The Dueling Club
Chapter Sixteen- The Dueling Club
The news that Colin Creevey had been attacked and was now lying as though dead in the hospital wing had spread through the entire school by Monday morning. The air was suddenly thick with rumor and suspicion. The first years were now moving around the castle in tight-knit groups, as though scared they would be attacked if they ventured forth alone.
Ginny Weasley, who sat next to Colin Creevey in Charms, was distraught, but Harry felt that Fred and George were going the wrong way about cheering her up. They were taking turns covering themselves with fur or boils and jumping out at her from behind statues. They only stopped when Percy, apoplectic with rage, told them he was going to write to Mrs. Weasley and tell her Ginny was having nightmares. Meanwhile, hidden from the teachers, a roaring trade in talismans, amulets, and other protective devices was sweeping the school.
In the second week of December Professor Flitwick came around as usual, collecting names if those who would be staying at school for Christmas. Harry sadly had to put his name down because Severus informed him that not only was he being forced to stay during Christmas by Dumbledore, but Remus was still away and would not be back for some time. Not only that, but Draco had informed him that his parents would be away for Christmas so he would also be staying as well.
A week later, Harry and Luna were walking across the towards the Great Hall to meet Myari and Draco when Harry saw them in a small knot of people gathered around the notice board, reading a piece of parchment that had just been pinned up. Harry and Luna pushed their way to the front of the knot where Myari and Draco were.
"They're starting a Dueling Club!" Myari told them excitedly. "The first meeting is tonight! I wouldn't mind dueling lessons; they might come in handy one of these days."
"My father has been teaching me dueling since I was old enough to walk." Draco said in a bored tone. Harry read the sign with interest wondering if they were going to teach them the stuff he had read about in books.
"This seems interesting. I think I'll go." Harry said.
"Well, if you're going then so will I?" Draco announced causing Myari and Luna to share a small smile.
"Well, I guess since you two are going, me and Luna will go as well." Myari said and Luna nodded. So at eight o'clock that evening they made their way back to the Great Hall. The long dining tables had vanished and a golden stage had appeared along one wall, lit by thousands of candles floating over head. The ceiling was velvety black once more and most of the school seemed to be packed beneath it, all carrying their wands and looking excited.
"I wonder who'll be teaching us?" Myari asked as they maneuvered themselves through the crowd so that they were in front next to the stage.
"I hope it's Flitwick, he told me he was a dueling champion when he was young." Harry said resting his arms on the stage as Luna leaned against his side with a whimsical sigh while resting her chin on Harry's shoulder.
"I hope it's Severus, he's been helping father teach me." Draco said glaring at Luna before leaning against Harry's other side. Myari, feeling left out, wrapped her arms around Luna and leaned against her back.
"As long as it not Lockhart, I'm fine." Myari said and Luna patted her hands with a laugh when Myari groaned: Gilderoy Lockhart was walking onto the stage, resplendent in robes of deep plum and accompanied by none other than Severus, wearing his usual black. "Well, at least he have Severus." Myari muttered.
Lockhart waved an arm for silence and called, "Gather round, gather round!" The crowd tightened around the stage causing Luna and Harry to grunt when they were pushed into the stage, this caused both Myari and Draco to growl and snap at the other students who took a half step back. "Can everyone see me? Can you all hear me? Excellent! Now, Professor Dumbledore has granted me permission to start this little Dueling Club, to train you all in case you ever need to defend yourself as I myself have done on countless occasions-" At that Myari coughed out a 'Bullshit' causing Draco to start laughing and Harry to smile and shake his head, but Lockhart continued as if he didn't hear, "- for full details, see my published works." Lockhart smiled and winked at some fangirls who began to titter.
"Now, enough about me, let me introduce my assistant, Professor Snape." Lockhart said flashing a wide smile. "He tells me he knows a tiny little bit about dueling himself and has sportingly agreed to help me with a short demonstration before we begin. Now, I don't want any of you youngsters to worry - you'll still have your Potions Master when I'm through with him, never fear!" Harry watched Severus's upper lip curl, which alerted him to the fact that Severus did not willingly agree to this, Dumbledore made him do this.
Severus and Lockhart walked towards each other, stopping in the middle of the stage right in front of Harry and his group and bowed; at least, Lockhart did, with much twirling of his hands, whereas Severus jerked his head irritably. They raised their wands in front of their face before being swung to their sides, Harry knew this was the 'Present Arms' he had read in the books. Severus and Lockhart did and About-Face so they were now facing away from each other and they each took five steps to the end of the stage. With another quick About-Face they were once again facing each other, their wands held out in front of them like swords ready to strike.
