The Not Quite Midnight Duel
General Notes (that can't be formatted in the notes section of AO3) -
*Spells*
Italicized - thoughts/said in someone’s head, direct quotes
Underlined - being read (letters, news, etc)
Bolded - Author Notes & Headings
Hadrian’s POV-
The next week on Thursday, the Slytherins and Gryffindors had flying lessons. All of the Gryffindors stood on one side of the quidditch pitch while all the Slytherins stood on the other side as far as possible from the Gryffindors.
“All right students, My name is Madam Hooch. Now everyone, stand over your broom and say, ‘Up,’” She said.
“Up!” Came from every student. Hadrian’s flew straight into his hand, and the rest of the Slytherins’ brooms flew up a few seconds later. Weasley got hit in the head with his broom. This caused Malfoy to comment, “Even Weasley’s broom doesn’t want anything to do with him.” All the Slytherins snickered. Granger’s broom just rolled on the ground. After about 5 minutes of Madam Hooch trying to help Granger, she eventually just told her to pick the broom up.
“Now, mount your brooms,” Madam Hooch said.
They all mounted the brooms. Then, one Gryffindor started floating up, reaching almost 20 feet above the ground, and subsequently started calling out for help. Madam Hooch started to mount a broom when they all heard a plop, followed by a loud crack.
"None of you is to move while I take this boy to the Hospital Wing! You leave those brooms where they are or you'll be out of Hogwarts before you can say 'Quidditch.'" - AN this is a direct quote from JK Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. And with that, she left.
“Is she insane? Leaving Gryffindors and Slytherins unattended? Is she trying to get people killed?” Blaise asked, concerned.
“Probably,” is also Theo said before Weasley picked up a glass ball.
“Oh, would look at this. Longbottom’s left his remembrall, shame he won’t be able to get it back,” Weasley said, looking like he wanted to kick the glass ball to the moon.
“Weasley, please use your only brain cell and give it to one of your smarter housemates,” Hadrian said sighing. Weasley sneered in response. He mounted his broom and started to float upwards.
“If you want it so bad Potter, come get it!” He taunted. Draco sent a questioning look to Hadrian. Hadrian just continued to stare at Weasley.
“For your information Weasley, my name is Peverell-Potter,” Hadrian said.
“Someone’s asking to be expelled,” Theo said. Weasley threw the glass sphere. Everyone watched the remembrall shoot across the sky. Just as it was going to crash into the pillar across the field, Hadrian cast wingardium leviosa on the sphere, preventing it from breaking.
“MR. WEASLEY!” Echoed across the field. Everyone turned to see a furious Madam Hooch stopping across the field. Hadrian sent the remembrall to his hand and watched as Weasley tried to get back down to the ground and dismount as quickly as possible.
“And what do you think you were doing up in the air after I explicitly told you NOT TO MOUNT YOUR BROOMS!?!?” Madam Hooch said practically screaming at the end of the sentence.
“I - um,” Weasley stuttered.
“With me, young man. As for the rest of you, you all have a free period while I take Mr. Weasley here to the headmaster. Good day,” and with that, Madam Hooch dragged Weasly into the castle.
~3 hours later~
The group of Slytherins all came into the Great Hall for dinner. Hadrian looked at the hourglasses holding the house points. Gryffindor was down 100 points. Hadrian nodded his head towards the hourglasses.
“Guess we know who didn’t get expelled,” Daphne said.
“Favoritism,” Draco said under his breath. All the Slytherins nodded in agreement before sitting down and eating dinner.
About halfway through dinner, Weasley stood up and stomped over to the Slytherin’s table.
“Potter, I challenge you to a wizards’ duel. Midnight, in the trophy room!” Weasley practically yelled. Everyone in the hall went dead silent, very obviously listening in.
“Why shouldn’t we have the duel after dinner here in the Great Hall?” Hadrian asked.
“Fine,” Weasley said before stomping off.
Just as dinner ended, Hadrian stood up and walked towards Professor Flitwick.
“Professor Flitwick, would you be so kind as to create a dueling platform for Weasley and me?” Hadrian asked.
“Of course, Mr. Peverell-Potter,” Professor Flitwick said before standing up. He transfigured a dueling platform in the center of the Great Hall. Weasley shuffled his feat towards the platform. All the students stood around the platform. All the professors stood closest to the platform in case something went wrong.
“What, got cold feet Weasley?” Draco taunted.
“WHAT? NO!” Weasley yelled. He stepped onto the platform. Hadrian stepped onto the platform as well.
“Alright, to be clear on the rules for dueling. No dark curses, no killing, and no unforgivables. The duel will go on unless one surrenders, is off the platform, or someone is injured with a life-threatening injury. Understand?” He asked. Hadrian and Weasley nodded. “Ready?” Flitwick asked the two. They both nodded. “Three, two, one, go!”
“*Lumos*” Hadrian cast, purposefully overpowering it. Everyone squinted. “*Petrificus Totalus*” Hadrian cast again. “*Nox.*”
Everyone blinked a few times before realizing that Weasley was in a full-body bind.
“Mr. Peverell-Potter has won,” Professor Flitwick said loudly. With that, Hadrian stepped off the platform and headed towards his friends. After congratulating him, they all headed down to the common room and went to bed.
~The next day~
Everything went as normal until the Owl Post came in. Hedwig came in with the Dalit Prophet. Hadrian picked it up and started to read it.
