July 7th — High Street, Hogsmeade

High Street is safe enough in Hogsmeade, with multitudes roaming around means that few dare to cast spells here. Your status band for WvI is the same color it has been all day today, and there's no reason that should change.

That is, until you spot the fellow student playing WvI as well. You appear to have the good fortune of spotting them before they noticed you. Their status band looks to be the opposite color as yours, so be on your guard! The crowds on High Street may not care if you cast a spell here and there, but they surely will if one of them gets hit.

Open to 2-3 students.

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He was walking along High Street, just as she was. The young witch wasn't sure why it seemed so odd to spot another student outside of the castle, he must live in Hogsmeade like everyone else did. But for Greta and a few others, Millie's entire school lived in Hogsmeade for summers and holidays. So it shouldn't seem strange not to be surrounded by cauldrons or supposedly-empty suits of armor when Millie encountered her classmate, it only truly seemed strange to see the white band of cloth affixed to his person.

That made her acutely aware of the black band she had tied around the sleeve of her green, cotton dress. It was already July and he was still in play?

"Did'ya hear me, Miss Millie? "

"What?" Millie's eyes snapped away from her classmate to the sturdy housekeeper. The stout woman peered down at the young witch over her spectacles —she never did look through them that Millie ever noticed— making her eyes dart away. She caught sight of the brewing clouds in the sky high above and then down to the storefront name a little lower, able to finish her answer at last. "Of course, Mrs. Moore. I'll be right out here."

"Good. I won't be long."

Mrs. Moore hurried inside the curios shop, leaving Millie holding the basket outside. The woman knew she didn't like Dervish and Banges, something just seemed off inside that place. The thought drew hazel eyes back across the street to the boy on the other side, and before she knew it the young witch was halfway across. She only took a moment to decide after that, withdrawing the wand she carried everywhere now. Millie wasn't about to be caught off-guard anymore, not after what had happened last time.

Stepping onto the other side of the street, Millie aligned herself with his path. She kept the wand by her side until the last moment, still aware that they were in the middle of the busy High Street with witnesses all around. And at the back of her head, also aware that they were likely to get rained out at any moment now. That hardly crossed her mind as the young witch called to her peer.

"Are you really still 'alive' after all this time, Mr. Podsnapper?" Nevermind that Millie herself had been until only the other day. Her wand arm came up quick, her wrist well-practiced with this charm. "Finite! "

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Yuri Podsnapper

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Yuri had returned home from Hogwarts for the holidays, expecting a relaxing break. Mister Mondragon had been kind enough to let him rest and not worry about working around the house. However, sitting idly made him feel odd, like he needed to be doing something. So, he found himself pestering the housekeeper, for errands to occupy his time.

Today, she had sent him down to High Street to fetch something for Mister Mondragon's senior. As he walked, his mind drifted, considering how quickly the summer seemed to be slipping away, and he almost forgot about the game until he spotted Millie. The memory rushed back, and he couldn't resist engaging in the game once more.

Upon hearing Millie's question, Yuri smirked, drawing his wand confidently. He felt a bit like an old western gunslinger in a high noon face-off, even though the concept was foreign to both of them. Without hesitation, he cast a shield charm to deflect her spell, but he was already in motion, wishing he had his broom at hand.

"Quidditch players have a natural advantage," he retorted playfully, his eyes focused on the game and the excitement of the moment. "But I suppose that doesn't stop you from trying!" Yuri added, ready to respond to whatever challenge Millie threw his way. The High Street provided an interesting backdrop for their magical duel, and Yuri was more than happy to embrace the thrill of the unexpected encounter during his holiday break.

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   Millie Potts

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MJ Made Beautiful Things!

"Oh, they do?"

Millie tried to keep her voice calm after the unexpected appearance of the shield charm, her fingers tightening around the wand in her hand. She hadn't expected him to be ready, even if he was a quidditch player. The necklace at her throat was left strangely alone as she sidled up her classmate. The young witch stood square in front of Mr. Podsnapper now, like a duelist lining up to her opponent.

Perhaps she should have simply struck without warning.

That was an ugly approach, though, like Mr. Fletcher or Mr. Beck. Millie had heard of her classmates using more creative spells as well. They weren't supposed to use more than the General Counter-Spell, what fun was it really to get jinxed by some hooligan playing the game wrong? Millie lifted her wand, certain that she was not going to be using a hex or jinx on Yuri Podsnapper.

"Hold on," Millie paused even her own thoughts, "was that a challenge or simply an observation?"

He had said try, and it sounded a lot like Yuri knew her intentions much better than she did. Millie blinked once before bringing her wand down in a decisive, intentional swish. "Finite!"

She was going to play it right, even if Mr. Beck had absolutely not when he'd caught her in the park. All Millie had to do was get past Yuri's quidditch reflexes, it couldn't be that hard.

