The Duel That (Technically) Wasn't
It started, as most of their problems did, with Vi’s inability to mind her own business.
She and Caitlyn had been making their way back from the library (a rare occasion, since Vi tended to avoid books unless they had moving pictures or involved a significant amount of explosions) when a commotion near the Charms corridor caught their attention.
Two third-years stood nose to nose, red-faced and furious, wands twitching at their sides.
Vi elbowed Caitlyn. “Ten Sickles says this ends in a duel.”
Caitlyn sighed. “Oh come now. No it won—”
One of them lunged, shoving the other back a step.
Caitlyn groaned. “Why did I say anything?”
Vi grinned. “We should—”
“Walk away,” Caitlyn suggested.
“No,” Vi said, already marching toward the scene. “Get involved.”
That was how, somehow, Caitlyn and Vi found themselves standing between two very angry third-years, attempting to play peacemakers.
“Alright, gentlemen,” Vi said, clapping a hand on each boy’s shoulder. “Let’s all breathe, yeah? What’s this about?”
“He called my wand wonky!” one of the boys fumed.
Caitlyn pinched the bridge of her nose. “Oh, for Merlin’s sake—”
“I only said that because his Lumos barely lights up!” the other shot back.
Vi snorted. “That’s… definitely not worth detention, mate.”
Unfortunately, rational thought had long since abandoned the third-years.
One of them, clearly done with conversation, flicked his wand. The sneezing jinx—intended for his opponent—went wide, streaking toward Vi instead.
Caitlyn reacted instantly, shoving Vi behind her she cast a perfect Shield Charm.
The jet of light bounced off her barrier and shot straight back at the spell’s original caster. There was a yelp, a thud, and one very unfortunate third-year ended up flat on his back, sneezing uncontrollably.
Vi blinked.
“Did you just—”
“I told you we should’ve walked away,” Caitlyn muttered.
Before they could fully process what had happened, a sharp voice rang out behind them.
“Oh, this is just fantastic."
Both girls turned.
Maddie stood there, arms crossed, looking full of exasperation.
"Nolen," Vi practically growled.
Maddie’s gaze swept the scene—the sneezing third-year still sprawled on the floor, the other looking mildly terrified, Caitlyn standing with her wand definitely still raised, and Vi looking far too entertained.
Maddie looked delighted as she drawled, "This looks an awful lot like I should go get a prefect. Or a professor."
Caitlyn, eager to get ahead of whatever was coming, cleared her throat. “Okay, before you say anything, it wasn’t our fault.”
Maddie arched a skeptical brow.
Caitlyn pushed on. “Technically, Vi and I stopped a duel.”
Maddie gestured to the groaning third-year on the floor. “That looks an awful lot like you hexed him.”
Vi, delighted, nudged Caitlyn. “See? I told you you’d win a duel someday.”
Caitlyn glared. “It wasn’t a duel, Vi.”
Maddie crossed her arms. “So, shall I go find a prefect?”
Vi gasped. “You wouldn’t.”
Maddie smirked. “Try me.”
Caitlyn sighed. “Vi, run."
Vi didn't need to be told twice and the two girls took off in the opposite direction.
Maddie, not expecting them to just... bolt, stood rooted to the ground in surprise, which allowed the two young Gryffindors to make their great escape.
As they hurried toward Gryffindor Tower, Vi grinned. “Well, that was fun.”
Caitlyn gave her a look. “We nearly got in trouble, Vi.”
“But we didn’t.”
Caitlyn sighed. “One day, I’m going to leave you to deal with the consequences of your actions.”
Vi gasped. “You wouldn’t.”
Caitlyn huffed. “Just get inside before we run into another disaster.”
And with that, Gryffindor Tower swallowed them into the night, away from Maddie's itch to run to the nearest authority figure just to spite them. They spotted Mylo and Claggor sitting on the red couch by the window and the two girls made their way over to them.
"Boys," Vi greeted with a nod. "Wasn't it such a nice afternoon all four of us spent in Gryffindor tower together, wrapped up in jovial games of Wizard's Chess and Gobstones?"
Mylo and Claggor looked quite confused.
"What did you do, Vi?" Claggor sighed.
"Hey! Why do you assume it was me?"
All three of them stared at her, dumbfounded. Vi pouted cutely.
"Well we didn't do anything besides breaking up a duel, but Nolen -" her name sounded like poison on Vi's tongue - "decided she was going to go run and tattle, so you're our alibi."
"Yeah, okay," Mylo hummed thoughtfully. "But if nothing happened, what can she even say?"
Vi chuckled. "Well, Kiramman here put one of the third years on his ass when his jinx bounced back at him off of her shield charm." Vi was beaming at Caitlyn.
"Yeah I saved you from sneezing your head off- that jinx was heading right for you."
Vi splayed herself against Caitlyn's side and dramatically placed her hand over her heart with a, "My hero," before turning to the boys. "So, yeah. Like I said earlier, it was lovely playing Wizard's Chess with you two all afternoon."
Mylo and Claggor exchanged a glance before breaking into a fit of hysterics. "Right on, Vi. Shall we actually play then?"
The rest of the evening passed uneventfully with the four of them rotating through games of chess and Gobstones. Eventually Caitlyn and Vi let themselves relax, figuring that Maddie never made good on her threat.
Hours passed, and Mylo and Claggor had long since gone to bed before Vi felt a weight against her. Turning slowly, she saw blue hair falling over her own shoulder and realized Caitlyn had fallen asleep there.
Vi, for some reason, could not stop her heart from tap dancing in her chest as she leaned her own head against Cait's for a minute before deciding they should probably head to bed.
"Cait," Vi whispered, shaking the sleeping girl gently. "We gotta go to bed."
Caitlyn barely stirred, so Vi tried again. She needed to stifle a laugh at Caitlyn's sleepy reply of "Mmmpf don' wanna."
"C'mon Cait, we can't sleep here!" Vi gently nudged Caitlyn so she was sitting up and the two girls were facing each other. Vi took in Caitlyn's sleepy appearance and smiled in spite of herself. Caitlyn, however, threw Vi a curveball when she fell back against the couch and raised her hands up to Vi.
Vi guffawed, but relented under Caitlyn's gaze.
"Alright fine, hop on." Vi rolled her eyes, but squatted down nonetheless to allow the shorter girl to climb onto her back. She carried Caitlyn up the stairs, and pulled the covers back on Caitlyn's four poster bed before depositing her gently onto the mattress.
Caitlyn was already asleep by the time Vi bid her goodnight.
That night, Vi lay awake for hours trying in vain to calm the desperate thudding in her chest.