Thick Of It

The students stood in the spacious Room of Requirement, its walls lined with glowing sconces, casting flickering light on eager faces. Jason and Harry were at the center, wands drawn, while the rest of the group formed a loose circle around them. The air was thick with anticipation, a charged silence punctuated by murmurs of excitement.

Jason stood casually, his stance relaxed but confident, twirling his wand between his fingers.

Jason: "Alright, I hear from Hermione that most of you have a basic grasp of dueling spells. Great. Let's put that to the test."

He turned to Harry, giving him a sly grin.

Jason: "Potter, you're up. A little duel—don't worry, I'll keep myself limited to the spells you all know. Should be fair."

Harry stepped forward, adjusting his grip on his wand and narrowing his eyes.

Harry: "You sure about this? Don't want to embarrass yourself, Jason."

Jason: [mocking a bow] "The day Harry Potter embarrasses me is the day Umbridge wins Witch Weekly's Most Charming Smile award."

Laughter rippled through the crowd as Ron muttered, "That'd be a miracle."

The two stood at opposite ends of the circle, wands raised, their postures mirroring each other.

Jason: "Alright, watch carefully, everyone. This is how you learn. And Potter, don't hold back. I won't."

The air crackled as Hermione called out, "Begin!"

Harry started strong with a quick "Expelliarmus!" aimed squarely at Jason's wand.

Jason sidestepped smoothly, flicking his own wand. "Protego." A shimmering barrier deflected the spell harmlessly.

Jason countered with "Impedimenta!" Harry dodged, but not without stumbling slightly. Jason pressed the advantage, sending a rapid "Rictusempra!" that caught Harry's side.

Harry staggered, letting out an involuntary laugh as the tickling charm took hold. He retaliated with "Stupefy!" forcing Jason to deflect again.

Jason: [grinning] "Good, Harry! But let's pick up the pace."

He launched a quick sequence—"Diffindo! Levicorpus!"—forcing Harry to frantically block and dodge. The severing charm sliced the air near Harry's arm, making him flinch, while the levitation jinx nearly lifted him off his feet.

Harry found his footing and sent a fiery "Incendio!" toward Jason, who smirked, countering it with "Repulso!" The flame extinguished mid-air as Jason advanced, closing the distance.

Jason: "And here's where you lose."

With a flick, Jason cast "Stupefy!" catching Harry off-guard. The spell hit Harry's shoulder, sending him tumbling backward. His wand flew from his hand, clattering to the ground.

Jason calmly approached and picked it up, offering it back with a grin.

Jason: [helping Harry up] "Not bad, Potter. But you telegraph your spells. You need to mix things up. Keep your opponent guessing."

The crowd clapped, impressed by the display. Ron gave Harry a thumbs-up while Hermione looked contemplative, analyzing every move.

Jason turned to the group, his expression serious.

Jason: "Now, what did you notice? At first, I fired spell after spell, keeping Harry on the defensive. Most adult wizards underestimate younger ones. If you overwhelm them with rapid attacks, they'll caught unprepared, giving you an opening."

Luna raised her hand, her dreamy tone cutting through the tension.

Luna: "What if they're used to chaos? Like Wrackspurts?"

Jason: [grinning] "Then you have to make the chaos work in your favor. But that's a lesson for another day."

He turned back to the group.

Jason: "The biggest difference between a fight and a duel is this: in a fight, you don't get second chances. When you see an opportunity, you lunge at it. That split second might be the only one you get. Don't hesitate."

Simon, arms crossed, nodded thoughtfully.

Simon: "Alright, but what about the whole 'staying alive' part?"

Jason: [grinning] "That's why you're here, isn't it? By the end of this, you'll know how to defend yourselves, stay alive, and maybe even win a duel or two. For now, keep practicing the basics. Next time, we'll move on to advanced strategies."

As the students murmured amongst themselves, Jason clapped Harry on the shoulder.

Jason: "Good effort, mate. You've got the instincts—you just need the unpredictability."

Harry: [grinning] "And you need to stop showing off."

Jason: [mock serious] "Never. It's my best quality."

Hermione rolled her eyes but couldn't help smiling.

Hermione: "Come on, everyone. Back to practicing. And Jason, try not to let this duel inflate your ego any further."

Jason: [grinning] "Too late for that, Hermione."

The Room of Requirement buzzed with activity as the students began pairing off, their confidence bolstered by the display. Jason leaned against the wall, watching them with a small smile.

Jason's Thoughts: "They'll be ready. Maybe not tomorrow, but they'll be ready when it counts."

The dimly lit corner of the small café they were sitting in felt worlds away from the chaos brewing outside. Jason and Hermione sat close, their mugs of hot chocolate untouched, the warmth of the steam curling up between them. The quiet hum of conversation around them was a faint backdrop to the gravity of their own.

Jason leaned forward, his elbows resting on the table, his face unusually serious.

Jason: "Hermione, I need you to listen to me carefully. Really carefully. Do you think you're ready for what's coming?"

Hermione looked up from stirring her drink, a faint crease forming between her brows.

Hermione: "If you're asking if I feel prepared, then… no. I still think there's so much more I can learn. So much I don't know yet."

Jason shook his head, his voice dropping lower.

Jason: "I'm not talking about spells or books, Hermione. Not about power or skill. I'm talking about you. You, as a person."

Hermione: [confused] "What do you mean?"

Jason sighed, his fingers running through his hair in frustration, searching for the right words.

Jason: "You're one of the kindest people I know. You believe in doing things the right way, in following the rules, in fighting for justice. But wars… wars don't care about any of that. They're brutal, Hermione. They bring out the worst in people—sometimes even in yourself."

Hermione's eyes widened slightly. She wasn't used to seeing Jason so vulnerable.

Jason: "You'll be forced to make decisions you never thought you'd face. You'll see people you love get hurt, maybe worse. And… you'll find yourself at crossroads where your ideals and survival don't align. What would you do then?"

The question hung in the air like a weight, and Hermione looked down at her hands. She didn't have an answer. Not an honest one. She clasped her fingers tightly, the quiet stretching between them.

Hermione: [softly] "Jason, I know wars are terrible. They leave people broken, scarred. They destroy everything in their path. And… I don't know what decisions I'd make if I had to choose between my ideals and survival. But I know this—I'd want to make the right choice. The one that lets me sleep at night."

Jason watched her intently, his jaw tightening.

Jason: "You will. You always try to do the right thing. That's who you are. That's what I admire about you. But… what if I'm not the same? What if, in this war, I change? What if I do things you can't forgive? Would you still look at me the same way?"

The vulnerability in his voice made Hermione pause. She reached across the table, her hand covering his.

Hermione: [quietly, honestly] "I don't know, Jason. I want to say yes. I want to say I'd understand, no matter what. But I can't promise that, not when I don't even know who I or you will become by the end of this war."

Jason's fingers curled around hers, holding on tightly, as if grounding himself in the moment.

Jason: "That's fair. I'd rather have your honesty than a promise you can't keep."

Hermione smiled faintly, though her eyes shimmered with unspoken worry.

Hermione: "Jason, whatever happens… we'll face it together. Even if we change, even if the world falls apart. We'll figure it out."

Jason nodded, a flicker of determination returning to his face.

Jason: "Yeah. Together."