NOVEL NEXT Chapter 27: Chapter 27: Cast It At Me!
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"We'll start out with a taste of that power, something simple and one on the lighter side of the Dark Arts. A particular favorite of mine, the Bone-Breaker Curse."
Aries flicked his wand and a dark purple light struck the wall.
"The incantation is frange ossa. For the average user it will shatter the bones of wherever the spell strikes, but if enough power is put into the spell, it has the potential to shatter every bone in the body, and most likely kill its recipient. Attempt to cast it into the wall."
Daphne struggled with the spell, but after a cheap remark about imagining the wall being the muggleborn she hated so much after she had just scored more OWLs than the pureblood heiress, the dark purple curse finally erupted from her wand.
Aries was surprised, as he didn't think she hated the girl that much.
"Good, now I want you to cast it at me."
"What?"
"As I told you before, intent matters. I need you to want to hurt me, as difficult as that might be. You've managed to cast the spell at a wall, which is very different from casting it as a person."
"If you can successfully use it against me, someone you do not wish harm to, then you'll have no difficulty using it against an enemy." Daphne seemed unsure and he gave her a wicked grin.
"To encourage you, I will also be casting it at you, and you can be sure that my spells will work. I mean, if I can use it against my own family, what could stop me from using it against you?"
She only barely managed to avoid his curse, but another one quickly followed. He did not give her much time to think, as he wanted a reaction from her more than anything and he could tell this had started to anger her.
Daphne was similar in height to Arianna but moved much quicker than her. She managed to dodge his spells, though Aries noticed she was beginning to get repetitive and so adjusted his aim.
The dark purple spell struck her left arm and he heard the crack as her humerus shattered. She fell to the ground with a strangled cry clutching her arm.
Aries was aware of the pain she was feeling, but if the girl cowered from only a shattered bone their lessons would end tonight, as would her memory of them.
But when Daphne raised her head it was not pain or fear that he saw, it was anger, and she pointed the wand at him, screaming the incantation.
Aries' side stepped but allowed the spell to strike his arm, feeling his entire arm shatter. It might have caused more damage, if he hadn't summoned his magic to shield the rest of himself.
Daphne sat on her knees, cradling her broken. Aries was proud to see that no tears fell down her face and she was now doing her best to hide her pain.
He healed his arm with a wave of his wand as his made his way over to her. Once he stood over her he went to heal her as well but decided against it, just for a moment.
"Remember this pain Daphne," he began softly, almost reciting the words his mentor as spoken to him years ago. Her blue eyes met his.
"For you will cause it to many others. I have found that it is those who have experienced what the Dark Arts is capable of are the ones who are able to keep their sanity."
"Those who use this magic, but never suffer under it themselves, are the ones who become monsters in the night. Remember this pain well, and maybe you'll keep control of your own mind."
He waved his wand and healed her arm but made no move to help her up. "Remember also what you felt the moment you attacked. That anger, that desire to cause pain is paramount to accomplishing what the Dark Arts is capable of."
"In a duel against a master of the Dark Arts, you cannot wait until they have harmed you or angered you to fight back."
"You must summon up that intent and emotion inside you from the beginning, that desire to harm someone you have never known, or to harm those dearest to you. Remember it well Daphne, for you journey among the Dark Arts has just begun."
He extended his hand, taking hers and pulling her up to him.
There was slight electricity between them, and despite the strong front she had put forth there was a weakness there, a vulnerability and desire for comfort that a weaker man might have taken advantage of.
Aries might wish to be the next dark lord, but he was no monster. "Come on Daphne, our lesson is over."
….
It was an amusing that site that greeted Aries the morning of the First Task. Arianna and Daphne were waiting patiently, though pointedly ignoring the other.
He had to wonder if circumstances had been different, if the two polar opposites could have been friends, but that seemed unlikely now.
They both wore medium sized coats, as the cold of Scotland's winter was beginning to set in.
At Durmstrang, it would've already been snowing heavily, and this allowed Aries to don the lightweight battle robes he wore.
They provided minimal protection but allowed him to move far more freely than the more protective robes. He'd rely solely on his own power today and not simple protections.
He greeted the two girls with a smile and they silently walked down to where Aries knew the dragons had been kept.
A stadium of sorts had been built and the students of the three schools had already begun packing it full.
Next to it a small tent had been erected, no doubt for the champions to await their turn. Once they reached the tent, Aries turned to the two girls expectantly.
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