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The moment you step through the door, will notice not only the vastness but thoughtfully outline of the Arena. The windows are meticulously designed; and ceilings are rather high. To the right of the room, there are multiple long platforms on which duels will be held while benches up on either side are placed at a safe distance for those who would like to have a seat and observe the duels.
At the very back of the Arena, you will find practice dummies. These dummies are either stationary and moving, depending on what difficulty the practitioner chooses. Don't hesitate to test your abilities to the fullest in terms of your spells! The dummies are charmed to repair themselves. You will notice, however, three dummies set aside. These three are unlike the others since they are special in the way that they will send spells back to the practitioners. Permission from Professor Khanna is required to use the latter. The left side of the arena houses a few sets of stands which overlook the entire Arena. These stands are perfect for those who want to catch a glimpse of each bit of activity happening simultaneously. The stands may also be used for studying or relaxing after a hectic day of classes.
Finally, the middle is quite empty. The reason? Professor Khanna usually enjoys hosting his lessons here.
OOC: Special credit goes to Roselyn for the general description of the Arena!
Bathes in Maple Syrup | Dancing Lobster | Moy Pomidor | Seneca's Beard | That Is So Fetch!
Freya's boots echoed sharply against the stone floor of the Duelling Arena. The air around her hummed faintly with residual magic, and the training dummies stood in a loose half-circle ahead, their wooden torsos scarred and splintered from countless previous sessions.
She rolled her shoulders once, loosening the tension there, and drew her wand in a smooth, practiced motion. The familiar weight settled into her palm, grounding her. Her blue eyes flicked over each dummy, calculating angles, distance, rhythm.
"No warm-up, then," she murmured, more to herself than anyone else.
The first spell left her wand with a sharp crack. "Expelliarmus!"
Red light burst forward, striking the nearest dummy square in the chest and knocking it backward on its stand. Freya didn't wait for it to steady before pivoting on her heel, wand already slashing through the air again.
"Stupefy!"
A second dummy jolted, its head snapping back as if struck by an invisible fist. Freya advanced quick and light on her feet, her expression set in fierce concentration. She could already feel the familiar rush that came when thought and motion blurred into instinct.
There was another flick of her wrist. "Protego!"
A translucent shield flared just as the third dummy's automated charm fired a retaliatory jinx from the far end. Sparks skittered harmlessly off the barrier. Freya smirked, dropping the shield with deliberate casualness.
"Too slow," she muttered before lunging forward with her wand aimed precisely. "Deprimo!"
A burst of force slammed into the final dummy, driving it violently into the stone floor. The wooden figure lay half-sunken in the indentation until it would eventually reset itself.
~ Mrs. Steve Harrington ~ Claimed by Bits ❤️ ~ Queen of Typos ❄ Magical Mosh Pit ❄
SPOILER!!: Freya! <3
Quote:
Originally Posted by Zoe
Freya's boots echoed sharply against the stone floor of the Duelling Arena. The air around her hummed faintly with residual magic, and the training dummies stood in a loose half-circle ahead, their wooden torsos scarred and splintered from countless previous sessions.
She rolled her shoulders once, loosening the tension there, and drew her wand in a smooth, practiced motion. The familiar weight settled into her palm, grounding her. Her blue eyes flicked over each dummy, calculating angles, distance, rhythm.
"No warm-up, then," she murmured, more to herself than anyone else.
The first spell left her wand with a sharp crack. "Expelliarmus!"
Red light burst forward, striking the nearest dummy square in the chest and knocking it backward on its stand. Freya didn't wait for it to steady before pivoting on her heel, wand already slashing through the air again.
"Stupefy!"
A second dummy jolted, its head snapping back as if struck by an invisible fist. Freya advanced quick and light on her feet, her expression set in fierce concentration. She could already feel the familiar rush that came when thought and motion blurred into instinct.
There was another flick of her wrist. "Protego!"
A translucent shield flared just as the third dummy's automated charm fired a retaliatory jinx from the far end. Sparks skittered harmlessly off the barrier. Freya smirked, dropping the shield with deliberate casualness.
"Too slow," she muttered before lunging forward with her wand aimed precisely. "Deprimo!"
A burst of force slammed into the final dummy, driving it violently into the stone floor. The wooden figure lay half-sunken in the indentation until it would eventually reset itself.
Dhruv frequently visited the Dueling Arena. From observing practising students to interacting with them to offering advice, it was all in a day’s work. Not to mention something they enjoyed. Today was no different, and because it was early in the day that weekend morning, they didn’t expect to find anyone - much less a student - there.
The said student happened to be diligently at work with her practise, and Dhruv was able to slip in the Arena unnoticed, which was excellent since it provided them an opportunity to watch Freya at work. Well, one could say another opportunity since there were also those moments during lessons where her spellwork was observed.
Needless to say there was a significant amount of shrewdness and a good deal of calculation going on when it came to dealing with the dummies. “They never stood a chance, did they?” The DADA finally approached the Slytherin. “Impressive as always, Ms. Snakebark. Are you thinking about taking up professional dueling by chance?”
