THE WALKER RANCH

steven smiled ashe he heard Brian cast hs first spell , steven shook his head and cast " Impedimenta" sowlu8ing the spell so he could step out of its way keeping hi wand in his hand.


Impedimenta ~ Stops an object or slows it down

Brian smiled. It was an unusual choice to deflect an expelliarmus, but it had done the job. "Your turn, Steven," he said.

OOC: you can defend yourself and then fire a return offensive spell in the same turn.

steven looked at Brian then cast " Incarcerous" and steped back waiting for his reaction. Srevens wand at th ready for brians next move as he knew he was testing him , he knew brians next move would probaly change how things go.


Incarcerous ~ Sends thick ropes out of thin air to wrap around someone or something.

Brian saw the ropes winding tightly around him to bind him. "Finite!" he shouted and the ropes disappeared. He fired back 'Everte Statum!"


Everte Statum--sends the target backwards, i.e, knock him on his butt.

steven wasn't quick enouph this time and so fell hard on his butt skidding across the floor to hit hard against a wall "dam it " he said sitting with his legs pulled up to his chest " like I said rusty , very rusty " he stood up rubbing his shoulder as he did . He then slipped his wand away.

"Not bad, Not bad at all," Brian laughed, putting his own wand away. He went over and extended his hand to help him up. "You'll do. You'll do just fine. Well done, Steven. Now, its getting late. You might want to go shower and get some sleep. We will have one of our longest days of the year tomorrow. Owens, show him to the showers and find him a bunk. I'll see you in the morning, Steven. I'm sorry, but I do have things to do yet tonight. "

He helped Steven up and shook his hand in friendship and walked out. Another man with dark hair walked over to Steven. "I'm Owens. There's an empty bunk in our room. You can join us if you like. You did well against him. There arent' many that last more than a couple rounds with him. Besides, he just wanted to find out if you met his expectations. You did. With flying colors. And besides, its very rare we get to see Brian sparr. He doesn't normally do that in front of all of us. I saw him deliberately take a hit once in a spar with Robert once. A bad one. He thought it was important to show us that we could keep going if we were hit. I'll never forget it. Took Robert a week to put Brian to rights. You'll be in good hands with him as your partner tomorrow. You ready for a shower and some shuteye?"

steven took Brians hand and stood up brushing dust fom the jeans "thanks but I should have been able to stop or deflect that spell , couple of years ago i could have" he said looking at Brian as he called to a second man called Owens.

Steven turned to him and listened as he picked up his things from the bech he felt a slight pull on his shoulder but put it down to a strain and thought nothing more of it "yeah Im about done in " he said folowing him to the showers. After a wash he head to the room Own had pointed pout on the way down , opening the door he saw an empty lower bunk, sliding in he lay down thinking of the boys. reatching into his pocket he slipped out the locket sliping of the madaliaon he had been given he slipped the locket onto the chain and back around his neck to hang along side the madalion it ;looked strange but he could not bare to be parted from it and this was the safest place he knew and a way he could keep it with him. He lay on his bunk listening to the sounds around him somthing mde him sit up t him it was too noisy , moving out he headed to the attic. once there he sat in the middl of the floor his eyes shut and meditated slowly he stood up and moved centering himself as he did each move focusing on his breathing . slowly he quickened his pace till he was moving at his normal speed his breathing rythmic and seady he was so fucused he didn't notice if any one was watching.

Robert apparated right into his office in the Paris headquarters, using his portkey. Brian was starting to look a bit tired. "You ready for tomorrow?" Robert asked. "Captain!" Brian rose instantly. "Sit, sit, " Robert motioned. "How's Walker working out?" "He's going to be fine. He's partnered with me near the tunnel entrance tomorrow night. He'll be alright. He's got some reconditioning to do, but based on the file you sent, that isn't going to take him long." "No. Khaat did a good job healing him," Robert said. "Where is he?"

"I asked Owen to take him underwiing and show hiim the showers and the bunks awhile back. I would imagine he's going to bunk with him. Owen is very accommodating," Brian said.

"I can't stay, but I'm going up. If I can be here tomorrow night, you know I will." Robert said, going upstairs. He found Steven easily doing his tai chi. "Steven," Robert called, "Sorry to interrupt. But I made you a portkey to get back to your farm."

He held out a single, rather plain looking key, wanting it to be something that would already fit well on his personal belongings. The thing that made the key unusual was that there were no marks on it whatsoever. None.

"It will take you home and back here, both ways," Robert said.

Steven stopped and turned quickly to face the voice he knew as Robert he rubbed his shoulder again. Walking over he tok the key "How are the boys?" he asked he missed them even though he'd only been away for a couple of hours he still missed them "I hope behaving for you " he looked at the key and slipped it into his pocket "thank you robert, guess you'll want to get back to Khaat so I won't keep you now" he turned back and walked into the middle of the room taking a deep breath as if to start all over again.

"They boys are fine, "Robert said. He laid his hand on Steven's painful shoulder and healed the strain simply with just a touch. "I need you in top form tomorrow. Don't be hard on yourself. Brian is a hard man to defeat. He's made almost an obession out of Defense of the Dark Arts, I will try to be here, but I'm not sure I can. I know its important to the rest of the crew that I try to be here, but I don't wan to leave the farm vulnerable either. Khaat is finally in a sound sleep, and that's good for her. I don't expect her to wake til morning. Besides, Remus is watching her, and I carry a pocket sized copy of the portrait in my pocket. If anything happens, Remus will tell me. Stteven, I know you miss the boys, but is there anything else bothering you?"