"…interesting staff." Neville noted as Harry stepped out to join the assembled group on the lawn where Aberforth had decided to hold his Sunday morning lessons.
"Mahogany wood, Mithtil end-caps and a core of Basilisk Scales and venom, donated by SssSthss." Harry lifted the Staff slightly to show it off. "The staff itself has inlaid runes to help it absorb magic and store it, alter its size as well as anti-summoning capabilities. It has several other tricks, but the main one is a MageBlade in the end-caps. Like this."
A transluscent blue blade materialised on the upper end of the Staff, the edges of the leaf-shaped blade glowing brighter than the middle, then it vanished again.
"…cool." Neville admitted. "My parents sent me their Staffs to see which one worked better. This one used to be my Dad's… which is odd, given how I couldn't really use his Wand…"
"That's because Wands are all about precision and delicacy while Staffs are a brute-force thing." Aberforth stated as he strode up, his staff slung across his shoulders while nearby, Ollivander waved his wand and caused a long table to leap out of his small bag. "Wands need to mesh with your magic at the fine level whereas Staffs are all about how much power you can channel and hold."
"Crude, innacurate but there is some truth to it." Ollivander noted as he levitated a number of pieces of wood and bottles of various substances into place on the table. "If you wish a better metaphor, Wands are like fine silk gloves whereas Staffs are as steel gauntlets."
"And we use them to punch." Aberforth growled in agreement. "So, those of you who want Staffs, see Olivander. Those of you who have them, get over there. Those of you here to watch… don't get in the way."
Hefting his Staff, Harry moved to where Aberforth had indicated, Neville close behind while Hermione moved towards the table.
"So, present your staffs. If you know what they are, tell… I recognise that staff. Longbottom, right? See your Dad gave you his Staff. Know it well. Teak base, bronze endcaps and a core of Dragon Heartstrings. Six and a half foot of pure beat-down. Heard that he used it to take out a Nest of Vampires once."
Neville straightened in pride and Aberforth gave a sharp nod. "He was a good Auror. A good man. You have a lot to live up to."
"I will do my best." Neville said and Aberforth nodded again.
"That's all I ask. Hmph. Malfoy."
Harry looked across to see Draco Malfoy standing with a Staff in his hands.
"Mr Aberforth." Draco said with a slight bow. "My father never actually used a Staff. I wish to prove myself different from him."
"A wise choice." Aberforth grudgingly allowed. "So… what is it?"
"Ebony wood capped with Goblin Silver, with a core of Thestral Tail-hairs. Six feet and four inches."
"It's not the size, it's how you use it that counts." Aberforth shot back as he unslung his own Staff, showing that it was about the same height as himself. "Using a Staff is about far more than just casting spells. You need to learn to fight with it. Strike with it, use it to block… Muggle style."
Harry was impressed at Draco's non-reaction.
So was Aberforth. "Well done, you've proven to me, at least, that you ain't like your old Pa. So… girly! Can you use that thing?"
"I already have." Luna grinned up at the elderly man. "And this was my Grandma's Staff."
"Huh." Aberforth looked taken aback. "Thought it had been cracked beyond use."
"A good friend fixed it for me… and even upgraded it."
"We'll see." Aberforth looked at the half-dozen in line. "Grab some padding and we'll start you off with the basic moves."
.
Harry brought his Staff up in a horizontal block that stopped Neville's downwards strike, then leapt sideways to avoid the follow-up rising strike. Shifting his grip, he ducked under Neville's swipe and thrust his own staff out, catching Neville behind his knee. Reacting even before the strike had connected, Neville threw himself into a backwards roll, his move robbing the blow of much of its strength and an instant later, he was back on his feet, fending off the lunging attack that Harry sent his way.
"Hold!"
Aberforth strode forwards, his eyes intent. "You've had training. Both of you. Don't recognise the style, though."
"Neither do I." Alistair Moody called from the sidelines. "But I see where it came from. Potter, you used a similar style against the Obscurials."
"I did." Harry agreed as Neville took several deep breaths, trying to regain his strength. "That was Torquasm Rao I used back then. The Staff Form is one of the offshoots, Torquasm Raogrhys. Neville and I have been practising for a couple of months."
"…interesting name." Aberforth admitted. "Looks very efficient."
"The aim is to deal as much damage as possible without taking any in return." Harry agreed. "Pointless moves like staff-spinning or twirling are relegated to warm-ups as while they improve dexterity and control, they leave the user open to sudden attacks."
"Wise." Alistair called as he stomped towards them. "Some of those moves would have left me eating dirt. Abe, you continue the others on the basic forms, I'll teach these two how to cast shields and block spells."
.
.
"You own a Staff shop." Hermione stated as she returned her practice staff to its barrel and Harry blinked in confusion.
"I do?"
"Ollivander told me when he worked out what sort of Staff I would be best suited for." Hermione confirmed as she pulled the padded overcoat off, wincing slightly as she did so. "It's in Tegg's Nose and is called The Magic Staff Shoppe."
Harry looked at Neville, only to get an equally blank look in return. "Huh. I… wasn't aware of that."
"Well, I've filled in the form and I should have it ready within a week or so." Hermione replied as she knelt down to undo the leg-protectors. "All I'll need to do is go to the Cavern and pay for it, then I'll have my very own staff to hit idiots with."
