Chapter two

The first Friday that would see the students duelling, arrived. All the students were either excited or nervous, but most wanted to see who would end up against the teachers and if any student could beat a teacher. There was a lot of talk about Harry Potter being in the final's, some even mentioned the Slytherin's since a lot of their parents were death eaters. Some speculated that the seventh years and maybe the sixth year Slytherin's were marked with the dark mark. So many believed they would end up in the finals, maybe even against the teachers.

Once everyone was seated and the headmaster cast some charms. One was to stop any unforgivables being cast, the second was to make sure no spectators was hit with a stray spell, then the tournament began. Even though it was only first years to begin the duelling contest, none of the teachers wanted to take the chance that an older student didn't sneak a spell in while everyone was concentrating on the two students in the middle.

The first few rounds of the duelling competition were the first years, none could do much but there were a few surprises. The biggest surprise was a young Hufflepuff girl, a halfblood, ended up winning. So she would progress to duelling the second years.

The following Friday saw the second years and it went much the same as the first years. The Hufflepuff first year ended up taking out four second years before she was beaten. But everyone applauded her when she left the arena to see one of the healers, for only minor cuts and bruises.

Third years was a bit more of spectacular to watch. Nigel had won that year round and when he went up against fourth years, he beat half of them before he was beaten by Dennis. Both of whom had been in the DA and both had done well during that time.

The fourth years was a lot harder and lasted longer. Many of the spells did more damage than just simple cuts, some lost bones even fingers which had to be regrown. In the end it was Dennis who had won the fourth year round. He will start next week when the fifth years start.

A lot of the Slytherin's kept trying to protest, many said that no muggleborn could beat a pureblood, yet every pureblood that had fought, first through fourth year all lost. Most of the ones that won were muggleborns apart from the first year Hufflepuff who was a halfblood, and a second year Ravenclaw who was also a halfblood.

'I think a lot of those snotty purebloods are realising that blood status means nothing in a real fight,' Harry smirked, 'I can't wait to see Hermione up against one of those, hopefully Parkinson.'

Ron chuckled, Hermione rolled her eyes, 'That would be worth putting money on,' Ron said.

'Don't you dare, I do not want anyone betting on me,' Hermione said.

'I've made a few bets,' Harry said as he stared around, 'The twins heard about this from Ginny, they wanted in on some action. Naturally we couldn't tell them who would be up against whom since it was random drawers, so they mainly bet on the odd person or house. They did pick the DA, I did with a few, like you two, Neville, Ginny and Luna.'

'They did pick who would be the student to win didn't they?' Ron asked with raised eyebrows.

'They hedged their bets by picking one each,' Harry smirked.

'So are you going to tell us who the other is, since we know they would have picked you?' Ron asked.

'I don't think you'd like it.'

'I know they won't pick me, I wouldn't even bet on me, not against you and Hermione. So go on, tell me.'

'Ginny.'

'Not surprising, seeing her in the DA then…' Ron shrugged, he didn't need to say at the department of mysteries. Harry and Hermione knew what he meant. Ginny had gone well against the death eaters, she even destroyed the hall of prophecy.

'We'll see if they are right next Friday since we won't see the fifth years until then. Even though most of the DA were good I don't think any will win against Ginny, maybe Luna. Most people underestimate her, myself included. Do you think you can win the sixth year round Harry?'

'No idea, Hermione, but I've got a few idea's, I think I'll get to the end or close to it. But I think the fifth year round will end with either Ginny or Luna as the winner. Colin is good but not up against those two girls. So we might end up going up against one of them.'

'I'm not keen on going up against my sister, we could do well, but I just don't know if I can go hard on her.'

'She will take advantage of that Ron, you can't let her do that. Go out and try your hardest even against your younger sister. Pomfrey will be here so she'll be fine if you get her with something nasty. You know she will hit you with everything she's got including the bat bogeys,' Harry said, Ron groaned but he nodded, Hermione knew Harry was right. Ginny would go out to win, especially against her brother. She had six brothers who all tried to protect her, this could show them she could handle herself in a fight.

