Before the Dawn | George Weasley

26

"May we borrow the classroom for a bit, Professor Flitwick?" Hermione asked politely. "We'd like to practise a few spells we've been learning."

Professor Flitwick looked up from where he was packing his briefcase. "Miss Granger! Miss Doyle! I didn't know you two were friends."

"We've several friends in common," I explained with a smile at Hermione. "It was only a matter of time before we found one another."

"Mackie is the only student I've met who has mastered the Silencing Charm," said Hermione, mirroring my smile. "It's quite impressive, really."

Professor Flitwick nodded proudly. "Well, seeing as the two of you are my top students, I suppose I'll allow you to use the classroom, so long as you promise to clean up after yourselves."

"Of course, sir." I assured him.

"And lock the door when you leave!" Flitwick called as he disappeared through the door.

"Right," I said once he'd gone. "The protection spell." 

I dug in my bag and pulled out a single mitten, laying it on a desk in front of us. 

"It's a bit like the shield spell, in the way you cast it, but it's contained within an object that then becomes the shield, rather than the spell itself."

Hermione watched me closely as I pulled out my wand, tapping the mitten. "Protego Omnis."

The mitten lay unaffected, the charm I'd placed undetectable.

"How exactly did you learn this spell?" Hermione asked.

I pulled on the mitten. "My dad taught it to me when I was small and the neighbour's kids wouldn't stop turning my hair different colors."

"And how does it work, exactly? I mean, how effective is it?"

"What I've gathered over the years is that its efficacy depends on who casts it. The stronger the caster is, the stronger the shield is." I held up my mittened hand, putting a few strides between Hermione and myself.

"So..." Hermione thought for a moment. "Do you think it protects from every spell that the witch or wizard themselves know? Say I know a spell you don't and you cast the charm, then I use the spell you don't know. The shield wouldn't be effective, then, because your shield charm wouldn't know enough to block it?"

"Well..." I took a moment to mull that over. "Yes, actually. You're a genius. I'd never thought of it that way, I just reckoned I was getting better at it as I got older."

Hermione grinned. "How long does it usually last?"

"Hard to say," I frowned down at my mitten. "A couple of hours, at least. Want to give it a try?" 

I set my wand aside, holding up my hands to present myself as a target.

"Are you sure?" she asked, a little hesitantly.

"Well, don't hex me or anything!" I said quickly. 

Hermione raised her wand slowly, then gave it a swish. "Levicorpus."

Her spell hit me square in the chest, but I remained solidly on both feet. I exhaled a small sigh of relief, not quite in the mood to be yanked into the air by my ankle.

Hermione's eyes widened. "That's brilliant."

"Glad it worked," I laughed lightly. "Now, let's give your theory a go. Think of the most obscure spell you know, something I might not have learned."

Hermione raised her wand again, and suddenly I was sweating a bit, wondering if this was a good idea. Before I had the chance to change my mind, she spoke. "Relashio."