Cassidy watched a few of the other pairs work on putting spells on the objects that Dumbledore sent to them. She hung back, a little nervous.
"Cassidy," Dumbledore said kindly, motioning for her to come over. "It's your turn. I've heard a great deal about you, and I'm very anxious to see what you can do."
"Ah...thank you, sir," she said nervously, straightening up her robes and walking briskly over to him. She held her wand at her side.
"Here we go," Dumbledore said, sending an old, battered chair her way.
Cassidy, stuck out her wand, her eyes growing wide, and she shouted out the incantation for the banishing chamr she had learned last year. She closed her eyes, and the chiar narrowly missed her. She blushed at Dumbledore in shame.
"Oh, don't fret it," he assured her, his long white beard billowing in the breeze. "Try this."
The next object to come her way was a large, concrete block. Cassidy felt her eyes growing huge. She raised her wand once more. If worse came to worse...she could always use her martial arts training...
Dumbledore smiled at her, his expression was one of knowing.
"E-engorgio!" she cried, as sparks flew from her wand. "No! No...I meant...Evanesco!"
The massive chunk of concrete became as tall as the trees of the forbidden forest, and suddenly, vanished altogether. Cassidy let out a breath she had been holding.
"Well, you do seem to have a good handle on spells once you can cast them," Dumbledore told her. The Slytherin she had sparred with earlier snickered. Cassidy frowned.
"I'm sorry sir..." Cassidy said softly, lowering her eyes. "I just..."
"I'm a little disappointed," Dumbledore told her earnestly. Cassidy looked up at him sharply, her eyes brimming with embarassed tears. She was struck speechless. Dumbledore had not finished though. "I was expecting to see some of the martial arts I have heard you are so good at."
"O-o-oh..." Cassidy stammered, pushing the tears back with relief. "I can...I just thought that since it wasn't taught here...I wasn't sure if I was allowed?"
"Of course you are!" Dumbledore exclaimed with a chuckle. Cassidy felt a relieved smile cross her face. "This is Defense Against the Dark Arts, dear! You must defend yourself in any way you see fit! The goal is survival!"
"Okay," Cassidy said, a little more confident this time.
Dumbledore smiled, and sent a dark orb of energy in her direction. Cassidy had not expected this. She had been hoping for something she could physically handle. The orb neared her at blinding speed, a look of curiosity sneaking through Dumbledore's eyes.
Cassidy dodged the orb swiftly, falling into a sturdy back stance, her right leg bent now behind her, her left slightly bent and pointing ahead of her towards the orb. The orb became a Gremlin, its green, pointed ears twitching in the sunlight. Despite its weakness to light, it charged at Cassidy. She faced it dead on, ready to take on any physical attack.
"Accio, bo staff!" Cassidy called. From her room in Gryffindor tower came a six-foot long mahogony bo staff. It flew into her hand with such force, that it made a loud snapping noise.
The Gremlin launched itself towards her, bearing claws and teeth. Cassidy stood her ground calmly, shifting to a strong front stance, and placing the bo in front of her in a defensive position. The gremlin made contact with her bo, its claws digging at the heavily laquered material. She made a swift movement, throwing the monster back, and following through with a frontward thrust that hit the gremlin square in the stomach. It doubled back, and that was when she grabbed for her wand.
"Evanesco!" she exclaimed, sending a charge of magical energy in the gremlin's direction. It disappeared.
"Very well done!" Dumbledore said, a pleased smile crossing his face. "Twenty points for Gryffindor!"
Cassidy beamed, but tried her best to hid it behind her windblown hair, which not covered most of her face. She used the Banishing Charm to send her bo back to her room, and Dumbledore dismissed them. Cassidy made her way to Potions, dreading her first encounter with Professor Snape.
