Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, spells, places ect, they all belong to JK Rowling, you know the drill...

The Great Duellist of Hogwarts

Chapter 1 - Monsieur McLaggen

"Ron, just leave me alone!" Ginny said angrily, "I'm 15 years old now, I can take care of myself!"

"15 years old, exactly, you're still a child!" Ron retorted, "And you've had Merlin knows how many boyfriends already!" It was Sunday morning and Ron had been making comments about Ginny as he passed her and Dean Thomas in the Common Room. Until Ginny had got up and confronted him.

"Two, Ronald, Two!" Ginny yelled back, "Just because I'm a year younger than you and I've been out with two people in the same time you've been out with none, it doesn't mean that I have to put my life on hold while you find someone to have your first kiss with!"

There were titters around the Common Room at this and Ron turned pink. "I never said that!" Ron stuttered, "We talked about that already, I - you - I don't-"

"Exactly Ron, we've talked about this before, so give it up already, because you're fighting a losing battle here!" Ginny shouted, "You're my brother, not my School Mum, so just STAY OUT OF MY LIFE!" She turned round and stormed off out of the Portrait Hole, fuming. When she reached the Entrance Hall, she spotted someone she recognised ahead of her.

"Luna!" Ginny called, "Hey, Luna wait up!"

Luna turned round as Ginny caught her up and they carried on walking out of the Great Doors.

"Oh, hello, Ginny," Luna said with a vague smile.

"Hi, Luna," Ginny said, "I am so stressed out, I've just come from another yelling match with Ron-" She described the morning's events to the almost oblivious girl. Of course, this did sound normal, but Luna wasn't making the usual suggestions of Wrackspurt or Nargles infesting Ron's brain.

"Is anything wrong, Luna?" Ginny asked, concern etched on her face.

"Oh, nothing," Luna said airily, "It's nothing really, just those boys that usually-"

She was cut off in mid-speech by an eruption of laughter. They had reached the courtyard outside and students passed them on their way to breakfast. Cormac McLaggen and a group of friends started laughing as Ginny and Luna walked past them. To Ginny's dismay, McLaggen had what looked like the latest edition of the quibbler in his hands.

"Oi, Loony!" He yelled at them, "Have you seen what crap your dad's written this week?" He cleared his throat and read-

"The discovery of the Crumple-Horned Snorkack would appear to be imminent now. Whilst on an exploration to Sweden with my daughter Luna this summer, we found unmistakable signs of a Snorkack's recent visit there. Specialists will be sent over to investigate, and we will be appealing to the Department for Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures to finally get the Crumple-Horned Snorkack onto the official list of All Known Magical Creatures. More news will follow as soon as possible."

Ginny glared pointedly at McLaggen but he ignored her and went on, "And that rubbish made the FRONT PAGE, even with You-Know-Who coming back! Is your Dad a bit watsit in the head then like you?"

Luna had gone pale and for once had nothing to say. Harry, Ron and Hermione walked into the courtyard to see the scene in front of them unfolding. Already close to the edge after her argument with Ron, Ginny snapped. She pulled out her wand and yelled at the boy, "Get your wand out McLaggen! We're duelling right now!"

McLaggen laughed as groups of watching students drew closer. "Are you serious, Weasley? I mean, I'm two years older and a foot taller than you! How can you even think of beating me?"

"D'you think I would have challenged you if I cared about all that stuff?" Ginny shouted back, "Now lets see if your brain is any bigger than your mouth and draw your wand!"

The students surrounding them were silent as McLaggen slowly pulled his wand out from inside his robes. Ginny motioned for Luna to move out of the way. She looked McLaggen in the eyes for a moment before he broke the silence.

"Pertrificus Totalus!" He yelled furiously. Ginny dodged it and sent back a disarming charm. McLaggen used a Shield Charm to block it and sent back another Body Bind Curse. Ginny conjured her own shield and sent a jelly-legs jinx at the boy.

"That's it," Ron said to Harry and Hermione, "I'm putting a stop to this now." Ron started forwards until Hermione grabbed him and pulled him back forcefully. "Ronald, Ginny is completely right. She can handle things herself , and it's not fair of you to mollycoddle her all the time. You know she's a good witch, and she's perfectly capable of looking after herself. You need to let her grow up"

Ron looked at his other best friend for back-up but Harry just shrugged. "Fine…" He muttered, turning back to the duel.

"Is that the best you can do, Weasley?" McLaggen jeered, "A Disarming Charm and a Jelly-Legs? Well, that's just what I'd expect from a girl…"

Ginny lost it. "IMPEDIMENTA!" She screamed. A giant blue fireball erupted from the end of her wand and shot at McLaggen. His eyes widened before the jinx made impact, and he flew back 10 yards and landed with a bone-shaking crash.

The surrounding students stared in astonishment as Ginny walked over to where McLaggen lay groaning. She knelt down beside him and planted a light kiss in his lips. He grinned dazedly and she slapped him. Hard. Ginny looked him in the eyes and said quietly, "Pick on her again and you'll deal with me." She left many students, including Ron in particular, gaping in her wake as she then calmly walked away.