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Yuri couldn't help but laugh as Millie questioned his statement about the advantages of quidditch players. Her voice held a hint of calm determination, and he appreciated the ravenclaw's spirit. He had expected her to be caught off guard, so her quick recovery impressed him. As Millie posed her question about whether his statement was a challenge or an observation, Yuri chuckled. "Oh, it's definitely a challenge," he replied with a grin, his eyes locked onto hers, their wands at the ready.

Her fingers tightened around her wand, and Yuri's smirk widened as he readied himself for the upcoming assault. Millie sidled up to him, positioning herself squarely in front. In a comparison Yuri had no one being familiar with, it was a showdown between the sheriff and the 'ombre' - but it wasn't clear who was who.

He had chosen to use the shield charm initially, a strategic move to catch her off guard, but he was ready for a more direct magical exchange. Her posture indicated that she was prepared for a proper challenge, and Yuri's competitive spirit kicked in. He was always up for a friendly competition, especially with someone as spirited as Millie.


When she brought her wand down in a swift motion, casting the "Finite!" spell, Yuri's reflexes kicked in. He had to react quickly to counter her spell. With a smooth flick of his wand, he cast a Protego charm, forming a protective barrier in front of him to deflect the incoming spell.

The air around them crackled with magical energy, and Yuri was fully engaged in the duel. "Impressive!" he called out, in his best imitation of a literary villain, but his voice was laced with an excitement that undermine the antagonistic air was going for.

He wasn't going to make it easy for her, though. He swiftly followed up by conjuring a small burst of colorful sparks from his wand, aiming not directly at her, but to the side, creating a distraction that could potentially make her lose focus.

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   Millie Potts

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MJ Made Beautiful Things!

The young witch's opponent was calm and calculating in the face of her challenge. Even he saw it as one, which made Millie feel better about trying to catch him unawares earlier. It still itched at her that they were performing magic outside of Hogwarts, not that the game could really be played any other way. She only spared a couple of looks at people passing by them before settling her focus entirely on Yuri.

That is, until a fury of red sparksl erupted to her side.

"What was that for? You're supposed to be attacking back!" Millie scurried to the side, one hand grabbing her skirts by instinctive alarm as if the sparks were flames instead. She thought for a moment after, realizing only too late that the game was not, in fact, a duel. Mr. Podsnapper didn't need to attack her, much less stand his ground like he was doing. If anything, his approach made Millie embarrassed that her first instinct had been to run to preserve her 'life' in the game.

She held her wand almost defensively, still uncertain about Yuri's stance. So far, he had only protected himself and deliberately missed, besides his outright compliment to her spells. Was he...? "You're patronizing me," Millie concluded, and it wasn't so much of an accusation. "aren't you?"

Was it because of her feminine sex? Millie wondered at the boy, whose own reputation preceded him. He really didn't seem so bad in person as everyone said, not demon-like at all or whatever his statue had been. There was something far too patient about him, though, as if he already knew something she should have grasped by now.

That thought grated on her more than Mr. Podsnapper's reticence for a real duel.

"You needn't hold back."

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He watched as she scurried to the side, her skirts gathered protectively, and he realized that his approach might have been a tad too aggressive for the friendly game they were playing. He was used to dueling with classmates at school, where there were rules, regulations, and safety measures in place. The casual nature of this game was different, and he didn't want to cause any genuine distress. Anne had almost roasted him alive at the last duel and might have had it not been for Professor Darrow.

Her accusation, that he was patronizing her, however, wasn't lost on him. Even if his actions might have come across that way. But the last thing he wanted was for the game to turn sour or for Millie to feel uncomfortable. He wanted to engage, to be part of the group and enjoy the camaraderie of the game, but he was also aware of the potential consequences. His past as a thief had ingrained in him the importance of caution, and his recent experiences had taught him that even simple games could have unexpected outcomes. He held his wand, uncertain for a moment about how to proceed. It wasn't about patronizing Millie; it was about finding a balance between having fun and safety.

In response to her statement, he didn't answer verbally. Instead, he subtly shifted his wand movement, attempting to cast a binding spell that would gently immobilize her wand hand without causing any harm. His aim wasn't to overpower her or win the game abruptly; he simply wanted to show that he could contribute without going too far. He hoped his actions would convey his intention.

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   Millie Potts

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MJ Made Beautiful Things!

Did nobody listen any longer?

Millie faced the reticent boy who was being very much the stone child of his reputation. A breath huffed between her nostrils, a whispering snort that held her contempt for people who couldn't follow the rules. Especially simple ones like in a game. Yuri simply wasn't playing it right, she wanted a challenge not a farce.

She raised her wand hand once more, only to find it uncooperative. The young witch stared at it, open-mouthed, and then back at Yuri. Her face twisted into a vexing appreciation, at last he was doing something right. Clearly, he was more willing than she gave him credit for.

Millie wrenched the wand from her proper hand, leaving it to hang useless at her side. She flexed her wrist through its range of motion, wordlessly practicing the accompanying swish of a shield charm. Next time she would be ready for his spell before he hit her.

