Fate Set Right

Chapter 42

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January 8, 1996

"Is it cheating, us practicing like this?" Draco asked as he stood between Harry and Ron on the opposite side of the attic from Aurora.

She was with Ginny and the twins, facing off against them.

"Thought you'd like cheating," Ron said as he shot a hex that Ginny easily blocked, "being Slytherin and all."

"Doesn't mean I like cheating," Draco countered with a sneer, aiming at Aurora. She ducked, too slow to raise her shield. She needed to work on that. "Just means I'm willing to do whatever to my advantage."

"Which is what we're all doing, really," Harry said as he effortlessly went after both Ginny and George, "with the DA."

For a moment, all that could be heard in the room was the spark of magic and the mumble of spells. A booming "Stop!" made them all freeze and turn to the door.

Aurora watched her father scrutinize them, arms crossed as he stood in the doorway. He wasn't wearing his robes over his frock coat, which made him much less intimidating, even to her. But then he surprised them all by slowly undoing the buttons of his coat, and then those on the cuffs of his sleeves as he walked into the room.

"You are all quite impressive for your age, but it's not good enough," he said, slowly rolling up his sleeves.

As his Dark Mark was revealed, she glanced around at the others, noticing Draco doing the same. Every Weasley lost the color in their faces, but Harry only spared it a glance before looking up at his professor.

"Doing all we can," Harry retorted.

"No, you are not," her father countered, looking at Harry from the corner of his eye as he turned to face her and her dueling partners. "For instance, each and every one of you is hesitating. You are doing so because you don't realize that there's a split-second delay from the moment you decide on a spell to the moment you cast it each time you rely on your words to cast. A Death Eater would have you on the ground, writhing in pain or dead before you even had a chance. You must practice wordless casting."

"But it doesn't always work," Ron protested, earning a glare that made him flinch. "It's true."

"Yes, Mr. Weasley, but that's because you're just beginning to learn. And you're learning from someone who doesn't know or understand what they're doing."

As Harry's face began to turn red, his body tensing, Draco nonchalantly said, "Not much of class when Umbridge has made Defense just reading."

"Precisely," her father said, and Harry deflated. "Which reminds me, have any of you received a detention from the High Inquisitor?" Aurora glanced around, seeing Fred and George nod, and Ginny and Ron shake their heads. Her father nodded. "If you're assigned one again, go to Professor McGonagall. I've given her a special balm to heal the wounds caused by the blood quill."

"You aren't going to do anything about it?" Ginny asked.

Her father turned toward her, amusement in his eyes as he arched a brow. "I will not. I don't wear this mark for pleasure, Miss Weasley, I didn't want it to begin with. It would not do well at this point to appear to worry for the welfare of some Gryffindors, especially Mr. Potter's friends. However, you can be assured that there will be a special treat for the toad come the end of the year. Now, when the Dueling Club was in play, I purposely said the disarming charm for the benefit of the audience. Here, I will not, and all of you will face me. Find your intent, will it through your wand. I know most of you want to hex me, now is your chance."