Chương 258: Limit Testing

"So, how did you know that this… Okama— Kama-tachi…? Whatever it is, how did you know it was the right bloodline?" Daphne asked curiously.

The sisters had decided to test Astoria's newfound capabilities over the Easter holidays, and, of course, Daphne had to ask the question that she'd been dying to know the answer to.

"I told you already," Oleandra said annoyance. "The list of noble families and their bloodline origins, that Slytherin left in his office. Simple logic dictated that it would be Father's bloodline, if Mother's didn't work."

"Still," said Daphne, sounding impressed. "To think of that little detail on the spot— I had completely given up. I imagine that you used rune magic to sharpen your memory— Kenaz or Ingwaz, I suppose?"

Oleandra grunted noncommittally, which had become her best tool when she couldn't answer a question without lying. She just hoped she wouldn't have to make use of it too often, or people would think of her as a cavewoman.

The twins watched as Astoria bounded across the Quidditch field at inhuman speeds, her red hair trailing behind her like a comet's tail. It wasn't blink-and-you-miss-it fast, and it didn't seem that impressive when you were watching her run from afar, but it was only when she whizzed by that Oleandra realized just how fast she could really go. And her reflexes were off the charts— Oleandra's pocket watch wasn't precise enough to measure them, but she didn't need to know the exact times to know they were scarily fast.

"The human body is not meant to be able to run that fast," Daphne said thoughtfully. "Even if someone could move their legs that fast, they wouldn't be able to propel themselves forward like she's doing without flying off into the air."

"It's the wind; see how it almost looks like she's skating?" Oleandra explained. "The Kamaitachi is a Japanese wind weasel; she's using the wind to carry herself forward."

The twins then decided they would test out Astoria's combat strength. Oleandra and Daphne were used to magical combat, but their sickly little sister had never been in a fight— much less a magical one.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Astoria said, a hint of concern in her voice. "I wouldn't want to hurt you…"

Oleandra and Daphne looked into each other's eyes and laughed. Astoria, hurt them? She must be dreaming! Even if she was very fast, she lacked experience. And it was not as if the twins were weak by any means. They were already better fighters than much of the adult Wizarding population, but that didn't mean much by itself; there were a myriad different uses for magic other than for fighting; those who fought magical battles for a living were on a completely different level.

"I'll go first," said Daphne. "Try your best to land a hit on me, little Sis."

Daphne and Astoria took their places ten paces away from each other. With her Mystic Eyes, Oleandra noticed that Daphne had already begun laying traps just beneath the ground before the duel had even started. Really now, Daphne? Cheating in a friendly practice match? Oleandra had to admit it would be embarrassing for a big sister to lose to their little sister who had spent half her life in a sickbed, so she kept quiet.

"Three… two… one… begin!" Oleandra called out.

Astoria flashed forward, but she instantly stepped on a foothold trap; vines burst out of the ground, tripping her up and causing her to faceplant into the grassy soil. Tendrils of roots then snaked around her small body, flipping her face up and tying her to the ground, Gulliver's Travels-style.

"Don't underestimate your big sister," Daphne said sweetly. "You're a thousand years too early if you think you can defeat me that easily."

"Don't forget you're a Witch," Oleandra reminded Astoria. "Spellcasting is how a Witch fights; everything else is secondary. You also need to think with your head; don't just rush in blindly! Let's try again, but this time, you'll be fighting me. I may not have any fancy bloodline abilities like you two, but I can still hold my own."

Daphne released her magic, allowing Astoria to brush the dirt off of her. Oleandra patiently waited for her to be ready, and they each took their places ten paces away from each other.

"Three… two… one… begin!" Daphne called out.

Oleandra instantly took to the skies; and not a moment too soon. Astoria, who had perhaps thought that Oleandra wouldn't think she'd do the same thing again, had tried to rush her down as fast as possible. Astoria then turned on her heel and leapt, enhancing her jump with wind, and grabbed at Oleandra's ankles, but she simply flew a little higher to avoid her little sister.

"No fair!" Astoria pouted. "How can I fight you if I can't fly?"

"Don't you know any spells?" Oleandra called back.

Astoria then began throwing every single offensive spell she could think of at her, but Oleandra simply dodged out of the way. Astoria's accuracy was simply atrocious, and Oleandra was much too mobile in the air, having three dimensions to dodge in.

Frustrated, Astoria then began to cast her Jinxes faster and faster. She even threw a Slippery Shoes Jinx at Oleandra, which she didn't even bother to avoid.

"Ow!" cried Astoria. "Bit my tongue!"

"Laukaz!" Oleandra said casually, snapping her fingers.

Had Astoria been paying attention to the ground, she would have noticed water pooling in the grass. Oleandra's spell had called up the water from an aquifer, and when she'd accumulated enough, she sent it surging upwards all at once, trapping Astoria's legs in a large water bubble.

"What the—" said Astoria, looking at her feet. She jumped and kicked in an attempt to get rid of the bubble, it just didn't seem to want to let go.

"Glacius!" Oleandra called out, finally pulling out her wand with her right hand, while using the hand sign of Isaz the Brilliant in her left. "And another thing; never take your eyes off your opponent!"

The water bubble around Astoria's legs instantly turned into a block of ice, making her faceplant into the dirt for a second time as she lost her balance. In essence, Oleandra had recreated in a rather roundabout way the effects of the Leg-Locker Curse by using two spells instead of one.

Not exactly the most efficient way to achieve such a result in single combat, but nothing was stopping Oleandra from sending the water bubble at her opponent's head rather than at their ankles…