In February of Harry's fourth year, a second dueling club was formed at Hogwarts, and led by Filius Flitwick, unknown to have been a dueling star in his youth. Harry and Ron attended, bringing a doubtful Hermione with them. She was reluctant to go, remembering the disastrous events in second year, but obliged when she considered the spells she might learn.

"I can't imagine him dueling, but anything's better than Lockheart," scoffed Ron, pointing a finger at Flitwick as he spoke. The room packed full of students began to grow quiet, like the beginning of a show when the lights begin to darken.

"Ron," Hermione scolded. "He did teach us about defensive moves─"

"You mean when he wasn't practically tripping over his own robes?" grinned Harry. Hermione shook her head, but stifled a smile.

In the back room, Flitwick prepared his opponent, casting suspension charms over the figure to keep it hovering just off the ground. He studied his handwork. The mannequin, painted in red blotches all over one side by peeves (Filius still hadn't had a chance to remove those), was dressed in tailored black robes, and holding a borrowed wand (the Headmaster's), staring blankly into Filius' eyes. It stood exactly his height.

"Finally, someone my size," he joked to himself. He closed the door lightly, the lock not entirely catching, as he walked towards the students, who, noticing his arrival, hushed completely.

"Hey, is that Fred and George coming out of the back room?" Ron whispered, cupping his mouth with his palm to direct the sound towards Harry and Hermione.

"I doubt it, they hardly ever come to these things, do they?" interjected Hermione.

Harry shrugged. "Unless they're here to play a p─" he whispered thoughtfully. Then, Flitwick waved his wand, and a flaming ghost-like dragon withdrew from his wand, snarling at those who were still talking. It zipped in a circle, dancing along the perimeter of the crowd, until all were dead silent, watching their previously unthreatening professor.

"Today, we will be learning some simple spells to give your opponent more of a challenge, see?" he squeaked. "But first, an announcement. I know you've had interesting experiences here in the past─"

Ron snorted, and Hermione elbowed him.

"─but I will avoid that by presenting to you, the very first Hogwarts dueling club... automaton!"

A mannequin jerkily knocked open the door to the back room, hovering towards the end of the platform, where the fourth years were gaping. Hermione, tilted her head up, her eyes widening in surprise.

"The machine ─ well, not a machine like the Muggles use, but a wizard machine ─" rambled Flitwick, "will now choose its partner."

Silence ensued as everyone gazed expectantly at the figure. Then, it imperceptibly shifted, and its arm wobbled upwards, pointing shakily at Harry.

"First the snake, now this," muttered Justin Finch-Fletchley. Ron was thinking something very similar, only more broad a category.

Silently, Harry dug out his wand and faced the monstrous mannequin, placing one foot carefully in front other. Flitwick nodded his head approvingly.

"Good, you've remembered something! Now, wave your wand in an arc and recite Incagulariculous!"

Harry was confused.

"Sorry, what?"

But the figure hovered closer and closer, raising its wand arm to him as he struggled to mimic the word Flitwick had said. The man only watched as Harry panicked and cast his favorite spell, the disarming charm.

Nothing happened. Flitwick approached him, trying to grab the mannequin before it cursed Harry, but failed, falling flat on his face. He grabbed his wand and shot green light at his creation to make it stop, but it did nothing. Students started screaming in the crowd, piercing yells that made the room erupt into chaos.

Flitwick grabbed his mannequin for dear life, trying to avoid the mob that was forming. Harry grabbed the hand of a first year, who helped him off the platform, then ran away screaming. Ron grabbed Hermione, who shoved him aside, shocked.

Suddenly, a voice yelled "Stop, you idiots!", which caught the attention of everyone.

Flitwick, regaining control, was not the speaker, but he craned his neck to look up, where the voice was coming from, as he let go of the mannequin. It promptly crashed to the ground, unmoving, but he was too surprised to care.

"Hi! Hello! How're you folks doing?" asked the speakers (there were two, Harry realized), appearing on broomsticks twenty yards above them. Fred and George Weasley.

"You may have noticed that your wands aren't working," began Fred mischievously.

"Now, hush, don't panic. There is a perfectly good reason for this," continued George.

"Oh, sure," growled Flitwick, who had been knocked to the floor.

"We ─ inventors and partners in the very profitable enterprise Weasley's Wizard Wheezes..."

Fred paused for effect, as well as applause. Neither succeeded.

"Have used your dueling club as a testing pool for our all-new─" said George.

"Long-lasting─"

"Flavor-blasting─"

"Ultra-hilarious─"

"Trick licorice wands!"

"They look like wands, they feel like wands, but they don't act like wands. Just say the unlocking spell, and the disillusionment we've placed upon them will vanish, leaving you with great-tasting licorice wands!" finished Fred triumphantly.

There was silence.

Then, voices starting sounding in the crowd, asking questions in threatening tones. One was from Hannah Abbott, another from Hermione.

The first: "What's the spell?"

George answered, "Oh, those are just testers. Those don't have an unlocking spell."

The second, said slowly and menacingly: "Where are our real wands, Fred and George Weasley?"

The twins scratched the backs of their necks in unison, murmuring to each other.

"Err... You see... About that..."


Written for:

Twister Challenge, Character: Filius Flitwick.

Rummikub Challenge, Prompt: Engaging in a duel…with licorice wands.

Hangman Challenge, Letter: L (word chosen- licorice)