And in Harry's mind, they were not holding wands anymore but actual swords. The Great Hall had changed as well to a battlefield covered with fallen soldiers and enemies. Severus and Lockhart were the only remaining soldiers on the field, both covered in blood and wounds. Both were breathing hard and looked ready to collapse, but refusing to let the other side win. The two charged at each other, but before they could collide Harry was brought out of his mind by Lockhart.
"As you see, we are holding our wands in the accepted combative position." Lockhart told the silent crowd. "On the count of three, we will cast our first spells. Neither of us will be aiming to kill, of course."
"I'm surprise Severus hasn't kill him already." Draco murmured, watching Severus bare his teeth and tighten his grip on his wand.
"One- two- three -"
Both of them swung their wands above their heads and pointed them at their opponent; Severus cried: "Expelliarmus!" There was a dazzling flash of scarlet light and Lockhart blasted off his feet. He flew backward off the stage, smashed into the wall, and slid down it to sprawl on the floor. Harry couldn't help the loud bark of laughter that burst from his mouth. His laughter led the way for every Slytherin cheering. Myari 'Whoop'ed and clapped while jumping up and down.
"Do it again!" Draco cried while laughing. Severus smirked at them as Lockhart began to unsteadily climb to his feet. His hat had fallen off and his wavy hair was standing on end.
"Well, there you have it!" He said, tottering back onto the platform. "That was a Disarming Charm - as you see, I've lost my wand - ah, thank you, Miss Brown - yes, an excellent idea to show them that, Professor Snape, but if you don't mind me saying so, it was very obvious what you were about to do. If I had wanted to stop you it would have been only too easy - however, I felt it would be instructive to let them see…" Severus looked murderous and Lockhart quickly took notice, because he said, "Enough demonstrating! I'm going to come amongst you now and put you all into pairs. Professor Snape, if you'd like to help me-"
They moved through the crowd, matching up partners. Lockhart teamed Neville with Justin-Fletchley, but Severus reach Haiden and Ron fist.
"Time to split up the dream team, I think." He sneered. "Weasley, you can partner with Harry. Potter -" Haiden moved automatically towards Hermione. "I don't thinks so." Snape said, smiling coldly. "Mr. Malfoy, come over here. Let's see what you make of the famous Potter. And you, Miss Granger - you can partner with Miss Rose." Draco, Harry, and Myari made their way over to their partners. Draco smirked at Haiden who sneered at him, Harry gave Ron a weak smile while Ron sneered at him, and Myari shook Hermione's hand.
"Face your partners!" Lockhart called, back on the platform. "And bow!" Harry bowed at Ron who barely inclined his head. Haiden and Draco barely inclined their heads, not taking their eyes off each other. Myari and Hermione both bowed. "Wands at the ready!" Lockhart shouted. "When I count to three, cast your charms to disarm your opponents - only to disarm them - we don't want any accidents -one… two... three-"
Harry had to quickly throw up a shield charm before Lockhart had even finished saying three because Ron went when he said two. Whatever spell Ron had cast bounced off Harry's shield and hit flew past Lockhart who had to dive out of the way, the spell hit the wall and began to sizzle as if acid had been thrown on it. Quickly realizing what Ron had just tried to do, Harry quickly retaliated firing three spells one right after the other. The first one hit Ron, locking him in place, the second one hit causing him to scream in pain, while the third one caused Ron to bend backwards with is feet still glued to the floor.
At the same time, Haiden swung his wand high but Draco had already started on "Two": His spell hit Haiden so hard he felt as though he'd been hit over the head with a saucepan. He stumbled, but everything still seemed to be working, and wasting no more time, Haiden potined his want straight Draco and shouted "Rictusempra!" A jet of silver light hit Draco in the stomach and he doubled up, wheezing.
"I said disarm only!" Lockhart shout in alarm after he dodged the spell, as Ron bent backwards and Draco and to his knees, Haiden had hit him with a Tickling Charm, and he could barely move for laughing. Harry began to use his wand like the hilt of a whip and began to whip Ron with a spell he learned from a book with a murderous look on his face.
Draco pointed his wand at Haiden's knees, choked, "Tarantallegra!" and the next second Haiden's legs began to jerk around out of his control in a kind of quickstep.
