Dueling for Salem

Jared, Myra, and JP walked across campus together, ready to apparate home for the Thanksgiving break. JP was beside herself, talking about the weekend. "I love when JP and Filius get together," Jared whispered to Myra.

"I know. He won't be here until tomorrow. He had class, so we have a few hours first. I like Uncle Filius and all, but..."

"A real break would be nice, I know."

"You should go out before."

"And do what?"

"I don't know. What's his name?"

Jared laughed a little. "Troy." Then, wanting to change the subject, said, "Joan, do not apparate on your own. You only have a permit. You have to be holding on to one of us."

"Did he go to Salem?" Myra asked persistently.

"He wouldn't have been admitted, if you know what I mean."

"He's not from the Northeast United States?"

Jared laughed. "He's a Muggle."

"Can Ace apparate?" JP interrupted.

"If he's with you."

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Jared returned from his date the next day, early in the morning. Clive was at the table, reading the morning paper. "Good morning. Have a good night?"

"I'm going to change."

"Sorry, Jared. You're an adult. But if you were on a date and you haven't introduced her to us, I'm going to be very angry."

"Don't worry dad. Is Filius here yet?"

"Not yet."

Thea came out of her bedroom and began moving food out of the refrigerator. "Need help?" Clive asked.

"No, no. I've got it."

JP careened out of her room as the fireplace lit up with a green flame. "Uncle Filius," she squealed.

The tiny form of Filius Flitwick stepped out of the fireplace. "Hello everyone." He handed Thea a bottle before JP had the chance to embrace him. "It's so good to see you."

Thea put Jared and Myra to work setting the table while JP and Filius played a game of Gobstones on the living room floor. "Filius," Thea called. "What's new at the school?"

"Everything's going well, Athena. My charms classes are exceptionally talented this year. Do you remember Minerva McGonagall?"

"Yes."

"She's retiring at the end of the year. I say it's about time. She needs a vacation."

"What about you?"

"Me? I have at least ten good years of teaching left in me."

"Okay, Filius. I know I couldn't last that long as a Professor. Especially of Charms. Charms wore me out after a few years."

"They can be a challenge."

The family sat down at the dining room table as a turkey on a platter flew in from the kitchen, placing itself gently on the table. JP and Filius were covered with the thick black liquid emitted by the Gobstones. "We should get cleaned up," Filius said.

"Aguamenti." JP sprayed him with a thin stream of water.

"Joan," Thea said harshly. "Are you supposed to be doing magic here?"

"It's alright, Athena. That was a very effective Charm. Are you doing well in your class?"

"I guess."

Everyone began to serve themselves, Clive pouring five glasses of pumpkin juice and iced tea for himself. "Never could get used to that stuff," he said apologetically to Filius, who had brought the bottle from England.

"It's an acquired taste...Tell me about your classes," he said to Myra and JP. "Which is your favorite?"

"Ancient Runes," Myra said.

"That is a very important subject, no matter what anyone may tell you."

Myra smiled, then looked back at her plate.

"Joan?"

"I like Charms."

"You're just trying to impress me."

"I do. And I like Non-Magic."

"What?" Thea said angrily, and JP flinched. She had not meant to mention her enrollment in that class. "Why are you in Non-Magic studies?"

"I like it. We get to watch movies and look at art."

"You can do that at home."

"But we never do."

Thea was seething, but decided not to undergo the argument until after Filius left. Filius, looking to change the subject, said, "Are you in the Charms club?"

"Yeah, but I want to duel."

"You do?" Filius sounded excited.

"Joan." The discussion was over with glares aimed at both JP and Filius. Myra and Jared looked at each other and smiled. JP looked angry for a moment, but spaced out as Thea and Filius began to discuss Edison Constantine and England's Minister of Magic, Kingsley Shaklebolt.

After their Thanksgiving dinner, everyone was too full to do anything. Clive and Jared sat on the sofa, watching the parade on television while Myra lie on the ground in front of them, reading through her Defensive Magic textbook. JP was in her bedroom, feeding Ace scraps of food she had sneaked from the table, and Thea and Filius were in the kitchen, listening to wizarding radio and washing the dishes.

When Ace had finished his dinner and fallen suddenly asleep, JP came out of her room to find something to do, but she stopped when she heard her mother and uncle discussing her in the kitchen.

Filius was sitting on the kitchen counter, directing a towel to dry the dishes, while Thea was in front of the sink, waving her wand over the stack of plates. Soap suds were flying around the room.

"I don't quite see the problem," Filius was saying.

"We both know about dueling."

"Exactly. That's why it should be fine."

"Dueling's illegal here, except in tournament. And they're working on that now, too. It's not the same as it was thirty years ago, Filius. There's enough violence in the world. We should be working to fix it instead of adding to it."

"I agree with that. But sometimes it is important for wizards to be able to defend themselves."

"There's no guarantee that tournament dueling will help with that. I know, Filius."

"It's your decision. She's your daughter. I think she would be an excellent dueler. She is passionate."

"But not focused."

JP was happy to hear that Uncle Filius was on her side, but not happy that she would probably still not be able to duel. She made herself known to the adults, then said, "Hey, Uncle Filius, want to see my owl?"

They were in her room, playing with Ace, when Thea shouted, "Filius!"

He and JP ran into the kitchen, where she was still listening to the radio, but had turned it up much louder. Jared, Myra, and Clive had joined her.

"What is it?"

"Listen."

The newsperson on the radio was speaking urgently: "His death is completely unexpected and very suspicious. Inspection of his office informs us that he had been poisoned. Investigations are pending as to what the particular poison was, but expert Clarence Nelson of Salem Academy notes that the elements are very rare and only found in experimental situations such as laboratories and Department of Magic offices."

"Inside job," Thea whispered.

"Who's dead?"

"Ed Constantine."

"No acting Secretary has been named, though the entire Auror force has been called in for the weekend. On Monday, the wizards' council will be asked to name an acting leader until elections can be held. For more on this story, stay tuned to..."

Everyone started talking at once. "What does this mean?" Filius asked. "Are there any dark wizards at large here? Did the Secretary have any enemies?"

"I don't think so. He was well-tolerated."

"Are there any controversies right now?"

"There's one."