Dueling Club

Hermione yawned. She stretched her arms. She blinked. Why did she agree to get up this early in the morning? She rubbed her eyes as she meandered over to the announcement board.

"Harry," she called, eyes widening.

"Yes?" the boy asked, walking over to his friend.

"The dueling club is starting today."

"Starting or ending?"

"What's the difference?" Draco asked, crossing his arms.

Hermione huffed. "You know what I mean."

"Who do you think they'll call up for me to duel this time?" Harry asked, shrugging. He picked up both his and Hermione's book bags and headed for the Great Hall.

"I don't know," Draco said, yawning. "Last time, Professor Snape was furious at me for pulling that snake trick. He told me to use Rictumsempra or something else harmless." He shrugged. "I used it because my father taught me it to me over summer. I thought it would be funny. I got detention for a week."

"And here I thought you were Professor Snape's little pet."

Draco smirked.

"He's the man who raised me. Of course, I respect and admire him, and yes, he does tend to spoil his godson," the blond's head shook, "but I'm not his pet."

"Sure acted like one," Hermione muttered, sitting down at the Gryffindor table. Draco threw a scone at her.

"Hey, hey, hey," Harry said, sitting next to the blond. "Be nice. Save some of that aggression for the duel tonight."

Silver eyes rolled, but the boy nodded in agreement.

At 7:55, the trio returned to the Great Hall.

Hermione shook her head. "There has to be twice as many students as last time."

"Yeah, right," Harry said, snorting as the three of them swam through the endless sea of bodies. "Because everyone knows Professor Snape is going to best Professor Lockhart."

"As if there's any doubt?" Draco asked, scowling.

"Dragon," Hermione said, lowering her voice, "no one knew who was going to be leading or who was going to be helping. No offense intended to the great and powerful potions professor."

"Do you think there might be a way to ensure people don't think I'm the Heir of Slytherin after this club?" Harry asked, turning to his friends as they made it to the front.

Hermione scrunched her nose. "You could tell the snake to come to you. That way, it doesn't look like you set it on Justin."

The boy nodded. "That sounds like a decent idea. Maybe I'll do that."

Draco opened his mouth, eyes widening in horror.

The Great Hall doors flung open and Lockhart flounced in, making it impossible for the young ex-Slytherin to reply. He glared, ready to yell out a nasty remark. However, he softened as Professor Snape stalked behind the DADA professor.

Harry struggled not to giggle. Professor Snape's brow was creased; his eyes narrowed. His nostrils flared every other breath. He wasn't pleased.

"Gather around, gather around. Can all of you see me? Can all of you hear me?" Lockhart scanned the room. "Good. Now, Professor Dumbledore has granted me permission to start this little dueling club to train you all in case you ever need to defend yourselves."

Harry leaned toward Draco. "Isn't that what he's supposed to be doing anyway as our DADA professor?"

Draco pressed his lips together to avoid laughing.

"…As I have done on countless occasions. For full details, see my published works," Lockhart said, smiling. "Now, let me introduce you to my assistant, who knows a tiny little bit about dueling himself, Professor Snape."

"A tiny little bit? He's the one who taught me to duel," Draco muttered under his breath.

Harry smirked. "You say that as if you're an immaculate dueler."

Draco punched him in the shoulder. "Hey, I can hold my own in a fight."

"You lost ownership of the most powerful wand in the wizarding world in a duel."

"I let you win."

"Yeah, right," Harry scoffed.

"Now, we will be showing you how to disarm your opponent. Severus, I want you to try to disarm me on three. I will then use the Protego spell to block you." Lockhart turned to the crowd. "Don't worry, Severus, I'll go easy on you."

Professor Snape rolled his eyes and got into position.

"Okay, now on three. One…two…three." Lockhart posed, swinging his wand lazily.

Professor Snape quickly disarmed him, throwing the man across the room. Hermione, Draco, and Harry cheered as the rest of the group applauded vigorously.

"Good job, Severus, but I must admit, I knew it was coming. I just wanted to show them how you disarm your opponent," Lockhart said, getting up slowly. "Now, enough demonstrating. Everyone should pair off. Harry, go with Mr. Finnegan, Mr. Malfoy with Mr. Weasley, and Miss Granger with Miss Parkinson."

Draco leaned over to Hermione. "Kill her, please."

Hermione sighed.

"We aren't full trained wizards, remember. How would I-a muggleborn-explain my ability to throw an Avada?" She shook her head. "We can only use disarming spells, anyway."

