Regulus of Hogwarts: Lord of the Stars

After afternoon classes, the four of them gathered in the Room of Requirement again.

Cuthbert and Alex were sparring. Cuthbert's Protego could hold for about two minutes now, the edges still wavered, but the shape was solid.

Alex's Full Body-Bind Curse struck it dead center, white sparks bursting on impact. The barrier shuddered but held.

"Again!" Cuthbert called.

Alex raised his wand. "Petrificus Totalus."

This time the trajectory drifted, grazing the edge of the barrier and sailing past to hit the wooden training dummy behind him. The dummy's chest turned gray, then faded back to normal.

Cuthbert dropped his shield and wiped the sweat from his forehead. "See? I can block it now."

"Yeah." Alex nodded, expression serious. "But that Dark spell Hermes uses..."

Last week, Hermes had tested a weakened version of Bone and Blood Stripping on the shield. Cuthbert's barrier hadn't lasted three seconds before it shattered into points of light.