𝐆𝐀𝐌𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐒 [𝐑. 𝐋𝐮𝐩𝐢𝐧]

𝐄𝐍 𝐆𝐀𝐑𝐃𝐄, 𝐏𝐑Ê𝐓, 𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐙

"This is going to be great, Moony."

~ ~ ~

It had been decided that the best place to hold the duelling match would be in the Great Hall. Callisto didn't really understand why they all had to cram in the tight space, where if one person sneezed they'd all land in the hospital wing, but she went nonetheless, taking her place next to Narcissa. The blonde had bitten her nails down to their base from stress as pair after pair finished duelling, blood always splattering on the wooden tables. The battles between the Durmstrang students were always the most brutal ones, the roughest one ending with a boy getting hit to the head with a curse and immediately falling unconscious. It wasn't going well for him, that much was obvious from the way Madame Pomfrey rushed over to him.

"Who's that guy?" Narcissa asked, pointing at a tall, bulky boy standing up on the table. His hair was shaved close to his head, his blue eyes cold and dangerous, as if he was challenging the bystanders to actually come up on the table and face him.

"The guy I poisoned." Callisto calmly replied, anger flashing in her eyes. Like a vulture feeding on emotion, his eyes locked with hers and he smirked, making the blood in her head boil.

"Andrian Gruev from Concinne and Callisto Claire from Slytherin."

Callisto just stared at McGonagall, confusion written all over her face. She was certain that she hadn't put her name down. Why in the hell would she ever put her name down? It was a running joke that they were all pacifists, but that wasn't entirely sarcastic.

"Professor, I didn't sign my name." Callisto stated, feeling everyone's eyes on her.

What a great time to be difficult.

"It's here, Miss Claire." The woman answered, pointing at her list. "See?"

"Oh come on, Callisto." Adrian Gruev said, the mocking tone in his voice tipping her off. He had obviously planned this somehow, and he was revelling in the fact that he would hurt her in front of everyone. "Just for the old time's sake."

Public humiliation, like she had done to him. An eye for an eye.

Her eyes narrowed, "Sure."

Her legs trembled slightly as she got on the table, the voices of the students cheering swarming in her ears. There was no point in trying to find a strategy, not when Adrian could see past every organized move. She had joked a long time ago that Adrian Gruev could only lose to a mad man, because the logic behind his duelling could only be matched with someone carrying the same insanity as him. Now, she really wished she was off the rockers. There was no backup plan to fall on. She couldn't use any of her potions without raising too much suspicion. The hand cream trick had worked on Leo only because he didn't think much of the gesture. Not even vanity could justify applying hand cream in the middle of the duel.

The bench creaked softly as she stepped on it, before her boot came in contact with the table top. She looked over at her opponent, noticing how he had gotten even scarier over the year, if that was even possible. There were no remnants of the poison on him to encourage her, other than the sick glint in his eyes.

"In your positions." Minerva stated, her voice a bit unsure. The two opponents raised their wands, eyes focused on each other. "Start!"

"CRUCIO!"

Sounds of protest immediately rose at the sound of the unforgivable curse, most of the Hogwarts students shocked to see the boy aim his wand at the girl so easily, as if it was a natural response. Callisto had expected the curse would come and she ducked to the side, the red light getting constrained by the invisible protective walls around the table.

"Lacero!" She murmured, aiming her wand at his knees. He immediately deflected the curse with a shield, red flashes thrown one after the other. Callisto didn't even have time to register what spell it was anymore, panic raising in her chest.

"You've gotten soft, Claire!" He shouted, his eyes filled with rage. "Not so brave behind your tricks and potions, huh?"

"I wasn't the only one vomiting blood, Gruev."

"You bitch!" He hissed. "Confringo!"

"Reducto!"

It was quite obvious in Remus' eyes that Callisto was in deep shit, from the way her jaw remained clenched to the point where it was a miracle she hadn't dislocated it. Gruev didn't hold back, every curse being uttered with immense hatred that made his head feel heavy.

There was a purple light as both curses clashed, the table shaking slightly at the impact. Neither directed their wand away, Callisto's eyebrows knitting together in concentration as she tightened her grip around her wand and moved closer to him. The energy was cackling around them, making goosebumps run down her exposed arms as the handle of her wand started to burn slightly. She was vaguely aware of the table shaking even more, but she pushed even further, her legs trembling slightly. The wand on her hand seemed to be getting heavier by the second, as the purple light increased, specs of light flying to random directions randomly.

There was a moment of deafening silence as everything went still and all sounds got drowned as if someone had pressed a button. And then, the only thing Callisto had time to register was the wind getting knocked out of her lungs as the light burst, pushing both teenagers to opposite sides with incredible force.
Callisto stayed on the ground, her blonde hair sprawled around her as she tried to catch her breath. She managed to turn to the side, clutching her ribs in a failed attempt to stop the piercing pain from spreading all over her body. Slowly, she managed to get on her knees, her legs wobbling at the weight, when it dawned on her that there was no giant clock counting the thirty seconds for her victory.

The last thing she heard was her name being shouted as a sharp pain erupted on her back and everything went black.

~ ~ ~
HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!
I wish you all a great 2022, full of happiness and love.