Draco glared. "Can't you do something to make it look like an accident? A well-placed Bombarda to the head?"

Hermione rolled her eyes and moved over to Pansy.

"Well, well, well, Potter. We meet again." Finnegan leveled his wand at the boy. "You never showed up at our last duel."

"And how would you know?" Harry asked. He flicked his wand. "Expelliarmus."

Without a moment's hesitation, the Irish boy's wand flew out of his hand and into the-boy-who-lived's.

"Well done, Harry," Lockhart said before moving onto another group. The boy rolled his eyes.

"Ugh," Ron grunted, running to pick up his wand for a fifth time. "Bloody hell, Malfoy. It's not even fair. Not all of us have our death eater daddies teaching us advanced level work in the summers."

The blond rolled his eyes. "Just shoot the dang spell, Weasley."

"Has he taught you any Unforgivables ye...Hey!"

Draco grabbed Ron's wand from the air. "I gave you a chance." He put the wand in his pocket. "You can have it back when you say you're sorry."

Hermione and Pansy circled each other.

"What did you do to my Drakey-poo?" Pansy asked, flicking her wand. Hermione's stayed firm in her hand.

"I didn't do anything. He just decided to step out of Malfoy's shadow. Expelliarmus." The Slytherin's wand flew into her hand.

"No, really, what love potion?" Parkinson scrunched her nose. "All the ones I've tried so far sucked."

Hermione rolled her eyes, flicking her wand again. Pansy squealed, losing her grasp once more.

"Give me back my wand, Malfoy," Ron yelled out, causing the entire hall to turn to them.

"Fine," Draco said, handing back the wand. He turned to go back to his spot.

The redhead flicked his wand hard, trying to cast a blasting spell at the blond. He lost his grip, and the wand flew high up into the air, snapping when it hit the edge of the platform.

"My wand," he gasped, picking up the cracked piece of wood, held together by a single unicorn hair.

Harry rolled his eyes. He turned to Finnegan. "Expelliarmus."

"Hey, I wasn't even paying attention," the Irish boy said, his face reddening.

Professor Snape rubbed his eyes.

"Professor Lockhart," he said, sighing, "maybe we should teach the students how to block unfriendly spells, as well. It seems Mister Potter here has already figured it out. Why don't we have him show us the correct way to block a curse?"

Lockhart nodded vigorously.

"I agree. Mr. Potter seems just the right person to show us." Professor Lockhart agreed. "Mr. Weasley, would you like to come up here and duel the great Harry Potter?"

Harry huffed, about to protest. He was not great.

"I don't think Mr. Weasley knows enough spells to allow him to properly duel Mr. Potter. Any spell could end up hurting someone in the crowd, thanks to his broken wand." The potions professor smiled, "Perhaps one of my Slytherins is better suited to the task. Might I suggest Mr. Zabini?"

"Of course, of course. Mr. Zabini, please come up to the platform. Mr. Potter, are you ready?"

Harry sighed, stepping up.

"Scared, Potter?" Zabini asked.

"You wish."

Draco puffed out his lip. "Hey, that's my line."

Hermione rubbed her face. "Would you like to go over and tell him?"

Draco rolled his eyes and sighed.

Zabini and Harry raised their wands, pointing them in the direction of their opponent.

"Now, just do what I did, Mister Zabini," Lockhart said, gently.

"What? Drop his wand?" Draco muttered. Hermione giggled.

"On the count of three. One…two…three."

"Go," Professor Snape said, eyes sparkling. It was a very small victory, but at least he got to play with the idiot's head a little bit.

Harry raised a protective shield.

"Rictumsempra," Zabini said, throwing a purple blast toward the boy. It bounced right off.

"Taranallegra."

"Protego."

"That's not fair. How do you even know that spell?"

Harry quirked a brow. "Are we going to whine or are we going to duel?"

Professor Snape coughed behind his hand, hiding a smirk.

Zabini glared. "You think you're so great, don't you, Harry Potter?" The boy flicked his wand. "Serpensortia."

An angry snake shot out of his wand. The whole crowd gasped and some girls screamed in fear.

"Don't move, Mr. Potter," Professor Snape said, moving toward the reptile. The man approached carefully, crouching slightly. He paled, and his brow creased as he tried to get closer.

Harry shook his head. He could handle this.

":Where am I?:" The snake hissed.

"Everybody stay calm," the boy said, throwing up a hand. He turned to the snake. ":Come to me.:"

The snake slithered over. Harry held out his hand and the snake wrapped itself around his arm.

