Dueling Club on the last Tuesday in January felt different.
Professor Hecat called for attention before the usual warmups began, and the room fell silent immediately.
"As you all know, the International Youth Dueling Championship is in June. Hogwarts will send four students. Sterling, Greengrass, and Bones have secured their positions through consistent excellence." She paused, looking toward where Rowan and Sebastian stood on opposite sides of the room. "The fourth spot comes down to our two first-years. Tonight, we settle it. Ashcroft, Sallow. Center platform."
The atmosphere shifted instantly. Every student in the room turned to watch. This wasn't just another practice match. This was the selection duel, the one that would determine who represented Hogwarts on the international stage.
Rowan walked to the platform, his heart steady despite the weight of what was at stake. Across from him, Sebastian moved with that same confident ease, but his eyes were sharp with focus.
They'd dueled each other dozens of times over the past months. In club sessions, in private practice they'd arranged between themselves, even once in a corridor when their competitive instincts had gotten the better of them. The score was nearly even. Tonight would break the tie.
"Full rules," Hecat announced. "First to be disarmed, knocked unconscious, or forced from the ring loses. This is an official selection match. I expect your absolute best from both of you."
They took their positions at opposite ends of the platform.
"Begin!"
Neither moved for a full second. Both analyzing, both remembering every duel they'd fought, every pattern they'd learned about each other.
Then Sebastian moved first, and the platform exploded into motion.
His opening was aggressive, as always. A Stunning Spell followed by a Disarming Charm, his wand movements fluid from months of practice. Rowan's shield absorbed the first and he sidestepped the second, already casting his counter.
"Flipendo!"
Sebastian deflected it, but Rowan had expected that. The Knockback Jinx was a feint, designed to position Sebastian exactly where Rowan wanted him. Before Sebastian could recover fully, Rowan cast his real attack.
"Incarcerous!"
Binding ropes shot toward Sebastian's legs. He dodged with impressive agility, but it cost him his offensive momentum. Rowan pressed the advantage, firing a rapid combination: "Stupefy! Expelliarmus! Petrificus Totalus!"
Sebastian's shield caught the first two, but the third slipped through. Nearly. He twisted aside at the last possible second, the Body-Bind Curse missing by inches.
"Nice try," Sebastian said, his voice steady despite breathing hard. Then he counterattacked with a ferocity that drove Rowan backward three full steps.
The exchange that followed was brutal. They traded spells at a pace that had the watching students murmuring in impressed disbelief. This wasn't first-year dueling anymore. This was advanced technique, the kind typically seen between fourth or fifth years.
Sebastian's aggressive offense crashed against Rowan's patient defense again and again. Rowan would absorb the assault, wait for an opening, then strike with precise counterattacks. Neither could gain decisive advantage.
One minute became two. Two became three.
Rowan felt his magical reserves depleting faster than usual. The intensity of maintaining shields against Sebastian's relentless barrage was exhausting. But Sebastian had to be tiring too. His offense was slowing fractionally, his movements not quite as sharp.
They both knew this couldn't last much longer. Someone would make a mistake soon.
It was Sebastian who blinked first.
He cast an ambitious four-spell combination. Stunning Spell, Disarmer, Knockback Jinx, and a Tripping Jinx, all in rapid succession. It was brilliant, aggressive, exactly the kind of overwhelming offense that had won him matches before.
But it left him exposed for a crucial half-second.
Rowan's shield held against the first three spells. Barely, flickering dangerously. He dodged the fourth. And in that moment when Sebastian was recovering from the massive magical expenditure, Rowan struck.
Nothing fancy. Just one perfectly placed, perfectly timed Disarming Charm.
"Expelliarmus!"
Sebastian tried to shield, but he was a fraction too slow, his magical reserves depleted from that massive combination. The spell caught his wrist dead-on. His wand flew from his hand, spinning through the air.
Rowan caught it.
The platform went silent.
"Victory to Ashcroft," Hecat declared, her voice carrying clearly through the room. "The fourth spot goes to Ashcroft. He will represent Hogwarts at the International Youth Dueling Championship."