"Stop! Stop!" Lockhart screamed, but Severus took charge. He quickly grabbed Harry and pulled him away from Ron.
"Finite Incantatem!" He shouted; Ron collapsed fully on the ground, Draco stopped laughing, Haiden's feet stopped dancing, and they were able to look up, though Harry still looked murderous as Severus held him to his side and walked back up to the stage to survey the damage.
A haze of greenish smoke was hovering over the scene. Both Neville and Justin were laying on the floor, panting. Ron was still on the ground moaning in pain. Hermione and Myari were looking at Harry with wide eyes.
"Dear, dear." Lockhart said, skittering through the crowd, looking at the aftermath of the duels. "Up you go, Macmillan… Careful there, Miss Fawcett… Pinch it hard, it'll stop bleeding in a second, Boot- I think I'd better teach you how to block unfriendly spells. Lockhart said standing flustered in the midst of the hall. He glanced at Severus, whose black eyes glinted, and looked away quickly. "Let's have a volunteer pair - Longbottom and Finch-fletchley, how about you -"
"A bad idea, Professor Lockhart." Severus said handing Harry over to Luna as he glided over to Lockhart like a large and malevolent bat. "Longbottom causes devastation with the simplest spells. We'll be sending what's left of Finch-Fletchley up to the Hospital Wing in a matchbox." Neville's round, pink face went pinker. "How about Malfoy and Potter." Severus said with a twisted smile.
"Excellent idea!" Lockhart said, gesturing Harry and Draco into the middle of the hall as the crowd backed away to give them room while they began to whisper in confusion.
"Not that Potter." Severus hissed out gently pulling Harry to the side while pushing Haiden into the ring.
"Even better!" Lockhart cried walking over to Haiden. "Now Haiden, when Draco points his want at you, you do this." He raised his own wand, attempted a complicated sort of wiggling action, and dropped it. Severus smirked as Lockhart quickly picked it up, saying, "Whoops - my wand is a little overexcited -"
Severus moved closer to Draco, bent down, and whispered something in his ear. Draco smirked, too. Haiden looked up nervously at Lockhart and said, "Professor, could you show me that blocking thing again?"
"Scared, Potter?" Draco muttered so that Lockhart couldn't hear him.
"You wish." Haiden said out of the corner of his mouth. Lockhart cuffed Haiden merrily on the shoulder. "Just do what I did, Haiden!"
"What, drop my wand?" Haiden asked but Lockhart wasn't listening.
"Three - two - one - go!" He shouted.
Draco raised his wand quickly and bellowed, "Serpensortia!" The end of his wand exploded and a long black snake shot out of it, fell heavily onto the floor between them, and raised itself, ready to strike. There were screams as everyone but Harry in the crowd backed swiftly away, clearing the floor.
"Don't move, Potter, I'll get rid of it." Severus said lazily, clearly enjoying the sight of Haiden standing motionless, eye to eye with an angry snake. Severus made to get rid of the snake when it began to strike, only to stop when Harry hissed at it.
"Leave him alone." Harry told the snake, causing everyone to look at him with shocked looks. The snake hissed angrily at Harry but turned away from Haiden, locked eyes with Ron and began to head towards the terrified boy. "Don't even think about it."
"You are not my master." The snake hissed. "I was created to attack, if I am not allowed to bite the one I was created to bite than I shall bite whoever I please."
"If you must bite some one, then bite me." Harry hissed at him. The snake paused for a second before continuing towards Ron.
"Listen to me!" Harry hissed out while stomping his foot causing the snake to finally look at Harry. "I am your master now! You will listen to me! You will not bite that boy! You will bite me!" The snake hissed and shook as if it were trying to fight something only to still and begin to head towards Harry who had knelt down and presented his arm. But before it could even get close enough to bite him, the snake suddenly went up in flames.
"You just tried to kill me!" Ron yelled. "You all saw that he just tried to kill me!" The crowd began to murmur.
"What the bloody hell are you talking about, if it wasn't for me you would be dead now. Everyone heard me tell that snake to not bite you." Harry said and Myari placed a calm hand on his shoulder.
"Actually, Harry, all we heard was you hissing at the snake." She explained.
"What?" Harry asked, "I was speaking a different language?" Myari nodded.
"You're the one attacking students aren't you! Admit it! You're the one that opened the Chamber and is attacking people!" Ron accused and the crowd shifted.
"No!" Harry cried tears filling up his eyes. "I haven't attacked anyone!"
