I do not own Harry Potter

But still love writhing about it.

Chapter five

A couple of days later Rose saw a lot of commotion from the entrance hall. Hermoine came out of the crowd.

"There's a dueling club. Could come in handy," Hermoine said a bit excitedly.

"Sure it would, when is it?" Rose asked.

"Eight o clock tonight," Hermoine answered. So they met up that night in the Great Hall. The dining tables were aside and there was a big golden stage.

"I wonder who will be teaching us?" Hermoine said.

Rose nodded. "Flitwick was a dueling champion in his younger days, I'm sure he will be the one teaching us!"

"As long as it's not…" Harry began, but ended on a groan.

Gilderoy Lockheart and Snape got on the stage. Lockheart looking handsome and flashy as always and Snape grim and darkened as always.

"Can everybody see me! Good, good, now professor Dumbledore has granted me to start this little dueling club. Professor Snape will be my assistant and we will give a demonstration. But do not fear! Your potions master will still be able to teach after I'm trough with him."

"Wouldn't it be great if the finished each other off," Ron muttered. Rose started to giggle. In the past few weeks she had seen what a clumps Lockheart was and her admiration had decreased a little.

"As you see, we are holding our wands in the accepted combative position," Lockhart told the silent crowd. "On the count of three, we will cast our first spells. Neither of us will be aiming to kill, of course."

"I wouldn't bet on that," Harry murmured, watching Snape baring his teeth. Rose held her breath, she wasn't that sure either.

When Lockheart and Snape started Snape immediately shouted "Expelliarmus" and Lockheart was smashed into the other side of the stage.

Slytherin cheered and Hermoine was dancing on her tip toes. "You think he's alright?"

"Who cares," Harry and Ron both said. Rose was looking at Lockheart too, but he seemed alright.

Then the demonstrating was over. Lockheart and Snape would put them into pears. They moved through the crowd, matching up partners. Snape reached out to Harry and Ron first.

"Time to split up the dream team, I think," he sneered. "Weasley you can partner with Mr Finch-Fletchley. Potter you will be with Mr. Malfoy."

Malfoy came strutting over with a self-rightous look on his face. He made Rose sick to her stomach.

"Let's see what you make of the famous Harry Potter. And you Miss Granger will partner Miss Bulstrode. Then Miss Dumbledore.." He looked at Rose and she feared the worst. "You can partner with Longbottom. Make sure he doesn't blow up the whole ceiling." He sneered at the last comment.

"Face your partners!" called Lockhart, back on the platform. "And bow!"

Rose and Neville bowed for each other. In the corner of her eye Rose saw that Harry and Malfoy weren't moving an inch. They would never bow for each other she knew that.

"On the count of three I want you to disarm each other. One – two – three!"

"Expelliarmus!" Rose shouted before Neville could. Neville's wand got into Rose's hand.

Neville looked at his empty hand. "Well it wasn't like I hadn't expect that."

Rose looked around and was startled at what she saw. Several pairs had not just used the disarm spell. Next to her Harry and Malfoy were dueling for real.

"Rictusempra!" Harry shouted as Malfoy was being hit with a silver beam.

Malfoy was laying on the floor, Harry hit him with a Tickling charm and he could only laugh. Harry walked over to him. But Rose saw Malfoy reaching for his wand.

"Harry look out!" Rose shouted.

"Tarantallegra!" Malfoy pointed on Harry's knees and Harry started to dance a kind of quick step.

"Stop, Stop!" Lockheart shouted. Rose noticed that a lot of people were wounded or laid on the ground. Hermoine was grabbed by Millicent around her neck and gasping for air. Rose flinged herself on Millicent's own neck and started to pull. With the help of Harry they got her off Hermoine.

"I think I'd better teach you how to block unfriendly spells," said Lockhart, standing flustered in the midst of the hall. He glanced at Snape, whose black eyes glinted, and looked quickly away. "Let's

have a volunteer pair. Potter, Weasley, how about you -"

"A bad idea, Professor Lockhart," said Snape, gliding over like a large and malevolent bat. "Weasley's wand causes devastation with the simplest spells. We'll be sending what's left of Potter up to the

hospital wing in a matchbox. How about Malfoy and Potter?" said Snape with a twisted smile.

