the crossing line

four

Regulus pauses, resting his quill in its ink jar, and glancing at Flora. For once, she isn't sleeping, though her eyes glaze with disinterest. It's obvious to anyone that she'd rather be anywhere but here.

"Miss Lovelock!" Professor Yarrow snaps. "What is the spell used to stun an opponent?"

"The Stunning Spell." Flora answers with a yawn.

"And its incantation?

"Stupefy."

Yarrow stares at her searchingly; after a moment, he nods in approval.

"Very good." He says finally. "Five points to Gryffindor. It's good to see you awake, Miss Lovelock."

Flora tilts her head, nodding passively.

"Now," Yarrow turns his attention to the class, "we'll start some practical applications of the spell we learned. In a moment, you'll pair up with a partner and practice stunning each other. Do we all remember how to wake up a stunned victim—yes? Right, then..."

He claps twice, conjuring several mattresses onto the classroom floor.

"Begin!"

Regulus turns to Flora, about to ask her to be his partner, but Evan Rosier beats him to her.

"Oi, Lovelock!" Rosier hollers from across the classroom. "You're with me!"

Regulus sighs. Evan Rosier never learns, does he?

"Alright." Flora accepts with a shrug, pausing briefly to see Regulus' expression of concern. "What?"

"He fights dirty." Is his whispered explanation. "He'll break the rules if it means causing you a moment of pain."

"And he wants me to experience this pain?" Flora asks, licking her lips. "How unoriginal."

With a wave of dismissal, she parts from Regulus, approaching Rosier with confidence.

"Stupefy!"

She sidesteps, quirking a brow.

"Eager, aren't you?" She mocks coolly.

"Only to put you in your place!" He sneers. "Formicati—"

"Stupefy." She intones, stunning him with ease; his hex fizzles out anticlimactically, dying at his wand-top. "That was... oddly disappointing. I wish that I could say he challenged me, but then I'd be lying."

Regulus stares at her, recalling how quickly she defeated Rosier back in the library.

Flora Lovelock is a strong duellist.

This realization awakens an itch within him, an intense desire to test his spell work against her.

Regulus is proud of his duelling skills. His tongue is sharp, and his movements are usually clever; he can hold his own against even Bellatrix.

He knows it's an odd comparison to make, but something about Flora's duelling style reminds him of his craziest cousin. They share the same ruthlessness.