Harry and Neville both pretended to flinch away from her and she huffed in amused annoyance. "As if I'd use it on your heads. I'd probably break the staff hitting things that dense."
"Oi!" Harry laughingly protested.
"I'm going to get a staff too." Ginny announced as she bounced up. "Maybe I can get Bill to teach me a few tricks that my other brothers won't know."
Everyone looked over to where three red-headed boys were handing forms to Ollivander.
"Did you know that Charlie uses a Staff as well?" Ginny asked. "He says that it's saved his life several times since Staff shields are stronger than Wand shields."
"Makes sense." Neville mused. "Hey, Harry, that size-changing thing both you and Luna have, any chance I can get it added to my Staff? And where can I get a two-pocket wrist-holster?"
.
"Mr Malfoy."
"Professor Snape." Draco replied as his Head of House seemed to materialise out of the shadows and fell into step next to him.
"Your father used to use a walking stick to give the impression that he could use a Staff." Severus finally noted. "Having his wand inside it helped him to perform a few tricks to enhance that appearance, but it did mean that should he need to actually use his wand, he needed to extract it first."
"My father did a great many things without thinking them through." Draco agreed, a hint of sourness in his voice. "I will not seek to follow his path."
"A wise decision." Snape's voice was approving. "And how is your mother coping?"
"She is still distracting herself with her position as Regent, but she is making certain that I am prepared for my eventual ascension to Lordship." Draco sighed. "I think that running WWA is helping her. Already, we have recouped all the money that we spent on setting up the shops."
"Still aiming to reclaim the position of Richest Family, are you?" Severus inquired and Draco gave a dry chuckle.
"As mother says, money is like air. It is only of vital importance if you do not have enough. Father didn't see it that way, but mother was always in charge of the primary finances."
"I always wondered about that." Severus admitted.
"It was in the Marriage contract. Mother showed it to me. It said that Mother was to be given full and equal control over finances. It was one reason we became so wealthy, Father… was prone to spending without thought on occasion."
"I have to admit that I was unaware of that facet of their relationship." Severus finally admitted. "And how goes your mother's search for a company in the Muggle World to work with?"
"She is in parallel negotiations with Mr Smithson of Cybertek, a Muggle medical technology company, and Ms Minoru." Draco cracked a smile. "The name of the Muggle company that Ms Minoru owns appealed to her sense of whimsy."
"Why? What is it called?"
.
"Well, that looked exciting." Ollivander noted as he waved his wand to re-pack his stuff. "Why, if I were a few decades younger, I might have been tempted to pull out my staff and see if I could learn anything."
"Surprised you helped to set up that Staff shop." Alistair noted and Ollivander chuckled.
"With all the Wands that I help bring into existence, I have very little time for the intricacies of Staff Lore. Why, even though it is used by the Cursebreakers, it is still a dying art. Teaching a few the basics of Staff Lore and then investing in their shop?"
"Thought that it was one of Potters." Moody interrupted and Ollivander raised an eyebrow.
"Oh, it is… but I also have an share in it. Those who work there are mainly Cursebreakers who were injured greatly in their jobs, so they have some idea of how to use Staffs. I've donated copies of a few tomes so that they can work on bringing round a rennaisance of Staff usage. Why, it may not be too long before we see true works of thaumatage excellence on a par with Merlin's Staff itself!"
"Which Merlin?" Alistair chuckled. "There's at least three of them in history, even if most people get them all mixed up."
"The second Merlin, not the swordsmith or the Slytherin one." Ollivander shrugged as he picked up his satchel, then he paused. "Alistair… I can feel great change on the horizon. Something is going to happen that will change our world."
"Last time you got that feeling was when Voldie snuffed it trying to kill young Potter." Moody growled as he turned to face the elderly Wandsmith, then he looked round in confusion. "What the…? Graah! Hate it when he does that to me!"
"Time for me to go as well." Aberforth noted. "Sure, I've got extra staff for the Hogs Head, but even so, I don't like being away from it for too long."
"See you next week." Moody nodded as Aberforth walked past, heading for the gates.
"Unless you choose to visit before then." Aberforth shot back.
Moody cackled at the reply, then stomped towards the looming bulk of Hogwarts, his wooden leg leaving small gouges in the lawn.
.
.
"Our first proper lessons tomorrow." Hermione noted as she reached the top of the stairs, moving aside to let everyone go past her before they headed back down for dinner. "Care of Magical Creatures first, for those of us who have it."
"I wonder what Hagrid's going to show us this time." Neville mused. "What do you think. A Sphinx? Acromantula?"
"If it's one of those, Ron'll run a mile." Ginny chuckled. "He hates spiders."
"He's asked me if he can borrow SssSthss again for a first-year class in a few weeks." Harry added and Hermione shook her head.
"You know, I really like Hagrid, but I think that the fact he's half-giant has led to him having a rather skewed perspecive on what creatures are dangerous." She began as she started to descend the stairs, noting in passing how the bricks soon gave way to ones in a color that hadn't been there on her way up. "I mean, pet dragons, your Basilisk, Hippogryphs… I sometimes think that the more dangerous it is, the more he insists it's just simply misunderstood."
"I… wish I could disagree." Harry finally admitted.