//------------------------------// // In Which Sunset Realizes Friendship is Magic // Story: Hogwarts: Sunset's Legacy // by witegrlninja //------------------------------// Sebastian and I were the heroes of Hogwarts. I later learned that while I was fighting Ranrok, he had been responsible for decimating his forces above ground. Goblins fell to his magic like wheat against a scythe. At first the professors on the battlefield yelled at him for returning to fight and even tried to stop him, but once they saw just how powerful he'd become they rallied behind him instead, and the aftermath was what I had seen when I emerged with Ranrok's body. If I hadn't been so distraught at the time, I would've been immensely proud of him. The next morning at breakfast, Professor Weasley asked me to meet with her in her office. The mood was somber as she plainly discussed what was to be done with Fig's remains - as he and Miriam had no children or any close family remaining, I was considered his next of kin. After going over the typical arrangements made in the wizarding world she and I decided on a simple burial alongside his wife in Teddington Cemetery back in London. I quickly passed on both having my picture taken with his body and taking any locks of his hair; I did want to pay for a large, fancy upright marker - he deserved it, after all - but Weasley was insistent that the school, if not herself would handle all of the expenses. Next discussed was the topic of the ancient magic. Now that some time had passed and I had had time to think things over, I masked my anxiety as best I could while she explained what Fig had told her about our situation. All of the faculty had been informed about the repository's existence, save for Headmaster Black; all of the few students present in the school still had no idea of the true reason behind the siege. She told me that she and the other professors came to the agreement that keeping that secret would be in everyone's best interests - and I knew that if word got out much more than that, I could count on suddenly becoming... very popular. Not necessarily with people I wanted to get involved with, either. The Ministry of Magic would likely stop at nothing to take me in: forcing Veritaserum down my throat until it replaced the blood in my veins, poking and prodding me like some sort of science experiment until my magic, and - more importantly - my Equestrian secrets were theirs. Those within the Unspeakables department would surely be the most interested, and Celestia only knew what went on there... Professor Hecat had never mentioned so much as a peep about her former work. As the thoughts spilled through my mind, my throat dried out and I struggled to swallow. It was very likely that if either of them ever got their hands on me, I'd never see the light of day again. So when she finally asked about the magic itself, and whether or not I had tried to claim any of it... I lied and told her that it had all been destroyed when I killed Ranrok. He'd taken its secrets with him to the grave, and the accumulated magic was released into the air with his body's destruction and scattered to the four winds. To my extreme relief she bought it without a second thought. "A pity... but perhaps it's for the best. We certainly don't want something like this to ever happen again." I nodded briskly in agreement; after assuring me that she would handle any inquiries the Ministry might make about the attack on the school, I was dismissed. The days passed peacefully after that, and soon the Easter holiday came to an end. On the night of the 28th, instead of the usual light-hearted dinner before returning to school life, the professors held a memorial service for Professor Fig. Word had since gotten around that the castle had been attacked during the holiday - the students that had gone home collectively sighed in relief that they weren't around to witness it, but a number of them mourned for their fallen Magic Theory professor. A cabinet card had been set on top of every plate, featuring his birth and death dates, a short poem and an animated portrait of Fig smiling kindly. The walls were adorned with swaths of black crepe and ribbons, and there were ornate sprays of black ostrich feathers with silver embellishments set up on either side of the owl lectern in front of the professors' table, which itself had a black wreath hung around its neck and a small pile of Galleons at its base. About an hour into the elaborate funeral feast, Headmaster Black slowly approached the lectern facing the four tables, clearing his throat to begin the eulogy (it was later discovered that he'd fled the castle at the very first sign of trouble, but no one dared call him out on it). "Professor Eleazar Fig... I daresay he was a beloved professor to many of you," he spoke hesitantly as he raised his goblet into the air in a toast. "Certainly a... long-standing colleague to his peers. A famed adventurer and renowned seeker of knowledge, he built a reputation: charging into the unknown, brazenly disregarding both discretion and safety, providing, perhaps... a rather unfortunate lesson for us all." I groaned quietly and shook my head as Sebastian placed a hand on my back. I couldn't tell whether he'd forgotten to write a eulogy for the memorial service or he just plain never cared for my lost mentor. "His devotion to adventure was rivaled only by his dedication to Hogwarts... and, of course, to his wife Mari- Miriam, whom we lost much too soon as well." Rolling her eyes, Professor Weasley finally stood up and walked over to Black as he stuttered over himself, evidently at his wit's end for continuing the eulogy any further. She gently pushed him aside and took his place at the lectern, smiling sadly