":Where am I? Who are you? Why are you able to speak to me?:"

":I can speak Parseltongue. Don't ask why. It's too complicated.:" Harry sighed. ":We are at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I'm Harry Potter. Who are you?:"

":I don't know my name.:"

":Would you like me to give you a name?:" Harry asked. The snake nodded.

Harry faced Professor Snape. The man stood, eyes wide and mouth agape.

"This snake doesn't want to hurt anyone. It's scared and doesn't know where it is." He turned to Draco. "Do you want him?"

Draco nodded excitedly. "Yes, of course."

Harry walked over and handed the snake to the blond. ":Don't hurt him. He's my friend, Draco. He'll be your owner.:" He looked to Draco. "What would you like to name him?"

Draco smirked. "Severus."

Harry bent over, trying to catch his breath from laughing. Hermione fell to the floor, giggling. Draco snickered, but let the snake slither around his hand.

Harry took a deep breath, steadying himself. He scanned the room.

"What happened? Where is everybody?" Harry asked innocently.

Professor Snape smirked.

"Fear of snakes tends to run rampant in children and DADA professors." The Head of Slytherin frowned. "Mister Potter, were you aware that you're a Parselmouth?"

Harry smiled. "Once, I accidently set a snake on my cousin, before I knew I had magic. I also trapped him in the snake pit."

Severus nodded.

"It is a rare gift. Don't let anyone tell you differently." He turned back to the trio. "You three should get back to your common room and figure out what you're going to do with…" He paused and smirked, "Severus, here."

Harry, Draco, and Hermione raced back to the Gryffindor Common Room.

"Where are you gonna put him?" Harry asked as the entered.

The blond shrugged. "Probably conjure a cage. I can buy a real one next time I'm in Diagon Alley."

Hermione smiled. "Can I hold him?"

"Sure."

:She smells nice.: the snake hissed, cuddling into her neck.

Harry snickered.

"What'd he say, Harry?" Draco asked.

"Oh, just that she smells nice."

Draco reddened. "Maybe it's time I take him up to bed. He should probably get some sleep."

The other two nodded, heading up to their dorms.

The next afternoon, Harry trudged to class, scowling.

"I'm sorry, Harry," Hermione said, patting him on the back. "But to be fair, we knew this was going to happen."

"Yeah, Justin Finch-Fletchley was petrified last time," Draco said quietly, pulling out his class books.

Harry glared across the room, where a group of Slytherins stared in his direction.

"It had to have been Potter. He's clearly the Heir of Slytherin, since he's a Parselmouth." Finnegan sneered.

The boy-who-lived sighed.

"Was this really necessary? Did I need the whole school against me again?"

Hermione shrugged. "You did everything you could to help them realize that it wasn't you."

"Well, you could have let Professor Snape take care of Severus so that no one knows you're a parselmouth," Draco said, wrapping the snake around his neck.

Harry facepalmed. "Why didn't you suggest that yesterday?"

"I was about to, but Lockhart walked in. It'd have been rude to talk while he was talking."

The professor entered and the trio turned their attention to the front of the room. After class, they returned to their common room, where they found Ron petting Scabbers.

"Hiya, Harry. I can't believe you're a parselmouth. That's so cool," Ron said, smiling lopsidedly. Ginny-who was sitting next to Ron-patted an empty spot on the couch.

Harry rolled his eyes, flopping onto the couch. Draco followed, pushing up his sleeves to reveal his new pet snake.

Ron gulped. He pulled his pet closer to him. Harry caught the motion out of the corner of his eye. His eyes widened.

"Ron, can I see Scabbers for a second?" Harry asked.

Ron shrugged and handed the rat over.

"He's not very impressive. Just sleeps all the time."

Harry smirked and started to hand Pettigrew over to Draco.

"Here. Severus food."

Ron paled. "Hey, that's my rat."

Hermione hit Harry on the back of the head.

"No, Harry. Sirius needs him alive."

Pettigrew jumped out of Harry's hands and Severus slithered to follow him.

Draco grabbed the snake quickly.

"Maybe we should go to the kitchens to get Severus some dinner."

Ron finally piped in. "Yeah, Malfoy, keep that beast away from us."

"Alright, alright, Weasley. No need to get your wand in a twist." Draco said. The Trio got up and began to walk toward the kitchens. Draco began talking to the snake. "Now, Severus, that's a very bad thing to do, even if the rat deserves it. We need to keep people happy so they don't take you away from me."

Harry smiled and eagerly translated for Draco. Severus agreed to play along, as long as he got some food. Harry promised he would get some soon.