A/N: All characters in this story (other than my own OC creations) are the property of JKR. I am happily borrowing her wonderful world. Updated 02/22/12
Chapter 38 – The Dueling Club
The drama from the previous night's discussion took a heavy toll on both Andrea and Severus, but neither chose to speak of it the following morning. Andrea returned to her work, thankful to be alone for a few hours, the manual labor of wand creation allowing her some much needed time to think.
Severus, too, found an avenue of escape. It had been some time since he'd talked strategy with Dumbledore, and it seemed appropriate he would desire a meeting with the headmaster. Immediately after breakfast, Severus made his way to Dumbledore's office, eager to deliver Andrea's news.
"Severus," Dumbledore greeted with a pleasant smile. "Please, sit down."
"As you well know, Headmaster, I prefer to stand, yet you continue to persist in your desire to-to—"
"To make you comfortable?" Dumbledore asked, his eyes narrowing in caution. Snape was in a very antagonistic mood that morning, and with the headmaster's keen perception, he wanted to know why.
"I do not need comfort," Snape growled, his moodiness flashing in warning. But as skillfully as a matador wielding a red cape, Dumbledore began to maneuver Severus into revealing the cause of his displeasure.
"Perhaps not, and if you prefer to stand, that is entirely your option. But I wonder—"
"Your wondering will be off target, as usual. I am here only to deliver some news that came to Andrea last night from the American MBI."
"Oh?" Dumbledore asked innocently.
In as few words as possible, Snape relayed the information.
"As I suspected," Dumbledore said. "That matches what I hear from Kingsley. The Ministry has also concluded that Lucius is in Miami. And they believe Siegfried to be the one that tipped off the Malfoys to the MBI raid."
"Do they have proof?" Severus asked curiously.
"Nothing concrete. It is just a guess, I think. And there is also the question of how Siegfried acquired the information in the first place." Dumbledore shook his head. "From what I understand, the ministry is holding back the theory of Siegfried's involvement from the Americans. The Ministry hopes that Siegfried will eventually lead them to Malfoy."
"If Siegfried is the informant, then …"As he paced across the headmaster's office for the third time, Severus stopped in his tracks. "He must be using his own spy. It would be quite typical of Death Eater tactics to place a man directly into the ranks of the MBI. How else would they be so keyed into the American's movements?"
"That is an interesting idea."
"It's possible that Siegfried is using someone under the influence of the Imperius curse, but I think it makes more sense that they would have placed a long-term mole in the organization."
"I'll caution Kingsley about it. Hopefully, we can stop the leak."
Frustrated, Severus placed his hands on Dumbledore's desk, his fingers bent into an uncharacteristic fist. "Wishful thinking," he sneered, "isn't good enough."
Dumbledore knew Snape well, and his snarky comments were usually somewhat low-key when addressing the headmaster, but today he was acting particularly irritable. Trying to get him to open up, Dumbledore tried a more direct approach. "Perhaps, Severus, you should tell me what is bothering you. I know you've been worried about your daughter, but—"
"Isn't it obvious?" Severus interrupted, his voice bristling with anger. "We are dealing with an organization of dim-witted fools. The Ministry needs to get off their lazy arses and invest some true diligence into their efforts. Don't they realize how dangerous this is? Not to mention the MBI involvement. That meddling agent Thorp is hot on my trail. From what Andrea tells me, he's more interested in digging up dirt than making himself useful. At any moment Thorp could find out I'm a double agent, and if he does, that will leave it wide open for Siegfried's helper to find out too. All of our work – my work – for the past decade will be for nothing."
Raising an eyebrow, Dumbledore finally understood why Snape was so angry. Choosing his words with care, Dumbledore decided to make a suggestion. "It might be useful to get Jack involved proactively. And to maintain the Ministry's interest, perhaps Russell can work with Jack on our behalf."
As soon as Russell's name was mentioned, Snape's face clouded with annoyance. The red-hot signs of jealousy flickered up to color his thin face.
"How can you be serious? We can't trust Russell," Severus fumed.
"I am quite serious. You forget that he is still working for the Ministry, and since he is currently deployed in Wisconsin, this would be an excellent opportunity for cooperation between the two organizations. We are, after all, fighting the same foe."
"Headmaster, with all due respect, have you considered the obvious? That he is the mole? I wouldn't trust Plover for all the galleons in Gringotts."
