[Closed, Mello and Kaga] Tutoring

[gourmetchairman.livejournal.com]

An owl was sent to Mello:

Mello,

Yukimura and Kuronue tell me you're the best at teaching how to defend oneself with magic. Simply put, I need your help, and humbly ask that you take me on as a pupil.

Takeshi Kaga.

Comments

[mello-n-choco.livejournal.com]

Flattery from that samurai and that bat? At least that samurai had told me about this beforehand instead of me finding out with this letter.

Takeshi,

So he told me. He explained the reason, somewhat, as well. When is most convenient for you? The Room of Requirement is the easiest room to practice in and silence.

M

[gourmetchairman.livejournal.com]

If you have the time right now, I am willing to start right now.

[mello-n-choco.livejournal.com]

I'll be there. Be sure to bring your wand and I'm not going to go easy on you. I don't want to hear your bitching, either.

M

I make sure I'm not followed to the Room. He probably doesn't know how to do that. I'll have to teach him that as well.

I lean against the wall and wait for him to arrive.

[gourmetchairman.livejournal.com]

Not that Kaga would. This was important.

Wand in hand, (and in rather simple clothes) Kaga went to the Room of Requirement to see Mello.

"I thank you for taking the time to tutor me."

[mello-n-choco.livejournal.com]

"That samurai said it was important," I say, pushing away from the wall. "How much magic have you bothered to learn here?" I ask. I wanna know what I'm starting with. "And, don't show off and try and hex me. Use the dummy," I say, pointing across the room.

[gourmetchairman.livejournal.com]

"Accio," Kaga said, though he didn't cast it. "Salvio Hexia," that he did cast, "Confundo," that did nothing on the dummy, "Stupefy," ditto. "Petrificus Totalus," the dummy flopped onto the floor, "and Incendio." The dummy burst into flames. "And now Aguamenti." He put the fire out. "They...um...used it against me."

[mello-n-choco.livejournal.com]

I cross my arms. "Stupify, petrificus totalus and confundo can be useful. Do you know how to shield? How to tie someone up? How to do these without thinking? Without your wand? Without saying anything?"

[gourmetchairman.livejournal.com]

"No. Incarcerous." Kaga bound the dummy. "The only time I cast without thinking was when Apos attacked me. I can only do Accio without my wand. No, I still need to say it."

[mello-n-choco.livejournal.com]

"Protego," I say flatly. "We're going to practice it until you can cast it in your sleep if someone walks by your door." I pull out my want. "I'll go easy on you," I say, smirking as I cast the tickling charm.

[gourmetchairman.livejournal.com]

Kaga bent double laughing. "Pro...pro...finite...Protego!" he finally managed to get out after a few minutes, still giggling and trying to get Finite Incantatem out.

[mello-n-choco.livejournal.com]

I stop the charm. "You are to focus on just shielding," I snap at him. "You will not try to end the hex, only stop it from reaching you. Understood?" I don't wait for him to answer before aiming Tarantallegra at him.

[gourmetchairman.livejournal.com]

"Prote-ah!" He wasn't quick enough. As he danced, he still held up his wand and got it out this time, shielding his dancing self.

[mello-n-choco.livejournal.com]

I let the spell end. "Are you trying?" I demand. "Cast it, now. I'm not going to hex you, yet. I want you to pay attention to everything about it, how it feels, the flow of energy, everything. Memorize it."

[gourmetchairman.livejournal.com]

Kaga obeyed, closing his eyes to feel it, opening them to see it, closing them again to follow the energy flow. He kept one ear out for Mello, not trusting him to not attempt to hex.

[mello-n-choco.livejournal.com]

With a wand, I can think the spell and it work. Not quite the same thing as silent spells because I almost say them—I can feel my vocal cords tightening and my mouth taking the shape of the words even if my lips don't move. It doesn't give me the same headache that silent spells do. I stick to stupid things and send the tickling charm at him again.

[gourmetchairman.livejournal.com]

Something was off in the energy.

Kaga's eyes shot open and he held up his wand, saying "Protego", just quickly enough that he blocked the charm.

Then he looked confused. How did that happen?

[mello-n-choco.livejournal.com]

"Better," I allow. I scowl at him. Do I really want to bother now? It'd probably be easier. "What's the question?"

[gourmetchairman.livejournal.com]

"Somehow...I knew you were casting, but you didn't say anything."

[mello-n-choco.livejournal.com]

"It is not necessary to bellow when casting a spell," I say. "There are degrees of volume. What determines the strength of a spell is your will and skill, not how loud you yell. You can whisper, you can almost say the words, you can learn to perform spells silently and wandlessly, but you have to thoroughly understand the spell, to be able to feel exactly what it takes to cast it and pull that up, accurately, at a moment's notice." I step forward and stalk around him. "It shouldn't matter who or what is coming, you should be able to shield without thought."

[gourmetchairman.livejournal.com]

Kaga narrowed his eyes, taking all this in, trying to understand all and keep an eye on him. He anticipated another spell and muttered under his breath "Protego", keeping his wand at his side, to see what happened.

[mello-n-choco.livejournal.com]

I smirk. "Better." I continue to walk around him. "An effective first line defense includes protego, expelliarmus, and incarcerus. It protects you, disarms your opponent and disables them. This gives you time to get the fuck away from them." I stop in front of him. "You will drill until you can get all three in one breath, with distractions."

I point my wand at him and then, without looking, point it at the dummy, setting it upright again and removing the bonds on it. In a box on the other side of the room, I have a bogart for him to practice with later, but first he needs to get the damn spells down. And, I don't wanna be the dummy this time. "Your target," I say, pointing at the dummy.

[gourmetchairman.livejournal.com]

So Kaga began to practice, trying first one spell then the other, then combining spells, until he finally got the trio in one swoop. He found that he could cast without saying the words, as long as he had his wand, but he was still a ways off from casting without his wand. Aside from Accio.

[mello-n-choco.livejournal.com]

I watch, leaning against a pillar. "Fine," I say, levitating the box closer. "Now, your target." I let the lock fall off the box and the bogart pushes the lid open.

[gourmetchairman.livejournal.com]

Kaga bristled at seeing Karasu come out of that box. Realistically, he knew that it was probably a boggart, for the real Karasu would have made the box explode, but it still triggered his desire to run.

But no. He promised to train.

A little shakily, he cast Protego, then Incarcerous. He had forgotten Expelliarmus, but the boggart didn't have a wand to disarm.

[mello-n-choco.livejournal.com]

I end the Incarcerous spell. "Again," I say. Other than that, I remain still, not wanting to draw the bogart to myself. That wouldn't help him, which is the goal of this nonsense.