out at the crowds. "Professor Fig represented the best of all of us," she reaffirmed as Black nodded dumbly behind her. "He could be deviously clever, possessed a brilliantly inquisitive mind, and... was the most loyal of friends. But perhaps it was his remarkable courage for which we will all be forever indebted to him. If not for Professor Fig..." She paused for a few moments to catch her breath, the silence broken by the occasional sobs of my classmates. "...Well, I can say with confidence that if not for him, many of us... let alone Hogwarts, would not be here today. Those that knew him best will agree that we must now honor him as only Hogwarts can - by wisely, resourcefully, justly, and bravely facing all that lies ahead." Black cleared his throat again as he stepped beside Weasley, raising his goblet once more. "To Professor Fig!" Everyone in the Great Hall picked up their goblets and stood up, raising them to the sky in remembrance. The moment of silence lasted for about thirty seconds before the other professors sat back down, prompting the students to do the same. Platters of mourning biscuits materialized onto the tables, filling the air with the scents of anise, caraway and rosewater. "Can't believe we lost Fig," Sebastian mumbled as he bit into one of the cookies. "I didn't know him as well as you did, but I know he was a good man." "Glad Weasley spoke for him," added Ominis as he washed down the dry biscuit with a sip of pumpkin juice. "She honored him well... He will be well remembered." I exhaled slowly, wanting to spit out the bite of bitter cookie I'd taken. "...Thanks." ~ After the service had ended Sebastian and I went to the Undercroft, where the triptych and Isidora's ruined portrait were stashed away. Now that I - and he - knew the truth about her research, we both agreed that there wasn't much point in trying to learn about ancient magic from her anymore (the portrait repairman in Diagon Alley had also deemed her painting a lost cause, anyway). Without a second thought we both cast Incendio at the two wooden objects, and minutes later they were both reduced to ash. Sebastian sighed - I could sense something had been on his mind since this morning. "...Anne sent me a letter, about what happened with Uncle Solomon," he spoke quietly as we watched the embers die out. "She believes I should pay for what I did." "And I believe you did nothing wrong," I countered immediately, frowning. "His death was an accident, you didn't intend for him to die." "I know... she won't turn me in. She said the guilt I'll have to live with is punishment enough." Pain briefly twisted through my heart - what a cruel sentiment to have for something that wasn't intentional. But it was likely said solely because Anne was grieving herself, in her own way. Solomon had always treated her kindly enough, so it was only natural that she'd mourn the man... even if he'd been a monster to her own twin brother. Hopefully someday she'd finally come to her senses, and then come begging for Sebastian's forgiveness in turn. Knowing him, he'd graciously give it to her with open arms. Even so, that probably wouldn't be the best thing to say right now. "...I'm sorry," I bowed my head. Sebastian breathed hard to keep himself from beginning to cry, a tear sliding down his cheek as he faced the floor. "The thing is," he shivered, "...I think I've lost my sister... my twin, forever. She refuses to even see me... and I can't blame her. I couldn't really blame you or Ominis if either of you gave up on me entirely-" "Please don't start with this again," I groaned softly, pulling him into a hug. It was happening less and less as time marched on, but Sebastian was still prone to bouts of depression if he delved too far into his own head. "I will never give up on you." "...Y-You all believed in me, and I-I let you all down..." I gently shushed him, my fingers threading through his hair as I held his head against my shoulder. My poor dear. "It's just gonna take some time. Solomon did a number on Anne's mind, and she didn't see what happened before he died... but one day, she'll be able to forgive you. I'm sure of it." He was silent for a minute or so as he calmed down. "I hope you're right," he sighed, pulling away with a sniff before conjuring himself a handkerchief. "I realize I can't undo what's been done, but I can try every day to make up for it. I owe you and Ominis everything for standing by me." "You already do," I confided, gently kissing his cheek. "But I doubt Ominis would appreciate your amorous advances on himself, though." Sebastian finally snorted in amusement. "I'm not so sure about that... he has told me that he does appreciate a good, strong embrace from yours truly." "Does he, now?" I puckishly giggled. "Don't tell him I said that," he grinned. "That might be what finally drives him to learn the Dark arts in retaliation." "Right, and we wouldn't want to harm our precious little cinnamon roll, now would we?" Our laughter eventually quieted down as we gazed at the triptych's final ember winking out along the wall. Memories of our nearly year-long journey flashed through my mind, and I sighed as I reflected on the futility of it all. "...It's too bad this idea didn't pan out, either... now I'll really have to learn everything about ancient magic from scratch." "You've already learned so much on your own," Sebastian reassured. "I have nothing but confidence that you'll unlock all its secrets in time, even without the help of the Keepers or Isidora. Not that they helped all that much to begin with." "You're not wrong," I snorted, my lips pressed into a line. I still found it utterly ridiculous the Keepers had always intended for me to keep all that magic hidden away from the world, instead of