"Well, I'm actually too old for Hogwarts," said Rapache to Matt, casually, as he stuffed lamb into his mouth. "Just turned 13. But they said I could come anyway, since they were closed and I couldn't come before. Lucky break for me, anyhow.

Matt nodded. "Well, I don't see wh-" he began, but was interrupted by a passer-by. His name was Kratos, if Matt remembered correctly.

"Hey, me too! I'm twelve, and I was worried I wouldn't make it in. I mean, I've..." Kratos hurried away suddenly, mumbling something that sounded suspiciously like "got nowhere else to go".

"He had a weird accent," said Rapache with a grin. "But at least he's my age!"

"It's Yankee," said Matt, leaning back in his chair. "I've seen one of them before. An odd lot."

The chair tipped. Matt was sent sprawling on the floor of the Great Hall.

"Matt? You alright?" said Rapache, looking at him with alarm.

Matt got up slowly, dusting himself off, trying not to make it look like a big deal. The entire student body (Which was only a seventh of its usual capacity, but still imposing) was looking at him. And in the crowd, Matt could distinctly make out Bruce's face on the opposite side of the room. He was laughing his fat ass off.

Matt met Bruce's eye for a moment, then bowed to the entire room, which burst into applause. Matt slid back into his seat.

"Not bad," said Rapache. "They won't remember this next morning."

"I'm not finished yet," said Matt angrily, whipping out his wand and a sheet of parchment. Rapache gasped.

"Magic?"

"Pure-blood, remember?" said Matt, smiling. "I know a few spells. Perscribo!"

Words flashed into existence on the parchment, which Matt began to fold. Then he whistled, beckoning to something above Rapache. An owl swooped down onto the table and began cooing.

"The fat one," said Matt, handing the letter to the owl. Then he leaned back again, this time maintaining his balance, as the owl flew across the room.

XxXxXxX

"Hoy, Ab, I spy some dark brown clouds on the horizon!" said a tall boy with short brown hair, blue eyes sparkling with the thought of conflict.

"Why, Finch, I do believe you're right!" said Abercrombie to his brother, Finch. "A shitstorm is about to unleash upon the Great-"

"Storms don't unleash, halfwit. They break. Or strike."

"Right you are, brother," said Abercrombie, nodding. "A shitstorm is breaking right here under our very noses!" He elbowed Jimmy aggressively.

"So, who do you think's going down?" asked Abercrombie with a wink. "the fat bastard or the cocky douchebag? I mean, come on, it's going to come down to a duel sooner or later. Place your bets!"

Jimmy looked at them dubiously. "Well... I don't really think I should be gambling."

"Suit yourself," said Finch. "Make sure to check out our product line though, we're hoping to compete with Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes once we graduate."

Jimmy looked slightly more accommodating. "Maybe tomorrow, I'm bloody tired."

XxXxXxX

The owl dropped the note in Bruce's lap. He grabbed it and started to smile.

Bruce Shart- I challenge you to a duel, at eleven of the clock, in the corridor to the dungeons, to prove beyond a doubt who the greatest Pure-Blood wizard here at Hogwarts is. Come alone.- Matt

He would be there, of course. He would win, too, he was sure he knew more spells than his Hufflepuff opponent. That was the most useless house, after all. Trustworthy, though- He'd probably be fine going alone. Not that he had any friends to take just yet.

XxXxXxX

Matt stood in the corridor, waiting. He wasn't bored, for once. He was alert. It would be just like Bruce to sneak up on him. Or try, at least, fat people's footsteps tended to be pretty loud.

Just like that, there they were.

"I'm here," said Bruce, rounding the corner.

"About time," said Matt. "I was starting to think you'd chickened out."

"I've got nothing to be scared of," snapped Bruce. "You're going to lose. I know I'm better than you."

"Yeah?" said Matt, drawing his wand. "Relashio!" he yelled, spraying a shower of blue sparks towards Bruce.

Bruce's wand was in his hand in a second. "Charza!" he retaliated. A small fireball sped from the tip of his wand and annihilated the sparks, continuing on towards Matt, who ducked out of the way just in time as the fireball sped by his shoulder and buried itself in the wall behind him, leaving a scorch mark.

"Impressive," said Matt. "But-"

Bruce wasn't done yet, though. "Slenshien!" he roared, forgetting any thoughts he may have had about volume. There was an almost invisible ripple in the air and then Matt was reeling backwards with a cut in his chest. He looked back at Bruce with fire in his eyes. "Steinriese!" he yelled, pointing his wand at Bruce. There was a crack and stones began to break off the walls, forming into the shape of a man, which ran at Bruce, swinging a stony arm. Bruce ducked under the first blow and pointed his wand at the golem, yelling "Rumore Forte!"

There was a burst of sound and Matt blinked, stunned from the noise. When he opened his eyes, the golem was cracking apart.

Matt frowned. "Uh-Oh... Perhaps I needed to practice that more."

The golem, already weak from Matt's inexperience, shattered from the explosion of noise into large chunks of rock. Matt shut his eyes to protect them from the shards.

When he opened them again, Bruce was lying on the ground, unconscious. A particularly large stone had fallen upon his head. Matt would have celebrated, but he could hear the footsteps of rapidly approaching teachers.

"Idiot shouldn't have used a spell that relies on noise," he muttered, fleeing the scene before he could be caught.

((A/N: Back from vacation in Italy, chapters should appear more readily (Though still weekly or so, I don't have unlimited time.

Spell Reference- It's been many years and some new spells have been invented. Here's a list of the ones used in this chapter.

Perscribo- Causes words to appear on paper or another writing material.

Charza- Creates a fireball. Power grows with caster.

Slenshien- Creates a sharp blade of air.

Steinriese- Creates a temporary golem servant out of available materials. Golem's strength grows with caster.

Rumore Forte- Stuns enemies with a sonic boom.))