Chapter 9
The holidays finished without anything exciting happening.
I had been keeping an eye on the newspaper, but Skeeter had yet to write an article on my little interview with her. I arrived back at Hogwarts the day before term started, and I had all my homework done and my little research notes all tidied.
It was the first day of term that something of note finally happened.
The owl delivering my newspaper came, as expected, and I lazily unrolled it. I immediately saw my face on the front page again, and I barely held back a wide grin. I scanned over the article, which had not only held a public apology about the last article concerning me, but also my side of the story. I quickly read through it and found that Nott had been called out on the carpet for trying to defame my name by using unsavory means. Of course, I read over the full incident of how he had become a bit obsessed with another pureblood, only for that pureblood's parent to try and file a restraining order against Nott until Nott's father made it go away. I internally cackled as I realized Skeeter had fallen for my lies hook, line, and sinker. I quickly read through the rest of the paper before rolling it up and putting it in my bag. I then happily ate my food before we Slytherins all headed off to our first class of the day.
"Why are you so chipper?" Zabini questioned as we sat in our Transfigurations class.
I remained silent on the subject, more than glad to merely smile cryptically and leave it at that.
The next day is when the fun happened.
It was morning, and an owl basically darted for Nott, which was quite strange. It was holding a red envelope, which made Nott pale to an alarming amount.
He swallowed thickly as he took the envelope from the owl. He stared down at it until he realized it was beginning to smoke from the edges. Hesitantly, Nott opened it.
The Howler immediately spat out in a very harsh, masculine tone, "Theodore Elliot Nott, I did not raise you to act this way!"
I barely held in a snicker at the way Nott's face dropped.
"You not only tarnish the name of another Slytherin, but you did so in a way that caused everyone to panic," Nott's father, or so I presumed, hissed angrily. "You will be coming home for spring break, and we will be having a long discussion on your lack of dignity. Am I understood?"
Nott, out of instinct more than anything else, muttered, "Yes, sir."
The letter didn't hesitate to suddenly burst into flames and turn to ash over his plate.
I felt very content at the moment as I read my paper. I figured that everything had solved itself and that I wouldn't get trouble from Nott anymore.
Of course, Nott had other plans. He grabbed my newspaper and ripped it from my hands, actually tearing the pages as he did so.
"Nott!" Greengrass exclaimed as she stared at the boy in shock, clearly not expecting that he'd do such a thing.
"Potter, I challenge you to a duel," Nott said, his voice filled with venom.
"Very well. Who's your second?" I asked as I folded my hands together.
"Malfoy," Nott replied.
Malfoy looked ready to object, but quickly silenced himself upon receiving a fierce glare from Nott. "Fine."
I looked at the one who was sitting next to me. "Zabini, if you'll accept being my second, I'll answer that question you had in Diagon Alley more specifically."
The black boy's brow furrowed deeply before a spark of recognition filled them. "I'll do it."
I smiled at the half-blood before turning toward Nott. "Who'll be the Spotter?"
Nott pursed his lips for a moment before brightening up. "Snape."
I raised an eyebrow before agreeing. "Very well. Shall we?" I extended my hand out to Nott, who immediately shook my hand back, sealing the deal.
I stood up, and Nott did as well. The two of us, along with our Seconds, approached the Head Table.
Professor Snape was already looking like he was having a migraine as he looked at the four of us. "What do you four want?"
"We want you to be our Spotter," Nott stated.
"You cannot Duel-"
"We shook on it already," I interrupted, and he looked like he was staring at us like we were people he truly hated.
"Very well," he said through gritted teeth. "After your ridiculous duel, you all get a week of detention for breaking Hogwarts rules."
"When are you free?" I questioned as I looked at the professor seriously.
"After dinner," he said, "You four will meet in the Third Dungeon and wait for me to arrive." He then waved off us, clearly not wanting to be in our presence any longer.
I was satisfied as I went back to my seat at the Slytherin table and ate some of my now cool bagel. I then picked up the remaining pieces of my paper before trying to check the stocks. I eventually gave up, as the newspaper had been destroyed in that particular section. I crumpled up the destroyed paper and tucked it away in my bag.
The day was unnecessarily long, or so it felt.
I was annoyed that we couldn't just duel right away, but I also understood that Snape had to take precautionary measures just in case things did get out of hand. Therefore, I mustered up as much patience as I could and managed to not squirm in my seat during any classes or meals.
After dinner, however, Zabini, Malfoy, Nott, and I quickly made our way down to the Third Dungeon and waited. We were all sizing the other up, ready to jump into action should anyone else so much as twitch in the wrong way.
It took Snape two minutes to come down, and he was followed by both the headmaster, Dumbledore, and the Mediwitch of Hogwarts, Madam Pomfrey. The Potions Master jerked his head irritably and said, "Follow me." He then led the way to a chamber that appeared to have not been used in a while.
The chamber was large, and it held a long stage-like table where Nott and I would be dueling on. The room, though clean, was still dark and dreary.
I ignored those facts and calmly turned to Nott, who was looking back at me with a fiery intensity. I held back a lazy grin, though he could probably see the amusement in my eyes.
"Get up there, you two. We don't have all night," Snape snapped at us.
