บท 9: Chapter 9: Lethal Claws

Anthony Goldstein was not having a good time.

It all started two months ago, when he started attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It should have been the best days of his life, the thing he was looking forward to his whole life.

And he was prepared for it, the success that is. He was a pureblood scion of the Goldstein family, and as such received lessons from a great many tutors, gaining as much knowledge as he could before the start of his real magical studies.

He owned no wand, so his work was limited to theory. But it was the same for all wizards, and he learned better than anyone. He was a Goldstein after all, wisdom was in his blood.

His whole family were Ravenclaws, with the virtues befitting of such an erudite house. He was thus expected to join the same house and prove the superiority of his family over other purebloods.

It was all part of the ancients and noble families politics, overcoming each other's to establish superiority both in and out of their faction. Hogwarts was but another battleground for the politicians to measure the balance of power of the next generation in a safe, controlled environment.

Anthony knew that, he knew what success represented for his family, his future. He could not afford to be undone by another, not now, not ever.

Being among the ten best students was the minimum he could afford, not figuring among his house's five best was a humiliation. To be undone by a pureblood meant that he was inferior, that he didn't work hard enough, that he wasn't clever enough to secure academic supremacy.

But it wasn't a pureblood who bested him…

No, it was a damned muggleborn who didn't know what magic was a few months ago. He, who had all the resources was defeated by a no-name wizard.

It was intolerable.

Magnus Arran, that usurper understood magic like no other. He would always be the first to cast a spell and the last to be exhausted, whereas a dozen successful Lumos were enough to tire Anthony out.

Flitwick always made some time to discuss his progress, the rumours said Magnus already finished most the first year curriculum and was moving on to more advanced charmwork.

Transfiguration was for the anomaly as natural as breathing, not even that offensive Gryffindor muggleborn could compare with him.

Professor McGonagall didn't see the problem with Magnus working ahead of the class, she did nothing to help the rest of them keep up with him, insisting that they finish the first basic transfigurations before moving on to transforming living targets.

Even Snape seemed to tolerate him! The vampire did not humiliate him once, not even when Anthony and terry took huge risks to put sabotage his cauldron before they made their first forgetfulness potion; the cauldron should have exploded and the offender should have forgotten the last few months of his life.

But no, it never worked as it should, not with Magnus, the boy cast a scouring charm of all things on the cauldron; that was a fourth-year spell! And the worst thing…the worst thing…

He knew.

Magnus knew it was them, Terry didn't believe him but Anthony was sure. His eyes, those damned eagle-like eyes watched him with contempt.

He knew, but Magnus didn't retaliate. The message was clear to Anthony, who spent days on edge expecting the amber eyed boy's revenge, yet it didn't come.

He was not worth it.

But today it would be different, today he'll prove that he's better than that bloody Magnus! He's been preparing this for days, bribing each of their classmates not to interfere with money, personal books and the promise of a part of Magnus's secrets.

It was hard, he had to research this jinx for days. The only other charm that could work to accomplish his design was the Confundus charm, something too advanced for him to learn. An older Ravenclaw from the Davies family taught to him, in exchange for a favour.

Anthony learned it with fervour, spent days practising it until his mastery reached his high standards. It was a rather obscure charm that didn't figure in their syllabus, Anthony's victory would be complete.

Magnus stood no chance!

-BREAK-

"Stolidus!" the boy named Goldberg or something raised his wand as he shouted the name of the spell.

Magnus's eyes widened in shock, he simply could not believe what was happening. Everything he did…all his preparations were in vain.

As the boy thrust his wand in a painfully slow way, Magnus sidestepped, dodging the purple light of the spell as it impacted the wall behind him.

"That's it?" Asked the amber eyed boy, disbelief clear in his voice.

Faster than the ravens could see, he drew his wand to prepare a counterattack. Or did he have it from the beginning? That was for him to know and them to dread.

"Carpe Retractum." Spoke the supposed victim, thrusting his wand forward as a magical link shot from the tip of his wand into his opponent's.

Before he could realize what happened, Magnus raised up his wand as his so-called enemy's own magical focus was pulled toward him.

Carpe Retractum was also called the Seize and Pull charm, as its name indicates, it allowed the caster to either pull himself somewhere or pull something toward him; be it an object or person.

It was essentially a less effective but more accessible version of the summoning charm, with a tweak.

"Give it back!" Shouted the distressed pure blood, his plan was ruined. He failed, and now had to face the consequences.

Nonetheless, Anthony could not understand it yet. Or perhaps he didn't want to? The boy charged wildly at Magnus, intent on muggle-duelling out of this situation.

"Tarantallegra" The eagle-eyed wizard only flicked his wand, no longer bothering with the appropriate movements.

The furious, disarmed pureblood lost control of his legs. As they started spasming uncontrollably in what resembled a dance. The whole room was silent except for the boy's steps and groans, the bribed onlookers observing him flabbergasted.

"Very good, Goldstein. If you get tired of unsuccessfully ambushing wizards, you should definitely try dancing." Said Magnus, an honest smile on his face.

