"Healing is the art of turning someone’s body back into its healthy condition. It is split up into healing spells and potion making." Madam Pomfrey said, looking me in the eyes.

"You will only be learning spells. Potions are too complicated."

She was pacing before me like a university professor. Reminded me of the good old days.

"Healing spells have two categories, those that heal flesh and those that heal everything else. You will be learning the flesh healing variety first, because it’s easier. Do not worry, flesh healing spells make up about 10% of all healing spells and are all in all quite simple, you should be finished with them in four years if you study diligently." At this point she sighed.

"Sadly most Hogwarts books on healing are in the forbidden section, so you will have to go through me if you wish to acquire one." She gave an expectant look. "Any questions?"

I gave her my best grin, by the softening of their eyes it worked.

"When do I start?"

I circled around a pair of stunners that had been haphazardly thrown at me and retaliated with a few knock-back jinxes.

One thing I had learned fairly early on in duelling, was that you did not shield unless you absolutely had too.

Being on the defensive in magical combat was stupid position to be in, since you then had problems with actually counterattacking.

Shields that you didn't have to sustain and guide were quite hard to use as well. Sadly my transfiguration was not good enough to make animated shields in the form of animals on the fly, yet.

Sidestepping a sickly yellow hex, I did not step back, but stepped forward ducking under the spell by a hair's breadth and aimed kick at my diminutive opponents head.

He of course jumped backwards, right into the flipendo I had sent over his head a moment earlier.

Scowling I watched Flitwick tumble in the air like an astronaut, having apparently cancelled all gravity on himself.

"Now that is just unfair."

I lowered my wand, I didn't feel like continuing for the day, this was the fourth duel already anyway.

My teacher did a pirouette and landed on his feet bowing to an invisible audience. He was watching me from under the fringes of his dark hair.

He was curious about me, I was too good, too smart and too practiced at fighting for him to think I was just another first year.

"You've improved once again." He commented, at which I smiled smugly.

"Still not tournament material though, you need to master spell deflection." He added quickly.

I didn't, in fact, need to master spell deflection to participate in the under 17 European duelling tournament.

He was only testing my 'talent', I mock pouted at him.

I was okay with it as long as I got personal tutoring in difficult skills from an absolute master.

One weird thing I had unlocked while duelling with Flitwick was unarmed combat, it had popped up the first time I'd successfully acquainted the little bugger's face with the sole of my shoe.

He had praised me for my unorthodox tactics and then proceeded to hand me my ass so thoroughly I started trying to kick him every single round, out of spite.

Having a powerful enemy made you grow stronger faster after all.

"How was dueling?"

I gave Wayne who had waited outside for me a delighted grin.

"Managed to kick him in the face twice today."

My friend looked worried.

"Don't worry he's used to it at this point." I said, trying to reassure him.

Wayne deadpanned.

"That's not what I'm really worried about, but whatever, you up for actually going outside today or do you want to hole up in the library again?"

Looking out of the heavily ornamented windows of Hogwarts I determined that it was actually pretty nice weather for april.

Shrugging my shoulders I answered his question, "sure, but let's go get the girls first ok." It really showed how good I was with kids when Wayne simply nodded.

He had been in his 'Girls have the magical version of cooties' phase when I'd first met him, but I had managed to cure him of his unfortunate belief.

He would thank me later when he entered puberty, and hadn't alienated every female yearmate we had.

-/-

A lonely willow sitting next to the water of the black lake was our spot.

I sat my 12 year old ass on the grass and started rubbing my sore muscles.

I heard more than I saw Susan arrive, her and Hermione immediately falling into their usual chatter.

“Boys, Ugh some-.”

I stopped listening at that point.

Pulling out my wand out of my long sleeves, I started the incantation for the first healing spell I'd ever learned.

"Episkey"

It was the first time I had actually used the spell on a human being, Pomfrey had some rather realistic dolls you could practice on.

I watched fascinated as the bruises I had accumulated over the day simply disappeared.

No skill sadly. I was still a bit confused why I had gotten unarmed combat after simply kicking Flitwick in the face once.

Unarmed Combat(active) lv. 2 Exp: 43%

You don't need a weapon if your entire body is a weapon.

"Hey Ron what do you think about professor Sinistra?"

Well I couldn't really tell my 12-year-old friends how I wanted to shove the woman against a wall and fuck her till we both dropped, so I just started bitching about how we had to be up way too early for her practical lessons.

Having friends was nice.