Illusory § Order of the Phoenix

XXII. WARRING MINDS

✯      ✯      ✯

      Antares stood leaning against a tall mirrored wall, arms folded as he stared off into the room. Students littered the space, taking turns casting spells at each other. It looked like the constant change in Defense Professors chipped away at their education. There was no set level to test them. Some students couldn't cast spells they should have learned in their second and third years. The Slytherins, of course, were up to snuff (by Slytherin standards), with the exception of Astoria Greengrass, who had less experience. She was still marginally better than the rest. Besides that, the only other students who came close to meeting his expectations were Ginny Weasley with her Bat Bogey Hex and Susan Bones with her Slug-Vomiting Charm. Still, neither of those were real duelling spells.

Harry was in the midst of showing them the correct wand flourish for Expelliarmus. While most knew how to do so, their attempts, at best, were poor. Neville Longbottom couldn't cast the charm to begin with, leaving him stuttering in embarrassment every time he tried.

At least Harry was shaping up to be a marvellous teacher. He was vocal, attentive and surprisingly patient.

"Are you not going to join?"

He snapped out of his train of thought, finding Higgs looking at him expectantly. "Hmm?"

"In teaching them?" Higgs elaborated quietly. "I thought you would have been the first to flaunt an offensive spell, but Cassius beat you to it."

Antares scanned the room, eyebrows furrowing after hearing the younger boy's request. "I don't see the point. I am not the one teaching; Harry is."

"Seeing an actual professor performing magic might help. I think they're getting discouraged every time we're successful, and they're not," said Higgs, referring to the Slytherins in the room.

The older boy watched Isolde effortlessly flicked away a Hufflepuff student's wand. "Their insecurity is not my problem. Neither is it yours," he retorted.

Higgs raised an eyebrow. "Isn't it? You brought us together to ally all the Houses. You know, the power of friendship and all that stuff. That makes their problems our problems."

Antares hummed, eyes never waving from the training area. "You sound like you've been reading one of those insufferable Muggle self-help books."

Higgs gave him a small but cheeky smile. "Maybe you should try reading one. You might learn a thing or two, Ares."

"Don't patronize me," the older boy groaned, pretending to be annoyed.

"We want them to trust us, right?" the younger Slytherin asked rhetorically. "If they keep feeling inadequate, they won't, and then this whole thing falls apart before it even starts."

Antares bit his lip, cursing Pucey for picking such a good protégé. At the exact moment, he spotted Neville, who managed to expel his own wand from his grasp. "Then why don't you put your galleons where your gob is," he drawled, nodding over at Neville.