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"Our duelling bouts perhaps?" Alexandra asked rhetorically raising an eyebrow. Since their arrival at MacDougal Manor, the two girls had practised a lot their offensive and defensive magical capabilities. Just on case the Heir of Slytherin decided they were acceptable targets or their group had to intervene in a perilous situation. Again. To this day, Alexandra was winning 78-30 in their duelling matches. Who knew this sort of magical paint-ball spell was so nasty used in close succession?
The sword lessons she had demanded – since by a strange turn of events Dumbledore had completely forbidden the uses of blade lessons inside Hogwart's walls – were even more one-sided. Not that Alexandra or Morag were going to be experts in that domain any time soon. Let's just say they could take swords now and not gut themselves in a false move.
"I'm not that petty." Smirked Morag. Meeting Alexandra's incredulous stare, the pure-blood Heiress modified her previous statement. "Maybe I am. But you have to admit it's a bit frustrating to be beaten so often. I was never trained by Professor Flitwick, me!" Despite her best efforts, Morag lacked precision and stamina to keep up with Alexandra for more than thirty seconds. The red-haired Ravenclaw had to finish the duel very quickly, or it was her black-haired opponent who triumphed. Only three times so far the red-haired witch had managed to surprise her in a minutes-long duel, and each time Morag had surprised Alexandra with advanced and esoteric spells the Potter heiress hadn't managed to evade in time.
"I'm not sure Professor Flitwick is responsible for everything." Remarked Alexandra. This time it was Morag's turn to make a doubtful grin. "I'm not denying it helped me a lot, but I have not had private lessons with our Head of House since May. Everything I learnt from this point, my new spells, my tactics and strategies are my own."
"But our Charms Professor gave you the foundations you needed." Countered her friend.
"Yes. But I was exercising well before we met in evasion skills, reflexes and endurance." Although it hadn't been how Alexandra had seen this when she was chased by Dursley and his band of brutes. "I was a little surprised in fact your parents didn't give you a tutorship in the subject. I mean, you told us several times your father was a solid duellist when he was young..."
"He was." Grimaced Morag. "But managing the familial businesses, ruling the MacDougal clan and dealing with the Wizengamot problems take all his time. I love my dad, but his positions have reduced our family time to almost nothing. He's here for the Sundays, two or three weeks during summer and the feasts like Christmas, New Year or Yule. You've seen how late he comes back in the evening. My dad is too tired to teach me anything, even less duelling lessons. It's my mom and Uncle Balor who tutored me before I went to Hogwarts, and they have never frequented the Duellist circuit."
"Is it something common for all pure-blood families?" Alexandra was honestly curious about this. Her childhood at the Dursleys with this sorry excuse of a pig for cousin had been so far from 'normal' it wasn't funny. On the other hand, the raven-haired twelve-year old had to admit there had not been a lot of time in her childhood the three overweight beings known as Vernon, Petunia and Dudley stayed apart for long. Every meal at Privet Drive was taken together either in the kitchen or in front of the television. 'Together' did not include her, of course.
"Only for the witches and wizards who do something besides being involved in politics like my father. You know Susan Bones of Hufflepuff?" At Alexandra's nod, Morag pursued. "Her aunt is the Director of Magical Enforcement, rules the finances of House Bones and is holding the family seat at the Wizengamot until Susan comes of age. I don't think she has much spare time."
"The more I know about politics, the less they sound attractive..." Whispered Alexandra.
"It's only the tip of the iceberg, I'm afraid." Shrugged the red-haired Ravenclaw, turning on her left to see the snow falling from the sky. "Feuds with other Houses, anti-creature and anti-magical laws who restrain our privileges. High officials and Wizengamot members selling their vote to the highest bidder. The Ministry is too willing to close their eyes when you support one of their pet projects like new Wing at Saint Mungo's."
"Thankfully, it is not my job to fix it."Alexandra frowned, seeing the dangerous look on the visage of her interlocutor. "What?"
"Don't joke about this. You are an Heiress of a Most Ancient House, Alexandra. It is your duty to ensure the laws of Wizarding Britain are applied and respected." Said Morag in a piercing and deadly serious tone.
"Err...not to contradict you, but me accessing to my seat when I turn to fifteen requires a majority vote of the Wizengamot. Vote I'm pretty sure is unwinnable, since all the Light Houses and quite a few Dark and Neutral Houses will vote against me. So I will most likely not be recognised as a full-member before I'm seventeen, and by the way things are going..."
"You are powerful. You can change things. The Morrigan wouldn't have appeared for you otherwise at Samhain."
Alexandra's look turned thoughtful. Inwardly, she was confused. The entity which had manifested itself on that very night had given her back her control of wandless magic, for which she was thankful. On the other hand, it had also given her weird flashes of things she hadn't the tiniest clue what they meant. Neither did Morag for that matter. The only certainty was the bloodshed and apocalyptic battles being fought. Not exactly helpful.
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