learning more about it and possibly harnessing it for good. Even if Isidora had gone a bit... overboard with her research, she was only one witch running her experiments. Who knows what they all could have discovered if all of them had tried? Maybe if she hadn't had to go it alone, she wouldn't have fallen into the depths of addiction and depravity... maybe then... ... ... ... And suddenly, it hit me. I gasped loudly as I realized where it had all gone wrong. My disgust for Isidora flip-flopped and became pity... and empathy. "...That's it... I understand now!" "Hm?" "Poor Isidora... it's kinda like when you had to research Anne's cure all by yourself, before I came along," I explained. "No one would help her, so she had to research alone. And there was no one at her side to keep her grounded in reality, so without anyone telling her she was going nuts and stopping her, her research gradually became as twisted as it did! And, er... well, then you and the whole thing with the relic happened." The two of us shared a grimace, regrettably reminding ourselves of that early morning and considering its parallels. "...But if someone had helped her, reassured her when things were going wrong, gave her encouragement when things weren't going her way... if she... had a friend..." ...A friend. "A friend?" Sebastian repeated, and I nodded in reply. "Yea... if she had only had a friend to study the magic with, then maybe she could have done so much more instead of becoming a villain, so misguided by her own discoveries that without anyone to keep her focused, she lost sight of her original goal. Maybe she could have perfected her extraction spell and healed those in pain the way she originally did with her father! Maybe... she truly could have healed the world. I... I don't know if I'll ever figure out how she got the ancient magic to do that, but I do want to explore the magic's potential! I want to do so much with it!" I shook my fists by the sides of my head, nearly bouncing in excitement. But then my own wishes repeated themselves in my mind, and I froze. If I was going to experiment with ancient magic, something with the potential to do such wonderful, terrible things... "...But I can't do it alone. I don't want to do it alone. I want to study it together... with a friend." And there's no one else I'd rather start on this journey with. I held out my hand to Sebastian, a warm smile spreading from ear to ear. "Will you be that friend for me?" He blinked once in surprise, but without any further hesitation he smiled, reached out and took my hand in his. "...Of course I will." My heart, my soul... my entire being filled with pure, shining warmth. As long as I had him by my side, as long as we were together, there was truly nothing we couldn't achieve. "Good," I sighed happily. "Stay by my side... we'll both learn more about ancient magic. And as soon as I figure out how to do so, I'll teach you how to wield it, too." "And then I truly will be your equal," he quipped, both of us fondly laughing. After a few moments we quieted back down, gazing deeply into each other's eyes. "...I'm grateful for your friendship." "Oh, is that all?" I replied with a smirk, making him chuckle again. My gaze eventually softened, and I pressed myself against him in a tight embrace. "I'll always be your friend. And I'll always be there by your side, no matter what... I promise you that, from the bottom of my heart." "And I..." Sebastian trailed off as his arms wrapped around me in return. "...Is tusa grian mo bheatha, blàths m’anama. Tha gaol agam ort, agus bidh mi còmhla riut gu bràth." ... ... ... "Wha... what was that?!" I laughed, taken aback by the weird guttural hissing noises coming from his mouth. "Hey, don't you mock my mother tongue!" he grinned as his fingers dug gently into my sides. "You've never heard Gaelic being spoken before?" "Noooo, you can't possibly tell me that was an actual language!" I squirmed, now giggling from being tickled. Eventually he stopped, instead opting for simply holding me again. "And here I thought I was being quite romantic." "Well, I won't stop you from telling me more... you're just gonna have to translate it for me." Partway through my words, I heard the Undercroft's portcullis rise and fall. "I thought I heard voices in here," Ominis' voice grew louder as he rounded the corner. "I do hope the both of you have your clothes on." "Still do," I smirked as we broke apart. "For now." Ominis scoffed as he came closer, though his expression quickly softened. "My condolences, Sunset... I know you spent much of the summer before the school year started with Professor Fig, and I took Magic Theory my first three years here. He was truly a good man." "Oh... thank you," I looked away, frowning at the reminder of his death. I still had to figure out what the hell I was gonna do for a place to live once the school year ended, though since Professor Weasley said that I was considered Fig's next of kin, she was working on getting me a copy of his last will and testament. There was a little hope that I wouldn't have to think very hard about that problem. "However... may I ask you about something? After everything that's happened, I just... can't get this preposterous thought out of my mind." "Uh, sure. What is it?" "Well... the night Hogwarts was being attacked by Ranrok's Loyalists, I was sheltering in place within our common room. I could hear some of the goblins speaking as they drew near the windows... they kept saying something about a 'repository' beneath the school, and how Ranrok would use its power to crush wizardkind under his heel." Ah, crap. Figures he would've heard something he shouldn't have eventually, with his enhanced senses and all. With how often our friend seemed