The Wrong Place at the Wrong Time

44. Stupefy

Draco could clearly recall the first wizarding duel he had participated in, and the row he had had with his parents right afterwards. They didn’t, of course, believe that disarming his unarmed four-year-old cousin had been a complete accident. After all, it wasn’t his fault that the kid chose that moment to run across the room between her brother and Draco.

“Let’s duel, then. The winner gets the card,” Tom had said. Both boys had been collecting cards from the Chocolate Frogs for years, and both had been missing the same one; Merlin.

“Fine,” Draco had replied, drawing his wand.

The snow fell silently outside as the eleven-year-olds turned their backs to each other and walked away a few paces.

“Stupefy!” Draco had yelled, spinning around to cast the spell, once the agreed distance had been crossed. He hadn’t noticed the child until too late.

And so his first Christmas back from Hogwarts he had spent mostly in his room – grounded.