If there was a next time.

"Titilando! " Millie shot a spell his way, not caring if it hit or was deflected by another shield charm. She just wanted what Mr. Podsnapper had tried earlier, to distract him from her real intentions. She was counting on him not being able to put up shield charms as rapidly as necessary. Perhaps the tickling charm would actually hit, or he might be thrown off-balance by the aggression from someone of the feminine sex. Either way, Millie was pushing until she had her victory or couldn't possibly anymore.

"Petrificus Totalus! "

Millie forgot all about her determination not to curse poor Yuri Podsnapper.

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Millie's determination to engage in the game with full force was evident, and Yuri couldn't help but appreciate her spirit, even though he still had reservations about the situation. He focused on her wand hand, ready to react to her spells.

As she cast the first spell, "Titilando," Yuri swiftly summoned a Protego charm once again, deflecting the spell with a shimmering shield. He was relieved that she wasn't taking the game too seriously, but he understood her desire for a challenge.

However, what he didn't anticipate was her immediate follow-up. Before he could react in time, Millie cast the "Petrificus Totalus" spell. Yuri tried to conjure another protective barrier, but he was a fraction of a second too slow. The spell struck him, and for a moment, he felt his entire body stiffen - just like it had done all those years before...he was stilled in his tracks. RATS!

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   Millie Potts

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MJ Made Beautiful Things!

The young witch hadn't really expected the full body-bind curse to work, or to work as well as it did. She teetered on a half-taken step, already moving out of the way for Mr. Pdosnapper's inevitable counterspell. She had him worked up by now, she was certain, and even more certain that he would hit her back even harder now. His complete lack of response threw her off-guard.

A laugh bubbled up from Millie's chest as her nerves unwound. Her spell had worked, better than she thought, and now Yuri Podsnapper was as still as a statue on the streets of Hogsmeade. The young witch had nothing on her mind than the sheer thrill of victory over her peer. She had been so sure he was a better duelist than her, he was in the dueling club after all, and that her only real chance had been catching him off-guard. The giggles that pursued her success quieted quickly as Millie swallowed and stood tall in front of her victim.

"Finito," she said, more quietly this time. The swish of her wand instantly undid her curse, freeing Yuri and dooming him at once, the cloth band he wore turning black as her own. When it was over, and the stakes of the game had shifted by one now to the Inferi, Millie tucked her wand out of sight.

The sights and sounds of High Street seemed to filter back to Millie's senses, waking her from the dream. It all felt so silly now, just a short, if violent, interlude on the streets of Hogsmeade for nothing but a childish game. She might have laughed if it was so funny anymore, but first she looked to the face of her forcibly-turned ally. The young witch wondered if he felt as awful as she had being ambushed in the park, and her fingers touched the necklace at her throat.

"Oh, I am sorry, Mr. Podsnapper," she offered, unsure of how to conclude their encounter. Millie was hardly the type to go sauntering off with victorious cheer while her victim sobbed. "It's only a game, please don't take it too seriously."

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As she ended the spell, and he felt his body slump as the spell ended. 'It's alright Miss Potts, ' he said with a small smile, scrubbing the back of his neck with a hand. He wasnt thrilled but it was far from the worst thing that had ever happened to him in his weirdly long life. 'It'll take more than being defeated at a game to make me worried/' he said with a small smile. 'But it'll teach me to underestimate you' Yuri gave a wave, and picked up the things he had been fetching for the housekeeper, before offering her a small wave.

'I'm sure I'll see you around the village Miss Potts' he gave a small immitation of an inferi's growling snarl to punctuate it

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   Millie Potts

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MJ Made Beautiful Things!

Millie slowly blew out the breath that had caught in her throat, finding an even smile taking its place. The wary compliment from Mr. Podsnapper gave her a renewed sense of confidence, as though besting him in a duel hadn't already. With a dip of her head, the young witch took hold of her skirts and gave the boy a quick curtsy of respect. "Why, thank—"

"If you're done tormentin' classmates, Miss Millie, I could use someone to carry these baskets!"

Her ears pricked up at the sound of Mrs. Moore calling to her from across the street. A glance told the young witch that the housekeeper had been waiting, ever patiently, for them to finish. A warmth crept over her cheeks as she nodded diligently, and turned to catch Yuri making a short growl sound. It nearly caught her off guard before she remembered the story of their game, and then Millie found a short giggle bubbling up through her throat.

"Of course, Mr. Podsnapper," she said, trying to regain her composure. Then, unbidden, her mouth added a couragous, "I look forward to it."

She turned away, retreating across the street before her mind and body could betray her like her mouth had. Her whole head flushed now, Millie could hardly keep it from Mrs. Moore's watchful eye. Graciously, the woman gave her only a silent appraisal as she picked up the shopping baskets. With a nod and the barest of winks, the housekeeper led the youngest Potts back from their high street adventures.

Millie's step felt a little lighter and a little surer as she followed.

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