January 5th, 1890 — Headquarters of the London Society for the Practice of Combative Magic

One of these ladies was a Ministry lass, the other the well-to-do socialite sort. He was intrigued to see how their styles matched up. His thoughts already a few steps ahead with imagining this, Tyb recited (the rules) absent-mindedly, then grinned over at Peony with a cheery, "When you're ready, Miss!"

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Peony Pokeby Bellona Zabini
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Peony had hoped that she'd end up paired against some cocky Ministry type, but instead found herself paired against a... debutante? The last time she'd checked, most frilly girls didn't sign up for these competitions, so she hoped the girl—Miss Zabini, right?—would have something to offer than an elaborate display of sparkles.

"Furnunculus," she cast, enthused by the idea of seeing the debutante's pretty complexion covered in boils. (Not only would she get the point, but she'd also get to see her panic.)

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It did not matter that the young woman before her was not Calliope Riley—she would still bear the brunt of Bellona's irritation at the upcoming nuptials. Rather than defend herself in the conventional sense, the debutante opted for a knockback jinx.

  

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— graphics by MJ ♥ —

Although she had had the benefit of going first, Miss Pokeby proved too slow with her hex, for the debutante had already thrown her off-balance with an impressively forceful knockback jinx. Dear Merlin, it looked as though Miss Zabini had been waiting to do that all day.

Giving Miss Pokeby time enough to get back on her feet, Tybalt eventually declared the first round. "The point to Miss Zabini, who may begin the next."

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PEONY: 3 | BELLONA: 8

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   Aldous Crouch

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Internally, the witch preened, but externally, the look of steely determination was quite fixed upon Bellona's face. The debutante cast a spell to make her opponent inflate like a balloon.

  

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— graphics by MJ ♥ —

Unamused by the previous round's outcome, Peony attempted to disarm her opponent this round.

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Neither spell went perfectly this time, but Miss Zabini's wand dropping to her feet was less of a trial, Tybalt decided, than the fact that poor Miss Pokeby had blown up like a beach ball.

(Not to deflate her twice in two seconds, but -) "And with that, Miss Zabini wins the duel!"

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BELLONA: 4 | PEONY: 2

  

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