"You have to let go of your suspicions, Severus. Russell has a flawless career, except when it comes to that one kidnapping incident. And you know as well as I do that Russell felt he was protecting Andrea against a potential Death Eater at the time. Besides, the Ministry has cleared him of all charges on the matter. I think Russell would want to help, and if both he and Jack knew about you, it would ultimately protect our interests."
Severus tried desperately to keep his emotions in check, but they flared into view like droplets of burning sap. "Albus, it's too risky. The more people that know, the easier it would be for the Dark Lord to learn of our plans. I am not at all convinced. We don't know nearly enough about either of them – Jack or Russell. It seems foolhardy to open up our operation to a couple of strangers. We must make this a last resort."
"Yes, Severus, I do agree with you. It should only be done as a last resort, but understand that we may have to consider it. You must get used to the idea that you may have to work with them someday."
Severus's face was still consumed with resentment, but he forced himself to nod. There was too much at risk to allow personal prejudices to get in the way, but he would make sure Russell was kept far away from Andrea.
"I'm still very worried about the Chamber of Secrets," Dumbledore continued. "It is only a matter of time before someone gets killed. The parents are very concerned for their children's safety, not to mention the fear that has been growing among the students. Their safety should be our top priority."
"Perhaps it would make sense to start teaching them real defensive spells," Severus suggested. "We could teach them the tools they really need instead of the useless trash they're learning from Lockhart."
Dumbledore raised an eyebrow, but he was not surprised at Snape's opinion of the Defense teacher. "Yes, I have to admit. From what I have seen of his teaching, you may be right. I'll address it with Gilderoy."
"Lockhart is worthless. You know as well as I that anything of his doing will result in either a pile of mangled bodies or an entire student body that knows nothing of magical defense. Instead they'll be blithering on about hair products and the latest robe fashion. Neither of which will protect the pupils. And as Head of House for Slytherin, I protest—"
"Yes, Severus," Dumbledore replied, but he couldn't help but smile. "I agree with you, however, Gilderoy is the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, and until I say otherwise, he will continue in his current assignment."
Flicking his eyes at Severus, Albus watched for his reaction. It was plain to see that Snape was not happy. The Potions master had squeezed his eyes into slits, and his thin lips curled painfully in displeasure.
"Now, I do believe you have a point concerning the students' requirements," Dumbledore conceded. "I shall recommend to Lockhart that he teach a special session – maybe an after school activity. Don't misunderstand me Severus, I am not blind to his unusual teaching methods. Which is why I am asking you to assist Lockhart. I need you to control him."
"If you don't trust him, then he should be terminated – immediately," Severus argued. "The subject is too important to be handled by incompetents."
Dumbledore knew where the conversation was leading, and he tried to redirect Severus. "How about a Dueling Club?"
"Dueling …" Severus paused as he thought about it. "That could work, and the idea of a club is a good one. It would motivate the students. We will need to ensure a large turnout. Perhaps we should consider a mandatory session?"
"I was thinking more along the lines of a voluntary activity. As a showman, Gilderoy could easily drum up interest. I'll speak to him this afternoon, but I need you to work with him on the details." Dumbledore lifted his eyebrow meaningfully and added, "I'm sure you can persuade him to teach the proper skills."
Realizing he had been manipulated, Severus drew his cloak defensively across his body. Once again, he had fallen into Dumbledore's trap and been denied the opportunity to teach Defense. Although Severus understood the logic of this particular argument, he knew he was ultimately just a pawn for Dumbledore's enjoyment. Choosing to take the high road and ignoring his rising anger, Severus nodded. "As you wish, Headmaster."
xxxxxxx
The first club meeting was set for the following Thursday, only a few nights before the Christmas break. As the weekend came to an end, Severus's plans were already well under way. It would be tricky working with Lockhart, but Snape knew his own cunning mind would find a way to overcome Lockhart's dim-witted strategies. There were challenges to the task, of course, but these were greatly outweighed by the excitement of working with Dark Arts defense. The prospect considerably lightened his mood.
Andrea's disposition had also improved. By the end of the weekend, she had crafted 36 wands, some of which were the most beautiful and well designed that she'd ever completed. The pride in her work, coupled with her confidence in Ollivander's wand placement skills, brought a sense of accomplishment into her life. With so many other troubling thoughts and worries, she found the love of her craft to be the single, most dependable constant in her world.
Well, she thought. That wasn't exactly true.