It was all it took for the students to break down in laughter, mysteriously forgetting that they were about to sit back and watch Magnus get attacked. This was the ways of Ravenclaw, the best choice as of now is to change sides and hope Magnus would not pursue the matter.

"Stop this right now!" Roared the red-faced dancer, he had never been humiliated in such a way. Even his supposed friends turned on him, it was unjust.

"Why would I?" asked the young wizard, his voice completely indifferent.

"I'll tell Flitwick about it!" mumbled dancy-feets incoherently, between a string of rather unflattering comments.

"Oh, and do tell, what will you tell him? That you tried to ambush me and that I fought back? That you were going to use a Jelly-Brain Jinx on another Ravenclaw?" Magnus's voice was calm as water, you'd think he was discussing the weather if not for his eyes.

A rapacious amber gaze was fixed on Anthony, the promise of retribution shining through them as he was silenced instantly.

If the eyes were the windows of the soul, then the Ravenclaws dreaded to know what kind of spirit Magnus Arran had.

"Wait…" whimpered the jinxed boy.

"What? You think I cannot prove it? Don't you see all the witnesses around us?" Mocked the eagle-eyed wizard "A simple Priori Incantato would show the last spells your wand cast."

Anthony Goldstein was on the verge of tears, it wasn't supposed to happen. He should have won, it was supposed to be his moment.

But reality was a cruel mistress, and Magnus would never be cast down by a mediocre first year with illusions of grandeur.

'An eagle will never lose to a small crow, no matter how loud he cawed' Thought the raven-haired boy, observing his assailant as he was about to break-down.

"Don't lose it yet, Goldberg, I have one last surprise for you." He said merrily, soon after the doors were opened and two relatively short people entered.

"Mr. Arran, are you okay?!" squeaked the outraged professor, a Ravenclaw girl walking beside him.

"Yes, professor. The situation is under control." Responded the boy, quickly wearing an apologetic face.

The professor looked from the amber eyed boy to the dancing Anthony Goldstein and to the confused first years, a look of comprehension appeared on his face as his face steeled.

"I see." He spoke calmly, it was however even more terrifying than Magnus's earlier performance.

The half-goblin cast a silent finite on the jinxed troublemaker, the later falling down from the momentum.

"Can you tell me how students of my house, allowed one of their own to ambush a housemate?" His voice was level, his face calm. But there was no hiding their teacher's fury, and it was understandable.

They were the house of the wise, yet in their pursuit of knowledge and greater grades they lost sight of what truly matter; logic. Allowing Goldstein to do as he wished, while not overly dangerous for their own future was still a venture doomed to failure and a blemish they could've easily avoided.

Both they and the main offender miscalculated things greatly, it was as obvious to them as it was to Flitwick.

The teacher was no fool, as his jovial and light-hearted demeanour may suggest. He was a brilliant duellist and charm master who had to face great discrimination and problems to reach his current position, and more importantly, he was a Ravenclaw.

He knew what his students could do to overcome a better student, having experienced it many times in his own school years.

As such, he observed the situation and deduced that Goldstein conspired with the other students and convinced them not to interfere while he attacked Magnus and sabotaged his performance for a long time; long enough for him to progress beyond the boy.

Yet he didn't account for Magnus own machinations, the later having an ally among the claws in the person of one Miss Padma Patil, with whom he spent much time and had good relations with.

They would regularly study and complete their homework together, though they made sure not to exhibit their positive relationship so as not to put the girl in more trouble than it is worth.

Eventually, Goldstein approached her with his plan and she of course informed Magnus. The young wizard came prepared and defeated his fellow Ravenclaw in a particularly humiliating fashion while the girl brought him, their teacher to watch the scene and punish the offenders. Magnus will thus be safe form any fallout or bad reputation as he wouldn't directly act against his housemates, it will be their professor who did that.

Flitwick was the tool he used to punish his classmates without becoming more of a pariah than he already was, an admirable feat that would allow him to navigate in the political storm that is his house without being sabotaged or assimilated into another student's flock. For a muggleborn like him, it was the best he could hope for lest he decide to live as hermit and pray that everything would be fine.

It was an excellent counter-plan, and as he cast the reverse spell on Anthony's wand; he was only mildly surprised to see a jelly-brain jinx was cast, it was a nasty jinx to use on a Ravenclaw but it proved that Goldstein was the first to attack.

He couldn't stop himself from feeling a bit of pride at his amber eyed student's plan, it was justified after all…

He once did the same thing

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Magnus: Master Tactician-en-devenir

Anthony Goldstein: 'This was not supposed to happen'

Padma Patil: Happy to help a friend

Flitwick: Proud of his student

Terry Boot: Shit

Hey guys! Second chapter today!

I hope you liked it, it isn't the longest one i made but it contained some action and a bit of development on the Ravenclaws side.

Magnus barely managed to navigate himself into a favourable position, where he is both respected, feared but not enough to be hated. Flitwick will be the one dishing out punishments and as such Magnus's reputation will be safe.

Any thoughts? Advise and criticism are welcome.

Peace and Cheese!