Week One: Disarming & Basics

[Professor Ben Travers]

It was the second Tuesday in September, which meant that tonight was the first night of Dueling Club. Ben had spent quite a bit of time preparing after dinner had finished, transforming the old classroom into a true Dueling Hall. Notes had been placed in every House common room a week earlier.

Dueling Club

Starting on September the Tenth, Hogwarts will, once again, have a Dueling Club. All who wish to join must simply appear at the Dueling Hall at eight o'clock p.m.

Note: If you wish to take part in the selection process for Hogwarts' Champion in the Triwizard Tournament, you'd be wise to join the club.

Truth be told, Ben really added that note to spark more interest in the club. It would probably be a rather lively bunch tonight, considering all the buzz still going with the Tournament.

As students filed into the hall at eight, Ben looked around at the faces. He knew many of them from classes already, and he was impressed at how many from each year and House were here. After the last student entered, Ben began to speak, "Welcome to the Hogwarts Dueling Club. For the first month, this Club shall meet once a week, but as we get into the full swing of the Tournament, we will meet twice a week. I will also be overseeing the House duels to determine each House's champion and ultimately the Hogwarts Champion. I trust you will all take my instructions seriously."

He took another quick glance around and noticed that everyone was still paying attention, so he grinned and turned around, jumping on the dueling stand behind him. "First, I need an assistant. One of the older students, please. I am going to show you the proper stance and everything that must be done before the duel starts. After that, I'm going to show you a simply disarming spell. So, if one of the older students would come up here, we can get started."

[Sophia Potter]

Sophia couldn't believe she was running late to dueling club. It was at eight pm and she had been completely distracted on her homework and lost track of time. She was very much like her mother in ways but, the adventurous side she had gotten was from her father. After the events that happened last year she was starting to finally get better with the help of her family. She heard that there was an Auror who was going to be teaching this class by her father both of them had been Aurors as well. They were potters obviously, she wanted to be one when she had been older as well and after she graduated. She opened up the door to the dueling area and was trying to catch her breath. She knew she was going to get tons of whispers from everyone and everyone stare at her but, she didn't care at all. She walked over towards and empty spot towards the front and raised her hand. "I'm sorry I'm late professor but, I'd be willing too." She had spoken. She hoped he pick her because, this had been her favorite class and she was really good at dueling thanks to her grandfather teaching her all of the basics and her father. Surprisingly Sophia wasn't going to enter in the tournament or however it was going to go this year. Even though her grandfather had been in the Tri-wizard tournament in school she didn't want the whole eternal glory thing. She didn't want to go through what he did. She hated fame and just wanted to be normal like any other student. She wished know one knew her last name from last year. She couldn't believe that one student had figured it out and blabbed to the whole school. Due to her seeker skills

[Tony Redgrave]

Tony, being the usual nosey guy he was, decided to see what this "Dueling Club" was all about. He was bored, having nothing to do until a week before the Tournament, and needed excitement. His wand was inside his trench coat, which he wore in place of robes (thank GOD Game Keeper was outside of the Robe-code), and every time he felt it's form against his hip his stomach turned. He could almost feel himself being drained by even having it on him.

After another moment, he arrived in time for the Potter girl to speak. He leaned against the door and watched the class proceed, giving Ben a small wave and a smirk when his gaze would pass in his direction. It was evident Ben thought Tony was a bother, and was quite glad he was outside of the castle due to his sardonic, seemingly uncaring nature. It annoyed Ben that Tony was so childish, and Tony was just fine with that.

He finally got tired of standing and sat down in a chair close to the door, yawning loudly, and crossing his arms.

[Professor Ben Travers]

Ben nodded as the young girl made her way to the center stage. "Thank you, Miss Potter," he said, facing her. "Now, there are three basic stances that one can choose from based off their abilities. They are simply called offensive, defensive, and neutral stances. Considering the fact that most of you have probably never dueled before, you'll most likely be using only the neutral stance. Which I will show you now."

Ben took a couple steps back and, while facing the young Gryffindor, took one step back with his right foot. He then raised his right hand above his head, pointing his wand at the girl. Finally, he placed his left arm out in front of him with his palm facing the girl. "This is the neutral stance," he said, "Being right handed, my right foot is placed behind my left. I hold the wand above my head and to the side with my elbow flexed to make it comfortable as well as functional. My left hand is extended in front of me as a means of defense. As you gain more experience with magic, you'll develop more ways to defend yourself with more than just your wand. For now, though, my left arm is used more for balance. Please note that if you are left handed, your stance will be switched. I trust you can figure out for yourself how that works."

Ben took a quick breath before continuing, "Now, from this stance, I would step forward with my right foot while rotating my right arm and extending it outward in front of me with my wand facing my opponent. My left arm comes up above and to the side of my head like my right arm did a second ago. During this movement, I cast my spell. I'll now do it again so you can see the fluid motion." Ben then reset his stance and went through the motions once again before speaking once more, "Now, Miss Potter, I want you to place yourself in this stance and afterwards, I'm going to ask the same of the rest of you."