Realistic Harry Potter - 71 The Training Lesson

Susan was waiting for them when they appeared and Amelia tapped the gates with her wand to open them. She quickly took her niece into a hug and walked over to Harry.

“Is this safe to apparate?” Susan asked, a little concerned. “There’s three of us now.”

“You don’t have to worry.” Amelia said as she put an arm over Susan’s shoulders and the other over Harry’s shoulders. “Three people means more magic to share and hold us together.”

Susan’s arm went around her aunt’s waist and she felt Harry’s arm rest on hers, then she felt his free arm go around her waist to hold on. She started to share her magic with her aunt and then caught her breath as Harry’s magic flowed into her. She looked at him in surprise, because she could feel that he was sharing with her aunt, too.

“Concentrate.” Amelia whispered to get her attention.

“Right. Sorry.” Susan said and closed her eyes as she let Harry’s magic join hers and she shared it with her aunt. She let her aunt direct the magic like she had every time she apparated and she trusted her aunt with her life.

“One, two, three.” Amelia said and the three of them disappeared and reappeared in the living room of Amelia’s and Susan’s home.

“You were right, Auntie. That felt a lot better than it normally does.” Susan commented. For some reason, she was a little reluctant to let go of either her aunt or Harry.

Amelia nodded and gave them both a bit of a squeeze, then let them go. “Harry, you can put your trunk over by the entrance.”

Harry carried his trunk over to the same spot he had left it the last time he had been there and came back.

“How have you progressed with the spells I gave you?” Amelia asked, her smile bright, because she knew he would have worked hard with them.

“I’ve almost got Bombarda accurate.” Harry said. “Stupefy is ridiculously easy by comparison.”

Amelia chuckled. “You did Bombarda first, didn’t you?”

Harry nodded.

“Of course you would. No wonder Stupefy didn’t hinder you at all.” Amelia said. “The both of you need to get changed into your workout gear.”

“It’s in my trunk.” Harry said and went back to get it.

“I’ll be right back with mine, too.” Susan said and left the living room and went up the stairs. She quickly changed for some reason and ran back to the top of the stairs to look down at Harry. She watched him finish changing into a jogging suit and her face was slightly red as she did. She waited for him to go back into the living room before she went down the stairs and entered herself.

“Follow me.” Amelia said and the two curious students followed her to a hidden door and then inside to the special training area.

“You changed it!” Susan said, excitedly.

“Of course I did.” Amelia said with a chuckle. “I’ve got two advanced students that needed more specific training than I had originally planned.”

Susan looked over at Harry and her eyes were full of both appraisal and curiosity.

“Yes, he knows a lot of the normal spells already.” Amelia said and Susan nodded. “All right, I need you both over at the target range. Susan, you go first and show Harry what you’ve learned so far.”

“I’m sorry if I’m a little rusty.” Susan said. “You haven’t taken time for this since last summer.”

Amelia walked over to her and put her hand on her shoulder. “I know, and I’m the one that’s sorry. I should have let the rest of the magical world go to pot and kept you training.”

“Yes, you should!” Susan said with a laugh.

“Cheeky.” Amelia said and waved her wand at the targets. They started to move and she readied her timepiece. “Ready… go!”

Harry was astonished as he watched Susan do some great moves and dodges while the targets moved around and tossed rubber balls at her.

“It’s the lowest setting.” Amelia whispered to him as they watched. “It stops when you hit all of the targets.”

After thirty-five seconds, the last target was hit and Susan was breathing a little heavy.

“You are definitely rusty.” Amelia said with a smile.

“You changed the pattern again, you sneak!” Susan responded and Amelia laughed.

“All right, Harry.” Amelia said and waved her wand. The targets returned to the starting position and she waved for him to take Susan’s place. “As you saw, any spell can be used, so have fun and show me what you can do.”

Harry nodded and took several deep breaths as he flicked his wrist to deploy his wand.

“Ready… go!” Amelia said and started her timepiece.

“Diffindo!” Harry said as he swiped his wand at the targets and sliced each and every one of them in half with a single spell. The targets didn’t get to throw a single ball at him.

Amelia and Susan stood there, quite dumbfounded at what they just saw.

“I hope that didn’t wreck them.” Harry said and walked over to one. He concentrated and pointed his wand at it. “Reparo.”

The target reformed and the ball throwing part looked like it was still going to work. He went to each one and fixed them, then went back to the right starting position.

“I’m ready to use just Stupefy.” Harry said.

“Y-yes, that was what I was going to recommend.” Amelia said and reset the target range. “Ready…” She stopped her timepiece and reset it. “…go.”

Harry cast Protego on himself and then cast eight Stupefy spells, which went right through the shield and hit each of the targets. The launched rubber balls had bounced off the shield and none had hit him.

“T-twelve seconds.” Amelia said as she looked at the time. “Harry…”

“No shield, I know.” Harry said and nodded to her.

Amelia reset the targets and her timepiece. “Ready… go.”

Harry was a bit slower to dodge than Susan, since he had never dodged rubber balls before. He pretended that they were punches from Dudley and the bullies and he managed quite well. He had also switched to the Bombarda spell and blew the heads off of each of the targets.

“Forty-eight seconds.” Amelia said and looked at the decapitated targets. “H-Harry, that… that was excessively violent.”

Harry was breathing a little heavy. “I was aiming… for the chests.” He said and sat down. “Why is moving like that so tiring?”

