A Little Close to Curfew (Prof. Hardy)

[Cassandra Blackfire G7]

" And you won't get to see the tears I cry, behind these hazel eyes..." The boom box played the ending chords of the song as Cassandra Logton-Blackfire surveyed her opponent before her. Her wand in her right hand, she waited till every nerve in her body was prepared to release her fury. Closing her eyes, she whispered the incantation to herself softly, almost as if someone would hear the words and steal the power that bubbled beneath her breast.

Opening her eyes, she shouted, " Rictusempra!" The old dress dummy took a major hit and toppled to the ground. The song stopped dramatically at the same moment she cast the spell. Pointing her wand, the boom box sprang back to life and began to play the song over.

" No I can't breathe, No I can't sleep, I'm barely hanging on..."Cassandra stepped over to the dummy and helped right itself. Rubbing the leaves and dirt of the dummy's red felt exterior, she contemplated what spell she would cast next. Some of the simpler spells were getting to easy to cast, and she really wanted a challenge. Consulting a book that lay near her on the ground, she decided on a spell that looked a bit more challenging. Cassandra caught a quick look at her watch, and realized it was getting a bit close to curfew. Knowing that she only had about thirty more minutes of practice, she became a bit anxious.

Walking away from the target was a bit like how her life was going at the moment. She was walking away from the person she once was and becoming something entirely different. She began this year believing she was a lowly, poor, mudblood who would never really make it in the wizarding world. Now, she knew she was pureblood whose part of the family had brought a bit of shame to a once noble name. However, this revealed secret had brought new life to what she wanted to accomplish. Not only could she be more than a skilled seamstress, she had the name and backing to become whatever she wanted. She had thought she wanted to become a healer, but after almost a year of self discovery, she had changed her mind. After watching the dueling championships in the
Gryffindor Common Room one night, she had decided she wanted to become a professional duelist. That meant one thing, Practice, Practice, Practice!

"Now all thats left of me, is what I pretend to be. Sewn together but broken up inside..."
Walking ten steps away from the target, she faced her unmoving opponent once again. ”Reducto!” She put so much force behind the spell, it sprang out of her wand like a bolt of lightening. The little orb of light connected with the dummy, and she heard a very loud Boom! The dress dummy shattered into a million pieces. All that remained was the boombox playing, and Cassandra standing in the remnants.

[Professor Amaryllis Hardy]

The term was nearly over for another year, and Amaryllis was strolling in the grounds, bathed in late evening sunshine. Everything was very peaceful, and there was no pressure on her. Amaryllis stopped for a moment to appreciate the birdsong, slightly more subdued at this time in the evening than the chorus they put up in the morning, but the better for it as it was not so shrill and there was time to hear each separate call. Except then the peace was broken. By what she was starting to turn into her mother by calling 'loud beat music' blaring out across the otherwise peaceful scene. Not that it was forbidden, but a student out at this time could perhaps do with a little bit of guidance back towards the castle. Amaryllis followed the noise of the music until she was in sight of the source. A box which had to contain a powerful amplifier, next to a student Amaryllis had a hunch she had encountered before.

Amaryllis approached quietly, since the girl seemed quite absorbed in something. As she neared she could tell it was indeed Cassandra Logton, but the Gryffindor had just cast a very powerful spell at something. Amaryllis followed the shoot of light, which was travelling at an immense speed, as it made contact with some vaguely human looking figure. Although it didn't look very human any more, since it was now in pieces. Amaryllis approached Miss Logton as the third year no longer appeared to be absorbed in what she was doing.
"Cutting time a bit fine aren't you, Miss Logton?" she asked, just to make sure the Gryffindor was aware of how close to curfew it was getting. "That was a very powerful spell, I must say," she continued. "Is this just for stress relief or are there other reasons? You'll have to clear up the pieces before you go back to the castle though," she added.

[Cassandra Blackfire G7]

Cass jumped as she heard Professor Hardy approach from behind her. " Oh, Professor. Good evening to you." She pointed her wand to the boombox and switched it off out of respect. " Um, well, maybe a bit of stress relief." She pointed her wand at the dress dummy, and off handedly said an incantation. The pieces of the dress dummy flew back together, and it was a dress dummy once again. " Mostly wanted to get in some more practice before the term ended. You know, I can't really perform any magic when school ends. There are a few spells from the Level four book I want to learn before next year. Besides, I don't think I'm going to get much studying done this summer what with all the plans my mother has for us. You know, reestablishing our family with the Blackfire name."

Cassie began placing her things in the carry all bag that lay close by. She wan't quite sure if Professor Hardy knew about her current family drama, but it seemed everybody else did. " I knew it was getting a bit late, but I didn't really realize how late" Cass lied. She knew she was pushing time, but she really didn't care. Even if she was out too late, she would sneak back into the common room like every other time she stayed out late. Truth be told, she enjoyed trying to make it to the common room without being caught. The small thrill that ran throught her body the entire time, and the relief that flooded her when she made it, was well worth the chance of loosing points. However, this thrill did lose her 130 points for her house this year.

Cass blushed as Professor Hardy mentioned how powerful her spell was. " Well, thank you. I think I finally got it down, but I was a bit nervous. It was probably what made the spell so powerful. Um, so, what are you doing out tonight, Professor? Enjoying the scenery?" Cass was rather glad that she commented her because she so wanted all the Professor's approval. She was a bit of a brown noser that way. However, she hoped that Hardy wouldn't take offense to her prying question. A studen really had no business in what a Professor was doing prowling the grounds.