to suddenly pop in out of nowhere like a ghost, I was partially surprised it hadn't happened sooner. "I've been thinking about it ever since. The fact that you and Sebastian carved a path through his army to return to the castle, and he fought them off while you and Fig went off somewhere, only to return with Ranrok's body in your magic and our beloved Magic Theory professor dead. Just what in Merlin's name were the three of you up to?" "Er..." "Well..." Sebastian and I shared a glance, and eventually shrugged. Now that everything was finally over, there couldn't be any harm in telling him about our many adventures. And we could both trust him to keep a secret. "...If you really wanna know... you're probably gonna want to sit down." Ominis nodded once as he did exactly that, and Sebastian and I spent nearly an hour explaining everything that had happened during the course of the school year. Truthfully, the story we had to tell was nearly unbelievable spelling it all out loud... it was really a "you had to be there" sort of yarn. Ominis was stunned into silence as he listened, his only response throughout our tale was rapid, incredulous blinking. "I... I-I don't believe this," he finally gaped about five minutes after we'd finished speaking, his face quickly twisting into a deep scowl. "...Do you realize how much danger the both of you put yourselves in?! You could have died!" ...That's your first reaction? Scolding us?! Sebastian and I shared another baffled glance, but, like usual, Ominis' nagging was quickly disregarded by the both of us. "But we didn't," he crowed as we grinned at each other. "And now I'm the proud owner of an incredible, super-rare magic," I bragged, letting the ancient magic flare up within me. My eyes glowed brighter than ever, the light registering somewhere within Ominis' blind eyes and brain as he gasped again. "I-I see... and what will you do with this new power?" he asked. "Well," I hummed in contemplation, the light dimming away. "If I can figure out how Isidora did it, I would like to see if it's possible to remove physical pain from someone... if it is, then maybe I can finally help Anne, and cure that curse of hers once and for all." Beside me Sebastian smiled hopefully, but Ominis shook his head with a sigh. "Still won't let things lie, I see... I'm afraid if you do manage to find a cure for her, you won't find her in Feldcroft. In her last letter to me she wrote that she needed to get far, far away from the house for a while... so she's gone and left." "She did?" Sebastian inhaled anxiously, both of us caught off guard by this information. "Where did she go?" "She didn't say," he frowned. "And she hasn't replied to any of my letters since. But she assured me that she would be fine on her own." "I sure hope so. That really doesn't sound... safe," I mumbled through my teeth. With Rookwood's curse running rampant and unchecked throughout her body now, she really wasn't in any condition to travel unless it was directly to a hospital or sanatorium. If, and when I found a way to finally help her, not only was it going to be difficult to track her down... I had to hope she was still alive. What a strange thing to do... I guess grief really does affect everyone differently. ... ... ... We stood there in an uncomfortable lassitude for a few minutes. While I wondered to myself just how Anne was going to survive on her own... suddenly another unanswered question barged into my mind. It would help to dissipate the gloomy atmosphere, at any rate. "You know, while we're on the subject of plot holes," I held up a hand as I turned towards Ominis, "...You know the other day back in December, when Sebastian and I snuck out to go to that catacomb before we all were supposed to go visit Anne?" "Sure, I remember that," he nodded. "Well, that's been bugging me for months, now... how did you get there so fast? In fact, how the hell did you even know where to find us? We never even hinted at our plans around you." "That is a good question," Sebastian mumbled as we both stared expectantly at Ominis, who smiled thinly and chuckled once. "When you were leaving Hogwarts, you were so wrapped up in your discussion involving the correct pronunciation of 'catacomb' that you didn't even notice me sitting on the floor in the middle of Central Hall. I only vaguely knew of the catacomb near Feldcroft from spending the summers with Sebastian, so I deduced that that was where the two of you were headed in such a hurry." "Oh... alright," I rubbed the back of my head. "But how did you catch up to us? We Apparated there, and you can't Apparate." "Simple... the Black Telephone Taxi Service," said Ominis. "Have you seen that shed near the castle walls that only has a black telephone inside?" I searched my mind for a few seconds before remembering that I had, and Sebastian and I both nodded. "You simply dial the number for your intended destination, and a carriage pulled by a Granian winged horse appears not a minute later. Feldcroft's number is 25515823, Hogwarts' is 20496888, and the cost to travel between the two is twenty Galleons and eighty-two Knuts." "I see... and Granians are quite fast," shrugged Sebastian. "Makes sense to me," I nodded. ~ Our lives finally returned to normal - a true normal. Classes resumed and homework was assigned; quizzes were given nearly every day as the OWLs drew closer. With only my own research and experimentation with ancient magic to occupy my time when everything was finished, I almost wished for another goblin rebellion to crush alongside my dearest. Although between dates in Hogsmeade and the surrounding hamlets, tranquil strolls along the Black Lake and the verdant, blooming countryside, and sneaking out at night to catch better glimpses of the