Severus was the center of her world, his love more important to her than anything else in Andrea's life. Together they would get through this unpleasant wrinkle and make their relationship stronger in the process. Smiling to herself, she pictured her husband's dashing figure and his smirking expression. Her natural, optimistic nature buoyed her hopes as magically as a pocket of four-leaf clovers. The past didn't matter. It was all about trust. She had to trust in their capacity to love, both in the present and the future. Resolved to the task, she decided it was up to her. She would make their marriage work.
xxxxxxx
Late into the evening, Severus decided it was time to return. He'd had a long day, moodily reflecting on the events of the past 24 hours. Yet, up until now, he'd avoided Andrea. Despite her pledges of love and understanding, he wondered if she had changed her mind with the light of day. Now that she knew of his murderous past, would she come to her senses and grow to hate and detest him?
It was with cautious trepidation that Severus silently entered the wand workshop looking for his wife. As he took in the surroundings, Severus noticed that, unlike his dungeons, the area was well lit even at this hour. Several large torches had lent their shining glare upon the work area. The resulting illumination cast a vivid brightness approaching direct sunlight in its cheeriness. To his left, the towers of fire fluttered slightly in the drafty room like drunken pixies, the faint sputter of flames the only sound to disturb the quiet. The only exception was Andrea's red-and-white-striped quill as it scratched on the parchment before her. She was diligently transcribing addresses onto labels as she readied a multitude of wand packages for delivery. Bent over her workbench in concentration, Andrea never noticed the dark-haired man sweeping soundlessly into the room.
Severus moved quietly along the wall to a point directly behind Andrea's stool. For a moment he stood hesitantly watching over her shoulder, admiring the shimmer of the firelight as it reflected on her red-gold waves of hair. The urge to touch, however, was irresistible. Flexing his fingers in preparation, he reached out, but as he stretched his arm toward the silken strands, Andrea chose that particular moment to pop out of her seat. His hand met with empty air.
Drawn along by an irrepressible urge, he followed Andrea as she placed the wrapped packages in a pile by the window. After picking up several more in need of labels, she pulled her hair back and flung the mass of curls over one shoulder to get it out of the way inadvertently brushing against Severus's cloak. Sensing the glimmer of movement, she spun around and faced the familiar man standing so close behind her.
"Severus," Andrea cried out angrily in startled surprise. "I wish you wouldn't do that. You scared me half to death."
"It was not my intention," he replied softly, chastised by her reproachful words. He should have been more careful to avoid upsetting her, and now, Andrea's reaction confirmed his fears. She was angry, he thought, his insecurities still clouding his mind like an infestation of hungry demons. It wouldn't have been out of the question for her to throw him to the dragons after last night, and yet, for some blessed reason she had not – at least, not yet. So why was he acting like a foolish schoolboy? Perhaps if he stopped playing games and acted more like a gentleman, things could proceed in a more favorable direction.
Solemnly, he peered back at Andrea. "I thought you might like some company. Shall we go sit by the fire?"
Still a bit shaken, Andrea could see Severus was trying to make an effort. "Sure, I'm almost done. But I do need to finish these last few boxes." Seeing his disappointment, she added. "You can help if you like. Just be careful and use your hands."
"Why? My levitation skills are quite adequate. If you'll allow me—"
"No," Andrea interrupted, shaking her head vigorously. "You don't understand. You can't overexpose a freshly created wand to external magic. The wand might bond to you. I use my tools only with the greatest care, and I never let them interfere with the wand cores," she explained impatiently. "What do you take me for? A first year?"
"No, certainly not. However, I think your youthful beauty has distracted me. Are you perhaps a very gifted seventh year?" Severus teased as a flicker of a grin ghosted upon his lips.
"Now you're sounding like Gilderoy. Has he been giving you flirting lessons?"
"I see no reason for you to insult me. I was simply giving my lovely wife a compliment—"
"Okay. Enough. Let's just get this done."
With a nod of his head, Severus began placing all the new wands in rows on her workbench. As he examined the merchandise, his eyebrows came together in concentration. Her work was magnificent. Picking up the finest of the lot, he saw that it was made with an intricately carved handle coated with sterling silver. The wood was ebony. Only the very richest of wizards could afford luxuries such as these.
Holding it reverently it in his hand, he admired the lightness and balance. With great sensitivity, he fingered the delicate etchings with his long, tapered fingers. The design, he recalled, was similar to the carvings on the wedding gift he'd received from Andrea more than a year ago, just before Siegfried had taken it from him on that fateful night. Now it was only a memory. Unfortunately, this particular wand that he was holding in his hand was destined for one of Ollivander's special customers.
