miss Fawley.”

Severus nods and steps back in line as Professor Adric continues, ”The girl & Mulciber.” Rowan's eyes slightly narrowed as she steps back in line, while Professor Adric finishes calling out the rest of the pairs.

”Now pair off across from each other,” Professor Adric said as they all scrambled to do as they are told. The five of them flash Tiffany a look of pity as she was stuck with Gertrude Fowl. Tiffany sadly blinks at them, before lining up across from her partner.

”For the rest of the semester, you will each be paired with the person before you. They will be your dueling partner during our practice sessions. Now, I will have Miss Crowley and Rosier show the rest of you on how to properly bow to your dueling partner,” Professor Adric instructed as Quyen snickered with a gleam of triumph at having been signaled out.

The pair properly bows to each other and then raise their wands like swords in front of them. ”Excellent, Miss Crowley and Rosier, twenty points to Slytherin.” Quyen smugly beamed in pride.

Professor Adric continues, ”Now, you will each be allowed up two spells to disarm your opponent. Crowley and Rosier, on my signal, Begin!”

Both of them swung their wands above their heads and pointed them at their opponent. A flash of the same orange sparks can be seen from the end of both of their hands as they cast the same spell the Stinging Jinx. They both hissed in pain, but Rosier recovers first and says, ”Melofors!” With a rather indignant squawk, Quyen's head is encased in a pumpkin.

Tiffany, Silvia, Terry, and Severus are not unable to completely hider their smirks at recalling the same spell being cast on Narcissa. Quickly making their face blank, they watch as Professor Adric vanishes the pumpkin head away to reveal a sticky faced Quyen. Casting a quick cleaning charm over her, Professor Adric says, ”Rosier is the winner, next!”

The next pair is Greengrass and Flint with Silvia beating Terry with a Tickling Jinx.

When it came time for Tiffany's turn she was almost in tears at the end of her duel as Gertrude Fowl cast a Pimple Jinx causing pimples to pop all over her face. Tiffany, however, won the duel by tripping Gertrude flat onto her sour face.

The next pair Sicca and Avery, Avery easily won by merely disarming Hortense Sicca with a flick of his wand.

The class is quiet as the next pair goes up Bethanie and Severus. Professor Adric gives the signal as Severus shouts, ”Langlock!” Instantly Bethanie's tongue becomes stuck to the top of her mouth.

Professor Adric immediately says, ”Prince, immediately release Miss Fawley.”

Severus quickly chants the release for the jinx as Bethanie sighs in relief. ”Prince, I do not recognize the spell, where did you learn it?” Professor Adric asked.

Severus hesitates before honestly answering, ”I created it, sir.”

Professor Adric furrows his brows and says, ”You mean to tell me that a mere second-year boy created a spell?”

”Severus is rather talented, sir,” Rowan interrupted in defense of Severus. And though Rowan knew the spells Severus would create as well in the future, she had never used them as the true creator was Severus. She'd rather create some of her own than steal his future successes. Except for a certain dark spell that cuts into wizards, she might just take the credit for that one and not allow Severus to further explore spells in that direction.