DRAMA AT HOGWARTS! START OF A NEW BLOOD FEUD?
By: Rita Skeeter
Last night at Hogwarts, School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Ronald Weasley challenged Lord Hadrian Peverell-Potter to a duel at midnight but later was changed to after the dinner feast. Mr. Weasley was soundly defeated after 3 spells were cast.
Now, my readers may be asking why this is important, well we could be seeing the start of a new blood feud between the Weasley family and the Peverell-Potter family.
To give you some context, Mr. Weasley has been seen several times insulting Lord Peverell-Potter and his friend group. Members of his friend group include all of the first-year Slytherins, including Heir Draco Mafloy. The Weasley family already has a blood feud with the Malfoy family. And with the way this is going, the Weasleys will have even more problems should they not change their ways. Many already have distanced themselves from the Weasleys after the declaration of a blood feud between the Malfoys and the Weasleys. Lord Peverell-Potter and Heir Malfoy are reportedly good friends. Should Lord Peverell-Potter declare one as well, the Weasleys may have yet to have any allies left in the Wizengamot.
Another thing to consider is that Lord Peverell-Potter while having significant power in the Wizengamot already with 7 seats, is also seemingly the leader of his friend group. Many of whom are heirs or heiress to noble families.
All things considered, Mr. Weasley is doing his family a great disservice to his family should he continue his behavior.
In other news, a new bill is entering the Wizengamot floor, proposed by Undersecretary Umbridge, which makes it illegal to be an unregistered creature. It will also make it illegal to hold a job should someone be a dark creature. More information is on page 4. The entire bill is on page 6.
Rita Skeeter, signing off.
Hadrian quickly flipped to page 6. This isn’t good. They are practically making it legal to kill unregistered creatures. I need to stop this bill, but how? I can’t ask Skeeter to do it, she’s already doing everything she can. If I use all my seats, they are going to want to know who I am even more. Could I make a persona? Possibly, leaving school every Wizengamot session is risky. Plus with all the meet-ups I’d need to do and paperwork, someone is probably going to be suspicious of me. Well, at least Skeeter is proving to be useful.
-Flashback-
Hadrian picked up a copy of the Daily Prophet. According to Kreature, it is Magical Britian's main source of news.
Peverell and Potter seats have Merged! Now being held by an Unknown Proxy. The Chief Warlock has Changed!
By Rita Skeeter
This past Wizengamot session, the Peverell seats have been taken out of dormant and the Potter seats, previously held by the now-former Chief Warlock, Albus Dumbledore, have merged. The seats then moved to the Neutral Faction from the Light Faction.
What could have happened? The only member of the Potter family is Harry Potter, the boy who lived. Albus Dumbledore is his magical guardian, meaning that the Potter seats should be under him, and as the leader of the Light Faction, he was Chief Warlock. The difference in seats between the three factions is much slimmer than we all thought! If an addition of 5 seats and a loss of 2 seats changed the political faction in charge, then they all must have similar seat counts.
Now the big question is, why did the seats for Peverell and Potter change? Well, while the history of the Potters isn’t too well known, the Peverell and Potter lines merged several centuries ago. This mostly likely means that a Peverell has claimed the closest blood relation to the Potters, meaning the Peverell claimed both the Potter seats and their seats.
This theory is most likely according to experts. My questions though, have only grown. Who is this new Lord or Lady Peverell? Is Dumbledore still Harry Potter’s magical guardian? Why haven’t the new Lord or Lady Peverell revealed themselves? Why haven’t they come out sooner? If they are Harry Potter’s new magical guardian, will they take care of our savior? Why weren’t they at the former Lord and Lady Potter’s funeral? Where have they been? Should someone so new to Magical Brititna be in charge of our savior? Will he return the magical guardianship of Harry Potter to the person Lord and Lady Potter wanted to have it?
Rita Skeeter, signing off.
“Kreature,” Hadrian called out.
“Yes Lord Black?” Kreature asked.
“Are there any books about me?” Hadrian asked.
“Yes, there are several,” Kreature replied.
Hadrian quickly crafted two letters and went towards Hedwig, who had just finished eating by the window.
“The first one is for Rita Skeeter. The second one is for Gringotts,” He told her. Hedwig took them in her claw and left.
~Rita’s POV~
It was a normal day in Rita’s office until someone ran into her office.
“Ms. Skeeter!” Josh said, out of breath,
“What?” She asked.
“There’s a letter baring the Peverell and Potter seals,” he said wheezing. He put the letter on the desk and left. The Peverell and Potter seats? I didn’t expect them to respond so fast.
Dear Ms. Skeeter,
Please avoid saying bad things about me unless you want to be sued for slander. And for your information, my name is Hadrian Peverell-Potter and I am Lord Peverell-Potter. Please refer to me properly the next time you write an article. Please and thank you.
From,
Lord Hadrian Peverell-Potter.
Rita hummed excitedly. Looks like I have my next story .
~The next day~
~Hadrian’s POV~
Hadrian took the Daily Prophet and started to read it.
Lord Peverell-Potter revealed! And he is Making Moves!
By Rita Skeeter
That’s right, none other than the boy who lived is Lord Peverell-Potter.
Hadrian stopped reading after that and threw it in the trash before heading to the library.
-End of Flashback-