“You’re using muscles you haven’t really used a lot.” Susan said and sat down next to him. “We’re too young for the strength and body enhancement potions mom… I mean Aunt Amelia uses before a battle.”

Harry looked at her with wide eyes. “I don’t remember seeing anything like that in the potions book.”

Susan chuckled. “They are not going to give first year students access to advanced potions!”

“Second year?” Harry asked and she laughed.

“Try sixth year, after our OWLS.” Susan said. “We’re old enough by then and our bodies have developed enough to take the boosts without bad effects.”

“Wow, really?” Harry asked and she nodded. “I didn’t think there would be restrictions on things like that. I mean, they’re just potions.”

“They affect the body and in some cases the mind, even if it’s a physical enhancement potion.” Amelia said as she walked over and knelt behind them. “What would you say if I told you that your strength would double or even triple for up to ten minutes?”

“That would be useful if you have big or heavy things to move.” Harry said.

“What if it cost you an hour of very sore and stiff muscles afterwards?” Amelia asked.

“It… might… be worth it.” Harry said, a little doubtful.

“Exactly. The trade off is sometimes worth the use and sometimes it’s not. It all depends on the circumstances.” Amelia said. “In battle, a few minutes of extra strength or faster reflexes is worth it… unless the battle goes on for longer than the usefulness of the potion.”

Harry thought about it. “You could be pretty useless for a long time and right in the middle of a battle.”

“That is exactly right.” Amelia said and put a hand on each of their shoulders. “You don’t have to worry about things like that right now, though.” She stood up and smiled down at them. “You need to worry about getting your endurance up and exercising to stay healthy.”

“I spent three weeks cleaning the castle from the dungeons to the towers without magic.” Harry said.

Both Susan and Amelia laughed.

“Battle is much different than doing chores.” Susan said. “Believe me, I know.”

“I’ve been training Susan occasionally over the years.” Amelia said. “I started when she was old enough to understand the difference between casting magic and battling with magic.”

Harry stood up and looked at her with a happy expression. “You’re going to teach me.”

“I’ve been teaching you since we first met, Harry.” Amelia said. “I also need to tell you to restrict your spells to their low powered versions while duelling with Susan.”

“We’re going to be duelling?” Harry and Susan asked as one.

“I know this seems sudden…” Amelia started to say.

“I just got here.” Harry said.

“Harry just started learning.” Susan said.

“I’m not ready.” “He’s not ready.” They said at the same time.

Amelia smiled and gripped their shoulders. “No one is really ready their first time.” She said. “I’ll take a few minutes to explain the rules and procedures, then we’ll step over to the duelling area.”

Harry stood there and listened to Amelia as he thought about casting magic against the pretty girl he was just getting to know. Susan saw him looking at her and she smiled, a little sadly, then she straightened her back and nodded slightly at him. Harry smiled and nodded slightly back.

“This is just a friendly practice, so none of the debilitating spells, all right?” Amelia asked.

“Tarantallegra is fine.” Susan said and her smile got wider. “I want to see Harry dance.”

Harry’s smile got wider, too. “Bat Bogey hex, too.”

Susan laughed. “Hannah cast that on Justin the other day for spilling his pumpkin juice on her. It was hilarious!”

“Hey, now…” Amelia started to say.

“Oh! Have you tried Langlock?” Harry asked. “It’s great to stop people from talking.”

Susan nodded. “Tying up their tongue works so much better than Silencio, doesn’t it?”

Harry nodded. “I’ve had lots of practice with both.”

“Me, too.” Susan said. “What about…”

Amelia stood there, a little surprised as her two students talked about the spells they have used, pretty much giving away all of their secrets for the upcoming duel. At least, she assumed they were. It wasn’t until she listened to what they were actually saying that she understood.

Just because you knew the spells someone else knew, you didn’t actually know what spell they were actually using until they said it or cast it. That was also why she had been surprised that Harry used the severing charm on the targets and not one of the two spells she had given him, like she had expected him to.

Amelia checked the time and hid her sigh. She had used up a good portion of the morning so far. “All right, you two.” She said and Harry and Susan stopped talking. “You need to get over to the duelling section.”

“Come on, Harry. It’s time you had some practical lessons in fighting a real opponent.” Susan said and led him over to the practice area.

“You’re still using duelling rules.” Amelia said and followed them.

“Harry said it’s not fair for me, since he can cast through his shield.” Susan said. “I won’t use mine either, so this is going to be quick.”

Amelia wanted to order her to use her shield and protect herself, then she looked at Harry. He was trusting the both of them to keep things safe and to teach him what he needed to know.

“All right.” Amelia said. “I’ll step in and stop it if it gets too dangerous.”

“Dangerous?” Susan asked. “This is going to be great!”

Harry nodded and they took their positions, back to back. Susan was a bit taller and her legs were longer, so her butt rested practically on top of Harry’s. He felt her shifting from side to side and smiled, because he thought she was acting nervous. She was just eager to get going. Her butt felt oddly nice rubbing his, though.

“Ten paces. One.” Amelia said and counted as they walked the same amount. “Nine. Prepare spells.” She said and nodded. “Ten! About face and cast!”

In the next second, Susan sprouted huge and heavy deer antlers from her forehead and Harry had a giant carved pumpkin appear on his head. The both of them stared at each other for a second, burst out laughing and pointed at each other, then they fell to the floor and rolled around as they laughed their asses off.

Amelia stood there with her arms braced on her hips and a huge smile on her face. How the hell am I supposed to pick a winner from that? She asked herself and shook her head.