"Good choice." Remus nodded and thus began their lessons proper. He would take about an hour, just working through the basics of defensive spells as the light thought of them. However, it wasn't like being in class as the way Remus taught were quite different. He taught in less of a structured way, a way wizards rarely thought. His defenses were built in layers instead of a single spell. A quick layer first, building in strength so it would be ready for a bigger attack. People rarely even thought about 'wearing' defenses but, as he pointed out, that was the point. Most wizards believed they could dodge and reflect and redirect everythibg, which was important, but when one did get through... It was important to have some defenses left.
Draco listened taking in everything that Remus had said. He liked the fact that it was less structured. He had never thought about building defenses in the way Remus suggested. It was a unique idea and Draco admitting agreed that not many would have thought to try such a tactic.
"But building these layers take time...how can we properly do this when one is not prepared and an attack happens out of no where?" Draco questioned.
"Given that either way, you would have to be ready, it doesn't make a huge amount of difference. However, there is an advantage. If you're going into a situation that's questionable? You can have them already on you. Secondly, there are times you don't want to give away that you've picked up on someone coming up to you. Hand in your pocket, silent cast, means you can survive a hit they'll throw. Here, this is a particularly good one..."
A mirroring spell. This one turned into a sort of magical mirror that was more limited in size, couldn't cover the whole body, but it could reflect a spell back at the attacker.
"No, but maybe I should have. The ones before were purely layered defenses which was why it started to sting after a few hits. ...To be honest, I designed the layered defenses based on Muggle principles. Dont let your parents know." He chuckled quietly as he showed Draco how the mirrored reflect worked- it captured a spell's energy and let him send it out in any other direction.
"The danger here is if you can't contain the energy, it will blow up in your face as I learned the hard way several times."
"Muggle principles?" The explanation caused Draco to raise an eyebrow.. While Narcissa may frown upon the idea he could see his father accepting the idea....secretly. It seemed like a tactic that his father would use.
He gave a small "Oh" at the warning. He had enough spells backfire on him to understand the dangers of this spell.
"They have some fascinating thoughts with science that I think can be applied to magic, at times." Remus looked a touch embarrassed, rubbing the back of his neck.
When he thought Draco had it down, he raised his brows. "Ready to give it a shot? Promise I'll keep the attack low level just in case."
"That science stuff...right. I've caught my father studying some of those books..." Draco sheepishly admitted. He was too amused at the time by his father's reaction to being caught with a Muggle book in hand. He never did get a proper excuse from him just made to do more chores for the rest of that month.
He gave a nod and held up his hand ready to give it a try.
Wait, what? Remus looked with surprise at that. Lucius Malfoy, who he knew always seemed to have a thing against Muggles, had been studying one of their books? He wasn't even sure what to make of the idea, more than a little stunned.
"AH-" get your act together, Lupin. "Right. Let's see how successful this can be. First time, I just want you to deflect it. Second time, try to deflect it right back at me. We'll build up in difficulty."
With that, he would throw a very simple little hex - hair changing.
"I heard about that little incident. That your father turned the same shade as his hair." He chuckled; never admit to the wrong doing, ever. Marauder rule.
"Back at me, this time." He prepared to try and be as quick as possible, sending the spell again at Draco.
"My mother had said it took at least a few weeks for him to calm down from the incident...She wouldn't let him out of the house afraid he would get himself into trouble. It was the first time in a while she had seen him so riled up."
He simply shook his head and after deflecting the hex he sent it back to Remus as instructed.
Oh dear. He hadn't meant for it to turn into such a thing and he had no idea, at the time, of the damage done to Lucius. Sigh.
Well he got a bit of taste of his own medicine when he wasn't quite fast enough to bring up a mirror spell of his own and got hit with his own spell. His hair became quite long and better, a brilliant green.
Sigh. He blew some of it out of his face. "Well done."
Draco lost all control and burst out laughing. He tried not to laugh...he really did, but he couldn't help it. He collapsed onto his knees in a fit of giggles.
He was going to have to let his father know this. Remus was now sporting green hair.
That laughter actually took Remus by surprise. How long had it been since Draco really, honestly laugh? Even if it was at someone's expense, he could take it. He brushed it back out of his eyes, then laughed himself.
"What do you think? Is it my color?" He struck a little pose, as he might have for his mates years ago.
It took another few seconds before Draco managed to compose himself. He berated himself for loosing the control. But it had been too long since he honestly laugh liked this and it felt good to have. He felt a little guilty that it was at Remus's expense...but after the pink hair?