starlit skies reflected in our eyes... well, I could definitely get used to peace and quiet. A week and a half into May, Lodgok was finally discharged from the hospital wing. Nurse Blainey had kept him away from the other students by virtue of a room next to her office reserved for those suffering from consumption - nobody ever even knew he was there. While our classmates were all occupied with dinner in the Great Hall, Sebastian and I saw him off through the school's main doors; Sirona had agreed to look after him until he'd made further arrangements for himself. One of the most fascinating things I'd ever seen in this world - a goblin-made wheelchair - had been commissioned for him, paid for by dear old Fig in thanks for all he had done. "What will you do now?" I asked as my eyes traced along the wheelchair's numerous gears and steam-operated pistons, the small but efficient boiler situated behind the seat. The machine hissed and puffed quietly as Lodgok spun a wheel around to face us. "I don't know," he sighed. "With the failure of his rebellion, I don't believe I'll be welcome among my brother's Loyalists. And because Ranrok was my brother, I can't be certain I'll be welcome among those who were against the rebellion, either." "I see... Er, I suppose I owe you an apology," Sebastian frowned as he fidgeted uncomfortably with his cloak. "Hm?" "My sister... she was cursed around a year and a half ago. Until recently I thought goblins were responsible for the attack... and I let that anger cloud my judgment. I hated goblinkind, and I wanted to see them all pay for what they did to her, but I've since realized that... not all goblins are so bad, after all." He smiled nervously at Lodgok, who inhaled deeply as he regarded Sebastian with thoughtful curiosity. "...It's understandable," he finally said. "I fear that in losing this latest rebellion, many wizards will come to feel the same about our kind." "Right... but it shouldn't be so. I can't speak for anyone else, but I shall strive to be a better person, and not let such prejudices poison me in the future." I couldn't help but smile as I wrapped an arm around him, squeezing his shoulder with my hand. "Don't be so hard on yourself... everyone's a little bit racist," I shrugged. "But I'm proud of you." Sebastian smiled as well, while Lodgok chuckled to himself with a nod. "You do speak the truth... you should hear some of the things goblinkind have to say about dwarves," he quipped. "But thank you... I appreciate the sentiment all the same. It brings me peace to know that some witches and wizards out there are willing to set our differences aside in the name of cooperation and tolerance... and acceptance." "Yea... maybe someday, we'll all stand on equal footing," I agreed. Lodgok sighed contentedly as he turned his wheelchair back around, and began to propel himself off towards Hogsmeade. "Farewell, Sunset Shimmer... I hope our paths cross again someday, in more peaceful times." Sebastian and I waved and watched him leave until he disappeared behind the castle walls. ~ The final Friday of May soon arrived. After Transfiguration class it was finally time for the Crossed Wands championship match. The two most worthy duelists in the school were now going to fight each other with everything they had. And who else would the finalists be other than myself and Sebastian? Unlike the other meetings, the final match would be held out in the woods near Lower Hogsfield, in a wide clearing. The rules were loosened significantly - we could use Apparition if we so chose, and as long as we didn't cause too much collateral damage, no spells or equipment were off limits. We were allowed to prepare however we saw fit. A tent had been set up for the two of us to prepare. While Sebastian did whatever behind a partition, I pulled on my dragonhide gloves and boots and recited as many offensive and defensive spells as I could in my head. He would certainly put up much more of a fight than the first time I'd ever dueled him, back in the beginning of the school year. I'd also taught him a good number of Equestrian spells as well - it might not have been the smart thing to do if I wanted to win, but I wanted to fight him on as equal terms as possible. Nobody could ever give me a challenge quite like he could. The mere thought of being pushed to my limits sent a rush of excitement down my spine, my arms and legs twitching in anticipation. This was the kind of magic duel I'd been craving ever since Celestia broke up the battlemages' secret fight club. I heard footsteps, followed by Sebastian clearing his throat - when I glanced over to him, my heart skipped a beat to see him in what he'd be wearing for the duel. It was an ensemble of short-sleeved leather robes dyed a dusty wine red with black shoulders, straps and other accents, decorated with a golden pin in the shape of a lyre. The bottom hems flared outwards slightly and hung down to his knees. Beneath it he wore a chocolate brown shirt and pants made from thick linen, further armored by tan boots and forearm bracers. "What do you think?" he smirked as he struck a dashing pose. My eyes lingered on the way the straps of his wand holster gripped his inner thigh. "Look at you," I purred, shameless in my leering. "How come I haven't seen you wear that before?" "Just waiting for the right moment to show it off," he replied. "The title of Crossed Wands' Champion is on the line, after all... as is my own reputation. I can't let you beat me in front of everyone twice, now can I?" "Oh, I'm gonna beat you, alright. This time there'll be no doubt remaining over who's the better duelist," I boasted. "You'd better not hold back on me, now." Sebastian chuckled confidently. "Wouldn't dream of it... everything's