Bathes in Maple Syrup | Dancing Lobster | Moy Pomidor | Seneca's Beard | That Is So Fetch!
Freya's wand was still raised when the voice cut through the arena.
For the briefest fraction of a second, her muscles tightened—instinct before recognition. The shield charm flickered at the edge of her thoughts, ready to snap into existence if needed. Then she turned, the tension easing as she spotted the familiar figure of Professor Khanna approaching across the stone floor.
So. She hadn't been alone after all.
"They rarely do," she replied coolly, glancing briefly at the battered practice targets before looking back at him. Her tone wasn't boastful, just matter-of-fact.
Her eyes flicked toward the resetting dummy as it slowly straightened itself with a mechanical whirr. Freya lowered her wand, though she didn't tuck it away. Not yet. "Dummies can be predictable," she added. "Real opponents adapt."
At Khanna's final question, Freya tilted her head slightly, considering it as though it were a tactical puzzle rather than a casual inquiry.
"It's... one possibility. I like efficiency," she continued. "Duelling rewards that. Precision. Timing. Control. And the ability to think faster than the person trying to hex you."
A faint smirk tugged at her lips.
"But I suspect you didn't come down here this early in the morning just to compliment my target practice, professor?"
~ Mrs. Steve Harrington ~ Claimed by Bits ❤️ ~ Queen of Typos ❄ Magical Mosh Pit ❄
SPOILER!!: Freya! <3
Quote:
Originally Posted by Zoe
Freya's wand was still raised when the voice cut through the arena.
For the briefest fraction of a second, her muscles tightened—instinct before recognition. The shield charm flickered at the edge of her thoughts, ready to snap into existence if needed. Then she turned, the tension easing as she spotted the familiar figure of Professor Khanna approaching across the stone floor.
So. She hadn't been alone after all.
"They rarely do," she replied coolly, glancing briefly at the battered practice targets before looking back at him. Her tone wasn't boastful, just matter-of-fact.
Her eyes flicked toward the resetting dummy as it slowly straightened itself with a mechanical whirr. Freya lowered her wand, though she didn't tuck it away. Not yet. "Dummies can be predictable," she added. "Real opponents adapt."
At Khanna's final question, Freya tilted her head slightly, considering it as though it were a tactical puzzle rather than a casual inquiry.
"It's... one possibility. I like efficiency," she continued. "Duelling rewards that. Precision. Timing. Control. And the ability to think faster than the person trying to hex you."
A faint smirk tugged at her lips.
"But I suspect you didn't come down here this early in the morning just to compliment my target practice, professor?"
It was possible it was just Dhruv’s imagination, though it was unlikely given their nature to be alert and observant, but they detected some degree of tenseness from Freya. But when they detected a hint of relaxation and calm from her, they knew their earlier thought had been correct.
The DADA professor chuckled. “That much is true, based on what observations I’ve made during lessons.” And no, they did not think that the Slytherin was being egotistical. A second later, their face broke into a cheerful smile. “Is that your way of telling me that I need to up my game with the dummies? That I should make them more challenging?” The wheels in their brain were already turning, spewing out ideas. Of course, those ideas would have to wait.
Instead, Dhruv tilted their head, their hands slipping into the pockets of their trousers as they studied Freya. In their opinion, she was a true Slytherin with the way she spoke. It was exactly the sort of description he would expect such a mind to use to speak about dueling. “I couldn’t agree more. It also teaches you to remain calm and clear headed under pressure.” Speaking of professional dueling, the conversation made their thoughts turn fondly to Jericho.
“Quite right. I usually check in since there are students wanting to take advantage of the Arena for practise. Would you care for a duel with your professor, Ms. Snakebark? I have a feeling I may offer a bit more challenge than the dummies.” Dhruv, too, was not boasting.
Bathes in Maple Syrup | Dancing Lobster | Moy Pomidor | Seneca's Beard | That Is So Fetch!
At their remark about the dummies, her gaze flicked briefly to the nearest one as it finished resetting with a hollow clack.
"They serve their purpose," Freya said at last, a subtle lift of her brow following. "But if you want them to be useful beyond fundamentals and feel inclined, then yes. You should make them more of a challenge."
There was no bite or mockery to her words. It was just her honest opinion, which they could accept and follow up with or not. This was, after all, technically their domain.
Her attention sharpened as he spoke about composure under pressure. This time, there was the faintest shift in her posture before she nodded her head in agreement. "Calm is everything," she said. "Panic is inefficient. Emotion clouds judgment." A pause followed, brief but deliberate. "And hesitation loses duels."
Then came the offer.
Freya stilled. Not out of hesitation, but calculation. A duel with the professor was not comparable to practice. Not even close. There would be variation, unpredictability, and intent behind every movement, the kind of pressure dummies could never replicate.
Her grip on her wand adjusted, fractionally tighter as Freya's chin lifted.
"If you're offering, Professor," she continued, "then it would be foolish to refuse."
The Dueling Arena 
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Open! 