"It is a nice one, isn't it?" Andrea said as she put her arm around his waist. "Unfortunately, the core is made of dragon scales. It wouldn't work at all for you."
"For me?" Severus replied, allowing himself one last look at the finely crafted instrument. "Certainly not. I was simply admiring the carvings. My old wand is perfectly adequate."
Andrea remembered back to the evening long before they were married when he'd come to her workshop to have his wand repaired. It had been the night of their first kiss and the discovery of their connection. She knew he was thinking of it, too as his eyes met hers. Gently, she removed the ebony wand from his hand and placed it in the box for the early owl delivery the next day.
"So," Andrea asked, trying to change the subject, "What day is our appointment with Oxford University?"
"The Tuesday after Christmas. We have another appointment at Manchester University on Thursday. Then I've arranged for us to meet with Mrs. Evans on Wednesday afternoon. Based on the schedule, I think it would be convenient if we spend Wednesday night at my house at Spinner's End."
"Correction. It's our house now."
"Do not look so eager. It is not a welcoming structure."
Squeezing his hand, she asked, "Are there any ghosts?"
"None that you can see."
Placing her hand on his temple she gazed into his eyes. "Yes I can."
Staring directly back, he opened his mind as a wicked smile appeared on his lips.
"Oh!" she exclaimed as she saw a vision of herself in an extremely provocative position. She broke his gaze quickly and blushed.
With a sudden explosion, Severus began to laugh. The blast of sound resonated with a deep, rich timber. Rarely was she gifted with this welcome display of good humor. She didn't hear it very often, but when she did, it always made her heart soar. Andrea secretly hoped she was the reason for his change in mood.
Quickly, she finished up her packaging and made herself a promise. Before Christmas morning she would make Severus a replacement wand. And it would not only be better than the lost wedding gift, it would be the best wand she'd ever made.
xxxxxxx
After much anticipation, the day of the first Dueling Club arrived. Lockhart had decided it was all his idea, claiming he'd received special permission from Dumbledore to set up the special event. Boasting was one of Lockhart's trademarks, and the man had poured his energy into creating a mountain of expectations among the students.
Severus had to agree with Dumbledore on that singular point. Lockhart was creating enthusiasm. But as the day approached, Severus became worried. Gilderoy wasn't taking any of Snape's carefully thought out directions seriously. If they weren't careful, someone was going to get hurt.
Despite her busy schedule, Andrea made sure that she blocked out time to attend. She knew the event would be undoubtedly entertaining. However, she was also afraid that Severus might see this as a chance to teach Gilderoy a lesson. The temptation might be too hard for her husband to resist. Perhaps if he saw her in the crowd, he might think twice.
Just before they entered the Great Hall, Andrea pulled Severus aside and looked at him with concern. "Please, Severus, be careful. Remember, you have half the school watching you tonight. Don't hurt him."
Impatiently, he flicked his eyes at the stream of students funneling into the hall. "We'll be lucky if Lockhart does not kill me," he muttered in irritation.
"He won't. He doesn't have the courage. He knows I'd punch out all his pretty white teeth with a hammer if he tried anything," Andrea replied, half-teasing.
"I wouldn't doubt it," Severus concluded.
When they entered the hall, the sight they beheld was twice as horrible as Severus had expected. Gilderoy had redecorated the scene like that of a production show. A huge, golden stage was set strategically against one wall, the area illuminated by hundreds of floating candles. The resulting conflagration reflected off the gold leaf in a revolting display.
As expected, the hall was packed with students. It seemed the entire school had turned out for this voluntary event. As Snape stood quietly next to the stage, he scanned the crowd. His Slytherins were gathered to the left, while the Gryffindors were bunched to the right. The Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws mingled together in front, forming a cushion of bodies around the stage.
After a few minutes, Severus noticed a pathway opening up to the right as Minerva made her way forward. The look on her face was not at all pleasant. Without stopping, she marched right up to Snape, the hall falling silent as everyone tried to listen.
"Severus," she exclaimed in her sternest voice. "He's gone!"
"What?" Severus answered in a fury, his body snapping tensely to attention.
Holding up a bright orange piece of parchment, Minerva waved it in the air like a war flag. "It's Gilderoy. He's gone to an autograph party," she spluttered at the absurdity, her voice raising an octave as her own anger boiled forth. For once, the two Heads of House were of one mind. Trying to keep their discussion private, she leaned closer and hissed under her breath, "That man needs to be sacked!"
