"Honestly, Hermione, Hodge isn't some brainless git like certain people," Ron said, utterly baffled by Hermione's admiration for Lockhart. Sure, Lockhart had written a few books, but who knew if they were just a load of made-up nonsense?
Hermione shot Ron a withering glare and pulled a scrap of parchment from her pocket.
"This is a list of dueling spells I found in a book," she said. "But we're not sure… they all seem like they could be useful."
Hodge took the parchment and scanned it quickly.
"It's already pretty thorough," he said. "The key is knowledge and mindset."
Hermione, somehow producing a quill out of nowhere, looked ready to take notes.
"Er…" Hodge paused, caught off guard. "Simply put, it's about combat knowledge and strategy. Which spells you use to attack, which to defend, and what to do if your opponent counters. But for you lot, start with the basics. For example, Hermione, you know the Freezing Charm and the Petrification Spell, right?"
Hermione nodded.
"Then for now, just learn one solid defensive spell. I recommend the Shield Charm—simple, effective, blocks both physical and magical attacks. Of course, I'm not saying you should just stand there like a sitting duck in a duel. Footwork's just as important—dodging spells while counterattacking, that sort of thing. But you need precautions. Some spells are hard to dodge, like the Choking Cloud Curse, which conjures a nasty, stinging fog, or if your opponent summons a snake or a swarm of spiders…"
Hermione fell into deep thought. Some of this wasn't in any book, and Hodge's words opened a door for her, shifting her thinking toward practical applications. Harry, meanwhile, seemed to grasp it even more deeply.
"Attack, defense, footwork, and adapting to different situations," he mused.
"Exactly," Hodge said, raising a finger. "If you're serious about dueling, real combat experience is the most important thing. In theory, you could become a dueling master with just a Petrification Spell or a Freezing Charm, but in practice, that's tough. You're facing all sorts of opponents. What if they use Transfiguration to conjure a wall?"
"Blast it with a Blasting Curse," Ron interjected.
"Sure," Hodge continued, "but what if they hide in a magical mist? Or if they can turn invisible? Or fly around in the air?" He gestured toward Peeves as an example.
Ron opened his mouth, looking stumped.
"Dueling's easy to pick up," Hodge said, glancing at the group. Harry and Ron nodded eagerly—they'd played dueling games before. "But I bet you've never analyzed the logic of a fight, have you? Never thought about countering your opponent's strengths?"
"Beyond that, dueling isn't just about slinging spells. I mentioned mindset earlier—it's not only about how you fight, how you spot weaknesses, or how you drag your opponent into your comfort zone. It's also about choosing the right spells. You'll find that what works best for you is often the most effective, even if it's some nameless little trick."
"Like this—" Hodge suddenly extended his arm. In a flash, as the group stared in confusion, he snapped his fingers, and his wand shot out of his sleeve, landing neatly in his hand.
"Petrificus Totalus!"
Harry's arms snapped to his sides, his legs locked together, and his body went rigid as a board, leaving only his eyes darting around.
It all happened in the blink of an eye—Harry hadn't even had time to react. As Ron's jaw dropped, Hodge lifted the spell. Harry rubbed his arms, already determined to learn that trick—it was just too slick.
Then, a burst of applause broke the silence. Harry looked toward the sound, his head snapping up in surprise. What did he see? Ginny's face… on an adult witch with bubblegum-pink hair, so striking it immediately distinguished her from Ginny.
"Tonks, is this your idea of a greeting?" Hodge called toward the doorway.
Ginny puffed out her cheeks in a huff.
Tonks, still wearing a slightly more mature version of Ginny's face, said indignantly, "This is my greeting for people who don't keep their promises." As she walked over, her features shifted, morphing into a heart-shaped face.
Hodge gave an awkward chuckle. "Can't blame me for that. Since term started, I've only seen Dumbledore once, and Fudge was there."
Tonks let out a soft "hmph" and turned to the group.
"Hello, everyone! Oh, Harry, Ron, good to see you again," she said cheerfully. "No Dementors around this time—you lot look much more at ease."
Harry returned the greeting. He'd met Tonks on the way to Azkaban. During that less-than-pleasant trip, she'd been kind and looked out for them—though, in a way, it was her carefree attitude that had landed him and Ron on that miserable Azkaban day trip in the first place.
Ron, still recovering from the shock, glanced between Tonks and Ginny, his mouth hanging open.
"You—you—you—"
"It's my little trick," Tonks explained, turning to Ginny. "Sorry for borrowing your face—I love your hair color." She pointed at Hodge. "I just couldn't resist trying to spook him, but it didn't quite work."
"Ahem," Hodge said, swiftly changing the subject. Mimicking Hermione's enthusiastic tone, he continued, "Let me make some introductions for those who haven't met. This is Hermione, who's got about a hundred books memorized. You just mimicked Ginny, Ron's sister—she's brilliant with the Bat-Bogey Hex."
Tonks's eyes flicked to Ginny's fiery red hair.
"And now," Hodge said with a flourish, "allow me to formally introduce: Tonks, the only Auror trainee accepted in recent years—"
"Trainee," Tonks corrected, deadpan, but Hodge ignored her.
"—a natural Metamorphmagus, scoring top marks in disguise and concealment, with a bright, helpful personality who never gets mad over little things… Harry, if you're aiming to be an Auror, this is a golden opportunity."
Tonks tried to keep her stern expression but cracked a smile.
"Alright," she said. "You're practicing dueling, right? I overheard a bit, and it was pretty inspiring."
"Just some beginner stuff—nothing you'd need," Hodge replied.
"I know what's really unnecessary," Tonks said with a shrug. "The Auror office training ground has a wand safety manual older than my great-great-grandfather. Don't bother with it—it's completely outdated. If any of those worst-case scenarios actually happen, you're just out of luck."
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