The Not so Dark Hours (Tomarry)

CHAPTER 19

Tom is lying above me. We're both panting, on the floor. Just as I feel like I'm about to nod away he whispers in my ear:

"Good job, love." I die inside. I literally do not have the energy to get turned on.

We have been training since sunrise. At least that's what it feels like.

When we started training, Tom told me not to hold back. In the beginning I was still holding back a bit, but when Tom cast a curse at me in a millisecond I forgot all thoughts of going easy on him. I fired a shrinking curse at his lower zone and enjoyed the second of seeing the slight regret in his eyes, before he evaded the attack and shot a total of four curses at me simultaneously.

I drew up a small wall of smoke again, but he sliced through it like butter by summoning a bit of wind. I tried throwing him off balance with my patronus, but he simply ignored it and cursed my robes into holding me captive where I was standing. I didn't know how to evade his next attack, so I drew up my most powerful shield and wandlessly rid myself of my robes, which seemed to get his attention. I used his momentary lack in focus and uno reversed him by using the same curse on his robes and adding a tickling jinx. It only slowed him down for a few seconds, but I used that time to create an impenetrable glass dome around him which I used as a vacuum to cut off his air supply.

I then got scared when his body fell to the ground, seemingly lifeless. I released my hold on the dome and let it slip away, but then realised my mistake. He immediately apparated right behind me held his wand to my neck and told me I'd have died. I then realised that he must have somehow made himself invisible while creating an illusion of him, which he then let fall to the ground. He then told me not to pity the enemy and to not let them overwhelm me with a simple illusion.

I got mad, but then he told me he was impressed. He said: "Especially that last attack was particularly wicked. Let's try that again, okay? Also, try and only use that wall of smoke in addition to other spells and only use it on inexperienced enemies. If you were to use that on Kingsley Shacklebot for example he would let you think that he is help up by it, but use it to his advantage and curse you instead. The wall of smoke works both ways after all." I dutifully nodded.

Now I'm thinking about what I could do to fix the issue with the smoke screen, since that is an easy spell and one of my favourites.

"What if I made it so that the smoke wall becomes thick and kind of solid, but see through to me? I could then use the time when the enemy tries to slice through it with wind, and curse them instead." I suggest and Tom's eyes sparkle. He kisses the back of my hand and tells me that I'm brilliant.

"If you think I'm brilliant, wait until you see what Fred and George can do given a bit of time and some material. They might not be the best duellers, particularly Fred, but their inventions are pure horror to those on the receiving end. They are after all the pranksters extra-ordinaire!" I tell him laughing and he chuckles.

"I'll have to consult them then. Do you think they could help create some war-pranks?" He asks and I sit up quickly.

"I thought you didn't want a war!" I can't believe he'd go back on his word so quickly!

"I don't! I really don't, but as it stands, your headmaster does. Even if he was gone, he still has powerful followers. I just want to be prepared for battle. I won't do anything unless they attack first, alright?" He says, but I'm not sure whether I can really believe that.

With the whole courting business I kind of forgot who he was. I believe that most of his insanity stemmed from the Horcruxes, but actions speak louder than words and so far I haven't seen his political game, nor has he started the political agenda against Dumbledore. I've got lots of dirt on the headmaster, and it seems that he does too, but he hasn't published any of it.