Harry gave Hermione a nod then gestured towards the boy's dorm room, so she followed Harry and Ron up the stairs.

'Why do you think that all the purebloods keep losing?'

'I'm not sure, but…sorry, didn't Sirius tell you that most are related?' Hermione asked tentatively.

'Yeah, he did, like how the Malfoy's are related to Ron's family. Sirius and the Malfoy's were related as well, not just through Narcissa Malfoy, nee Black. The Potters and blacks are related since my grandmother was born a Black but married a Potter. So I'm related to the Weasley's and the Malfoy's.'

'Well, maybe because they only marry purebloods and there aren't a lot left the ones that are might be too closely related, like first cousins. It's against muggle laws to be in a relationship with a first cousin, they believe it's too close, like brother and sister. If that is true then maybe instead of being deformed in some way, it's the magic that suffers, since we are different to muggles.'

'I had the same thought, I found out that I'm related to Susan Bones but she's like a third cousin twice removed or something like that. Sirius and Remus both said my mother could beat them and my dad in a duel, she was a muggleborn.'

'I think your right, look at people like Malfoy, his good at things like potions, but he usually ends up behind you two when it's to do with spells, sometimes he doesn't get it until the next lesson. I've never taken much notice of the other Slytherin's, or anyone actually. I'm good, but nowhere near as good as you two, a muggleborn and a halfblood,' Ron said.

'You are good Ron and even if you are fast, your best talent is in how you plan things. You're a strategist. You know, maybe this tournament will have a lot of people wondering, especially if the next two years are won by a muggleborn or halfblood,' Harry said.

'I think you're right, I know Professor Dumbledore, McGonagall and Snape are halfbloods. The rest are purebloods, apart from Professor Flitwick who is a half goblin,' Hermione said.

'That's why they are the four most powerful teachers in the school. Hey, do you think Trelawney will compete or will she say her inner eye told her not to?' Ron asked with a smirk.

'She will get her butt handed to her then say she knew it was going to happen as she saw it. I bet anything she will take a dive so she can get out of it quickly. Hey Hermione, do you think it will be random drawer for the teachers or will Dumbledore put them in order, hopeless until it gets to him?'

'No, to make it fair it has to stay random, maybe he will put himself last but that's all he will do. The trouble is, his hand, it might slow him down and if he does get hurt then it could cause more trouble. I can't find what cursed his hand as it would have to be a dark curse and some of those books make my skin crawl.'

'He's powerful enough to last a few rounds, so if it does cause him problems he might not win but win a few,' Ron said, 'Let's get down to dinner, I'm hungry.'

'When aren't you hungry,' Harry shook his head then followed his friends down through the common room, out the portrait and down through the castle.

The following Friday, Colin started off winning, he beat quarter of the fifth years, including most of the Slytherin's until he went up against Luna, then he lost. Luna won every round until she faced Ginny who had Luna unconscious after ten minutes. She was the first pureblood to win. Ginny had a few small cuts but that was it, she was congratulated by all the Gryffindor's. The friends could see how torn the Slytherin's were, the first pureblood win but the Weasley family were thought of as blood traitors by those types.

'Even though I could probably win against some of you, I don't really fancy going up against Harry,' Ginny said as she plonked down in a seat across from the three friends.

'If you did you know you can't hold back, I won't be.'

'I know, that's why I know I won't win against you, against a few of you. But Colin was really good, he surprised me when I saw him take out a lot of fifth years.'

'He knows he's at risk being a muggleborn, I have a feeling him and Dennis have been using the room of requirement a lot,' Harry said.

'Even though we're all in danger, you are right, they don't like muggleborns at all,' Ron said but he glanced at Hermione before dishing himself up some dinner. Harry and Ron knew that Hermione was in more danger than most, not just because she was a muggleborn, but because she was friends with Harry who was Voldemort's main target.