Chapter 9

The next few weeks the whole school was abuzz about Mrs Norris and what happened to her. Filch was a nightmare, giving people detention for really stupid stuff like "breathing loudly" and "looking too happy."

Everyone seemed to be on edge over what was written on the wall, which was still gleaming on the wall, no matter how much Filch scrubbed at it.

After around two weeks of this tension, Dumbledore decided to allow a Duelling Club, which started on Saturday that week.

I woke up fairly early for a Saturday and slid down the banister to the common room, where as always, Draco was waiting for me.

…

When Draco and I went down to the Hall, I found Ivy and stood next to her. Draco rolled his eyes and said nothing until the doors of the Hall were opened.

Lockhart stood there, looking overly happy.

"Come in, come in! Let's get started!" he called out as we all walked in.

I pulled out my wand and stood in between the Gryffindors and the Slytherins as Lockhart walked up onto a stage that was placed in the middle of the Hall.

"Now, Professor Dumbledore has given me permission to set up this little Duelling Club to train you all up…in case you ever need to defend yourselves against…unfriendly forces."

"Or the Heir of Slytherin." Ivy whispered to me.

I stood up a little straighter. I knew I had heard of an heir! It was the Heir of Slytherin! Oh well, I couldn't say anything now. I had to find something when I got back to the common room.

"Allow me to introduce my assistant Professor Snape." Lockhart said, gesturing to the far end of the stage, where Snape was walking up the steps to face Lockhart.

"Now, we are going to do a demonstration, but need not worry!" Lockhart said, beaming with obvious self pride "You shall still have your Potions Master when I am done."

Then Professor Snape and Lockhart bowed to each other and raised their wands.

"Expelliarmous!" Snape shouted, sending a wave of red towards Lockhart.

Lockhart fell onto his bum, and bounced. Hermione gave a squeal and stood on tiptoe.

I laughed at the same time as Draco and Ivy, and slapped them both a high five.

"Do you think he's all right?" Hermione asked.

I glared at Hermione, as did Ivy, Harry and Ron.

"Who cares!" we demanded.

"Good idea to Disarm me, Professor Snape, but it was very obvious what you were going to do."

"Maybe you should teach the students to block unfriendly spells, Lockhart." Snape drawled.

"Ah, yes. We'll need a volunteer pair. Potter and Weasley, how about you?"

Snape and Draco laughed "Weasley's wand causes mayhem with the simplest of spells, we'll be sending Potter in a matchbox to the hospital wing. How about…Malfoy?"

Draco smirked and took out his wand as he climbed up onto the stage.

"Oh lord." I said to Ivy "This should end badly."

And sure enough, it did. My brother and Draco were like black and white. They couldn't stand each other. And as soon as Lockhart told them to Disarm, and Disarm only, Draco broke that rule.

"Everte Sanctum!" he yelled flicking his wand at Harry.

Harry fell back into a flip and landed on his back. He got up and glared at Draco angrily, wiping the fresh smirk off of his face.

"Rictesempra!" Harry said, jumping up and waving his wand at Draco.

Draco was knocked off of his feet and landed on his bum, laughing. He was hit with a Tickling Charm. I groaned pulling out my own wand at getting onto the stage.

"Finite Incantatem!" I said swishing my wand around Draco, who immediately stopped laughing and glared at Harry.

Draco pulled me behind him and pointed his wand to the stage floor "Serpentsortia!" he growled.

A large snake burst from the tip of Draco wand, slithering towards the Hufflepuffs, and one Justin Finch Fletchley, who I found extremely annoying.

Harry broke into action and looked at the snake. Then all I heard was a lot of hissing, then the snake backed off.

"What are you playing at!" Finch Fletchley demanded before stalking off.

Everyone started to clear out after Snape got rid of the snake. And I made out snippets of what they were saying.

"What a freak, that Potter is."

"I know, all that hissing."

I jumped off the stage and followed Ivy out the door, following Hermione and Ron, who seemed to rush out into the corridor.

"Did you hear what I was saying?" Harry asked.

I shook my head and said no at the same time Ivy said yes.

We looked at each other.

"You understood all that hissing?" I asked.

Ivy looked at me confused "Yeah, he was speaking plain English!"

I rolled my eyes "No he wasn't! He was talking like a snake!"

Ivy groaned and stomped her foot in irritation. "I know what I heard!" Ivy snapped, slamming the common room door in my face.

"UGH!" I yelled as I walked down to the dungeons.

…

When I got back into the common room, I saw Blaise reading a book on the couch.

I smirked. I decided to scare Blaise. I broke into a run and plopped myself violently next to him.

"HI!" I yelled cheerfully.

Blaise looked at me and smiled. "Oh, hi. Didn't see you there."

"What are you reading?" I asked, looking over Blaise's shoulder to look.

Blaise snapped the book shut "Nothing." he said quickly, stowing the book away.

I smirked "Don't give me that!" I said, lunging for the book.

"No!" Blaise yelled, lunging for his book back.

I rolled onto my back and grabbed Blaise's wrist and groped around for the book until I had it. Then I pushed Blaise off of him and clutched the book to my chest and began to read it. It was a self help book…all about how to get girls!

"GIVE ME THAT!" he yelled trying to tackle me.

"Blaise!" Draco yelled pulling him back.

"Who's the girl your trying to get, Zabini?" I asked looking through the index, reading the heading:

"SO SHE ISNT INTERESTED? THESE THREE STEPS WILL HELP GET YOU THE GIRL OF YOUR DREAMS!"

Blaise growled and broke out of Draco's grip. "Give me that!" he ordered, taking the book out of my hands "I don't like anyone. I'm just reading about how crappy these dating tips are Honestly, you expect anyone to get a girl with these pickup lines?"

"Bull." I said smirking "You like someone, and I think I know who it is!"

"Ugh!" Blaise yelled, obviously annoyed "I'm going to bed, good night! And for the record, Han. You should mind your own business!"

Draco and I smirked at each other.

"He's crushing on Ivy." we agreed together, high fiving each other.

A/N: Ok! My little contest from Chapter nine is now Closed! We have a winner: xXMizz Alec VolturixX. Congratulations! So, to claim your prize, PM me and tell me what you want for a chapter (as long as it's appropriate) and as always, reviews are loved!

DWDE

PS: Thanks to all the reviewers who participated in the contest! J