Draco tried casting a spell again. Hermione blocked it. Again.
"Now Granger, acting tough, huh?"
"What Malfoy, this is tough for you?"
Draco smirked. "No, not at all."
He cast a spell again, which she blocked.
"Fine. Let's play this game."
He cast a series of spells that Hermione knew they hadn't learnt. Thank Goodness I spend time in the library reading up all those spells, she thought.
They started circling each other. Then Draco rapid fired spells, which she threw off with difficulty.
This is going to be tough, Draco thought. How will I disarm her? Oh if I could enter her mind! For a minute he thought he would, but remembered what Hermione said.
Keep your word.
So Draco turned away from her, picking up his copy and reading through some lines before he cast another wordless spell her way, one after the other, his wand shining with blue and red sparks. He continued to do that and Hermione found it difficult to throw off his spells.
"Dublosia Stupefy!" He shouted, and Hermione felt a strong force approaching her before his spell managed to break through the shield, making Hermione stumble backwards, though her wand was still in her hand.
"Expelliarmus" she shouted and he cast his shield a little too late. His wand was out of his hand again.
"That's not fair, Granger. You said the spell out loud." He complained.
She laughed. "Not fair? You said the spell out loud first. And besides, saying the spell out loud gives you a warning to be prepared, you know."
"Expelliarmus!" He shouted and Hermione's wand flew out of her hand and hit the wall behind her, but she caught.
Hermione waved her wand in front of him and shouted "Expelliarmus!"
But Draco had been expecting this and shouted "Protego!" Just in time.
Hermione was expressionless. Draco smirked.
"Let's do verbal spells so you can have it easy."
Hermione scoffed. "If it's anyone who needs it easy, it's you Malfoy."
He narrowed his eyes.
"Confoundus."
"Protego."
"Expelliarmus."
"Protego."
"Dublosia Expelliarmus."
Before she could control herself she shouted "Protego Maxima!"
Then a blue barrier formed between herself and Draco, coming out with such a force that pushed them both backwards, making Hermione hit the wall and Draco fell down.
He tried casting spells but all in vain.
"What did you do?" He asked in awe.
"I think I just shielded myself with the most powerful shield magic could conjure." She said, slightly dumbfounded.
They looked at each other, blinking, as if trying to process what she just said.
It was then they realised that the whole class was quiet, staring at them. Even Aberforth looked surprised. It took a while before he said anything.
"What Miss Granger cast," Professor Aberforth said, helping Hermione, "Is a very difficult shielding spell. It requires the will for resolute protection, and is more easily cast to defend yourself than others.
"You will learn this spell in my class, but it will take time to learn it because it requires more than just saying words."
He turned to Hermione, who was adjusting her robes.
"Miss Granger, would you mind telling me where you learnt that spell?"
Hermione turned pink. "I read it in the library, Professor."
Professor Aberforth nodded. "Good job, Miss Granger. Mr. Malfoy, better luck next time. Now, to learn something new- expulso!"
And his table exploded.
The students looked at each other, excited.
"Spells are devided into different categories. You already know of the unforgivable curses; then there are the destruction spells, fixing spells, battle spells and curses, soft spells, hard spells and many more. The explosion spell falls under the destruction spells, mostly used for objects, but also used on people. But mind you, if you kill someone with destruction spells, then you have a high chance to spend the rest of your lives in Azkaban.
"Now, we will start with simple spells before we go to advanced ones. Here's another exercise; each of you will be take a handful of ashes and transfigure them into an object which you will use the explosion spell on it."
Parvati Patil raised her hand and spoke when the Professor nodded, "But Professor, isn't that impossible? Professor McGonagall said that it was impossible to make something out of ash."
"Not impossible, my dear. Professor McGonagall must have said extremely difficult or highly unlikely. It is possible, but it is hard. Now you must start if you want to transfigure the ashes Before the month ends!"
Hermione and Draco were the first students to move. The other students slowly followed.
They took a handful of ashes and placed them in front of them and tried many spells to transfigure the ash into different objects, but it proved more than just hard work and dedication to transfigure ashes. Finally after ten minutes, Hermione was the first student to transfigure ashes into a pillow.
Draco looked at her pillow and looked back at his lump of ashes which was a blob of something; no one knew what it was.
"Granger..?" He said in a fake sweet voice. "Can you help me?"
Hermione shook her head. "We're supposed to be transfiguring them ourselves."
"But Granger-"
"Miss Granger is quite right, Mr. Malfoy. You must do it yourself. Miss Granger, move you're hand in this way- yes, like that. Now point it at the pillow and say expulso. Got it?" Said Professor Aberforth.
Hermione nodded and said "Expulso!"
But nothing happened apart from purple sparks coming from her wand. She turned pink with embarrassment.
"It's normal." Said Aberforth. "Nobody gets it in the first time. Try again. You have to mean it, Miss Granger. Mean it."
Hermione could hear other other students trying the spell. She tried hard to concentrate.
Hermione closed her eyes. I want it to explode. I want it to explode. I want it to explode.
She opened her eyes. "Expulso!" She shouted, pointing her wand to the pillow. A jet of purple light flew and hit the pillow, making it explode. Then the whole class had multicoloured feathers flying around. Hermione grinned at the smiling Professor.
It was a mess; everyone was playing with the feathers. Some even flew out of the classroom, inviting curious students to the class, who hurried away seeing Aberforth there.
"Alright," He said, "Calm down everybody." Then he mumbled a spell, and Hermione could only hear the word 'Leviosa' and all the feathers floated to the top of the classroom.
"Well done, Miss Granger. Now I know many of you haven't been able to explode you're objects, and some of you were not able to transfigure the ashes. It's alright. We'll continue next class. Class dismissed."
Harry and Ron came to congratulate Hermione.
"That was awesome 'Mione!" Said Harry, smiling at her.
"Blimey, Hermione. You were great in today's class." Said Ron, smiling.
"Thanks, Harry, Ron." Said Hermione, looking overwhelmed. "I've always wanted to try this spell, ever since that Death Eater tried to hit us with it."
"Well that's inspiration." Said Ron. Hermione and Harry laughed.
They were going out of the class when Professor Aberforth called them.
"Wait a minute here, will you three?" He said, going out of the class hurriedly.
They looked at each other. "Wonder what's that all about." Mumbled Ron.
It was a full ten minutes before Aberforth came back. He beckoned them to follow him. A few minutes later they were outside Professor McGonagall's office.
They were surprised.
"Dumbledore." Said Aberforth and they entered.
Professor McGonagall was talking to a portrait behind her.
"Ah," said the portrait, "They've come, Minerva." Hermione stared at the portrait of professor Dumbledore. He smiled at her.
"Sit down you three," said Professor McGonagall. "No, you're not in trouble. But there is something Professor Dumbledore and Aberforth were suggesting."
The Dumbledores nodded.
"We think," Said Albus Dumbledore,"That for your own good, that you three learn Occulmency."