I went to the right side of the stage while Nott went to the left. We stepped up the stairs and approached each other, our seconds waiting on the last step if they needed to step in for any reason. The two of us then followed proper procedure, bowing to each other before taking up accepted stances in wizarding duels.
Snape appeared exceptionally irked as he looked us over. Even he had to admit that we were prepared for this battle. He straightened up and yelled, "Begin!"
Nott immediately flicked his wand around and yelled, "Incendio!"
I just about rolled my eyes as I countered his spell with the Water Charm. "Aguamenti!"
The two spells canceled each other out, leaving a bunch of steam to obscure our vision.
"Flipendo!" Nott yelled.
I was barely missed as the jinx shot past me.
I scowled deeply before retorting, "Titillando." I knew I hit my target when Nott burst into spontaneous giggles.
Then, Nott yelled, "Finite Incantatem!"
I gave a grin, as the air cleared my wand poised for the attack. "Impedimenta!"
Nott's eyes widened as he was struck with the jinx. His body began to move slowly, as if trying to counter-attack, but in slow motion.
My smirk turned downright malicious as I shouted, "Expelliarmus!"
Nott's wand flew from his hand, and the boy stumbled back quickly despite being forced to remain slow.
Upon having been rendered unable to duel, Malfoy hesitantly stepped up as Snape quickly grabbed hold of Nott and basically dragged him off the stage.
My eyes glittered in the dark torchlight, glad to be able to get revenge on the other student that dared to stand against me in the media.
"Petrificus Totalus!" Malfoy cried as he snapped his wand at me.
My legs locked together, but I had enough balance to prevent myself from falling over. I merely waved my wand and said, "Finite."
Malfoy quickly used that time to move his wand. "Stupify!"
I narrowed my eyes sharply before raising my wand up. "Stupify Duo!"
Our spells hit, only for my spell, which was a more powerful variant of the spell Malfoy used, to overpower his.
Malfoy was knocked off his feet and rolled a bit on the stage before failing to get up, making it quite clear to everyone that he was unconscious.
I calmly stood up straight and looked back at Snape, who was most definitely glaring daggers at me.
"Winner: Colton Potter," Snape said through grit teeth. He then abandoned his spot by Dumbledore and Pomfrey to go over to Malfoy, who was still unconscious.
I allowed myself to relax before simply walking to the stairs.
Zabini was watching me carefully, clearly weary of what I could do now that he had seen me in action. He was smart in that way.
"Mr. Potter, I must ask where you learned some of those spells," Dumbledore said as he looked at me over his half-moon spectacles.
"I read," I answered shortly, but honestly.
He didn't look satisfied with that answer, but he didn't press for answers as Madam Pomfrey finished treating both Malfoy and Nott, who were now awake and holding their wands once more.
Both boys looked deeply annoyed, but they couldn't say anything to me because they had lost fair and square.
"Your detentions will be spread over different times of the day," Snape said at once as he glared between the four of us. "Now, back to the common room."
I took the lead, and Zabini quickly fell in step behind me.
Nott followed Zabini, who was followed by Malfoy, Snape, Dumbledore, and Pomfrey.
I quickly made my way to the common room entrance and said the password. I watched the blank wall open up, and I entered without any hesitation.
The other Slytherins entered, followed by Snape, who allowed the wall to close behind him.
Everyone stopped to stare at Snape, who was giving off a
distinctly unpleasant aura.
"If any of you are foolish enough to go through with a true duel while at Hogwarts, you will live to regret it," he threatened in his usual stone-cold drawl. He gave me a pointed glare before turning heel and leaving the common room.
I didn't bother putting any weight to his threat as I turned to Zabini. "You wanted specifics, yes?"
"Not now," he replied with a shake of his head. He then headed off into the common room and toward the dormitory.
"Well?" Flint, a fifth-year, asked as he looked between the remaining three of us eagerly.
I glanced around the common room, ignoring the way both Nott and Malfoy glowered at me. I then smiled kindly at them as I made sure my eyes returned a vibrant red. "I believe it really should be obvious, especially given their responses to the question." I motioned over to my two former opponents, who both scowled deeply.
"You owe me ten Galleons," Adrian Pucey, a boy in his third year, said as he smirked at Flint.
Flint scowled deeply. "You're kidding. You two lost to a boy raised by muggles?"
"Shove off," Nott growled before stomping off to the dormitory room the a boys shared.
I allowed my eyes to turn back to hazel, and I went about working on my homework as usual.
The others were eager to gossip about my victory over both boys, though they did so quietly.
After ensuring my essay was perfect, I headed over to the dormitory room. I was quite surprised that Nott didn't attack me the moment I entered, as I genuinely expected him to try and get some form of revenge.
Instead, he was glaring at the ceiling of his four-poster bed.
Malfoy was quietly muttering to both Crabbe and Goyle, who entered the dormitory shortly before I did.
Zabini nodded once to me in acknowledgement from where he sat on his bed.
I was quite satisfied as I deposited my bag next to my bed and got changed into my pajamas. I then crawled into my covers and pulled out a book to read while the candles in the dormitory room still burned. I found it to be a satisfying ending to the entire incident, no matter if I made a few enemies or not.