Test of Wits and Magic

The morning air was crisp as Ezekiel and Daphne stood opposite each other in the training grounds. Frost clung to the stone floor, a testament to Ezekiel's growing control over his ice magic. A quiet tension hung between them, not from unease but from anticipation.

Daphne tightened her grip on her wand. "No holding back."

Ezekiel smirked. "I'll be careful."

A flick of her wrist sent a sharp burst of magic toward him—Expelliarmus. Ezekiel sidestepped with practiced ease, conjuring a thin sheet of ice beneath her feet. Daphne's eyes widened as she nearly lost her balance, but with a quick finite incantatem, she shattered the ice and regained her stance.

Clever.

She didn't overpower his magic, but she knew how to counter it.

Daphne wasn't a duelist, not in the way some of the more battle-minded students at Hogwarts were, but her instincts were sharp. She relied on tactics and precision, not brute force.

Ezekiel raised his hand, channeling his magic without his wand. Ice began to form at his fingertips, weaving together into intricate, shard-like constructs that hovered in the air.

Daphne narrowed her eyes. "Show-off."

With a flick of his fingers, the ice shards shot toward her—controlled, but fast. Daphne quickly countered, conjuring a gust of wind to knock them off course before sending a well-placed Stupefy toward him.

Ezekiel countered with a wall of ice, absorbing the impact before shattering it with a precise movement.

He had been practicing.

The duel continued, neither fully overwhelming the other. Daphne was quick and adaptable, while Ezekiel focused on refinement and control.

Then, as suddenly as it began, Ezekiel flicked his hand—and the ground froze instantly. Daphne barely managed to react before her footing gave way, and she fell forward.

Ezekiel moved before she could hit the ground, catching her in a firm grip.

Silence.

Daphne's breath hitched as she found herself staring into his eyes, her hands resting against his chest. The frost in the air made her shiver—or perhaps it was something else entirely.

"You're improving," Ezekiel murmured, voice low.

Daphne swallowed, her heartbeat betraying her usual composure. "And you're still insufferable."

Ezekiel smirked, not releasing her just yet.

The moment stretched, unspoken things lingering in the air between them, before Daphne finally stepped back.

"I'll beat you next time," she muttered, brushing off imaginary dust.

Ezekiel chuckled. "Looking forward to it."

Their duel may have ended, but something else had undeniably shifted.

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