"Excellent idea!" said Lockhart, gesturing Harry and Malfoy into the middle of the hall as the crowd backed away to give them room.

Snape moved closer to Malfoy, bent down, and whispered something in his ear. Malfoy smirked, too. Rose did not trust it. She wished she could stop this but she couldn't.

Three - two - one - go!" Lockheart shouted.

Rose saw Malfoy raise his wand quickly and bellowed, "Serpensortia!"

The end of his wand exploded. Rose watched, aghast, as a long black snake shot out of it, fell heavily onto the floor between them, and raised itself, ready to strike. There were screams as the crowd

backed swiftly away, clearing the floor.

"Don't move, Potter," said Snape lazily, clearly enjoying the sight of Harry standing motionless, eye to eye with the angry snake. "I'll get rid of it ..."

"Allow me!" shouted Lockhart. He brandished his wand at the snake and there was a loud bang; the snake, instead of vanishing, flew ten feet into the air and fell back to the floor with a loud smack. Enraged, hissing furiously, it slithered straight toward Justin Finch-Fletchley and raised itself again, fangs exposed, poised to strike.

Rose wanted to do something. She could talk to snakes but her mother told her to never let anyone notice this. But Justin was in danger! While Rose was still battling herself Harry walked up to the snake.

"Leave him alone!" he hissed. Parselmouth! Harry was one too! The snake stopped moving and looked at Harry expectantly. Rose was relieved. But she noticed then that around her everyone was looking strangely at Harry, even fearful.

"What do you think you're playing at?" Justin shouted, and before Harry could say anything, Justin had turned and stormed out of the hall.

Snape stepped forward, waved his wand, and the snake vanished in a small puff of black smoke. Snape, too, was looking at Harry in an odd way.

"Come on," Ron pulled Harry on his robes. "Move, come on."

Harry, Ron and Hermoine walked quickly out of the Great Hall. Once they were gone the crowd started talking and it wasn't nice.

"What was that all about?" Dean said. Even he looked confused.

Rose walked away and Neville followed her closely. "Why are they all talking so badly about Harry? He was telling the snake to leave Justin alone! He saved him!"

Neville looked at her curiously and choose his words carefully. "How do you know that Rose? To me it seemed like he was kind of egging the snake on or something. It was creepy." Neville shivered a little. He really looked scared.

"He was speaking Parselmouth, why do you think the snake stopped when he talked to it?"

"How do you know, I'm not so sure," Neville said to her. He seemed convinced that Harry was sending the snake straight to Justin, to bite him.

"You don't know what you're talking about Neville!" she shouted in anger and ran away. Rose didn't know where she would go. But when she stopped she saw that she ended up near Hagrids hut. That wasn't to bad she could visit Hagrid then.

Rose knocked on the door. It took a little time but then Hagrid opened the door and smiled when he saw her.

"Hello ther Rosie come in!

She went in and Hagrid made some tea for her.

"I thoug ya were all at tha duel club?" Hagrid said.

"I was, I mean we all were but something happened," Rose told him what happened. Hagrid's face fell.

"Tha no good, no a all."

"Why Hagrid, Harry was clearly telling the snake to move away from Justin!"

"How do ya know Rosie? Hagrid asked looking at her curiously.

Rose shrugged. "I just know." She found it hard to lie to Hagrid.

"Well all I know is tha Salazar Slytherin himself was a Parselmou." Hagrid said. "And I think the othe students know tha too, mos of them I think. And he was there when Mrs Norris was foun."

"What are you trying to say Hagrid? That Harry is the heir of Slytherin?" Rose said expecting him to laugh.

Hagrid looked a little serious. "Off course na, he's best friends with a muggle born. And even without that. Harry isn't like tha. But I'm jus tellin ya what the othe students might think."

Rose paled. She didn't know where she was when Mrs Norris was attacked, nor did she know where she was the night Colin Creevy was attacked. And she was a Parselmouth.

"Rosie are ya okay? Ya look all pale all the time an stuff. Is sometin going on with ya?" Hagrid asked.

Rose shook her head until her neck hurt. "No Hagrid I'm okay, it's just stress I think."