"It'll look great against Tonk's purple hair," Draco replied with a sheepish grin.
"Ha!" That got a bark of a laugh out of him. "It certainly would. Though I haven't had hair this long since I was a student... Used to be down pretty far." He tugged on it a bit, then gave a little bit of a cheeky grin and tossed the spell at Draco, trying to give him red and gold lion mane. He remembered some of the old spells from his days as a student!
Grinning, Draco deflected the spell. He behaved and didn't summon a snake to come out from the wand. As much as he wanted to go with house pride here. He mainly just wanted to deflect. "I don't think so!"
"That sounds like a challenge!" Remus grinned right back, then started going after Draco properly. He was curious, seeing how Draco would do as he got faster, trickier, sticking with the hair changing spell for the fun of it. Training could be difficult without being painful, intense while staying fun. He wanted to prove that to a child he wanted to change. No, a young man he wanted to help.
"I would be disappointed if you didn't!" Taking in what Remus had said earlier, Draco began building up his defenses. Using one layer at time in between deflecting the spells that Remus sent at him...even if it was the same one. He wanted to see how this method would work and prove that he could do it.
He could tell. It was obvious to a trained eye what Draco was doing and he was so proud of his student. Because when a spell finally hit Draco, Draco would feel some of the layers collapse in and disappear, but his hair didn't change color.
Though it might not survive the second spell that came in after it if it hit!
Draco couldn't help but be proud of himself when the spell didn't him as it should and that his layers of defenses had worked. He managed to deflect the other spell barely by ducking into the rushes. He used the time to rebuild his other layer before reappearing again ready to deflect.
But when Draco reappeared, Remus was gone. Or seemed to be gone. The heather blew in the night wind and the moon was still bright overheard. Where had Remus gone?
Suddenly a note blew towards Draco. A little paper airplane hovering in the wind. It read: better find the other broom.
Because a spell would come in from straight overhead!
"Language, Mr. Malfoy!" Remus called out and decided to make it snow pink snow all around Draco. Really, he was going to be smoked by the younger man on a broom and he knew it, but it was all in good fun.
The broom that came to Draco from the cabin was a piece of junk, but it would do for their fun. Meanwhile, Remus was trying to get him a few more times. If he had green hair, Draco would match with red!
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"But building these layers take time...how can we properly do this when one is not prepared and an attack happens out of no where?" Draco questioned.
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A mirroring spell. This one turned into a sort of magical mirror that was more limited in size, couldn't cover the whole body, but it could reflect a spell back at the attacker.
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"Was this what you had used earlier on me when I had first attacked you?" He questioned as he tried to apply the spell.
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"The danger here is if you can't contain the energy, it will blow up in your face as I learned the hard way several times."
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He gave a small "Oh" at the warning. He had enough spells backfire on him to understand the dangers of this spell.
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When he thought Draco had it down, he raised his brows. "Ready to give it a shot? Promise I'll keep the attack low level just in case."
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He gave a nod and held up his hand ready to give it a try.
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"AH-" get your act together, Lupin. "Right. Let's see how successful this can be. First time, I just want you to deflect it. Second time, try to deflect it right back at me. We'll build up in difficulty."
With that, he would throw a very simple little hex - hair changing.
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Following the instructions, Draco managed to deflect it. "I would rather not have pink hair again..."
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"Back at me, this time." He prepared to try and be as quick as possible, sending the spell again at Draco.
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He simply shook his head and after deflecting the hex he sent it back to Remus as instructed.
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Well he got a bit of taste of his own medicine when he wasn't quite fast enough to bring up a mirror spell of his own and got hit with his own spell. His hair became quite long and better, a brilliant green.
Sigh. He blew some of it out of his face. "Well done."
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He was going to have to let his father know this. Remus was now sporting green hair.
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"What do you think? Is it my color?" He struck a little pose, as he might have for his mates years ago.
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"It'll look great against Tonk's purple hair," Draco replied with a sheepish grin.
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Taking in what Remus had said earlier, Draco began building up his defenses. Using one layer at time in between deflecting the spells that Remus sent at him...even if it was the same one. He wanted to see how this method would work and prove that he could do it.
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Though it might not survive the second spell that came in after it if it hit!
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Suddenly a note blew towards Draco. A little paper airplane hovering in the wind. It read: better find the other broom.
Because a spell would come in from straight overhead!
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"Accio broom!" he called out. If he would find a broom that would be the best way to do it.
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The broom that came to Draco from the cabin was a piece of junk, but it would do for their fun. Meanwhile, Remus was trying to get him a few more times. If he had green hair, Draco would match with red!
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