fair game, as far as I'm concerned. Except your ancient magic, of course." "Right... wouldn't want to fry my dear boyfriend to a crisp," I agreed with a laugh. A nearby clock ticked quietly, the time a minute before 4pm. We waited for Lucan to announce the beginning of our match - as the seconds elapsed, Sebastian took the opportunity to pull me close into a strong, supportive embrace. I blushed slightly as his lips pressed against mine, wishing they'd linger as he pulled away all too soon. "Good luck, darling... you're going to need it," he rumbled in a low, deep voice. "You too... either way, keep this on, because I am going to do things to you later on," I breathed through clenched, grinning teeth, gripping the fabric of his sleeves as I gazed up at him through half-lidded eyes. His own eyes eased themselves shut, a broad smirk spreading across his mouth in contemplation. "...Now that's not fair," he whined as he reopened them, nearly a whisper. "All's fair in love and war, don't you know that?" I replied, still smiling. "Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls!" Lucan's high voice boomed through a Sonorus Charm. "The match we've all been waiting for is about to begin!" Sebastian and I released each other, boldly facing the tent's exit as we waited for our names to be called. "Introducing our first finalist, new to Crossed Wands this year, but has done nothing but impress with her skillful, powerful spellcasting... Sunset Shimmer!" With a strut in my step, I walked proudly out of the tent and into the clearing. For how grand Lucan was trying to make the spectacle, only about thirty or so people were standing on the sidelines, most of them our fellow club members. Only a couple of them were from the nearby hamlet, curious to see the fight. All of them applauded and cheered politely. "And our second finalist, the current Champion of Crossed Wands, known for his quick mind, quicker reflexes and- ...oh, Merlin... his dashing good looks," our announcer shook his head as he read from his piece of parchment, "...Sebastian Sallow!" I couldn't help but laugh at his description, and the way he gallivanted out of the tent like a preening peacock - his arms extended upwards and flexing, his palms facing upwards as he soaked in the louder, more wild applause. "Thank you, thank you," he grinned smugly, coming to a stop about fifteen feet away from me. He furthered the act by blowing a kiss to me as he bowed gracefully. "You're ridiculous," I giggled as I bowed back. "And you love it," he replied, sinking down into a battle stance. I matched him with my own, letting out a deep breath. "I do. But I love winning even more." "Begin!" And the both of us disappeared in flashes of light. For nearly ten straight minutes we rapidly teleported all around the clearing, firing spells at each other and moving out of the way within the blink of an eye. It only took a few errant blasts for the spectators to seek shelter behind thick trees or brave it out with a constant Protego, watching in awe and terror at the chaos unfolding. Eventually, however, we both realized that this was leading us nowhere. I was the first to change tactics, casting a Deprimo in the area I predicted him to reappear, then building up the rubble around him as he flashed into view, trapping him inside a cage of earth and stone. Before I could constrict the walls and grab him, though, I heard a muffled peal of thunder, and the cage suddenly shattered outwards, peppering my Protego with rocks. Sebastian had brought a Thunderbrew potion with him to the duel. A thick, dark stormcloud hovered over his head, stretching outwards about ten feet in diameter. A bolt of magical homing lightning accompanied his Confringo, shooting faster than his spell, forcing me to teleport out of the way. More spells soon followed, and I raised a wall of earth to block both attacks. Alright... I can deal with this. From behind my cover I summoned up the strongest Ventus I could without tapping into my ancient magic, and directed the swirling plumes of wind towards him. Sebastian raised an arm in front of his eyes as he weathered the tempest, the stormcloud above him blowing away and dissipating into nothing. It turned out not to bother him one bit. With a smirk he brought his wand down, my own wall of earth blasting into my face from his Depulso. Even though he only put a fraction of his power into the spell, ensuring it wouldn't actually harm me, I still flinched and sputtered as I found myself being buried under a mound of loose dirt. Before I could react I then felt myself being grabbed by my shoulders with invisible hands and yanked into the air, then an Accio sent me rocketing towards Sebastian before stopping abruptly a foot away from him. He grinned as he then proceeded to smack me in the face with Baubillious, swinging around and hitting me with Diffindo while I was blinded. Though the spell had lost all of its cutting bite, I still fell backwards on my arse with a grunt. "One point for Sallow!" Lucan called out. I squeezed my eyes shut as I stood back up, my retinas burning. It was a good thing this duel was best out of three, but now I'd need to be careful. "Are you alright?" Sebastian asked as I rubbed my eyes, blinking rapidly until I could see properly again. "Gah... that was a good one," I growled. "I'm not falling for that again." He flashed me a quick smile of relief, and we both readied ourselves to resume the duel. "...Begin!" He immediately pulled out a small vial of a thin, champagne-colored liquid as he teleported away. When he reappeared behind me Sebastian's skin was suddenly the color of stone, the soft curves of his face and hands sharpened into stark angles. Edurus potion, huh? You think that will help you? All