The silence broke. Applause from the watching students, some cheering, others looking impressed by the display they'd just witnessed.
Rowan walked over to Sebastian, offering his wand back.
Sebastian took it, his expression carefully controlled. For a moment, Rowan couldn't read what he was thinking. Then Sebastian extended his hand.
"Well fought," Sebastian said quietly. His voice was steady, but Rowan could see the disappointment in his eyes. The crushing weight of coming so close and falling just short. "You deserved that win. You were better today."
"You were incredible," Rowan replied honestly, shaking his hand. "That could have gone either way. If you'd saved that four-spell combination for later—"
"But I didn't." Sebastian's smile was strained. "That's on me. I pushed too hard too early." He paused, then added with visible effort, "Represent Hogwarts well, Ashcroft. Show them what we can do."
There was something in his voice. Genuine support mixed with deep disappointment, pride mixed with envy. He meant what he said, but saying it clearly cost him.
"I will," Rowan promised.
Sebastian nodded once, then stepped back and left the platform. He joined the other students on the sidelines, accepting their commiserations with forced good humor. But Rowan caught him glancing at the platform once more, his expression unguarded for just a moment. Raw longing for something just out of reach.
Then Sebastian noticed Rowan watching and the mask snapped back into place. He gave a casual wave, that crooked smile returning, before turning to Ominis Gaunt, who'd been waiting by the door and looked like he had something pressing to discuss.
Rowan was going to the championship.
The realization settled more heavily than he'd expected. Sebastian had deserved it too. They'd both worked themselves to exhaustion for months, and the margin between victory and defeat had been razor-thin.
He pushed the thought aside. He could reflect on complex feelings about Sebastian Sallow later.
Right now, he had a championship to prepare for.
The week passed in steady progression. Classes, homework, private study, spell modification experiments, Occlumency and Legilimency practice with Iris. Rowan's routine was demanding, but he thrived on the challenge.
Their mind magic practice had moved beyond simple memory viewing into more complex techniques. Searching for specific information, organizing memories more efficiently, even attempting to share thoughts in real-time rather than just viewing past experiences.
One evening in late January, as they practiced in an abandoned classroom, Iris suddenly went rigid.
"Rowan," she said urgently. "I think I just saw something in your mind. Something recent. A plan you're developing. About the future, about... changing things?"
Rowan's pulse quickened. He'd been thinking about his long-term plans while they practiced, and apparently his thoughts had been more accessible than intended.
"What exactly did you see?"
"No details. Just... impressions. A sense that you're planning something big. Something that goes far beyond just excelling at school." She met his eyes. "What are you planning, Rowan?"
He considered denying it, deflecting, changing the subject. But they'd made an Unbreakable Vow to protect each other's secrets. And more than that, Iris was his friend.
She deserved honesty.
"I'm planning to change the wizarding world," Rowan said quietly. "Make it better. More just. More rational. I see the prejudice, the stagnation, the potential for disaster. And I think I can prevent some of that disaster if I position myself correctly."
"That's... ambitious."
"Yes."
"And probably dangerous."
"Also yes."
Iris was quiet for a long moment. Processing.
Then she said, "I'm going to help you."
"You don't have to—"
"I want to. Whatever you're planning, you'll need allies. People you can trust absolutely. And I trust you, Rowan. If you think the wizarding world needs changing, then I believe you. Count me in."
Rowan felt a surge of gratitude and relief. He'd been prepared to pursue his goals alone if necessary, but having someone who understood, who supported him, who he could confide in. That was invaluable.
"Thank you," he said simply.
"What do you need me to do?"
"For now? Keep studying, keep improving, keep learning everything you can. When the time comes to act, I'll need skilled allies. Powerful allies. People who can stand beside me when things get difficult."
"Then that's what I'll become," Iris said with quiet determination.
They returned to their practice, but something had shifted.
They were no longer just friends helping each other learn.
They were partners in something larger, co-conspirators in an ambitious plan to reshape their world.