InsaneJournal

There was little better than a duel to blow off some frustration, an additional non-official session needed with Britta as a break from the overwhelming exam-and-winter-ball-and-general-life stress. Odelie pushed back wisps of hair that had come loose in the ongoing duel, then sent an impediment jinx towards her opponent, wand at the ready to counter whatever Britta sent back.

Britta froze for a couple of seconds, the jinx slipping past her defenses and holding her in place as she cursed inwardly while she waited for it to wear off. As soon as she was free she flung a knockback jinx at Odelie, a little more aggressively than she entirely meant to, her anger and frustration after the past week making her careless.

Odelie wasn’t quick enough with her shield this time, the jinx knocking her off her feet. She could already feel the sting through her tailbone, but for now she didn’t care, the hit just driving he next spell. “Genutrarium,” she shot a knee-reversing hex back at Britta.

Britta's Shield charm was safely in place when the next hex came her way, Britta smirking as she dodged the hit. "Steleus", she countered quickly, throwing the sneezing hex at Odelie to hopefully buy herself some time for a big final cast.

This time Odelie was ready, shield charm blocking the sneezing hex as Britta readied herself for her next blow. But before either she or Britta could cast anything, a cat’s meow alerted her that they’d been discovered, Filch rounding the corner to their secluded spot seconds later.

Odelie’s shield dropped, her wand quickly hidden behind her back, but it was too late.

“What have we found here, Mrs Norris?”

Britta wasn't as quick to hide her wand, part way through casting preparations she suddenly had to shake off. Her wand disappeared up the sleeve of her robe, and she flashed Filch her brightest smile.

"Hello Mr Filch! Mrs Norris!"

There were few people who knew the rulebook better than Filch — if there was a reason to assign a student punishment then he would find it, and this wasn’t even a hard case.

“Duelling without supervision,” Filch said, more to his cat than to either of the girls. “What punishment should we give them?”

Mrs Norris meowed, and the smile that followed from Filch unnerved even Odelie. “My office after dinner, Friday. Now, get back to your common rooms where you belong.”

"Ugh!" While Britta knew the punishment wasn't undeserved, it still rankled that they'd got caught, and now she had ANOTHER detention. She pulled a face at Odelie before she fled back to Gryffindor Tower, hoping not to run into anyone ELSE on her way.