The deep frown that creased Snape's forehead in response was nothing compared to the snarl that graced the lower half of his face, but the man's voice remained almost calm. If not for the slight edge, his tone would have given the appearance of complete control.
"I couldn't agree with you more, but since he is not here to receive that benevolent gift, it seems we must make do," Snape replied.
"On the contrary," Minerva insisted. "We will have to cancel."
"As the Headmaster must have told you, this little show has a purpose, and I intend to carry it out." Placing a single finger on McGonagall's chest, he attempted to push her forward.
"But, Severus," Minerva objected, standing her ground. "There's no one else here trained in dueling. Whom do you expect to—"
Bursting between the two, Professor Flitwick looked up eagerly at Minerva. "I'll do it. I'll have you know that when I was a young man, I was awarded second place in the All-England Dueling Competition of 1962." Rising to his toes, the little man beamed brightly and tapped his short willow wand on Snape's robes.
Raising an eyebrow, Severus lifted his lip in a twitch of eagerness. He knew of Flitwick's reputation, and this would be an excellent opportunity to prove who was most proficient.
"I hardly think that's fair," Andrea announced as she joined the group and took Severus's arm. Directly addressing Filius, she grinned down mischievously. "Unless, you promise to go a little easy on my husband."
"My skills are perfectly adequate," Severus bristled as he yanked his arm away.
"Filius," he said, returning his gaze to Flitwick. "I accept your offer. Shall we start with a demonstration of disarming spells?"
"Oh yes. Quite excellent," Filius answered, his beard bobbing up and down as he nodded.
"And how about you and I trying it, Minerva? That should give the girls some confidence," Andrea offered, the excitement bubbling in her voice.
"I really don't think that would be appropriate," Minerva replied hesitantly. "I, for one, have never participated in a duel, and since it's been years since I performed any disarming spells, the risk for injury—"
"I don't think you have anything to worry about, Minerva," Severus interjected. "My wife is quite inept at defending herself. I think you will find her an easy mark."
"How dare you?" Andrea hissed back at him. Her comment was followed by a short kick, the point of her little red shoes smacking firmly into Severus's shin.
"Ow, you little—" he began, but Andrea cut him off.
"You have no idea how good I am. How about if we duel? I'll show you who's good."
"Okay, you two," Pomona stepped in between the two Snapes. She had been standing off to the side, but decided it was time to intrude. "Enough of this. Why don't we all pair off? As the Heads of our Houses, it makes sense that the four of us do the initial demonstrations. Sorry, Andrea. You'll have to sit out. Now, I'm sure the kids would want Slytherin to go against Gryffindor, but I think Filius was right. Severus, why don't you two begin? I think you're the most evenly matched. Then Minerva and I will have a go."
They all nodded except Andrea. "All right," she said in a minor pout. "I'll sit out this first round, but I swear, Severus, by the end of the evening, I'm going to have a duel with you."
"No. You have neither the talent nor the disposition. I will not allow it." With a look of warning, he turned and made his way smartly up the steps of the stage.
Flushed with outrage, Andrea waited till his back was turned and childishly stuck out her tongue. Many of the surrounding students had witnessed the exchange, and the resulting catcalls left her slightly embarrassed. But he has no right to order me about like that, she thought. His words had made her all the more determined to show him she wasn't a wimp, but deep down she knew he had a point. Her instincts were not linked to bravery and valor, but his blatant, uncompromising judgment had pushed her over the edge. Somehow she had to prove herself.
As Andrea stood stewing over her husband's thoughtless directive, Minerva joined Severus and the other Heads of House on the platform. Taking center stage, she began to call for silence.
"Attention everyone. I am sorry to say that there has been a slight change in plan for this evening."
The audience began to grumble, and Minerva held up her hand. "Silence." After waiting a few moments, she continued. "Unfortunately, Professor Lockhart has been detained and will not be with us this evening."
A loud outpouring of disappointed cries floated up from the audience, coming entirely from the female half of the crowd.
"We will, however, continue with our instruction. We will begin with a dueling demonstration, and then you will all be allowed to practice."
A frenetic cheer burst from the students as they crushed closer to the stage. Minerva held up her hands trying to calm them down. "Please, stay back. Everyone will get their turn. Now, to start, we will have Professor Snape and Professor Flitwick demonstrate the etiquette and procedure for a proper duel. Gentlemen, you may begin."
