It had been the morning of Halloween when news got to the students of the school of poor Colin Creevey's petrified state as he lay in a bed of the hospital wing. Chloe had felt sorry for the poor but upbeat young first year.
Chloe had gone to visit the poor boy that Sunday after going to visit Hagrid for Sunday tea and cake. She brought him a vase full of wild flowers she and Hagrid picked as the large game keeper walked her back to the castle.
She knew that flowers weren't really a guy thing but she didn't want to bring the boy sweets that he might not get to enjoy if others eat them around him. But she promised herself that she would bring him some of her mum's homemade cookies when he got the mandrakes stew if only to get rid of the taste.
She knew that the boy probably didn't know of her and probably would never know that she was there to give him some company. Madam Pomfrey told her that all the nerve in his body were gone and his brain was on pause so to speak so anything she said would not be heard.
So in this time Chloe decided to dig out her notes from her first year and rewrite them so as a lesson for the boy when he woke up to catch up on with. And that was how she choose to spend her Sunday afternoon. Giving a small boy from her own house a bit of company.
X – X – X
Before anyone knew it was the first week of December and somehow Professor Lockhart had managed to convince headmaster Dumbledore to give him permission to start a duelling club for 'the defence of the young student's welfare' as he had put it.
Chloe wasn't going to go but Professor McGonagall had asked her, Eve and Rhiannon to go and keep an eye the man. So all three signed up. Eve seemed to actually like the idea of the duelling and in her own, shy way pulled Rhiannon and Chloe all the way to the great hall where the clue was to take place.
Chloe smiled when she saw her friend so excited about something as she was normally the quiet one of the three. When the three arrived at the great hall it was clear to them that there seemed to be quite a few people interested in joining the stupid club. It was only when no one else came in that Lockhart started up.
"Gather round, Gather round" he boomed as he walked up the stage to the middle. Chloe wanted and did roll her eyes as she saw that he had cress in traditionally duelling clothes, they didn't even look like they had ever even seen a duel let alone the man that was wearing them.
"Can you all see me?" he asked the students that now gathered around to get a view. Chloe even looked to the side and saw that some of the older female members of staff had turned up for the club. And was that Professor Snape?
"Can you all hear me?" he asked them all again as he walked up and down the stage, not really wanting an answer as he flashed them all his 'charming smile. "Excellent" he muttered. Before turning around to walk slowly. As he took off his side robe and threw it at some girls in the crowd.
"In light of the dark event of recent weeks, Professor Dumbledore has granted me permission to start this little duelling club, to train you all up, in case you ever need to defend yourselves, as I myself have done on countless occasions, for full details, see my published works" the man bragged.
"Let me introduce my assistant, professor Snape he has sportingly agreed to help me with a short demonstration, now I don't want any of you youngsters to worry, you'll still have your potions master when im through with him never fear" he finished.
"I'm more worried about having to replace another defence against the dark arts professor" Chloe whispered to Rhiannon beside her which cause her to giggle quietly while Chloe let out a silent chuckle and Eve, who had heard as well to give a smirk on her face.
As the three turned their attention back to the professor that now had their wands in front of their faces to start. Next wands were brought down to their sides and the two male professors turned around in sync before taking 5 paces each. Once they had got to either side they turned to face each other.
"One" Lockhart began to count as the two settled into their duelling stances. "Two" at the sound of his voice Chloe just wanted Snape to cast a horrible jinx to the man's face to get rid of his fake smile once and for all. "Three" he finished.
"Expelliarmus" Professor Snape cast before Lockhart even had a chance to move. The force of the spell sent the man flying back to where he landed on his back.
'Well at least the kit isn't as perfect now' Chloe thought to herself as she saw the pride wounded man try to get over the shock of the blow.
"Do you think he's alright?" Chloe heard Hermione say from where they stood by the front of the duelling stage.
"Who cares?" Ron replied which made Chloe grin as she had a similar reply in her head, though hers wasn't as blunt. After moments Lockhart seemed to get up from the floor of the stage and make his way towards the other professor in a pathetic attempt to seem in control. How wrong he was.
"An excellent idea to show them that professor Snape" he complimented. "However if you don't mind me saying it was pretty oblivious what you were about to do and if I had wanted to stop you it would have been only too easy" he tried to pass it off as if it was nothing. Snape's expression stayed the same.
"Perhaps it would be best to first show the students how to block unfriendly spells professor" Snape stated as if was the simplest thing in the world and Chloe could see reason fall into Lockhart's eyes for the first time from the start of the club.
"An excellent suggestion professor Snape" the man said before looking away from the potions professor. "Let's have a volunteer pair" his eyes scanned the crowd. "Potter, Weasley, how about you?" he asked the boys at the front. They both moved to walk up the stage but Ron soon stopped.
"Weasley's wand causes devastation with the simplest spells, we'll be sending Potter to the hospital wing in a matchbox" Snape stated simply. This showed that the man was at least observant of those types of details unlike the current defence against the dark arts teacher.
"Might I suggest someone from my own house?" at his question Chloe lost her grin and was replaced with a puzzled look. "Malfoy perhaps?" at the boy's name her eyebrows raised. What was the man thinking?
Not only a Gryffindor vs Slytherin rivalry was now behind this duel but now it was like sworn enemy's facing each other in rivalry. The great hall suddenly grew a few degrees colder as the tension rose in the large crowded hall.
Harry got to the stage and Chloe saw both Harry and Lockhart exchange short words as they passed on the stage to take their places for the duel. Lockhart's at the end of the stage and Harry's in the middle facing Draco. Once in the middle Lockhart began the duel.
"Wands at the ready" he called. Both boys raised their wands in hand in front of their faces. Again Chloe could see words being exchanged but she was too far to know what was being said. They brought their wands to their sides and turned in sync before walking 5 paces and turning to face each other again.
"On the count of three cast your charms to disarm your opponent, only to disarm we don't want any accidents here" Lockhart explained which made Chloe roll her eyes, like they were going to stick to the rules, especially Malfoy. Once satisfied Lockhart began to count. "One, two"
"Everte statum" Cast before Lockhart said three. The blast sent Harry back to Lockhart's feet.
"Cheat" someone called out but no one was really surprised by what happened. Harry got to his feet quickly and back into his stance.
"Rictusempra" Harry cast and Malfoy was span as he was thrown back, but unlike harry be ended up landing opened legs and n quite a bit of discomfort by the look on his face. He gave Snape a pathetic look before the man picked him up by the collar of the boy's robes and pushing him back into position.
"I said disarm only" Lockhart restated like it would make a difference. But everyone knew it wouldn't the boys were now riled up for a fight.
"Serpensortia" Draco cast and now there was a snake on the stage.
"Don't move potter I'll get rid of it for you" Snape said smugly as no one moved to do anything about the creature in the middle of the stage.
"Allow me Professor Snape" Lockhart countered stopping the potion's master in his tracks as he pointed his wand to the magically created creature "Alarte Ascendare" Chloe wasn't sure what the spell was mean to do, but all it did now was send the snake in the air and make it more aggravated.
Then the bazar happened. Harry began to hiss at the snake.
Thank you for reading and i hope you enjoyed it. Please reveiw and let me know what you thought of it
-MSW-
