The Mental Mentorship

During the week of the Gilderoy Lockhart Hogwarts Homecoming Ball, Gilderoy Lockhart seeks to relive the glory days of the Hogwarts Dueling Club, when Professor Snape was his assistant. By the way, did you know that Professor Snape was his assistant? Surely, Gilderoy must have informed you at an earlier date.

Chapter 12: Dueling Club Alumni

"Let's have a go for old time's sake, Professor Snape," exclaimed Gilderoy Lockhart.

Several people cheered at the luncheon and Dumbledore nodded at Professor Snape urging him gently to not disappoint the guests. It was a luncheon for Gilderoy, the staff, and other guests.

Professor Flitwick, who sat close by, later told me that he had thanked Merlin that he was not called out by Gilderoy for that matter. However, he knew Lockhart had heard about his reputation and was not surprised.

Snape rose from his chair slowly and reluctantly after his eyes left Dumbledore's.

"Prepare to defend yourself, Professor Snape." Gilderoy smiled widely and turned to where I and Aurora Sinistra, another professor at Hogwarts, were sitting. "This," he tutted," will only take a minute."

Snape leaned over casually from where he stood and whispered close to my ear, though I really wished he hadn't done it. "I hear that published works tend to become more popular and widely purchased by….posthumous authors."

I looked up at him. "Er, don't, er, hurt him too badly..just for sport, right?" I warned Snape fearfully. I had heard about the dueling club when Lockhart was employed at Hogwarts. I knew how Snape despised him and the title "Assistant" that Lockhart had bestowed on him.

"I suggest that you both move out of the vicinity of his wand," warned Snape over his shoulder as he approached the recently magicked dueling platform.

Aurora was about to protest and defend Gilderoy to Snape. We then both remembered the incident with Harry Potter when Lockhart tried to cure his arm. She quickly shut her mouth.

Aurora and I lifted ourselves slightly from our chairs and dragged our seats safely to a corner. Filius, Hagrid, Minerva, and Pomona followed suit.

Snape slowly glided up the stairs of the platform, his dark robes billowing as he gracefully and silently took each step. He stood there, glaring at Lockhart, his face expressionless but his eyes never leaving Gilderoy. He waited patiently for Lockhart to cease his ridiculous antics and join him on the stage.

Gilderoy rose to a tumult of cheers and applause. He bowed, punched the air a few times, and then strutted over to two elderly guests who had moved their seats dangerously close to the front of the stage.

Gilderoy cracked his knuckles, did a few knee bends, and whisked off a lavender cape that he then made a great show of throwing to the 109-year old witch named Ethel. Aurora, almost jumped out of her seat, but Filius and I pushed her gently back onto her seat.

Lockhart then threw a flower from a table centerpiece to her friend, Edith, who happened to be 132-years of age.

The women squealed with glee.

Snape was still waiting patiently on the platform, no doubt planning how to get away with homicide and still retain his position as Potions Master, by cleverly making it look like an accident.

Well, I wasn't exactly sure of this. But the expression on his face was murderous.

He had looked over at a fidgeting Aurora and rolled his eyes for a second; scowl still firmly in place.

Lockhart passed his wind quickly back and forth between his hands a few times for effect, lunged and practiced exaggerated "en garde" stances, as if he was a cavalier brandishing a sword for King Charles II or at the very least a muggle extra on the "Zorro" television show.

Only then did Gilderoy stroll over to the platform.

"Be safe!" yelled Aurora Sinistra frantically. She had seen Snape's expression as well.

Gilderoy winked at Aurora and walked jauntily over to Snape. Nose in the air, hands on hips, preening with shoulders pulled back. They bowed to each other and exchanged a few words.

"I shall try to go EASY on you, Severus," announced Lockhart. "But surely we can use more advanced dueling techniques now that the students are not participating today," grinned Lockhart pleasantly.

"Oh, I hope you will go… easy on me," said Snape silkily, "surely, your reputation….preceeds you."

However, I noticed that Snape had failed to draw his wand, as they turned to take ten paces and then twirled again to face each other once more.

Gilderoy was swishing his wand and yelling out to the crowd and failed to notice how odd Snape's actions were. Everyone was so into Lockhart they seemed to not notice anything either. I knew Severus too well, and the staff looked over at each other in bewilderment.

"We each get three attempts to disarm our opponent," announced Gilderoy. "I will go first, if you don't mind, Professor Snape." Gilderoy turned to the crowd as he raised his wand and pointed at Snape. "Take note of my rather advanced display of wandwork," cried Gilderoy.

On the first attempt, Gilderoy waved his wand and nothing happened. On his second, his wand flew out of his hand and narrowly missed hitting Ethel. On his third, it floated away.

"Yes, truly remarkable wandwork, Lockhart," offered Snape generously. "Quite green with envy, I must say. However, I believe it is now my turn." Snape wore a twisted smirk.

"And for our next demonstration, for the benefit of the guests, of course, I believe, Professor Lockhart, that I should next show them non-verbal dueling spells."

Snape addressed the crowd. However, he continued to look at Lockhart. Lockhart looked at the crowd and then back to Snape. He was speechless for once.

"As Lockhart once explained, during our Hogwarts dueling club meetings…when I was his assistant…" Snape eyed Lockhart viciously but with a smile playing at his lips. "We taught the students that a dueler has a slight advantage with non-verbal spells. The fact that their opponent, if not a skilled legilimens, may have no idea of what is about to come next. Am I quite right….Professor Lockhart?"

Snape stared venomously at Lockhart and I saw him fighting back a smile.

"Er, yes, that is correct, Severus," said Lockhart nervously.

Snape slowly reached for his wand in the inside of his cloak, raised it, and brought it down in front of him….

Madam Pomfrey and Lockhart's entourage raced to the platform. Someone shouted that mediwizards from St. Mungo's should be contacted just to be on the safe side, so they could come and take a look at him. He did hit the wall, afterall.

Severus Snape raised an eyebrow in disbelief. Quite contrite, he apologized to the crowd as he looked down at the wand in his hand that was now close to his side.

The wand had a tendency at times to get overexcited. He sincerely hoped that Gilderoy Lockhart would be alright for the upcoming ball.

He would be most disappointed if Lockhart had to leave unexpectedly, but surely he would make a full recovery, and was always welcome at Hogwarts.