that meant to me was that most attacks wouldn't affect him much until the effects wore off... keyword being "most". Even if sharp objects and magic weren't effective against his rocky armor, it still couldn't protect him from good old blunt force. One broad sweep of my wand collected all the loose rocks in the area, then another wave fused them all together into a giant club. Lifting my arm, I swung it as hard as I could. He simply teleported away, but I kept swinging to keep up the club's momentum, to make my next attack easier and faster. As soon as he reappeared I finished pivoting and sent it flying three times faster with Depulso. This time he wasn't quite quick enough; the edge of the club tagged his arm and caused him to teleport ten feet to the left of his intended destination. Just that split second of disorientation was all I needed to take advantage - punching my wand into the air sent up a pillar of stone from the ground underneath him, then before he could react the pillar split apart and formed a hand, grabbing him and sinking back into the earth, taking him with it until only his head remained above ground. He squirmed in an attempt to free himself, but the dirt was packed around him tight, he couldn't even snap his fingers to teleport. It was then trivial to spray him in the face with a trickle of an Aguamenti, like I was watering a flower. "One point for Shimmer!" cried Lucan. His Edurus potion wore off as I loosened the soil around him and helped him out, chuckling as he shook his head like a wet dog. "Should have also agreed we'd leave each other's faces out of this," he grumbled, casting Scourgify on himself to get the mud off before following it up with a Drying Charm. "Hey, people pay good money for a face full of mud back home," I teased. We both got ready to resume the duel - I tried to channel power into my next spell as subtly as I could. One more hit was all I needed to win. "Begin-" Just a fraction of a second after my attack would have been considered a false start, I hurled a giant, blinding orb of pure magic at Sebastian, a bright orange just like my aura back in Equestria. Like he had been reading my mind, a similar attack came flying at me, this orb a deep, dark red like wine. But mine was faster, and as he narrowed his eyes and sidestepped my attack, I poured magic into my horn to form a mageblade and rushed him. My swing came to a sudden stop in the middle of a flash of light - he, too, had cast the Equestrian spell, the dark red light forming a sword of his own. I drew back and swung again, just as he did, and soon we were locked in close combat. Our slashes and stabs were countered with each other's blocks and parries, each meeting of magic against magic creating a loud noise that was both a sizzle and a clang like metal. Whereas I took my technique from the battlemage Silver Sword, there was evidently a similar style of fighting to be found in this world, with which Sebastian was decently knowledgeable. Even as we both tried to strike each other, a wild grin was painted on both our faces. Theoretically either of us could simply teleport away and force the other to switch strategies, but something about fighting close like this was magnetic. The way he breathed hard in exertion, the flush of red on his cheeks and sweat dripping down his temples... he was almost too attractive to continue attacking. And I could only imagine I looked the same, and was equally as tantalizing- "Levioso!" he suddenly called out, and I felt my feet lifting off the ground. I cursed silently as I forced myself to tumble in midair to avoid his mageblade. Taking a page out of my own book, the sneaky little bugger used my own thoughts against me! I was a sitting duck while this spell lasted! But wait, I thought to myself suddenly, remembering the times I'd cast Ducklifors on my opponents and watching them fail to take advantage of their new appendages. And I had still moved rather easily while in the grasp of the Levitation Charm... ...Ducks can fly. I grinned as I swung my wand back and forth, using Ventus to avoid his attacks. The wind blew me back and forth like I was a feather in midair. With fatigue finally beginning to take its toll on us both, Sebastian heaved his wand especially hard, leaving him open to attack for just a mere moment. I pointed my wand directly behind me and cast Ventus once more, propelling myself towards him like a swooping Pegasus. His eyes widened as I laughed in triumph, and before he could teleport away his body disappeared in a torrent of Incendio. The charm ran its course and I dropped lightly to the ground. When the flames fizzled out, Sebastian was glaring flatly at me, his entire body covered in soot. "...Damn you," he coughed once before smiling. My heart swelled with pride and accomplishment. I had done it. As if there was any doubt I could. "We have a winner!" Lucan shouted, running out into the clearing between us. He grabbed my hand and lifted it as high as he could, seeing how he was nearly a foot shorter than me. "And a new Crossed Wands Champion!" The crowds erupted into cheers and applause, although much more mildly than I was expecting. Perhaps they were all simply just dazzled by our display of power? Without being in the confines of the school, the battleground around us was charred black from spellfire, deep gouges had been cut into the earth and a couple of trees had been snapped in half. "Bravo," Sebastian chuckled as he cleaned himself off. "I should've known better than to face you up close. I'll need to work on that for next time." "And I've gotta be more careful, make sure you can't use my own defenses against me," I smirked. "...That really could've gone either way." "Heh... it could have. Perhaps next year," he