Redamancy | R.A.B

Thirteen

Betsy

The smug feeling that she got from Regulus being so impressed with the hidden beach was soon wiped away as soon as they started doing work. It wasn't as though she was bad at school, she got pretty good grades and her work in class was excellent according to her professors however as soon as she left the classroom all the information that she had learned was forgotten. 

"I can't remember!" She groaned, laying back on the grass, as Regulus laughed at her. He apparently found it hilarious how she couldn't remember the work done the day before and had taken to quizzing her, not allowing her to look at her notes. "This is only fun for you." She told him.

"I know. Now, what are the basic defensive spells?" He asked, flicking through his notes. 

"Oh, I can do these!" She sat up excitedly. "Protego, Impedimenta, Langlock and Expelliarmus." she stated confidently. "And Expecto Patronum when faced with dementors." 

He nodded. "Basic offensive spells?"  

"Stupefy, Reducto, Incarcerous, Confringo, Bombarda, Expulso, Petrificus Totalus."

"Correct again. The homework was just to practice them, wasn't it?"

"Yeah, to be able to do them non-verbally by Monday." She got to her feet. "Come on then."

"We're not done." He responded.

"Of course not. We're practising Defence." She held out her hand to help pull him up. "Come on." 

He hesitated before grabbing her hand and allowing her to help him up off of the grass. "Dare I ask what we're going to do?" 

"Duel. I thought that was obvious."

"Duel?!"

"Well, yes. That's what the homework is for, we're starting duelling on Monday. We're not going to fight to the death, obviously." She bit back a laugh at the look on his face. "You're not scared are you?"

"Of you?! Petrified." He deadpanned.

"Come on then. Only basic spells, nothing fancy." She pulled her hair up into a ponytail so it was out of her face. He still looked sceptical. "I promise to allow you to leave with all the body parts you started with, I'm also pretty good with healing spells if that will help your nerves."

"Fine." 

When they were ready, they began firing spells at each other. Neither of them saying a word as rays of light shot at each other. Eventually Betsy managed to disarm him and she twirled his wand around in her hand. 

"Can i have it back?" He asked her.

 "What's the magic word?" She asked, teasing him.

"Huh?" He looked at her confused. "What do you mean 'magic word'?" 

"P-p-p"

"Please? How is that magic?"

"Muggle thing. now," She waved her hand, motioning for him to continue.

"Please can I have it back." 

"Yes Black, you may." She replied before throwing it back to him. 

He rolled his eyes at her before going back to sit on the grass by there books. "I think it's fair to say we have that done. Now Potions essay." The two of them looked back over the notes that they had taken the day before. Regulus, who had better handwriting than her, wrote out the essay whilst Betsy decided the wording of it, though when she read over it later she found that he had changed some of what she said and made it sound it more posh. 

"Honestly," She exclaimed after they had finished. "Amortentia's not that interesting that it needs a whole essay. I mean it's pretty immoral and its only bonus is that it's fun to smell." 

"Immoral?" 

She nodded. "I mean you're making someone fall in love with you when without it they wouldn't. Essentially you're taking away their free will like the imperius curse. I mean surely you'd want someone to fall in love with you, for you? Not because of the influence of a potion."

He thought it over for a minute before responding. "I'd never thought of it like that, but you're right."

"Of course I am." She smiled and he rolled his eyes at her. In this light they looked more grey than their usual light blue. She reached up and brushed a stray curl that had fallen in front of them before she could stop herself, though Regulus didn't object. Her hand lingered by his face, the two of them just looking at each other till Regulus cleared his throat and turned back to his parchment. She blushed slightly and turned back to her own work.  

By the time the two of them had finished up the rest of the homework that was due in silence, a cold wind was whistling through the trees behind them and the sun was beginning to sink beneath the horizon. 

"What time is it?" She asked Regulus who checked the watch on his wrist.

"Shit." He swore, causing her to giggle slightly. "What?"

"It just sounds weird hearing you swear." She brushed off. "What is it?"

"We've missed dinner."

"Oh, that's fine we can just make something."

"Make something?"

"Yeah, in the kitchens. Honestly Black I thought you were the smart one." She mocked as she began to gather her books and shove them in her back, he copied her though he still looked confused.

"We're going to make it?"

"That's what I said."

"Why can't we just ask the house elves to make something for us?"

"Those poor elves are overworked as is. It's our fault we missed dinner, so we can make something." She made her way to the rocks that they needed to climb over in order to get back to the school. She was halfway up the first one when it hit her. "You don't know how to cook!" She exclaimed.

"I've never had to." He defended as he caught up to her. 

"Well, i'm going to teach you." She declared, reaching out to ruffle his hair. He swatted her hand away.

"Or we could just go hope that there's some leftovers?"

"No chance."