Flitwick bowed slightly at the waist toward Snape, but Snape only bowed his head a fraction in return. The tension saturated the atmosphere with an overpowering will of its own as the hall fell silent. Raising their wands in unison, the two faced each other fearlessly, their feet spreading sideways in an attempt to gain stability in their stance. On the left, Severus snarled with anticipation. Equally as expectant, Filius readied himself on the right, his lower lip jutting out warily as he eyed his opponent. The two men were as eager to proceed as a pair of cocks in a ring.
Minerva counted, "Ready, now. One, two, three—"
Andrea would never have admitted it, but she had never seen a duel before, much less performed in one. As she listened to the countdown, she held her breath, secretly hoping Severus would flatten the little man to the canvas.
Like an explosion, the two men lunged toward each other, both shouting out the incantation at exactly the same time. "EXPELLIARMUS!"
The spells filled the hall with the men's simultaneous cries just as two dazzling bolts of scarlet shot out from the professors' wands. The surge met directly in the middle of the stage, forcing the magical blasts immediately backward. In a powerful whiplash effect, both wands were torn from the wizard's hands and thrown uselessly to the ground. But despite the force of the blows, both men had managed to stay standing. Neither seemed to be harmed, but they both rubbed their stinging hands with a surprised vigor.
Shocked at first, the crowd remained silent. It wasn't until Andrea began clapping, followed closely by Minerva and Pomona, that the students joined in.
The women went next. Pomona was the one to fall victim as she accidentally slipped, the action providing Minerva with the advantage. After helping Pomona back to her feet, Minerva faced the crowd.
"All right, students. Hopefully you've been watching carefully. It's time to place you into pairs. Remember, defensive spells only."
All four Heads of House began walking through the audience to link up the most appropriate partners, and as Severus passed Potter and Weasley, he stepped between them. Remembering the dismal status of Ron's wand, he looked directly at the boy with narrowed eyes.
"Do you find life so difficult that you can't take a simple task upon yourself to complete? I would have thought you'd have the sense to go to my wife's workshop and get that dismal excuse of a wand fixed. But I see you're more interested in attempting mutilation of your classmates."
Ron gulped, and his face turned bright red, the skin as brilliant as a Caribbean sunset. As Snape shook his head, Andrea laid her hand on the boy's shoulder.
"I'll deal with this, Professor," she said sternly, glaring up at her husband.
Flicking his gaze to the boy for just a moment, he lifted his eyes back to his wife. "Fine. I'll take Potter. You can deal with Weasley. Since you seem to enjoy wasting time on hopeless cases, be my guest."
Severus's comment had a disastrous effect on Andrea's temper. She had been holding it back all evening, but this was the last straw. Normally, she was very careful with any conversations held in front of the students, but tonight she had had enough.
"Yes, I suppose I do. After all, I've already wasted enough time on you, haven't I?" she spat back, her eyes flashing with sparks.
Snape's mouth tightened in response, his lips pressing into whiteness. In a low voice he hissed back, "I do not appreciate your performance, my dear wife, and I will not tolerate your petty insolence. I will deal with you later."
"You're an ass, Severus," she replied. "Come on, Ron. Let's you and me duel, shall we?" As the two marched off toward the stage, Andrea yanked Ron along like a puppet. Almost fearfully, Ron looked back over his shoulder at Harry in a silent plea for help, but Harry was in a mess of his own.
Growling, Snape stared after his wife's retreating form. Despite his growing rage, he forced himself to resist her bitter jab. Instead he focused his fury on Potter.
Pushed to the limit of his control, Severus grabbed Harry and dragged him like a toy to the other side of the hall. Seeing Draco, Snape knew what he had to do. With a stern determination, he tugged both of them forward, one hand on each of the boy's collars. But as he started up the steps to the stage, he found Minerva standing in his way.
"I'm sorry, Professor," she said. "You'll have to wait. There is another pair ahead of you."
There on the platform he saw them. Ron Weasley was holding up his bent and taped wand, the instrument trembling slightly as he pointed it toward the ceiling. Not ten feet away, Andrea faced him, her concentration evident, her own wand held only slightly steadier as she prepared herself for the duel.
"Stop!" Severus ordered, his voice ringing out in a rage. "Stop this at once!"
Taking a deep breath, Andrea ignored him. "Ready, Ron? On the count of three. One, two, three—"
A/N: YIKES! What will happen now? Will Ron win? Will the broken wand backfire? Stay tuned. Thanks to all of you that added this story to your favorites or alerts. A special thanks to my beta Fainting Fancies and also to my loyal reviewer: Wendy Waddles.