smiled. "I'll let you have the title of Champion for now... but I do want it back." "Yea? I'd like to see you try." Even through our gentle ribbing, we gazed at each other fondly. There were no hard feelings... we were both proud of each other. I could feel it in his soul, and... perhaps, on some level, he could feel it in mine. "Merlin's beard, I haven't seen a duel like that in years!" A familiar, but unexpected voice cut through the applause, turning it into gasps and worried mutterings. The three of us jumped in surprise to see both Professor Hecat and Professor Sharp approaching us from the right, the former still clapping. "O-Oh... er, hello, Professors," Sebastian blinked. "You were watching?" I asked. "But of course. Dinah and I always watch the duels your club puts on," Professor Sharp shrugged. "It's not quite the secret some of you seem to think it is." "Oh." Sebastian and I answered almost in unison, sharing a glance. "Do not worry... Aesop and I think it's good for you all to have such experience," waved Hecat. "And I must say, I am quite proud of you both. Especially you, Mr. Sallow... you've always been one of my favorite students, and after seeing this spectacle of prowess I am certain that you would be one of the finest Warlocks to ever grace a duelist's arena." "And you, Miss Shimmer... I had a good feeling about you from the moment you walked into my Potions class," Sharp nodded at me as he held out a hand towards the other professor. "You're destined for great things, indeed... Pay up, Dinah." "Yes, yes..." she sighed as she handed him a small satchel of Galleons. I snickered a little once I'd realized I'd helped Professor Sharp win a bet between them. Maybe I'd even get extra credit for it on my next quiz. "Well, as this year's victor, I humbly present you with our spoils of battle!" Lucan beamed as he pulled out a pair of objects from his pocket dimension. "First, of course, is your trophy." "Oh... thanks..." I frowned, accepting the poorly-made prize from the third-year. It was in the shape of a Quintaped atop a pedestal, but it looked like the entire thing was carved from a piece of wood with a meat cleaver. I hoped the other thing he'd pulled out was also my prize, and was also way higher quality. "And, finally, your very own set of dueling armor! Clarkson and Greenwood really outdid themselves this year... even used some leftover goblin scrap metal from the attack to fortify the chestplate and bracers." "Ooh," I hummed, infinitely more excited about this gift than the last. There was a collared, long-sleeved shirt of black linen decorated with golden buttons and trim, and then a gray dragonhide cuirass lined with goblin silver that covered my ribs and left my abdomen bare, with attached pauldrons held together by straps and gold buckles. The pauldron on the right was also trimmed with goblin silver, as was the decorative cord and wand holster attached to the belt. Both bracers also had this extra fortification; the one for my right wrist was more like a thick bracelet while the one for my left covered my entire forearm. The trousers were made of matching gray dragonhide, and the boots - while they didn't quite match the rest of the outfit, being gold and tan in color, they were entirely fortified with goblin silver on the outside. Now this was a fine trophy for putting up with so many wimps in Crossed Wands all year. Armor this high-quality was usually reserved only for the battlemages back in Equestria. To actually have my own set... well, now I didn't really have any good reason to wear it, but I felt like I'd be nigh-invincible in a fight. Eager to try it on, I swished my wand in a circle to summon a tube of floating pink curtains around me, then another swish materialized the armor onto my body. It fit perfectly, and was surprisingly stylish. Indeed, as I pushed the curtains aside and stepped out into the afternoon sun, the leather gleamed like lacquer, and the buttons and buckles glittered. "Whaddya think?" I posed, grinning at Sebastian. He let out a whistle as he moved closer, eyes dancing all over me as he admired the craftsmanship. "It suits you," he nodded. "...And I think I know why I smelled worn leather in that potion now," he added with a smirk. A blush burned my cheeks as I laughed, shaking my head. "Well fought, you two, and congratulations," said Lucan. "Now that the tournament is over, I have a proposition for the both of you... how would you feel about being granted the title of Crossed Wands' Grand Champions?" "'Grand Champion', you say? ...It certainly has a nice ring to it," Sebastian acquiesced, and I had to agree. "It does! Why, because we're both just that incredible at dueling?" "Well... yes. Frankly, the other members are absolutely terrified of the both of you," Lucan grimaced. "You'll be the undisputed Grand Champions of the club... in exchange for being barred from any future tournaments. Nobody would want to sign up otherwise." "Oh... is that so," I replied flatly. I guess that makes sense... none of these other weaklings could ever compare to the both of us, so it really would only be a waste of time for everyone involved. "I suppose you have a point," Sebastian deflated slightly. "...Very well. I can live with that." "It's not all bad," I shrugged as I threw an arm around his shoulders. "We can always have our own exhibition matches... make the newbies scared of us, too." "Do you enjoy making everyone terrified of you?" he mischievously smiled. "Sure do! It's important everyone knows who's on top of the pecking order," I smirked as I gestured with my hand. "Them, the dirt, the worms inside the dirt, Lucan's puffskein Popo, Lucan... then us." "I'm... glad I'm at least second," Lucan muttered to himself as we laughed.