“Come on, now,” Mr. Dunder said. “It’s the basis for all offensive spells. If you can’t master this, you can’t master any of them.”

Isis seemed to shrink into her robe.

“When I said she wasn’t very hot,” someone whispered behind her, “I didn’t think I was this right.”

Another: “Can she…can she not do it? I’ve been casting fireballs since kindergarten.”

“Okay then,” Dunder said. “Step aside, Ms. Wright. See me after class.”

“Mr. Dunder!” Isis barked. “Can I ask you a question?”

“You just did,” he sighed. “But yes, what is it?”

“I would rather you not see the wand motion I do for this. Can I cast the spell from my sleeve?”

“I…what?” Dunder said. “I mean, technically, yes, but why would you want to-”

A bright, sharp crack followed, and the balloon was vaporized in a puff of violent flame even as the students instinctively ducked and covered their ears. The reaction was so intense that one of Isis’s sleeves caught on fire, and she hurriedly patted it down before turning around and beaming, her academic robe still smoldering in the sunlight.

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