"You just attacked me! Everyone saw you not only whipping me but also tell that snake to attack me!" Ron yelled and the crowd murmured again.
"I didn't! I was just defending myself! And I protected you from that snake!" Harry cried backing away as Ron began to stalk towards him. Suddenly Hermione stepped in between him and Ron, her hands on her hip while glaring at Ron.
"Stop this right now! Why do you assume that Harry was telling that snake to attack. If you were paying attention the snake started to go away from you and towards Harry." Hermione defended.
"You are clearly not in your right mind! You've been cursed by him to believe he is innocent! Just a few months ago you were telling me Harry was clearly attacking people! And then after going into the restricted section alone with him you are suddenly defending him!" Ron yelled and Severus finally stepped in.
"Mr. Weasley, that is a dangerous claim you are making. One that could ruin someone's wizarding life. Be careful what lies you spread." Severus hissed as Luna, Myari, Hermione, and Draco led Harry out of the room. As they went through doors, the people on either side drew away as though they were frightened of catching something. No one spoke until they got to the Ravenclaw Tower feeling that was the safest place for Harry at the moment.
"So you can talk to snake." Draco said a little awkwardly as they entered Harry's dorm room. "That's cool."
"Why didn't you warn us that you were a Parselmouth?" Myari asked flopping onto Harry's bed.
"I didn't know." Harry told them. "I mean, it's only the second time I've ever done it. I accidently set a boa constrictor on my cousin Dudley at the zoo once." Hermione gasped at that.
"You actually did that?" Hermione asked.
"It was an accident! I didn't know what was happening! All I know was that I started talking to the snake, Haiden came over and grabbed my arm, and then my cousin pushed us to the ground! I felt a strange tingling sensation in my nasal and the next second the glass between the boa constrictor and my cousin was gone! I didn't actually tell the constrictor to attack anyone! I would never do that!" Harry cried desperate for them to believe him, his magic began to shake everything in the room.
"Harry, calm down, no one here believes you would do that. Right?" Luna said pulling Harry into a hug and glaring at everyone there.
"Of course not!" The others agreed in a hurry, but Harry didn't relax. Luna looked at Draco and motioned for him to get his but over there. Draco jumped into action and flew towards Harry and pulled him into a hug and Harry instantly relaxed causing his magic to stop shaking everything.
"I'm fine with you being a Parselmouth, there are a few people in my tribe that are Parselmouth." Myari told Harry with a soothing smile.
"It's uncommon here, the only person I know to have that ability is You-Know-Who." Hermione said and the room started to shake again causing everyone to glare at her. "But," she quickly added, "it's not the ability that defines you, it's how you use it!" The room stopped shaking again and Hermione let out a breath of relief.
"The mud- I mean- Granger's right." Draco forced out sounding like it hurt just to say that. "Salazar Slytherin was a Parselmouth, that's why the symbol of Slytherin House is a serpent."
"I knew that." Harry muttered. "I also know he wasn't as bad…." Harry suddenly stopped talking and pulled away from Draco. "It's a snake." He said confusing everyone but Luna who nodded.
"What?" Draco asked.
"The voice I've been hearing, it's not disembodied, it's from a snake." Harry explained.
"Wait? You've been hearing a disembodied voice?" Draco asked concerned and Harry waved him away.
"That's not important right now, what is important is that Slytherin's Monster is a snake." Harry said.
"How did you come to that conclusion?" Hermione asked.
"It's simple. Salazar is a Parselmouth, he needs a creature that only he can control, it only makes sense that it would be a snake. One powerful enough to…" Harry suddenly paled. "It's a Basilisk." He whispered. Myari and Draco paled as Luna leaned against Harry and Hermione looked confused.
"But I thought Basilisks killed people, not petrified them." Hermione said.
"If you look directly at it." Harry told her. "If you remember correctly, when we found Mrs. Norris there was a puddle of water, she must have saw the Basilisk through the puddle. It also makes sense, I was following the voice and wound up in that corridor."
"But what about Colin?" Myari asked.
"That boy that's been following Haiden around with a camera attached to him? If he really was trying sneak into the Hospital Wing to get a picture of Haiden like they say he was, then he most likely tried take a picture of the Basilisk and saw it through his camera lense." Harry said sadly.
"You know Harry, if the monster really is a Basilisk, then this will not look good on you. Seeing as, as far as anyone knows, you are the only person who can speak Parselmouth. If only someone else was at the first scene." Luna said.